AN: I don't own Harry Potter. I just play here from time to time.

Thank you once again for the reviews, follows, and faves. This story, me, or any other story of mine you read, a big thanks.

What! Another update so soon? No, you're not imagining things. What can I say? I was inspired.

That's it for me. Enjoy!

"Fascinating! Absolutely fascinating, Hermione!" Arthur exclaimed as he was examining her mobile phone under her watchful eye. "But tell me, where do you plug in the cords?" he asked, turning it over and over in his hand.

"It's a mobile phone, Arthur. There aren't any cords." she explained. "Without any cords, I can use it wherever I am." she smiled.

"Well, that's just brilliant." he said. "What muggles won't come up with." he muttered as he handed it back.

"I know. I love the wizarding world, but muggles are so much more advanced than we are. And they're much more open minded than wizards are." Hermione said, smiling a bit.

"Oh?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. I mean, most wizards and witches have never heard of a telly, microwaves, rollerblades, bicycles, or flown in an airplane. Or even been on a rollercoaster, for that matter. They're simply too scared to try muggle things, or like some purebloods and think muggle culture is beneath them." she said. "Plus, muggles have mobile phones, computers, sound machines...well, I could go on and on." she smiled.

"What are rollerblades, Hermione?" Arthur asked.

"Uh...they're a kind of boot that have four wheels all in a row on the bottom, and you skate on them." she said. "Kind of like ice skates, but with wheels."

"And you have a pair of these roller things, do you?" he asked in curiosity.

Hermione nodded, giving him a smile. "Oh, yeah. I used to love going rollerblading. If you want, I can dig them out of storage." she said.

"Would you really? I'd love to get a look at those." he said excitedly. Before he could continue, a voice sounded from the direction of the shed door, making them both turn.

"Hey, Mione?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Uh...Hannah floo called just now. You're needed at the Leaky Cauldron." he said.

Immediately Hermione's stomach dropped. Slumping on the chair she'd been sitting in, she gave Harry her best smile. "Alright. Thanks, Harry."

"Sure. Well, I'm off to Luna's. See you later." he said, turning.

"Tell her I said hello." she said. "Oh, and make sure you tell her I'm free on Tuesday to go dress shopping with her." she added.

Harry nodded as he waved over his shoulder. "Sure thing. See you."

"Well, guess I better get going, too." Hermione said, standing.

"Hermione, is everything okay? You got a funny look on your face when Harry gave you that message." Arthur said.

"Um...well...my mum's in town." she said, grimacing. "She came to help with the wedding, and..."

"Ah. I see. A bit overzealous?" he asked, nodding.

"Kind of." she lied. "Well, I'll see you later, I guess." she said, turning and walking slowly into the house. Seeing Molly sitting on the sofa and working on her knitting, she gave her a little wave. "I'll see you later, Molly."

"Where are you off to, dear?" she asked.

"The Leaky Cauldron." she said, hoping Molly didn't ask why.

"Well, tell Neville I said hello, dear." she smiled.

Hermione bit her lower lip. The way she saw it, she had two options. Either she could let Molly believe she was going to see Neville, and risk Arthur mentioning her mother later, or she could just go ahead and tell Molly the truth. And being like a second mother, Hermione hated lying to Molly.

"Uh, I'm not going to see Neville, actually." she said. "My mother's in town." she said, biting the bullet.

"Oh? How lovely!" Molly smiled. "Do invite her to dinner this evening, won't you?"

"Sure thing. Bye, Molly." she said, tossing down the floo powder as she stepped in, calling out, "The Leaky Cauldron."

Gracefully stepping out of the Leaky Cauldron's floo as she wiped the soot off her clothing, Hermione smiled at Hannah, who was working behind the bar. Hannah waved back and pointed toward a corner booth, where Hermione looked and saw what she knew to be the back of her mother's head. Taking a deep breath, she walked over slowly, feeling as if she were heading for the gallows.

"Hi, mum." she said, stepping up beside the table.

Jennifer turned her head, flashing her white teeth at her daughter. "Hermione!" she exclaimed, sliding out of the booth and embracing her. "You look great, honey."

"Thanks." Hermione smiled, sitting down across from her mother as she sat back down. "You, as well."

Jennifer ran a hand down her hair, smoothing it down. "Thank you." she said.

"So, how'd you know you could get in touch with me here?" Hermione asked, waving toward the restaurant.

"Well, I didn't, actually. It was more of a hunch, I guess." Jennifer said with a shrug. "I know you're well known in your world, and I thought someone would know how to find you."

"Oh. That was pretty smart, mum." Hermione said in surprise.

"Well, where do you think your brains come from?" Jennifer asked cheekily, smiling at her daughter. "Now, why didn't you seem surprised to see me, dear?"

"Our last conversation, for one. And...well...daddy called to warn me." she said, shrugging.

"That man. I swear." Jennifer groused, a scowl on her face. "I wanted to surprise you, and he just had to ruin it."

"Ah, I see divorce bitterness has set in." Hermione said in a flat tone. Deciding to get her mother out of her mood, she said, "So, do you want to eat here, or would you rather come shopping with me? We can go into Diagon Alley first, and then maybe..."

"Oh! Do they have a Harrods there?" Jennifer asked excitedly, gathering her handbag and sunglasses off the seat next to her. She was looking forward to seeing Diagon Alley again, having been just the once for a brief time before Hermione's second year at Hogwarts.

"Uh...no. Sorry." Hermione said, standing next to her mother.

"That's alright, dear." Jennifer said, waving off her daughter's apology. "We can go to Harrods later. After all, I'm here for a week, so we have plenty of time." she said, smiling brightly before she turned to head to the entrance to Diagon Alley.

"Yay." Hermione said quietly to herself, slumping as she walked to join her mother. Taking her wand out of her pocket, she tapped the bricks and waited as they moved. Giving Hannah a final wave, she grabbed her mother's arm and walked her through.

"Oh, my." Jennifer said in awe. "This is...well, magical, for lack of a better word."

Hermione laughed at her mother's unintentional pun. "Well, that was only entering Diagon Alley, mum. Wait until you see everything else." she smiled. "Now, first off, I'd take you to the twins' shop, but they're closed for the week. So, that'll have to wait until you're here for the wedding."

"That's fine, Hermione. It's not like I have to see everything in one week." Jennifer said. "What's that big white building down there?"

"Uh...Gringott's bank." Hermione answered. "Oh, and there's Fortescue's." she said, nodding toward the ice cream parlor.

"And they sell...ice creams, right?" Jennifer asked, trying to remember.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, yes, they do." she said. "We'll stop there on the way back, mum."

The two of them walked arm in arm through Diagon Alley, Hermione pointing out the sights and Jennifer taking them in hungrily. She'd heard about Diagon Alley numerous times over the years, but had only been here the once. It reminded her of the places she used to imagine growing up in when she was a child. It was like something straight out of a fairytale, with it's bright colors and magical happenings. It was absolutely fascinating to her. With the owl emporium, the apothecary, several bookstores, the broom store, and every other store, there was nothing that didn't fascinate her.

Jennifer also got to see Hermione in her world for once. She knew her daughter was a hero, which made her a celebrity, in this world. But, knowing about it, and reading articles about it, were nothing compared to seeing it. Hermione was constantly having people shouting for her, moving out of their way, nudging one another as she passed, and even had a few children asking for her autograph. Jennifer always wanted big things for her daughter. What mother didn't? But, she always thought more along the lines of being a doctor, or lawyer, or even a dentist like she was. Being someone with a large circle of friends. Having a nice house, with a handsome husband and a couple of children. Accolades and admiration. But, she had to give Hermione credit. Her daughter was becoming a doctor, she had the group of friends, she would soon be living in a manor, and Neville was quite attractive. And she was admired by many. All she was missing was the children, and Jennifer's vision of her future would be complete.

Or, it would be, anyway, after the wedding.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, Molly's invited you to the Burrow for dinner tonight." Hermione said later as she and her mother walked through muggle London.

"Really?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes." Hermione nodded. "But, don't feel you have to come, or anything. I mean, you're probably tired, and want to get back to your hotel." she added hastily and with a hopeful tone.

"Oh, no, I'd love to. After everything you've told me about the Burrow? I'm not passing this up." Jennifer said, smiling at her daughter.

Hermione let out a low whimper, resisting the urge to stomp her foot. "Alright, then." she said weakly. "Dinner's usually at half six, so we need to get moving."

"Okay." her mother agreed happily. "Oh, do we have time to take a taxi back to my hotel so I can drop my bags off?" she asked.

"No need." Hermione said. Looking around, she pulled her mother into a nearby alley, making sure she was fairly well hidden. Waving her wand, she shrunk her mother's shopping bags and gently put them into Jennifer's handbag, thankful for once that she carried a big bag.

"Well, wasn't that helpful?" Jennifer giggled, looking in her bag at the shopping bags that now lay beside her coin purse.

"It tends to be, yes." Hermione shrugged. "Alright, let's go. I always try and help Molly with dinner if I'm there." she said, grabbing her mother's arm.

"And are we going to be taking that tube thingy?" Jennifer asked in confusion.

Hermione smiled, knowing her mother was referring to apparating, which Hermione always described as being sucked through a tube. She mentally compared her mother's magical confusion with the one wizards usually had toward muggle things.

"Kind of. Hang on tight. I don't want to leave a piece of you behind." she said.

Jennifer's eyes went wide as her head snapped to the left, looking at her daughter. "WHAT?" she shrieked just before Hermione turned on the spot, taking them to the Burrow. As they landed near the Burrow, she felt Hermione holding her arm as she fell to her knees.

"Oh, sorry, mum." Hermione winced. "I probably should of warned you most people throw up after their first time doing that." she said, looking away from her mother.

"Thank you, dear." Jennifer croaked between bouts of vomiting.

"But, on the bright side, I think you came through in one piece." Hermione said cheerily.

Jennifer groaned, feeling her stomach revolting even more at that bit of information. Internally, however, Hermione chuckled a little to herself. She knew it was wrong, but she was getting a kind of perverse pleasure out of her mother's torment.

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Til next time!

XOXO - Onyx Obsidian