Hermione Granger looked up at the ceiling in her room, and wondered what was ailing her. She had just spent a wonderful holiday traveling all over America. It was the only place she had never been, and she had seen the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Pacific Ocean in California, the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, and even the Ministry of Magic branch in Chicago. It was a beautiful country, and traveling with her parents had been most enjoyable, but she just couldn't enjoy herself as much as she would have if she hadn't been so worried about everyone. She was taken to America, she knew, because her parents feared that she would be harmed in Britain if they remained. Hermione hadn't been eating properly since they returned last week, and she was so worried about Harry and the Weasleys she was ill, but she hadn't heard from them. Her worst fears had not been confirmed, but that didn't mean they were false. "What if something happened at the Ministry while I was gone?" She thought. "I was gone for two months, anything could've happened."

Hermione wanted badly to owl both Harry and Ron, but she was slightly owl- less. She had to wait for them to write her. She grumbled something about, "Those boys will be the death of me." And tried to drift off to sleep with the hope that maybe tomorrow, she would get word of their whereabouts.

Quite a few miles away, Ron Weasley propped himself up in bed and glanced over at the motionless lump on the floor by his bed that was Harry. "Harry, mate, are you awake?" The response was a grumble. "Harry, do you reckon we could write Hermione soon? I mean, I know her parents didn't want her to come this summer, cuz of You-Know-You, but I mean, there's only two weeks left of vacation. Do you think we could ask her stay?" Harry sat up looking peeved. "Ron, you've asked me that same question every night. Granted, you usually ask before three o'clock in the morning, but my answers the same tonight as it has been for the last three weeks. We have to wait for word from your mother. She said she was in contact with the Grangers. Leave it at that. I miss Hermione as much as you do, but there's nothing we can do about her parents. Now, if you don't mind, I have at least six good hours of sleep left."
But neither boy slept after that. They missed Hermione. True, they had each other, but it was different without Hermione. They missed her constant presence with a book in hand, and a complaint on her lips. They knew that if they didn't receive word soon, they would write her anyway. With that, they decided to stop pretending, and got up and dressed to play a game of chess.

The next morning, as Hermione sat in silence, not eating anything, with her parents at breakfast, something outside the window caught her eye. She ran quickly to the window.
"Pig! Oh thank God! I was going absolutely mad!" She took the flighty bird in her fist, and brought her hand back through the window. She untied the letter from his leg, and set him on the table. He nibbled on Hermione's uneaten bacon. Hermione did not even glance at her mother's look of disapproval, and the look of anger on her father's face, as she was eagerly reading the letter. She felt elated, as she read. They hadn't forgotten her.

Dear Hermione,
I don't even think we are supposed to be writing you, but to be honest, Harry and I have missed you so much; we don't care. Rules be damned! I know your parents still don't want us in contact because of You- Know-Who, but do you reckon you could talk them into letting you come stay? If so, please send Pig back with an answer. We'll come as soon as he gets back, if the answer is yes, so be ready. Hell, we may come even if your parents say no.
Love from,

Ron Weasley and Harry Potter

Hermione laughed in all the places Ron had added in choice words, and finished reading feeling worlds better than she had five minutes ago. She turned to her parents. This would be the hard part. "Mom, Daddy, I know you didn't want me to go to the Weasleys this summer. I understand why you didn't want me in contact with the wizarding world until school began, but I miss my friends so much I think it's made me ill. I thought they didn't care, but I know no that they do. Please let me go to Ron's. Please, you know Mrs. Weasley will take good care of me. Please!"
Her parents studied her, and looked at how happy she had become from the desolate creature that had moping around the house for the last week. How could they say anything but yes?
When they gave their answer, Hermione leapt with joy, scrawled a quick accepting note to Harry and Ron and sent Pig off. She kissed her parents on the cheeks, and ran to pack. Maybe this summer wouldn't be a total loss after all.