Chapter 1 - Encounter

Hi everyone! This is my first ever chapter of a fanfic...AAAH! Just a warning, I WILL NOT be posting another until about halfway through July...if I do post earlier, it won't be very frequently - but in a month or so, updates should become more regular :) This is nowhere near as good as later chapters, but hope that you enjoy it anyway!

"MUM! I'm going to be LATE!"

Hermione stumbled down the stairs, pinning up her hair as she ran. She grabbed the suitcase she'd packed; only to find that her daughter was already standing at the door, suitcase in hand, auburn hair neatly tied back, with a suitably unimpressed expression on her face.

"Rose, honey, I'm sorry but I couldn't find any of your robes or books to pack, so I've put in some of my old textbooks and I'll have some new ones sent to you when you've arrived, ok?" she wheezed, with her best pleading eyes. Rose Weasley did NOT like to be unprepared.

"Mum. You do realise that I packed about a week ago? I told you I'd already put everything in my suitcase!" Rose gestured towards the case in her right hand, "that's why you couldn't find my stuff!" she raised one eyebrow. "Please, please, pleeease could you get dad to hurry up now? I don't want to miss the train!"

Hermione smiled at her daughter. Yes she was annoyed that she'd spent an hour trying to pack seemingly non-existent clothes, but Rose reminded her of when she was learning at Hogwarts too…she was so proud of her daughter. Not so much impressed by her husband though…

"RONALD WEASLEY. GET YOUR LAZY BUTT DOWN HERE!" she screamed, and was then greeted by the sight of her husband stumbling down the stairs wearing only his boxers.

"Ron! We have to leave now! Rose is going to miss the train – why the hell aren't you dressed?" she demanded.

"I'm not coming."

Hermione froze in shock. She turned to her daughter, who was tapping her foot with a furious expression of her face.

"Rose, can you take the bags outside? I need to speak with your father – I promise we'll leave as soon as possible, ok?"

She was answered by a huff, as Rose turned on heel and dragged her suitcase outside.

Hermione turned to her husband.

"Ron, what do you mean "you're not coming"?" she asked.

Ron shrugged, "I mean that I'm not coming. I had some exhausting training yesterday, and I need to sleep before the match this afternoon."

"Match?! That's just a practice game! You're going to miss saying goodbye properly to our daughter so you can sleep? Do you realise that we won't be seeing her for months, Ron? Our daughter is going to boarding school and you don't even have the decency to say goodbye to her?! What is wrong with you? All your life ever seems to revolve around is quidditch this, and quidditch that! What about us?" she hit his shoulder.

"Mione, I'm sorry. I really am. It's just that the team's been so busy…it's hard to spend time with you. I promise I'll try harder now… I really will. Ok?" He embraced her.

"So you'll come then?"

"No, I need to sleep! Didn't you hear me?"

Hermione pushed Ron away from her.

"You disgust me. I should have known you wouldn't have felt some empathy for once." She turned around and strode out of the door. "Come on Rose, we're leaving."

Ron heard the familiar pop as they disapparated. He sighed, before yawning, and headed back upstairs to bed.

ooooo

Hermione and Rose landed with a lurch on platform 9 ¾. The old system of running at a wall in King's Cross had long since changed – the proximity with muggles was far too risky. As she looked around, she realised that the Hogwarts Express had already begun to slowly pull out of the station. She thrust Rose's suitcase at her before kissing her quickly on the forehead and pushing her towards the train.

"Run Rose! Quick, you can still catch it!"

As Rose jumped onto the train, turning around to wave, before slipping inside a carriage, she breathed a sigh of relief but was stopped short as she caught sight of a familiar head of platinum blond hair.

Draco Malfoy.

His figure had broadened at the shoulders and his skin was slightly darker than its original pale hue, but it was certainly her old school nemesis. She watched as the woman standing next to him – presumably his wife – whispered something in his ear before turning around and sashaying out of the station. Merlin knew how she walked in those heels!

Hermione began to walk towards the exit until she realised that to leave, she had to walk right past him.

"It's ok, Hermione." She muttered under her breath, "just keep walking. You can ignore him. Just keep walking." She repeated this until she'd walked right past him, but was stopped in her tracks at the sound of a lilting drawl:

"Talking to yourself, Granger? Can't say that I'm surprised."

Damn. He'd noticed her.

She continued to walk, trying to ignore Malfoy but heard heavy footsteps behind her.

"She looks like you, you know?"

Hermione slowly turned around. "What?"

"Your daughter. Looks just like you. I wouldn't be surprised if Scorpius found her holed up in the library and reprimanding others about their use of potions terminology before long."

Hermione almost snapped back at him, before noticing an almost imperceptible smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Draco Malfoy smiling? Godric help her.

Instead of retorting with her usually sharp tongue, she decided to let it go.

"I'm busy Malfoy. I might see you later." She spoke firmly, before turning around to stride away. As she walked, she wasn't certain if her Malfoy-addled brain had imagined it or if she'd actually heard the reply:

"Yeah. I'll see you, Granger."

What do you think? Good? Bad? Please, please review...it's really appreciated by a first-time writer like me! Thanks!

Tris xxx