Chapter 2: "Err.um, noth-nothing," he stammered. "Well, okay then, let's get in the car," Ron muttered. Harry sensed that Ron understood what he was wondering about because later he brushed Hermione's hand away gently as he turned around. "Come on! They're brand new Ministry cars! They bewitched it to fit more people than usual muggles can squeeze in," he said this last part in a whisper because neighbors seemed to be peering in wondering how 10 people and 2 drivers could fit into two small cars. The trip back to the Burrow in the car was strangely uneventful. In the last Weasley car, Harry was rescued from the Dursleys in the dead of night and flown back to the Weasley home. Later that year the barrier to Platform 9 ¾ wouldn't let Ron and Harry through causing them to fly that very same car, Mr. Weasley's Ford Anglia, to Hogwarts. They had envisioned a smooth landing on the sloping lawns of the magical school campus, but instead of their graceful descent they crash-landed head long into a tree. Ron had pointed out, "Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back." They had truly hit the only tree in the entire grounds of Hogwarts that hit back, rightfully named the Whomping Willow. It swiped at them breaking Ron's wand and smashing the car with the tremendous force. Mr. Weasley's car was never to be seen again, probably still roaming the Forbidden Forest that lay on the outskirts of the school grounds. Harry sat there trying to keep dry as the heat forced him to perspire. He frequently wiped his brow and pushed up his glasses, which were sliding down his sweaty nose as they sat in afternoon traffic. "Can't we just magic our way through this, Arthur," sighed Mrs. Weasley fanning herself with a brochure for magical car rental. "It's bloody hot, Dad!" moaned Percy. Percy, usually neat and pompous, now was slumped in the back seat with his sweat soaked hair plastered on his head. "I'm sorry, sir. We have to be as discreet as possible in the midst of all these muggles. They might expect something if we vanish and turn up in the front of this hold up," warned the ministry driver. Fred groaned at this and slid back in his seat and twiddled his wand in his fingers. Suddenly his wand burst into a rubber chicken with a huge squawk. Everyone began to laugh, even Mrs. Weasley who usually detested Fred and George's tricks. In their 3rd year Fred and George, the infamous Weasley twins, tricksters of Hogwarts, began to develop tricks, which they hoped to sell to students to help financial problems. Mrs. Weasley disposed of all she could find and warned them to never make a single gadget again. Yet anything on this scorching hot day seemed to ease the tension. When they finally arrived at their destination several hours later Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys thanked the drivers and trundled up to the Burrow. Once inside, Mr. Weasley made it wonderfully cool while Mrs. Weasley made a fresh pint of pumpkin juice for them to share in the living room. Once settled Ron showed Harry his room. Ron's bedroom was always a mess and covered from roof to floor in Chudley Cannons Quidditch team merchandise. Harry had imagined seeing all of this clutter when Ron opened the door but instead his eyes widened as he saw the whole of his mysteriously clean room. "Wha-what happened? Ron, your room is so-," Harry muttered. "I know," Ron interrupted. "Herm made me." "Herm? Since when have you called Hermione Herm?" Harry asked quizzically. "Oh, right; that. Well, err.Harry, you have to see, what it is--" "Hey! Dinner's almost ready. What's wrong?" Hermione had just entered before Ron could respond. "Harry, you're acting rather odd lately. Is something wrong? Maybe you should write to Sirius," Hermione said. "What's wrong with you two? You guys are really odd lately." "Oh, err.umm, Harry about that, it's really complicated," she stammered in the same nervous voice Ron had spoken in. "Harry, Hermione and I, err. we, umm, are sort of." Ron trailed off into something less than a whisper. "What?" Harry beckoned him to continue. "THEY FANCY EACH OTHER!!!!" screamed Fred and George together barging into the room.
Harry, Fred and George suddenly burst into loud laughter. Harry leaned onto the wall for support, Fred doubled up hanging onto his knees, while George lay flat on his stomach kicking and banging the floor with his fists. Ron and Hermione blushed deep red and looked down at the floor embarrassed. "Are you serious?" gaped Harry still overcome with sniggers. "It's time for dinner.come on Ron," Hermione said and pulled Ron out off the room by his forearm. Harry and the twins followed slowly trying fiercely not to burst into a fit of hysterics. Harry had never thought about it much, but Ron and Hermione seemed perfect for each other. Well, sometimes they did. As long as Harry could remember they had been bickering and arguing but they truly seemed to care about each other. It was rather comical.
As they walked down the stairs Mrs. Weasley told the three boys to help set the table. When they went outside Ron was holding a stack of plates as Hermione took them one by one and set them around the table. As they finished their round around the table they approached Harry who was finishing with the spoons. He tried to stop himself from bursting into laughter. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Is your trunk packed, Harry?" asked Ron as they climbed into bed. "Yeah, you?" Harry asked in return. "Yup. I can't believe your month here is already almost over," Ron yawned. "At least we're spending the last three days in the Leaky Cauldron." The Leaky Cauldron was a pub with an inn on the top of it in Diagon Alley. They were going to stay the last few days in the inn so they could buy their school supplies before boarding the Hogwarts Express, the steam engine that took the Hogwarts students to school. They next day they will be leaving for London where the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Ally lay in the middle of the Muggle world. A muggle, by wizard vocabulary was a non- magical person, having no magical ability. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Let's go to Flourish and Blotts!" Hermione shrieked with pure excitement. "They have the new Lockhart book, Who Am I? My Pursuit to Find My True Self," she said with pure relish. Ron heaved an enormous sigh. Ron had some how always disliked Gilderoy Lockhart, their former teacher at Hogwarts that lost his memory when his spell backfired and hit himself. Harry always thought that it was because of his cockiness, arrogance, his lies about all the great feats he claimed to have conquered, and sincere lack of magical talent, just the reason Harry despised him. But now that Ron and Hermione had openly expressed how they must have felt for each other, Harry now felt differently about Ron's reasons.
After going to Flourish and Blotts Ron and Hermione had to go to the Magical Menagerie to get owl treats for Pig, Ron's owl, (Pigwidgeon as was supposed to be his proper name) and Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, needed to get a new wicker work basket as he had torn up his last one. Harry would rather not be cooped up in the animal reeking menagerie decided to not tag along. When he left Ron and Hermione at the front of the store he walked around thinking of where to go. Suddenly he spotted Quality Quidditch Supplies, a store that sold all kinds of things that involved the magical sport of Quidditch, a game played with four balls and fourteen players on flying broomsticks. He walked in remembering that he needed more broomstick polish. He was looking at a shelf facing the middle of the store when he spotted the very person he liked the most (apart from his friends) and the person he hated most of all.