Knock, knock, knock. Silence. Knock, knock. "Coming!"
Harry opened the front door to find Hermione standing on the porch. Her clothes were torn, and it looked as though she had been crying.
"Hey Harry," she whispered. "Can I come in?"
"Sure," Harry replied. "Did you apparate here?"
"No," Hermione said as she sat down on the couch. "I walked."
"You walked?" Harry questioned and started laughing. He stopped when he realized that her face remained serious. "You walked," he said.
"I walked," she stated.
"Where do you live? Don't you live near Ron?"
"No. I… My family and I moved here a few weeks ago. Do you mind if I crash here for awhile?"
"No. Why did you come here instead of apparating to Ron and Ginny's place? Coffee?" He handed her a cup, and poured some freshly made coffee into it. It was, after all, only nine in the morning.
"Umm… My parents… they've been… they aren't home." Hermione looked into the cup of coffee and didn't look up as she said this. Tears formed in her soft brown eyes.
"Oh."
"And… I can't really talk to Ginny or Ron about it," Hermione whispered.
"Why?" Harry questioned, not realizing what she meant by their taking a trip. He sat down on the couch next to her.
"You're the only person that I know who…who's parents aren't ever coming back." After saying this, tears fell down her beautiful face.
Realization suddenly hit Harry, full blast. Her parents were dead. The trip was them going to the afterworld. He thought, 'how could I have been that stupid?'
"Oh, I'm so sorry Hermione. I didn't realize that that was what you meant." Harry pulled her into an embrace. She rocked back and forth, and laid her head on his chest. She cried herself to sleep, head still on his chest. After about an hour, Harry put her head on a pillow and lay a blanket on top of her.
Then, he went to his room and picked up a piece of parchment. He wrote:
Ron,
If you want to contact Hermione, she is staying at my place. She came over this morning wearing very… beaten-up… clothes. I am trying to find out why. I'll send another letter when I find anything out.
Harry
PS- Please don't tell her that you know she is here and don't ask her. She was crying when she arrived here and I don't want to upset her even more… She doesn't know that I sent you this letter.
Harry walked over to Hedwig, and sent the letter to Ron. Harry walked downstairs, placed one of his large shirts on the coffee table for Hermione, and went into the kitchen. He started to make another cup of coffee and something for Hermione to eat. It had been early when she had arrived, and he doubted that she had eaten this morning.
The garage door creaked, and a car pulled into the driveway. A few seconds later, "Oooo. Coffee," Uncle Vernon grabbed a cup and sat at the kitchen table, across from Harry.
"What's cooking?" Aunt Petunia asked.
"Waffles and bacon," Harry replied.
"Oh. Okay. It's eleven o'clock, so I'll serve lunch in an hour," Aunt Petunia told Uncle Vernon.
"Sure," Uncle Vernon grunted. He concentrated on the taste of the coffee in his hand. "Mmm. I love coffee."
Just then, Hermione walked into the kitchen with Harry's overlarge shirt on. Uncle Vernon spit his coffee out, and rounded on Harry. "Why is there a GIRL in the house? And why is she wearing YOUR shirt?"
"I…" Harry started.
"I came this morning. At nine o'clock," Hermione told Uncle Vernon. "I… came from my house down the street and I locked myself out. My parents aren't coming back until next month, and since I've seen Harry before at the park, so I came here. He lent me his shirt because I had ripped the clothes that I had on before."
Harry made a mental note to thank her for the narrow escape.
"I was wondering if I could crash here awhile," Hermione finished.
"Sure dear. We'd be glad to have you stay here. But first, we have to get you some appropriate clothes," Aunt Petunia said. "Follow me."
Twenty minutes later, Hermione wore a pair of jeans and a big shirt that she had shortened with a hair tie (the jeans from Lily about fifteen years before).
"We'd better go to the store," Harry said, winking at Hermione.
"Yeah… I have to go to the bank and I really should buy some new clothes," Hermione told Mrs. Dursley.
"I'll drive the car," Mrs. Dursley went to grab her jacket.
"Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked.
"Mom? Can you come in here please?" Dudley screamed from the living room.
"One second honey!" Aunt Petunia yelled to Dudley. "Be back in a second."
Hermione slowly moved closer to Harry and grabbed his hand. Tears slid down her face at what Dudley had said. "Hermione?" Harry asked. He moved in and leaned toward her. He put his hand on her cheek, and she smiled through the tears. They stood there looking into each other's eyes for what seemed like hours.
"We should go," Hermione whispered.
"Right," Harry answered and she pulled him out of the house. Hermione waved her wand, and when they reached the sidewalk, Harry pulled her into him. Before she knew it, he had crashed his lips into hers. She could feel herself giving herself to him. She felt her knees weaken, she felt herself open her mouth slightly and his tongue slid into her mouth.
Beep. Beep. Hermione and Harry jumped away from each other. A blonde 21-year-old woman stepped off the bus and spoke, "Welcome to the day bus, transport for the needing witch or wizard. My name is Janet Keith and I will be your instructor… forget it. Welcome to the day bus, I'm Janet, and you are?"
"Hermione Granger and this is my friend, Harry Potter," Hermione told Janet.
"Friend? From what you were doing before it looked like you were together. It's good to know that you're not though." She gave Harry a flirtatious smile. "We don't have all day, Granger. Hurry up." Hermione and Harry quickly climbed into the light blue bus. "We're in dad!" Janet yelled to the bus driver. "So, where are you planning on going?"
"Diagon Alley," Hermione bitterly replied. Hermione didn't say anything or look at Janet the rest of the bus ride.
A few minutes later, the day bus stopped in front of the pub. "Thanks," Harry said as he paid for the bus ride. Hermione hadn't thought of bringing money with her to Harry's place.
"Gringotts first," Harry told her. "I can't keep paying for you, you know," he joked.
"Don't worry," Hermione laughed. Then, she playfully punched his shoulder. Harry smiled.
When they were done with Gringotts, they headed toward RSF. "Harry! Hermione! Wait up," Professor Dumbledore yelled to them.
"Hello Professor. How was your summer?" Hermione asked when Dumbledore had caught up to them.
"Here," Professor Dumbledore passed her something in a package.
"Professor?" Hermione questioned.
"Just open it," he told her. "My work here is done."
Harry put his arm on her shoulder as Hermione opened the package. "Professor?" Hermione looked up to see an empty space where her professor once stood.
"A time turner?" Harry asked. "But why? Well, I'm going to the quidditch shop. I'll see you later."
"Okay. Meet me here in an hour," Hermione told him.
Hermione went over to the racks and started picking out different colored robes, jeans, and shirts. After about forty-five minutes, Hermione had finished trying items on, paid for the clothes, and changed into a light pink tank top and a pair of low hip-huggers. When she finished, she walked outside. She found Harry very quickly. He was starring at a broom in the window of the quidditch shop. Hermione put her bags right behind him. She tiptoed up to him, put her hands over his eyes.
"Guess who," she whispered into his ear.
"What the bloody…" The boy grabbed her hands and turned to face her. Hermione froze.