I own nothing you recognize. I simply play in JKR's universe for fun.

Thank you to Julia whose wonderful recommendations make this a better story. And her wicked sense of humor, which is giving me evil ideas.

This chapter is dedicated to Jocemum, Droxy and all the other readers who have lived in the Chicago area and understand about Salerno Butter Cookies, Italian beef sandwiches, Frank Lloyd Wright, horseshoe sandwiches, and Resurrection Mary.

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Hermione

February 2nd, 1999

"At least the stairs don't move," says Draco as we head up the third flight of stairs. There are only three empty apartments in the building and two of them are on the top floor.

"Oh, fine," says Anita, "Just go ahead and brag about your old school. You had four of the most powerful wizards and witches of the time start your school a thousand years ago. St. Brigit's got started by two witches who couldn't find jobs doing transfiguration work."

"We each have our own cultural heritage," teases Draco.

We stop at the top of the stairway and Draco turns to the right and stops at the second door.

"This is a one bedroom apartment. The two bedroom apartments are at the front and back of the building," Draco fiddles with a ring of keys and inserts one after another in the lock until one of them unlocks the door. He steps inside and Anita and I follow.

"Not much of a view from this side of the building," remarks Draco as we look out of the window at the wall of the apartment building next door. "The two bedroom apartments have a better view. From the front, you can see the street and the back overlooks the yard.

"The living room is a nice size," I comment. "You could fit a sofa and two chairs in here, along with a coffee table and a stand for a television and a CD player. There's room for a desk and bookcase by the kitchen door. Personally, I'd have to sacrifice one of the chairs and have another bookcase. This is downright luxurious after the dorm."

Draco puffs up. He's so proud of himself, the little dickens.

"There are hardwood floors throughout the apartment, except for the linoleum in the kitchen and bath. I plan to have the floors refinished, replace the linoleum, and a fresh coat of paint on the walls. The skirting-boards and moldings have all been painted, but a little magic should remove that so I can see what kind of wood is underneath."

"Let's go look at the kitchen," says Anita, grabbing Draco's hand and pulling him after her.

I tag along.

"This isn't bad either," I comment. "I like to cook and this kitchen is small, but fine for one or two people."

I mentally plan out how I would store things and point as I go. "I'd put a toaster here on the work-surface. The dishes could go in this cupboard and the pans in the one below. There's space to store tins and dry goods in that other cabinet."

I'm not going to tell them about my plans for doing a bit of brewing in the kitchen. I'm delighted to see there is a gas cooker. A little transfiguration to an inexpensive pan and I'll have a ring to fit over the burner, which will accommodate a cauldron very nicely.

I walk over to the refrigerator and open the door. "The fridge is adequate, though a bigger freezer would be nice. At a pinch, the last cupboard could become a cold storage unit with a little wand waving."

"I agree," says Anita. "When you consider that most of the residents will probably buy the communal meals prepared by a qualified service elf who can actually cook, this kitchen is perfectly adequate. Breakfast and lunch would be all the food preparation most will do."

"That's what I'm hoping," responds Draco. "It would be more feasible financially to limit the food option to a boxed lunch deal that could be delivered by the service elf to the tenant's refrigerator during the night and then a complete dinner served in the communal dining space on the first floor. Within reason, we could accommodate food preferences and cultural differences. I can guarantee the lasagna will never be made with Velveeta."

"Count me in," I reply.

"Ditto," says Anita.

"You two can be my first official tenants." Draco looks inordinately pleased with himself.

"You have to see the bedroom and bathroom." Draco takes Anita's hand again and walks her back into the living room. The bedroom opens directly off the living room to the right and the bathroom is next to it. Not the ideal arrangement. I would prefer a small hallway to keep them separate, but I could put up with it.

He waves us into the bedroom. The window looks out at the wall of the building next to us, but it is better than nothing. I make a note to myself to make sure I get one of the two bedroom apartments looking over the backyard.

I can use the second bedroom as a library and office. I need more room for my books than the living room can provide, especially after my NyQuil-induced massive order from Amazon. If anyone notices how many books I have about neurology, I'll have to tell them I'm considering specializing in neurological potions.

Crooks will be much happier for it, too. I can put up his window seat and he can look out and watch the birds in the backyard. Oh gosh, there's enough space here that I can put the litterbox away from the living area.

"Will the backyard be warded to keep familiars from getting out?" I ask.

"Yes," replies Draco, looking at Anita, "There's a wizarding company your father recommends that I'll have do it. They'll put up a privacy fence first. Surrounding the yard with all that wood, plus the two big trees in the backyard will provide an anchor for the wards. Owls will be able to get in, but familiars won't be able to get out. Crookshanks and his buddies will be free to climb the trees without any chance of getting out into the street."

"If it's the same company that did the wards around our house, they can also do wards that act like a burglar alarm," adds Anita, "There should be anti-Muggle wards, too. There aren't very many exclusively wizarding apartment buildings in Chicago. We wouldn't want Muggles walking in. The tenants are probably going to be careless about using magic inside the building."

"They'll be walking around the hallways with their wands in their hands," I comment absently.

Draco and Anita are looking at me, agape. Anita starts to giggle. Draco's chuckling.

"Did I say something funny?" I ask, confused.

"Think, Granger, think," coaxes Draco.

I'm thinking.

"Oh." I think I'm blushing. "I don't think I meant that quite the way it sounded."

Now, all of us are laughing.

"I'll have to put up signs warning the tenants to keep their wands in the proper receptacles at all times," snorts Draco.

Anita strolls up to Draco with a look of confidence I wish I could mimic. She puts her arms around his neck and presses up against him. Draco runs his hands down her back to her rear end and pulls her even closer.

"I'll just have to make sure your wand is properly holstered," she says, giving Draco a very saucy smirk.

"You might just be the right woman for the job," he's whispering into her lips as the two of them get caught up in the kind of kiss one normally only sees on movie screens.

I unsubtly turn to look out the window to give them a little privacy.

They're still kissing.

I didn't realize people make that wet sucking sound when they kiss. There must be some tongue action involved.

They're still kissing.

Honestly, they've got to come up for air sometime.

I wish I could pull off something like that with Severus.

If I tap my foot, would they remember I'm here? I could cough.

I think I'll clear my throat.

"Ahem."

That wet sucking sound has stopped.

"I'd like to see the rest of the apartment," says Anita, her voice shaky.

I turn around and smirk at the two of them. They're flushed and I don't think it has anything to do with blushing.

Draco and Anita are standing about a foot apart, regaining their composure. He makes eye contact with me, looks away, looks back at me and grins like the Cheshire cat.

"Okay, you two," I say with mock sternness, "Save it for when you get back to the dorm."

Now they're holding hands and smiling at each other.

"Right," says Draco, "Back to business."

His attention returns to giving us the tour. I'm still smirking when Draco launches into a description of the built-in closet in the bedroom. This sort of closet is common in America and doesn't take up room in a bedroom the way a wardrobe does.

"The closet isn't very big, but that's what magic is for," comments Draco.

"The bedroom is big enough for a queen size bed and a chest of drawers. I really don't need more than that," says Anita, flirting. They might have separate apartments, but I know where they'll be sleeping. I can't help but smile when I see Draco grin knowingly at Anita. It isn't one of his arrogant grins; it's a genuinely happy grin.

"Let's see the bathroom," I suggest. I lead the way out this time.

The bathroom is small, with a porcelain washbasin, medicine cabinet, smallish tub, and a toilet.

"I am going to have each of the bathrooms magically enlarged to accommodate a larger bathtub and fittings. The contractors will have to include that in their proposals to get the job. These bathrooms are just too small and utilitarian," says Draco.

Anita and I nod. We didn't choreograph it, but it must look that way.

"Remember the Prefects' bathrooms at Hogwarts?"

Draco nods and smiles at the memory.

"You should have seen it, Anita. You could do laps in the bath. There were several taps with choices for bubble baths, but I'm pretty sure they only got used in the girls' bathroom," demurs Draco.

"There was one that had the nicest sandalwood scent," I add. "Do you remember that one?"

"Oh yes," he replies absently. At which point Anita and I burst out laughing.

"You never used it, eh?" nudges Anita. Draco looks sheepish.

"Maybe once when I was eleven."

"You sneaked into the Prefect's bathroom when you were eleven?" I tease until I notice the room temperature is starting to drop rather dramatically.

"Draco? Are you in here?" There is a woman's voice in the living room.

"Cindy?" calls Draco. "We'll be right out." He waves us ahead of him and we go back into the living room.

She's a ghost. A wizarding ghost, that is.

The woman must have been in her twenties when she died. She's dressed in a fringed flapper's dress from the Roaring Twenties and floating about six inches off the floor. She's pretty, with short hair that was probably blonde, and wearing a headband with a big feather trailing from it.

"I'm glad you're here, Cindy," says Draco. "You remember Anita from last autumn?"

"Of course I do. It's good to see you again. I'd offer to shake hands, but you know how that is when you're dead." The flapper turns her head and looks at me. She has really nice features. The Gray Lady of Ravenclaw would be jealous. "And this is?"

"Allow me to introduce Hermione Granger," says Draco. "Hermione is a friend of mine. We've known each other since we were snotty little kids."

"And now we're snotty adults," I quip. "How do you do? May I call you Cindy?"

"Please do, if I can call you Hermione?" she says. "It is so nice to be able to talk to corporeals again. I enjoy all those Muggles hunting for me, but you just cannot have a decent conversation with any of them.

"Muggles are hunting you?" I am confused.

"Just the ones who are looking for Resurrection Mary. I'm her," says the ghost, with a wave of her hand, which just happens to be holding a long cigarette holder with a translucent cigarette in it.

"We heard all about you on the tour at Halloween. But you're not named Mary?" I ask. This is really interesting.

"Heavens to Harriet, no. I am Cynthia Derwinsky, formerly of the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago." She takes a drag on her cigarette. "They've had the story wrong for-ev-er," she emphasizes.

"Cindy, why don't you tell Hermione the whole story," suggests Draco, "She went with us on the tour last year."

"Sure, sugar," replies Cindy, who adjusts her floating position so she appears to be sitting with her legs crossed on a non-existent chair. The three of us corporeals, as Cindy referred to us, are standing around her in the empty living room.

"The most popular Resurrection Mary story goes that I died in the 1920s in a car accident after going dancing at the O'Henry Ballroom on Archer Avenue. It was January and there was snow and ice on the road. The car I was riding in skidded and crashed into a viaduct in Chicago. I was thrown out of the car and killed instantly while my boyfriend escaped unscathed. My parents had me dressed in my nicest party dress and buried me out at Resurrection Cemetery."

"Since then, I'm supposed to wander up and down Archer Avenue until somebody stops and offers me a ride. I tell them to drive by the cemetery and then disappear from the car when they get to the gates."

"The last part is right, isn't it?" I ask.

"That's the fun part of it," she replies, exhaling a long stream of smoke. I had no idea a ghost could simulate breathing, let alone smoking.

"It's the first part they've got all wrong. They mistook me for some girl named Mary Begarvy who's the right age, died the same year I did, and is buried out at Resurrection cemetery. I am really, really sick of being called Mary."

"Tell her the rest, Cindy," says Draco.

"For starters," says Cindy, flicking ash on the floor where it vanishes. "For starters, I'm a witch and the circumstances of my death were really due to my own stupidity," she says, rolling her eyes. "I was planning to brew wart remover. I had a terrible time with getting warts on my hands. So I needed some graveyard dirt and stopped on my way out to the O'Henry and got a little from Resurrection Cemetery."

"My boyfriend, Arnold, it's all his fault," she continues. "Arnold came with me to the cemetery because he did the side-along apparating for us. My apparation license was revoked because I splinched the month before while apparating drunk. We went to the O'Henry and danced, but we had an argument and he apparated home without me. He didn't even remember that I'd be stranded. Well, I had too much to drink and started walking, figuring I could hitchhike home."

"It was June, not January and the weather was fine. I wasn't watching where I was going and stepped in front of a car and apparated away just before it hit me. I think that's where the stories started. Anyway, I really splinched that time and they couldn't put me back together. I was a ghost before I knew it. Because I died with the graveyard dirt in my purse, I got pulled back to Resurrection Cemetery and I've been a hitchhiking ghost ever since. I'm not even buried out there. My bits and pieces are out at Rosehill Cemetery on the north side of the city."

"That's a remarkable story, but why didn't you just tell them your name?"

"I did," sighs Cindy, "but all those Muggles seem to hear is the 'y' at the end." She straightens up and pulls a spaghetti strap from her dress back up on her shoulder.

"It's not a bad job, by any means," she continues. "I do enjoy putting in the occasional appearance on Archer Avenue to keep the story going. There's nothing like the look on a Muggle's face when I disappear from the front seat of his car. But, I really appreciate Draco here giving me a chance to be around wizarding folks again. I can be a proper ghost here once all the tenants move out and the wizards move in."

"How can you leave Archer Avenue? Isn't that your required haunting territory?" I ask.

"I'm a hitchhiking ghost. I can go anywhere as long as I go in a vehicle. After I met Draco and Anita last fall and the two of them told me about the ghosts at your school, it sounded like a really nice job. I think it's the cat's meow how they look after the students and guard the school and all that. When Draco told me about making this an apartment building for students at a wizarding college, it sounded like a great opportunity. I can hang around here and impart wisdom to the students and all that stuff, and scare off intruders. This is a once in a deathtime opportunity and I don't want to miss it."

"We talked it over and came to an agreement about Cindy moving here as soon as I bought the building. I went out yesterday and picked her up," says Draco.

"Draco, you only have your permit. You're not supposed to drive without a licensed driver in the car," lectures Anita.

"Adam came with me," explains Draco. "He wanted a chance to meet Cindy and it gave me some great driving practice."

Cindy re-crosses her legs, emphasizing the short skirt she is wearing.

"Adam is a very nice young man and it was kind of him to accompany you so you could come and get me. He's got good manners and is very gentlemanly." She takes another drag on the cigarette holder and exhales. "You know, it's been fifty years since I've been this far into the city. When I'm in a car, I usually make to the edge of the city of Justice and then leave. I haven't been past Cicero Avenue since the seventies. It has really changed, with all the stores and traffic along the expressway, who would have thought it? Anyway, you now have a house ghost to call your own and I am ready to go to work."

"There really won't be much to do until the tenants move out, the remodeling is done, and the students move in," says Draco.

Did Cindy just wink at him?

"That's alright," replies Cindy. "I'm sure I'll find a way to occupy myself. With my being here, any other wizarding ghosts in the neighborhood will know I'm here and maybe they'll visit. Being a hitchhiking ghost, I have a greater range than most as long as I'm in a car, but I can't leave this building and the ground that comes with it without getting yanked back to Resurrection Cemetery. If I disappear for a while, that's probably what's happened. So, if someone could come out and get me, I'll come right back. Would you know offhand if there are any neighborhood ghosts here?"

"I know the movie theater down the block is haunted," says Anita, "But it might be a Muggle ghost."

"It probably is," says Cindy with a sigh. "But, it really is just a matter of time. If there are lots of wizards and witches in this area because of the college, sooner or later somebody will die tragically and end up as a ghost and I'll have company. There really aren't very many ghosts who hang around cemeteries and it got pretty lonely out there. Here, there are live people and I'll bet there are some ghosts somewhere. Will there be familiars in this building?"

"I plan to allow familiars," says Draco.

"Oh, good. I especially like cats. Owls would be great, too," replies Cindy happily.

"There won't be many owls," replies Draco. "They are too noticeable in the city so most people don't bring them. We use e-mail instead."

"E-mail?" Cindy looks puzzled by that one.

"You'll see," says Anita. "I'll be happy to show you how it works."

Cindy decides to stand up and take a stroll around the room. Her silvery high heels click on the hardwood floors.

"I'm looking forward to getting to eat more often," says Cindy, strolling towards the kitchen. "Of course ghosts don't need to eat, but we like to. I'd like to have pizza more often. Out on Archer Avenue, I only got it when somebody would throw a carton out of the car window with a last slice or two left and usually the raccoons would get it before I did." She gives Draco a flirtatious look. "At least cutie pie here is going to make sure I get my favorite cookies again."

Draco blushes. "I'm really not comfortable with nicknames, if that's all right Cindy."

"Oh, I suppose," she sighs dramatically. "I really mean it about the cookies. I like butter cookies, vanilla wafers, windmill cookies, really just about any kind. I prefer the ones I remember from being a kid. One of the nice things about being dead is I can eat all I want and never gain an ounce. I did have some fun with a Muggle once. He gave me a ride and when I disappeared, I took his box of Twinkies with me. I hid them in an empty crypt until they got really good."

I really don't want to think of what it would take to get a Twinkie moldy. Those things would probably survive a nuclear holocaust with all the preservatives in them. I've decided I like Cindy. She's a drama queen, but she's friendly and could probably be a lot of fun at a party if she doesn't freeze out the room.

"I understand that for now, I have to be careful about who sees me and when. I'll probably hang out in the basement a lot. Will you keep these three apartments empty? If you do, I can be in them too."

"The three apartments that are empty now will stay empty. The tenants who have leases that run out in the next few months have already been told they won't be renewed. I'm going to give all the others a financial incentive to give up their apartments early by offering the last month's tenancy rent-free," says Draco.

"Do you think it will be enough to get them to leave?" I ask.

"I think so," says Anita, looking at Cindy.

I have a sneaking suspicion something is going on here with Cindy's arrival. I'm not sure I really want to know, but I'll bet she's supposed to encourage reluctant tenants to leave.

"Just be careful about the memory charms," I suggest. "They can go wrong, you know."

Draco is looking at me in complete surprise and just a hint of disbelief.

"Well, you don't want the Muggle tenants going around telling their friends about Cindy, do you?"

Now the three of them are gaping at me. Cindy breaks the silence.

"You told me to be careful what I said around Hermione and here she's figured all of it out anyway," grumbles Cindy.

Draco is walking around me looking me over. I can't help but laugh.

"Hermione, are you sure you were properly placed in Gryffindor? You are expressing sentiments more likely to belong to Slytherin."

"What you are doing would be illegal in Great Britain," I reply. "It isn't illegal in the United States, from what I understand of wizarding law here. It's unethical and you're a scoundrel for doing it, but if it isn't illegal I'm not going to criticize you any further. I've said my piece. You're an American robber baron in the making, but I like you Draco Malfoy."

Draco bursts into laughter and walks towards me holding out his arms. I walk right into them and we share a quick hug. I can't believe this. Draco Malfoy is my friend.

"Draco, I believe we've corrupted her," chortles Anita.

I suspect it has something to do with spending so much time around Slytherin men.

"Well, that's good. It's going to make my job easier since I won't have to skulk around," huffs Cindy as she resumes her invisible seat in midair.

"You're not planning to scare them badly, are you?" I ask.

"Not badly," replies Cindy. "I only plan to let them see me now and then. The ones who are really stubborn about it, I can blow a little cold air on them, a touch on the shoulder, that sort of thing. Enough to make them uncomfortable."

"Add the incentive of getting their last month rent free if they want to leave early, I think we can have the building cleared by May," says Draco. "I can have the contractors in to do the work in June and have some of the apartments ready for students who plan to go to summer school."

"Which would be us," adds Anita.

"As long as Cindy doesn't go to extremes, it shouldn't attract too much attention," Draco continues. "I already checked with the lawyer and she says I'm not breaking American wizarding law. She says this sort of thing is done all the time."

"We're much looser regarding restrictions against using magic on Muggles, especially when it gives us a business advantage," explains Anita. "In this case by using a ghost, we're actually using less magic to interfere in Muggle life than might be the case otherwise. We probably won't have to use Obliviate on anyone. Though we might add a repulsion charm or two encouraging an interest in staying away from this building and add an attraction charm to get them interested in that building up the street. The apartments and rents there are equivalent to what is here. We just want to encourage people to give up their apartments and move, not run screaming from the building."

"Spoilsport," interrupts Cindy. "You haven't lived or died properly until you've seen a terrified Muggle run screaming down the street."

"We can't all live or die up to your standards, Cindy," says Draco. "You've got seventy-five years of experience on any of us."

"Well, just you youngsters remember that when I get to working on our little project," retorts Cindy, "I've got plenty of experience in getting Muggles to leave wherever I'm at, so I expect some freedom in choosing my methods."

"Just remember to stay within the parameters we discussed," says Draco sternly. "The last thing I need is a Muggle newspaper or one of those Muggle ghost hunters to get wind of what we're up to. That would definitely get us in trouble with wizarding law enforcement."

"I won't forget," assures Cindy, "I'll be subtle."

I have my doubts that Cindy can be subtle, especially when she pronounces the b in subtle.

"What are your plans for this week?" asks Draco.

"Noises, mostly," replies Cindy, demonstrating by rapping her knuckles against a wall resulting in a sound like someone knocking on the wall. She walks across the room again, high heels clicking on the wood floor. "It's pretty effective when they can't see who's making the noise. There's also going to be a very annoying cold spot in the laundry room in the basement. Next week, I'll send cold breezes through some of the apartments and I'm considering letting myself be seen in the foyer. That should get things off to a fine start."

"Very good," affirms Draco. "I have classes and studying to do, so I won't be back during the week. Saturday morning, I have a driving lesson. I'll plan to come back Saturday evening. I believe I will set up a desk and phone in this apartment and use it for an office for now. I can't bring in wizarding contractors to do any work on the building until I get at least one floor empty."

"Will the three of you come back Saturday?" asks Cindy plaintively.

The three of us exchange looks and Draco nods.

"We'll all be back," says Draco. "Why not plan on meeting us in this apartment at 7 pm?"

"Could you bring a music player like the one you had in the automobile?" asks Cindy. "We could have a little party and I'll teach you the Charleston. Arnold and I won dance contests with our Charleston."

"We'll see what we can do," says Anita, exchanging an amused look with Draco.

I can see what little social life I have evolving before my eyes. Studying weeknights with Draco and Anita and sometimes Warren. Working on the cross disciplinary project with Draco, Anita, and Warren. My Saturday nights are going to be spent fixing up an apartment building with Draco and Anita and learning dances from the Roaring Twenties from a flapper who died seventy-five years ago. Oh, well. It beats hanging around with Moaning Myrtle in the girls' bathroom at Hogwarts.

I can't wait until I see Severus. This wouldn't tell nearly as well through the journals as it will in person. I wonder if I can make him laugh.

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Author's notes:

Twinkies are a vanilla flavored snack cake, shaped similarly to ladies fingers, made with a golden sponge cake with a creamy filling. Supposedly, they have a twenty-five day shelf life, but I've known people to keep them around for six months or more without any appreciable change in texture or freshness. I think their primary ingredients are preservatives.

The story about Resurrection Mary's origins is a popular one in the Chicago area. As a paranormal investigator, I think most of the Resurrection Mary legend is exactly that, a legend. There may be a real haunting on Archer Avenue at the heart of the story, but so much has been embellished, the true story is lost. Her name probably isn't Mary and most likely she hasn't done ten percent of what has been attributed to her.

However, she makes a great story on a ghost tour as you drive down spooky Archer Avenue by Resurrection Cemetery at midnight.

Thank you again to everyone who has reviewed this story or sent me an e-mail about it: Crystalvoicedcamelotlady, SSHGDMLOVE, Severusandremusslash, Latressa, Saz, Amsey, Beate, Golden Enki, Kirien, Jocemum, Sacsbaugh51487, Joani-the-unique-being, Mrs. Vladislaus Dracula, Duj, Notwritten, Danielle, Excessively Perky, Severus-Fan, Evilmastermind666, The EmperorsSister, Maddie50, AnokiNantaras, Me613, Latinachikita, Ami Mizuno1, HebiR, Droxy, HPWylie, Droxy, Squeaker19450, MollysSister, Mrs. Touchstone, Doodles Divine, KKDuke, Green-eyed-angel, Abby, Lyndie578, Bakaonigirii, Darque Hart., Koliber, Mugglemomof3, Severusandremusslash, Erytha, and Darth kittius.