CHAPTER 3

PREPERATIONS

The following morning Hermione was up at six, waving her parents off as they left for the airport, but not before giving her a long list of rules that were to be followed when they were away. The first rule being 'No boys in the house.'

''Oh well,'' Hermione said to herself as she shut the front door, ''Thats one rule broken already.'' and with that she threw the whole list into the bin, and proceeded upstairs to shower, dress and then to get her wand out, pausing only to stroke Crookshanks who had just appeared through the catflap.

Since the whole wizarding world had now accepted the fact that Voldemort had fully returned to power, all students that were fifth year and above had been permitted to use magic outside of school, as long as it wasn't in the presence of muggles.

Hermione got out of the shower feeling totally refreshed and dried her hair magically, it fell in soft rings, around her face, framing perfectly her flawless and creamy complexion and her honey coloured eyes shone out, framed perfectly by her long black lashes. She pulled on a pair of denim hotpants, a white tank top that showed of her tanned, toned body perfectly and to complete the look a pair of simple blue flip flops.

She then pulled her wand out from her drawer and turned around to face her exeptionally large bedroom. She cleared away everything from her bedroom with one complex charm that she had learnt in preperation for her NEWT's, leaving her room totally bare. Then she made the entire floor into one, huge squashy mattress, that she covered in cushions, pillows, blankets and cuddly toys. She then conjured purple and blue, silk drapes that fell from the ceiling right down to the ground, sectioning of parts of her room incase somebody wanted some privacy.

''Perfect.'' she said to herself as she looked around her. ''We can all sleep in her and be very comfortable.'' she finished, grinning to herself as she thought of the four of them sleeping all together in here, and the fun that they were bound to have.

She then proceeded down into the living room where she magically enlarged her sofa, and made it extra comfortable, she also stocked up on all of the latest DVD's for them to watch. laughing to herself as she pictured the look on Ron's face when he saw the TV.

The fridge in the kitchen was soon full to bursting of every snack anyone could ever think of and the bathtub in the downstairs bathrom had been magically expanded.

Then to make her three house guests feel even more at home Hermione conjured a screen to cover her back garden to enable them all to use magic without her neighbours suspecting anything. Her back garden was soon like an extra room that was enclosed by high fences on either side, and covered by a huge screen that acted like a ceiling. This new 'room' was lit by bubbles of light, and once Hermione was sure that it was safe from prying muggle eyes she conjured a swimming pool and a hot tub, out of nothing. When she was satisfied with the few minor adjustments that she had made to her house, she went back inside to wait for her three best friends to arrive.

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At six o'clock that very same evening Hermione sat cross leeged on her now very large sofa waiting for her three house guests to arrive. Every now and again she would glance quickly around the room checking that everything was in order, on her fifth check of the room she heard the doorbell ring and her heart leapt into her throat, they are here.

Hermione walked over to her front door and opened it and there, stood her three best friends looking around expectantly.

''Come in guys, I've missed you so much'' squealed Hermione, unable to contain her excitement.

She ran over to Harry and flung her arms around him, ''Harry, I'm so happy to see you.''

''Yeah Herm, same here,'' Harry replied a little awkwardly.

''Gin, you look so beautiful, you hair has grown.'' she gushed as she turned to Ginny and hugged her tightly.

''Thanks, your hairs changed too, it looks lovely.'' Ginny complimented her closest friend.

''Ron'' said Hermione as she hugged him, ''you've gone a lot taller, and I only saw you a couple of weeks ago, and you're so tanned.''

''Thanks Mione, you look amazing.'' Ron replied blushing, suddenly realising that Harry and Ginny were exchanging knowing glances behind his back. ''So, whats for food, I'm starving??'' he asked, trying to change the subject.

Hermione lead her three friends into the kitchen where she cooked a few pizza's for them to eat, then she gave them a tour of her house and showed them all of the magical adjustments she had made to it, that very morning. She took them up to her bedroom last.

''Oh wow, this is amazing, are we all going to be sleeping in here?'' asked Ginny as Hermione showed them all into her new bedroom.

''Yeah, is that o.k?''

''Great, we are going to have so much fun.'' Ginny replied. ''But I'm tired now, shall we go to bed now?'' she said eager to sleep on the comfortable floor with her friends.

''Well, you two can.'' Ron said to Ginny and Hermione, ''But me and Harry are going downstairs to watch T.V........ if it's o.k with you Mione.'' he added, looking at Hermione hopefully. Ever since Hermione had explained to him what the big black box did, he was fascinated and desperate to try it out.

''Ron, you can do whatever you want, I want you to treat this house as your own, you don't have to ask to do anything.'' Hermione answered him as she and Ginny shut the door to the bedroom behind them so that they could change into their pyjamas.

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''So Ginny, are you still going out with Dean?'' Hermione asked as they both sat down onto the squashy mattress.

''No, we finished last week, I didn't really like him that much.''

''So do you still like Harry then?'' Hermione asked, eager to hear her friends response.

''Yeah, I think I like him even more than before if that is possible.'' came her dreamy response. She usually got dreamy when she was thinking about Harry. ''Although I know he'll never think of me in the same way that I think of him.''

''Don't be so sure Gin, I think he likes you a lot more than he lets on.''

''Yeah o.k, I know your just saying that to make me feel better, but enough about my non-existant love life, who do you like Herm?'' Ginny questionned.

''Well, threre is somebody that I like but, I don't know, It's not as if he would ever look at me like that, I'm just plain boring know it all Hermione Granger.'' she retorted unhappily, smoothing Crookshanks who had just settled himself down to sleep on her lap.

''Don't be stupid, you are the smartest witch in the year, your beautiful and you certainly aren't boring, think of all of the adventures you've had with Harry and Ron. So come on spill who is he?''

''I don't know if I should tell you.......'' Hermione started.

''It's not Harry is it?'' Ginny interrupted, looking panicky.

''Oh god no, he's like a brother to me, fine I'll tell you its.....its Ron!''

''Awwwwww, Herm I knew you liked him, you two would be so perfect together.'' Ginny gushed, while hugging Hermione.

''One problem Gin, He doesn't like me in that way.''

''I think he does mind, Mione.'' Ginny giggled, using her brothers nickname for Hermione.

''Whatever, Oh listen I think the boys are coming to bed, don't tell anyone what I just told you!''

''As long as you don't tell anyone what I just told you.''

''Deal'' Hermione whispered as her and Ginny dived under the covers and pretended to be asleep as the boys crawled under their covers and went to sleep.

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The next morning Hermione woke up to find that Ginny and Harry had already gone downstairs and it was only her and Ron left in bed. She turned over, and saw that Ron was lying asleep right next to her, and she looked down and saw that he had his arm draped over her. Her heart skipped a beat. Looking into his tanned, freckled face, she realised how much he had changed from the eleven year old boy that she first met on the Hogwarts Express. His freckles had faded and his face had lost its boyishness and was now very handsome. Hermione reached up and gently stroked his bright red hair out of his face, noticing how soft it was. Then Ron moved and rolled over away from her, and carried right on sleeping. Hermione sighed as she got up and went to her bathroom to change into a white sundress and white flip flops, before she magically curled her hair once again so it hung in loose ringlets around her face.

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''So, Gin, how are things going with you and Dean then.'' Harry asked, hoping he sound casual and as though he was just trying to make conversation.

''Oh, he....he.... he finished with me Harry.'' Ginny said as she started to cry softly.

''Awww Gin, I'm so sorry.'' Harry gushed as he hurried over to her to comfort her. He hugged her tightly, and he didn't notice when Hermione walked into the kitchen.

''Whats the matter Harry?'' asked Hermione who was very concerned.

''Ginny's, really upset because Dean has finished with her.'' Harry explained to Hermione, as Ginny burst into a fresh bout of tears.

''But.....But......'' started Hermione, before she noticed the mischeivous wink Ginny was giving her over Harrys shoulder. ''Never mind'' she sighed as she walked out of the room, admiring Ginny's tactics, to get Harry to pay her some attention.

''Maybe I should try something like that with Ron?'' Hermione said outloud to herself as she walked into the living room.

''Try what with me?'' called the red head who was sitting on her expanded sofa, watching T.V. again. Trying to look uninterested in the box but not succeeding.

''Oh Nothing, Hey I like your clothes when did you get those?'' Hermione asked quickly trying to change the subject.

''I got them before I went to Romania.'' Ron said as he stood up and did a twirl so Hermione could admire his clothes from all angles.

''They're very nice,'' Hermione said as she stood there laughing at Ron who had started to pretend he was modelling. He was wearing a baggy pair of jeans and a tight white t-shirt that showed his tanned muscly arms perfectly. It also showed of his flat, well defined stomach and chest. Hermione stared at him, taking in every inch of his perfect body, with her mouth slightly open.

Noticing the look that he was getting from Hermione he asked, ''Is something wrong Mione?''

''No, nothing at all.'' she replied and flopped down on the sofa and turned the channels over on the T.V. Ron sat down beside her, and their arms brushed and she suddenly felt a shiver up and down the arm that had touched his. This was definately going to be a very interesting two weeks.

(A.N Thank you loads and loads to every body who has reveiwed this story so far. It means so much to me and I will try and update it daily for those of you who are eager to see what happens next. But I will only be motivated to write a new Chapter everyday if I carry on receiving loads of lovely reveiws. So push the button and let me know what you think.

Thanks guys love you all loads ice princess x x x)