Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter One: The Summer House
Harry had packed his bags several weeks before the arrival date and his inner child was getting more nervous by the second. He had signed up for the program at the beginning of the school year and never thought his name would be chosen to participate. He had gotten a new hair cut (which immediately grew back to its previous length), a pair of Dudley's sandals and a large bottle of sun block. He was going to spend the best summer of his life before his final year at Hogwarts.
He had managed to get picked to stay at the Hogwarts Home, a large modern summer house on the shore of Devon. The original founders built the house for the upcoming seventh years, so that they could get to relate with other classmates. The students chosen to stay the summer had to sign up a year in advance and received notice by owl. Only ten individuals were picked each year to attend, chosen in a way to create a diverse group at the house.
Harry passed a small wooden sign pointing to the large narrow stone steps leading him up the Hogwarts Home. He sighed and dragged his two heavy suitcases up the large cliff that looked over the shore. When he was notified that he was to be living in the summer home with other students, he began to work on his muscles but he was still unable to make it up the stairs without stopping after every two steps.
After Harry managed to get up the ninety-two steps, he remembered he could have used his wand in his back pocket. The house appeared to be a four story and the floors consisted of odd layouts around the front and back of the home. The windows were all crystal clear and took up every bit of wall on the outside of the white stucco. Wooden planks held the house up above the ground about five feet.
Harry noticed the dirt trail leading to what seemed to be an orchard behind the backyard. Many white and lavender flowers surrounded the front lawn along with a large old tree whose roots went over the edge of the cliff. Harry figured if he leaned on it, the tree would go tumbling to the lake water. The tree reminded him of him, somewhat out of place.
He scuttled to the porch and clapped the door knocker to the stone plate. The stone plate had a fresh Hogwarts logo in the center of the face. Harry began to whistle nervously. The door creaked open slowly and the welcoming face of a smiling Hermione reached out and she leapt up and hugged him.
Her body weight almost knocked Harry to the ground. His bags feel down and one opened up, revealing most of his clothing for the couple of months. Harry just let her release her friendly gesture but her strong grip made him wonder if his work out plan was taking affect.
"Oh my stars and moons, Harry why didn't you inform me earlier that you were going to stay at the Hogwarts Home?" asked Hermione releasing her arms and stepping back to let Harry breathe. Harry noticed she had her brown locks frizzing everywhere as usual and a tight long skirt that revealed her ankles. Her blouse was buttoned all the way to her neck and her school robe was neatly around her shoulders.
"I didn't get my letter until a couple of weeks ago and Hermione you do realize it is the middle of June and you're wearing full school clothes…winter school clothes?" stated Harry pointing out; Hermione wouldn't show any skin at all.
"I am at a school function and the adult advisor will not approve of the loose, non school spirited clothes our young peers seem to sport these days," Hermione argued. "I can help you find a room because I am the first…strangely...to arrive."
"Whose are adult advisor and what time did you arrive here to get here so early?" questioned Harry noticing his clothes all over the front of the house. He didn't seem to mind because Hermione was Hermione…she was just like one of the guys.
"I got the Ferrier to take me across Devon yesterday; I chose the room closets to the library and the advisor is in a separate room on the fourth floor," giggled Hermione grabbing the closed travel case and hauling it inside with one hand and no argument.
Harry quickly dumped his clothes into the open suitcase and followed Hermione inside the Hogwarts Home. The entry hall was pasty like the outside stucco and was themed with pictures of active students playing on the shores of the lake. There was large set of stairs going down, a staircase going up and a long set of curly stairs leading to a separate room on the fourth floor taking up most of the hallway. The room branched off many different doors which was most likely a powder room, the kitchen, a closet, the library, the dining hall and maybe a billiard lounge.
"Nice beach décor," Harry thought to himself while Hermione pulled out her wand and swung the wooden stick to command the suitcases to grow legs. While the suitcases walked themselves to the third floor, Harry followed with a sigh; he could have carried them but no…Hermione has the balls in their friendship.
"I thought you said your room was near the library?" corrected Harry making sure not to use the wooden handrail. The stairs were quite nice because they didn't seem to move back and forth like the ones at school.
"I have explored the second floor (the floor with the lobby hall) and the third floor were most of the rooms are held. My room is on the second floor directly next to the library and the broom closet. The room I have chosen has a single bed and is the only room on the second floor. I have planned to read every book in the library during my stay here," Hermione babbled on and on while Harry sounded out her words.
"You don't want to meet new people?" asked Harry knowing the answer to the simple question. Hermione turned around and gave Harry a long deep glare.
"Sometimes, I think you spend too much time with Ronald," Hermione scolded as they made their way up the stairs and to the first room on the right. Harry scratched his head and chuckled at the insult. He liked the clicking sound Hermione's heels made on the wooden floor. The only thing he seemed to not like about the house was the windows; they covered everything and exposed too much of the outside world.
"Harry, you are in room 9 and your key can be found in the kitchen on a key hook labeled 9, simple enough I assume," she said with a chuckle. She whipped her wand out a second time and whispered a spell to the door knob. The door opened and the suitcases scooted in before them.
"How many people are staying at the Hogwarts House? I was never informed," Harry nervously asked another question. He was hoping to meet some new girls before the new school year and so far he only met Hermione…what a bore.
"Ten rooms in all and the adult advisor makes eleven, the advisor's room is the door at the end of the curly stairs," Hermione said, stopping his suitcases and lifting them onto his double sized bed.
His room was straightforward and led out to a balcony connected to another person's room…number 8 or 10. The walls were painted blue and tiny carved sailboats were randomly intended into the molding. A small dresser lay next to an end table and a large indigo rug took up most of the floor. A ceiling fan ran smoothly with a calm noise and the radiator wheezed every four seconds. Two built-in wall candles found themselves side by side on the ends of Harry's headrest. The only thing out of place was the fact his bathing room did not have a door.
"This is nothing like Hogwarts and surely better then Dudley's old room," exclaimed Harry jumping to the bed and looking at the pictures around him; he was quite overwhelmed.
"I see, the room isn't exactly bachelor material but I know you can fix it up a bit, my room is almost the same except the cheap sailboats everywhere," whispered Hermione under her breath and smoothing the wrinkle in her skirt.
"What island are we on anyway?" Harry shouted, leaving a sour echo in his ears. Hermione rolled her eyes and began opening Harry's luggage to help him unpack. Hermione was more like his mother then his friend in some cases and mostly just another Ron, just with brains and breasts.
"On the map in the library, we are on Creedy Island and several miles away from any neighboring village, oh…don't pack sandals…how tacky," Hermione explained while separating Harry's shoes in one drawer.
"I can do that myself you know, go on and start reading the library." Harry said while commanding his order. Hermione shrugged and waved a boring goodbye. She mentioned on her way out to bring the letter of recommendation to the dining hall after six for supper. Hermione had been the only one of the two to read the posted instructions on the information board in the entrance hall. Harry got up and began organizing his leftover clothes and small bottles of male scents he had tucked away in toilette bag.
After completing his unpacking duties by himself, (he didn't know the spell to unpack clothes yet), he left his room to go to the kitchen to get his key. The sun was going down and he figured it was around five thirty and almost time for supper. Everyone should have arrived by then and Harry was hoping to see a lassie that would fancy meeting him later that evening.
He scurried down the long straight stairs to the second floor entrance hall. The first floor was most likely the cellar. Harry noticed the information board next to the large white couch sitting in front of a window.
A sheet of paper listed the upcoming house guests staying at the Hogwarts Home. Harry read intensely to scan for a name of a fellow girl classmate…Harry, Dean…soccer player, Cho…total bitch, Neville…wimp, Hermione…whatever, Ron…okay, someone to talk too, Lavender…Ron lover, Nicolette and Kristana…new chicks, and it took Harry several double takes at the last name on the list. Harry gulped and gasped for air when he came to the name Draco…no words to describe him but pure evil.
Harry turned around and fell softly on the white couch in total disbelief. His summer of fun suddenly came crashing down on his hopes and dream. Draco Malfoy was no picnic in the park and Harry knew Draco would mostly likely be the one to spoil the fruit salad.