AN: I'm apologizing before hand in case the characters seem out-of-character. This is my first real Harry Potter fic (outside poetry) and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it's recieved. Also, I have to note that I don't know exactly when in the series this takes place. In fact, it doesn't really have a place. It's more AU than cannon in that way, I guess. Not quite AU... I'm rambling. Sorry. Just trying to sort it all out in my own poor throbbing head. Any way, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter One: Grangers and Weasleys

Hermione,

Good news! Mum and Dad agreed on when you and Harry can come to the Burrow! They were thinking about the week of Harry's birthday, if that sounds about right to you. Bill, Charlie and the twins sent an owl each, and they didn't make any promises, but they might show up while you're staying. That is, if your parents let you, of course. If not, we might have to connect your fireplace to the Floo Network for a day. We're going to be in Diagon Alley this Friday to pick up school things, so try to meet us there. I've written to Harry, but not sure if he'll make it out of the house with those Muggles around (no offence, Mr. and Mrs. Granger!). Send an owl soon, before my parents change their minds!

Hoping you can make it,
Ron

Hermione's hand was absent-mindedly stroking Pig's feathers as she read the short letter. Not that Ron's letters were usually as loquacious as she'd like. But she smiled nonetheless. She re-read the last few lines three more times before Pig nipped her finger in anticipation. She gasped slightly, recoiling from the tiny owl and dropping the letter to the ground. Giving a stern look at Ron's miniature owl, she took up the letter and began walking down the stairs to the kitchen, where she could hear her parents breakfasting. Pig landed on her shoulder with a strangled hoot and began hopping around madly.

"Honestly, Pigwidgeon, if you can't control yourself, I'll write a mile-long letter and make you carry it all the way to the Burrow." For a moment, the thought that she wouldn't mind writing a mile-long letter to Ron crossed her mind, but she shook her head. But it had certainly calmed Pig a few degrees. Quickly, like the pace of her heart, Hermione shuffled down the stairs and turned into the kitchen. The smell of bacon and slightly burnt toast filled her senses, and she knew that her father had cooked breakfast. Her mother looked up as she entered the room, and a glittering smile met their only daughter.

"Good morning, Hermione!" Mrs. Granger said before she added another slab of butter to her toast. "My, you're up early..." Her eyes, so much like Hermione's, traveled to the excited owl on her shoulder. "And I see you've brought a friend, too! Would he like some toast?" Mrs. Granger pulled a bit of crust off of her buttered toast and lay it gently on the table near Pig. He hooted and leapt from Hermione's shoulder, consuming the scraps as if he had not eaten for days.

"And what has Ron sent you this morning?" Mr. Granger asked as he moved away from the sink, where he was washing his plate. Hermione smiled and looked to where Pig was gnawing on the bread crust. Was it unusual that her parents knew exactly who had sent her something just by the owl? No, it wasn't. Pig wasn't a normal owl, and Ron was a normal boy either. Birds of a feather....

"Actually, he's sent me an invitation," Hermione answered as she pulled up the chair next to her mother and sat, showing Mrs. Granger the parchment with Ron's scratchy handwriting on it. Mrs. Granger's smile lit up at the mention of her name. "I think we'll be throwing a bit of a party for Harry." Mr. Granger chuckled softly.

"I was wondering when he'd be inviting you back over, Hermione," he said as he sat down across from his daughter. Strangely, Hermione felt a raw blush rise to her cheeks, which she tried to hide by leaning forward onto the table with her elbows and resting her face in her hands.

"What do you mean, Dad?" She asked innocently.

"Well, that boy sends invitations nearly every summer, and even if you couldn't join him, he's sent you an owl at least every week." He exchanged a glance with his wife, whose eyes sparkled mysteriously. Hermione looked nervously around at her parents.

"What?" When they didn't answer, she asked again. "What?"

"Nothing, dearest," Mr. Granger said, that smile still lighting his face. He took the parchment from Mrs. Granger and looked it over quickly. His eyes hovered on the bottom of the letter for a few moments, then he looked up at his wife. "Well, dear, what do you suppose we should do?"

"Hermione has been doing all of her chores..."

"And helping around the house..."

"And cleaning up after Crookshanks..."

"Does that mean that I can go?" Hermione asked quickly, glancing from one adult to the other. Mr. Granger rolled up the parchment and handed it back to Hermione.

"I have a deal to make with you," her father said to her, his eyes alive with thought. "You write back to Ron, tell him that we will meet his family as we always have in Diagon Alley, and you promise me," his voice became grave, "that you will buy an extraordinary gift for Harry." Hermione sighed in relief. Before her parents could say anything more, or perhaps change their minds, Hermione was out of her seat, Pig grasped firmly in her hand.

"Thank you Mum! Thank you Dad!" She was dashing up the stairs, and she had already shut her door and pulled out a spare piece of parchment and quill before she noticed that she was squeezing the life out of poor Pigwidgeon. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Pig!" She said profusely, helping to un-ruffle the small owl's feathers. It seemed as though he soon forgot the incident, however, as he began zooming around Hermione's room, avoiding the paws of Crookshanks. Dipping her quill in her relatively new bottle of purple ink, she began to write her response.

Ron,

Turns out I have good news as well. My parents agreed to meet you in Diagon Alley on Friday! The only catch is that I absolutely must buy Harry a truly extraordinary birthday present. It would be wonderful if your brothers could make it, for I really do miss Fred and George. Hogwarts just isn't the same without them, somehow. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again, especially you and Harry. One thing I didn't miss, however, is your silly owl. I had to threaten him with a mile-long letter to you in order for him to shut his beak. I think that I should rescue him: I can see Crookshanks giving him the evil eye.

I'll see you in Diagon Alley!
Hermione

She carefully rolled the small bit of parchment and tied it fast with a blue ribbon to Pig's leg. She stared at the letter for a moment, regretting how short it was, pondering if she should write a new one and make it a bit longer. Before she could take the letter back, Pig hooted and took off flying into the morning air. Hermione took to the window after him, watching his flight in the air. The morning sun struck his gray feathers, and it made him look far more majestic than he actually ever could be. Sighing, Hermione threw herself down on the bed and stared at her ceiling. It wasn't enchanted, like the ceiling of the Great Hall, and therefore it was rather boring. She tried to imagine in her mind what this beautiful morning would be like at Hogwarts, closing her eyes slowly.

The ceiling would have been dabbled with orange and yellow sunbeams, the slightest tint of blue lingering in the light cloud cover. A star or two would have still decorated these dark patches, and a breath of wind would have carried the clouds gently away. She would have breathed in the freshest of morning air and exhaled deeply with a smile. To her right would have been Harry Potter, yawning widely after studying for a Charms exam all night. To her left would have been red-headed Ron Weasley, who, after just rising from bed, would have been Bed-Headed Ron Weasley.

A real smile flitted across Hermione Granger's face as she lay on her bed, hugging her pillow and dreaming of Hogwarts. Her parents had to call up to her five times before she realized that she had dozed off. It meant that she got extra chores, but she didn't care. She was happy, thinking about school, about Diagon Alley, but mostly, her friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

-----------

Ron Weasley was asleep.

He was sitting at his desk, surrounded on all sides by the Chudley Cannons, who were zooming around the posters covering his walls. Ron's eyes were shut fast, and his breathing was steady and deep. In his hand was clutched a tatty quill, and under his face was a clean sheet of parchment. He didn't want to wake up from his dream. It was a good dream. He wasn't even really sure what it was about, but it was better than listening to his sister prattle on about how she would wear her hair for Harry's party. It was especially better than that annoying knocking sound. What was that? Ron grimaced in his sleep and switched to the other side of his face. The knocking sound continued.

"Idonwannagetup..." Ron muttered thickly, sleep still resting heavily on him. With a great bang, the ghoul in the attic struck a pipe, knocking Ron from his chair in surprise. There was a flutter of wings, and the knocking continued. Ron picked himself up off the floor and worked the elbow he hand landed on. "Bloody hell..." he breathed, moving to the window to see where that knocking was coming from.

As soon as he opened the window to get a peek at what was happening outside, he was bowled over by a ball of gray feathers. Sputtering, he reeled back in time to see Pig zipping just under the ceiling. There was a letter attached to the owl's tiny leg, and Ron jumped up to grab it from the over-excited owl. It hooted and screeched as Ron tore the ribbon loose and unrolled the parchment.

"At least the bloody bird's good for something," Ron mumbled as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, glaring at Pig sitting in his cage. Looking now at the parchment, Ron knew that he should have guessed who sent it. Harry wouldn't tie his letter with a ribbon, let alone one that was so obviously feminine. Ron tore his eyes over Hermione's answer, pausing only once to re-read a sentence or two. He frowned slightly. She missed Fred and George? Sure, they were likable enough but... Determined, Ron moved on. Aha! She missed him, she admitted it! Ron read the rest of the letter with a surly smirk of smugness, his eyes doing a double take as he read about the mile-long letter. For only a moment, he thought that he might not mind reading a mile-long letter from Hermione, but he shook his head.

Grabbing an owl treat and stuffing it into Pig's beak, Ron clutched the letter in his hand and left his room in an orange blur.

"MUM!" He called loudly as he flew down five flights of crooked, rickety stairs, jumping the last three steps in his way. A flustered Molly Weasley was standing next to the chair where Ginny sat, moodily combing her hair back. Mrs. Weasley gave a strange look to Ron.

"What, Ronald?" She waved her wand at the dishes, and they began to wash themselves. Ron, not noticing that the two women were dressed and he was still bedecked in his pajamas, held forward the letter from Hermione.

"Mum, Hermione's answered. Said she'd meet us in Diagon Alley on Friday!"

"Oh, well that's good news, dear," Mrs. Weasley said with a strained smile, dashing around the kitchen and enchanting the objects around her to begin the chores. She had seemed rather strained since they decided to host Harry's birthday at the Burrow. Ginny looked up at her older brother, a smile on her previously sour face.

"Has Harry sent his answer yet?" She asked. Ron pulled a face at her. He was about to find a clever way to retort, when he heard two identical voices behind him.

"He could care less if Harry doesn't come to his own surprise party," said one of the voices.

"Yeah, Ginny, don't you know that he stayed up all night waiting for Pig to come back with her answer?" The second voice taunted. Ron whirled around to see Fred and George, identical smiles stretched over their identical faces. To his horror, his own face was burning red and probably glowing. The twins glanced at each other, wicked smiled carved on their features.

"Wh-when did you two get here?" Ron asked, inwardly cursing his own stammering.

"Last night," Fred said with a wave of his wand. "Apparated."

"Outside your room," George added, his own wand out.

"Listened to you scratch away all bloody night."

"Had to put a Silencing Charm on each other to keep from waking everyone."

"It was worth it, though!"

By now, the color of Ron's face had surpassed that of his flaming hair as Fred and George bantered back and forth. At this time, George had clenched his hands together and brought them to his cheek, batting his eyes merrily.

"'That is, if your parents let you, of course.'" George said in a decidedly higher voice. Fred copied his twin's movements.

"'If not, we might have to connect your fireplace to the Floo Network for a day.'" Fred added in an equally high voice. Ron was gritting his teeth by now.

"'Hope you can make it,'" Both of them chorused at once. "Love, Ron!" The two of them burst into a gale of laughter, obviously very pleased with themselves. Ron clenched and unclenched his fists in rapid succession, trying to decide whether it was worth it to try and hex them both.

"Fred! George!" Mrs. Weasley's voice came from behind Ron. Their laughter died slowly, and they wiped tears from their eyes. "Now boys, if you can't behave I'm going to lock you in with the ghoul." She took the comb from Ginny and began running it through her daughter's hair, even though it was already perfectly fine. Fred slapped Ron on the back.

"Don't take it personal, little brother," he said, glancing back at George. He, too, gave Ron a slap to the back.

"We're just so proud to see our little man growing up!" George's voice was choked with fake tears. Ron was almost sure that the twins had left up the stairs, and so he turned to his mother, ready to converse with her about the trip to Diagon Alley in three days, when...

"Accio Letter!" Fred's voice called from the stairwell. The parchment flew from Ron's hand with a suddenness that caused a paper cut on his palm. The last thing he saw was two lanky red-heads dashing up the stairs madly, his letter from Hermione in Fred's hand. It took him a moment to realize that it was gone. But as soon as it hit him, he was off.

"FRED! GEORGE! COME BACK HERE, YOU BLOODY-!!" He yelled after them, tearing up the steps to the twins' old room. Mrs. Weasley's voice was shouting something from below, but Ron was too incensed to care. He could already hear them. And, damn! Their door was locked!

"Alohamora!" Ron tried futilely. There was a charm on the lock. All he could do was sit and listen, wincing at their words.

"'I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again, especially you and Harry!' Aww, look, Ronnie, you get top billing over Harry!" George's voice rang jovially.

"'It would be wonderful if your brothers could make it, for I really do miss Fred and George.' Look, George, she misses us! Isn't that sweet?" Fred observed in a high voice.

"After all, it's not Hogwarts without us!"

"Give me back my letter!" Ron shouted, bristling in front of their door.

"When we're done with it!" George shouted back.

"Keep your pajamas on, Ronnie!" Fred taunted. Ron blushed furiously.

"Molly, what's going on?" Mr. Weasley had obviously just Apparated in the kitchen, hearing the commotion.

"Arthur, your sons-"

"You two, give it back or I'll-"

"You'll blow down the door and hex us into oblivion?" Fred asked, laughing.

"No, he'll sic his little feathery tennis ball on us! I know that Dad has a Muggle tennis racket in here somewhere..." George shuffled about the room.

"FRED! GEORGE!!"

"Ron!"

"Arthur!"

"Dad!"

"Fred!"

"Mum!"

"Ronnie!"

"George!"

"Ginny?"

"DAD!!"

"Finite Incantato!"

The lock on the door to the twins' room sprung open, and so did the actual door. Fred and George were hunched over the tiny piece of parchment that was signed by Hermione Granger. Arthur Weasley, circles under his eyes, stood in the doorway, his wand out. Ron stood slightly behind him, his face redder than any of them had ever seen it. Everyone was still for moments on end. Finally, Fred stood to his full height, looking directly at his father.

"Dad, did you know that Hermione is spending the rest of the summer here?"

"Says so right here," George offered, showing him the paper. Except, to Ron's horror, that it now read like this:

Turns out I have good news as well. My parents agreed to meet you in Diagon Alley on Friday! The only catch is that I pledge my love to Ron Weasley for all time, and then some. And I really do miss Fred and George. Hogwarts just isn't the same without them, somehow. That's probably because they got all the brains and good looks out of the gene pool.

All my love forever,
Hermione

Ron's face contorted in anger as he stared at the altered parchment, then at his brothers. They were smiling. He was not. With a growl, Ron wrenched the paper from their grasp and stormed upstairs, slamming the door behind him and wishing that he knew that charm to lock doors.