A Week with Hermione
Chapter 2
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Chapter 2
Hermione certainly wasn't joking.
it went by just as quickly. Waking up
every afternoon, Harry and Hermione helped themselves to beef and provolone
sandwiches or tomato soup--whatever they wanted.
Granger scarcely had a complaint and gladly took them around town after
work. They went to the cinema, but the
horror movies seemed dull compared to their own lives.
mountains. They walked around malls and
outlet stores, and Harry picked up a few new pairs of pants and shirts.
dress, some jeans, and summer tank tops.
Harry tried to pay back the Grangers for taking him
everywhere and even buying him movie tickets and clothes.
wizarding books and accessories at Diagon Alley when the time came for a visit,
but the Grangers wouldn't have any of it.
"You're our guest, Harry," Mrs. Granger would say
with a smile. "You enjoy your
summer, we're getting by just fine."
When Harry's birthday came, the Grangers went all out to
celebrate. They got up that morning of
July and quietly dressed up the house with ribbons in Gryffindor colors.
cake handsomely decorated and neatly covered with seventeen lit candles.
room while his parents walked in with the cake singing 'Happy Birthday!'
Harry woke up smiling and when asked to make a wish and blow
out the candles, he closed his eyes, wished that the summer could last twice as
long, and blew. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had
to go to work right after the cutting of the cake, but Harry and Hermione
relaxed the rest of the day, and almost got sick of chocolate.
Though Harry had three gifts waiting for him after getting
up (a new winter sweater, a leather wand case, and the three volume se
&q
"Contemporary Magic Discoveries"--from Hermione), two more came in at
Errol returned with a gift from the Weasleys (a surprisingly nicely
woven broom cover), and, to Harry's great relief, a slick black owl came with a
bundle and letter from Sirius. Before
even looking at the packet, Harry ripped opened the letter and read it out loud
to Hermione.
Dear Harry,
Dumbledore has sent word that you have arrived safely.
but I have been busy with a number of risky affairs.n
sn
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Please don't worry, I'm keeping safe, and I
want you to keep safe as well. Tell your
keepers thank you for their hospitality and enjoy your birthday.
seventeen. Enjoy the gift and relax the
remainder of the summer, you'll have to be sharp when September comes.
Sirius
With smiles and sighs of relief, the two ripped open the
bundle and found within a thick golden chain complemented by a round golden
pendant with a lion roaring at its center.
A small note attached to it had scrawled on it: "A chain clasp to
complete your father's cloak." Harry
stood there, eyes gleaming. He wished he
could see Sirius again. But that will
have to wait after all this darkness ends.
"Did I ever tell you thank you, Harry?"
Startled, Harry looked up at her and with a look of
confusion said, "What? Why?"
"Well," Hermione blushed slightly.
pretty much stuck at home reading.
That's how I can come back to Hogwarts with all my textbooks completely
read--twice over. I don't really have
any other friends. Before Hogwarts
everyone just thought I was strange and they avoided me.
summer with my best friend."
Harry smiled and blushed in response, and his face grew beet
red when Hermionanedaned over and hugged him.
Hermione pulled back with smiling eyes and helped Harry
reset his glasses on his nose.
"I'm, uh, I'm glad I came too," Harry finally
said. "I'm having a blast."
While the summer was still hot, Harry and Hermione gave the
pool a try. Harry finally picked up some
blue and black swimming trunks at the mall.
With the sun stuck in the center of the sky like a searing yellow chunk
of coal, Harry stood at the edge of the pool waiting for Hermione and the
towels.
Without warning, he felt a pair of slim hands smack against
his back and push him forcefully forward.
A wall of cold water hit him flat, and with a slight sting traveling
through his chest he shivered back into motion and jerked his head out of the
water. He cleared his wild black hair
out of his face, reached for his round glasses at the pool's edge and looked up
at a giggling Hermiwearwearing a red and white stripped bikini.
Harry stopped.
Still laughing, Hermione leaned down and said, "I'm
sorry, Harry. Did you belly flop?"
Harry felt a ring of cold around his stomach, but his face
was warm and a shot of frantic heat coursed up his chest.
"Harry?"
Hermione said, sounding more concerned.
"Harry, are you alright?"
Harry jumped and shook his head.
he wished it was colder.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he finally said.
"Oh," Hermione slid into the pool in front of
him. "I'm sorry, Harry.
Harry backed away.
"No, no really, I'm alright."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
Harry forced a smile and exhaled heavily out of his nostrils.
the water and splashed Hermione. She
screamed and a playful water fight ensued.
Crisis averted.
The two went swimming every day after that and Harry became
accustomed to seeing Hermione in so little.
Almost. Still, he played it off
well.
Weeks continued to pass and Harry took a trip to Diagon Ally
with the Grangers to get the student's their supplies.
were more expensive, but after a trip to Gringott's everything went well.
seven extra books, a cauldron--standard size 5--, and an astrology chart each.
Two weeks before the return to Hogwarts, Harry still could
not avoid Hermione's planned study sessions.
They had read through two of their books ("A Revised History of
Hogwarts" and "Dark Wizardry in the Middle Ages") before
something caught Hermione's notice.
Harry thought it might have been the silence, which was solid since
parents picked up three hours ago.
"Shouldn't dinner be ready?" she said.
Harry, though dazed, looked up at Hermione.
Silently, and with a crinkled brow, Hermione got up from the
coach and walked into the hall toward her parent's bedroom.
"Hermione, what are you--"
"Shhh!" Hermione replied severely.
bedroom door with Harry trailing close behind.
Turning their heads and straining ears, they overheard frantic talking.
"I know it's short notice, honey, but he really needs
us. Dad could fail us any day now, we
have to leave," the voice was Mr. Granger's.
"I know, I know.
But what about the kids? We can't
just leave them here. Are you sure we
don't have enough for two more tickets?"
Mrs. Granger held worry in her voice.
"Even if we did, Dad doesn't have enough room at his
house to hold all of us and we wouldn't have enough for nights at a hotel.
from what the doctors have said."
There was a long silence except for what Harry took as
pacing.
"And no one we know can sit for us?"
"Honey, evee I'e I've called is either out of town or
won't be free enough to sit for at least four days.
themselves."
"That's not what I'm worried about, Jeremy.
they're also teenagers."
"Sweetie, really.
We're talking about Harry Potter of all people.
level-headed. We've seen how they've
acted all summer. They're just
friends."
More silence and then a long heavy sigh.
"We have to tell them now."
Hermione's eyes widened and as quickly and quietly as two
teenagers can, the two jetted back to the living room to put on a veneer of
relaxed study.
Mr. Mrs Mrs. Granger walked slowly into the living room
moments later with stoic faces.
GranGranger spoke first.
"Harry, Hermione . . . we have some bad news."