Disclaimer; I hope you all know by now that I am not JK Rowling. I don't own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.

A/N Hi all. Here is a new story I have been working on. This is not going to be a fast updating one like the others, I will update probably once a week, most likely on Mondays. It's not because I like to keep you in suspense, it is because this story is slow writing. Well Happy reading and don't forget to review.

Reunion

Hermione Granger fussed in front of her mirror in her small flat. She was getting ready to go to her five year Hogwart's reunion. Her fiancée' Ron Weasley would be picking her up in less than half an hour. She finished piling her long curly hair on top of her head and holding it with a freezing charm. She slipped into her short black cocktail dress and smoothed it over her curves. She looked at her watch and fidgeted with her jewelry before making her way to the living room and sitting on the couch. A little while later the bell rang and standing in front of her was Ron. He was tall, six foot five, and muscular due to playing quidditch professionally for the last 4 years.

"Hey 'Mione, ready to go?" he smiled.

"Yep, let me grab my bag." she reached over on her counter, grabbed her handbag and followed Ron out the door.

"How are we getting there?" she asked Ron.

"We are apperating to King's cross and then taking the Hogwart's express." he grinned. "It will be weird riding the train to school again won't it?"

"Yeah. Are Harry and Ginny meeting us there?"

"Yes, my mum is watching the baby." Ron told her as they got to Hermione's front walkway.

"Oh, did she get the wedding invitations printed up?" Hermione asked Ron as they prepared to apparate to the station.

"Almost. She just has to stuff the envelopes and hire some mail owls to help deliver them. Pig is in no way prepared to deliver over a hundred invitations."

Hermione giggled.

"I should think not." she said. "Ready?"

"Yep," and with that they both disappeared and landed in the alley behind King's cross.

"Hasn't changed much has it?" she asked.

"Not really." Ron said looking around.

"We should hurry, don't want to miss the train." Hermione said as they walked around to the front of the station.

King's cross looked nearly the same as it had five years ago when they had gotten off of the train for the last time. They walked over to the area between platforms nine and ten. Nonchalantly Hermione leaned into the barrier and was magically transported to platform 9 ¾. Hermione's heart lurched. She was suddenly feeling very nostalgic. The smell, the sound and the feeling was so familiar. She smiled and a second later Ron was through the barrier and standing next to her.

"Bloody hell, it even smells the same doesn't it?" Ron said looking around.

"Its wonderful." she smiled. The gleaming red steam engine stood in front of them, just as it always had. They boarded the train and saved a seat for Harry and Ginny who showed up ten minutes later.

"Hey 'Mione, Hey Ron." Harry said as he sat down. Ginny was wearing a flame red cocktail dress, and Harry simple black dress robes similar to Ron's very dark blue ones.

The train started moving slowly and soon the countryside was passing by the window at a swift pace. The four friends talked about old times at Hogwarts and how it was going to feel being back for the first time in five years.

"Do you remember that time Ron ate all of those cockroach clusters on a bet?" Harry laughed. Hermione wrinkled her nose.

"Unfortunately." Hermione replied. The other three laughed and laughed. Hermione stared out the window into the countryside. Twilight was beginning to peak over the misty hills. She sighed. She was looking forward to this reunion the least. Not that she didn't love Hogwarts, but her only friends there were in the train compartment already. She saw them every day. It was Ron that really insisted on going. He was so proud of playing for the Cannons, and making enough galleons to take care of his family, that he wanted to show off a little. She felt sometimes that she too was one of his triumphs. They had dated in seventh year and then spent the next two years as pen pals while she was training to be a healer. The past three years they had lived near each other and dated exclusively. Then last Christmas he had proposed in front of his entire family. She of course accepted. She loved him dearly and it was a lasting love in her opinion because they had been friends before they were lovers. She gripped his hand tightly in hers as the sky became darker and darker. The village of Hogsmeade was fast upon them and the train halted to a stop. Hermione stepped off of the train and inhaled the clean country air. The tiny village looked as it always did off to the side of the station. The carriages that used to carry them to the school were waiting there just as they always had. This time however, all four of them could see the thestrals that were pulling them. The final battle had been full of death and loss; no one escaped seeing at least one person die. The thestrals blinked eerily at them with their white eyes. Hermione shuddered as she stepped into the carriage. Minutes later they were moving steadily up the hill. The evening air had a chill to it even though it was July. Ron put his arm around her and she nestled her neck into his chest and immediately her whole body felt warm and toasty. She smiled looking out the windows as they went higher and higher up the road towards a twinkling castle.

At the very top Ron helped her out of the carriage as she looked up to the huge castle before them. It looked even more impressive than it did when they were eleven and seeing it for the first time from tiny boats below. She held her breath and her stomach felt very strange indeed. She was almost nervous to be back. Just because she was friends with Harry Potter didn't mean she was very popular otherwise. She conversed with girls in her dorm, but other than that Ginny was her only female friend. She was proud of her accomplishments outside of Hogwarts, and they way her appearance had changed. Her hair was still a curly mess in the morning, but ordinarily she could get it under control before work. She was tall, but not too tall. Five foot seven, one hundred and twenty pounds with nice curves. She was much more confident than she had been in school but as soon as they approached the steps some of her old insecurities came back. She flashed back to her first year when no one would be her friend, then to second when Malfoy had called her a Mudblood. Then to fourth when Malfoy made her teeth grow to her chin. Some of her worst times had been her, but then again some of her best times were as well. And Draco Malfoy had been the cause of almost all of her bad times here. She hoped above all that he would not show his face here. She heard that he was running his father's company since the time of his death. Hopefully he was too busy to show his face around Hogwart's again.

They entered the large front doors and the entrance hall overwhelmed them. It looked exactly the same as it did but for the largest picture of Dumbledore they had ever seen above the great hall. His twinkling eyes shone down on them and smiled as they walked below him into the hall. It was decorated for the reunion. The larger tables had been replaced with smaller ones and it was lit softly. Where the teachers used to sit was a stage where a band Hermione didn't recognize was setting up. They were among the first to enter. A small table near the doors was filled with nametags. Hermione walked over and got Ron's, Harry's and her own. They placed them on their chests and found a table off to the side. Ron pulled out Hermione's chair for her and they all sat down.

"Everything looks so nice." Ginny squealed. Hermione nodded. It did look nice indeed. The hall began to fill with people who looked familiar but only faintly. You would not think that people could change that much in the short five years since they had graduated. Then a round man with short brown hair came bounding over to their table.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione. It's me, Neville." he smiled broadly and their was no mistaking him for anyone else.

"Hi Neville, won't you join us." Hermione said smiling.

"This is my wife, Hannah. You remember her, she was in our year but in Hufflepuff." the blonde girl smiled at them before taking a seat next to Hermione.

"Would you like something to drink 'Mione?" Ron asked as he stood up.

"Just some punch please." she told him.

"So Neville, when did you get married?" Hermione asked. She was so happy Neville had found someone. He had something of a crush on her in school.

"Three years ago. We met up at St. Mungo's. I was visiting my parents. She was visiting her aunt. We had tea and have been together ever since." his face was beaming. "My parents were even well enough to attend. They have been making great progress in a new treatment. The healers say maybe one day they will be well enough to come home."

Hermione's spirit lifted and tears filled her eyes.

"Oh Neville, that is wonderful." she smiled her biggest smile at him.

"Yeah mate, that is the best news I have heard in a while." Harry told him reaching across the table and shaking his hand. Neville looked so happy he could burst. He turned to Hermione.

"So when is your big day?"

"Big day…uh, what do you…oh, you mean the wedding? It is in September. On my birthday." she smiled. "I hope you two can make it." she would have to remember to add Neville to her invitation list.

"I'm sure we can. I am so glad you and Ron finally got together. I thought the two of you would never come to your senses." he joked. The whole table laughed.

"What did I miss?" Ron asked.

"Just a stab at your judgment calls mate." Harry told him. Ron scowled.

The hall filled with students and their dates and before any of them knew it the whole graduating class was there. The Patil sisters came over with their dates. Twin guys. Hermione laughed. Lavender Brown found her way over to the table and fawned over Ron. He pushed his chest out proudly showing off his official Chudley Cannons team member pin and she giggled madly until her date made his way over and pulled her away. Hermione was less than pleased at this little display. Next to find them was Dean and Seamus. Both still bachelors, but they had brought dates. Hermione stood up excusing herself to the bathroom. She smiled and talked to several more classmates along the way.

She found her way to the girl's bathroom, the one she found herself trapped inside with a mountain troll in her first year. She thought of that as the defining moment in creating a friendship with Ron and Harry. If it wasn't for their friendship, school, as much as she loved it, would have been unbearable. She washed her hands and left the restroom, looking at the portraits on the walls as she made her way back to the great hall. They smiled and waved at her as she passed. More than anything she wanted to sneak up and visit her old room. The one she had in her seventh year as head girl. Maybe she could sneak away. No one would miss her for a few minutes right? She walked up to the fifth floor and walked up to the portrait that guarded the Head's common room.

Should she try her old password? Did the portrait keep track of them? 'Couldn't hurt to try right?' she thought.

"Moonflower" she said and the door swung open.

'Wow. I can't believe that worked.' she thought to her self. She looked around at the common room. It was blue and red meaning that the last heads were from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. She climbed up the dual staircase and went into the room that had been hers. It was almost exactly the same as it has been when she was here. Decorated in red, gold and cream. She looked around and sat on the bed remembering all of the late nights studying on that bed. She looked at her watch and figured she had better be getting back to the reunion. Ron would be wondering where she was. She stood up and left the bedroom. The hair on the back of her neck stood up.

"Reliving old times Granger?" Azure blue eyes stared at her from the common room door.