A/N: I'm a strange bird. Here's another chapter, the one after it should be up by tonight as well...maybe early next morning because it needs some special tweaking.

Hermione sat in the waiting room of her parents' dentist office. The walls were that sterile white that pulled at her eyes making any light too bright, the wall paper border the same as it had been when she was a child- cartoon characters from a show she never could recall-and everything smelled slightly of fluoride.

This trip to her home was not entirely about her daughter's oral hygiene. So many of her old friends were gone. Some lost to the war and others to that eventual separation that comes with growing up. Aside from Harry and Draco the only people she really felt comfortable talking about problems to were her parents. They didn't always understand every word she said, but they knew people, and people were pretty much the same everywhere.

She leaned her head back against the coarse fabric of the waiting room chair and tossed her worries away for the time being. Long ago she'd learned how to stretch her imagination out and have mini adventures in her head. As a kid it helped her escape boredom, and later they helped clear her mind enough to sleep. Now she wanted to stop from driving herself mad. Eventually she heard voices drifting closer and closer to her, gently nudging her thoughts back to the dentists office.

"Alright, Sammy, let's go out and find that mother of yours." That was her father, his voice loud and cheerful.

"Ma'mowf ith'nub"

"That's to be expected sweety," Her mother soothed, "We had to pull three stubborn teeth"

"Momby!"

Her father wrapped her in a warm hug, with Sam's arms also around her waist. "Are you two going to stay with us after dinner tonight, or go back home?" He asked. She knew that her parents would prefer she stayed, she hadn't spent real time with them since the summer before, but Draco said he needed her help the next day, and she had promised to help.

"Sorry, dad, we'll be taking the Knight Bus back to Hogwart's tonight."

"Ah, well. It would have been nice, but we'll not waste the time we have. Ready to go all?"

And so they filed out of the office, and into her parents' car driving down the familiar road, back to the house where she had grown up.
********************************************** After they had eaten and Sam was finally packed away in Hermione's old room, playing with all the gifts her grandparents had given her, Hermione and her parents were able to talk.

"So, Harry and Draco are getting married? That's a bit...speedy, don't you think?"

Hermione had to hold in a bark of laughter ~Not for Draco~. The day after Harry had proposed Draco was unbelievably happy. He'd given Sam a piggyback ride, awarded Gryffindor house points, winked at Dumbledore, and given Dobby three kisses and a bear hug.

"Oh, I dunno, mom. They've been living together, sleeping together, and working together for six months. In reality they're already married, it's just public conformation."

Her parents looked dubious, and she couldn't really blame them. In the back of her mind she couldn't help but have doubts, but it took one look at the couple and she would forget. They appeared as if they'd been together forever.

While she had wanted to speak to her parents about Harry and Draco's wedding, and really the current press situation, she found that they were just a little put off at the thought. Some habits die hard, and so, sighing inwardly, she turned the subject to lighter matters for the remainder of the evening.

Sitting on the Knight Bus that night, Sam tucked into a bed, Hermione cast her mind out to think about the plans being made for Harry and Draco's wedding. They'd each chosen special jobs. Harry's was to pick the vows. When Draco had shown Harry the scroll for the wizarding vows that they would have to memorize Hermione was sure he'd croak. When he'd protested them Draco had told him to find others, and he had. He was quite proud of them as well, but hadn't chosen to show them to anyone.

Draco was planning pretty much everything else, and Hermione was the only one being let in. That gave her some sick pleasure. She knew more about Harry's wedding than he did.

Smiling, she was just about to drift off for a few moments when the bus stopped. On stepped a man Hermione had never seen before. He was tall, not as tall as Harry, but still a good six-foot. He had curly chestnut hair and what looked like lavender eyes. His clothes were a simple pair of blue jeans with a white button up shirt.

"Where to?" and then she heard his voice. A rich baritone that made her heart flutter, if only for a moment, "Hogwart's" he said simply, and she watched him walk slowly back to her space on the bus. ~Stop that this instant! ~ She told herself. She'd suppressed these types of thoughts for the last ten years. She had no idea why it was so hard this time. ~Because he's gorgeous~ said that matter-of- fact voice at the back of her head stated.

He'd made it back to the rear of the bus where Hermione was sitting. She was watching Sam sleep, or trying to. ~If only he'd sit down, somewhere away from here, and I could get my wits back~

It didn't appear, though, as this stranger was going to accommodate her, though. As he walked closer to her he hesitated, and then sat down directly across and offered his hand.

"Jared Carman" he said

Hermione was not used to such a greeting. It seemed short, yet not terse. ~Succinct~ said that traitorous part of her mind which seemed dead set on adoring this strange man.

"Hermione Granger, and this is my daughter, Sam." She said, indicating the bed.

Jared smiled down at the sleeping child. "Where are you headed?" he asked.

"Hogwart's school. I teach there. And you?" Of course she knew where he was going, but he wasn't about to let him know she'd been paying attention to him since he's stepped foot on the bus.

"The same, my client is getting married and he wanted to go over some paperwork. I'll probably end up there until the wedding, though it's a heck of a lot of work."

"Oh! Are you Draco's lawyer?" She used the muggle word. She'd never liked the sound of "Law-wizard" it was stuffy.

"Mr. Malfoy, yeah. Actually my father was his family's lawyer, but he died a few years ago. Since then Mr. Malfoy hasn't really needed me, but now he wants me there to do work for him and for Mr. Potter. Not that I mind, it's a huge account. It's just, I had no notice!" Suddenly Jared looked rather sheepish, it made him look much younger, almost child-like. "D-do you know them?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. He seemed about her age, if not a few years older, but this appeared to be his first "large-account". She could imagine, though, that it was probably the largest account he'd ever get. Harry and Draco separately could support small nations on their bank accounts; together they'd probably be the richest wizards alive.

"They're my two best friends, but don't worry, they've pained almost everyone with their impetuosity."

Jared smiled that pleased smile, and Hermione was sure the bus was spinning out of control. She was rather perturbed when she found it was all in her head. Some how she'd also begun to suspect that the heat and thin air were also her, and these realizations were not making the conversation any easier.

Jared scooted himself up on the bed and into a sitting position, his back against the wall of the bus. "How long 'til we get there d'you think?" He asked, turning his head to look at her again.

"Not too long," She said against the rising beat of her heart. "There are a few more stops for some people on a higher level, so maybe two hours? I'm not entirely positive, but we'll be there by ten pm." She was going to get this under control. If she could teach charms to first year Slytherins surely she could control her reactions around this one man.

As the bus moved on they spoke of inconsequential things; she told him what Hogwart's was like because he'd gone to an American wizarding school, and he told her of the different sorts of clients he'd had, and running the firm since his father had died. By the end of the ride Hermione had found herself growing much more comfortable with Jared's presence. It no longer seemed like the time he'd be spending at Hogwart's would be hellacious. It actually might be fun.

As the Knight bus pulled it self to a stop Hermione woke Sam, and they walked with Jared into the school. He had a room already prepared, but had no idea where to find it. When she saw the location she led him there, as it was only a few doors down from her own quarters. They separated at his door, and Hermione felt slightly chilled, even on that warm summer night.

Half leading, half dragging Sam they made their way to the familiar beds of their rooms. Sam wasn't going to last long enough to change out of her cloths, and so Hermione just covered her up where she'd collapsed on the bed.

Making her way to her own room Hermione felt rather hyper. Telling herself that Draco was going to be getting her up at the crack of dawn she got out her most recent copy of Hogwart's: A History, and within a half hour she had closed her eyes, and fallen asleep.

A/N: Yes? No? Maybe? I guess I should say, Jared Carman is mine. I have a think for purple eyes of any shade. Anyway, next one up either late tonight or early tomorrow.