Chapter 1

"WHAT!!!" shouted Hermione, staring at Harry incredulously. "What on EARTH are you talking about?"

"Hermione, Hermione, calm down." Said Harry, watching Hermione as she began to pace back and forth in front of him. "I don't want this any more than you do, but Dumbledore says that Ron and I have to go a muggle school in America. It's part of some foreign relations thing. Dumbledore said that America and England have been out of touch too long, and that we're really going to be helping by doing this. We have to go to a muggle school because they chose one school from each country to send four students to the other country. Two to a wizarding school, and two to a muggle school. Hogwarts was the English school and Ron and I were chosen to go to the muggle school. Believe me, I would much rather stay here with you than go, but I have no choice."

"What do you mean, no choice? Dumbledore can't make you do anything. Just tell him that you don't want to go!" cried Hermione.

"Well, technically, he can make me go, since he is now my legal guardian. Thanks ever so much, for bringing it up." Said Harry, bitterly.

"Oh my gosh, Harry! I'm so, so sorry. I really didn't mean to." Cried Hermione, looking ashamed. "I just got carried away, can you forgive me?"

"Of course I can, Hermione, but now you see why I have to go. Do you think I want to leave you and Quidditch and Gryffindor? Who'll win the House Cup for us, if Ron and I aren't here? And I'll probably have to pretty much start over at a muggle school, since I doubt that they teach potions and muggle studies, in a muggle high school." Replied Harry, "You would probably be much better off going, since you always want to learn. I personally would be perfectly happy with my normal classes here at Hogwarts."

At that moment Ron walked into the Common Room and immediately rushed over to Harry, "Wow, Harry, isn't this great! Think of all the girls we're going to meet! And we'll finally be leaving Snape! Months and months without ever having to see his greasy face." Ron began to sing to himself "no snape, no snape, la la la la la."

"You are a complete psychopath Ron," said Hermione, watching him with raised eyebrows. "I can't believe the only things you care about are girls and Snape. Honestly!"

"Well what else would I care about," asked Ron, confused.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe ME, and the fact that I'm not going with you!" Shouted Hermione. Turning red, she turned around and ran towards her dormitory, but not before Harry had seen the glitter of tears in her eyes.

"Um, Ron, that might not have been the best thing to say." Said Harry. Watching Hermione's retreating figure.

"What? I didn't do anything wrong!" said Ron, although Harry could tell he was very uncomfortable. "Anyway, what do you think this new school will be like?"

"I really don't have any idea. I went to muggle grammar school, before Hogwarts, but high school is probably totally different. Dumbledore said that we would be sophomores in high school, even though, being sixteen, we are a little bit old, we will be with people around our same age."

"Well, I think it's going to be seriously fun." Said Ron, "I can't wait."

Hermione avoided the two boys while they prepared for their trip, until the day they were to leave. Just as they were about to get into the carriage that would take them to the Hogwarts Express they heard a voice behind them.

"Wait," cried Hermione from the doorway into Hogwarts. She ran down the stairs and flung herself at Ron, kissing him squarely on the mouth. As she released him, she shoved a folded piece of paper into his hand. She kissed him one more time, before turning to hug Harry, and then fleeing back into the school. Harry and Ron merely stood there staring at each other in shock.

Harry recovered first, shaking his head as he climbed into the carriage. He had known all along that Ron and Hermione liked each other but both had been too embarrassed to tell the other. He was glad that Hermione had finally shown her true feelings, but she had certainly taken her time about it.

Noticing that Ron was still standing outside, staring blankly down at the paper in his hand, Harry sighed loudly. "Come on Ron, you can read it once we get moving. But please, spare me all the gory details."

Ron glared at Harry as he climbed in beside him. "Shut up." He said, turning a deep shade of red, as Harry began to laugh. "It's not funny." The carriage began to move while Ron's face burned and tears of mirth rolled down Harry's.