How we came to be...

DISCLAIMER : It's all J.K Rowling's, the whole world..all the characters...I have just 'tweaked the circumstances'.

CHAPTER 1

It was a quiet day at St. Mungo's, which was something to say, as usually the hospital was filled with unusual patients sprouting anything from antlers to extra hands or behaving like a train and making all sorts of sounds taxing on the human ear. Even Mr Peter's who loved talking, but unfortunately had been cursed by his brother to bark like a dog every time he opened his mouth was sleeping soundly today, though monitored closely by a witch with bushy hair, extremely bushy hair. She smiled at the sleeping man; she had grown fond of him and his barks. Examining his chart she tapped her wand on the clipboard and exited his room, walking towards the Healer rooms. It was her last patient for the day and she couldn't wait to get home. The week had been hectic and Christmas was coming. She had planned a nice relaxation schedule for these holidays, which involved a horde of books she hadn't been able to read. She thought about her tasks for the day, ticking them off in her mental list just to re check if all was done.

"Hey Hermione!",the bushy haired healer was snapped out of her trance by a long haired witch sitting in front of her room with a pram next to her.

"Hey Gin, Why are you waiting here outside?! You could have sent a message!" said Hermione smiling at her friend. It was good to see Ginny Potter whom she hadn't met for many weeks. She hugged Ginny and bent down to kiss baby James who was sleeping in the pram.

"I just got here a few minutes ago and they told me your rounds ended in some time so I decided to wait." said Ginny as Hermione ushered her in her personal room. It was nothing but a sparsely furnished room with a closet, a shelf and a small bed for resting between rounds. Two chairs and a table stood at one end where both witches sat and Hermione summoned a bottle of Butterbeer for them, pouring it in two glasses.

"So" said Hermione "tell me how the holiday to France was?"

"It was wonderful truly!" said Ginny gushing a bit, taking her glass of Butterbeer. "I am even happier because Harry really seemed to get a good rest after all that extensive Auror training."

"He deserves it truly" said Hermione, "By the way, when is his induction as an Auror?"

"It was the day before; it was a short private ceremony really. However, we are having a family celebration and you must come. It's on this Sunday!

"That would be great" beamed Hermione. She hadn't met the Weasleys and Harry for a long time and the thought of meeting them at the start of the holidays did cheer her up.

"That's done then" said Ginny. "Come around four, that way we can catch up, for I must leave right now. James will be getting up and he gets quite fussy. So, before he starts the riot I should floo home!" she said hastily getting up, kissing Hermione on the cheeks an flooing out with her pram off Hermione's little fireplace.

Hermione sighed as her friend disappeared leaving behind a trail of ash on the carpet. She smiled happily at the thought of the Weasley dinner. It reminded her of old times when Weasley lunches/dinners were a regular affair. But a lot had changed after the war; life had taken some unexpected turns and brought her on to a completely different road. One she had never dreamed of taking. She laughed a little thinking of how, even now, after all this time her situation seemed absurd to her. Especially since..."especially since!" she gasped, as her head jerked towards Witch Weekly's annual calendar hanging on her wall, it was only one week now...one week for her anniversary. Her second marriage anniversary, "Wow" she whispered to herself. They had come so far somehow and survived. It had been two very interesting years. Was she happy? She couldn't say exactly, but she definitely wasn't sad or miserable as she had expected herself to be. She smiled as she took her bag, giving a once over to her room, which would now be shut for the holidays. She locked the door with her wand and stepped into the fireplace, already thinking of the nice warm bath, accompanied by a good book waiting for her back home.

She grabbed the floo powder and dropping it in the fireplace said, "Malfoy Manor".