a/n1: Hello my dear readers! I finally managed to break through my writer's block, yeah! Also: mine and viv-heart's collab story is online. We post as Noichride and the story is called 'Queens'. Maybe some of you lovely people would give us some feedback on it? ;) viv-heart is my beta. After all this time? Always.

Draco tapped on the table in a fast rhythm. The previous evening he had written Theo for the first time, giving the letter to Athena and hoping that the owl would find his friend. Now he was anxious for an answer. He hadn't written much. Just that they were allowed to write and that he would like to do just that. Draco doubted that he was allowed to tell Theo where he was staying but he told him about the reunion of his aunt and his mother anyway. The other probably could use a nice and happy story if he had to live alone in that old manor.

Draco had been at Nott Manor many times over the years. In the last summer holidays he had visited Theo as often as possible. They would go 'flying' and visit Theo's secret stash of alcohol getting pissed in the woods. Sometimes Blaise had joined them and they started destroying the hunting lodge where Theo kept the Firewhiskey.

They always repaired everything the next morning. It wouldn't do for Nott Senior to find out what his son got up to when he was 'flying' with his best friends.

Draco wondered what Blaise did these days. Probably sleep around and throw out the money of his eighth stepfather. The poor lad probably wouldn't survive much longer - Blaise's mother never kept a guy more than three years. It was an open secret that she was a black widow, but the double entendre amused you only until the mismatched stare of Blaise gave you the creeps. While his right eye was a startling dark blue, Blaise's left eye was a light brown. Draco had never met anyone who could hold his cold gaze longer than a minute, he and Theo being the best since they were friends with Blaise and had training.

A rap on the kitchen window startled Draco out of his musings. He jumped up, opened the window and let Athena in. The regal owl settled on the perch next to the window obviously waiting for his answer.

Draco opened the letter.

Good morning,

it is wonderfully nice to see your terrible handwriting once again. I was already afeard you had forgotten good ol' me! No, but seriously, I am happy about any communication. Haven't heard from Blaise yet but he is probably a bit too busy 'meeting' women.
I read about your hearing in the paper. Say, who came up with the utter nonsense about you attending thirty-six revels? They had to drag you to those things! Well since Rabastan is on the list of witnesses I probably know who, but still. Thirty-six?
And whose owl is this? It's entirely too persistent for my taste!

Hope you are well,
Theo

The blond wizard smiled. He could almost hear his best friend's voice while reading and he could picture his indignation at Athena very well. Knowing the owl she probably woke Theo and hadn't let him sleep until he had replied to the letter.

Draco smirked, the owl was a menace just like its owner. Theo would probably get a heart-attack if he read whose owl had kept him from sleeping in. Either that or he would roll around laughing - one couldn't be too sure with Theo.

Hermione cast the Tempus charm for the fourth time in just as many minutes. She wanted to be exactly on point and was ready to go. Pacing in front of the kitchen fireplace she started to get nervous. What if Pansy had only been pleasant while writing? What if she was awful in person?

Hermione rolled her eyes at herself and grabbed the Floo Powder. Who cared if she was a bit early? It wasn't as if it wouldn't fit her character.

With a 'whoosh' she arrived in the Leaky Cauldron. The pub looked worse than it had ever before and Hermione wondered whether the old bartender was still up to the work. Of course wizards could easily reach a much higher age than most muggles, but two wars had taken their toll.

Sitting down at the bar Hermione wondered if she should order something. Her question became irrelevant when the door opened and Pansy entered the pub.

Suddenly everyone fell silent and turned towards the door. Some glared, some scowled but at least nobody said anything. Hermione frowned at that display of intolerance. They had just fought two wars because of it, for Merlin's sake!

The bushy haired witch stood up and walked over to Pansy. "Hello, how are you?" Hermione greeted her, smiling brightly.

Pansy understood the plan immediately and kissed her on both cheeks in greeting. "Fine, and you?"

Hermione linked arms with her former arch-nemesis and they strolled out of the Leaky Cauldron into muggle London.

"Do you reckon we will make the headline tomorrow?" Pansy asked when they were a few blocks down the street.

"It's either that or Draco's trial and I would prefer keeping him out of the limelight as much as possible," Hermione answered calmly. They unlinked their arms and kept walking as if nothing had happened.

"It's a beautiful day," Pansy remarked while holding her face towards the sun.

"Indeed. What do you think, should we get some coffee to go and take a walk?" Hermione proposed and the other girl nodded.

They got their coffee from a street vendor and Hermione was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable walking in silence with Pansy.

"You know what I always wanted to see?" the girl asked just when Hermione wanted to open her mouth.

"Tell me," she encouraged her companion.

"The Buckingham Palace," Pansy said taking a sip from her coffee. "My parents wouldn't take me when I was younger. They said it was too dangerous in the muggle world. And in the last years it was indeed not really safe."

"We can walk there if you want to," Hermione offered with a smile. "I have only ever seen it on photographs and on the television as well, even though I lived in the suburbs of London my whole life."

"Really?" Pansy asked surprised. "I guess I am too used to people who live in small villages or manors."

Hermione laughed. "I never imagined I would know people who lived in manors."

In the next moment she had to grab Pansy and pull her back from the street. The witch obviously hadn't noticed the traffic light changing to red.

"What did they teach us in school?" Hermione asked teasingly, looking intently at the witch so she understood she had to play along. "Stop at red, go at green!"

"I know, 'Mione," Pansy answered blushing. "I'm not a child anymore!"

Hermione laughed and Pansy elbowed her good-naturedly. She was glad that they got along this well. Actually just as well as they did in the letters.

It was obvious that the pureblooded witch made an effort. So far she had adapted really fast. It was only when they had started talking that she had slipped and forgotten about traffic lights. Well, not everyone could be as unobservant as Ron and Harry. Hermione chuckled at that thought.

When an ambulance raced past them they both flinched at the light and the loud noise but tried to act unfazed. The light looked entirely too much like spell fire for Hermione's liking.

When they reached Buckingham Palace Pansy's mouth fell open. "It's huge! It's even bigger than Nott Manor!"

"Exactly right for the royals then," Hermione answered with a grin. She had to admit that it was amazing up close and live. Even with the masses of tourists.

"Probably! Who are the guys with the fuzzy hats?" Pansy asked pointing at the guards.

"That's the Queens's Guard. Their 'fuzzy hats' have actually a name which I don't remember at the moment," Hermione answered.

"Oh Merlin, the almighty Granger has forgotten something!" Pansy exclaimed theatrically.

"I'm far from almighty, Pansy," Hermione said quietly remembering all those people she couldn't save. Why did these thoughts come up so randomly? She had been fine a moment ago!

The Slytherin looked up startled. "I know, nobody is. Not Dumbledore, not You-Know-Who and not you. You did everything you could, just like everybody else."

"Thank you," Hermione smiled. "What was it like for you?"

A dark cloud seemed to shadow Pansy's face. "Please don't ask me. The others probably won't talk about it either. It's too fresh, at least for me."

Hermione nodded. "Alright, then another question: You mentioned a sister. I never knew you had siblings. How old is she?"

"Viola just turned twelve. It was her first year. Now mother and father think about sending her to Beauxbatons," Pansy answered with a strained voice.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Hermione said smiling sadly. "Seems I'm unable to avoid the subject of the last year."

"It's alright," Pansy answered returning Hermione's smile looking just as sad. "Could we go down to the Thames?"

"Of course!" she answered enthusiastically.

While they walked down to the river they chatted about their childhoods. Pansy asked many questions about the things she saw. Somewhere between explaining cabs and walkmans Hermione decided that she needed to brush up her knowledge about current technological developments.

But she asked just as many questions about the magical world. How did magical children learn the basics like English or maths? Could you apparate with kids or did you have to use brooms and floo? Pansy answered in as much detail as possible.

When they were nearly at the Thames Pansy remarked upon the beauty of Westminster Abbey, but they didn't go there because of all the tourists. Neither was really comfortable with crowds.

When the two girls reached the river they were laughing and chatting as if they had never been enemies. Hermione had to admit that she enjoyed it very much.
Pansy was intelligent, witty and even though it hadn't seemed so at school she actually loved reading as much as Hermione did.

They walked along the Thames and back to Charing Cross Road and the Leaky Cauldron.

"I never thought I would say that one day, but it was nice to see you Hermione," Pansy said when they arrived at the floo in the shabby pub.

"Likewise, Pansy. I actually think we should repeat it, don't you?"

Pansy nodded. "Absolutely. I'll write you!"

They both flooed home hoping to have found a new friend.

Ginny nibbled on the side of her thumb. She sat on the same barstool she had chosen last Thursday. Her knee bobbed up and down in nervous energy. What if he didn't come? She hadn't been here the last two days because her mother had paid attention to her for once. What if he thought she didn't want to see him again?

Suddenly she was enveloped in two strong arms and a kiss was planted on her right cheek.

"I knew you wouldn't abandon me," Blaise whispered in that deep and rich voice of his.

Ginny turned around to face him. "So sure about yourself, Zabini?" she said teasingly while she leant in for a kiss.

"I missed you," he murmured against her lips and Ginny smiled.

"I missed you too."

"Did you have dinner?" Blaise asked while stepping out of the embrace, but keeping her hands in his.

"Not much, I was too nervous," Ginny admitted.

"How about we go and get something somewhere?" Blaise said with a wink and Ginny was once again enraptured by his different eyes.

"That sounds perfect," she said and downed her Whiskey in one, not even grimacing at the burn of the alcohol. She took Blaise's offered hand and they went out onto the busy street.

"A pub or something more…romantic?" Blaise asked teasingly and Ginny slapped him lightly on the arm.

"You know I don't care about that romance stuff," she answered tartly and he laughed.

"And that's exactly why I like you."

"Blaise?"

"Yes, cara mia?"

"I want to make this work for as long as possible."

Blaise pulled her closer. "That would be very, very nice. But I am terrible at this relationship thing."

"That's alright," Ginny answered earnestly. "Let's just take this as it comes."

Thousands of miles away Monica Wilkins fell down the stairs in her house. Lying on the lowest step she had one thought 'Last time Hermione caught me.'

Monica shook her head, where had that come from? She didn't know any girl by the name of Hermione. She had wanted to call her baby after a character in Winter's Tale, but the little girl had been a miscarriage, just like the three others. The doctors had told her then to stop trying.

Finally her husband Wendell found her clutching her most likely broken ankle. He drove her to the hospital quickly.

The nurse at the reception desk had bushy brown hair and Monica thought she looked exceptionally like Hermione.

Wait. How could she know which traits the little girl would have inherited? Monica shook her head, she must have hit it harder than she thought.
But something kept nudging her to think about this and at last Monica turned to Wendell while they were waiting for her x-ray results.

"Wendell, do you remember a Hermione from Great Britain?" she asked quietly to not disturb the other patients.

"Hermione?" Wendell said in confusion. "Didn't you want to name our girl like that?"

"Yes, but I think I remember something about a little, bushy-haired girl called Hermione back in Britain," Monica told him.

"Now that you are mentioning it," Wendell frowned. "I did as well, just today."

"Really?" That couldn't be a coincidence.

"Yes, when I saw you lying at the bottom of the stairs. I thought 'Last time Hermione caught her.'"

"I thought the same thing!" They exchanged a baffled look. But before they could discuss it further the nurse called them up.

When they returned they had nearly forgotten about their conversation in the hospital. Monica wasn't happy about the broken ankle since it meant that she couldn't go to work. And she loved her work.

Sighing she sat down in an armchair in the living room. She had always loved reading and for some reason she now chose a children's book of which she wasn't even sure how it came to be in her possession. 'Matilda' was a wonderful book and Monica had to admit that she enjoyed it greatly.

That night she dreamed of a little bushy haired girl with adorable buck-teeth who frowned in concentration while levitating a pencil. How odd.

a/n2: Alright, I hope you liked it! Next up: the day of Draco's trial. That chapter will be probably a lot longer than this one. And I am currently open for prompts of nearly every pairing, pm me or write it in your review if you have an idea! :) Cya soon ;)