This chapter is pretty much a filler, but the plot I had outlined somehow vanished from my computer, so it will take me a bit to refocus on where I was going with this; also I have been pretty busy at work. I apologize that my uploading isn't like what it was, but know that I am trying my best!~

I love you all!

And Harry Potter isn't mine!

Edit March 27; I'd went back and read some of my chapters and I realized that at the beginning of the Fourth year ( Chapter 15), I had said Lily was six months along with another baby. I had TOTALLY forgotten about that. So, I'm editing this and taking Lily out of the equation. Lol I'm a diptard.

"Strange, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Remember swearing never to come back?"

"Would you two be quiet?" Sybil leaned slightly forward and looked between her husband and James, who had been whispering as they stood in a line in front of the student body of Hogwarts, in the Great Hall. Dumbledore had introduced them each, as the Auror's they were (well Sirius wasn't an auror, but a member of the Order, yet no one seemed to care anymore how often he was in the Auror Office at the Ministry). The Longbottoms stood at the far end, Nymphadora Tonks was back-as a fully fledged auror this time-, then the Blacks, then James. The six adults were the new 'grounds managers' of Hogwarts and it was their responsibility to make sure everyone was where they were supposed to be. Lily, of course, wasn't there as she was eight months pregnant.

The happenings of the Forbidden Forest were still between Hermione, Draco, Neville, Harry, and the teachers. Of course, everyone was aware that Hermione had fallen and broken her ankle, and there were rumors that circulated around that but nothing was close to the truth.

"Every student is to mind the new grounds managers as if they were professors," Headmaster Dumbledore continued. After the old man wrapped up his speech, the seven new additions onto the faculty were bid to join the professors at the table and the dinner began.

The students at the Gryffindor table smiled and waved to their parents before leaning in conspiratorily. "It must really be serious," Neville was saying, "for all of them to be here." Harry nodded in agreement.

"Surely it can't be...that bad, can it?" Ron asked, "only a few of the Death Eaters escaped capture three years ago. What's a few rouge Death Eaters to Hogwarts security?" Hermione and Harry exchanged an awkward glance. Ron, while not an entirely bad guy, had not been included in the truth because of his tendency to be a douchebag and scowl a lot. Ron couldn't put up with Draco no matter how much incentive he had, and by association Ron couldn't hardly stand to be civil around Hermione. Neville and Ron were still friends with him, because they practically grew up together, but even they were sick of him constantly badgering on about everything. They had all voted and decided that as things stood, he didn't need to know about what happened to Hermione in the forest; as far as he knew, Hermione came across something gnawing on a dead unicorn and the sight scared her into running away.

"They just might be treating this very carefully. For the parent's sakes." Hermione offered, after sending another glance at Harry, who ducked his eyes. Ron glanced between the three of them and scowled.

"There is something you aren't telling me." He said, stabbing his salsbury steak with frustration, "fine. You don't have to tell me, I'm probably just too stupid to understand anyway."

"Oh! None of us think you are stupid!" Harry bumped his shoulder into Ron's, with a small grin, "and honestly, our parents haven't told us why they are here, just that they would be here."

"Potter!" Seamus squeezed himself in between Neville and Hermione (after glancing between the two of them) and leaned in to talk to Harry, "I feel sorry for you, mate! The best part of Hogwarts is getting away from mum and dad for a whole year!" He laughed, and Harry offered him a truly weak laugh back in return-honestly, Harry was happy that his parents were here. Harry loved his family very much.

The meal seemed to pass by quickly, and when Harry was just about ready to head back to his dorm for the night, he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his father smiling down at him, his glasses glinting in the candlelight. "Dad!" Harry said happily, a smile on his face. Seeing the two like that, Hermione felt the loss of her own parents. As cool as it would be for her parents to visit Hogwarts, it was both impossible, and impractical. Christmas break wasn't that far off, anyway.

"How are you doing everyone? Hermione, nice to see you again," James smiled down at the girl, who blushed and mumbled a reply, along with Neville and Ron who chorused their own answers with cheeks full of food (Ron was so lucky that Molly wasn't an auror, elsewise he'd be having his ear twisted at his table manners). She didn't necessarily know of the plans of the aurors, but she had a suspicion that they were interested. Harry randomly complained that through the letters with his parents, they ask for updates on his friends; 'like how Hermione is doing, still top in Dueling, eh?' Hermione felt the attention weird, but she was also strangely proud of it. The most important people (well in her opinion) in the Ministry had a special interest in her.

"Doin' great dad. You aren't gonna be all weird about my school work, right? And you won't badger my professors for my scores, riiiight?" Harry asked, a particular...edge to his voice. James grinned a little.

"Something I shouldn't see, maybe?" James asked curiously. He chuckled and shook his head, "No, we are here on business, and you probably won't see much of me, or Uncle Padfoot for that matter." Draco let out a startled cough and started choking on something. He shot to his feet, hands at his throat, directly behind James. James turned, his years of training made obvious, and grabbed the boy about the midsection and administered the Heimlich without the slightest bit of hesitation. Draco spat up a large bite of steak and wheezingly turned to give thanks to James.

A hairpin could have hit the floor in the corridor outside and they would have been able to hear it through shut doors. No one spoke. All eyes were on a red-faced Draco and James. James wrapped an arm around his adoptive nephew (or whatever. The family dynamic was still weird, but a sort of comfortable weird.) Draco coughed a ragged cough and then smiled weakly up at James.

"Thanks," he mumbled. Often times, they refrained from calling them by name, or title, because no one wanted to be offended or make things awkward. Draco generally got the attention of the adults back at the Black manor by clearing his throat, or running in with an exclamation; and on the other side, the adults would call him Draco or nothing at all.

"No problem, my boy," James said, with a caring smile on his face, "just try to remember to chew. I know you are a growing boy and all, but you have teeth for a reason." He meant it teasingly, but as the rest of the student body was still staring and listening-some erupted into laughter...Draco flushed in embarrassment and fled the Great Hall. Harry glared at his father for a moment, before glancing to Hermione. Should you, or should I? The question passed wordlessly between them, and almost immediately after the sight exchange, Hermione was out of the Hall and after her friend. Best friend.

Boyfriend.

Whatever.

"Draco, wait!" Hermione called out in a huff. Draco had some distance on her, but she knew that if she really wanted to, she could catch him up. Draco let out an angst filled huff and slammed his back against the nearest wall with his arms folded.

"That was so embarrassing!" He said immediately, once Hermione was against the wall next to him. He had his scowl on. Hermione sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"He was only trying to diffuse the tension, Draco. I don't know if you remember or not, but you were choking. By they way...are you alright?" Hermione pivoted on her right foot so she was facing him squarely. Draco looked guilty for only a moment, but Hermione caught him.

"I-it's just weird, still. Sirius is like an uncle to Harry...he's really close to him and has this nickname." Draco had initially meant to hide the truth with a halftruth, but suddenly a fit of jealously did start to boil in his stomach. Harry basically had three fathers, between James, Sirius, and Remus. And Draco had had none. He had Sirius, sure, but Draco would never be Sirius' son, not really. Sirius had Cissa as his true daughter. Draco ducked his eyes and looked down at his shoes so Hermione didn't see this very true and raw emotion.

Hermione wasn't a moron, however. She touched his chin lightly, the contact made both of them breathe a bit erratically. "Hey, they love you very much, and are your family. Mr. Potter was looking out for you, because he cares about you. And no, you don't have a very close relationship with them, yet. Harry has had them all his life, yes, but they are your family now. It just takes a bit of time, is all." Hermione rubbed his upper arms with her hands. Draco nodded faintly and leaned forward, his forehead rested against hers. Draco felt a bit guilty for hiding the truth from Hermione, but the Padfoot thing really threw him for a loop. Did Sirius have a hand with making the Marauder's Map?

Also; he reeaaalllyyy didn't want to tell her about the map in the first place.

Hermione blushed from the close proximity of his face and closed her eyes. "It'll be okay," she whispered, her fingers shook slightly. Draco noticed, with his downcast eyes, and he laced both her hands in his own.

"Yeah. I just...yeah. I should apologize." He mumbled though he really wanted to go inspect the map. Hermione smiled faintly, but when she opened her eyes to look at him, she lost her breath at the smoldering gaze in his eyes.

Draco's lip twitched up into a smile and one of his hands lightly traced her jaw from her ear to her chin, "may I have a kiss?" He asked sweetly. Hermione's eyes widened and became nervous instantly. Of course she wanted to! Was it that simple though? Was it okay for her to just...kiss him? Could they do that? Here in the hallway?

Most importantly, would they get into trouble?

Draco saw this pass across her eyes, in the form of muted panic, and sighed. He kissed her on the forehead and pulled himself backwards. "When you are ready then. Let's go find Mr. Potter." Hermione felt guilty that she had panicked and couldn't kiss him, but was also relieved that he backed off. They walked comfortably close to each other back towards the Great Hall. James was just leaving, he looked at Draco with concern.

"I'm sorry...about before. Running out like that..." Draco rubbed the back of his head but James only chuckled faintly and waved his hand at the matter.

"I'd have been embarrassed too, I didn't mean to make anyone laugh. But you are alright? We don't have to take you up to Poppy, do we?" James asked him. Yeah, Draco's throat was a bit raw, but he'd be fine. He said the same to the Potters and they each gave him a quick hug (and Hermione too) and dismissed himselffor the night.

The aurors would patrol the grounds at night in shifts throughout the week. Frank and Alice had tonight.

"Anything you'd like to do?" Draco turned and asked Hermoine. She looked at her shoes in thought for a second and then glanced up at him.

Draco could tell she was dwelling on the kiss thing and he let out a short sigh and gave her a pointed look. Hermione returned the pointed look with a small shrug of her shoulders and a small shake of her head, as if saying 'well I still feel bad about it, and I can't let it go.' Draco tilted his head forward and folded his hands in front of his chest, conveying that the matter is over with and it's not that big a deal. I'm not mad or upset.

But I am, she mimed by closing her eyes and inhaling and then as she exhaled, she looked at him with the uncertainty that she had felt before. Draco took her hands and gave them a supportive squeeze which explained, well you shouldn't. I'm here for you.

"What do you think they are talking about?" Neville leaned sideways and asked Harry. Harry shrugged. The boys had left the Great Hall after their parents and had seen the entire silent exchange.

"Hey lovebirds!" Harry called, getting their attention, "quit reading each other's minds! We're going to the Library to look up known predators of the Unicorns and the Forbidden Forest bestiary. You both read faster than us, so let's go!" The tension coming from Hermione evaporated as this challenge was set before her, and she nodded. She gave Draco one last apologetic smile, to which he replied with an eyeroll and grin, and the four of them traipsed off to the Library.