Chapter 1: Freedom Week

Awakened in a bed soaked with sweat Harry sat straight up and cursed himself. "3:17 am? Fuck it! I hate having these stupid nightmares."

He slowly rose out of bed, turned on the light and straightened out the pink bunny boxers that Aunt Marge had given Dudley last Christmas.

Looking in the full length mirror he thanked Merlin that none of his friends saw him in these hideous girly underwear. "No wonder Dudley didn't want them."

Continuing his eyes up the mirror trying to push the dream out of his mind, he noticed that he had gained some muscle these past 4 weeks. His abdomen was starting to form a defined six pack, his shoulders and chest appeared to be broader, and his arms were now to the point where he didn't have to try to flex anymore, you could just see the muscle in them.

Looking now at his pale sweaty face he realized that he couldn't risk going back to sleep again, this was the second nightmare about Sirius he had tonight (one of a hundred he has had since the incident). Walking over to his bed he slipped into his pajama pants, and quietly slipped out the door.

Stepping ever so lightly down the hall he listened for Vernon's horrible snores. Harry realized as his head started to spin that he had been holding his breath the whole time.

Finally hearing a loud snoring noise, he let go of his breath and continued down the hallway, down the stairs, and into the basement. Turning on the light switch, he happily went to work. Dudley's weight training set was untouchable to Harry, but what Dudley doesn't know wont hurt him.

At 4:57 he finally had tired himself out from a vigorous work out. He walked quickly but quietly up the stairs and into his room.

As he shut the door he silently cursed under his breath as he heard his Uncles alarm clock going off.

"That was a close one" He thought to himself. Laying back down in his bed he waited ten minutes with a wide smile on his face.

Soon enough there was that familiar knock at the door.

"Boy, Wake your lazy ass up. You need to make breakfast while your Aunt and I pack up the car" Vernon's loud voice boomed.

Harry was all too happy to oblige, for in less than an hour, he would have a Vernon and Petunia free house for a whole WEEK! Yes, Dudley was still home, but Harry could get around him easily.

Smiling even wider as the car drove away with Petunia sobbing like mad for leaving Dudley at home for her second honeymoon, Harry turned to face Dudley.

"I'm going to go watch television" Dudley announced to him sleepily. "I would appreciate it if you stayed in your room tonight, I'm having some friends over, and I don't want any funny business" he said sounding more like his father than he knew.

"What's the matter Duds afraid I'll give your mates something to laugh about at your expense? OINK OINK."

Harry had left him standing in the drive way with a horror stricken look on his face, obviously remembering Hagrid's little piggy tail he gave him nearly 6 years back.

Sitting upstairs most of the morning Harry looked through the letters he got over the last few weeks.

Hermione had one waiting at his house for him before he even got home from the station 4 weeks ago, and she had sent two letters a week since.

Out of all the letters he got from every one, her letters were the only ones that didn't directly mention Sirius. He was glad. He was not ready to talk about him yet, with anyone, and she had been the only one who seemed to understand that.

She wrote that she was thinking about him and hoped he was doing better, and she hoped she would see him soon. He hadn't written her back yet, or any one else for that matter.

He began to feel guilty, "I should write to her before she yells at me" he thought. He began to write her a long guilty letter.

At about lunch time Harry came down from his room to make something to eat, and laughed at the site he saw. Dudley was at the kitchen table with the entire contents of the refrigerator in front of him devouring everything in site.

"So much for that diet there Duds" he mocked.

"Shut your trap, and keep in that way. Don't even think about taking any of this food, its ALL MINE. Mum said so before she left."

"Yeah Dud, but I think she meant for it to last a whole week, not 5 hours", Harry laughed.

"Hey look Dud, Air" he said while pointing in the direction behind where Dudley sat. Dudley quickly turned his body around in his chair and yelled "What, WHERE?"

Now was his chance, Harry quickly grabbed 2 chicken drumsticks, 2 biscuits, and a bottle of soda, and sprinted into the hallway.

As he was running up the stairs he finally heard his oversized stupid cousin yelling about not seeing any air anywhere. Laughing out loud he ran into his room and began eating his lunch, saving the biscuits for Hedwig when she got back from Dumbledore.

Dumbledore had sent a note to him saying that he overrode the Ministry of Magic so that the sixth year students could practice magic out side of school during break, with only a few spells, and precautions being on the do not do list.

Harry sent Hedwig because he wanted to be doubly sure that he was able to do magic before he tried it, no need to get into trouble again so soon. It seemed as though he thought about the letter, Hedwig appeared pecking at his window.

Opening it and letting her in he said excitedly, "Hey girl, I have something for you" and he crumpled up the biscuit in her cage as she nipped at his finger tips.

Reading Dumbledore's note he smiled, this was almost as good a feeling as when his Aunt and Uncle left. He could practice magic outside of school!

A loud ring at the door bell pulled Harry out of his day dream. He had been remembering his last quidditch match. How he longed to be on his firebolt racing through the air, chasing a little golden snitch. Looking over at his clock it was 2:45 in the afternoon.

"Isn't it a little early for Dudley's friends to come over?"

After the third ring on the door bell Harry got up and threw on his pants grabbing his shirt off the floor. He buttoned his jeans as he walked down the stairs, and yelled "hold on."

He had started to put his arms into his shirt as he grabbed the handle of the front door and pulled it opened.

Looking down as he finished putting his shirt on the only thing he saw was a girls feet in white platform sandals. Slowly looking up her long lean legs and into her face, he saw who it was and his closed mouth fell open immediately.

Maybe it was because he had not seen her in a month, but she looked different. Her hair wasn't bushy anymore, it was in calmed loose curls, and highlighted naturally buy the sun. Her plain white V-neck t-shirt was form fitting and he noticed curves on her that were not there last time he checked and in this sunlight, he could almost see through it. Her shorts were also baring slender tanned thighs and legs.

He was shell shocked to say the least. Blushing slightly when he realized he was on the verge of drawling over his best friend he finally looked into her familiar chocolate brown eyes.

"Hermione?"

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