Chapter 2
That week sped by. Harry had run back home and told the Dursleys that he would be leaving in a week. Uncle Vernon cheered up considerably when he heard that and even more so when Harry told them that the Grangers were completely normal and would drive a car.
Harry remembered all too well the last time one of his friends had tried to pick him up from the Dursleys. It had been two years ago and Ron had invited Harry to come and see the Quidditch World Cup with him. Unfortunately, Ron and his brothers had tried to get to Privet Drive using Floo Powder. They had got stuck in the fireplace and Mr Weasley had to blast the fireplace apart. Uncle Vernon had not been happy.
On the Saturday that Harry was supposed to be picked up, he packed his trunk. It took a surprisingly little time, but then Harry had never been overwhelmed with clothes or other personal items.
Harry realised that this week he had hardly thought about Sirius twice. He had been so busy with imagining life elsewhere, that he had almost forgotten him. Harry immediately felt guilty, just because he was excited it shouldn't have meant that he should have forgotten about the man who died to save him. Maybe he was a selfish, arrogant brat like Malfoy had said he was.
He was interrupted from these uncomfortable thoughts by the sound of the doorbell ringing. He raced down the stairs and opened the front door. Standing there was Hermione her hair tied back and a huge grin on her face.
"Harry!" she screamed "its so good to see you!" She flew her arms around him and hugged him so hard her felt the breath being forced out of him.
"It's nice to see you too, Hermione," Harry croaked back " but can you let go of me before I suffocate!"
"Sorry Harry." Hermione released him and stepped backwards. She turned to one side and introduced her parents. "I know you've met before but anyway. This is my Mum and Dad. Mum, Dad this is Harry." They all said hello and were standing there smiling at each other, when Harry heard a loud cough behind him.
He turned around and saw Uncle Vernon standing in the doorway. He was frowning and looking down at the Grangers with intense dislike. The Grangers stammered feeble hellos and stood there in shock.
Harry turned back to Hermione and said: " Shall we go and get my trunk and Hedwig's cage? They're just upstairs." Hermione nodded still staring up at Uncle Vernon and they made their way inside.
Harry trundled up the stairs leading Hermione to his room.
"Don't worry about Uncle Vernon, he's not that bad." Harry tried to reassure her, but she still looked terrified at the memory of him. Harry led her into his room and sat down on the bed. "What do you think then?"
Hermione's eyes roamed around the room, taking in the battered wardrobe, the untidy bed, the loose floorboard lying on the floor and dirty plates covered in crumbs on all surfaces.
"It's.um.lovely." She said trying to disguise the disgust in her voice.
"Don't worry, Hermione, I know it's horrible." Hermione heaved a sigh of relief and began to tell him what she really thought of it.
"Harry, it is horrible. How can you live in here? Why haven't you cleaned anything up? I'm sure you're going to be ill soon."
Harry shrugged, but felt slightly annoyed that she didn't realise why the room was like it was. He had hardly done anything for the past 5 weeks because he had been grieving over Sirius. His food had been eaten up here and his homework sweated over on that desk. He had left the house only to talk to Lupin.
They picked up his trunk and Hedwig's cage and carried them downstairs, talking about everything and anything. Uncle Vernon was still standing at the door and Mr and Mrs Granger were outside. Uncle Vernon hadn't spoken a word to them and they were looking quite offended.
Harry and Hermione squeezed past Uncle Vernon and made their way to the Granger's car. It was a Citroen Picasso and it was a quicksilver colour. Harry lifted his trunk and put it into the boot that Hermione was holding open for him. They then went back to the front door to say 'goodbye' to Uncle Vernon.
"Bye!" said Harry and Hermione together. Uncle Vernon grunted, turned on his heel and shut the door behind him. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Mr and Mrs Granger.
"Thanks a lot for having me to stay," he said.
"That's O.K dear, it's our pleasure," said Mrs Granger. They all climbed into the car and drove off. Harry turned around and waved Privet Drive goodbye.
That week sped by. Harry had run back home and told the Dursleys that he would be leaving in a week. Uncle Vernon cheered up considerably when he heard that and even more so when Harry told them that the Grangers were completely normal and would drive a car.
Harry remembered all too well the last time one of his friends had tried to pick him up from the Dursleys. It had been two years ago and Ron had invited Harry to come and see the Quidditch World Cup with him. Unfortunately, Ron and his brothers had tried to get to Privet Drive using Floo Powder. They had got stuck in the fireplace and Mr Weasley had to blast the fireplace apart. Uncle Vernon had not been happy.
On the Saturday that Harry was supposed to be picked up, he packed his trunk. It took a surprisingly little time, but then Harry had never been overwhelmed with clothes or other personal items.
Harry realised that this week he had hardly thought about Sirius twice. He had been so busy with imagining life elsewhere, that he had almost forgotten him. Harry immediately felt guilty, just because he was excited it shouldn't have meant that he should have forgotten about the man who died to save him. Maybe he was a selfish, arrogant brat like Malfoy had said he was.
He was interrupted from these uncomfortable thoughts by the sound of the doorbell ringing. He raced down the stairs and opened the front door. Standing there was Hermione her hair tied back and a huge grin on her face.
"Harry!" she screamed "its so good to see you!" She flew her arms around him and hugged him so hard her felt the breath being forced out of him.
"It's nice to see you too, Hermione," Harry croaked back " but can you let go of me before I suffocate!"
"Sorry Harry." Hermione released him and stepped backwards. She turned to one side and introduced her parents. "I know you've met before but anyway. This is my Mum and Dad. Mum, Dad this is Harry." They all said hello and were standing there smiling at each other, when Harry heard a loud cough behind him.
He turned around and saw Uncle Vernon standing in the doorway. He was frowning and looking down at the Grangers with intense dislike. The Grangers stammered feeble hellos and stood there in shock.
Harry turned back to Hermione and said: " Shall we go and get my trunk and Hedwig's cage? They're just upstairs." Hermione nodded still staring up at Uncle Vernon and they made their way inside.
Harry trundled up the stairs leading Hermione to his room.
"Don't worry about Uncle Vernon, he's not that bad." Harry tried to reassure her, but she still looked terrified at the memory of him. Harry led her into his room and sat down on the bed. "What do you think then?"
Hermione's eyes roamed around the room, taking in the battered wardrobe, the untidy bed, the loose floorboard lying on the floor and dirty plates covered in crumbs on all surfaces.
"It's.um.lovely." She said trying to disguise the disgust in her voice.
"Don't worry, Hermione, I know it's horrible." Hermione heaved a sigh of relief and began to tell him what she really thought of it.
"Harry, it is horrible. How can you live in here? Why haven't you cleaned anything up? I'm sure you're going to be ill soon."
Harry shrugged, but felt slightly annoyed that she didn't realise why the room was like it was. He had hardly done anything for the past 5 weeks because he had been grieving over Sirius. His food had been eaten up here and his homework sweated over on that desk. He had left the house only to talk to Lupin.
They picked up his trunk and Hedwig's cage and carried them downstairs, talking about everything and anything. Uncle Vernon was still standing at the door and Mr and Mrs Granger were outside. Uncle Vernon hadn't spoken a word to them and they were looking quite offended.
Harry and Hermione squeezed past Uncle Vernon and made their way to the Granger's car. It was a Citroen Picasso and it was a quicksilver colour. Harry lifted his trunk and put it into the boot that Hermione was holding open for him. They then went back to the front door to say 'goodbye' to Uncle Vernon.
"Bye!" said Harry and Hermione together. Uncle Vernon grunted, turned on his heel and shut the door behind him. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Mr and Mrs Granger.
"Thanks a lot for having me to stay," he said.
"That's O.K dear, it's our pleasure," said Mrs Granger. They all climbed into the car and drove off. Harry turned around and waved Privet Drive goodbye.