Disclaimer: I do not; I repeat; do NOT own Harry Potter. I own the plot, the band and any characters that have not appeared in the books.
Author Note: My first fan fic posted! Yay! Be gentle! It takes place in their sixth year summer when they are about to go back for the seventh year.
Dear Hermione,
I'm in Africa! Saw an Elephant yesterday. It was massive; Indian so I believe. Sirius and I named it Bungo because it kept getting food stuck in its trunk!
How is it at Ron's? For his sake, I hope him and Lavender are enjoying themselves. I'll have the water hose on them when I get back.
I've missed you all. It's so great being out here, in the sun and the stars at night. I'll have to bring you and Ron out here someday. It's so gorgeous.
I've got another week until my trip ends. Sirius and I will be apparating straight from Tokyo's apparating area. We're ending the trip with Japan. I'll bring you something back. You do like sushi right? Hey…I'm laughing! Being with Sirius so long has affected me.
Laughing hysterically as you finish reading this,
Love from,
Harry
Hermione closed the letter, laughing a little and sighing.
Lavender was drinking coffee on the other end of the table. The two girls were the only ones up this early. Ginny, Mr Weasley and Mrs Weasley, Percy and the twins were in Romania visiting Bill. She noticed Hermione's dreamy expression.
"How's Harry?" Lavender asked smiling into her cup. Hermione placed the folded letter back into the envelope.
"He's fine," Hermione replied pouring some coffee into an empty mug.
"Where is he now?"
"Africa."
"How long until he gets back?"
"Another week," Hermione sighed. Lavender chuckled at the sigh.
"You missing him?"
Hermione nodded sadly as she spooned sugar into her cup and added milk to the dark substance.
"When are you going to tell him you like him?" Lavender asked smiling happily. "I mean, all you do is go on about how 'great' Mr Potter is and how you'd love to be Blaise or Parvati or Cho."
Hermione just looked at her friend with an eyebrow cocked as she took a sip of her drink. "Your point being?"
Lavender nearly slammed her cup onto the table. "My point is that you are undeniably in puppy dog love mode around the green eyed god. Plus, Cho isn't going to be around this year. Wood's signed her up for the Chudley Cannons so…you'll have Mr Potter all to yourself."
"His eyes are emerald; not just green," Hermione corrected before sipping her coffee again. Hermione looked somewhat hopeful but she knew that even if she declined, Ron and Lavender would do all in their power to bring them together. Great Gods had they tried. For the past year, even when Harry was dating Cho, they'd left them alone at the Three Broomsticks; pushed them into empty classrooms and locked them in there and tripped them over onto one another. Hermione knew that Ron would never give up and Lavender would never run out of ideas.
"He'll have his eye on Blaise again this year." Hermione replied with a small sigh. What she would give to be Blaise.
Lavender scoffed. "You gotta be kidding me! Blaise might like him but he's intent on just being friends with her."
Hermione held back a smile. She knew it would just give Lavender an edge. "There are 20 girls in our year alone… that makes 40 because he goes after the sevenths and sixes. He'll find someone else…"
Lavender exhaled loudly. "If you keep thinking like that you're never going to get him. Think of it this way. He's prepping himself for you so he can give you the best experience of a lifetime. Isn't that a nicer way of thinking about it?"
"If I thought that it was completely untrue that he just thought of me as a friend then it would be quite a pleasant…if not rather sickening…thought."
Lavender smiled wistfully. "That's the spirit."
Hermione decided that now was the time to change the subject a little. The talk of Harry was beginning to make her miss him more.
"How long have you and Ron been going out now?" Hermione asked, turning to Lavender and taking a sip of a freshly brewed beverage.
Lavender looked casually at her watch. "Two months, three weeks and three glorious hours."
"Wow…even on the hours now. You must really like him."
"I do. I do." She sighed a little. "Kind of like how you like Harry."
Lavender ducked to find a hand flying at her.
"Oh yeah, I forgot. It's not like, it's love!"
Hermione just laughed. "You are impossible you know."
"I know."
The two girls continued their conversation. They passed all sorts of subjects like what they would be taking next year; if Professor Snape's hair were really that greasy; what would happen if the muggle world found out about magic. The topics really didn't stop spewing.
Suddenly, Pig came flying in the window and nearly collapsed onto the dinning table. He looked completely exhausted. Lavender stroked his belly softly as Hermione took the Daily Prophet and the mail from his talons.
"You beautiful aren't you?" Lavender asked Pig. Pig stood up and fluttered then began to nip at her fingers affectionately giving off small hoots every now and then.
Hermione sorted through the mail. She put all the Weasley's mail on one side and handed Lavender a large letter. Lavender opened it and held it over the table. A letter and a magazine fell out.
She picked up the letter first and read it through. Hermione was tickling Pig and giving him some Owl Treats.
"I've got a new subscription to The Witches Weekly," Lavender stated. She picked up the magazine and smiled wickedly. She handed it to Hermione.
"You might want this," Hermione took it and stared shocked at the front cover.
It read, "Life-size photo gallery of the top ten most Sexist Males!"
She flicked through the pages until she came to the article. As if on auto-pilot, Hermione scanned the index of pictures until she found…at number two…Harry Potter.
Lavender laughed. "Found what you're looking for?"
Hermione laughed with her friend and grinned. "You know you wanna look too."
"I do actually."
Hermione opened Harry's Page and the picture unfolded itself. It strung itself from the ceiling. It was Harry leaning against the side of the portrait in a side-shot pose. It was full length of his body. He was wearing deep blue jeans and a white T-shirt. The T-shirt didn't leave much to the imagination. His pecks and abdomen were clearly toned and muscular. Lavender could now see why Hermione and almost every other girl swooned over him. She had at one time and had gone out with him, but the mutual decision was that it wasn't meant to be. Harry really couldn't look more innocent in the picture. He had the 'innocent' expression on his face, which made him look sexy…very sexy indeed. His scar was visible but not much. His eyes were looking directly into the camera so he was watching you wherever you turned.
Lavender and Hermione gaped in awe.
"Wow…" Hermione stated smiling mischievously.
"I didn't know he could look THAT good," Lavender giggled.
The caption at the bottom was about him and his life in the wizarding world. Lavender read it aloud.
"Harry James Potter; also known as The-Boy-Who-Lived; is loved throughout the Wizarding World. He is the only person ever to survive the Avada Kedavra curse from You-Know-Who. He is also the singer and Guitar player of the band Etched in Stone, playing at Hogsmeade in upcoming weeks. This sixteen-year-old attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He plays Seeker for their Gryffindor House. His favourite colour is blue and he enjoys Quidditch, Music and Wizard chess.
In an interview with The Witches Weekly a few months ago, he stated that his best friends are Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. He quoted 'If they weren't there…I don't know what I'd do.' The matter of his love interest is quoted as 'a closely guarded secret between him and his heart.'"
"Wasn't he going out with Cho before the summer?" Lavender asked still eyeing the picture.
Hermione looked absolutely enthralled by the very handsome picture of her love -interest. "Yeah. So?"
Lavender tapped Hermione softly on the head. "It says here that his 'love interest' is a closely guarded secret."
"So?"
Lavender sighed loudly. "Are you being dense this morning just to be awkward?"
"Hey! Being dense takes effort for me. It doesn't just come naturally you know." Hermione laughed.
"Clever," Lavender replied. "Don't you think he would've mentioned Cho if she was his interest?"
Hermione felt a flicker of hope for a moment, but only for a moment. "Don't let it get to your head, Lav. It was probably just making him sound more cute or single."
"You have no hope do you?" Lavender smiled jokingly.
"Nope…none at all." Hermione was already getting the enchanted picture to roll itself up.
"Do you want it?" Lavender asked slyly.
"Want what?"
"That picture."
"I don't see why not. I'll never get the real thing in my bedroom."
"Don't be daft! By Christmas, you too will be all over each other."
Hermione scoffed. "Now who's being daft?"
Lavender raised her hands in a mock surrender. "Fine, if you don't believe me I won't force you too. Just remember, at the Yule Ball, when he kisses you, remember that I told you so."
Hermione smiled at the thought of it. That would be perfect. At the Yule Ball together.
~*~
The week went by quickly. Ron and Lavender were all over each other as usual. Their days were mostly filled with Hermione and Lavender showing Ron around all the Muggle places. They went shopping in London centre and visited the cinemas. Ron loved the Museums. At the end, he wanted one of the old Cavalier swords.
They occasionally went swimming and the funniest thing was watching Ron get beaten up by a Garden Gnome.
The girls sat on Hermione's bed painting each other's nails. The picture of Harry hung on the wall. Hermione had to use Ginny's bedroom. Ginny didn't mind. She'd asked for Hermione to use her bedroom, as she was sure Ron would search her things if Hermione weren't there.
"I don't know why you girls do that," Ron asked from the doorway.
Hermione scoffed. "Why? You do!" The girls giggled a little.
"Don't be dense!" Ron hugged Lavender from behind and sat down on the bed with them.
"Hey, love," Lavender kissed his cheek as he kissed her forehead.
He looked at Hermione. "Harry's back tomorrow."
"I know," Hermione sighed and concentrated on painting Lavender's nails.
He winked at Lavender. "So why don't you give him a big hug when he comes in tomorrow?"
"Because if I do, you'll get jealous," Hermione smiled. Lavender chuckled a little.
Ron put his hand to his head dramatically. "If you must take him from me do it quickly." The girls giggled at his silliness.
"Our last year, girls," Ron recalled drifting into memories. "No more studying after our N.E.W.T.S. You excited?"
"Of course I am," Hermione smiled painting some more red onto Lavender's nails. "I am determined to enjoy my last year."
Ron looked drawn back as he clutched at his chest. "Hermione! Blasphemer!" Lavender and Ron burst into hysterics. Hermione just gave him a 'whatever' look.
"No really. I want to enjoy my last year and not get stressed out like I have done every single year! If it's not about my exams it's about schoolwork. If it's not about schoolwork it's about you and Harry! I just need a year to chill out and my last year is the perfect opportunity!"
"Good for you. I, however, am going to take up the position of Chaser for Gryffindor."
"Great! So I take it, Harry finally offered you the job?"
"Like he has a choice. I'm his best friend."
"So he hasn't then?"
Lavender took the bottle from Hermione and started to paint swirls onto Hermione's fingernails, "Of course he hasn't. He hasn't had time to ask him."
"He will. Kelly's gone and left Harry in charge so of course he is going to ask me." He chuckled and readjusted the pillows beneath him. "You girls are really into that finger painting stuff aren't you?"
"Leave if you don't like it," Lavender stated smiling.
"Doesn't it bore you?"
"Not really. Looking nice is something to be proud of not a chore," Hermione exclaimed grinning widely.
"Really? Then why does it take you at least two hours to get ready if we're going out to Hogsmeade?"
"Because we want to look gorgeous not just nice and to look gorgeous takes time." Lavender sighed and moved to Hermione's other foot.
"Alright, whatever. Anybody hear? Harry's taking up a new sport this year."
"Really? What?"
"Bird watching." A grin the size of the Nile spread widely across Ron's face. Hermione smirked and tried to swat him with her backhand. "Not just any bird though."
"The Hermione bird. It's a very rare find in Hogwarts. One of a kind some say." Lavender giggled at her statement.
"You're both against me!" Hermione flung her arms up in the air.
"Flap your wings then, birdie!" Ron teased and narrowly missed being hit over the head by Hermione's pillow.
"Don't start with me this evening, Weasley," she smirked.
"Why?" he asked smiling from ear to ear.
"Women's stuff. Nothing you men would understand." Lavender replied.
"Oh right."
"Ruddy well 'Oh right'. You try bleeding continuously for a week."
"Don't want to."
"Don't blame you."
The girls laughed. Ron kissed Lavender quickly before retreating to the safety of his bedroom.
"Men," Lavender sighed.
"They're not all bad," Hermione replied.
Lavender looked up at her friend and smirked. "Name one male whom you haven't thrown a 'men!' tantrum at in Hogwarts."
Hermione thought silently but counted them out on her fingers. Out of the twelve she'd dated, not one of them had resulted in her saying something completely nice about them. With everyone she'd compared them to Harry.
"Thought so," Lavender smiled obviously commenting on Hermione's prolonged thinking silence. "You just come into the girls dorm after each date and shout 'men!' Honestly Herm, you either have to get Harry or get over him."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked looking at her friend.
"You've said it yourself about every one of the twelve males you dated."
"Give me an example."
"Okay," Lavender sat up straight and put the bottle of red liquid on the bedside table. She counted them off on her fingers. "With Dean, you said that he was too short for you and Harry was much taller."
"That's one."
"With Seamus, you said that his hair was too long and not short like Harry's which was just the right size and actually looked sexy. With Justin, I'll forgive you because he was a git but you still said that he wasn't as nice and caring as Harry was. With Terry, you said he was too dense and Harry was way smarter and you could at least have an intellectual conversation with Harry. With Neville, you said he was just not your type…you wanted someone more like Harry. With Jack…"
Hermione waved her hands up in submission. "Okay, okay, I get it."
"Good!" Lavender smiled one of her 'I told you so' looks. "Just remember what I said about the Yule Ball. If it comes true I'm taking up a career as a Divination Professor."
"It'll suit you," Hermione stifled a giggle.
Lavender smiled sarcastically and narrowed her eyes playfully. "I'm taking the advanced level this year. What are you doing?"
"Advanced Arithmacy."
"Ooh goody!" Lavender exclaimed sarcastically and raised her hands to her temples. She closed her eyes and rubbed the sides of her head with her index fingers. "I predict that you will…graduate with flying colours in Arithmacy."
Hermione smacked her friend jokingly on the arm. "I hope so. If I fail now I'm blaming it on you, Professor Trelawney."
"It's okay, McGonagall."
"That was uncalled for."
"Alright. I wonder if Harry will still fancy you if you look like Professor McGonagall?"
Hermione shook her head in disgust. "Thanks for the mental image Lav!"
Lavender chuckled. "No problem!"
She let out a huge yawn and stretched her arms up above her head. "Alright, I'm shattered. I'm off to bed."
Lavender stood and walked to the door. "Pleasant dreams of Harry, Herm!" She called as she left.
She continued down the corridor and shut Fred and George's door on the way. The mischief those two came up with was bound to have a funny smell or something so it was better off left in there.