I apparated into my parents back garden next to the greenhouse with my arms laden with bags.

"Hermione dear, is that you?" my mum called from the kitchen

"Yes Mum. Its me. Can you open the door? My arms are a little full."

"Full of…. Oh Hermione, you shouldn't have!" Mum cried out as she saw all the bags from Wizcraft sewing and crafts store.

"Consider it an early Christmas present." I dropped the bags on the floor as I gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. "Where's Dad?"

"Probably in the study, sweetheart. Tell him to wash up as dinner will be ready soon."

After my parents had returned from Australia they had bought a new house. From the front it looked like a perfectly normal muggle house. Brown stone, slate roof, picket fence, neat lawn with a stone path to the front door, driveway and garage. I did like the new house. It had a kitchen, lounge, dining room, sun room, and study downstairs with a main bedroom and ensuite, two guest rooms, bathroom and mums sewing room upstairs.

Inside was fairly normal until you looked closer. Like in the kitchen for instance, the big pot that was on the bench wasn't a pot at all but a cauldron or that there were two spice racks, one filled with herbs, the other potion ingredients. In the lounge room the magazines on the coffee table were Woman's Weekly, Witch Weekly, Transfiguration Today, Practical and Decorative Herbology for Homes, Practical Potioneer and The Peoples Friend not to mention a pot of green powder next to the fireplace .

The back garden was lovely, patio with outdoor setting and a lush green lawn. Everything looked muggle until you got into the greenhouse. It was full with magical herbs, plants and fungi. My father had taken an active interest in Herbology and cultivated all the plants himself.

Dad was also an avid reader and had learned all he could about magic; charms, jinxes, curses, transfiguration, potions, defence against dark arts, history of magic, magical beasts, arithmancy, runes and divination and sometimes he even surprised me with things he knew. He still worked at the dentist practice and kept his magical hobbies to himself except when we had magical company. He was good friends with Mr and Mrs Weasley, Minister Shacklebolt and most members of the order.

I hovered the bags from the kitchen upstairs and then went to find Dad. He was sitting by the fire in the study, nose buried in a copy of Advanced Transfiguration. He jumped as I knocked softly on the door.

"Oh Hermione, you did make me jump." He closed his book and put it on the table besides him. "Come over here and give me a hug."

I quickly crossed the room and embraced him. "How are things going at work?"

"Good. Business is going well."

"And how is the greenhouse going?"

"Splendid. The Bubotubers are growing quiet well, I hope to be able to harvest them in a month or two. Are you coming here for Christmas dinner or will you be spending it with the Weasleys?"

I froze and felt my smile falter for a second. "I'll be here for Christmas, Dad. I've missed far too many with you and mum and I want to make up for lost time." I didn't exactly feel like telling him that Ron had broken up with me.

"I'm glad to hear that, Miney." Using his special nickname for me, a smile lighting up his face. "It's been too long since you've spent Christmas with us. Have you told your mum yet?"

"Not yet."

"I'll let you tell her, I don't want to steal your moment from you."

"Dinner will be ready soon you two, go wash up" Mum called.

"OK, just be a minute." I turned towards Dad. "You can wash up first; I want to look at some of Mums designs."

"Ok, Miney. But you know she'll probably show them all to you again after dinner."

"I know." I smiled at him. ""Come on, you know how much Mum hates us being late to dinner."

We headed up the stairs with Dad turning left and me turning right at the top landing. I turned into the sewing room and flicked on the light switch.

"Oh!" I gasped as I saw the room. Pinned to one wall were coloured A3 sized designs of my mother's dress robes. Under them was a shelved table filled with rolls of various materials. The top surface was covered with containers of sequins, beads, embroidery threads, pins and other sewing paraphernalia barely visible with all the bags I had brought. On the table next to it stood my mother's sewing machine, but what was most impressive was the wall opposite this one. It had a travelling clothing rack with some of the finished designs and a few dress dummies in partially finished robes.

I don't know how long I stood there gazing at all my mums room before I heard her call "Hermione are you joining us for dinner or are you going to wait until breakfast?"

"Coming!" I quickly washed my hands and headed down to dinner.

I smiled as Mum set a baked dinner with lamb and vegetables. I'd forgotten just how much I missed Mums cooking and the simple pleasure of having a family dinner. Dad started to crave the lamb and serve it all up.

"Hermione, darling, there's something your dad and want to tell you."

I looked up worriedly. "Is everything alright?"

"Fine sweetie, just fine. In fact your father and I have some good news." They looked at each other and smiled. "You tell her dear, I know how much you want to."

"Well….. it's been many years since your mum and I have had a holiday. And we, I mean your mum and I, have decided that….. we are going to take a trip to all the Wizarding villages and sites around England."

"Really? That's fantastic news!"

"And that's not the best part." Mum chimed in. "We want to take you with us."

I was stunned, surprised and elated. I'd always wanted to explore all the magical places in England, and to do it with my family? I could think of nothing better.

"But what about work?"

"I've been thinking of putting a new dentist on since your mum left and they should be able to take care of everything, besides you can always apparate us back to check up on things. And we're sure you have some holiday leave since you haven't taken a holiday in the two years you've been with the ministry."

"Well ..." I paused. "Ok! When are we planning to take this trip?"

"I think the spring or summer would be best. Probably after Easter, Say May or June?"

"Sounds great. How long will we be gone for?"

"Well we plan to be gone for at least 6 weeks, maybe even two months."

"And it will give your father a chance to get "up close and personal" with magical history."

"Not to mention a chance for your mum to talk to real witches and find out what they want in robes."

That was one thing I loved about my parents. Even though they had been married for twenty five years they were still playful and affectionate with each other, often gently teasing each other or finishing the others sentences. When I got married I wanted that same bond between me and my husband. Someone that understood me and was able to make me smile in spite of myself and vice versa.

"Speaking of which" My mum said, snapping me out of my thoughts "come look at some of my new designs, Hermione."

We headed upstairs together and entered her work room. She pointed to the drawings on the walls. "I've decided on having three different themes or collections for the dress robes; "Sensual Sorceress", "Fairytale Princess" and "Elegant Enchantress".

"Wow mum. These are amazing" I said as I looked closer at the pictures.

"The "Sensual Sorceress" collection focuses more on close fitting designs which emphasise the figure, a hint of flesh and the richness of the fabrics. "Fairytale Princess" is more classic, full skirts, embroidery and soft fabrics. And the "Elegant Enchantress" line is all about clean lines and simple shapes but still breathtakingly beautiful."

"And what was I wearing last night?"

"The green velvet one with the full skirt? Definitely a princess dress."

"And how are things going with Madam Malkin?"

"Well, I've talked to her and she is more than interested in stocking the designs, but she feels it will be a risk to reduce her stock of "Regal Robes" as that's the only brand that most witches and wizards trust or wear. If we could get maybe a spokes witch and advertising campaign then witches everywhere would be after them, but where will we get the money for that?"

"Well I can help with the famous spokes witch part."

"That's sweet of you, but I know how busy you are at work especially with that new piece of House Elf legislation you've been working on."

"But when it goes through we can have a party, a gala event and I can wear your robes, not to mention all the other events I get invited to. And how is the "everyday" robe collection coming on?"

"Good. What do you think of this design?" She said holding up a silvery white robe on a hanger. It was a fairly standard robe with a few minor differences. For instance there was a black ribbon that wrapped around it just under the ribcage, leaving two long ends at the back. The robe was fairly fitted until the ribbon before continuing down to the ground. The sleeves were fairly loose until the elbows, gradually tightening to the wrist.

"It looks great Mum! Better than my everyday robes."

"Then I want you to have it." I started to open my mouth to object before she continued. "Just to test out. See how it works in real life, whether or not the sleeves are practical, if the bodice is too tight, is it comfortable and so on. There is one other one for everyday wear I want to get road tested as well."

Off the rack she pulled another long sleeved robe. This one was dusky rose with a highish waist that became a "v" just under the hips before falling in straight out from the hips. The sleeves were fitted and ended with a "v" point at the end of the wrist.

"It also has a jacket that goes with it." She smiled as she watched my awed face and handed me a Victorian style jacket with slightly puffed bits where the shoulder joined the arm. It was fitted and long in the back but short in the front, finishing about an inch above the navel.

"Try them out and tell me honestly how they feel and how they work in real life."

"I will. Would I lie to you?"

"No, but you may be nicer than you should be."

I hugged her and smiled at the truth in her statement.

"Now let's go downstairs. Your father will wonder what we are up to."