A/N:
So this is my first attempt at a fanfic. I've had the idea in my head for a while now. I hope you like it, and I hope it's not too slow! I tend to be a little wordy…
Gah. The summer holidays. Every year they come around, yet every year I seem to dread it more. I honestly don't know how I ever survived living here at number 4 Private Drive 24/7 back when I was 10. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Sure, I guess that a lot of things have transpired since then. I had gone to a different school, gained friends – oh, and there also was the little thing of finding out I'm a wizard by a giant bearded man and facing the man who killed my parents, Lord Voldemort on several occasions. I'm sure that would have a little something to do with the complete alienation I felt about my days of being bullied by my cousin, Dudley.
I had completed five full years of Hogwarts now. I couldn't believe that I had only two more years left to go. The thought of leaving Hogwarts made my chest constrict convulsively. Beyond Hogwarts was just a vast abyss. I knew that I wanted to be an Auror, but the words of Dolores Umbridge kept ringing in my ears, telling me that it will never happen. As much as I hated to use my name to gain me acceptance, I was Harry Potter. Surely that counts for something in the career of Defence against the Dark Arts? I mean, the Ministry-
The Ministry. No, don't think about it. Don't think about him. Don't think about Sirius.
…Sirius.
My heart still ached for my late godfather, the closest thing I ever had to a father. Every time that I though about him I felt a deep pang from within. It was not something that I enjoyed dwelling upon. I wasn't going to cry. Of that I was certain. No one would see me cry. Ever since that breakdown in Dumbledore's office I had just bottled it up. As much as I would like to, you can't change the past.
To redirect my thoughts away from Sirius I thought of my two best friends, Ron and Hermione. Whenever I thought of them, my heart swelled with love for the two of them. Over the years they had really gone the extra mile, sticking by me through everything. I couldn't imagine my life without them.
With my mind flooded with happy memories of my friends, I hear a sharp tap tap at my window. Rolling off my bed and taking a moment to regain my balance, I opened the latch on the window, and felt a gust of warm, Summer's night air as a magnificent tawny owl glided into my room. Puzzled, I approached the bird. I wasn't expecting any letters from anyone – Sirius was dead, the rest of the Order were busy tracking down Voldemort, and I had seen Ron and Hermione only a week ago as I had departed the Hogwarts express.
Looking down at the neat, tiny handwriting on the front of the envelop, spelling out the word Harry it struck me that it was Hermione that was writing. My confusion deepened. I opened the letter.
Harry,
I understand that this is incredibly short-notice, but I have quite a big favour to ask you. You see, my parents are going out of town for the rest of the holidays – well, actually, they're going to France, which isn't exactly next door.
My point is, that I need a place to stay. I know that the Weasleys are going back to Egypt this Summer, so I can't stay there. I understand that your relatives are difficult, but maybe if I'm there, they'll be on their best behaviour?
Again, I'm so sorry to have to ask, but I'm fairly desperate. Also, I kind of have to have a place to stay by this Thursday, hence the lateness of this owl.
I'm so sorry, Harry!
All my love,
Hermione.
I blinked. Well, this was a revelation. Something I never would have expected to deal with. I loved Hermione and would be ecstatic to have her keep me company, but I lived with… well, the Dursleys. They made blast-ended skrewts look friendly. I worried about how they would treat her – like something stuck on the bottom of their shoe probably. Or worse, they would treat her how they treated me! No, that would be impossible. They had spent a good fifteen years working up to their level of hate for me. To think that they would treat her the same way as they treated me was absurd… I hoped.
I looked at my alarm clock, the red numbers eerily glowing and reflecting against my window. It was 1.08am, no time to negotiate with Vernon (or as I liked to call him, Satan's younger brother). I guess there was nothing for it but to try and convince them to let her stay tomorrow morning. Oh boy, there's something to look forward to.
And with those thoughts, I drifted into a troubled sleep full of nightmares of the Dursleys chasing poor Hermione down Magnolia Crescent, beating her over the head with my firebolt.
The next morning came far too fast for my liking. The early morning light glaring through my window, flickering across my face. I sighed, there were no excuses left now.
I cautiously descended the stairs and entered the living room with Hermione's note in my slightly sweaty hands.
"Uncle Vernon?" I asked tentatively.
He was instantly suspicious of my abnormally hesitant tone. Or maybe he had forgotten what I looked like, seeing as I had kept to my room so much these holidays.
"What," he grunted rudely.
I winced. This was exactly the kind of behaviour I wished to spare Hermione.
"Well… I, um. I wanted to ask you a favour?"
His piggy eyes narrowed further.
"You see, I have this friend, Hermione. She's really nice and grew up around muggles, so she knows how to act… normal," I had almost said 'like you lot', "so I don't think you would have a problem. Actually, you would probably really like her!" ok, so I was stretching the truth a little here.
Uncle Vernon said nothing, instead glared at me with contempt. So what's new. I guess my point hadn't sunk in. Great, so I would actually have to say it.
"I was wondering if it would be alright for her to stay here," I said rapidly, "it's just for the rest of the holidays and she had absolutely no where else to go."
Vernon's face masked that of shock. He couldn't believe I had just asked him that. Well, I couldn't believe I had asked it either. I suppose this is the one and only thing we both shared beliefs on. Go figure.
"You want this… Herman girl… to stay here?"
I guess he needed confirmation for that simple fact. Sometimes the simplicity of his mind astounded me.
"Her name's Hermione, and yes."
"I see."
And with that, he marched out of the room, barking 'Petunia!'.
I sighed and sunk into the couch. I knew this was coming. They never decided on anything big like this without consulting each other. I respected that, however, respect didn't stop me from being annoyed. I drummed my fingers on the arm of the couch in boredom. No less than ten minutes later, both Vernon and Petunia appeared at the doorway, looking grim.
"We have decided," Vernon began with an air of the melodramatic, "that this Herman can stay."
"W-what? Are you serious?" I couldn't believe my luck. They had said yes?
"Though, she must stay in your room – on a mattress on the floor," he added dangerously, "I'll have no funny business in my house thank you very much!" he looked a little uncomfortable at this point, and Aunt Petunia beside him looked downright embarrassed.
"-It's not like that!" I spluttered, "She's just my friend!"
"Whatever, whatever… the point is that nothing will happen between you while she's here, and the same rules that apply to you, apply to her. Be home before Dudley, don't get in the way, don't act abnormally."
And with that, they exited the room, leaving Harry in a kind of stupor in their wake. Hermione was coming to stay with him. For another two months.
Holy crap.