Chapter 2
Hermione certainly wasn't joking. Harry's summer was like a dream, and most of it went by just as quickly. Waking up every afternoon, Harry and Hermione helped themselves to beef and provolone sandwiches or tomato soup--whatever they wanted. Since both were generally clean, Mr. and Mrs. Granger scarcely had a complaint and gladly took them around town after work. They went to the cinema, but the horror movies seemed dull compared to their own lives. They went to creameries and split huge Neapolitan mountains. They walked around malls and outlet stores, and Harry picked up a few new pairs of pants and shirts. Hermione came back one day with a new sun dress, some jeans, and summer tank tops.
Harry tried to pay back the Grangers for taking him everywhere and even buying him movie tickets and clothes. He promised to buy all of Hermione's wizarding books and accessories at Diagon Alley when the time came for a visit, but the Grangers wouldn't have any of it.
"You're our guest, Harry," Mrs. Granger would say with a smile. "You enjoy your summer, we're getting by just fine."
When Harry's birthday came, the Grangers went all out to celebrate. They got up that morning of July and quietly dressed up the house with ribbons in Gryffindor colors. They had ready a large chocolate birthday cake handsomely decorated and neatly covered with seventeen lit candles. Hermione gently woke up Harry in the family room while his parents walked in with the cake singing 'Happy Birthday!'
Harry woke up smiling and when asked to make a wish and blow out the candles, he closed his eyes, wished that the summer could last twice as long, and blew. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had to go to work right after the cutting of the cake, but Harry and Hermione relaxed the rest of the day, and almost got sick of chocolate.
Though Harry had three gifts waiting for him after getting up (a new winter sweater, a leather wand case, and the three volume set of "Contemporary Magic Discoveries"--from Hermione), two more came in at noon. Errol returned with a gift from the Weasleys (a surprisingly nicely woven broom cover), and, to Harry's great relief, a slick black owl came with a bundle and letter from Sirius. Before even looking at the packet, Harry ripped opened the letter and read it out loud to Hermione.
Dear Harry,
Dumbledore has sent word that you have arrived safely. I apologize for keeping silent for so long but I have been busy with a number of risky affairs. Please don't worry, I'm keeping safe, and I want you to keep safe as well. Tell your keepers thank you for their hospitality and enjoy your birthday. It's not every day that a young man turns seventeen. Enjoy the gift and relax the remainder of the summer, you'll have to be sharp when September comes. Love always.
Sirius
With smiles and sighs of relief, the two ripped open the bundle and found within a thick golden chain complemented by a round golden pendant with a lion roaring at its center. A small note attached to it had scrawled on it: "A chain clasp to complete your father's cloak." Harry stood there, eyes gleaming. He wished he could see Sirius again. But that will have to wait after all this darkness ends.
"Did I ever tell you thank you, Harry?" Hermione had suddenly said.
Startled, Harry looked up at her and with a look of confusion said, "What? Why?"
"Well," Hermione blushed slightly. "My summers were never this fun. Aside from one or two family vacations, I'm pretty much stuck at home reading. That's how I can come back to Hogwarts with all my textbooks completely read--twice over. I don't really have any other friends. Before Hogwarts everyone just thought I was strange and they avoided me. It's been nice to finally make friends. And . . . it's been great to spend this summer with my best friend."
Harry smiled and blushed in response, and his face grew beet red when Hermione leaned over and hugged him.
Hermione pulled back with smiling eyes and helped Harry reset his glasses on his nose.
"I'm, uh, I'm glad I came too," Harry finally said. "I'm having a blast."
While the summer was still hot, Harry and Hermione gave the pool a try. Harry finally picked up some blue and black swimming trunks at the mall. With the sun stuck in the center of the sky like a searing yellow chunk of coal, Harry stood at the edge of the pool waiting for Hermione and the towels.
Without warning, he felt a pair of slim hands smack against his back and push him forcefully forward. A wall of cold water hit him flat, and with a slight sting traveling through his chest he shivered back into motion and jerked his head out of the water. He cleared his wild black hair out of his face, reached for his round glasses at the pool's edge and looked up at a giggling Hermione wearing a red and white stripped bikini.
Harry stopped.
Still laughing, Hermione leaned down and said, "I'm sorry, Harry. Did you belly flop?"
Harry felt a ring of cold around his stomach, but his face was warm and a shot of frantic heat coursed up his chest.
"Harry?" Hermione said, sounding more concerned. "Harry, are you alright?"
Harry jumped and shook his head. He wasn't staring was he? What if he was? All that skin. Harry was getting accustomed to the water but he wished it was colder.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he finally said. "Just a little sting."
"Oh," Hermione slid into the pool in front of him. "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to hurt you." She placed her right hand on his chest.
Harry backed away. "No, no really, I'm alright."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely." Harry forced a smile and exhaled heavily out of his nostrils. For good measure, he slapped the surface of the water and splashed Hermione. She screamed and a playful water fight ensued. Crisis averted.
The two went swimming every day after that and Harry became accustomed to seeing Hermione in so little. Almost. Still, he played it off well.
Weeks continued to pass and Harry took a trip to Diagon Ally with the Grangers to get the student's their supplies. As their last year, accessories and books were more expensive, but after a trip to Gringott's everything went well. Harry and the Grangers returned home with seven extra books, a cauldron--standard size 5--, and an astrology chart each.
Two weeks before the return to Hogwarts, Harry still could not avoid Hermione's planned study sessions. They had read through two of their books ("A Revised History of Hogwarts" and "Dark Wizardry in the Middle Ages") before something caught Hermione's notice. Harry thought it might have been the silence, which was solid since noon; all that broke it was a phone call her parents picked up three hours ago.
"Shouldn't dinner be ready?" she said.
Harry, though dazed, looked up at Hermione.
Silently, and with a crinkled brow, Hermione got up from the coach and walked into the hall toward her parent's bedroom. Harry quietly followed.
"Hermione, what are you--"
"Shhh!" Hermione replied severely. She tip-toed up to her parent's closed bedroom door with Harry trailing close behind. Turning their heads and straining ears, they overheard frantic talking.
"I know it's short notice, honey, but he really needs us. Dad could fail us any day now, we have to leave," the voice was Mr. Granger's.
"I know, I know. But what about the kids? We can't just leave them here. Are you sure we don't have enough for two more tickets?" Mrs. Granger held worry in her voice.
"Even if we did, Dad doesn't have enough room at his house to hold all of us and we wouldn't have enough for nights at a hotel. We'll have to be there for at least four days from what the doctors have said."
There was a long silence except for what Harry took as pacing.
"And no one we know can sit for us?"
"Honey, everyone I've called is either out of town or won't be free enough to sit for at least four days. Honestly, they're old enough to watch out for themselves."
"That's not what I'm worried about, Jeremy. I know they're self-sufficient . . . but they're also teenagers."
"Sweetie, really. We're talking about Harry Potter of all people. And we couldn't ask for a daughter who's more level-headed. We've seen how they've acted all summer. They're just friends."
More silence and then a long heavy sigh.
"We have to tell them now."
Hermione's eyes widened and as quickly and quietly as two teenagers can, the two jetted back to the living room to put on a veneer of relaxed study.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger walked slowly into the living room moments later with stoic faces.
Mr. Granger spoke first. "Harry, Hermione . . . we have some bad news."