Chapter 1: Where to go?

Behind the living-room window of number four Privet Drive a black haired teen sat counting the raindrops that splashed onto the windowpane and ran down, leaving a glistening trail in their path to the garden bed below. The boy's eyes were a startling green, and his dark hair was incredibly messy. This boy was none other than the famous Harry Potter, more commonly known as the Boy Who Lived.

Even though he had fame and glory Harry still found himself trapped in his uncle Vernon's house every summer, doomed to suffer a fate of boredom and anxiety.

Harry sighed and left his chair and went into a kitchen fancying a biscuit.

Drat. Just my luck- it's on the top shelf.

Even though Harry was quite tall he was no match for the top shelf of the Dursley's kitchen. He groaned and returned to his chair. He couldn't have gotten a stool, for it would've made far too much noise, and as it was still in the early hours of morning he had no intentions of doing anything that might trigger a tired and angry Petunia or Vernon to storm into the room. Seconds later Vernon Dursley plodded down the stairs, yawning and stretching. Harry completely ignored him and went back to thinking about his biscuit.

Such was his concentration that he only glanced back at Vernon when he heard him stuttering something.

"Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-MAGIC!"

Immediately Harry wheeled around to see Vernon staring at something in the air his face growing purpler by the second. It was his biscuit packet; Harry had levitated it to him. This wasn't going to be good.

"Get. Out. Now."

As far as Harry was concerned that was the best thing his uncle could have said to him. Trying not to show his happiness he trudged off to his room and packed his trunk. Though magic would have made lighter work, he managed to contain himself from breaking wizarding law, and performed the task manually.

Ten minutes later Harry Potter stepped into the early morning fog, shivered and continued on along Privet Drive.

Where will I go? Going to Sirius' place is out of the question, as I'm not sure where or even what it is, and I don't really want to go to the Leaky cauldron or the Burrow. Harry made his mind up and stuck out his wand hand, flagging down the Knight bus.

Within seconds the enormous bus screeched to a stop in front of him. The doors opened revealing a grinning Stan Shunpike.

"Surprise to see you 'ere again 'arry. Or should I say Neville?" Stan laughed hysterically at his joke.

"Ok. Ok. I'm serious now. So choo 'ere for anyways? Blow up another Aunt?" Stan burst out laughing again but seeing the expression on Harry's face immediately composed himself again.

"Well 'arry where you wanna go?"

"Granger residence."

"And where's that?"

"Oh. Er, just a sec." Harry fumbled around in his jacket and pulled out a small piece of paper.

"29 Groggs road, Richmond."

"That'll be firteen sickles."

Harry paid the money, walked up the aisle and lay on one of the beds, deep in thought.

A few bumps and bruises later the Knight bus arrived at the Granger's. Harry took his trunk off the bus and watched it turn into a tiny speck.

Harry turned around to take a look at the house. It had two stories, a pretty little garden and a white picket fence surrounding the house. He lugged his heavy trunk up to the front door and rang the doorbell, trying to ignore the annoying and inexplicable fluttering in his stomach.

A certain bushy haired girl immediately opened the door.

"Harry!' she said and pulled Harry into a bone crushing hug.

"Err Hermione as much as I'm happy to see you I kinda need air to live." Hermione broke the hug blushing furiously. Harry chuckled to himself, How I've missed Hermione, she's so funny- Wow she's grown much prettier over the holidays as well.

Harry and Hermione stood on the doorstep like that for a while when Harry finally broke the silence.

"Um Hermione?"

"Mm? Oh sorry how rude of me. Come on in Harry."

Hermione's house looked bigger on the inside than the outside. They stepped over the threshold into the well-furnished living room and Harry sat down while Hermione fetched her parents.

Optional) Harry drank in his surroundings, noting how similar the layout was to that of the Gryffindor Common Room. Comfy armchairs lay about the fireplace and books were scattered over the rugs and shelves. The only real differences were the absence of a noticeboard and the presence of a TV. He got up and looked at the photos on the mantelpiece. Many photos showed a small, wide-eyed girl growing up with two loving parents.

A minute later Hermione returned with her parents. Harry was bewildered at how much Hermione looked like her mother, except had her father's chocolate brown eyes while her mother had clear blue eyes.

Her mother was the first one to speak, "Good morning Harry what a pleasure it is to finally meet you; we've heard so much about you from Hermione," Hermione blushed madly for the second time that morning. I wonder why that is, thought Harry.

Her mother continued, "My name's Sarah and this is my husband Geoffrey."

"Pleased to meet you."

"Now Harry may I ask why you are here?"

"Well the Dursley's kicked me out for performing accidental magic and I didn't really want to go to the Leaky Cauldron or the Burrow so I was wondering if I could stay here."

Mr and Mrs Granger exchanged glances and Sarah nodded to Geoffrey. "Yes of course you can stay here. Hermione please show Harry to the guest room."

" Come on Harry grab your trunk this is going to be so much fun!" She squealed.

Harry followed Hermione up the stairs and into the guest room. It had beige walls, navy blue carpet a large, mahogany wardrobe, bedside table and a large bed with a purple quilt. Harry dumped his trunk on his bed and started putting his clothes in the wardrobe.

"Harry did you bring swimming trunks?"

"Um yeah I think so… why?"

"Well do you want to go for a swim?"

"Yeah sure."

"Great! I'll go get changed."

Thinking that it would be fun, Harry quickly threw the rest of his belongings in the wardrobe, found his swimming trunks and pulled them on. He ran out to the backyard where he saw the pool. It was huge and had a pretend waterfall at one end. The only he had seen one of those water falls was when he had gone to a swimming lesson with his class, which the Dursleys had quickly pulled him out of after they saw how much it was costing them, which really wasn't much at all.

Noticing Hermione wasn't there Harry decided to jump in. The water was cold despite the afternoon sun. Trying to get warm Harry swam a few laps. He was in the middle of his sixth lap when Hermione came out. Hermione noticed he hadn't seen her and decided to use this to her advantage.

She waited until he was almost in line with her before jumping in right beside him and pulling him underwater. He came up for a breath coughing and spluttering while she laughed at him. Once Harry had regained his breath he splashed her and this quickly turned into a full-on water fight.

As the sun set Harry and Hermione climbed out of the pool shivering but happy. They took turns in having showers and sat in Hermione's room. Harry looked around. Smiling back at him were moving photos of Hermione, Ron and himself. Hermione's room was very much what he had expected from Hermione- it had blue walls, a bed, wardrobe and a large bookcase.

The two teens were sitting on Hermione's bed when Hermione asked, "Harry have you done all your holiday homework?"

At this Harry groaned, "I knew you would ask me that eventually, but yes I've done every thing except Potions and Transfiguration."

"Well lets get started then."

They spent the next two hours poring over books, until Harry stifled a yawn with a sigh and slowly stood up, shaking his arms and legs carefully to rid them from cramps.

"Well Hermione I'm getting tired I think I'm going to turn in. Goodnight." Harry gave her a peck on the cheek, lingering for longer than usual, and walked away. Hermione mumbled to herself, "Goodnight."