Trailer credit goes to Marvel_Immortality ! It wouldn't let me tag no matter how many times I tried. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

We were finally going back to school. Finally, we were going back to Hogwarts. It had been a year since the end of the war and the Battle of Hogwarts and we were all still so broken. So many losses. Fred, Mad-eye, Lupin, Tonks, and so many more were lost forever. They're still in our hearts but we will always miss them. I will always miss them.

This year, Hogwarts was going to be very different compared to the usual year. Most everyone was repeating a grade. There were still incoming first years though, so the first year was going to be double the normal size. There was also a test that students could take over the summer to skip to the next grade.

Ginny had taken that test because she wanted to graduate with Harry; they had gotten back together after the war. After studying with me for a whole month, Ginny passed her test with high distinction and Mrs Weasley was very proud of her youngest child and only daughter. They had gotten back together around the time that Ron and I had gotten together. It was still hard for me to believe it. It seemed like just yesterday he was making fun of me in first year for being too smart. Or maybe I was just remembering the day before...

I was spending the last week of summer vacation with Harry, Ron, and Ginny at the burrow. It had gone by so quickly. Harry and Ginny spent a lot of time alone together and Ron and I did as well to Mrs Weasley's utmost displeasure. Her belief was that only married couples were supposed to share a room so Ginny and I were in her room and Ron and Harry were in Ron's room at the top of the house. Mrs Weasley had cast a spell to block apparition in the burrow, similar to the spell they used at Hogwarts, so that we couldn't sneak into each other's rooms. We compromised by leaving the burrow and waking a short distance to a nearby pond where we were out of Mrs Weasley's hawkish eyes. This worked out pretty well until Ron accidentally let something slip a couple of days ago. I love Ron, but sometimes he can be so stupid. Now we were under house arrest and not allowed to leave without an adult watching our every move. Mrs Weasley often checked in on us to make sure that we were following the rules and not in each other's bedrooms.

"Hermione," it was Mrs Weasley, "Are you coming dear? We are going to Diagon Alley to pick up supplies for school."

"Yes, Mrs Weasley. I'm coming," I replied quickly so that she would not assume incorrectly that I was up to something. It was best to keep her off your case, especially after the war.

I grabbed my small bag and walked out of Ginny's room. I paused at the stairs slightly worried. I hadn't been there since before the war and I was slightly worried about what I might find. Where did the first years go for wands? Was Ollivander back or was someone else giving wands now? How was George doing by himself in Weasleys Wizard Wheezes? I hadn't seen him since the war when— Fred —well, I couldn't think about that now. Ron's voice flew at me up the stairs.

"Are you coming Hermione, dear?"

"Yes Ronald, I'm coming." We had been dating since the war and it was a little odd for me still. Ron still had a hard time being nice at times but he was still a wonderful person.

I raced down the stairs as fast as I could and flew into my boyfriend's arms.

"Why always the look of surprise, Ron?" I laughed as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Erm. Sorry. I just still can't get over the fact that we are together."

"Oh, come on, lovebirds or we are going to be here all day," came a new voice. "Look who's talking Ginny," I laughed. Ever since her and Harry had started going out in the 6th year, they couldn't keep their hands off each other. It was quite annoying actually, come to think of it.

Mrs Weasley led us all over to the fireplace and held out a pot. I reached my hand in for the flue powder and said loudly and clearly "Diagon Alley." and stepped into the fireplace.

The entire world turned upside down and inside out as I rode the flue network. I could see different colors, purple, green, brown, blue, and red, flashing in and out of eyesight. I could also see into what looked like other worlds at the bottoms of other people's fireplaces. Sometimes you could see what looked like a couch or chair. At one point, I thought I saw a young boy staring up at me but by the time I realized what I was seeing, he was long gone.

At a particularly hard jerk, I had to work hard to keep my lunch of cucumber and tomato sandwiches down. Soon it was over, not that I'm complaining and I was spilled out onto the musty floor in one of the shops. I worked my way out of the dark and gloomy shop, or at least what I thought to be a shop and into the bright street to wait for Ron, Ginny, Harry, and Mr and Mrs Weasley.

Mrs Weasley preformed a quick headcount as always and once she had declared us all present, we started heading up the street. It wasn't as bright as it had once been, with people walking all along and small children running in and out of shops looking at all the amazing shops but it wasn't as gloomy as the war years when no one dared look at each other and there were posters for death eaters everywhere, half the shops were closed or full of dark objects and sometimes there were small fires. No, today there was a nice amount of people waking up and down with their arms full of school books and keeping their children close. Most of the stores were full but there were still some ominous signs of the war; Fortescue's ice cream parlor still remained empty and crumbling.

"Why don't we all head to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes first?" Mr Weasley's suggestion was answered by an uproar of approval. That was the joke shop that Fred and George owned. Harry had funded it originally with his Tri Wizard Tournament winnings.

Ron grabbed my hand and squeezed. It made me cringe because it was strange to me. I looked over and saw Harry pull Ginny to a halt, swoop down, kiss her, and then grab her hand and continued walking like nothing had happened. Ron snorted in amusement.

"What?" Harry asked, his face full of an amused smirk. We all knew that he and Ginny loved each other very much, but sometimes it was ridiculous the measures they took to avoid Mrs Weasley's eyes. I wish Ron would do that.

"I'm so excited to see Fred and— whoops." I felt bad as the Weasleys and Harry turned to me with sad looks on their faces.

"Hermione— ," said Harry, but I cut him off.

"I'm really sorry everyone. I meant, I can't wait to see George. It'll be a real treat because I haven't seen him since —" the war. Everyone turned and looked at me again as I clamped my mouth shut and refused to open it for the rest of the walk.

When we finally arrived, everything was just as I had remembered with the whirring devices and colored objects flying around the room. In the corner, I could see a wall of Skiving Snack boxes stacked wall to wall, floor to ceiling which the twins perfected in their final year at Hogwarts.

I walked around a bit and saw Ginny and her Pygmy Puff, Arnold, rolling around with the other Pygmy Puffs. Harry was talking with Ron about the Dark Arts Wear. I didn't think it was really necessary to have so much protective gear in stock but I guess it couldn't do any harm. Mr and Mrs Weasley were talking with George.

"Georgie dear, are you doing all right running the shop on your own?" whispered Mrs Weasley.

"Yes, mum, I'm fine! Can we please not discuss it here?"

"If you're sure," Mr Weasley persisted.

"Yes, I'm fine, please leave me alone now!" George hissed. I took that as a sign to walk away from the conversation before anyone noticed me. I looked around quickly to find who was nearest so I ended up waking over to Ginny and Arnold.

"Hello Arnold. Aww, Gin, he's so cute," I cooed.

"I know he is, but look at this one. It's like he's calling you to take him." I followed Ginny's eyes down to the littlest purple puff ball. He was looking up at me and making what I swore to be puppy dog eyes.

"Aww, he's so cute. Look he's rolling over." The little Pygmy Puff at this point was rolling all over the bottom of the box with a huge smile on its face. It was so adorable I couldn't stand it. I started bouncing up and down with Ginny in excitement.

"Oh, Gin, look at him. I just have to take him home, but whatever shall we call him?"

"Well," Ginny put a look of utmost concentration on her face. "We could call him— Fluffy."

Ginny's face turned upwards as a huge grin spread across her beautiful face.

"That's perfect," I replied and held my Fluffy in my arms, pulling him into a huge hug.

"Thank you so much Gin for helping me find a name for him."

"Well, let's pay for him-- I mean Fluffy and leave. Mum's calling for us." I looked over towards Ginny's pointing finger to see Mrs Weasley bouncing up and down on her toes, looking around for everyone and waving us over to the door.

When we walked outside again, we saw that Mr Weasley was standing with a huge pile of books next to him.

"I decided to get all the rest of your supplies that you will be needing for the school year to save us some valuable time. Here you go Ginny and Ron."

"Come forward and grab your stuff, Ronald Weasley," Mrs Weasley shouted. Ron was having a whispered conversation with Harry and it was clear he didn't want anyone else to here for when Mrs Weasley shouted at him, his face turned its usual shade of embarrassed maroon and he came forward to grab his things.

"Sorry mum," he mumbled, looking down at the ground as he took his books. They were heavier than he expected so he proceeded to drop everything he was carrying all over the ground. When he dropped to the ground hastily to pick everything up, everyone roared with laughter, making Ron's face turn an even darker shade.

When we got back to the burrow, I headed straight for the stairs ready to head to bed for a long night of rest when I felt a tug on the shoulder of my shirt. I turned around fast and was picked up in the air and spun around. I started to splutter in protest.

"It's ok Hermione, dear. It's just me, Ron."

"Ronald, you complete arse. What in the world do you think you are doing?" I couldn't see why he thought this was the time or place to just spin me around. Sure I loved him and all, but I really just wanted to go to bed.

"Sorry dear, but Harry and I want a word with you."