A/N: Hello, this is my first ever story so please be kind! Criticisms will be welcomed and suggestion what you want to happen in future chapters will be greatly appreciated!
The title is taken from my favourite Bob Dylan song so have a listen to that too, happy reading!
Hermione was sipping her latte in the lazy afternoon sun of Paris. She wondered where the last three years of her life had disappeared too as her work was finally done. After her break up from Ron, just a few months after the war had ended, she wanted to avoid the public eye so had been travelling around the world working for the ministry. Integrating muggle technology into the wizarding world would never have been an easy task - they were still using quills in the 21st century - but her mission was complete. This time tomorrow she would be at the Potter residence, staying there while she searched for a house.
Shifting from her seat as she realised her portkey would be leaving in an hour, Hermione soaked in a few last glances of Paris as she headed back to her apartment. She was excited to return to England but a bubble of anxiety filled her stomach. The last time she was in England, several months ago, was for Harry and Ginny's wedding, it was a wonderful occasion. However, the memory was tainted in her mind as she had woken up next to Ron the next morning, mortified and embarrassed. A string of brief holiday romances had ensured she was over Ron, but would she be completely emotionally detached from the man she lost her 'virtues' too? She did not know.
She arrived back at her ministry owned apartment, realising this would be the end of the life she had been living for the past three years. Sighing, she sat down on the sofa, she had changed in the past 3 years, she was less uptight and more relaxed. As with most of her friends, they had grown up so fast during the war that they just wanted to feel like normal teenagers. With another sigh, she gathered her things and went the her portkey, a silver comb, that was lying on the coffee table. Within the blink of an eye, she landed with a thud in Godric's Hollow, outside the Potter residence. Floating her baggage behind her, she knocked on the front door.
"She's here!" Ginny's muffled shout came from behind the door, which had suddenly swung open in front of her. Hermione was almost knocked over from the force of Ginny's hug, "I have missed you so much Hermione, I'm so glad you are back for good now."
"I missed you too, Gin" Hermione replied, taking note of her friend's now protruding stomach, "We can finally go baby shopping now!" Hermione squeaked in excitement, as her and Ginny parted from their hug. Ginny ushered her into the house and used her wand to send Hermione's bags into the guest bedroom. Upon walking into the living room, Hermione was embraced in a brotherly hug from Harry before he spoke.
"We're glad to have you back, Hermione." He smiled at her, she noticed her looked tired, but what could be expected from an Auror, with a pregnant wife, and a toddler running about.
"I'm glad to be back." She grinned, sitting down on the armchair, "Where is Teddy? I thought he might be here to see me home." She continued, scanning for any clues to where the toddler may be. Whenever she had returned to England during the past three years, she had always spent time with Teddy. After his parents had died during the war, Andromeda had cared for him until Harry and Ginny had taken him in when they had acquired steady jobs and a large house. Hermione felt as if Teddy was her nephew and treated him as such with numerous presents from the places she had been.
"He is at Andromeda's today, though he should be back soon" Ginny announced walking back into the room with three cups of tea, placing them on the coffee table. She sat down next to Harry and pecked him on the lips before finding a comfortable position nuzzled up against her husband. Hermione had to admit that she had never seen two people so in love as Harry and Ginny, not even her own parents. The way they looked at each other said more that a thousand words could, the had a strong level of trust within each other that was not often found in modern day couples.
Hermione rose from her seat to leave them at peace together, "I'm going to unpack and have a shower" she spoke before grabbing her mug of tea and retreating upstairs after seeing Harry's smile of response.
Once in safety of her current bedroom, she quickly undressed and hopped in the shower. She let out a small moan as the water caressed her body and melted all her troubles away, her nerves of seeing Ron, finding a place to live and starting this new section of her life had completely disappeared once she exited the shower cubicle. Stepping out of her en suite and wrapping herself in a towel, she took her first proper look at the room she would be inhabiting. It was perfect size for a guest bedroom, with a double bed pressed up against the feature wall, a cool shade of blue which contrasted against the three remaining white walls. Other than the bed, there was a large wardrobe, a chest of drawers, and a beautiful dressing table. Above the dressing table was the only window in her room, this room was located at the front of the house which she enjoyed as she could see the comings and goings of the street.
Searching through her luggage she found some suitable lounge clothes and changed into them. Looking into the mirror of her dresser she dried her hair with her wand and then cast another spell which tamed her wild frizzy curls into sleek presentable ones. Shocked when out of the silence, she thought heard a car pull up outside the house, she peered out the window and confirmed her suspicions. Outside the house, there was a large black car with tinted windows. Curious, she set off downstairs.
"Aunt Hermione, you're home!" Teddy's four year old voice screeched as she was no further than half way down the stairs. The young boy attached himself to Hermione so quickly, that she had failed to see the white haired man that had walked in behind him. "I missed you so much, Aunty 'Mione! I was sad because you missed my birthday party," Teddy leaned in closer, "You are my favourite Aunt." He whispered in her ear. As she put the boy down, she had to do a double take as she saw Draco Malfoy stood in the hallway, looking at her with an expression she had never before seen on his face. A heavy silence hung in the air.
"You remember Draco, right Hermione?" Harry broke the silence as he appeared at the living room door. Hermione had only seen Draco a couple of times since the war had finished. She had seen glances of him in Diagon Alley, then most recently at Harry and Ginny's wedding. Despite this, she had never been this close to him without multiple wizards surrounding them or even held a proper conversation with him.
"Of course I remember him Harry" she said and she turned to Draco now, "Nice to see you again." She finished with a shy smile. He looked different now, the years had treated him kindly. She thought that he looked taller and broader, and his face was kinder now, not covered with his trademark smirk or snarl, but filled with a genuine smile. His white hair was longer than at school and messy as it slightly fell over his eyes, which were still a stormy grey. Although some things hadn't changed as he was, as always, dressed in dark clothing that barely differentiated from black and tones of grey, she wondered if his personality had changed too.
"It was a pleasure so see you again too, I better be going now" he spoke softly before turning to Harry, "Are we still on for tomorrow?" She was now snapped back to reality, she had been checking out Draco Malfoy.
"Yes, I'll meet you at five." Harry replied.
"I'll see you then" Draco ruffled Teddy's hair and smiled before leaving, closing the door behind him. Hermione was still in thoughtful state for a few moments after he had left. She had known without the spying of him and his mother, along with that of Snape, they would probably have never won to war; he had risked his and his family's lives to fight for good after years of being brought up on the wrong side. While she had been away, most of her friends had seem to have developed a close relationship with him as most of his 'friends' from Hogwarts, aside from Blaise who had also fought for the order, saw him as a traitor.
She was snapped from her thoughts by Ginny, with a large sly gin spread across her face, she was holding Teddy now and almost sitting him on her bump, "He is single, you know" she winked. "On second thoughts, he hasn't mentioned anyone since I set him up with Alice over two years ago, and she told me that dessert was amazing" Ginny winked again, speaking in this code was her way to make sure Teddy didn't know what they were talking about.
"I'm not interested in him Ginny, he bullied me in school if you remember correctly" Hermione blushed, "Even if I was interested, he wouldn't be seen dead with me, I'm sure." Hermione was still trying to hide her embarrassment.
"But your eyes tell a totally different story." Ginny grinned as she walk toward the kitchen now, her husband followed her, he had been leaning against the door frame listening to their conversation while smiling as widely as his wife. "Dinner will be ready soon!" Ginny shouted as Hermione finished making her way down the stairs and sat the dinner table.
Her evening was spent with the family, conversing about her visit to Paris before giving Teddy his belated birthday gift. After dinner they had all settled in the sitting room and were watching muggle movie How To Train Your Dragon, much to Teddy's enjoyment. Once the film had finished, Hermione set Teddy to bed and went to bed herself, today's evens had tired her out. She fell asleep thinking of the weeks to come.