San Francisco, California - October 10th 2004

Hermione was barely paying attention to where she was going as she walked down the street. She was running late after her last appointment, and wanted to get home as soon as possible.

The warmth from the California sun beat down on her, resulting in a slightly pink hue to her already sun-kissed skin. Ever since she arrived in the U.S. four years ago she had been living there off and on in one of the more sunny states, or she had been off traveling. She had settled down for the most part but she was known to just up and disappear for two or more weeks at a time to visit one country or another.

In her five years of globetrotting she had been to: Italy, France, Spain, the U.S., Russia, the Caribbean, Japan, India, and many of the smaller European countries. She had however not been back to the U.K since she left Harry's wedding all those years ago. She did manage to keep up a steady correspondence with all her friends, and her parents through owl post, but she hadn't seen them in years, which was why when she spotted a figure lurking outside of her front door her first reaction was to grab her wand. It didn't matter how many years had passed since the war a part of it remained with her always, even after her brief stint as living solely as a muggle when she had been with Leilah, who was in fact a muggle.

"Hermione, open up please? Look it's been years and I want to see my best friend again! I have news I want to share and I can't very bloody well do it through a door!" The figure said loudly.

It took Hermione less than a second to place the voice, and even less time to place the face but once she did so she felt like smacking herself upside the head. Harry's hair was still as messy as ever and she knew his eyes would be the same startling green. A feeling of nostalgia wrapped itself around her and she silently crept up behind her visitor with a smile on her face.

"What news is so important the Chosen One had to track me down?" Hermione said whispering in Harry's ear.

Harry spun so fast his wand slipping into his hand, Hermione was almost impressed. She would have been even more impressed if he had noticed her sneak up behind him.

"Look what happens when I'm gone for a few years, you get rusty Harry," Hermione said with a teasing lilt.

"Hermione!" Harry said his eyes going wide as he took in her appearance. It was only than that Hermione remembered what she was wearing and felt herself blush lightly. She was in a Gryffindor red halter top that showcased most of her tattoos, and was in tight leather pants. She looked nothing like the Gryffindor Golden Girl so many people remembered from Hogwarts.

"Wanna come in?" Hermione asked already fitting her key into the lock. The door swung open and Hermione entered leaving Harry to sort out his thoughts before following her in.

Hermione bypassed her living room and went straight to the kitchen where she pulled out two bottles of butterbeer. And tossed her small purse onto the counter, it was no longer the purple beaded bag, but a tiny leather clutch. The bag still had an undetectable extension charm placed on it, which made it dead helpful.

When she returned to her living room Harry was standing awkwardly by her fireplace looking at the different pictures she had decorating that wall. They were various pictures of the different countries she had been to on her travels, in each of them she was with a friend or lover she had met while in the country. To Hermione they all contained good memories but they were not nearly as important as the two pictures in the middle of the mantle. One was of herself and Mistress Leilah on Hermione's twenty-second birthday. The other was a picture of Hermione, Harry and Ron on Harry's eighteenth birthday, the first one after the war.

"Butterbeer?" Hermione asked sitting in the chair closest to her. Harry pulled his gaze away from her pictures and back towards her. He seemed tense, as if he was about to apologize or yell. It was always so hard to tell which with Harry; he was so unpredictable at times.

"Ginny's pregnant!" Harry shouted his face turning a deep red as the words spewed forth from his mouth.

Hermione, who had been taking a sip of her butterbeer, began hacking violently. Of all the things she had expect Harry to say that had certainly not been one of them.

"Congratulations Harry. When is the baby due?" Hermione asked once she got over her surprise.

"In April," Harry said his feet shuffling nervously. "Hermione, I . . . well actually we, Ginny and I . . . we want . . . well that is to say. . ."

"Harry, spit it out! You came here for a reason, other than to tell me about Ginny. What is it?"

"IwantedtosayIwassorryforhowIactedatmyweddingIwasjustworriedaboutyouandIdidn'twantanythingtohappentoyou,youareoneofmybestfriendsandIwouldbelostwithoutyouandIwashopingthatyouwouldbethereformychildaswellandbethegodmotherandmaybeevenmovebacktoBritianoratleastvisitmorewemissyouMione!"

Hermione blinked owlishly at Harry as the words spilled from his mouth in such a rushed manner she was only able to catch about half of what he actually said. She knew Harry could get nervous at times but she had never seen her friend like this around her. Harry was usually relaxed around her, not nervous. Still if she caught that part about his wedding right, she could only imagine he still felt guilty about her leaving and didn't want to upset her again.

"Harry I have very many talents but deciphering that speech is a tad too much even for me. Can you please repeat that just a bit slower?"

Harry flushed a deep red, but he nodded and took a deep breath.

"I said that I was sorry for how I acted at my wedding. I was just scared about something happening to you, you're like my sister Hermione I couldn't stand it if something happened to you. Also I wanted to ask if you would be the godmother for my child, Ginny wants you to be as well but Molly wouldn't let her come with me to ask."

Hermione couldn't help the smile that broke out on her face when Harry finished. Things had been a tad tense between them for the last few years but they had managed a decent correspondence to one another by owl post, and it was good to see Harry again. He really was like her brother, no matter what arguments happened between them.

"Harry I would love to be your child's godmother, but you forgot that bit about wanting me to move back to Britain, didn't you?"

Harry's eyes widened and his gaze went directly to where her wand was holstered, but the brave Gryffindor that he was, Harry straightened in his chair and nodded.

"Mione, you have been gone for what, five years? We all miss you and honestly I need help with Ginny. She is only three months pregnant and she is ready to rip my head off. Her dislike for Fleur has come back tenfold; Molly seems to be annoying her more than helping. She is irritable because she'll be benched for the upcoming season since she told her coach she's pregnant."

Hermione watched with interest as Harry began pacing up and down her living room, seemingly talking more to himself than her. She had to admit she had never seen her friend look quite so harried; Ginny's pregnancy must be really getting to him. She took another draft of her butterbeer as he continued.

"Please, Mione come back just until the baby is born, and well maybe a bit after that? Than you can go back to traveling the world or whatever so long as you promise to visit regularly, please, please, please?"

Hermione suddenly found herself in the Gryffindor common room; Harry and Ron had their bags with them and were begging for help on one essay or another they had procrastinated on. The look on Harry's face was exactly the same as it had been back then. In a way it was nice to know that some things never changed. Still she had to hold back a sigh, this was why she had left Britain to begin with, and she didn't want the responsibility. Not when it came to taking care of babies or taking care of her best friends.

Still looking at Harry's face, she couldn't find it in her to refuse. It had been far too long since she had been home; a few months catching up with everyone wouldn't be too bad.

"Fine, I'll come back-"

Hermione's words were cut off when Harry swept her into a tight hug crushing her lungs.

"You're the best Mione!"

"I'll say she is," another voice said from behind them.

Hermione grabbed Harry's arm to stop him going for his wand and turned to see Leilah standing in the doorway takeout in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other. Hermione felt an unconscious twitch in her knees but Harry's presence stopped her from falling to her knees in Leilah's presence.

"M-Leilah, let me introduce you to one of my best friends, Harry Potter. Harry this is Leilah Castillo . . . a close friend," Hermione muttered awkwardly looking anywhere but at the two people in her living room.

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Potter, Hermione has told me much about you," Leilah said with a smile setting the Chinese takeout down on the table. Hermione was watching her discreetly out of the corner of her eye, which was why she was prepared when Leilah's arms snaked around her and pulled her down onto Leilah's lap.

"Tell me, my dear what is this I hear of you running away back to Britain?"

"Leilah," Hermione said in warning.
"Oh, I know I haven't been around much but are you really just going to up and leave me all by my lonesome?"

"Leilah, please you are never by your lonesome. Every time you go to Cherrie's you come home with another s-girl. You don't need me for company."

"Well yes but that doesn't mean I won't miss you, my dear."

"Uh, Hermione?" Harry asked his eyes darting back and forth between Leilah and her. Hermione felt slightly uncomfortable in Leilah's lap with Harry's gaze on her but she knew better than to stand when Leilah had such a possessive grip around her. Leilah and she may have gone their separate ways two years ago but they were still close friends, and when Leilah stopped by they usually ended up in some type of scene if Hermione was not seeing anyone else at the time.

"Sorry Harry, Leilah takes some getting used to. Look, I have a few things I need to take care of but I'll swing by in a few days, alright? You go back to Ginny and we can catch up when I get back home."

Harry seemed skeptical his gaze boring into Leilah's arms distrustfully but eventually Hermione got him to concede and he left. It was only once Hermione knew he was gone that she allowed herself to relax. She loved Harry and she was certainly not ashamed of her relationship with Leilah, but best friend or not there were some things Harry did not need to know.

"Well, my dear, I hope you friend's visit isn't going to ruin our entire night. Do you know how long it takes to drive up here from Las Vegas?"

Hermione saw the expectant look on Leilah's face and she felt a thrill rush through her. It really had been too long since she had been with Leilah, or any dominate really. Within seconds Hermione found herself naked and on her knees in front of Leilah.

All thoughts of Harry and Ginny and the impending baby where whisked from her mind when she saw Leilah's tongue dart across her lips.

It had been far too long since she had last was in a scene, her body seemed to be singing in anticipation for what she knew was about to come next.

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London, England - October 15th 2004

Hermione stood still as a statue as she took in the house before her. Just like it had been during the war Number 12 Grimmauld place was invisible to all those who had not been told the address by the secret keeper.

Nothing had changed about the house in the four years since she had seen it last. Not only did the house look the same but so too did the neighborhood. Idly Hermione wondered if Harry and Ginny were actually planning on raising a family here. She had understood them living here right after school, but it had never been very child friendly.

Looking at the house Hermione couldn't help but let her memories play out in her mind. She had some good memories of this house, but it always made her think of Sirius, how he died, how unhappy he had been here.

The street was quiet despite being almost noon, most of the inhabitants of the neighborhood off to work. Without being seen Hermione broke away from her place across the street and walked to the front door of the ancient house.

She rapped on the wooden door and waited patiently for it to open. When it did she was greeted with the sight of her best female friend, and her shock of bright red Weasley hair.

Ginny's brown eyes clouded with confusion when she spotted Hermione on her doorstep. Hermione could see the moment Ginny recognized her, and the shock that followed. Hermione knew she looked different and would no doubt have to face an endless stream of questions but she was not about to change who she was to make others happy.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked.

Her red-headed friend didn't even wait for an answer before she threw herself into Hermione's arms.

"Hermione! Sweet Merlin! What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming? What happened to you hair? Is that leather? What have you been up to in the States? You look so different, I almost didn't recognize you! What happened?"

"Ginny, it's good to see you again. Perhaps we can continue this inside?"

Ginny immediately pulled away from Hermione but instead of going inside the redhead squealed and hugged her once more.

"Mione! Harry said you would be coming! Can you believe that Harry and I are having a baby? I'm going to be a mother! You have to be the godmother! You will won't you? Our baby will need someone clearheaded like you in their life, what with my brother's around and Harry's natural talent for trouble, the baby will need you."

Hermione felt a twinge of doubt forming in her stomach at Ginny's words but she kept her smile on her face. She was here because she wanted to reconnect with her friends and support Ginny and Harry during the pregnancy. She would not run off again when things didn't go the way she wanted.

"Of course I'll be there for your child Gin. Now come on let's go inside and you can talk my ear off until Harry comes home," Hermione said ushering her friend inside the house.

Of course once Ginny realized that Hermione was in fact back she rushed off to send an owl to Mrs. Weasley and a few others. That meant that more and more people began flooing over to Grimmauld place to see her.

By the time dinner came around all of the Weasley's were there, George with his fiancée Angelina, Bill with Fleur and their two daughters: Victorie and Dominique. Percy showed up with his wife, Audrey, who Hermione had never met but seemed nice. Next Neville and his wife Hannah Abbott arrived, and Luna and her boyfriend Rolf Scamander. Harry, Charlie, Ron and his current girlfriend of two years Susan Bones were the last to arrive.

When Ron stumbled out of the fireplace he looked around the room searching for Hermione but his gaze passed right over her.

"Where is she?" Ron demanded in his voice that brooked no argument and was incredibly prattish.

"Honestly Ronald I would have thought after dating for a year and being friends for eleven years on top of that you would have been able to recognize me."

Hermione held her laughter back as Ron's gaze swung back around to look at her only for his eyes to nearly bulge right out of his head. His face flushed a deep red and his mouth hung open in shock.

It was a milder reaction than Hermione had expected from her favorite hot headed Weasley. Still it was one of the more extreme reactions her friends had given when they saw her. Mrs. Weasley was of course even worse, immediately trying to convince Hermione to allow her to vanish some of Hermione's tattoos. Hermione of course refused.

Percy had stared at her for a second before wrapping her in a tight hug and continuing as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. George of course had made a suggestive comment and had been promptly elbowed by Angelina. Everyone else had expressed their surprise but no one had made much of a big deal about her new look, well new to them.

"What . . . WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU MIONE!" Ron shouted deafening anyone who stood near them.

"What do you mean, Ronald?" Hermione asked in her deadliest tone.

"You look . . . you look . . . I mean. . ."

Hermione felt her eyebrow arch and her hands found their place on her waist as she gazed at Ron with her coldest stare. She was in absolutely no mood for one of Ron's tantrums. Some things never changed even though they should. It had been years she had expected Ron to be a bit more mature at this point.

Hermione smothered a smile when Susan elbowed Ron in the ribs much like Angelina had with George. Instantly Ron's flushed faced paled and he glanced done at his girlfriend guiltily before shifting his attention back to Hermione.

"I look what, Ronald Weasley?" Hermione asked her voice cold and hard. Ron seemed to finally notice and she heard him gulp audibly. That was better.

"You look . . . nice?" Ron said hesitantly.

Nearly everyone in the room laughed and Hermione cracked a smile at Ron before going over to hug him. For the first time in years she was surrounded by her closest friends, her second family. Some things she could do without, some things she disliked, but for the most part she had missed this, missed them. It was good to be home.