Grace's Time Jump Journey

Chapter 6: Homeward Bound

Grace

"It's only a few hours ride south of here," Charles says handing Draco the picnic basket. "We'll meet you both there tomorrow, around noon for lunch." The clothing and things we'd need on Venus, in my bag, and the food strapped to Jupiter.

"Yes, Sir, thank you," Draco says. "We'll meet you at the cabin tomorrow afternoon."

The ride to the cabin is quiet, we stop for lunch halfway.

"I think it's this way," Draco says nodding to the left.

We head that way and only about two hours later. We find ourselves at the lake.

"It's beautiful."

"It is," Draco agrees. "Quite beautiful indeed," He wraps me in a warm hug and looks over my shoulder at the vast lake. "So are you," He whispers in my ear before kissing the top of my head.

Over the break after everyone's gone to bed, I'd been reading Harry Potter with him. There were even moments that Draco felt sorry for, and dare I even think it a connection with, Harry and his home life. We're halfway through the chapter where they're learning to dance.

We have a quiet dinner and then turn in to read. I fall asleep his rhythmic heartbeat and his soft voice as he reads relaxes me and lets me fall into a peaceful sleep.

The sun wakes me the next morning. Draco's already awake, reading a letter, one quite similar lays next to it.

"Our letters came," He says holding out my letter to me. "All the way here, to America, a hundred years early."

"Are we really that close to September?"

"Yeah, I think we are," Draco asks, "But if we go back to Hogwarts now, it's almost a hundred years earlier, I don't quite know the state, but I know that none of the professors will be there. At least none that we know, Dumbledore may be there, but, who knows how old that man is."

"Perhaps the man himself?" I ask with a grin as I pick up my letter. "But, I'm ready to go home, back to my parents, back to England."

"As weird as it is to think, I also miss home." He says, "Or maybe I just miss being able to wear my own clothes everyday and having someone do everything for me."

"Let's get ready and make breakfast, the Ingalls will be here in a few hours," Draco checks his pocket watch, and nods, "I'll go find breakfast," Draco stands and picks up his wand. I stand and close the door behind him and get dressed. I go outside to start the fire watching Venus and Jupiter nuzzling each other, those two no matter the year love each other. I begin cooking the food that Caroline sent with us for lunch, they'll be joining us so there's a lot. Though they are bringing food with them as well. Charles was going hunting before he joined us. Caroline and the kids would be here soon. They're only staying the day. Leaving before dark to head home. Draco and I are heading to the woods where we came from. Hoping to find our way home. Tonight, well, at first light in the morning. We'll leave a note and when they come to find us in the morning, they'll know not to look for us.

"Grace!" Laura races over to me and hugs me.

"Hi Laura," I greet happy that Draco isn't here, he's not big on hugs.

"Lunch anyone?" Draco asks coming up with two rabbits and a turkey. "I got lucky today Grace," He presses a kiss to my cheek and I can't help but smile.

"I see that," I smile at him.

"The girls and I can cook if you'd like, Grace, you and Draco go enjoy some time together," Caroline says with a smile.

"Thank you Caroline," I look at Draco who puts the bird and the rabbits on the rock near the fire and then nods his thanks to Caroline.

"Let me go wash my hands in the stream." He says I nod but follow him and sit next to the stream on the rocks. I hear Laura begging to come with us, and Caroline reminding her that we just got married, and we'd likely want to spend some time together.

"How much time do you think has passed?" I ask Draco as he wraps me under his arm and we walk through the woods together.

"Enough," He answers, "Enough that we're both missing home."

"I meant for our family back home," I answer him gently, not for us.

"I have no idea," He answers as we stop by the other side of the lake, "I have no idea, Grace, but no matter what time, I'll always love you."

I rest my head on his shoulder as we stand by the lake.

"I'll always love you," He murmurs pressing a kiss to my head.

"And I'll always love you." I answer without hesitation. "Come on, we should go back," He sighs and agrees.

"For muggles, they're good people," He says, "Quite nice."

"Most muggles are like them," I tell him as he laces our fingers together.

"What I wouldn't give to go home," Draco sighs.

"Hopefully soon we'll be back at my uncle's, and then back to our time, and England."

~~~

Charles and Caroline ,

Thank you so much for your hospitality over the past few weeks. Grace and I have greatly enjoyed  and appreciated the time you've given us to be together. We're off to her uncle's home now, or at least in the direction we believe it to be in.

Thank you again for your hospitality.

Luke & Grace Black

I change back into my regular clothes putting the dresses into the bag, Draco mounts up and I follow behind. I lean down and whisper into Jupiter's ear. "Home, Boy." I do the same for Venus, only subbing boy for girl and they both take off in the woods. Both of them keeping in tandem with each other.

Soon I find myself on a familiar trail, with familiar trail markers.

"Draco, we made it," I beam at him. "That's a muggle trail marker for the trail near my uncle's cabin."

"Really? How can you tell?" He asks me skeptically.

"First of all, it's blinking, the 1800's didn't have technology that advanced."

"Sorry, I live in a world where blinking is almost normal." He says.

"It's okay, just letting you know I think we're back in our time," I tell him, "Uncle's cabin is this way I think..." I tug on Jupiter's reins and Draco follows behind. "You've learned to ride quite well."

"Glad you think so, but I'll be happy to get off the horse and back on the ground, or my broomstick, as soon as we're confirmed to be back to our century."

"Here's his house," I tell Draco, my uncle's spare car in the garage. "And there is proof that we're back in our century, you'd never find one of these in the Prairie days."

"It's good to be home Grace."

"That it is."

"I love Grace, no matter the century."

"And I'll always love you forever."