Chapter Number: 03
Chapter Name: Summer at the Granger's
Harry had one glance at Hermione before she practically threw herself on top of him and in the process almost knocked him over. He quickly grabbed the doorframe to stabilize himself. The longer she hugged him the harder it was getting for him to hold on to the frame.
Harry had noticed in the split second before this, that she had cut her hair very short and now her bushy hair looked more manageable, even without any sleek-ezy potion that she had used during Yule ball.
Harry never told anyone before but he liked her bushy hair more than the one she wore to the Yule ball - though that hairstyle did make him notice. He was sure more of it was from shock - since he thought her bushy mane made her look unique. But this new style suited Hermione better. At the end he really didn't mind any hair cut - this was Hermione.
She was wearing a bright pale yellow summer dress with light orange flower patterns all over it. Hermione looked quite stunning and Harry was lost for word. Though the reasons might not have been all just how she looked. 'Might be the light on the dress rather than the dress' Harry thought about the way light had assaulted his eyes off the bright yellow dress.
" You ready?" she asked very enthusiastically.
" Yes. Just need to get my trunk."
" Need any help?" she asked sounding hopeful.
Harry wasn't sure if he wanted Hermione in the house. He was too afraid that Hermione would speak her mind to the Dursleys. The last thing Harry wanted was to be locked in a closet in Hawaii. It would be far worse than being locked in Private Drive where he knew fun didn't exist - then to end up in Hawaii, but not being able to get out of the cupboard.
" Yeah...er.." He said feeling impending doom. " Could you get Hedwig's cage from my room?" When Hermione nodded, Harry continued speaking. " It's the first one to the left."
Harry could feel his heart sinking. He could also feel that his hair was still wet from the shower. Standing there in a t-shirt that Dudley had outgrown several years ago, Harry felt his hear sink, as Hermione quickly brushed past him and into the house.
Harry lifted up the trunk and headed for the car, so he didn't see Hermione give him a long sour look. She was coming out of the house with Hedwig's cage, when she noticed how tall Harry looked. Not much more than a few inches - 'maybe two'. When Harry put the trunk in the car, Harry's sleeve rolled up just enough to show traces of a new scar on his right arm. It was that, which had caused her to give him a sour look. Harry didn't tell her about it.
* I have to be strong for him * thought Hermione as she buckled herself up in the back - knowing that the new scar was the product of something that he hadn't explained to his friends about. Namely the events of that fateful day that Cedric died.
The car trip was short. It came to Harry as a surprise to find out that the Granger's actually lived very close. In the car it took only seven and a half minutes in medium traffic - something a watch-less Harry measured without any aid but his new found abilities. Harry had recently discovered that he could keep accurate time in his head though he experienced loss of time between going to sleep and starting "moonwalking", as well as trying to wake up and actually waking up. It was a result of his "moonwalking" or at least he thought it was.
Hermione's parents though they had a lot of money, lived in a medium sized house with four bedrooms in a modest little neighborhood. The only thing of real expense was the car and even that was hidden inside the garage when it was not on the road. The house was of modern construction like all the other houses on the street. Thought Harry wasn't sure as to how accurate he was.
The inside of the house consisted of one master, one for Hermione and two guestrooms - each bigger than his room back "home". Hermione showed Harry into his room, which was across the one from the Master Bedroom. Harry did not understand why they put him in there, when there was another room near Hermione's, which happen to be very empty. But he did not want to say anything, since he was sure he was burdening them enough as it was.
Harry's new room didn't really have anything much in it other than a desk and a an empty shelf. Before long Harry would find out that each of the room in the house had a shelf, filled to various capacities. The family really loved books.
Hermione put down Hedwig's cage in corner of the room, near the window and sat down on the single bed on the other side of the small room. She watched quietly as Harry went back and forth bringing his things into the house from the car. Harry did not notice it, but Hermione's parents did. When Harry brought in the last of his items in, they followed Harry into the room and Hermione's mom sat down beside her daughter.
Harry was quietly working away not knowing that Hermione's parents were right behind him, watching him like a pair of hawks. So when he turned around to tell Hermione she had a very nice place to live and he was done all unpacking, he found himself looking straight into Paul Granger eyes.
His mouth dried up in a second and he was suddenly more afraid of him at that moment than VOLDEMORT at the end of his first year. Harry opened his mouth to say something but then thought better of it and closed it very soon after.
"We need to have a talk." Paul motions Harry to pull up the only chair in the room.
" ...err... What about Mr. Granger?" asked Harry in a squeaky voice.
He couldn't see it but Hermione's mom had a small smile as she realized her husband had just scared the living daylights out of the poor boy. She was sure her husband was very pleased with himself to have had done it to Harry.
" I'm letting you stay with us the whole summer." He said in a professional business like manner of a dentist - right before they pull out your teeth. " That means for the duration of your visit you are a member of this family. We all do house chores in this family and since you are here you are no exception." Harry thought that was more than fai, and was going to nodd, but Mr. Granger wasn't done. " I'll consider you a son. That means HERMIONE IS YOUR SISTER. You do not make a move on my daughter... You do not er.." unsure of what he should say next he used something from his own memory, "...err... No Hanky Panky. Understood. GOOD"
He turned and left the room with his wife by his side. If Paul had looked back after he had left, he would have seen a very confused Harry maul over what had just been told to him. Had Paul Granger been slower in saying what he had said, Harry would not have been confused... well just not as confused as he was at that point. It would also have had given Harry an opportunity to ask what he was talking about.
When the implication of what he had been told finally hit him, after several moments, which he spent blankly looking at the door, he was blushing all the shades of red in the wizarding world. Hermione couldn't help but smile at his embarrassment. She was used to her overprotective father, but Harry was clearly shaken by the experience. She moved closer to him on the bed before speaking. " Don't worry." She said in her most reassuring voice. " That's just the way my father is. He's... well a bit over protective of me. I told him, our relationship is just friends," Harry could tell Hermione meant a hundred folds what she said, "… but they wouldn't take my word for it. Err... Harry?" said Hermione before realizing Harry was not really paying any attention.
" Yeah."
" Did you hear what I said?"
" Yeah..." replied Harry as he snapped out of whatever he was thinking.
" Well???"
" Well... What?" Harry tried his best not to snap but he saw the hurt look on her face and realized that he had not tried hard enough.
" I'm sorry... I'm really sorry".
A look of pure anguish passed his face before, Hermione returned to normal. She hugged Harry so hard that he had a hard time breathing. When she let go she said, " It's OK. I was just thinking about what you went through last year." Harry looked slightly relieved, but not by much. " I wanted to know what you wanted to show me when you got here."
Hermione inwardly hoped it would be an explanation to why he hadn't told her about his new scar or the events of the day of the third task. " Oh... that. Why didn't you just say that?" Harry smirked, clearly excited about topic.
" Well, I'm bursting with excitement here..." before Hermione could finish her sentence she was interrupted by Harry.
" Well it all started..."
With that Harry told her the entire story - not the one Hermione thought he would, or hoped he would. It was the story of how he learned of his new and exciting ability. How he had had the nightmares all night, then went to investigate the light, seeing advertises (carefully missing out the part about the softporn flick on TV)... how he thought he could never have friends if he did not do something about VOLD-you-know-who, how he thought he was dead, his exploration, then somehow without meaning to the part about seeing Dudley's dream came out of his mouth.
As soon as he said it, Harry cringed at the though that Hermione was probably going to give him a lecture, about how wrong it was of him to peek into someone else's subconscious - even if unintentionally. But to his surprise, he found himself looking at a girl who had fallen off the bed and rolling on the floor with hysterical laughter.
At the loud noises, Paul and his wife rushed to the room. When they saw Hermione try to get off the floor while holding her sides in a last ditch attempt to stop laughing, they let them be even though they did not know what had caused their daughter to act in such a manner. Mrs. Granger thought it was nice to see Hermione having fun for a change. She always thought Hermione read a lot more than she should and not have enough fun.
When Hermione finally stopped laughing, she saw Harry look at her as though she was mad. She considered that herself. Normally she would be giving Harry a lecture but the story was so funny she could not her herself. Then she had a terrible idea. " You're not gonna try to read my dreams though are you"
" I knew you would ask that. If I wanted to do that I would have to go into your room and I'm not going into your room without your permission first... Besides I tried to see what Hedwig was thinking in her sleep, I saw nothing. I saw a stray cat dreaming about fish. So my guess is I can't see Magic things' dream." He paused then teased. " If you don't trust me, then I can …"
" Harry Potter!" Hermione said looking particularly furious at his suggestion of her not trusting him. " How dar you suggest something like that! I do trust you."
" No. I didn't mean it like that Hermione…" he started to say, wildly shaking his head and body to convince her. It was then that he saw Hermione's mouth curve up into a small smile. It hit him like a ton of bricks that Hermione had just teased him into acting sillyly for her pleasure.
" You sly wench…" Harry leaped on the bed and picked up one of the two pillows and started to pummel it on her. Hermione took the other pillow and gave back as good as she got - and considering how late she really got started, she gave back more than her fair share. After a long time and a lot of feathers still in the air, Hermione and Harry laughing and smiling talked about something that came to Hermione's mind.
" You know, " Hermione said, " The way you say you're getting better at managing pain - you suppose, if you-know-who tried to use Cruciatus curse on you - it won't hurt as much?"
" You might be right. But I think VOL- " Harry paused and corrected himself "...you-know-who was still weak from his rebirth when he did the curse on me, so I probably was lucky. That's why I want to get strong..." All the traces of mirth left for a while. " You think you can help me?"
" Help you to do what??" Hermione asked. Then getting the meaning of what he was asking she continued "..err... You mean me teach you?" with a hint of amusement in her voice.
* Harry Potter, the boy who lived... finally wants to do something other than ride on a broom all day* thought Hermione *... but then again seeing the murderer of your parents coming back to life is bound to change a person...*
"OK then." Harry said a note of thanks to Merlin for Hermione in his mind. " I will." But then when Hermione said, " But there're two conditions", he was almost afraid to ask. " What?"
Harry knew Hermione would help him no matter what... so this was probably something that she needed help with but was afraid to ask. " You'll have to read. Hogwarts: A history. Everyday" Harry was going to groan but then realized it was his idea.
" And the second?" He asked more terrified this time. Hermione usually told what needed to be done quickly. But if she didn't say the second condition right after the first, then it could only mean that it was something either she was embarrassed about or it was something so bad that she was sure he would not agree to. Harry couldn't think of anything he could hate more than doing the first thing Hermione had asked him.
"..Er..Youhavetoteachmetoflyabroom... OK. GOOD. Now that we're settled lets..." said Hermione in a rush. Her cheeks Harry noticed were slightly inflamed, but she did not get to finish her sentence as Harry cut her off - he didn't really catch what she said.
"What did you say? I couldn't hear it."
Hermione quirked her eyebrow impatiently. " You have to.. teach me to fly a broom... Properly." her cheeks were burning hot as she repeated herself.
Harry had known that Hermione had a really bad time flying, but it wasn't because she was not afraid of flying or height. No. That would be too normal for her. What she was strangely afraid of was - the broom. Hermione, he knew could completely ignore her broom phobia when needed (like in their first year), but aside from that she was as afraid of the broom as Ron was of spiders. Unlike Ron - Hermione seem to want to get rid of her phobia. Harry wondered how much of it was phobia and how much of it was her wanting to do everything "perfectly".
" Well if it's that important to you..." Harry started to say, but then he remembered something, "but you don't have a broom... do you?" he asked scratching his head.
" Oh.. You see.." Hermione averted her gaze. And All Harry could see was her cheeks flaming further more. " Victor sent me one. It's bewitched so if I say a correct phrase it'll take me directly to him. Nimbus something or other"
" That's a good broom... Aerodynamic handle, most of the straws are hand picked but they're mass produced so not as good as a fir- " Harry stopped mouthing off the features of the broom when he saw Hermione's blank face. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't want to bore you with broom..."
Harry stopped talking when Hermione ran out of the room. Harry was very confused. He knew he could have a short attention span, but he didn't think it was bad enough that Hermione would run out of the room without telling him off. * Did I say something? ...* He thought to himself, *...I knew I shouldn't have had started to talk my mouth off. I think I'll go to Hermione and apologize. Yes! That's what I'll do.*
But Harry knew it would not be that easy. Knowing Hermione she would probably quiz him on why he's apologizing, and he did not really want to think of the consequences of getting that question wrong. An entire summer with someone who didn't like you could be ver...." His thoughts were disturbed by a hand on his shoulder shaking him roughly.
When he lifted his face from the ground he saw it was Hermione. With her she had a light blue broomstick and two books under her arm. One was unmistakably was "Hogwarts: A History."
" I just wanted you to see it." she said. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as Hermione continued, " I got the book here and we are going to start your part of the bargain today. You are going to read the book and I'm going to read my 5th year spellbook. After an hour we'll switch books. Now. READ" said Hermione, shooing Harry towards the other end of the bed. Harry didn't like the way her face lit up when he did as he was told. She seemed to enjoy bossing him around a bit too much. He wasn't sure what the consequences would be if he didn't hold his own ground… if that was at all possible.
During his first dinner at the Grangers he found out the first name of Mrs. Granger. It was Diana. Harry noticed that she had the same sort of personality as Mrs. Weasley. Both had the idea that Harry was too thin (they were right) and needed fattening up. They both had a cheery personality and both controlled their families every aspect and could stop other members of the family from doing anything that she did not like.
Like when Paul was about to start the second phase of his "talk" with Harry. One nasty glare from the wife, he shut his mouth. Harry knew that if he was going to stay in the house for the summer he better show that he was a good boy. He offered to do the dishes. No one actually stopped him, or acknowledged that he was a good boy.
* Oh well. I didn't really want an acknowledgement anyway * That night Harry did not try experimenting with his powers.
Being used to sleeping on a fold up bed and a mattress thin enough to feel the springs underneath, the soft bed in his room was like a being treated like a king. It took very little time for him to go to sleep. It felt like he had only seconds after his back touched the bed when, something landed beside him. He desperately searched for his wand next to his hand, almost sure it was Dudley who just landed in the bed next to him. But...
* It can't be. Dudley is in Hawaii... Then… deatheaters. * thought the slightly paranoid Harry.
Harry's eyes snapped open. His eyes almost hurt when the bright sunlight hit his face, but he had other pressing tasks to perform. As soon as he found the wand he leaped off the bed ready for an attack. He was about to yell the spell for disarming when a small giggle reminded Harry that he was at Hermione's house - and just maybe it was her trying to wake him up.
* Besides if they were deatheathers, I would be dead or captured by now * he reasoned with himself - the world still a blur in front of his eyes.
He still could not see clearly, when Hermione put his glasses on carefully from the back. Harry slowly turned around to see Hermione with a huge smile plastered on her face. Harry was going to be annoyed and was going to tell her off, when he realized he had made a big enough fool in front of her already.
* I might as well try to get some of my dignity back *
Harry bowed like they do after a stage play. Hermione giggled a little more before telling him that her parents were at work and they needed to do some housework. Just so they didn't "fool around", their neighbor Mrs. McDougol an elderly witch would pop by occasionally. Not only that but a long list of chores were given to them, hoping they would keep their hands away from each other. Her parents need not have had worried about that, since neither of them had developed any such feeling for each other yet.
Most of the chores involved Harry lifting or re-positioning things - and doing them again when Hermione's mood suited. He was beginning to regret being so obedient to her. It was one thing to be polite to help her out, it was entirely another to become her slave. Harry did appreciate her family taking him in, so Harry decided to indulge Hermione. If he had thought moving things was going to be hard, he hadn't seen the garden yet. As he tirelessly weeded the garden, Hermione sat under the tree dozing or yelling out instructions - most of the time without even looking up from a green covered book. It looked like Hermione had made the cover for the book herself from newspaper and a horrible shade of green paint. Thankfully lunch came soon, and Harry could wash away a days word of honest day's work (sweat, grime and dirt) off himself.
After lunch they would watch TV for a little while. In the afternoon it was either flying lessons or Hermione quizzing Harry on Hogwarts: A history (most of the time Harry would get all of them wrong) and then work on their homework essays. Harry liked his talks with Hermione - even if it was a little. But Hermione straight out refused to let him say one thing while they were doing their homework. Aside from the occasional word to pass the quill's inkwell.
Having grown up in a family where both parents worked, Hermione was the one who prepared most of the meals, except on Friday nights and in the weekends when her mother controlled the kitchen. Hermione was a good cook but her mother was on a totally different class altogether. In the weekends Harry would try and butter Hermione's mother as much as possible. Harry would complement her so much, Hermione could be seen steaming but Harry took no notice of that. Hermione did not tell Harry about how complementing her mother made her jealous - even if it was just cooking, since she would quickly give Harry a lecture for not reading the school books and Hogwarts: A history every night as it was. She didn't want to nag him.
By his fourth weekend with the Grangers Harry realized why Paul Granger was so fit. At age 39 he had a body that could be compared to someone ten of fifteen years younger than him - certainly very much better than the time Harry had the misfortune of walking by a room to see Snape in a towel. Even thinking about that made Harry feel sick. Back to the garden… the two women had them out in the garden, digging, shoveling, fertilizing, planting and doing other major work all day long. It is true that after long hours of work, men kind of develop a bond - usually from suffering together. In this case it was Harry and Paul formed bond that would only come about after four weekends of manual labour.
When the day ended on the 4th weekend, and all that was left to do was to water the garden, Harry and Paul Granger did something they had wanted to do for four weeks. Ever since the women got the idea to redo the garden because there was now another pair of "strong hands" to help them do it. GET REVENGE.
" Now?" asked Harry is a low voice. " Wait for it until they turn their backs on us" said Paul in an equally conspiratorial tone.
Spotting the perfect time Harry yelled, "NOW!!!", as he sped across to where Hermione was with the hose in his hand running full blast. On the other side of the garden Paul was doing the same to Hermione's mother. The two women were not pleased with the sudden drenching and decided the "boys" needed to be punished.
NO FOOD they thought as they both finished off any leftover food from previous meal. When the "boys" finally entered the house after properly watering the garden, it was a big surprise for them to find no food for them, not even a juice or small fruits. To top it all off neither of the girls would talk to them.
Paul was going to order some food, but Harry convinced Paul to do otherwise and surprise the "girls", with some home cooked food. They had lot of fun cooking and recounting the events past few weeks and as unlikely as it seems they BONDED. A deep conversation between Hermione and her mother about "men and their childish behavior" was stopped when the breathtaking aroma of freshly cooked food and laughter and loud conversation entered Hermione's room.
At first they were not moved to investigate, but when the noises suddenly stopped they could not help themselves. When they were both there, Paul came out of hiding and led his wife to the table. She inspected the table quickly. There were of three dishes served. None of which looked like any thing that she knew, but they looked and smelled okay and good (respectively). Paul pulled up a chair for Diana and then told her to sit down. Mrs. Granger was asked by Paul to taste the food.
" Sorry about the water spraying thing! We were tired and we needed some fun. It was Harry's idea." he said pointing his finger towards the direction of the door where Hermione was standing."... I don't know what these are but they're good"
Mrs. Granger looked as if she was ready to cry. Whether or not that's why Paul cut a piece of food from one of the dishes and almost shoved it into her mouth is still unclear. * It tastes like Chicken. It's Juicy and tender. I wonder where that boy learned to cook * thought Mrs. Granger before noticing her husband staring at her.
" What?" she asked fearing something was probably sticking out of her teeth.
But Paul Granger surprised her by saying, " You look as beautiful as the day I first saw-"
Hermione could not hear any more since someone had put their hand over her mouth and started to drag her out of the kitchen. She stopped trying to escape when she realized it was Harry from his smell of his spicy cologne. Something she had helped him pickup from the shop.
He explained, "They would want to be alone now", as they towards the garden, where he had put some plates and rest of the food that he had cooked. Hermione could not help but complement Harry.
" ooomm. Isss goooddd" said Hermione with her mouth full of food, making Harry grin a little. After all he liked her cooking better than his own so it was a great complement coming from her. When she finished what was left in her mouth she asked where he learned how to cook.
" Well, living with the Dursley's kind of forces you to learn how to cook and besides I can only cook those three things... I couldn't have done it without your dad's help."
Then she remembered that the next day was Harry's birthday, and she should give him his present, if she wanted to surprise him. She told him to wait a few minutes, she had to get something from the house.
As Harry waited he thought about what had happened during the four weeks he had been at Grangers. He had to admit he had an enjoyable time, even if most of the time was spent studying, and doing manual work. He didn't regret his decision to indulge Hermione.
In his mind, he ticked off two homework essays that he had done. One was for history of magic -"What effect did Grindelwald have on the war the Muggles call World War II" and "A thousand and one uses of Boomslang" for potions. Well there was still one for care of magical creatures, one for tranfiguation, one for Herbology, one for charms, one for Defence.Against.Dark.Arts… Harry Groaned ruefully.
* Maybe, I'll tackle the dark arts one next and th- * he thought about the hopelessly big amount of homework still to come.
Harry's train of though was derailed severely when Hermione plopped herself down next to him, with a huge grin on her face. He could not see what she had behind her and since his birthday was the next day he guessed it was a present for him. Accuratly it seemed too, when Hermione told him to close his eyes. * Can she be any more obvious.* thought Harry fondly as he did what his friend told him to do.
Hermione put down a nicely wrapped packet in front of him and said, " OK. Open your eyes." Harry could feel the excitement in her slightly higher pitched voice.
Harry saw the package and could guess it was a book - though he wasn't depressed or even disappointed. Hermione knew him well, and he was sure it would be something on Quidditch. Harry, turned over the wrapped book several times, trying to find a way to open up the present neatly, when a very annoyed Hermione snatched the package away.
She quickly tore open the wrappers and handed the book back to him. She was frowning in a way that told him he was being silly. " Honestly Harry!" *yep! That's what's she's thinking!* " Wrappings are meant to be ripped open. Now have a look at the present and tell me how you like it?"
Harry turned the book around to have a look at the title. The first surprise was the fact that it was not a book on Quidditch. Everyone always assumed Harry loved anything to do with Quidditch but as true as it was he actually liked books on other topics besides Quidditch. Harry gasped when he saw the title of the book. " 66666 muggle and magical ways You can die" Harry was left speechless.
" Gee thanks, Hermione." …*That's exactly what I need*, he would have had said. Smart boy that he is, he waited for her explantion.
"See now, you don't have to spend all that time on silly Divination homework."
Harry smiled. " Thanks Hermione. Now... We should hurry, I still have the dishes to do."
" You're welcome. But that's not the only one. My parents are giving you
something too" Hermione said.
" What?" he asked, quite taken back someone would give him anything knowing him just a month.
" I'm not telling..." said Hermione with a mischievous smile on her face.
" Please..." Harry started to move closer to her, ready to start tickling her. During the last four weeks he had come to realize that she was very sensitive to tickling and the slightest touch would send her into feats of laughter. Somehow she anticipated it and a wand materialized in her hand before he could come any more closer to her.
" Just in case you try anything..." Hermione it seems was daring him to do so. " I'm sure the ministry will overlook a first offence" said Hermione waving the wand menacingly.
" Okay...Okay.." Harry said putting his hands up. " Geeze. What a way to burst a guy's bubble." Harry was disappointed. " Do you want to get in some flying lessons done - before we head inside, I mean?."
" Okay" came an enthusiastic reply
Harry thought about her progress over the last four weeks. The elderly witch had been kind enough to erect a charm to make sure muggles didn't notice them flying around in the back yard. The progress had been reasonably good. Though she had great reflexes, sources of which Hermione would not elaborate on - not that he really asked, she was deathly afraid of flying any higher than five feet. This was of a great source of amusement for Harry, though to his credit he did no more than grin when it looked as if the broom might try to go higher than Hermione's tolerance level, amidst her hysterical screaming.
After cleaning up, Harry went to bed with his transfiguration book. Though he was not allowed to do magic, he could read up about his essay topic -"Why do Animagus training have to be carried out in the presence of a ProTem and what is involved in becoming an Animagus."
The book was not really a great source of information -Harry made a mental note to ask Hermione about a better reference.
* WOW! I didn't want to copy her essay... *
Harry could not remember when he went to sleep, only to wake up what seemed to him only seconds later. He was outside his body again. There was no pain, as he passed through the door from his room. He tried to see if Magical things still caused him pain so he tried to touch "Hogwarts: A history" on his desk. He felt a little sting, but the something amazing happened. The book opened to the first page by itself!