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Summer~ Part XVII

Plans for Dinner~ Part II

"She got out a little pan and started melting the wax in it," Harry continued. Hermione looked puzzled , but ready to attack Petunia later, if she needed to.

"Why did she do that, did she make all of you eat food with wax in it?"

"Oh no, we didn't eat it , Hermione, and I had about the most fun I've ever had in that house. She brought Uncle Vernon in and made him sit at the table. Then we, um, took away some of his hair." Harry was laughing so hard by now, his last words came out in a gasp, and he was rocking on the step, holding his stomach. "

"You know that frizzy hair In his ears, and nose? Well, it's........ gone!"

A look of delight replaced the puzzled one on Hermione's face." You mean she used the wax ON your uncle? Harry you're not making this up?"

"Oh, no," Harry managed to choke out. "Only I put the wax on, and pulled it off. Petunia not only insisted I do it, she made Dudley hold his arms. She slapped both of them a couple of times when they tried to argue with her, and told Dudley the hair on his head would be next if he didn't quiet down."

"Ooh, Harry I guess your Uncle Vernon was pretty angry when he was able to move! Did he come after you?" Hermione asked with a grin, picturing Vernon with hair and wax being ripped from his skin.

"Oh, no," replied Harry with a grimace." It would have almost been easier if he had, I'm used to having to get away from him fast. But no, the big, brave man sat there and howled like a baby. He cried and Dudley started whining about......" He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a folded piece of paper that he handed to Hermione with a smirk.

"........This! You seem to have made an impression on Dudley. He wouldn't be quiet until Petunia had written this."

Dear Hermione,

I'd like to invite you to dinner at our home tonight. Dudley has talked about you constantly since he met you yesterday. If you are able to join us, I will pick you up when I come for Harry this afternoon. Dudley will be so disappointed if you can't make it, so I hope you'll try.

Sincerely,

Petunia Dursley

Harry watched Hermione read the note with a smirk on his face. " I told Dudley there was no way you'd consider having dinner with a pig like him. Just write a big NO on that and I'll give it back to my aunt. How dumb can a guy get, even Dudley."

He was surprised to see Hermione re-reading the note, with a look of concentration on her face. He couldn't believe it, she seemed to be seriously considering the invitation. Why would someone like Hermione want to be around Dudley.

Before he could speak, Hermione giggled and said," So Dudley has a crush on me. I never would have expected him to notice anything except what's on his plate." Harry felt himself let out the breath he'd been holding without realizing it.

"So you aren't going to come over. You'd hate it, Hermione. They are the most boring Muggles in the world, even since your mom used that Charm."

"Oh I don't know, Harry, I wouldn't have minded being there for that wax thing." Harry laughed at that but was surprised to hear her voice take on a different tone than he'd really heard in Hermione before." Besides, I would really like to be able to know where you live. You know, so I could kind of, um, imagine where you are when you're not here." Her face had become very pink and he could tell she was trying not to look at him." I guess you think that's pretty silly, Harry?"

Suddenly Harry was aware that they were sitting much closer together than they had been moments before. Her tannned, bare shoulder was touching his arm and he couldn't help noticing how smooth and soft her skin was. When she leaned over to put the note in his shirt pocket her hair had that wonderful smell he's noticed before.

He had a brief, wild thought that maybe they could disappear for the day before Hermione drew away, and said, "We'd better get inside, Harry. Mom and Dad have things for us to do, and I'd better ask them about this invitation. They may not want me to go anyway." She suddenly broke into a grin and said with a laugh," If I go...... you know I'll have to take Crookshanks along. Think your aunt will mad?"

Thinking about his Aunt Petunia's pride in her shiny floors and dust free furniture, Harry felt a great rush of happiness and anticipation come over him.

"Just be sure you don't brush him first, or do anything to make him clean. I'd hate to miss seeing Aunt Petunia's face when those long orange hairs and dusty footprints are all over her floor and furniture!"

He stood up and reached down to pull Hermione to her feet. When he did they lost their balance slightly, and she fell into his arms. Very briefly Harry felt his arms tighten around her and she leaned into him, then they broke apart and went into the Grangers' front door to begin the day.

Summer~ Part XVIII

"~Frustration and Fun~"

As Harry went through the day at the Granger's part of his mind was looking toward the evening ahead, but he also dreaded seeing Dudley acting like a fool over Hermione. She was HIS friend, wasn't she? Hermione didn't seem the least concerned about the evening and he wondered what had happened to make her so confident. Sure, she had gotten a lot of attention from Viktor Krum, but he and Ron were the important ones in her life. Weren't they? He remembered, little embarrassed even in his mind, how he'd acted about Cho. If Hermione remembered that, (and when did Hermione forget anything?) she wouldn't be wrong in completely ignoring him. Maybe he should get used to it.

Chris broke in on these gloomy thoughts, by asking him to help clean the X- ray machine. He seemed to notice Harry's mood, and made an extra attempt to explain the workings of the machine. Harry couldn't help wishing Hermione was explaining it to him, even though he did appreciate her dad spending the time. Except for Sirius, briefly, there hadn't been anyone older who might understand how a guy who was almost fifteen might be feeling. Ron, while he was the best friend a guy could have, tended to go overboard and wasn't the best for being objective.

Chris finally stopped talking about machinery and sat down. To Harry's surprise he said, " So how do you like the changes in Hermione? " Harry knew his mouth dropped open, he was so shocked. Apparently Hermione's no nonsense attitude came from her dad. So what was he supposed to say? Fortunately Chris didn't seem to really expect an answer, since he just grinned at Harry and went on.

" Being her dad, I always told myself this wouldn't happen, but my daughter has discovered life isn't all inside books. You're one of her best friends, so you'll probably suffer the most. I've been wondering, Harry, this Krum chap, is he a suitable friend for Hermione? You know she's been asked to visit his family this summer, and we haven't consented yet. "

Harry had to fight the impulse to shout "NO!" as loud as he could. Somehow he felt that would be the wrong answer, and he struggled to think of something friendly to say.

"Erm... he's an excellent Seeker. He seems to work pretty hard. I ....... reckon he'd be a good friend, once you got to know him, I mean," he finally answered, sounding very unenthusiastic, even to himself.

"We'll all have the chance to do that next week, Viktor and his family will be in London for a few days. We're thinking of having a small party while they're here, Ivy's idea of course," Chris said with a slightly apologetic look on his face

"Ivy! " thought Harry. If there was one adult in the world he had trusted besides Dumbledore and Sirius, it was Ivy. Now, even though he knew it was stupid of him, he felt betrayed

At that moment, Hermione's face appeared in the door.

"Aren't you hungry?" she asked. " Mom and I gave up waiting for you, and had lunch. She's waiting for you now."

"And what do you plan on doing? " Chris asked Hermione, who seemed to be in a hurry.

" Oh I've got some letters to write, " she answered. " Then I was hoping Harry and I could take Crookshanks outside for a while. You know, let him get some exercise, before he goes with us for his big dinner date." Even though Harry felt a definite annoyance at the mention of Hermione writing letters, the idea of taking Crookshanks outside did make life look a bit brighter. He watched Hermione disappear up the stairs. As he followed Chris into the kitchen. When, he wondered , had her legs gotten so long. Those robes! Hermione had really managed to keep a lot of changes to herself over the last few months. When he got into the kitchen, Ivy was preparing to leave to go back to her office.

Chris said," I've been telling Harry we're thinking of having a few people over next week, while Viktor Krum and his family are in town."

On hearing this Ivy stopped and gave Harry a look that made him feel a bit reassured, though not as much as her words did.

"I think it's best we all meet the Krum family together. I'm not at all certain I like the idea of Hermione visiting an unfamiliar country with a family we don't know."

Harry could feel the breath he didn't know he'd been holding ease out, but before he could stop himself he said, " Yeah, but how does Hermione feel? SHE wants to go, I guess!"

Ivy smiled at Harry and looked as if she would have reached out and patted his arm, if she hadn't known he'd be embarrassed."

Hermione doesn't seem at all certain of what she wants to do, Harry. I think she's all for visiting another country, we often do that in the summers. But she's also enjoying having you here, knowing your aunt and uncle aren't spending he summer finding ways to make you miserable. Chris and I thought possibly you'd go with us when we went on our summer holiday. In their present condition, I can't imagine your aunt and uncle objecting."

" Oh, no! They won't mind," Harry practically shouted, then realizing what he'd done, and feeling his face go red, he quickly added, " I.. I mean, it would be great to be able to go on a holiday out of the country."

Ivy had a wistful look on her face when he said this and Harry wondered if she could be thinking back to holidays she and his mom had shared. The look quickly vanished though as she said," Perhaps we should see whether the Weasleys could come up for a visit next week. I've always felt Molly was a good judge of character. And you and Hermione would lie to have Ron and any of the other kids come along."

As he began to eat his lunch, Harry couldn't help wondering what the next week would bring. Viktor Krum and Ron both visiting, and here was Hermione seeming like a different person from moment to moment. Suddenly the tasks he'd faced during the Triwizard Tournament seemed, even if more dangerous, at least easier to understand than the way things seemed to be going in his life since school had ended for the year. And, unfortunately he didn't think his wand wasn't going to be of much help this time. . .

TO BE CONTINUED.........