Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, or anything else of any concern whatsoever.
So this is a tiny bit over dramatic, but overall I like it. I'm not sure why she doesn't just go outside, but she doesn't, so yeah (you probably have no idea what I'm talking about because you haven't read it yet). Anyway, this is my NINETY-NINTH story! Eek! So here it is!
Hermione Granger pushed open the Weasley's front door and let the summer air blow against her face. She had just finished helping Mrs. Weasley and Fleur wash the breakfast dishes and was ready for a change of setting.
Ginny pushed up next to Hermione, her flaming red hair pulled up in a ponytail. She looked unusually cheery, probably because she had been spared from doing the dishes with Fleur. "Are you going outside?" she asked. "Have you asked Mum?"
Mrs. Weasley had been ridiculously cautious about letting anyone outside without her permission lately. Hermione, who knew all about the enchantments that protected The Burrow, privately thought she was being silly.
"No," Hermione said absently, remembering Ginny. "I mean, I'm not going out. I'm not sure what I'd do."
She shut the door hastily. Ginny shrugged and darted off up the stairs, most likely to her bedroom. Hermione stood uncomfortably in the kitchen, unsure what to do. Ron and Harry were doing who knew what, so Hermione decided perhaps she could spend the morning reading. She followed Ginny to the bedroom, grabbed her book off her bed, and returned to the kitchen. She settled down at the table and began to read, the warm sunlight coming through the open window.
Within an hour, Hermione couldn't stand it anymore. She had to be outside. She stared hopelessly at the door, but she was still uncertain about where she could go. If she just went outside and stood there, someone would see her and think she'd lost it.
In a second, she had thought of an idea. "Mrs. Weasley!" she called, sprinting haphazardly into the laundry room.
Mrs. Weasley looked up from a pile of fresh laundry, continuing to wave her wand and fold the laundry. "Yes, Hermione, dear?" she said. She looked slightly surprised at Hermione's fast manner.
"Have you fed the chickens yet?" Hermione asked, running her fingers through her hair and hoping she looked casual. "I mean, I'd love to help you if you haven't."
Mrs. Weasley smiled but said, "I think Arthur fed them early this morning. That's very kind of you, though."
Hermione smiled back, though she wasn't feeling it. She headed back to the kitchen and leaned against the counter. The silence was calming, and Hermione thought of another idea before she could even worry about her failed one. She took off sprinting again, this time upstairs.
"Come in," Harry shouted through the door as Hermione knocked.
Hermione flung the door open and rolled her eyes when she saw the punching telescope that had punched her two days ago. "Where's Ron?" she asked. She'd thought they were both in Harry's room.
"He forgot about Flitwick's big essay," Harry explained. "He's going to go-er-write it."
Hermione glared at Harry. "You mean copy yours, don't you?"
Harry grinned mischievously. "Maybe. Anyway, why do you look so-I don't know-inspired?"
Hermione giggled at this funny way of saying it but cut right to the chase. "Well, I was wondering, are we allowed to go into the village?"
Harry looked curious. "You mean Ottery St. Catchpole?"
"Yeah. Can we go there?"
Harry started to answer-probably with a "no," Hermione thought-then paused and thought for a second. "Fred and George have gone," he said reasonably. "I bet we could, too."
Hermione smiled. This was what she'd wanted to hear. "Then let's go!" she exclaimed, her voice certainly full of inspiration.
Harry laughed and raised his eyebrows. "Now? You mean right now?"
"Look outside!" Hermione said, pointing out the window. "Of course I mean now! Not later! You get your invisibility cloak and then we can just go."
Harry seemed to want to protest, but he didn't bother. Instead, he picked his invisibility cloak up out of his trunk. "Okay," he said, winking. "Whatever, I guess."
Hermione jumped up and down excitedly, grabbed Harry's arm, and dragged him downstairs. She halted at the laundry room door and yelled, "Harry and I are going to the village!" Then, before Mrs. Weasley could come charging out haughtily, she sprinted to the front door and threw it open.
The moment the summer air surrounded Hermione, she glowed. She had felt extraordinarily cooped up lately, and it was lovely to finally be out in the beautiful sun. She grabbed Harry's arm again and ran to the gate. Not even thinking about going past the enchantments, she, with Harry in tow, took off down the lane towards the village.
After about eight minutes, Hermione slowed. "We're here," she said excitedly. "I've never been here. I can't believe I've never been here, actually."
Harry grinned and unfolded the invisibility cloak. "Come on," he said, "Mrs. Weasley will kill us if we don't take some security precautions."
Hermione nodded, but halfheartedly. "I know," she said. "But can't we be visible for like four minutes? Let's go! I don't think there's going to be Death Eaters out right now! They'd get way too hot in those cloaks. And if there are, you can just put it on. Simple."
Harry glanced at his cloak and then at Hermione. Then he sighed and folded it up again. "Fine. Sure."
Hermione hugged Harry and then pulled him along with her. She stared, amazed, at the all the cozy little shops that she had never seen before. "This is so perfect," she said dreamily.
"Mrs. Weasley's going to kill us," Harry said in a much less dreamy voice.
But Hermione just laughed. She didn't care. Sure, she'd be killed later, but right now, with the sun against her face and a new, unexplored village right in front of her, everything was perfect.
Did you like it? I hope so!
Please review! I am so super excited that its my ninety-ninth story! I'm also excited for summer! I don't know why, because I don't even like summer, but I guess because I've been writing about how great sun is for fifteen minutes. That's probably it.
Linley =)