A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I've been super busy with school this semester, and I'm actually procrastinating finishing up my Music Lit homework, so here you go! I only have one more week until finals and then will be on break! Hopefully I can update some more at that time. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 25:

Well, today is the day I marry Charlus Potter. I'm not quite sure how to feel. Most girls dream of their weddings from the time that they were a little girl, but I've only just seen it as a necessary step. I am glad my father agreed to Charlus' proposal for courtship. I'm not sure I would have had a happy marriage with some of the other young men that were interested. At least Charlus is a good man, and he comes from a good, and very wealthy family. It's because of this I've seem to have made the best match with my marriage. All of the other Slytherin girls are very happy for me, for that is all they have ever wanted in a relationship, someone who will take care of them.

Hermione had been flipping through some of her mother's journals for the better part of the afternoon, when she heard the chime indicating her dad had apparated home. She quickly shoved the journal, along with a few photo albums and letters underneath her pillow, and pulled out the notes that she was supposed to be studying just as she heard her father's footsteps on the stairs.

"Mia?" He called, reaching his daughters door

Hermione did a quick visual sweep of the room to make sure nothing that she had snuck in there was visible, "in here."

Charlus Potter knocked lightly on his daughter's door before entering her room. "How is everything going?"

Hermione lifted her notes off of the bed "Just doing some quick review before Monday."

Her father nodded, "I was a little worried when you didn't show up to the office today."

Hermione nodded, "I just didn't want any interruptions today." Which wasn't a lie, even if she hadn't been studying all morning, like she was suggesting.

"Alright, Mipsy is making supper, it should be ready in about ten minutes, so you can put your notes away and we'll eat."

Hermione smiled slightly, noticing once again how nervous her father was around her. He still wasn't sure how to handle the daughter he had thought he lost years ago.

Hermione hadn't had too much time to herself over the weekend, her father seemed to think that because she was going to Hogwarts on Monday, that it meant she was really leaving for good. No matter how many times she had reassured him that she would only be gone during the day, when he didn't normally see her anyway. Charlus also seemed determined to keep his daughter away from 'studying' in her room, meaning she had no time to peruse her mother's journals. They were intriguing to her, showed her a side to her mother that she hadn't yet seen, and had started to explain just why she would have taken her own life.

Finally Monday morning rolled around, and early morning brought a light knock to her door.

"Mia?" Charlus' Potter's voice called through the wood, "we need to leave in an hour."

Hermione rolled out of bed and began to get dressed. As she wasn't technically a student of Hogwarts yet, she had no Hogwarts uniform, so she simply put on a pair of plain black robes over a simple grey pencil skirt, and white button up shirt. After packing everything she thought she would need for the day into a shoulder bag, extra quills, parchment, ink, and a few pages of notes, along with her mother's journal, charmed to look like a text book, she walked down the stairs.

"Are you sure you have everything?" Her father asked looking over his daughter over the breakfast table.

Hermione nodded, "Yes, I'm ready."

And her father led her to the fireplace, threw the floo powder into the fire, and yelled "Dumbledore's office!"

As she stepped out of the green flames, Hermione saw the smiling face and twinkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore, and standing next to him, was the familiar face of her brother James.

"Mia!" He exclaimed pulling her into a hug, "are you ready for some tests!"

Hermione laughed and nodded against his neck, feeling at home in the past for the first time.