A.N/: Thank you for the Comments!

To : crazy-A7X-fan-13, i heart imortals, Dark Neko 4000, skydancer2ooo, Sweetie7smiled

Heres the next chapter! Enjoy :)

Lea

"Hermione, are you alright?" Jean asked her daughter worriedly as she noted the exhausted look and the bags under her eyes.

"Yes mum, everything is fine." Hermione muttered as she shouldered her bag with crooks on the other hand.

Define fine. The trip was awful. Merlin help her, she couldn't get one once of sleep at all! Two women at the front wouldn't stop gossiping around, talking about the littlest of things. The man she sat with snores like a banshee, the boy at the back keeps on barfing, and on her right, a newly wedded couple it seems, wouldn't stop snogging for even a minute! And she shudders to think on what they were doing in the toilets. Well truth to be told she could have cast the Silencio or the Mufliato charm, but she couldn't risk it in such place. Heaven knows, it would've been the first two spell she'd cast if she wasn't so worried.

And to make matters worse at the middle of the flight, Crookshanks somehow manages to get himself out of his cage and came up to find her. The flight attendants tried to be rid of him at first, but in the end they let him stay instead. Since he behaved so well, and the only one who's disturbing the flight is the attendants themselves. But one thing for sure, this'll be the last time she'll get on a plane. She'll stick to the old fashioned Portkey after all this madness, thank you very much.

"You're lucky we got off the hook this time. Don't think you'll get lucky next time, if there is a next time." Hermione mutter under her breath as she let Crookshanks down.

The said ginger cat just stretched his limbs, meowed, and looked innocently up at her as if he's done no wrong at all. He then walks away, followed closely by Hermione behind him.

"I'll go get us a cab," Eugene said, relieving himself all the while of the big rucksack on his shoulders as Hermione and Jean sat down on the bench. "And it seems to me like we're not the only ones on vacation." He noted as he looked around the crowded place.

Yes the place is indeed crowded, Hermione noted as she looked around her surroundings.

"Honey, it's always crowded in here." Jean stated.

"I know. I was just trying to cheer up the mood of our little 'mione, dear." He said as he ruffled Hermione's hair affectionately.

"Dad!" she cried, swatting his hand away. It missed slightly and Eugene just chuckled as he runs off. Jean just shook her head at her husband's childish antics while Hermione tries to fix her ruffled hair.

They waited for almost half an hour before a bright yellow cab stopped before them. Eugene then returned and took their bags, placing them at the back as Jean; followed by Hermione, enters the cab. The driver was about to close the door when she remembered a certain feline she left behind.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione called. She almost forgot about him. The ginger cat that was sleeping on the floor moments ago, jumped in. Landing on her lap and presumed his nap as the driver closed the doors. Seems he didn't take it to mind that she almost forgot about him.

"So, first time at the states sir?" The driver asked as he re-enters the cab, closing the door behind him. "The names Bob Dylan" he said as he extended his hand.

"Eugene Granger. And yes, I'm here with my wife and daughter." Eugene said as they shook hands.

"Ah I see. Well, welcome to Seattle. And I hope you enjoy your stay here." He said smiling. "So where too?" Bob asked.

"Hyatt, please." Eugene said.

"Sure thing!" Bob grinned. And with that they drove off.

There was no traffic jam along the way to their delight. The drive was also pleasant. The taxi driver, Bob, was a very kind and polite man. He offered to take them down to a good rental place before they went to the hotel to get themselves a car. The Grangers thanked Bob as he dropped them off and gave him a generous tip for his short service. Eugene then settled on a Peugeot 206 they had found at the very back, after a long row of searching for the 'right car' as Eugene said. And with that they drove off to the hotel for the well deserved rest.

"Hey mum?" Hermione asked the next morning as she enters her parent's room through the connecting door.

"Yes dear?" Jean Grangers muffled voice said from the bathroom.

"Can I go around the city with Crooks? Maybe stop by a book store or something?" Hermione asked.

"Sure honey, just make sure to let you father know first." She said.

Hermione looked at where her father is. And it was quite a sight to see. The tired man was sprawled all over the bed on his stomach, the bed cover was on the floor since he probably have kicked it off either last night or somewhere near dawn, and his limbs were dangling off the edges of the bed as loud snores resonated from his form.

"It's no use mum. He's knocked out." Hermione said as she picked the fallen bed cover from the floor and draped it over her father's sleeping figure.

There was a shuffle in the bathroom, and soon after the door opens up slightly to let Jean's head slip through in between.

"Why don't you just go ahead then?" She said. "I'll just let your father know when he wakes up. That man can sleeps like a log. Do you need to take the car?" she asked.

"No need. I could always Apparate to a nearby alley near the hotel or something." Hermione said as she picked up her wand and placed it on her wand holder.

"Ok then, be careful!" Jean called as she re-enters the bathroom to finish off her bath.

"I will!" Hermione called back.

She shouldered her beaded bag from the table and picked up Crookshanks who was playing with the curtains and heads out.

Hermione wondered around the city for quite some time, stopping by a few times here and there at antique shops and what not. As she turned to a corner of an alley in hopes to return, an old small book shop at the corner caught her eye instead. Flemings Books and Co. Curious, she decided to look around. There is still a few minutes left before supper anyway. No harm done looking at an old book store right? As she enters, she couldn't help herself to stop and stare in awe. The shop has the familiar relaxing smell of old books and parchments she loved so much, and a slight hint of mint somewhere that filled her nostrils. No one seems to be there, and there was no one behind the counter, so she just continues to aimlessly look around the small shop. The shop was magnificent. Though small, the walls and shelves were brimmed to the fullest with books in various sizes and languages. It somehow reminds her of a small version of the Hogwarts library. She pulled a random book off one of the rack nearest to her with her other hand, as she was carrying a sleeping Crookshanks on the other. Though as she looked at the title of the book, her eyes literally bulged out and her mouth was probably opening and closing like a gaping fish.

"This is amazing!" Hermione gasped in astonishment.

The book she's currently holding was a singed first edition of 'Le Marchand De Venise [Merchant of Venice]' by William Shakespeare. There was only a few left, and it surprised her beyond belief on how on earth this book store could obtain such treasure. She shook her head and placed the book where it belong and continued her journey through towers of books while stroking her cat's fur. As she started on the next row, a thick leather book at the back caught her eye. When she walked closer, she realized it got neither a title nor an author.

"That's strange." She muttered under her breath. As she stepped closer, she felt a slight tingling sensation up her spine as the hairs at the back of her neck stood up. She was about to pull the ancient book out of the shelf when someone suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders, startling her as she yelped in shock.

"Merlin!" she cried out in shock. Accidently dropping poor Crookshanks when he was sleeping snugly in her arms. Crookshanks, landing on his feet the last minute hissed and saunters off in irritation.

"Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." Someone said. A man she noted.

"No no! No it's fine, I shouldn't have zoned out anyway." Hermione said shaking her head.

As she looked up, and she was met with bright brown eyes staring back at her own.

"I noticed someone was in here when I returned from the store room downstairs. I saw you looking at the books and I was just wondering if you needed any help. I really didn't mean to give you a heart attack." He said sheepishly as he ruffles the back of his dark blonde hair.

"Really, it's fine. Don't worry." Hermione said hastily. "Um, are you the owner of this book store?" she asked.

"No" he said as he shook his head. "Not me. I'm just a part-timer. The owner, Nick, is out with his wife for a lil bit I think. You want to talk to him? I can always call him?" he offered.

"No, there's no need too. I was just curious." Hermione said.

As the two fell into an awkward silence, she took her time to get to really see him. He was quite tall, around 6'3 she guessed, towering against her 5'4 form. He was also a bit pale, but not that noticeable compared to hers. His eyes, she noted earlier, was indeed a few shade lighter than her own. And his dark blonde hair looked windswept and a bit messy, reminding her a tiny bit of a certain dark haired wizard with a lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"Um, I'm Riley Biers by the way." He introduced himself, breaking awkwardness slightly as he extended his hand to her.

"Hermione Granger. A pleasure to meet you." Hermione said, a bit hesitantly as they shook hands.