Disclaimer: I do not own any thing Harry Potter related.
Love Letters
Chapter 2
Harry returned to his room from breakfast the following morning to see Hedwig sitting calmly on his bed, a letter attached to her foot. A grin spread across the teenager's lips as he hurriedly untied the letter. The snowy owl flew to her cage for another nap as she had done the day before. Harry paid no mind to his pet as he quickly read the letter.
Dear Harry,
I'm very glad that you liked the gift. It wasn't much but I'm glad you enjoyed it all the same. Some of the songs are personal favorites of mine. Others I just thought would make you laugh. I knew you must have been having a horrible time. It must be awful to sit around all day and have no one to talk to but an owl. What you need is a good taste of conversation.
How are you, mate? That's wonderful to hear. I'm doing very well thank you. Beautiful day we're having isn't it? Tomorrow they expect rain but I doubt it will come, it's summer after all. Then again, it's always raining here in London, must be why my hair is always a frizzy mess. Oh well, everyone is entitled to bad hair days. Actually I think I'm the exception to 14 years of bad hair days. I must do something about that. What about your hair? I've never seen you with a bad hair day in the four years we've known each other. Aren't you the lucky one? Well anyway, nice chatting with you.
I hope I have ended your thirst for conversation for a little while. Now onto the real letter.
I haven't been up to much of anything this summer. Okay, I'm lying. I've actually been up to quite a lot. That's one of the reasons I haven't written to you or Ron all summer.
I did go to Bulgaria to visit Viktor. I knew both of you didn't like the thought of me leaving but I thought it would be fun. Within one week I was on a plane ride back to London. It was absolutely boring and rather lonely. Viktor was so kind and sweet at Hogwarts, but in Bulgaria, he acted as though I wasn't there. I knew he was famous, but I didn't realize how famous. People followed us everywhere and all he talked about was quidditch this and quidditch that. He sounded much like you and Ron, only worse. He was very, how shall I put this, dull. Very dull.
It wasn't the mobs of people, nor the millions of autographs that I had to wait for him to sign that got to me. He was extremely proud and a tad bit cocky. He simply wasn't the same Viktor you and I met at school. It was almost as if all the fame and publicity got to his head. I left on my own accord. I could not stand one more day with him.
Harry, you completely amaze me. You are far more famous than Viktor will be in thirty lifetimes. I've seen first hand what you go through. You never let any of the fame get to you. You simply take it and make nothing of it. Not many people in this world could do such a thing. I admire that in you, among about everything else.
I think it's about time I should go to bed now. Write soon.
Love From, Hermione
Harry could not wipe the broad smile off his face as he read Hermione's letter over again. Her sense of humor was growing and she was quite funny. He was in dyer need of a laugh. Hermione was always there for him with a kind word or a helpful solution. Harry took out a piece of blank parchment and eagerly began to write her in reply.
Dear Hermione,
I'm sorry you had such a horrible time in Bulgaria. If I had gone with you, maybe I could have evened out the mob factor. If not, I'm sure we could have had a good time together. I don't see why you're amazed with me. I never knew I was famous. I just found out one day. Fame is something I deal with, if it's really fame at all. I'd give it all back to be normal. As for my hair, it's very flattering you think it looks alright. I think of it as an unruly mess. I guess we have something in common.
I felt as though I was experiencing the summer after first year all over again. Neither you nor Ron had written to me. You have no idea how much your letters mean. It's what keeps me sane. Have you heard from Ron? I find it quite a bit odd he hasn't owled me at all. I was supposed to go to the Burrow this summer but nothing has come at all, not even a birthday card or anything. I'm sure he's busy so I'm not too worried. At least I have you to write to again.
Harry paused a moment and read over his letter. He didn't realize how much he missed Hermione. He longed to see her smiling face again or at least hear her voice. A thought struck him and he wrote again.
Remember how I gave you my phone number a few summers ago? You never called. If you still have it, I would do anything for you to call me. I can only write so much. I need someone to really talk to. I have so much on my mind right now with everything going on in our world. I just need you is all. I know you're probably busy with homework or something else but just think about it, please.
Harry stopped again. Was he begging her? He didn't need her that much. But maybe he did. Harry signed the letter and then woke up Hedwig. His owl bitterly took the letter and flew off into the distance, leaving Harry with some more troubling thoughts.
***************************************************************************
"Tonight, is going to be the most important dinner of our lives."
Harry sat groggily at the breakfast table, listening intently to his vicious uncle.
"If I make this deal tonight, we will make a fortune," Uncle Vernon boomed across the table. "My company's drills have never been in such a high demand. If you blow this boy," he spat at Harry, "you will never see the light of day again."
Harry nodded solemnly, knowing that his uncle wasn't kidding.
"Now," Vernon continued, "these people are important. I know we've never liked dentists in the past but today is a new day. They need drills and we need their business. They will be bringing their daughter with them. She's about your age Dudley, so be extra courteous to her, eh my boy?"
Dudley mumbled an agreement and continued poking at the fruit on his plate.
"Harry," Vernon boomed, catching the boy's attention once more, "last time we had a dinner like this, you destroyed it. To keep an eye on you this time around, you will not be in your room. Instead, you will be the doorman, the waiter, the busboy, and the dishwasher. Now I'll repeat, if you screw this up," he threatened, "you're a goner."
"Yes Uncle Vernon," Harry said politely, not meeting his uncle's eye. Vernon went on discussing the evening to no one in particular and within ten minutes, Harry excused himself from the table and made his way back to his room. It had been almost a week since he had written Hermione and he had yet to get a reply. She hadn't called either. He tried not to let this get to him but he couldn't help but think about her more often than usual.
Time flew my amazingly fast that afternoon and before Harry realized it, his Aunt Petunia was throwing him a rented suit.
"Even you have to look nice," she spat, "you have ten minutes. Get ready."
She left Harry alone and he dressed rather quickly. He then made his way down the stairs, muttering to himself how he wished he wasn't there. He then stopped at the door and rehearsed what he was to say.
"Hello, and welcome to the Dursley residence," Harry said with a cheesy smile on his face.
"At least pretend to enjoy yourself," his uncle scolded from the other room.
"I will!" Harry shouted back.
"And do something with that hair!"
Harry sighed as he tried to fix it in the mirror in the entryway. There was no use. He figured that the strangers wouldn't care what he'd look like anyway. It was only going to be for a few hours.
The doorbell interrupted his thoughts and Harry took a breath. He waited a moment and then opened the door, a fake smile on his face. But the second he saw who was at the other side, his smile became genuine.
"Hermione?"