1. Letters From Ronald (and Ginny!)

She was running faster than she ever had before. Invisible monsters lurked behind her. Vines snapped at her ankles like angry snakes. They pulled her down. Down, down, down. No ending to the darkness that had now swallowed her up. She was alone. She felt the shivering coldness come over her. Dementors. They were invisible in the darkness but she knew they were there. She tried to conjure up a happy thought so she could conjure a Patronus. She couldn't find one.

The coldness vanished and was replaced by a foul stink. Rotting flesh. That meant that it could only be one thing. Inferi. They crawled towards her, dragging their distorted bodies. She could see the faint glow of their pale, lifeless eyes. They grabbed her ankles and snatched at her clothes. They were biting and scratching every bit of her they could reach.

"Enough!" called a cold voice.

A tall hooded figure appeared from the shadows. He snapped his fingers and torches lit themselves all around the room.

"Hello Hermione," said the figure. "Nice to finally meet you…" An evil laugh escaped his mouth. Voldemort. "Pity I have to do this just as we are getting to know one another" He snapped his fingers again and two people appeared, both held back by a couple of Death Eaters.

Hermione gasped as she recognised them. Harry and Ron. "No...please, no!" she said.

Voldemort grabbed Harry by the arm and threw him to the floor. Hermione went to run to him but found she was rooted to the floor. She called out. She had no voice. She couldn't do anything except watch.

Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry's heart. "Looks like the Boy-Who-Lived is about to die at last," said Voldemort with more evil laughter.

Hermione tried to avert her gaze. She couldn't. Her eyes were frozen in that direction. She tried closing her eyes. Whatever spell she was under wouldn't let her avoid seeing what was about to happen.

"Avada Kedavra!" There was a flash of green light and Harry's body lay limp on the ground. Voldemort turned his wand on Ron. "The faithful side-kick and loyal friend," he laughed. "It's your turn…" He raised his wand again.

Tears ran down Hermione's face. "Please, no!" she tried to yell, but there was no sound.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Hermione woke with a start. Cold sweat ran down her face and her hands were shaking. She looked around herself. She was still on the moonlit window seat as she had been before she had drifted off to sleep. It had all been a dream. Relief filled her heart and she rested her head against the semi-cold glass of the window. She looked down at the little street below her window. All was silent and as it should be.

Moonlight came in the window and made her skin look perfect and flawless. It also made her skin look like it was glowing. The window was open slightly at the top and a light, warm breeze was blowing in, making the drapes around the window seat flutter slightly. Something slipped from her loose grip and floated to the floor. She looked down and saw a piece of parchment lying on her floor. She picked it up and smiled as she recognised the semi-neat scrawl across it.

Ron's face swam into her mind. She sighed. If only he knew how she felt. It should have been obvious after the year they just had at Hogwarts, what with the whole Lavender fiasco, but he still seemed clueless. She was still hurt by the memory of seeing Ron kissing Lavender in the Common Room when he'd said that he'd go to Slughorn's party with her. She'd been so heartbroken that she could barely look at him.

There had also been the fact that she had to put up with Lavender telling Parvati everything that she and Ron got up to. Their constant giggling had got on her nerves so much that she'd put a spell around her bed so that she couldn't hear them. She still couldn't sleep even when she couldn't hear them. She kept on asking herself why Ron had chosen Lavender. The answer was obvious to her. Lavender was like a Barbie doll, perfect in every way. She was forever telling people of her perfect life. I may have brains but I don't have looks like she does, she often thought. She thought that most guys just wanted looks as it made them look good to have a pretty girl on their arm.

She skimmed over the letter another few times. She then shut the window quietly and climbed into her bed. She would be seeing the Weasley's tomorrow. She loved spending the last few weeks of the summer with them. It was always good to see them all again. And with all those happy thoughts in her mind, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

The sweet summer breeze blew through the trees that surrounded her. She stared out over the lake at the Burrow. It was so peaceful. She sighed contentedly. Music was playing somewhere a little away. The notes were played from the violin floated through the forest, creating a lovely calm atmosphere.

A pair of strong hands landed on her shoulders. A pair of lips kissed her neck softly right on the spot where she was ticklish. She giggled softly. He kissed her shoulder. She could see red hair out of the corner of her eye. She turned around and kissed him on the lips. It was a kiss of passion and she felt a hunger inside her for more.

Hermione awoke to a tapping noise from the window. She glanced at the clock. 3am!!! Who'd have sent a letter at this hour?! She got up and opened the window. In flew Pigwidgeon. He flew in circles around the light on the ceiling. Hermione laughed and snatched the letter from him. He carried on circling the light. Hermione unfolded the letter and read it.

Hi Hermione.
Sorry to bother you at this hour but I thought I should just tell you now to save
a rush in the morning (and also because Ginny's nagging me and my ear is
beginning to get rather sore). I'm sorry but we hardly have any room for you to
stay here this summer, what with all Fleur's relatives starting to come over (her
parents and all four of her grandparents are here, and none of them speak good
English either!!).
Me and Ginny spoke to Fred and George earlier and they're willing to let you stay
at theirs. You could just spend the days here with me, Harry and Ginny and then
just sleep in the spare room at Fred and George's. How does that sound? Write
back in the morning.
Love,
Ron (and Ginny!)

Hermione laughed when she saw that Ginny had put her name in brackets after Ron's. But three weeks with the twins?! She sighed and put the letter on her desk. Pushing it all to the back of her mind she looked up at Pigwidgeon. He was now resting on the top of her wardrobe. He hooted and flew down and perched himself at the bottom of her bed. He placed his head under his wing and went to sleep.

Hermione didn't feel tired so decided to start on her packing. She decided to start by choosing which dress she would wear to the wedding. She opened her wardrobe and brought out her three best dresses (her only dresses actually). One was pink with straps the width of her finger, it came to the ankles and had three layers underneath the silk skirt. The second was a dusty blue colour and stopped just below the knees, it had had no sleeves and the top part was like a corset whereas the skirt was made of soft, floaty material. The third one was purple and had off the shoulder straps made of a thin see-through material, the top hugged her figure nicely and the skirt was floor length and had a floaty undercoat underneath.

She lay the dresses on her bed and examined them all. She couldn't pick which one to wear, she loved them all!! She tried to imagine what one Ron would like best. He'd probably like the blue one, no, maybe the pink one...oh, I dunno!!! She sat on the only space left to sit on the bed...the pillow.

After about 10 minutes of trying to decide she put her head in her hands. She tried to imagine herself in each one. She still couldn't decide. Oh, screw it!, she thought, I'll take them with me and ask Ginny's advice. She folded the dresses neatly and lay them on top of her trunk. She yawned and stretched. Pigwidgeon was making soft hooting noises that was kinda like snoring. She laughed. She got into bed and pulled the covers up around her. This summer was definitely going to be one to remember, she knew that much.

A/N: Hey everyone! This was the lame beginning to my new story. It will get better, I promise you that!
CJ