"Well Blaise, we might as well take a coffee break," Draco suggested in a commanding tone.

His Italian friend shrugged, inwardly turning giddy, glad to get away from the horrendous traffic. "Starbucks alright?" The blond sniffed at the rather common name but nodded woefully all the same.

So Mr. Zabini swerved the limo and pulled into a spot just a few feet behind the famous brewery. Getting out of the car he heard Draco mutter, "I knew I hired that bloke for a good reason." He couldn't help but let a smirk cross his olive-skinned face as he opened the door for his "boss".

They stepped into the little shop, Draco immediately sitting down at a cozy table for two, all prim and proper.

Blaise, meanwhile, stepped up to the counter and ordered two frappuccinos, ignoring the hungry look the female employee sent him. When the order came around the side he hurried to take a seat across from the blond and poked a straw through the cover of his drink, handing one to him. Taking a long sip he finally spoke up, "Hanging around you is really bad for my masculinity I fear."

The young businessman glared. Pretending not to notice the look that made most people dive for their mummies, Blaise glanced around. Most customers had raised their heads to stare at the wonder that was Draco Malfoy. They whispered back and forth excitedly, perhaps remembering his face from an interview in a magazine or from the telly.

"So I heard Pans has got a boyfriend."

Draco nodded, eyes back on his limo driver, "Yes, some Ron Weasley of sorts. And for almost a year now." He looked ponderous, 'She's made a lot of new friends in this tourist attraction of a city."

Blaise cocked an eyebrow, "Oh? Not jealous are we, Drake?"

The Malfoy merely sighed in reply, "Of course, you overgrown piece of black licorice." Blaise laughed, "I resent that."

(oOo)

Harry and Pansy barely heard someone enter the café they were so busy laughing. Mr. Potter has made some crack about two professors at their school being lovers and totally set Pansy off. Her laughing was slightly squeaky so it had got him laughing and then they were both laughing, something at least daily for the dark-haired duo.

But a sudden voice trapped their attention in a net, "Did Harry make one of his 'Professor Snape jokes'? Oh, I have missed those."

They turned around in their stools and stared open-mouthed. "H-Hermione? How – What – When- Why didn't you tell us you were coming back today!" Harry exclaimed, disbelief gleaming in his green eyes.

Pansy whined, "You told Ronald!"

The redhead rolled his eyes, "Guys. Woah. Calm down." And there was silence, "Right then. I reckon 'Mione told me because I was picking her up from the airport, considering I'm the one with the money for a taxi, here. She wanted to surprise you lot."

Their expressions turned sheepish, cheeks slightly pink. 'Oh. Right then, sorry mate." Harry said, embarrassed.

Ron shrugged, rolling his blue eyes before inching closer to Pansy. She turned just in time and grinned ferociously, "How's my Ronniekins today?" He moved in closer with a soft look on his face, "Missed you, luv." A giggle. Some snog noises.

Harry raised an eyebrow at Hermione, "Bloody affectionate in public, eh?" The brunette smiled and pulled something out of her bag. "It's a gift from America."

He took the present and stared down at it, eyebrows growing lower and lower. With a grateful sigh he gently undid the wrapping paper and held in his hands a bucket of sweets and two C.D.s. They were decorated cutely, both disks with funky lettering across the tops spelling out 'Party mix'. Hermione flipped them over in his hands. "It's a mix of all of the greatest American party music."

"What's this? Presents? Ooh, American C.D.s…" Pansy eyed them curiously, still attached to Ron by the hip.

"Oh, Pansy, I got you something, too."

The dark-haired girl blinked, "Y-you did?" "Of course!" Rummaging around in her bag yet again, Ms. Granger took out a purple box and shoved it into Pansy's chest, grinning. Pansy carefully peeled off the paper, holding the makeup set and dramatic Korean manwha up for everyone to see. Her fingers curled around the book, flipping through its crisp pages.

A blush lit up Hermione's face, "Um, Pansy, that's a yaoi comic or whatever you call it in Korean."

She glanced up, puzzled, "A what?"

The brunette replied quietly, "It's a slash manga with lots of um, bonking?" Pansy held the book tighter to her chest, "Slash bonking.." She repeated dreamily. Ron, meanwhile, looked alarmed, "You bought her gay porn?"

"Yeah…about that," Harry began, also looking at the book, "Can I borrow it by any chance, Pans?" "After I clear it with that Godfather of yours."

(oOo)

Sirius Black, sitting in a hard wooden bench in the middle of a London park suddenly gave a start and sneezed out of the blue. It was a huge, body-racking sneeze that made his fiancée of a few good years turn around to see if he was alright.

The grown man waved a hand at Remus, 'I think it's probably idiot of a teacher Harry's got talking about me again." His lover sighed with a hint of amusement.

"You know, Harry likes Professor Snape, says he's the only teacher who won't put up with Ron and his I-don't-care attitude about attending an art school when he can barely draw a stick figure-" "Hey, I like that kid-" "Not that Harry's complaining about having his best friend there. Or Pansy."

Sirius grinned, "I do like that girl. She's feisty."

Remus hummed in reply, taking a seat next to him. The park whistled. "Yes. It think she's good for our trio, very different than the people they've grown up among. Wait – most of the people, do you remember Seamus –"

Lips on top of his startled him out of continuing. Sirius nuzzled his cheek, "You were saying too much. Too many big words." "You're one to talk, step-father." (As in Harry's.)

(oOo)

Back to the lovely café we keep returning to: the four sat around on bar stools, sipping frappuccinos (courtesy of Harry) and chatting about Hermione's trip to the U.S. She really did seem to enjoy her studying there, like she'd had more fun than ever before in her life.

Of course, this was Hermione the intelligent bookworm we're talking about. God knows why she decided to attend an art college, well excluding the large obvious reason; her friends were there.

Suddenly, breaking the calm that hung in the café air, Pansy's cell phone rang, "Hello, is that you Draco?" She paused, listening. "Oh, Justin? Justin! How good to hear from you, blimey it has been a while and –", her lazy expression disintegrated, "What? Lavender's really – you need…us? No, no. Yes, of course, silly. I'll be right…" She glanced around, "We'll be right there, Just. Right there."

The phone was snapped shut and Pansy stood, facing them all, "Lav's gunna have the baby. We need to get over there and help. Gods."

Ron and Hermione nodded in anxious unison but Harry looked tense, "Damn. I can't just leave the café. But Lavender…oh, screw it I'll just go." Three hands pushed him back into seat. "We can deal with it, Harry. You don't need to lose your job."

As the redhead and the brunette raced out the door, Pansy kept still, thinking. "Do you think you could do me a favor?"

Harry nodded as if to say 'duh'. She patted his shoulder in thanks, "My friend Draco' coming, remember? I've already told him to meet me at the school art museum and all, do you think you could go and get him instead? Tell him it was an emergency and all? Yes?"

He nodded continuously, again and again until she looked satisfied. "Thank you so much!" And she was gone. "Woah," He said dazedly, "Too much in five minutes. Brain equals goop."

--(oOo)

Hello all. Thank you to those who reviewed. Look out for the next chapter.