[A/N: This story is going to be regularly updated - at least once a week for now - and I intend to make the chapters a few thousand words each (not including this one, which will be shorter). My track record isn't fantastic when it comes to updating, but that was when I was at school and uni, but now I'm on holidays, I have a lot of spare time. This is going to be a Dramione fic, obviously, but Draco won't be introduced until the second or third chapter. This chapter is more a precursor to the actual fic, which will include more dialogue and events. I hope you enjoy, and I hope you will review and follow!]

Chapter 1:

By Owl

Two weeks after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione Granger sent two letters by owl.

One was directed to the Burrow, addressed to Harry, Ron and Ginny, and the other to Hogwarts, and Minerva McGonagall. She picked up her travelling bag, looked around her emptied childhood home, and disapparated.

She wasn't seen for another five years.

For all intents and purposes, and by the majority of the wizarding population, Hermione Granger was presumed dead or missing. Six people knew that she wasn't: the Potters, Harry and Ginny; the still-perplexed Ronald Weasley; Headmistress McGonagall, touched to have been informed; and Robert and Jacqui Granger, who had remained in Australia and set up a dental practice.

After the first year, few articles were published discussing her whereabouts, and those usually appeared on her birthday and the day of her disappearance. While Rita Skeeter hypothesised that Death Eaters had captured, tortured and murdered the young woman, other journalists suggested that she was more likely to have run away from the wizarding world to live a relatively normal life. Hermione Granger was not one to lavish in the attention of society, it just wasn't her style.

Luna Lovegood, the first reporter to suggest such a plan, was in fact correct. Astute as always, knowing that Hermione wouldn't want to be followed, she had suggested that the Gryffindor would probably venture to France or Italy, centres for history, rather than somewhere as humdrum as England or Ireland. Hermione Granger was more likely to be hiding in a library in some interesting part of the muggle world, content to read, do research and spend time with family and friends, than facing notoriety as a witch.

That was exactly what Hermione had decided to do.

Life was simple in Brisbane. Her parents were happy with their house and jobs, meeting neighbours and enjoying the usually mild weather. Hermione was able to work as a librarian in the State Library, while doing healing research at home in her free time. She'd managed to publish several journal articles to the Healing Wizard, an up-and-coming Australian wizarding magazine, under a pseudonym, receiving some acclaim. She wasn't faced with the flashing lightbulbs and questioning looks as she walked around at the shops, no misrepresentation as Harry's girlfriend or being treated as inferior by the prejudiced purebloods.

Hermione was content.

Ginny had had enough.

It had been five years since she'd seen her best friend. She and Harry were about to have their fourth wedding anniversary (a wedding that Hermione hadn't even attended) and they were having a party. As it so happened, their anniversary fell on New Year's Day, and a large picnic was planned for that afternoon.

Hermione was going to come to this party and Ginny Potter would not take no for an answer.

Though she was treated to occasional news of wizarding Britain, little European news was published in Australian wizarding newspapers and Hermione was rather glad that she didn't have another constant reminder of her other life. But she did have a constant reminder. One that slept in the room next to hers, one that screamed 'Mummy!' across the library after school, despite every effort to cure him of the habit. One whose appearance was forever a reminder of the events that had given her reason to leave her home and her friends.

Alexander Granger was her treasure and Hermione loved him more than anything. But she was glad that they were free from the stigma she might have received in London. No one in Brisbane would wonder at the father of her child. No one would question whether her fake-husband had truly died in a car accident. They had been able to start anew. Her family was safe and happy in Australia.

The invitation arrived on the day after Christmas. Hermione and her mother returned from the Boxing Day Sales exhausted, carrying dozens of bags. Alec danced around the pair as they entered the house, dropping bags in their path, and sank into armchairs.

"Mummy! Mummy! You got an owl!"

Alec was enamoured with the animals and his favourite stories all featured an owl or two. But visiting their home was an entirely new story and, despite growing up with owls delivering things every once in a while, Alec was always excited when the mail arrived by owl.

Hermione went to the open window, where a white owl perched. It looked remarkably like Hedwig, she thought absentmindedly as she opened the seal on the letter.

Dear Hermione...party...not taking no for an answer...hope you had a lovely Christmas...miss you...love Ginny.

She sighed.

Oh dear.

It was finally happening.

Although her friends had been supportive of her leaving the country to move in with her parents in Australia, they had not fully understood. Hermione hadn't told them everything. They didn't know she was a mother, they hadn't even known she was seeing someone during the war. But now that they were actively inviting her to things, she knew that if she ignored them, they would eventually travel to Brisbane and drag her back kicking and screaming.

She missed her friends, the world into which she had acclimated so well. She missed Hogwarts and the Weasleys and being around magic all the time. She missed the cold British winters, the greenness that was everywhere (Australia seemed to be distinctly brown, rather than green) and the more appropriate behaviour that could be found outside the former colony.

Hermione had wanted to go home from the moment she had disapparated five years previously, but she had stayed strong and she knew her family was better for it. But time had passed, and it was likely that no one would question her son's backstory. It wasn't a question, really. She wanted to go back, even if it might be slightly more difficult there. Alec would be able to go to Hogwarts. She would be able to take him to Diagon Alley to get his books for school, to get his first wand.

Hermione grinned.

It was time to return to England.