READ! IMPORTANT! Well, first of all you should know when the action of this story starts to unfold. Chapter 1 is set in 2005, April to be more precise. Hermione is 25, going on 26 (born September 1979) and Cedric is 27, going on 28 (born September 1977). Melanie (you'll find out who she is if you keep reading) is 5 years old (born December 1999). Well, now that that's out of the way, here comes the story!

Chapter #1

~You always find your way back home~

Walking on the streets of Diagon Alley she just couldn't believe how much time had changed this place. It suddenly seemed so big... Much bigger than the first time she saw it, when she had been an impressionable 11-year-old girl. Much bigger than 7 years ago, when she had come here right after the war and submitted her application at St Mungo's. That plan, along with any other she had made after the war, had gone to hell... But no matter how much she tried she just couldn't bring herself to fully regret that night, nor her decision to flee the country. Not when it lead her to the most beautiful years of her life...

She winced remembering how abruptly they had been dulled - if not completely ended. She tried to distract herself by reading the colourful advertisements that invited parents and children to the new and improved Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Sighing and reminding herself she still had a full hour ahead of her she willed her feet to guide her to the parlour. The fact that she longed for the false impression of happiness chocolate provided must have been an aditional propulsion because she found herself in front of the parlour in less than 5 minutes.

Climbing the few stairs that lead to the actual terrace, she hear a heart-wrenching sob. After giving the tables a once-over Hermione discovered the source of the noise: a sweet girl that was trying to convince a waiter (that was new for Florean's!) that her "daddy" would pay for the ice cream. Smiling to herself as she saw the distressed look of the man, Hermione made her way towards him and the girl.

"Don't worry, I'll pay. Just give her whatever she wants." she found herself saying. The waiter didn't have to be told twice because he litteraly ran off as fast as he could, obviously pleased by the fact he could get away from the crying girl. As if on cue, the little witch stopped crying and the perfect little grin that appeared on her face made Hermione consider whether she had been taking any acting lessons.

"Thank you for that. That waiter was being so obnoxious and just wouldn't let me have my ice cream so I had to take out the heavy arsenal. But you don't have to pay for it, daddy will be here shortly and he'll do it. By the way, my name is Melanie. What's yours?"

All of this had been said so quickly Hermione couldn't help but smile when answering:

"My name is Hermione. Nice to meet you Melanie. Care to join me at my table?"

"Oh. I'd love that. Come on! I want that table!" she said pointing at a table with 3 chairs and grabbing Hermione's hand.

Once they were seated Hermione took the oportunity to really look at the girl: she wasn't very tall, looked about 5, maybe 6, she had wavy, honey-blond hair that fell to her waist and that was currently adorned with a lovely, midnight blue headband and she was dressed very fashionably, with a matching Oxford shirt to her periwinkle blue skirt, plus matching Mary Janes. The thing that really got her mesmerized weren't her clothes, not even her perfect hair. No, it was her eyes. Melanie had the most stunning, captivating and lovely steel-grey eyes she had seen since..

"Daddy! Over here!" Hermione turned around to look at the man Melanie was calling for and who she saw made her jaw drop. Litteraly. Melanie's father was none other than Cedric Diggory!

This chapter was supposed to be about 10 times longer than this and not end right there but I though I should take it slow at the beggining, don't bore readers with long chapters. PLEASE review and let me know whether I should keep the chapters as short as this one or if it is OK for me to post longer chapters. I also have the next one ready so if you want me to publish it you should submit at least 3 reviews.