Chapter One

Hot. That was the only word to describe the weather that year. It made the heat wave of two years ago look like a calm winter's day. It was the kind of weather where you fantasized about tubs full of ice cubes, but it was so hot that you couldn't actually do it; all you could do was lie there and think longingly of it, and try to summon up the energy to move.

Hermione Granger was one of those afflicted with the heat. It was two weeks since she'd graduated from Hogwarts, along with Harry and Ron, and she was headed off to St. Mungo's University of Wizarding Medicine in the fall to become a Healer. Harry had been accepted to Auror training, and Ron was joining his brother Charlie in Romania to work with dragons. He had dreams of starting a zoo, he'd told Hermione one night at Hogwarts while they'd been studying for NEWTS. "Just no damned spiders!" she heard him say, just as clearly as when he'd been sitting by the fire with her That Night. She smiled at the memory. Everything about That Night – she would always think of those two words capitalized, no matter how she tried – was memorized crystal-clear in her mind and heart. The way his eyes had sparkled devilishly in the firelight. The way his mouth had hungrily sought hers. The way…

Hermione shook her head fiercely, trying to expel the memories. She'd never told anyone about That Night, and instead kept it locked away in her heart. Not even Ginny Weasley, Hermione's closest friend and confidant, knew that anything had happened.

The pain she'd felt at graduation was worse than any she'd ever felt in her life – including the time, when she was nine, she'd broke her ski and gashed her knee right to the bone. He hadn't wanted her, and when he walked out of the train station that day when they'd got back from Hogwarts without so much as a "Goodbye", he'd taken all of Hermione's hopes and dreams with him.

For she loved him – loved him so completely that she'd have given up medical school and run to Romania with him, had only he asked. But he'd acted like nothing had happened, like he didn't care. Maybe he really didn't. She didn't know. Deep down, she felt that he did care…but a part of her realized that that was only wishful thinking.

A small ache began to emanate from her heart, and a tear trickled out of her eye as she watched life go on outside of her bedroom window.

She would get over it. She would move on. She'd go to U of WM, meet a rich, handsome young wizard and marry him. And get Ronald Weasley out of her mind – and her heart – forever.

At this last thought the aching in her chest intensified.

"Who am I kidding?" she cried despairingly. "I'm never going to get over Ron!" she threw herself face-first onto her bed and began to sob.

Ron, Ron, Ron, her heart cried in agony. She wiped her eyes and sat up, sniffling. "I'm not going to cry. I won't – I won't -" a sob escaped her, and another threatened to follow, but she held it in. "I won't think of it. I'll think about it tomorrow, when I can stand it."

She looked at herself in the mirror and laughed in spite of herself. Her eyes were puffy, and her face was a mess of red and white blotches. "What a pretty sight I am!"

A rustling of feathers and a soft hooting drew Hermione's attention to the open window. "Calandra…?" she asked in confusion. Her owl (a graduation present from her parents) stood hooting softly and shuffling about with a letter attached to her foot.

"Who sent a letter to me?" Hermione wondered aloud. "I don't remember sending Calandra out…" she took the letter and unfolded it. It was from Ginny.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Granger (and Hermione)

Thank you so much for inviting us to visit next week! Mum finally agreed and said we could come – it took some doing though. She said something about not trusting us around Muggles. I had to promise a dozen times that we would NOT behave as Fred and George would if they were coming…which they're not, thank goodness. They're too busy with their shop. Anyways, we'll be along to your place next Friday.

Love from Ginny xxxx

PS. Sorry this is so short, but we're just off to play some Quidditch. See you on Friday, Hermione!

Joy filled Hermione. Ginny was coming to visit! A smile lit up Hermione's face and, for a moment, the deep sadness in her eyes lifted. Then they filled with puzzlement.

I never wrote to Ginny…and who's "us"? She scoured the letter again. "Dear Mr and Mrs Granger…" Did Mum write and invite Ginny without telling me?

As if on cue, Mrs Granger floated into the room with an armful of folded laundry. She took in the scene – Hermione standing silently in the middle of the room with a scrap of parchment clenched in her fist, staring at it dazedly – and her brows knitted in concern.

"Hermione, what is it?"

Hermione looked at her mother in confusion. Her mind was swirling, and she could barely think straight.

"Mum…did you write to Ginny and invite her to visit?"

"Why…yes. Is that a problem?" Mrs Granger frowned, anticipating some awful wizarding faux pas. Perhaps witches and wizards didn't write to each other and invite them to stay? Whatever the reason, Hermione didn't look at all happy.

"No, it's fine…but I just wish you'd told me."

"Oh, is that all?" Mrs Granger breathed a sigh of relief and bustled into the room, putting the clothes away. "It must have slipped my mind. But it doesn't matter now, they're coming soon, I expect."

"They?"

"Yes – Ginny, Harry and Ron."

At the mention of Ron, Hermione went hot and cold all over, and she felt dizzy.

"Ron…here?" she said faintly, and sank down onto her bed.

"Hermione, are you alright?"

Hermione didn't answer. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts, swirling around like a kaleidoscope behind her eyelids. Her one main thought was Ron is coming! Ron is coming to MY house! She was being pulled in a hundred directions at once. She wanted to scream, dance, turn cartwheels, cry, jump out the window, laugh, and throw a party all at once. But as it was, all she could do was sit there and look stunned.

Friday. They're coming Friday. That's – why – that's

"Tomorrow!" she cried.

"What?" Mrs Granger stared at her daughter, alarmed by the outburst.

"Tomorrow, they'll be here tomorrow."

"Oh – why – yes, they will!" Mrs Granger said in surprise.

"I – I have to get ready." Hermione said dazedly. "Shoo, Mum, shoo."

"But -"

"I said shoo!" Hermione pushed Mrs Granger from the room and shut the door. She leaned against it, her eyes snapping with excitement. Ron was coming! She did a little hop in her happiness. Ron was coming, and she'd make him care. She'd make him love her; she'd make sure of it this time.

A/N: Hey peoples…please review this and let me know what you think…especially of Hermione, cos I'm worried I made her into a Mary Sue…if she is please be honest with me and tell me so I can hopefully fix it before this story gets too set in it's ways…well yah. Hope ya'll like it! HUGS!