Hooray! People reviewing so quickly! I'm glad people look forward to reading my nonsense; it makes me so happy and willing to update! Thank you and, as always, review at the end! Warning, there are some childhood spoilers in here! Lol

Disclaimer: The usual, I own nothing in this story. J.K. Rowling owns the characters. The town is based on a real town. I just like playing around!!

Hermione finished talking with Ginny on the phone and turned to Draco with a smile. "She said that they are doing the same thing. They have some money saved up, but they need more than us, they're stuck out in Ohio. She's also been in contact with Harry and Ron. They're out in Montana and are working really hard to get enough money."

Draco looked up at her, the one girl who knew how to change him forever. He saw how happy she was to hear from her friends and learn that her precious Potter and Weasley were safe. It was a happiness he had never succeeded in bringing her and it only upset him to see it brought by others. "What makes you think I care what's going on with them? I would have preferred to leave Potty here in America."

Hermione's smile vanished replaced by a threatening look. "Don't be stupid, Malfoy. You know that Harry is needed in order to fulfill the Prophecy. Without him, there's no way we can defeat Voldemort."

She glanced up at him; realizing way too late she had slipped about the prophecy. Draco merely smiled and nodded his head.

" Relax, Hermione. I know all about that stupid thing. My father is Voldemorts leading man after all. He told me everything, before I saved you of course. Now, he wouldn't tell me the day of the week." He looked down at his hands with a strange expression on his face.

Hermione shrugged and picked up the book and began to read again. Draco looked at her through narrowed eyes. Then he said, "Where did you get that anyway?"

"Oh, this book? I got it from a friend?"

"Who?"

"Just a friend I met up at the tennis courts that's all."

Draco gave her a sideways glance. "We need to talk to this friend of yours."

"No, I don't want to bug her! She doesn't know that our world is real and I think we should keep it that way. She already began to get suspicious." Hermione gave him an angry glare again. What did it matter? So this woman knew their world. The muggles she told only considered it a story, just another fairy tale.

"Hermione, we have to. What is this woman is planning to expose us and is only preparing the world for it?"

"I don't think so. Besides, you know half of them wouldn't believe her anyways. They'd lock her up and tell her she's crazy. You know that things like this are taught to the children as fake from day 1. What I don't get is they tell them about other things, I think are more absurd than witches and wizards. A lady who comes in the middle of the night to take teeth and a bunny that delivers eggs? I think that's quite amusing." She smiled to herself, remembering.

Draco stared at her like she was crazy. Then he shook his head and said, "Hermione, please just do this for me and stop drifting off to la-la land with Bunnies and tooth women."

Hermione shot him her death stare. Then, she got up and grabbed Alex's book on her way to the door. "I'm getting to the bottom of this. You don't have to come, but if you insist I want you to keep your mouth shut. I will do the talking, understood?"

He nodded and followed her out the door. 'Women! What is her problem anyway?!' he thought to himself. They walked up the steep hill and down to the tennis courts. If Alex wasn't there, Hermione would simply have to go to her house.

Alex was there, however. She was sitting on the bench next to her friend. She had another book and, much to Hermione's relief, it wasn't Harry Potter. Her friend was watching the courts again with a small frown. No one was playing at the moment and Hermione had a feeling she was disappointed that the boy had not shown up.

"Hey Hermione, how are you doing?" Alex asked as Hermione sat down next to her. Draco stood a few feet away, looking uncomfortable at being stuck with three girls. Alex motioned with her head at the girl sitting next to her. "This is Rosie by the way. She got mad at me for not telling you before."

Hermione nodded at Rosie. "Hello Rosie, nice to meet you. I'm fine Alex, but we need to talk."

"About what?"

"About this book." Draco said sharply coming forward while holding the book out to her. He looked slightly agitated at the small talk. 'Let's not beat around the bush' he thought to himself. 'We need to get this over with... now.'

"Uh, who are you?" Alex asked giving him a strange look. She was getting suspicious again.

"I'm Draco Malfoy. Who are you?" He replied. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione smack her forehead in frustration.

There was a silence as Rosie and Alex exchanged looks. Then, they burst into uncontrollable laughter. Alex bent over clutching her stomach while Rosie leaned against her laughing helplessly into her back. Hermione looked embarrassed and shot Draco a look that was unreadable. Draco's face flushed, he didn't appreciate being laughed at.

"What's so funny? I asked you a question!"

"Ok, Draco. Sorry about that. I'm Alex Brookes." She turned to Hermione, her face red and her eyes watery. "You're name really is Hermione, right?"

Hermione cut in smoothly before Draco could open his big mouth. "Yes, I'm Hermione. Now, please Alex, we really need to talk about your book. It's important."

"Oh, alright, we'll talk, but not until after I'm done hanging out with Rosie. It's rude to leave in the middle of something."

"Oh, no you go on ahead Alex. Trust me I'll be fine here by myself." Rosie's eyes sparkled. She was looking at a car that just pulled up. The boy with the sweatband was getting out, staring at them as he did. He helped his friend grab their tennis stuff but continued to watch the small group at the bench.

Alex heaved a sigh and stood up. "Ok, Rosie, I get it. Have fun watching William Christopher Thompson for me, alright?"

Rosie nodded so hard it looked like her head was going to fall off. Alex turned away and started toward the path to the lake. As Hermione looked back, she noticed the sweatband was watching them. Then, his eyes moved to Rosie, and finally, his tennis match.

When they got to Alex's house, she sat on her bed and turned to them. "Ok, spill. Do you like the book? What is it you need to know?"

"The book is very well written and very creative. We need to know about this woman- J.K. Rowling. Who is she?" Hermione asked tactfully.

"Well, she's the author obviously. She started writing Harry on napkins outside some Café or something. Before Harry, she was a struggling mother of a little girl. Now she has a son too, and they are doing much better. Oh, and she's from Britain of course."

Hermione sighed. This wasn't the answer she was hoping for. Then again, what was she hoping for, Alex to say something about the woman being a witch? She tried another way. "Do you think that, she believes Harry exists?"

It was Alex's turn to sigh. "I honestly couldn't tell you, Hermione. I'm sorry; I can't speak for J.K. Rowling. You'd have to talk to her and that's like impossible. I seriously doubt she believes in magic and stuff, I mean, most people don't."

"Do you?" Draco demanded from the doorway. His eyes were cold as he gazed at her, knowing she was a muggle and he was in her house. She shot him a look back. It was clear to Hermione that they wouldn't be the best of friends. She met Alex's eyes and she smiled. Alex smiled in return looking more willing to cooperate.

"Yes, I like to believe that there are those lucky few who are capable of flying around on brooms and casting spells. It adds a touch of fun to my life some how... just thinking about it you know?" She looked embarrassed, as if it was crazy to believe such things. Then again, to most muggles, it was.

Hermione smiled and wondered how much they would have to tell her to get her full help. 'Hopefully not much at all.' She thought. Then, to Alex, she said, "You're not crazy to think such things. It is a wonderful vision. A very possible vision too. Alex, we need your help."

"I know that. That's why we came to my house remember?" she replied with a small smile.

"Yes, but this is serious. We desperately need you to help us. However, you must promise not to share any information we discuss. Do not share it with anyone, if you agree to help us. Understand?" Hermione said carefully.

Alex's face dropped slightly. A truth dawned on her as she looked from Draco, who was now closing her door, to Hermione, sitting next to her with eyes full of hope and pleading. "There really is a Hogwarts, isn't there?"

"Nice going, Hermione!" said Draco storming forward pulling out his wand as he did.

"Draco, no! We need her help! I trust her and I ask you to do the same. Who else can we trust to help us? Filch's mother and her crazy cat Norma? I'll bet she's just as much of a squib as her son!" Hermione replied, standing to face him.

"I won't tell a soul, I promise." Alex said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Draco looked back and forth from one girl to the other. His eyes landed on Hermione's, wide and panicked looking. He felt his anger slide. 'It's a good thing I care about you Hermione...' he thought to himself. Then, to Alex he said, "Alright but if I hear anything about you blabbing, you can be sure your memory will be wiped!"

"Deal." Alex said simply. Then she turned to Hermione and said, "So, is the book accurate?"

Hermione sighed and pulled the book from Draco's hands. After a minute of waiting to hear a protest he did not give, she continued. "Yes, the book is very accurate as I'm sure the others are too. That's why we wanted to know about the author."

"Well, maybe she knows a witch or wizard or something, one with a loose tongue." Alex suggested. Hermione could tell right away that she was their best bet for help. She wanted to help so much and she knew stuff they didn't. She smiled at Alex and then up at Draco, who looked away with a strange look on his face.

"You still don't trust Alex, do you?" she asked him with a small frown.

"No, if you must know I don't! She's a muggle for crying out loud! You know how I am with muggles!" He was practically screaming. His eyes were wide as if the world had gone mad.

"You don't like muggles. You didn't know them. If you did have the misfortune of meeting one, you'd probably treat it the same way as you treat...Hermione." Alex piped up from her place on the bed. She was looking up at him with a serious look, all her amusement gone. It resurfaced when she added. "That is, the way you used to treat Hermione."

"I don't like Hermione!"

"I never said you did. You're putting words in my mouth."

"You were hinting at it, admit it!"

"I merely said you seem a lot nicer to her now then in the books... or are the books not as accurate as you said?"

"They're completely accurate, which is why we are all here. We're not here to discuss Malfoy's love life!" Hermione cut in, yelling to be heard over the two. This was not what she had hoped for at all. But Malfoy had either not heard or chose to ignore her.

"I would never consider liking that frizz-ball mudblood Granger!" Instantly, he regretted it.

Hermione stopped trying to end the fight. She turned to him, with watery eyes and a red face. She jumped to her feet and stormed toward him her curls blowing back behind her. "Excuse me?! Who said I'd ever be interested in you in the first place, Ferret Face? I hate you, down to every last hair on your slimy head! You disgust me!"

"Hermione, I didn't mean that, honest. Not the way it came out..."

"Yes you did and you know it! You're a disgusting, little creep with a big ego! You suffer from severe mugglephobia and you make everyone around you miserable!"

Now Draco was getting mad. "Look, just because I don't appeal to either of you doesn't mean everyone in the world hates me! I am like by several girls up at the school, they love me and adore me. They do whatever I ask and you think losing the two of you is going to upset me?"

"I COULD CARE LESS!!!" Hermione screamed. Before she thought about it, she smacked him straight across the face, just like old times. Alex jumped as the sound reached her ears. She watched Draco turn away without saying another word and leave the house. Hermione stood watching the door long after he left her eyes still watery.

"I didn't mean to." Alex said quietly. She looked down at her hands and let a small tear fall down her cheek. An arm came around her shoulders.

"It's alright. We needed to get that thing settled. We were beginning to uh, misunderstand our thoughts for each other. To him I'm mudblood and to me he's ferret face. You did nothing, it was bound to happen." Hermione said in her most comforting voice.

"You want to stay here tonight?" Alex asked. Then, she smiled a little. "No Draco to argue with and your guaranteed a peaceful nights sleep. I sleep wicked late in the mornings."

Hermione smiled and nodded, thinking about how great it was to have a friend again. After calling Rosie and chatting online to her and after bugging William, they finally went to sleep. Hermione listened to Alex, who talked a lot after the lights went out, as she ranted on and on about this kid she knew from school, Brian.

"His nose sticks up in the air, Hermione, you would not believe it!! His hair hangs in his face and it is so dark colored..."

"You like him, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. He's just... different you know? Still, he doesn't like me..." she trailed off into silence and eventually fell asleep. Hermione remained awake to think about Draco for five minutes, and then joined Alex in slumber.

A/N Well, how was it? Let me know people and encourage me to write on! I have to give thanks and a little credit to my friend, Bree, who helped me with some ideas and Preppy Williams name. (The name says all) Thank you Bree!!! The new material will work and I guess more Rosie couldn't hurt...lol. Bye friends! Until next time!!!! Sorry no indents in the paragraphs!!!