Sorry about the delay. It's up now! Thank you everyone for the reviews. You're what got me to stop being lazy and actually post. And about the longer chapters, I'll try. I really will.

Previously:

"So," she said, with a smirk identical to her brother's, "who's older?"

He looked proud. "Me. By seventeen minutes and forty-seven seconds."

For the past fifteen minutes Blaise had been sitting on Hermione's plush bed wishing he could just die. Every time he thought Hermione was done squealing and jumping up and down over something, she found something new. God, I wish Dad would show up. Watching her, though, he couldn't help but smile. There had never been a chance for this before. Blaise was just terribly glad she was back. But did that mean she HAD to keep screaming over miscellaneous objects she found in her room?

Yes, she DID have a walk-in closet already partially filled with gowns.

Yes, she DID have a whole dresser specifically for underwear.

Yes, she DID have a designer necklace and matching bracelet on her pillow waiting there from their mother that she must have levitated up.

Yes, she actually DID have all those fifty other things she found in various hiding spots.

But for the love of God. A man could only take so much.

Finally, the sound of their mother calling up the stairs saved Blaise from any more torture.

"Come on, kid, Dad's home," Blaise called to her from the bed. She was currently behind the changing screen doing who knew what.

She popped her head out from behind it with a giant grin on her face. "This is amazing."

"Yes, sister dearest, I do believe you've already used that adjective a few times." His tone was one of mock seriousness, but he had a smile plastered to his face. "Come on, Father will be anxious to meet you."

Hermione skipped out from behind the screen and he noticed that she had already put on the necklace and bracelet she had found on her bed. He smiled wider and held his arm out for her to take.

She accepted happily, and together they left the huge room and made their way back down the hall to descend the staircase. Hermione kept her eyes on the steps to make sure she didn't stumble. Her muggle parents had always joked that she was "stair challenged." The memory made a lump rise up in her throat and she blinked back the prickling starting behind her eyes.

When they finally arrived at the ground floor, Hermione looked up and her eyes locked immediately onto a pair of warm hazel eyes flecked with green directly resembling what her own eyes had changed into. Glamour charm, perhaps? She thought, always perceptive. She didn't see how it would matter much, however, since Voldemort knew she would come back eventually.

The eyes were surrounded by soft laugh lines, but other than that, the rest of the skin was untouched by even the thought of wrinkles. So this is my dad, she thought. She smiled softly as she took in his thick black hair, which resembled both her brother's and the infamous Harry Potter's. While Blaise's hair was neatly kept, her father's was a mess. He looked as if he had just stepped in from a wind storm. Suddenly it dawned on her that maybe he had rushed home and that's why his hair was so unkempt. She smiled even more at the thought. He had a tall stature, and stood above her mother by a good six inches. Obviously Blaise had inherited more from her father, and she from her mother. She certainly was dwarfed by her brother.

Pierrick Zabini was clothed in a black long sleeve dress shirt and black slacks, and Hermione smirked at the fact that his shoes were extremely shiny. His laugh lines, however, were not currently in effect. The look on his face was one of longing and hopefulness. The smirk left Hermione's face. He looked so sad, like he had been waiting for this and now that it was finally there, he was afraid it was a joke.

No one should have to ever look like that.

Slightly taken aback, Hermione had lost the ability to reason and figure out how to react to the situation. She felt a warm hand on her lower back gently push her forward towards the man. Blaise seemed to have picked up on what she was feeling.

She stopped a foot or so in front of the man and looked into his identical eyes. It seemed as if he was in greater shock than Hermione was, so she decided to say something first.

"Is your hair always that messy, or are you just happy to see me?"

Oh Jesus, I did not just say that.

However, the statement seemed to pull a smile onto her father's face and he grabbed her by the shoulders and hugged her to his chest resting his head on the top of hers. Without hesitation, Hermione wrapped her arms around his slim waist and held tight.

Madison Zabini, who knew not to interrupt her husband and daughter's reunion, stepped to Blaise's side and pulled him against her while they watched the display. Pierrick's eyes were squeezed shut and yet tears were still escaping, while muffled sniffles were heard from his chest where Hermione currently had her head buried.

After a while Pierrick's hold on Hermione loosened and she was able to step back a few inches, though her father continued holding her. She didn't bother trying to wipe away her tears, because they would just be replaced by more. "I've thought about you every day. About when you would be able to come back to us. We've missed you so much, you can't possibly comprehend." He pulled her back to him with one arm and held out his other to his wife and son who joined the group hug. Hermione felt a fullness knowing that she was still loved.

The screech of an impatient owl startled the family out of their embrace. They'd been so caught up in sharing a moment, they hadn't noticed the owl fly through the window. Madison approached the owl perched on the stair rail and untied the letter on its leg. It gave an unfriendly peck to the back of her hand and flew off.

"God damn owl." Mrs. Zabini growled rubbing the back of her hand, and Hermione laughed to hear her mother use such language. Madison looked at the envelope and handed it to Hermione. "For you," she said simply.

Confused as to who would know where to reach her, Hermione opened the envelope hurriedly and scanned the letter.

Dear Ms. Granger,

We have received intelligence that a Shrinking Charm and a Levitation Charm was used at your place of residence this morning at thirteen minutes past nine.

As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C).

We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy.

Yours sincerely,

Malfalda Hopkirk

Improper Use of Magic Office

Ministry of Magic

"What is it, darling?" Hermione's mother asked.

Hermione didn't even bother feeling sheepish. This was one of the first times she had ever gotten in trouble with the Ministry, and she didn't care. "An illegal magic notification." She replied handing her mother the letter. "I used some charms after…uh—after I found my parents."

A look of clarification came across Madison's face. "I see," she said coolly. "Well, this just isn't acceptable. Pierrick," she said facing her husband, "please floo to the Ministry and get this straightened out. Tell them of the circumstances that required Hermione's use of those charms and tell them that any further use of illegal magic on her part is to be ignored, since she is back with us and there isn't a chance muggles will witness any magic." Madison's face was aristocratically stoic and her voice held authority. She obviously wasn't too pleased with the Ministry.

Looking at her father's face, Hermione saw that his face was just as composed as his wife's. "It will be taken care of, darling." He grasped Hermione's hand and squeezed once before heading back to the fireplace to floo to the Ministry.

Hermione was in shock. She would have free reign to perform magic whenever she wanted because her family was powerful. I should probably be feeling ashamed or something right now, but this is just too cool.

"That really isn't necessary, Mother," she said, feeling like she should at least try to protest a little.

"It is, darling, it is. You're a Zabini now, and they need to be informed so they won't make such mistakes again."

"Well, if you insist," she said chirpily, not sounding sorry at all.

Blaise didn't seem to be curious as to the "circumstances" that prompted Hermone's use of the charms and her father hadn't asked questions, so she assumed that her mother had told them before they arrived. She was grateful for that. She really didn't feel like reliving the ordeal again. She fingered the heart charm on her new necklace for comfort and forgot that she had forgotten to thank her mother.

"Thank you so much for everything, Mother. For letting me stay, my room," she continued sheepishly, "all the things in my room."

"You're welcome. I should warn you now that since I've missed out on sixteen years of your life, I'm going to feel the need to spoil you a bit to make up for it," her mother replied.

Blaise, forgotten, rolled his eyes. He had been leaning on the banister since his father left, and nobody had paid him any mind. He coughed his throat.

The two ladies turned to him, remembering he was still in the room. "Blaise, dear, be a love and owl the Malfoy's and tell them that Hermione is back. Narcissa and I must plan tomorrow's party in Hermione's honor and I want Hermione to formally meet their family." Then with a smirk, "Especially Draco."

Blaise rolled his eyes again at his mother, and with a smile at Hermione, left the room.

Hermione didn't know which to be shocked over first. The fact that there was a party in her honor, or the fact that in a little while, she was going to be "meeting" her worst enemy and his family.

She settled for the least threatening. "Party?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, yes, of course," her mother answered hurriedly. "To celebrate your homecoming."

"But so soon?"

"Believe me, many people will be very excited to see you again," she said, rummaging around in a drawer.

Now, to segue into the second problem. "I know one person who won't be so thrilled," she said grumpily.

Her mother emerged from the drawer with a roll of parchment and a quill and walked to the kitchen.

Hermione followed her mother andsat down at a barstool at the counter while her mother set down the writing things and placed her palms on the counter.

"And who might this be? For God's sake, even the Dark Lord is going to be happy to see you and he's the one who sent you away in the first place. Narcissa and Lucius have been your godmother and godfather, respectively, since you were born…"

"Yes, well, it's the youngest Malfoy that I'm worried about. We've never been on the best terms." Understatement of the century.

"Draco doesn't really think like a Death Eater, you know. The Malfoy's are spies like us," her mother said reassuringly.

"He calls me a Mudblood. He put me and my best friends through hell every year since first year."

"I'm just asking you to give him a second chance, Hermione. It would be a shame to have you hating each other when you're going to have to spend so much time together."

Hermione sighed. This was a disaster waiting to happen.

Blaise emerged in the kitchen. "I owled the Malfoy's and invited them for dinner at eight. I also told them to invite Uncle Severus. I figured he would want to meet his goddaughter as well."

Hermione blanched at the mention of her hated potions teacher. Uncle Severus? Merlin, save me.

"Perfect, darling. Please help Hermione find a dress for tonight? And find something suitable to you to wear as well," their mother requested.

"Something for me in her closet? Are you insane, Mother?" Blaise asked.

Madison's eyes narrowed at her eldest. "You may be taller than me but I can still punish you, young man."

"You'd have to be able to reach me first." His smile put a light in his eyes.

Hermione laughed at the display. She felt at home.

"Go on, do as you're told," she said with mock anger. "I'm owling Dumbledore."

Her children nodded and headed through the door towards the stairs.

Madison wrote a short letter to the Headmaster notifying him that Hermione was fine and had arrived safely. The old coot knew the rest anyway. It was pesky really.

This took so long to write and almost nothing happened and its still short. I'm sorry. I was really anxious to get this up though. It's been too long. I promise, the next update won't take nearly as long. The next chapter will contain (hopefully) all of the following: meeing the Malfoy's, the party, and the mandatory shopping/mini-makeover extravaganza. It will be so much fun! So please please please review!