Hermione noticed Ron had some papers in his hand as he walked over to them and pulled up a stray chair from another table.
"I thought you were going to meet me outside," Ron said. Harry and Hermione shrugged.
"Sorry Ron. We got caught up in talking and I had to eat something," Harry said. Ron looked from Harry to Hermione, who just shrugged to confirm.
"Well what is it? Where are we going on vacation?" Hermione asked excitedly. Ron slapped the papers on the table in front of him and shoved them at Harry and Hermione. Hermione took one and Harry picked up the other.
Harry's paper was up in front of his face, Hermione's also. On instinct, with their faces hidden from Ron, he turned to Hermione. "Is he for real?" Harry asked when he read the title of the paper. Hermione smiled at him with her paper in front of her face.
Harry read over the paper and glanced at the moving pictures on the pamphlet-like page. Slowly, he took the paper down and peered at Ron over the top of it, just the top of his head and eyes were showing. Ron had a look of apprehension on his face and stared at Harry.
The pamphlet had a great deal of information in it and was sure to spark a ton of interest among travel-hungry wizards and witches all over the world:
The Ultimate Muggle Experience
Witches and wizards of the world! Would you like to have a travel experience worth remembering with loads of fun things to do? Then book you and your friends or significant other onto our many cruise ships and tour the world, muggle style.
First just an idea by the ministry, this expedition has sparked huge interest in our world. Come with us as we sail to many exciting wizarding parts of the world. The ships sail invisible to any muggle life out there for our safety. You will enjoy many fun and exciting days on board the ship as well as our shore excursions. Packages include three to five night vacations and go all the way up to five and six month trips all over the world. Many muggle activities and culture will be on the ship, as well as off. Try many of the exciting foods our dear muggles enjoy, and take a shot at some activities invented by them.
Magic is still a big part of this voyage and will not be cut out during any of this. Many activities we enjoy in our world will be among you throughout this journey. Contact the office at the bottom of this page for further information.
Hermione put her pamphlet down on the table in front of her and started to study it very closely. Harry watched her for a moment as she became enthralled in the information, then he turned to Ron. "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, you are the one out of the three of us that has the hardest time understanding muggles. It would be a very different experience for you, for all of us."
Hermione snapped her head up and looked at her two friends as they talked. "You know, Ron, I think you might be on to something." She said softly. Harry and Ron turned their gazes to her and saw a smile creep onto her face, as well as in her eyes.
"So you want to do this?" Harry asked her reassuringly. Ron nodded with Harry.
"Well I must say, I've wanted to go on one of these for the longest time, but up until now, muggles only had this luxury. It just wouldn't be a possibility for us to go because of the involvement we would have with muggles. I can't even imagine how hard it would be not to use magic for however long we were gone." She finished, rolling her eyes a bit at the thought of going without magic for more than an hour.
"You sound like you know a lot about it." Ron commented as he rested his hands on the table with his fingers laced together. Harry gave Hermione's knee a light squeeze to tease her. She jumped a little but elbowed him in the ribs.
"Well, mum and dad took one of these trips about three summers ago and they loved it. I think we should do it. Harry, what do you think?" she asked, turning to him for his opinion. So far two out of three were up for it.
He glanced between the hopeful faces his friends had and mentally debated about it. Hermione's face, however, is what got him to make his decision. Harry thought about how stressed his friend was over all that was happening with her boyfriend. The past month was a complete nightmare and he was sure she was losing many hours of sleep over it. He could just picture her pacing in her living room while Harry sat on the couch worrying about her. Her face was very excited about this opportunity and he was sure all three of them would like it. He looked between them once more.
"Alright. Let's do it," he concluded.
Ron and Hermione smiled. "Yes! Alright, if we're going, we have a week until we leave. That gives us time to catch up on things at work and to also let everyone know we'll be gone-"
"But Ron, how long do we want to be gone?" Hermione asked. Harry looked at her, wondering the same thing and looked back at Ron, his hand forgotten as it rested softly on Hermione's leg.
"I was thinking we take the two week package. One month is too long to be gone and I can't even begin to imagine how much paperwork Harry would have by the time we got back."
Harry and Hermione agreed. "Two weeks it is," Harry said happily. He looked back down at the information sheet in front of him. "Looks like we're going to America to get on the ship," he observed, looking at a map of all the locations they would be going in that span of two weeks.
"America?" Hermione asked. Harry leaned over and pointed out the place on the map.
"San Francisco Bay," Ron said. "But that's if we take that trip. There are other places like Europe or even cold places."
Hermione cleared her throat. "No I think this trip sounds fine. I mean think about it, we board the ship in San Francisco and then after that we go straight to Honolulu, Hawaii. Mum and dad went there last summer and it's the most amazing place. All these destinations listed in this package are warm places!"
Harry's and Ron's eyes lit up. "Then after Hawaii we go to…" Harry started, trailing his finger down the map to the next place.
"Looks like we'll be spending two days in Hawaii," Hermione commented, finishing Harry's sentence. Ron just watched them in silence. After all, they were the ones with muggle experience. "The next place is Hilo, Hawaii. Then we go to…"
"The Marshall…Islands," Harry continued. Hermione nodded and Ron looked excited. He had never really known much about these places but they sounded very intriguing.
"Oh, these places we're going will all be the wizarding areas so we don't have to worry about running into any strange muggle folk."
Harry and Hermione laughed with each other. "No one could possibly be any stranger than the Dursleys," Harry said lightly, bringing out more giggles from Hermione, and even more from Ron.
"No kidding, mate! So what other places are listed?"
Harry studied the map again. "Sydney, Australia; Wellington, New Zealand; Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Those are all the stops. Looks like the longest we'll be on the ship is three days, traveling from New Zealand to the Bahamas."
Ron shrugged. "As long as I can relax. That's all I care about."
Harry and Hermione smiled. "Well I've got some things to do for the game tomorrow night so I'll catch up
with you two later." Ron said, standing up and picking up his copy of the brochure. "I'll get everything
squared away-"
"Ron, I can do that. I'll be in that part of town today anyway, you know, sorting out some things at my place," Hermione said kindly. Ron smiled and appreciated her initiative to handle everything.
"Thanks a lot. And if you need help with sorting things out, let me know and I'll be right over," he said before throwing his robe over his shoulders to leave.