Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, except for the lovely posters all over my wall!!!
AN: Here is another attempt I hope everyone likes it, feel free to comment, as they are always welcome.
Chapter One: The Beginning
The soft pitter-patter of rain hitting my window woke me up from a dreamless sleep. I rolled over in my worn down bed, clutching the covers to my body tightly. The light from outside my window at Number 4 Privet Drive, shown into the foggy window casting an iridescent glow all around my room. I wanted to go back to sleep, I was groggy and exhausted, sleepless nights plagued me often. Dreams of Voldemort and my parents were often visitors in my mind, Sirius also. My Godfather had been special to me, I had only spent the better part of two years getting to know him, but I loved him, now he was gone and my heart yearned for him. Something that disconcerted me was a recent dream I had been having.
I was at Hogwarts sitting in my plush chair in the Gryffindor common room with my two best friends Ron and Hermione, surrounding me. Suddenly they scoot closer to each other and start snogging each other right in front of me.
Now they had gotten together the previous year, our sixth year, and I had been absolutely fine with it. But the feelings that inhabited my body when I had this dream startled me. It was jealousy. But why would I be jealous? It's not like I was attracted to Ron or anything. The thought of me being to attracted to Ron was enough to make me chuckle aloud. Now you are just being stupid Harry. I heard Rons voice say to me. Why is it when my subconscious always talks to me, its always him?
I rolled over and looked at the alarm clock on my desk. The time read nearly five thirty in the morning. I suppose it wasn't too early to start the day. I threw the covers back and rolled out of bed. My feet hit the frigid floor and I thanked the Gods above for small favors. The heat in my room was becoming unbearable, the summer storms doing nothing to cease the torrid temperature in my bedroom. I walked quickly over to my armoire, the brisk walk across my small room causing sweat droplets to spring up on my forehead. I opened the door and caught sight of myself in the mirror.
I had definitely grown in the past few months. At the end of sixth year I was a gawky skinny kid, my hair didn't stay where I wanted it to, and my glasses seemed to big for my face. Now living with the Dursleys' I didn't put on much weight, as they didn't ever feed me as much as they fed their precious Duddikins, but I seemed to have grown into what I did have and I was becoming quite muscular. I quickly stripped out of my nightshirt and stood in front of the mirror now in my knickers. My arms had definitely bulked up as well as my legs, but what I was really proud of was the obvious structure of my abdomen now. Six years of Quidditch had clearly helped me out quite a bit.
I dressed swiftly throwing on a pair or jeans with holes in the knees and one of Duddly's old shirts. I grabbed my glasses and in between searching for socks put them on my face, reveling in the sight I was automatically granted. After putting shoes and socks on, I hurried downstairs to make breakfast for the only people I loathed more than Voldemort.
"Boy, why haven't you gotten me my paper?" Vernon Dursley roared as he sat down to a breakfast of fried eggs, some sausage's and more than a few crumpets.
"I haven't had the time, if you hadn't noticed I was busy making you and your family breakfast."
Uncle Vernons' face purpled at the comment, but he kept his tiny little mouth shut. Just then Dudley came thundering into the kitchen, his voluminous body taking a seat at the kitchen table. Aunt Petunia came flitting in right after him, cooing something about how handsome her little Dudders looked.
Taking the time now that the entire family was in the kitchen I decided to go get the paper from the front lawn.
I could hear Uncle Vernons' voice screaming something about 'if his paper was wet from my negligence then I was going to get a thrashing so bad I wont be able to sit for a week'. I rolled my eyes, but somewhere deep inside me, I knew his threat was not empty. They all now knew that my godfather, whom they have feared, was now dead. They held it over my head and used it to their advantage if they ever wanted to black mail me into anything.
At first the feeling of losing Sirius had been quite unbearable indeed. The thought of finally being able to leave this horrid house where these people who were forced to be my relatives took care of me only because of a technicality was a dream come true, and then to have it all ripped away so suddenly was enough to kill. For more than a few weeks I was unreachable. I didn't talk to anyone, not even Ron and Hermione. I suppose that was how they ended up together. While I was wallowing in my own self-pity, my two best friends were also in pain, and I wasn't there to help, so they turned to one another. Of course I was happy for the two of them, they deserve to be happy.
I picked up the newspaper and whispered a prayer that it wasn't wet at all. I then turned around and began walked up the walkway back to the house. All of a sudden I stopped, a feeling I hadn't felt since Sirius was alive was suddenly overwhelming me. I felt loved. I didn't know where it was coming from, but it was exactly what I needed. It gave me enough strength to walk back into that house and put a smile on my face, even when facing the cruel remarks from the only family I had ever known.
- - - -
Right at that moment Pigwidgeon, Rons' hyperactive owl was flying through the air, from the burrow on his way to Hermione. He carried with him a letter that could possible change her life forever.
The tiny owl landed with quite a loud thud for such a bitty bird, right onto Hermiones' desk. Hermione, who was still lazing about in bed lifted her head and smiled at the sight of her boyfriend's pygmy owl.
"C'mere Pig." She said adoringly, eyeing Crookshanks at the end of her bed making sure he wasn't going to pounce the minute the little owl landed on her.
Pigwidgeon fluttered over to her side and stuck out his leg, which adorned a letter with Rons' familiar scrawl on it. She unwrapped the piece of parchment and began reading the letter to herself. Upon finishing the letter her face broke out into an uncontrollable grin and she flew out of her bed. Gathering bits and pieces of clothing she managed to dress herself in under a minute and dashed out of her room still clutching the letter in her hand.
She entered the kitchen to find her mom sipping a piping hot cup of coffee and reading the morning newspaper.
"Mum!" Hermione said hardly able to contain her excitement.
Her mother glanced up and noticed the piece of wadded parchment in her daughters' hand.
"Letter from Ron then?" she answered before Hermione could even get the words out.
"Yes…" Hermione began.
"And he wants you to come stay with them for the rest of the summer?" her mother guessed again.
Hermione slightly blushed at her mother knowing things so well, but nodded her head nonetheless.
"Well I suppose you'd better start packing, hadn't you?" a grin broke out on her mothers face, and Hermione squealed.
She leaned down and planted a kiss on her mothers cheek before bolting out of the room and back up the stairs. Slamming her door she leaned back against it a large excited breath escaped her, but then also a feeling of unease came over her. She re-read the letter, this time she didn't smile, but frowned. When did things become so difficult for her?
She cared for Ron, but she couldn't get a certain emerald-eyed friend of hers out of her mind. Harry had been quite distant at the end of the previous year and she worried about him, but her relationship with Ron had just begun and it took her mind off of him for awhile. But over the summer her mind had been aloud to wander to Harry, and how he was being treated. Her heart always went out to him when she thought about how those horrible relatives treat him.
Deciding that there would be time for her to think about Harry another time she began packing up her trunk with clothes and her school supplies. Her mind no matter how hard she tried remained on Harry though. She felt as if she were betraying her boyfriend by thinking about him, but the truth was, her relationship with Ron felt a little weird to her.
Just then her mother knocked on the door announcing that Ron and his father had just flooed over and were waiting for her downstairs. She acknowledged her mother and continued packing quickly. A few minutes later she heard a knock at her door and Ron stepped in.
"Ron, what are you doing? I was just on my way down." Hermione said as Ron walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist giving her a huge bone crushing hug.
"I just couldn't stand to not see you any longer. And I wanted to get a glimpse of Hermione Grangers' room." He smiled, showing off his alabaster teeth. his goofy grin caused Hermione to break out into a giant smile as well.
Ron then planted a kiss on her lips, shocking Hermione. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth turned into a surprised "O". It had been almost a month since Ron had kissed her and she still wasn't used to the fact that he was going to do that now that he was her boyfriend. She smiled at him then planted a small kiss on his lips in return. She then pulled away and returned to packing.
"Have you sent an owl to Harry?" she asked nonchalantly.
She could sense the tenseness between them suddenly but continued putting her books away.
"Not yet I haven't" Ron sounded almost defeated. "I'll write him right now though, just send Pig out again." He walked over to her desk and took out a quill and piece of parchment.
Hermione picked up on Rons' immediate attitude change, but she couldn't do anything about it. She knew he was constantly jealous of Harry, especially the relationship she had with him, but that was something she was going to have to talk with him about obviously.
She heard Ron scribbling a letter to Harry then he attached it to Pigs leg and shooed him out the window telling him to take it to Harry. Afterwards he grabbed Hermiones' trunk and with her trailing behind holding tightly onto Crookshanks the descended the stairs together. Before the reached the sitting room, she grabbed Ron by the arm, he turned around with a scowl plastered on his face. Hermione smiled at him, her warm grin permeating his foul mood. He sheepishly broke into a smile, a slight blush flooding his cheeks.
"Ron, you're my boyfriend. Not him." Was all she said before kissing Ron on the lips lightly.
He pulled her into a hug at her statement and in the process crushing Crookshanks. He loved the way she felt in his arms, all warm and cozy. Her scent drifted up into his nostrils and he breathed it all in, loving every minute of it.
"I know 'Mione, I know."
Hermione smiled as Ron pulled her into another hug. She knew she was Rons' girlfriend and she was happy about it. But if she was so ecstatic about her and Ron dating, why could she not get Harry Potter out of her mind?