Hermione lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. The breeze swept into the room, rushing over her face and tickling her slender neck. It brought along the sweet smell of the fields, of grass and freshly bloomed flowers. She let her mind wander off, let it bring back the memories. Sweet memories of days gone by, lovely indeed. Her eyelids started to droop. Maybe she'll have a nice dream. That'll be good. She smiled and shut her eyes.

"Mione, stop snoring and pass me that please."

Her eyelids fluttered open and she groaned in annoyance.

"Pass you what?" She asked, glancing at the tall frame standing at her side, back facing her.

"The toothpaste you're sleeping on." The figure said, bending down to pick up something from the floor.

"Whatever," Hermione said, waving the tube in the air. "I still don't understand why you have to start packing your things at the very last minute."

The figure turned around, reaching for the tube of mint toothpaste and stashing it into the trunk behind him.

"Well, it's perfectly normal. All the guys pack their things late. It's a fact of life." He said, waving his gangly arms animatedly in the air.

"Boys will be boys." She muttered, rolling off the bed.

"Exactly."

Just then the door swung open. In came Ginny Weasley, in a bathrobe with hair soaking wet and holding a towel.

"Ron, did you take my shampoo?" Ginny said, "The apple-scented one. I've been searching the whole house for it."

"No, I didn't take anything of yours." The boy said, "By the way, what in Merlin's name would I want with apple-scented shampoo?"

"Just asking." Ginny shrugged, "Oh hi Hermione."

"Hi Gin." Hermione answered with a grin, "Ron is right. He has no use for apple-scented shampoo. He prefers strawberries. It brings out the feminine side of him."

"Oi, you watch it!" Ron said, hurling a pair of rolled up socks towards Hermione, hitting her square on the nose.

"Eww, they stink!" Hermione exclaimed, scrunching up her nose.

"Anyways, I have to get going. Need to track down my shampoo, take a nice therapeutic bath, adjourn to my room and rest. Tomorrow is a big day."

Ron snorted.

Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother and strolled out the door, not bothering to close it.

"Ron, where's Harry?" Hermione asked, "I haven't seen him since we came back from London."

"In the room, also packing. When he's finished with it he's supposed to come over. Then we'll go." Ron replied, trying to close his trunk. "Bloody trunk!"

"Here, let me help."

Hermione fished out her wand underneath the pile of books on Ron's table and expertly zapped at the lid of the trunk.

"Thanks. I owe you one." Ron said and flopped on the bed, "That was hard work."

"Yeah right." Hermione laughed, sitting on the bed, next to Ron's sprawled out figure.

Ron's long arms and legs were sticking out at every angle. The bed was getting a little too small for him. Mrs. Weasley had predicted that he would some day be taller than Hagrid. Ron was now 6"3 and there was still room for him to grow. His height was a bit of a problem when the three of them went on their midnight strolls at Hogwarts. Ron's feet would always be sticking out of the Invisibility Cloak.

Hermione glanced over at the bedside alarm clock. It was nearly 8 o'clock by now and the sun had already gone under the mountains.

"Harry's late." She said, craning her neck to peer down the hallway.

"That git." Ron said, sitting up in bed and massaging his left shoulder. "Any later and I swear the garden gnomes are gonna take over the garden. Then we won't have space for the campfire."

The three of them planned to have an all-nighter in the garden. It would be their last Stay-Over-At-The-Burrow-Before-School-Starts and they wanted it to be ultra-special. But they had to be quick as the garden gnomes took over the garden at night and they would be terrorised out of the garden the moment they step foot on it.

"I think I'll go and hurry him up a bit." Hermione said, getting up from the bed.

"Yeah, I'll go get ready in the garden. See you in a bit."

Ron grabbed his backpack, swung it over his shoulder and hurried of downstairs to set up camp. Hermione switched off the lights and walked down the hallway to Bill's room, where Harry had been sleeping.

"Harry," Hermione called out as she knocked on the door, "It's about 8 now. Time to go."

Harry unlocked the door and swung it open. He was shirtless, exposing his flat stomach and toned muscles. His hair was damp and there were beads of water on his chest.

"Sorry. Just finished taking a bath. Come on in."

Hermione averted her eyes from Harry and nod her head. There were times when she felt a bit uneasy with Ron and Harry. Yes, there were her best friends. But it's a little different when your best friends are one of the hottest guys in school.

Harry strolled across the neatly kept room and grabbed a black shirt in one hand and a white one in another.

"Mione, which one d'you think looks better?" He said, glancing at her.

"The black one, Harry."

Harry nodded and pulled it over his head. The shirt fitted him, showing off his broad shoulders. All Hermione could do was just stare. It felt odd, really odd.

Harry caught Hermione's eye and gave his lopsided grin.

"Okay, babe. I'm done." He said, snatching his backpack from the bed, "Let's go downstairs before Ron gets eaten up by the gnomes."

"Oh, puh-leeze." Hermione rolled her eyes.

Harry put his hand around her waist and led her out the door. It was normal for Harry or Ron to hug her, call her 'darling' or 'sweetie' and sometimes give her a peck on the cheek. Whenever they did that, she would usually put on a look of mock-disgust on her face. But she couldn't resist a grin now, as she slid one hand on his shoulder as they walked down the stairs.

"Wonder how I noticed these things before." She thought, trailing her free hand on the banister while laughing flirtatiously at Harry's lame jokes. Then her conscious mind kicked in. "It's because we're best friends and nothing more and he's just being protective and brotherly-like to me!"

At that thought, Hermione shuddered and released her grip on Harry's shoulder. Best not to get confused with everything and end up being heartbroken and all. They were friends. Plus, Harry still adored Cho Chang.

"Think before you act Hermione!" She told herself, "Remember! Think and use your logical sense!"

"Hermione!" Harry said, poking her in the ribs, "Earth to Hermione!"

"What?" She said, shaking herself out of her sea of thoughts.

"I said, Ron seems to have trouble setting up the tent. I saw some red lights at the window just now."

Hermione glanced back at her shoulder where they passed a window just now. She could catch a glimpse of faint red lights coming from the garden.

"I guess I'd better hurry." She said, breaking away from Harry and quickening her pace. There was no telling what Ron would do when there were garden gnomes in his way. The last time they did that, he set the garden on fire.

"Yeah, I'll take my time here and watch you save the day from a safe distance. Knock em' dead!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she walked out the door into the garden.

"Just friends." She told herself, "Me and Harry are just friends."