(Disclaimer)

Okay, I haven't gone to bed yet, some I'm still considering this Friday! But yes, I know I'm wayyyyy past due for another chapter, but unfortunately (or rather fortunately, since I need the money), I have a new job. So, I'm juggling school, an internship AND a job, so updates might be slow coming for a while. I'll try to post every other week but I can't make any promises :/ So Sorry!

But on the brighter side. YAY! Over 100 reviews! Thank you all so much, that really made my day to see this story so well received, and I'll definitely do my best to keep your expectations high! I'll have to think up a proper thank you (suggestion would be welcome)

And many thanks to my betas, McGonagall's Bola, and Emilia Wolfe

Thanks again~

Chapter 17

It was the delicious smell of coffee, a smell that she hadn't enjoyed in a while, that woke Hermione up the next morning. She couldn't say that she had ever been much of a coffee drinker, but its earthy aroma did give her a certain sense of nostalgia and it brought back memories of Saturday mornings when her mother would prepare two cups of the dark drink (which were only consumed on Saturdays, since coffee stained the teeth), and her younger self would sit in front of the telly watching cartoons and eating a bowl of sugar coated sugar cereal (also only a weekly indulgence).

The sudden walk down memory lane reminded her that she still had yet to see her parents or Harry and Ron. A, by now, familiar ache pricked her heart at the thought, and she had to wonder just when she would be able to see her family again. When would Dumbledore set up the meeting? Would she have to wait to see her best friends until she returned to the school? She had to be patient, she knew that, but it was hard, especially since it had been TWO years of missing them on her part.

But whingeing about it, won't make time go faster. So, you'll just have to wait until Dumbledore thinks it's safe enough for a meeting, she mentally scolded herself. At least I'll be seeing Harry and Ron soon enough at school.

Sighing, she threw back her covers, resolving to push the melancholy thoughts far away for now. Quickly getting dressed in the spare shirt and jeans that were left on the chair for her, she shoved her socked feet into her sneakers, grabbed her raggedy purse and left her room to find out who was making coffee.

Letting her nose guide her, she hopped down the stairs and into the kitchen, where the heady smell was the heaviest. She didn't know what she was expecting when she walked through the doors, but it wasn't the sight of the resident werewolf and shape shifting Auror standing by the counter, heads bent suspiciously together, smiling shyly. The Metamorphmagus giggled at something Lupin said, her hair turning an even brighter shade of bubblegum pink.

Well, this is certainly an adorable surprise, Hermione thought, as she watched a blush sweep across her old professor's cheeks. She was almost sad that she had to interrupt them, but it was either that or stand in the doorway like a creepy voyeur, and she wasn't too fond of the latter option. So, quietly stepping away, she crept back up the stairs, then came down again, stomping on the steps a little harder this time, making as much noise as possible.

Throwing open the door to the kitchen, Hermione greeted them with a cheerful, "Good Morning!"

Lupin, now sitting at the table with a newspaper in his hands, nonchalantly flipped a page, nodding at her with a warm smile. His eyes only momentarily flitted towards Tonks, who was now on the other side of the room nursing a cup of coffee. It took a great amount of effort for the Gryffindor witch to keep her laughter smothered.

The Auror lifted her morning cup towards her. "Wotcher, Hermione! Had a good sleep?"

"Yes, actually," she replied, walking over to the other witch, and peeking into the coffee pot on the stove. "Do you mind?" she asked, pointing to the slightly blackened cookware.

"Go ahead, we have a big day ahead of us," Tonks said, sitting down at the table, beside Lupin. "If you haven't guessed already, I'll be your guard while we're at Diagon Alley. You have to get a wand, yeah?"

Inhaling deeply, Hermione took a tentative sip. The taste was still a little bitter, but the kick of energy and the delightful feeling of warm liquid sliding down her throat more than made up for it. Releasing a happy sigh, she nodded. "Yes, I do, and I'm in need of new robes. Professor McGonagall brought over a couple of my old ones, but they don't…ah…they don't fit."

Her cheeks heated, as she remembered how she had tried to shimmy her old skirt up past her hips last night, cursing and fumbling the whole time. She supposed that she could let out the worn cloth with magic, but that wasn't always wise in a school where a misdirected reversal charm could undo all her hard work. No, it would be better for her in the long run, if she just got the clothes that she needed now.

A cheeky grin lit up Tonks' face. "Had some problems with your old clothes last night?" she asked, slapping Hermione's hip with a chuckle. "Welcome to the aches of womanhood, where there's hips and arses aplenty!"

Hermione could probably light a fire with the amount of heat coming off her cheeks now. The small snicker coming from behind Tonks wasn't helping matters either. Closing her eyes, she took a deep calming breath. "Colorfully put, but yes, I am in need of new clothes. When are we going?"

Tonks looked like she was going to tease her again, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, she finished her cup of coffee, charming it clean, then informed her, "We'll be leaving now if you're ready. Do you need to stop by Gringott's first?"

Hermione patted her purse. "Nope, I have enough money on me for now. We'll see at the end of the day, though. I also have to get a few supplies for school."

"S'okay. Before we go though, we're going to have to do something about your face. Can't have everyone in Diagon Alley knowing that Hermione Granger is back just yet," Tonks declared, her reddish brown wand already out and pointed at Hermione. "Hold still, yeah?"

Fighting the urge to jerk away, Hermione did her best to do as directed. The cool feeling of magic settled onto her skin, followed by the odd feeling of her features shifting, widening in some places and shrinking in others.

When she was finished, Tonks stepped back to admire her handiwork. "There," she said, satisfied. She transfigured a spoon into a mirror, so Hermione could see the results as well.

The girl in the reflection, certainly didn't look like her, and yet at the same time, Hermione could still see hints of herself peeking through the Charm work. It was all little things, small changes that she wouldn't have thought would matter, but put them together and she was a completely different person. Her nose was a little too wide, her top lip too narrow, her chin too pointed, and her cheeks too high. Her hair was also different, slightly less curly and a light, golden shade of blonde. The color of her eyes, a warm cinnamon brown, was the only thing that was still fully hers.

All together, this woman looked nothing like Hermione Granger. Tonks did a good job. Hermione said as much to her.

Beaming at the compliment, Tonks responded with, "Thanks! Changing faces IS my specialty." To emphasize her point, she seamlessly shifted her own features until Hermione was looking into the elderly eyes of a random old woman. Her cheeks wrinkled, as she gave her audience a cocky smile and wink, before her face smoothly transformed back to its original state.

Hermione blinked. "Impressive."

Another bright smile. "Thanks," Tonks replied. "But enough dallying, let's hit the shops already. We'll head to Old Ollie's first, then Madam Malkin's." Tonks nudged her towards the living room, where the Floo was, waving goodbye to Professor Lupin as she passed him. Then, grabbing a hefty amount of powder she threw it in the Floo. Green flames came roaring to life, and the two witches stepped inside, their bodies instantly whisked away to their destination.

True to her word, the first place Tonks took her was Ollivander's for a new wand. The ancient door creaked open, flooding the darker room with light from the street. Nothing had changed in the quiet shop since she had last been there nearly ten years ago. The crooked shelves, still housed hundreds of cardboard boxes. The decorative sconces on the walls flickered weakly, illuminating the main room with a warm glow, and the calming scent of wood polish and spice permeated the air.

She could almost picture herself, walking in here at eleven. She had been so excited, so curious to see what kind of wand she was going to get. She had read all about Wandlore prior to coming, and had cockily swaggered in as if she knew what she was going on about.

She chuckled, remembering Mr. Ollivander's face, when she informed him that she had read the entire encyclopedia of Wand Crafting Around the World, by Ernest Hombly and then proceeded to explain to HIM some of the wand selecting processes in China and India.

He had handed her a walnut wood wand, immediately after, which she thought would definitely be her fit, but she had been pleasantly surprised when she had instead bonded with a gorgeous vinewood.

A tinge of sadness hit her, and she realized that a part of her missed her old magical partner. She didn't regret giving it to Fera, as it was the least she could do, after all, but she had to wonder; would she be able to bond with another wand like she had with her first? She wasn't too hopeful about it.

Stepping into the store around her, Tonks immediately began poking around at the items on display. Hermione walked up to the front counter, about to ring the bell, when a voice from the back of the store stopped her.

"9 and a ¼ inch applewood, with a Dragon Heartstring core. Surprisingly flexible." Mr. Ollivander stepped out from behind a shelf, seeming to materialize out of thin air. A soft smirk played on his lips as he observed Tonks. "Come for another wand replacement, Ms. Tonks?" he inquired, his amusement shining through his words.

Far from being offended, Tonks threw her head back and laughed, pulling out her wand to show it off. "Cripes no! I'll have you know me and my new beau are still going strong. A year and counting now. I'm going for a new record!"

Ollivander chuckled softly with her. "That's good to hear, my dear. Is it giving you problems then? Or is this to be a social visit?"

Still grinning, Tonks answered, "Sorry, Mr. O, I'm just the escort today."

Taking that as her cue, Hermione stepped forward. "I'm actually the one in need of a wand."

Ollivander turned to her, his partially luminescent eyes pinning her in place. Hermione shuddered under his heavy gaze. A feeling, like her soul was being laid bare and examined crept through her. This, too, she remembered from her last visit.

Finally Ollivander spoke. "10 ¾ inch vinewood, with a Dragon Heartstring core. A little stiff."

Gaping at the man, Hermione brought her hands up to her face, tracing the changes Tonks had made and making sure they were still in place. As far as she could tell, the charm was still intact. "How did you know? I don't even look the same," she said, pulling the hood of her robe down.

"I never forget a wand," he replied, the corners of his mouth lifting in a secretive smile. "Or such a memorable customer. Chinese trade routes for wood, wasn't it, Miss Granger?"

"Ah, yes," she mumbled, a blush blossoming. It would have been nice if he had forgotten THAT bit of her visit.

"Anyway," she said, trying to redirect the conversation from her swotty tendencies when she was younger, "I need a replacement wand. I…lost mine."

"Hmm, a replacement, you say," Ollivander hummed, looking her over thoughtfully, his stare intense. Clicking his tongue, he turned around, muttering to himself as he shuffled through some boxes in the far corner of the shop.

"Ah! Here we are," he exclaimed, plucking out a box and bringing it back to her. He held it just out of arms reach. "If you are open to the idea, I would like you to try this. It's not like your old wand, but I think…it will suit you well."

Hermione looked into the box curiously, and a sense of recognition tickled her skin, reminding her of how she felt when she had seen her first wand. She lifted the lid, and inside a beautifully crafted dark blue-grey wand was waiting for her. Its handle was a twisted knot of sculpted vines, with tiny images of leaves and flower buds subtly etched into the surface, much like her first wand. In fact, except for the color, the two wands looked nearly identical.

Probably still vinewood then. Though, the air about this one seemed a little different, a little more serious than her other wand.

Gently, as if she were picking up the delicate shell of an Ashwinder Egg, she gathered the wand, her fingers closing around the base comfortably. Instantly, a rush of cool air, not unpleasant in the least, wrapped around her body, raising goose bumps on her arms and making her heart race. Instinctively, she pushed against the feeling with her magic, encircling its presence easily, and for a brief moment, there was a connection, a welcoming greeting pushing at her mind. And then, just like that it was gone, the cool air retreated to wherever it had come from.

Still, a sense of awareness, of the carved vine she held, lingered. It was there, gently reassuring her with its presence, sinking into her magic like a soothing balm. She could almost feel its readiness, its excitement in finally finding a master. It was like a small hum of magic, that purred against the palm of her hand, like a cat stretching out leisurely after a satisfying nap.

Hermione blinked down at the wand, a suspicion, that she had just been tested and approved of teasing her mind. Her magic was still buzzing from the short connection, so she looked to the Wand-maker for answers. "What was that?"

Knowing eyes twinkled with satisfaction. "I cannot say. Whatever occurs between a wand and its owner is a private affair. However, it does seem particularly happy with you. A match well made, I should say."

A warm smile blossomed on her face. Yes, it certainly did feel like a good match. This wand, it GOT her, it understood her magic, who she was. She could feel it. A wonderful surprise, since she wasn't expecting to ever find such a connection again.

Testing it out, she gave it a quick swish, and a tight ball of blue fire flew from the tip to float in front of her. Its light seemed brighter and sharper than usual. She looked back at the blue-grey wand, extremely pleased.

"This is still vinewood," she stated, "but it's not like my old one, is it?"

"Indeed, it is not. Most vinewood wands are made from English Ivy vines, which are a common sight around here. THIS wand, however, is called a Blue Vine wand, and is crafted from Oriental Bittersweet vines. It's an invasive plant that can be aggressive, and when paired with a Dragon Heartstring, as this one is, they become rather stubborn when it comes to finding an owner. They'll only bow to someone with a considerably formidable mind and strong will. They also tend to favor those with purpose, like their cousin wood, BUT if properly subdued, the magic it helps create can be extremely precise and powerful, making it ideal for intricate and advanced Spellwork."

Hermione marveled at the skinny piece of vine, absurdly delighted with it. "It's perfect," she breathed.

"Sure is a pretty one," Tonks remarked, peering at the wand over her shoulder. "I take it, this is the one you want to buy then?"

Gripping the wand protectively, Hermione vigorously nodded. "Yes! I'll take it!"

"Marvelous!" Ollivander ushered them over to an antiquated cash register. "Let's ring you up then."

After giving the wizard the correct amount of coins, Hermione and Tonks left the store, the younger witch gazing happily at her new wand the whole time. That same feeling of giddiness followed her throughout the rest of their shopping trip, as the two witches enthusiastically passed through Madam Malkin's, Flourish and Blotts, and Amanuensis' Quills, before finally heading back to Grimmauld Place, in high spirits and weighed down by shopping bags.

Upon entering the kitchen, Hermione and Tonks were immediately greeted by the sight of Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey shifting through a bunch of scattered papers and scrolls that were spread out in front of them on the table. The two older witches looked up when they came through, putting their bags down on the tiled floor.

"Ah! There you girls are," Pomfrey called out, tucking away a few scrolls. "Just who we were looking for, actually."

"Did you have a nice trip?" McGonagall inquired.

"Yeah, it was brilliant! And we got Hermione here all squared away," Tonks answered her, then turned to Hermione, clapping her on the back. "Well, it's been great, Granger, but I have to be getting back on duty. We'll have to do this again some time, but you know, with you actually wearing your own face for a change."

With one last wink towards Hermione, Tonks gave a salute to the other women, then left them to their paperwork, gathering her purchases as she went.

"Well, I'm glad you were able to get everything you needed," McGonagall commented, picking up a stack of papers and handing them to her pupil. "But now, I'm afraid some documents need to be handled."

Accepting the pile, Hermione leafed through them, skimming the blocky titles at the head of each page. "This is for my "internship" in Australia?"

McGonagall nodded. "Quite right, Miss Granger. This is the paperwork you would have filled out, had you really traveled while still in school. I've already talked to your parents and had them sign off the appropriate permission slips, and," she affirmed, pausing to grab a few more papers, to add to Hermione's pile, "these are for your age verification. I'll have some copies for you later, so you can read through them if you wish, but for now, I'll just need you to sign where I say."

"Alright." Hermione picked up a quill, dipping it in an ink pot and tapping it against the side lightly.

McGonagall lead her through each packet, pointing out the lines that needed her signature and which ones didn't. The younger Gryffindor had assumed that she would be doing something a little more extensive, like answering questions or writing project summaries, but all of that had already been done for her.

The questionnaire that she would have filled out, had she really been petitioning for a leave of absence, was magically clipped to the back, each answer neatly filled out in her sharp handwriting. A copy of one of the project proposals that she had put together with Professor Flitwick (in preparation for her apprenticeship) was also attached, as well as one of her more recent Charms essays and a letter of recommendation from both Flitwick and McGonagall on the merits of her wand work.

How on Earth did they set this all up in one day? Hermione thought, finishing up her signature with a final flourish of her quill. "There we go, that should be the last of the paperwork for my Australia trip," she sighed, giving her professor the stack of papers, and watching as they were put into an envelope and sealed.

"Very good, Miss Granger. We're almost done," McGonagall responded, putting the envelope away in her robes. "Now, we just need to finish the age verification forms and then we can all go about our business. Poppy, if you will." She gestured the other witch forward.

Opening a large medical bag, the Mediwitch pulled out a little tin box, with a large dent on the roof. Popping open the clasp, she pulled out a long white strip, and…that was it.

"Is that it?" Hermione asked, eyeing the little item in Madam Pomfrey's hand. "It doesn't look like much."

Amused, the Matron chuckled good naturedly. "What did you think this would involve? Oodles Potions and complex spells?"

Yes, actually, that was exactly what she had been expecting. She ducked her head in embarrassment, happy that she, at least, hadn't said as much out loud.

The Mediwitch continued, "No, my dear. I'm only checking your age. This little bit of enchantment will suffice." She stepped forward, peeling off the clear, protective lid. "Hold still," she instructed Hermione, then stuck the white paper to the Gryffindor's forehead with a quick Sticking Charm. "There we are."

Grabbing a clipboard and quill, Madame Pomfrey carefully watched the age tracker, her eyes squinting in concentration. Hermione watched on, shifting in her seat nervously as she waited. She couldn't feel anything from the age tracker (aside from some itchiness from the Sticking Charm), or see anything, so she had no idea what they were supposed to wait for.

Finally, after a few minutes, Pomfrey smiled, cheering, "Aha!", and her quill scratched out something on her clipboard. "Well, my dear, not too much damage was done, only a couple of years. Your official age is now twenty years, ten months and sixteen days."

Hermione wasn't too surprised by the number, as she had given a similar one to Dumbledore last night anyway, and by her calculations her age now meant that her "new birthday" would be somewhere in the beginning of June, now. Not that bad.

"It's workable," Professor McGonagall murmured, thoughtfully, looking at her not-so-young-anymore student. "We'll just have to move a few more classes around, but fortunately enough, you've taken enough extra courses that that's easily done."

Madam Pomfrey handed her colleague one last packet of paper, the Ministry logo proudly embossed on the top right hand corner. "This is the last one, Minny."

Taking the papers, McGonagall quickly read through it, pointing out where Hermione needed to sign it, then tucked it away into another envelope and stashed it away with the others.

"Well, our job here is done," Madam Pomfrey confirmed, gathering her medic bag up, as she and McGonagall prepared to leave.

"Indeed. I'll be picking you up in the morning around nine o' clock, to bring you back to the school, and will have something to disguise your new look for the remainder of the year, Miss Granger," McGonagall told her, then grinned, her austere features softening. "And, I believe there is a little surprise waiting for you in the library."

"Surprise?" Hermione perked up.

"Yes, a surprise." McGonagall chuckled, shooing her out of the kitchen. "Now off with you. You have an exciting day tomorrow."

Looking over her shoulder curiously, Hermione watched her professor wave her away, before heading up to the library to see what her big surprise was. Considering it was in the library, she naturally assumed that it was some kind of book. Not that she knew what kind of book her professor thought she needed. Unless it has to do with the help Professor Dumbledore said he give me with getting Fera out.

Could that be the surprise? Had Dumbledore already come through on securing some obscure Soul Book texts?

Eager now, Hermione rushed into the library ready to get her hands on the new material, but instead of finding old, expensive tomes, she found two young wizards, nervously pacing in front of the fireplace.

Laughter bubbled up in her throat as a wave of happiness crashed through her. "Harry! Ron!" Hermione shouted, running towards her best friends and pulling them into a bone-crushing hug.

"HERMIONE!" they said as one, their voices laced with relief, as they drew her closer.

Tears unwittingly began falling from her cheeks, soaking their shoulders as she mumbled into their clothes, "This is way better than finding books."

"Ha! Never thought I'd ever hear YOU say that, 'Mione," Ron joked, causing the three friends to laugh jovially, and collapse onto the nearest couch, with Hermione sandwiched in the middle.

Finally, she pulled away, wiping at her eyes. "Yeah, well, can you blame me? What are you guys doing here anyway? It's still a school night."

"Aw, come on, 'Mione. This is a special occasion!" Ron whined, playfully. "Can't believe you're still worrying about school at a time like this."

"Hush," Hermione shushed him, smacking the back of his head. "I meant, how did you guys get away without anyone knowing? Dumbledore wanted to keep all this quiet."

"Well, we're supposed to be going with McGonagall to 'pick you up from the port key dock'. You know, like a welcoming committee, " Harry explained.

"We'll be staying here with you for the night, then we'll head to the school all together," Ron added. "Dumbledore thought you'd like some company to help you face the horde tomorrow."

"Of course. I'm glad you guys decided to come," Hermione responded instantly, more than grateful that the headmaster had done this for her.

Clutching the brunette's hand, Harry gave it a meaningful squeeze, his lopsided smile trembled a bit. "We really missed you 'Mione…I─I'm so glad you're okay."

"Thanks," Hermione sniffed, accepting a tissue from Ron. "You can't believe how much I thought about you guys when I was in that book."

Harry was the first to bring up the question that was burning in both of the boys' minds. "Hermione, what did happen? Nobody would tell us anything, when we asked. Just that you were lost in some dangerous book because of dark magic and that Snape was working on getting you out." His eyes were practically begging for answers.

A sigh left Hermione, as she sank back into the couch. She knew this question would come up, had even prepared some answers for them, but now that she was really facing her best friends, she found she couldn't lie to them. Not after everything they had gone through together. So, looking at them seriously and coming to a decision, Hermione rolled up her sleeve to expose her wordy tattoo.

"You remember how we guessed that this─" she pointed at the circles of latin "─could help us, help YOU finally defeat Voldemort?"

Understanding flickered across Harry's face, and he grabbed at her arm. "Hermione, you can't mean…"

Looking proud, and more than a little smug, Hermione confirmed his suspicions. "I've found it! I've found a way for you to finally kill that maniac!"

"You can't be serious," Ron joined in, stunned. "How on Earth did you find that? Was it in the book?"

"Sort of. A woman, who had been trapped in the book as well, Fera, had been working on a project prior to her capture, that would help Aurors SHARE their magic."

"Bloody hell. That's amazing," Ron whispered in awe. "Harry, mate, you know what we could do with something like that?"

Harry, who at this point was too shocked to say anything, just stared straight ahead into the library's fire. His eyes were suspiciously wet. Sharing a quick look with Ron, Hermione gave the dark-haired boy a one-armed hug, resting her head on his shoulder.

Her voice was low as she continued. "I can't tell you guys everything about it, because I promised her I wouldn't talk to anyone about it without her permission─you two will need to take wand oaths, by the way─and her work isn't complete, or safe to use just yet, but she's given me the go ahead to finish it for you. To help you."

"I've been scared out of my mind, thinking about facing him, but...I...thank you, Hermione. Thank you," Harry choked out, leaning into her embrace.

"I haven't got it yet, you know. It's still a jumbled mess. There are references I have to find, experiments to replicate, a million variables to weigh," Hermione reminded him, with a self-deprecating smirk.

Ron snorted. "Please, if anyone can do it, you can, 'Mione."

"Yeah," Harry quickly agreed, "and if you need anything, you just have to ask."

The offer was exactly what she needed to hear. Even though she knew there wasn't much they could do, research was never their forte after all, she still appreciated the sentiment behind it, and knew that they would remain a silent pillar of strength for her regardless.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks, guys," Hermione breathed out, a sense of peace that she hadn't felt since she had come back, finally settling in her bones. God, how she had missed these two. "So, tell me, anything interesting happen while I was away?"

This earned a chuckle from the other two. "Are you kidding me? You wouldn't believe the rumors going around about you." Ron nudged her with his elbow. "Some are saying that you've skipped out of England to avoid Voldemort and that you've abandoned us all."

"That's not the best one, Harry added derisively, "The best one is that you've fallen madly in love with some Muggle bloke, and gone to America, completely up the duff."

"WHAT?!" Hermione couldn't even be offended. The idea was just that ridiculous. "Tell me more."

The three of them stayed in the library, cuddled on the couch, laughing and talking constantly hugging, and touching each other as if reaffirming that they were all really there, together. Eventually they migrated to the floor, conjuring pillows and blankets to sleep on because the thought of separating, even for a night to go sleep in their beds, wasn't nearly as appealing as just hanging out in the library. So it was in there that they fell asleep, their bodies awkwardly piled on top of each other and their hands still tightly clasped. It was the best night's sleep that any of them had had in a long time.

A/N: Yay friendship! Hoped you enjoyed the trio's reunion, as well as the first glimpse of Tonk/Lupin action (waggles eyebrows). I really do love those two lovebirds-so cute!~

And I hope you liked Hermione's new wand. I couldn't find anything on Pottermore I liked for her (aside from vine wood, but I still wanted to show how much she had changed while away) so I made up my own wood.

Next chapter: Hermione's miraculous return

~Review please!~