Summer at the Burrow
Author's Note: It came to a vote and Summer at the Burrow won, this story is a tale about Hermione's first stay at the Burrow. She comes to realize Ron means more to her than she expected. Set after the Prisoner of Askaban and before the Goblet of Fire. Hermione/Ron. Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J.K. Rowling.
I was frantically throwing things into my trunk to finish packing. I was leaving today to visit with Ron and the rest of the Weasley clan. The Quidditch World Cup is in a week and Mr. Weasley invited Harry and I to go along. Only being home for a month, I realized how much I missed magic, Hogwarts, Harry and Ron. I've even finished all my summer assignments which won't make Ron to happy because I promised him that we would do it together once I made it to the Burrow.
I had never stayed at the Burrow before, never stayed in a magical home before either. I was excited to get there, see what else the magical world had in store for me. At last as I placed my summer assignments in my trunk, I was done packing. I sighed, looking around my nearly empty room. It was lonely here. No Ron or Harry. No Hogsmeade. No Quidditch matches. No tea in the afternoon with Hadgrid. Every summer, my home felt less than my home. I felt out of place here.
Thumping down the stairs, I made my way to the kitchen. My Mum and Dad were looking through a copy of the Daily Prophet which I thought would make them feel closer to the magical world that I loved so much.
"You ready to go dear?" My Mum asked, placing her cup of tea on the counter.
"Whenever you are." My Dad stood and gave my a tight squeeze.
"Minny, you be the brightest witch you can be this year." My Dad had always called me Minny since I started primary school. A tradition, I am glad he keeps even if he doesn't get to see me off each day like he used to. "I'm sorry I can take you to the Leaky Cauldron and see you off." I understood, he had patients to attend to this morning.
"I love you Dad." I tightened my grip around him before wheeling my trunk to the car.
We reached the ever so familiar Leaky Cauldron in no time at all. The Leaky Cauldron gave any the shivers with its blackened windows and mold ridden black wood paneling, it would give anyone the sense to turn around and walk away. The building loomed over the rest of the street, but was slanted so terribly that it looked as if with one large gust of wind, it would topple over.
"Hermione, did you remember everything? Do you have your jumper? Your wand? Have you got enough money to be alright?" Mum's questions spilled out of her mouth in a flurry.
"Yes, yes, of course, yes, and don't worry I am your daughter after all." Smiling, she gave my a hug with enough force to crack a rib. "I love you Mum, I'll write." With that I rolled my trunk into the Leaky Cauldron.
Much like the exterior, the interior of the Leaky Cauldron wasn't all too inviting. Witches and wizards sat cloaked in dark, dank corners. Leering and sneering as I rolled my trunk further into the pub. At least Mr. Weasley was sitting there with a warm smile, waiting for me.
"If it isn't Hermione Granger! Ready for the World Cup?" My head bobbed in agreement. "Well you'll have to wait till next week, for now the Burrow is more than ready for your arrival." He escorted me to the fireplace. With emerald green flames engulfing us, we left the Leaky Cauldron behind and welcomed the Burrow.
The Burrow was brilliant, pots and pans moved about the kitchen washing and putting themselves away, knitting needles looped and threaded itself as it knitted the next Weasley jumper, and cakes and sweets were covering themselves in icing and sprinkles. It was magical and in the middle of the fantastic madness, Mrs. Weasley stood. "Mrs. Weasley, I brought you a surprise!" She turned around, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Oh, Hermione, you are finally here! Ron hasn't stopped talking about you or your visit since he got home from school!" She hugged me with as much force as my mother.
"Really, Mum, let the girl breath." She released me and there stood Ron, a grin across his freckled face and a blush to match. I went to hug him, he had grown since I had last seen him. His hair was still the same fiery red, but he let it grow shaggy and hang in his eyes. He also grew into his face, his ears and nose finally looked like they belong, his boyish cheeks smaller and his chin more pronounced. Not to mention his change in height, he had to grow at least a foot since school and most of all his baby fat had disappeared and was replaced by lean muscle. I felt blush creep across my own face and I released him.
"Ron, you are so tall now." That was all I could say without my blush deepening.
"Hermione look at you!" It was true, I too had changed after school let out. I finally took a brush to my bushy mane, not that it was easy to control it. I eventually had to try my hand at some smoothing concoction. My hair was considerably smaller now, but I had to keep up the maintenance or risk having a bushy mop of hair. I also grew taller not as noticeable as Ron's height and I didn't have a baby face anymore, I was starting to look like a "young lady" as my Dad would say.
"Why don't you take Hermione up to her room?" Mrs. Weasley went back to her kitchen and the wonders she was making.
"When is Harry getting here?" I asked as Ron started up the stairs with my trunk.
"Harry won't be here till a day before the World Cup." My ears burned to hear this. This meant Ron and I would be alone for a week.
"Where is Ginny, Fred and George?" I noticed that there was no one else around.
"They are outside playing Quidditch." He pulled the trunk up further, the stairs turning about the vast house.
"Why aren't you playing?" I helped him get my trunk up the last few steps.
"I wanted to wait till you got here." My face turned red, but it went unnoticed due to Ron's own red face.
Author's Note: I am going to stop here, because I have decided this will be a multiple chapter story. Lots of cute Romione moments to come, I'll post a new chapter soon.