9th July 1998

"I can't believe we're done," Dean murmured, slinging an arm around Hermione's shoulders. Standing on the grounds, looking up at the castle that was finally whole again, it was hard not to become emotional. On her other side, Harry stood with Ron, Severus on his shoulders, crowds of volunteers joining them as Minerva stood on the front steps, the usually stoic witch looking as emotional as the rest of them.

"I wanted to thank you all," her voice rang out, as their murmuring stopped and silence descended. "This would never have been possible without you. And while I know that we will never forget the horrors we've witnessed here, I hope that in time, those memories will be overwritten with fonder ones. Ones of friendship, and bravery and new generations that will have peace because of the battles you fought. And so with that, I ask you to raise your wands to those not with us today and take a moment of reflection. May we repay their sacrifice by living."

There were few dry eyes as their lit wands rose in the air, each of them remembering those they'd lost, those who were forever changed physically, every one of them knowing they'd never truly be people they'd been before.

Minerva cleared her throat, her own eyes glassy "Dinner awaits you in the Great Hall. I hope you'll join me."

None of them moved for a moment until Neville reached for Ron, "Come on mate, I've never known you to turn down food."

There was a smattering of laughter as the mood broke slightly and they headed for the Great Hall, each of them hoping that the ghosts wouldn't overwhelm them as they did.

Sat at the Gryffindor table, with Severus beside her, she wondered if this would be the last time.

"You still sad, Mummy?" he whispered, eyes going wide when the food appeared as if by magic. "Where did it come from!"

Dean laughed, nudging him, "It's magic." he whispered.

Severus scrunched up his nose, "You can't just magic food." he paused, "Uncle Ron tried."

There were several snorts of laughter as Ron flushed red. "Thanks for that kid," he muttered.

"Hogwarts has elves," Hermione interjected, setting a plate in front of him "They use elf magic to send it up here."

"Like Winky?"

"Like Winky," she agreed.

"What's the plan now?" Neville asked, seeing Severus accept that and return to his lunch.

"NEWts I imagine." Hermione shrugged.

You're coming back?"

"No." she snorted, inclining her head towards Severus, "That would be impossible. I'm going to take them at the Ministry. Kings is thinking of having exams at Christmas for those who are ready."

Neville paused, looking thoughtful. "Just you?"

"No, Harry, Ron, Draco. I think Fred and George are considering it to be honest, which is a surprise."

"Mind a few more?" Dean asked, looking around Neville.

"Nope, the more the merrier. Merlin knows we all have different strengths."

"Fancy balancing the scales?" Blaise asked, fluttering his eyelashes at her, "Salazar knows Draco'll never survive you lot with no support."

"That your way of asking to join, Zabini?" Harry asked with an amused smirk.

"And Daphne. She doesn't want to come back either."

"Why not. I was going to owl Lavender and Susan to see if they wanted to join."

"Hannah Abbott might too," Neville mused, "And Ernie. They might be able to get in touch with Justin too. I don't see him wanting to come back."

Hermione nodded, trying to hide the shake in her hands. "My?" Dean asked, spotting it.

"Justin is still in St Mungos," she whispered.

"You've seen him?"

"Yes. He was one of the ones in Azkaban. I don't think…I doubt he'll be attempting NEWTs anytime soon."

"Fuck." Neville hissed with a look of horror. For the first time, Hermione didn't chastise him for his language.

17th July 1998

"Is it today you're meeting the Minister, Kitten?"

"We're meeting the Minister," she corrected, "You need to be there to sign off on my schedule."

"Damn," he muttered, "Right, lucky me. Are we going to him?"

"Yes Pads," Hermione sighed, "He's the bloody Minister of Magic."

"Fine." he groused, "Just don't expect me to wear robes."

With a snort, Hermione shook her head. "As if I would dare,'' she muttered.

"You got time for a chat, Kitten?"

Hermione's eyebrows rose, "Yes."

Fidgeting awkwardly, Sirius settled on the sofa, Remus next to him, "I know we tease, but ah…how serious are things with the Zabini boy?"

"I…we're getting to know each other," Hermione replied hesitantly, "Why?"

"There are expectations, Hermione," Remus interjected gently, "We're not…we have no inclination to interfere in your choice, whoever it may be but there are…protocols."

"Which the boy will know if his mother is Camilla Selwyn," Sirius added. "We just...it occurred to Remus that you don't know them."

"Ah, I see. How much am I going to dislike them?"

Sirius grimaced, "Right well…I feel like I should preface this with, while I will absolutely be working in your best interests, and I will probably have a bit of fun with whoever you end up with, I don't actually intend to make the contract as traditional as we usually would. However, you are my Heir and therefore you and Severus need some protection."

"Contract?" Hermione asked flatly.

"Betrothal contracts that sort of…ah…" Sirius looked at Remus for guidance.

Sighing, the other man picked up the narrative, "They discuss expectations, provisions, for example, would your husband adopt Severus? Who has primacy? If it's Zabini, that's you so he remains your Heir regardless. What are the expectations for where you live, sometimes cultural aspects come into that, so for example, traditionally within the Blacks you'd be given a house but with the Malfoys the wife was expected to move into the Manor. Do you understand?"

Hermione blew out a breath, "I think so. I don't think I understand why it's necessary…."

"Because once it's written and signed it's agreed," Sirius interrupted, "There's no room for misunderstandings, we live a long time Kitten."

"Right," Hermione muttered, "So betrothal contracts."

"Yes. And jewellery."

"Pardon?"

"Jewellery. It shows you've accepted a suit…or" he grinned suddenly, "it shows he's accepted yours. It might not be entirely traditional but if you happen to want to send a message do let me know."

Hermione snorted. "How upset would the world be?"

Sirius cackled. "The more traditional amongst us would be incandescent. Which, quite frankly, is all the more reason to do it as far as I'm concerned. Do you think the boy is more of a diamond or opal lover?

"You're enjoying this far too much," Hermione laughed, "But if I had to guess anything I'd say emerald."

"So tragically predictable," Sirius sighed exaggeratedly, "Are you sure about this one kitten?"

"No!" Hermione exclaimed, "Hence the getting to know."

"Which is fine, truly. As long as you remain reasonably discreet. I know it's not what you're used to but our world is old fashioned and you have Severus to think about. Of course, if you were to use our seat on the Wizengamot to change things…well, I imagine there'd be a few people who would back you."

"Wonderful," she muttered dryly. "I'm sure they'll take that really well coming from me."

Sirius shrugged, "They'll learn."

"Anything else?" she sighed.

"Ah…not off the top of my head. Be discreet, once you've made a decision let me know, we'll vet them as our right as your fathers and don't pull that face, Kitten, like you won't interrogate anyone Severus brings home!" Hermione glowered but conceded the point. Sirius smiled smugly. "Exactly! Once vetted, we'll sort jewellery, and everything else will be hashed out in the contract. We'll discuss wedding bonds at that point I think."

"There's more than one?"

"We'll get you a book," Remus offered.

"Please."

"Wonderful, so now we've covered that…meeting with Kings, when is it?"

Hermione glanced at the clock, "Two hours."

Sirius hummed, "I think I'll go and see what I have that'll scandalise the Ministry most."

"Of course you will," Hermione muttered as he grinned, sauntering from the room. "Will he ever grow up, do you think?"

Remus laughed, "No." he replied succinctly.

"Hermione love!" Kingsley looked up from his desk, a giant tottering pile of paperwork in front of him. "How are you?"

"Good," she offered him a sympathetic smile as he attempted to move the parchment without it toppling, "Sirius and Draco will be here shortly."

"They didn't come with you?"

"Ah, I had a very important question to ask you first." Hermione laughed.

"Oh?" his eyebrow rose, intrigued.

"Oh it didn't come from me, it came from Severus who is devastated his Uncle Charlie has gone back to Romania."

Kingsley gave a huff of laughter, immediately seeing where this was going. "Go on," he waved his hand theatrically.

"Severus would like to request that Mr Very Important Minister arrange for a dragon sanctuary in the Uk so that his Uncle Charlie comes back home."

With a genuine snort of laughter, Kingsley replied, "Tell young Master Granger-Snape, that Mr Very Important Minister will see what he can do but that Messers I-am-overly-sure-of-my- own-importance-because-I-sit-on-the-Wizengamot are not fond of giving me money"

Hermione laughed, "They're still being difficult?"

"Always Hermione, always," he sighed, running a hand over his face. "However a dragon reserve might actually appeal to them. Every kid in this world wanted a pet dragon at some point."

With an eye roll, Hermione hummed, "Fred and George are trying to help with that."

"Oh?"

"They're trying to recreate Harry's Triwizard dragon but longer lasting and with better safety controls."

"Interesting. Do let me know if they succeed."

"You also wanted a dragon didn't you?" she teased.

"Every kid, Hermione! Every kid!"

Hermione laughed at him, settling into small talk until Sirius and Draco appeared.

"All of this seems to be in order, " Kingsley mused, going over the contract Hermione had written with Remus' help. "I've discussed setting up a new department for children and families. I'm almost positive that Wiznegamot is going to sign off on that. I've also got a list of children who need a home." he rummaged in a drawer, producing a few sheets of parchment. "There's the name of the person to contact to arrange a moving date on there. I've also spoken to the Prime Minister, he agrees with your assessment that some muggle families may be better off not keeping their magical child and has agreed to full cooperation. We'll monitor from the first accidental magic. I'm working on getting the Wizengamot to sign off on monitoring children in this world. Some of them are in complete agreement, but some are wary and feel like we're involving ourselves in something we've no business being involved in. It'll take a bit more work, to be honest."

"Right," Hermione blew out a breath, "That's…well you've been busy. What about the muggleborns?"

Kingsley grimaced, "It's a work in progress," he admitted. "Some are ready to be reintegrated. We've set up housing for them and we're working on jobs, but you know yourself that some are still traumatised. I gather the muggle world has…options we don't?"

Hermione frowned, not quite understanding, "Like?" She prompted.

"I ah…I wasn't entirely sure. One of them mentioned PTSD?"

"Oh!" Hermione's face cleared, "Yes. You're talking about counsellors and psychiatrists?"

"If you say so," he agreed.

"Healers for the mind," Hermione explained.

"Oh! Yes." Kingsley nodded. "We don't have those.

"No we don't," Hermione murmured, "What about siblings of half-bloods or muggleborns or squibs? We need people that don't break the statute.

"I didn't think of that," Kingsley admitted, "That might work. I'll put out some feelers. Do you think it would help?"

"Gods yes." Hermione replied emphatically, "We couldn't…bind some muggles into vows and such? They have confidentiality agreements in the muggle world and patient confidentiality is a big thing... If we added a small tongue-tying jinx so they couldn't talk about it but clued them in ..."

Kingsley nodded slowly. "We could." He agreed. "And then we need to look at a magical equivalent. By the sounds of it, we could do with…mind healers."

"Indeed we could. Maybe the Prime Minister could put you in touch with someone to explain the process? And we could…forge some qualifications for people to go to muggle universities to learn. We'd need to adapt it for here obviously…Merlin the possibilities...it'd be a whole new, undiscovered branch of healing…."

"And she's off," Draco grinned, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Be quiet," she muttered, flushing.

"Maybe we need to involve the displaced muggleborns," Sirius offered. "They'd blend in, understand references we don't, and if it got the branch started….it could then be opened up to others who were interested."

"We could," Kingsley agreed thoughtfully "Leave it with me."

"Great, so are we done here?"

"We are," Kingsely agreed, "Just sign here. Hermione sign here, Draco below her and I can officially stop checking in and leave you to your monthly Auror meeting."

He paused, showing them out once they were done, "I'll be in touch about that Reserve," he warned, "as long as you promise to inform me the moment the twins manage to recreate those dragons."

Hemione shook her head, "Of course Kings," she agreed exasperatedly, "Merlin forbid I keep you from dragons."

20th July 1998

"Whatever it is, no." Draco spoke flatly, his eyes on Hermione.

"I didn't say anything!" she protested.

"I know that look Granger! You're about to ask me to do something I don't want to do."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Suit yourself then," she shrugged, turning away from him, "Severus, go and get your shoes, we're leaving in ten minutes."
"Where are you going?" Draco asked.

"Does it matter? You didn't want to know."
"Granger," he whined.

"Malfoy."
"Ugh, fine, what was it you wanted?

Hermione sent a smug smile his way, "Severus and I are going to the zoo."
"The what?" he frowned.
"Zoo. A place you can go and see animals. I gather there isn't a magical equivalent."
"Ah…no." he agreed hesitantly. "What sort of animals?"
"All sorts," she shrugged, "I'm taking him to Edinburgh despite there being several nearer."
"Why?"
"Oh because Mum and Dad used to take me whenever we went to Scotland on holiday, we'd go right up north and then on the way back down we'd spend a day at the zoo. Dad loved it for some reason. I haven't been in years."

"Right," he muttered, looking unsure.

"So are you coming?"
He sighed heavily, "Fine."
"Thought so. Go get shoes Malfoy, we leave in ten minutes."

Walking Malfoy around Edinburgh zoo had to be one of the most amusing experiences of her life. He was as mesmerised as Severus, some of his questions falling from his mouth, words completely in the wrong order as his excitement overtook his sense.

"Thank you for that," he grinned when they finally returned home, Hermione having spent at least an hour convincing both Severus and Draco to leave the penguins. "It was…like nothing I've ever visited.."
"I can imagine. We really should have a magical equivalent, you know. We have no excuse when we have expansion charms."

He nodded, "Can we…maybe do something else next time?"

She tried not to look as surprised as she felt. "Of course," she murmured. "Just tell me when."

He nodded thoughtfully, "Maybe we should aim for every other week?"

She sent him a beaming smile, "We should. I'll take you to the cinema next. It's going to utterly blow your mind."