Harry could hardly contain his excitement as he waited for the Grangers to arrive in their perfectly normal mini-van. His aunt and uncle had reluctantly agreed to allow him to make the trip since Hermione's mother seemed to be normal, wouldn't allow magic, and it would get him out of their house for over a month. The positive of being rid of him outweighed the negative of his actually enjoying his summer holiday. He had his trunk packed and Hedwig's cage sitting next to it. A bath towel was draped over the cage so she would be quiet and to disguise her as he transported her to the van. Petunia figured that anyone who happened to see him with a large covered cage would assume he had a budgie. That was a normal enough pet.
The plan was that he would stay with the Grangers a few days before they left for New Orleans. They would pick him up, impress their bland normalcy upon the Dursleys, and then return to Hermione's home.
It seemed to take forever for that mini-van to arrive on Privet Drive, but Harry was elated when it finally did. All the Dursleys were dressed in their finest clothes and they'd bought Harry a pair of jeans and two shirts from a second hand shop that almost fit. Dudley's clothes were so large now that Harry could have used them for bedclothes more efficiently than for himself. He was wearing the jeans and a green button-down shirt. He was glad he wouldn't look like a bag lady when he met Hermione's parents.
Harry answered the door almost before Hermione had a chance to press the bell. She enveloped him in a hug the moment she saw him. Harry squeezed her tightly, finding the scent of her hair made him feel like he was home. He broke away, a bit embarrassed that the Dursleys were watching and judging. Behind Hermione were a tall, lean woman with short bushy brown hair and a shorter man with black hair. Both were dressed in power-suits. "Come in, please." Harry motioned them inside.
"This is my, uh, family," he said in an overly polite manner. Hermione knew the word family was as fake as a wooden knut. "This is my Aunt Petunia, my mother's sister. This is Uncle Vernon and my cousin Dudley."
"Nice to meet you all," Hermione said softly as she extended her hand to each of them. She was taken aback at the sheer size of the two male Dursleys. If she allowed herself to think about how she'd noticed Harry always came back from summer looking as though he'd lost weight, it would have made her very angry. She turned those thoughts off, not allowing herself to fume. Normal. Normal. Normal. She repeated her mantra. She too was wearing jeans and a soft pink t-shirt with white trainers.
All of them were eyeing her closely, particularly Dudley. It was unnerving, really. She didn't like being looked at that way.
Hermione turned to her own parents. "These are my parents John and Jane Granger."
"It's so nice to finally meet you Mrs. Dursley," Jane said, offering her hand. "You're every bit as lovely as you sound over the phone." Well, she was. "And what a beautiful home!" Jane continued. She extended a parcel to Petunia. "Just a little gift."
"Why, thank you," Petunia practically stuttered as she took the box.
"Well, go on, open it!" Jane said excitedly.
"Um, yes, of course," Petunia tore at the paper and revealed a box of chocolates.
"They're sugar free, of course. Better for the teeth that way--not to mention the hips, you know," she giggled like a school girl. "I hope you'll enjoy them."
"They're wonderful," Petunia said. Dudley was eyeing them already. He didn't care if they were sugar free-they were still better than apples.
John Granger had pulled Vernon to the side and was asking him about his business affairs. It was obvious to Harry that the Grangers knew how to work a room. He loved them instantly.
Harry took Hermione to the side, by the staircase, to talk with her privately. "Thank you so much," he said. He had one hand on her arm, just making comfortable contact.
She smiled at him and then noticed the door. "What's in there?" she asked.
"Oh, that's my cupboard." It was odd that he still thought of it as his cupboard. He hadn't had to sleep there in a few years now. But it was the only thing that ever felt like it was really his in this house.
"Oh," she said sadly. Harry's having to sleep in a cupboard until he was eleven was another of those things she couldn't afford to think about at the moment, otherwise she would fly into a rage and probably hex the whole Dursley clan. She knew quite a few good ones, afterall. Normal. Normal. Normal, she started again.
The Grangers and Dursleys talked pleasantly for a few more minutes before Mr. Granger turned to the kids and announced that they should be running along. It would take two hours to drive home. They thanked the Dursleys for their hospitality, assured them that Harry would be perfectly safe in their care, and helped him load his things into the van.
Harry and Hermione got into the back seat and fastened their seat-belts. Harry didn't even wave goodbye as the van left Privet Drive.