Author's Note: I would have had this story updated way sooner but real life happens and it comes first. I have had some deaths in the family and I have been trying to help my cousin who has not been doing too well until recently. Now though she has been posting her updates and has finally found time to edit mine so I am back. This chapter jumps to the dinner the evening after the ball.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Hermione sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. She knew that she looked alright but she felt as if something was missing from her outfit and she had no idea what it was. For some reason she was even more nervous about tonight than she had been about the ball the evening before. When she heard a knock on her bedroom door she groaned. "Come in."

Severus, Harry, Sirius, and Lucius all walked into Hermione's bedroom and frowned when they noticed the look on her face but it was Harry who asked "'Mione, is something the matter?"

Hermione let out a frustrated sigh. "I feel as if I am missing something with my outfit but for the life of me I cannot figure out what it is."

Harry shook his head and chuckled as he walked forward. "Bend down a little, 'Mione. You are taller than me in your heels." He waited until she bent down and then he gently lifted her hair off of her neck and slipped the choker around her neck and fastened it. "There now your outfit is complete, 'Mione, and you look breathtaking. I found this choker in one of my family vaults when I went through it today and I knew right away that it was made for you."

Hermione felt tears rush to her eyes and blinked them away as she looked at Harry from the mirror. Her breath caught when she finally looked at the choker. "Thank you, Harry, and you are right. This choker does indeed complete my outfit. I have no clue why I couldn't figure out for myself that I was missing a necklace or something similar to wear tonight. So how do I look everyone?"

Severus rolled his eyes and smirked. "You look beautiful as always, Hermione. I really must say that the green does bring out your eyes. Is there a reason why all of a sudden you are wearing Slytherin colors, my dear?"

Hermione chuckled and shook her head. "Green is one of my favorite colors and I figured that the blue dress I had thought about wearing tonight would go better for the school dance we are having next weekend. So I truly look alright?"

Sirius snorted. "Kitten, if you looked any better the four of us plus Remus, Adrian, Blaise, Marcus, and John would have to kill all the men and boys that will be here shortly. I want your word that you will stay near us this evening. Everyone is coming that we sent invites to and I just can't shake this feeling that I have that something will happen that shouldn't. As you know the Pucey's, Flint's, Zabini's, Malfoy's, Tonks', Remus, and your parents are already here but the Parkinson's, Weasley's, Greengrass', Boot's, Nott's, Bones', Abbot's, Macmillan, McLaggen's, several other families, Albus, Minerva, and the other Professors' from Hogwarts, and of course Kingsley will be here this evening. If you start to feel uncomfortable at any time you get to Adrian, Marcus, Harry, Severus, Lucius, Draco, Katrina, Sienna, or Kingsley's side regardless of where we are or who we are talking to. Your safety is the most important thing tonight and we will not have it compromised for anything."

Hermione smiled. "I know, Sirius. You and uncle Severus have both hounded that into my head all day today. I promise that I will stay by one of your sides and if I even THINK something is wrong I will let one of you or all of you know. I am NOT going to take any chances this evening. We have the dinner tonight and then we leave tomorrow morning for Hogwarts. I am really not looking forward to riding the train. Well I am but I'm not if that makes sense to any of you. I just want to get through tonight and then I'll worry about tomorrow."

Severus nodded. "Very well then, Hermione. Since you are now ready we should get downstairs. Our guests should start arriving within a minute or two."

Hermione groaned and then mock glared at Harry when he laughed. "No laughing at me, Harry! You hate crowds just as much as I do! At least this way I can control who gets to talk to me or touch me."

Harry groaned as he held his arm out to Hermione. "Don't remind me, 'Mione. I still can't believe the way people act when they see me. Really what gives them the right to put their hands on me whenever they see me? I'm a person not a bloody dog or anything like that. Does anyone not know what personal space means anymore?"

Hermione chuckled but it was Sirius who said "Hex the next person that touches you without permission, Harry. You have the right to tell them to back the hell off. You are a person and not their personal property. If you don't like being touched then speak up!"

Hermione nodded as she let Harry lead her out of her bedroom with Severus, Sirius, and Lucius walking behind them. "I'll talk to Kingsley tonight, Harry, and see what can be done about everyone that is harassing you. There has to be something we can do so that you can live at least a somewhat normal life. Speaking of a normal life I will be talking to Kingsley about your deplorable relatives. Now that the war is over charges can be pressed and they need to pay for what they have done to you in the past, Harry. I know that you don't like talking about it but if you want to start healing then they need to be dealt with once and for all. They are lucky that I have not went by there yet to give them a piece of my mind and to use my wand on them."

Harry sighed. "You win, 'Mione. I won't fight you on this but you have to promise me that you won't raise your wand to them. You may be the Queen or Princess or whatever you want called of our world but you can't just go hexing Muggle's no matter how much they deserve it. For tonight we will drop the topic but I will talk to Kingsley in the morning before we leave for Kings Cross. Do you agree with that?"

Hermione nodded and kissed Harry on the cheek right before they started down the steps just as the first group of guests were arriving. "I can agree to that, Harry. Oh and look the Weasley's are the first guests to get here."

Harry chuckled and patted Hermione's hand that was threaded through his arm as he led her over to where the Weasley's were being greeted by Sienna, Katrina, Melissa, John, Adrian, Marcus, Blaise, Draco, Remus, Andromeda, Tonks, Trina, Marcus Sr, Philip, Jasmine, and Narcissa. "Good evening, Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny."

Arthur smiled but before he could return Harry's greeting Ron snarled "Get your hands off of my girlfriend, Harry!"

Harry sighed and said "'Mione is not your girlfriend, Ron, and you know it. Why do you keep saying that she is? Now tonight is supposed to be a fun evening so why don't we all just get along."

Sienna nodded and said in a cold voice "Young Mr. Weasley, I will not have you causing problems for my niece in her own home. If you are going to keep on the way you started then you can be returned back to your house while the rest of your family stay and enjoy the evening we have planned for tonight."

Ron glared but before he could say anything Arthur said "Ronald, that is enough. I am so sorry about this, Hermione."

Hermione shook her head and smiled at Arthur. "You have no reason to be sorry, Arthur. After all it is not your fault the way that Ronald is acting. Lets just forget about it and have some fun this evening."

Arthur nodded and then stepped over to the side with the rest of his family as more people started arriving. "So how are you doing with all of this, Hermione."

Hermione chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "In all honesty I am still getting use to it but it hasn't been as hard as I feared it would be. It helps that Sirius, uncle Severus, aunt Sienna, Harry, Adrian, Marcus, Blaise, Katrina, Harry, and the Malfoy's have been letting me talk about it today. I guess after tonight I will know how I am dealing with it."

Bill chuckled and shook his head. "You'll do great, Hermione. After all you are the brightest witch of your age and then some. If you ever need anything don't hesitate to send word to me and I will do what I can to help you. Fleur would have joined me this evening but she is not feeling the best and she did not want to get anyone else sick."

Hermione nodded and smiled. "Give Fleur my love, Bill. Now if you all will excuse me I must greet my other guests."

Everyone nodded and Harry led Hermione over to the next group with Severus, Lucius, and Sirius following behind them. For the next forty five minutes that is what they did. They walked from group to group greeting everyone that showed up. By seven forty five everyone was there and mingling together.

Hermione watched as her aunt went from person to person welcoming them before she cleared her throat and said "We are very happy that you all could be here with us this evening. As you know tomorrow Hermione and the other students will be heading back to Hogwarts for their final year of school or for another year of school. I figured that it would be best for all of us to get together and relax for their last night at home. If you all will follow me I will lead you to the dining room where we will be dining this evening."

Hermione couldn't help but grin and once again let Harry lead her. She shook her head and rolled her eyes as she heard several people talking about how nice it would be to live in her house. Once she was seated she smiled at Harry and then at Sirius who was on her right side. "This evening is going to drag. If I hear one more person talk about how lucky their family would be to land me I am liable to start hexing people."

Sirius chuckled and shook his head. "No, hexing until after supper at least, Kitten."

Hermione pouted but then smirked. "Fine but if they had all better watch out after supper."

Sirius threw his head back and laughed. Once he caught his breath he noticed everyone looking at him and he raised an eyebrow. "Haven't you all heard a man laugh before? Just because Hermione is now the Queen of the wizarding world doesn't mean that she doesn't have a sense of humor. Now unless any of you want to be the ones that she practices her spell work on I would advise you to quit staring."

A snort was heard from down the table before Robert Parkinson said "As if a Mudblood can run our world."

At those words several people slammed their hands down on the table but it was Lucius who surprised most of the people except the ones who had stayed at the manor last night when he said "Give it up, Parkinson. You, your family, and I all know that Hermione Granger is not that word and that she is a pureblood. If you want to keep on the way you are then be my guest and do so but do it at the risk of your health. I will NOT sit idly by and listen and/or watch as you tear down the girl who saved your sorry arse from being killed on the battlefield. Do you forget that you owe Miss Granger a life debt? Are you so stupid that you do not realize that one wrong move on your part could end you and your family? Now I know why I never even considered a betrothal Draco to your daughter and it is because of how idiotic you are. If you have nothing nice to say then keep your damn mouth shut before I do it for you!"

Robert's eyes widened but before he could say anything Kingsley said "Mr. Parkinson, might I remind you that you are a guest at the home of one Her Highness Hermione Granger-la Penne and that your trial for your part in the war is coming up shortly. I would hate to have to send you to Azkaban to reside until your trial date. Now you will apologize to Her Highness and then you will spend the rest of this meal in silence unless you are spoken to."

Robert's eyes narrowed but he said curtly "I am sorry, Your Highness."

Hermione bit her lip to keep from saying something she shouldn't and nodded. "You are forgiven this time, Mr. Parkinson, but do not let it happen again. I told you last night that I was done taking the way you and your daughter have treated me. If you want to be able to stay out of Azkaban then I would advise you to watch your step from now on. Now let us all enjoy the rest of the evening."

Everyone nodded and the small talk flowed for the rest of the evening. By the time everyone left Hermione was exhausted as was Sienna, Katrina, Narcissa, Adrian, Marcus, Tonks, Andromeda, Severus, Blaise, Trina, Jasmine, Philip, Harry, Marcus Sr, Lucius, Draco, Remus, and Sirius. Other than a few small incidents the evening had been a success.

Hermione groaned as she leaned against Harry and Adrian as she pulled her shoes off. "I am going to bed for the evening. I will see you all bright and early in the morning."

Everyone nodded and said their good night's and soon the manor was silent once more as everyone went to sleep for the night.

Secondary Author's Note: This chapter probably could have been longer but I cut a lot of stuff out that really didn't need to be in it. The next chapter will have the train ride to Hogwarts and of course Ron and possibly Ginny causing trouble.

BN: *shakes head* alright I am 3 for 3 tonite on editing for Jen so I hope that everyone is happy... lmfao... Click the button and let her know what you think!