A/N: Chapter three. I'm getting on with this story quite well, even thought TAD is on hold for the moment, since I'm suffering from somewhat of a writer's block on that one. But, hey, don't be so hard on me. I have three stories going parallel with each other (you'll only see two of them here, since the third is an original fantasy-novel I've been working with for a whole year now), and every day that goes by I come up with more concepts for fanfiction. I'd like to do a post-Hogwarts story, and something on seventh year (maybe it'll be a sequel to this one), and maybe the Marauders. And of course, I'd like to get TAD up and running, since I've come up with things for the end I'm really looking forward to writing. And then of course there's the possible sequels to that one! (Well, you get my point, I'm sure). Well, we'll just have to see how it goes!

This chapter, though: How will Harry and Hermione react to Dudley and Piers - or they to them? (Mark my words, they don't know who Hermione is yet, but they're soon to find out). And then there's Hermione's feelings for Harry - will she ever decide to do anything about it, or will she just remain drooling over him from afar? (Ha! Like I'm going to give that away in this chapter! You'll just have to wait and see!) (Laughs evilly).

Thank you all reviewers! You make my day!

LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!

~oOo~

Chapter 3 - A pig in a wig

~oOo~

Hermione gaped. Harry let out a low-pitched groan and abruptly sat down on the ground, his head in his hands. Hermione sat down next to him and wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulders, meanwhile staring disbelievingly at Dudley and Piers, who unbeknownst were walking towards the mess-hall.

Hermione had never seen Piers before, even though Harry had told her various things about him. If she HAD met him before, though, she'd notice that the boy hadn't changed at all since he was at least eleven years old. He was a tad bit taller, of course, but he still looked like an underfed rat.

Dudley, however, was a completely different matter. Him Hermione had seen before, even though only from afar and inside a car on the parking-lot. But the boy had changed, all right. Harry's old descriptions of Dudley as an overweight baby whale no longer applied, even though it would be wrong to call Dudley skinny. But that other description - of Dudley resembling a pig in a wig - most certainly was still true.

Laura starred at her friends.

"What's with you two?", she asked surprisedly. "Did you just see a ghost or something?"

Naturally, Laura didn't know about the ghosts at Hogwarts, and Hermione and Harry being used to that sort of thing.

"Much worse", Harry managed to whisper.

"Much, MUCH worse", Hermione filled in.

"Stop talking in riddles right now! Tell me what's wrong".

Hermione noticed that Harry was in no condition to explain anything at all, and she hesitantly spoke up herself.

"Well, you see Laura", she began. "You know how I told you about Harry's childhood, being brought up by his relatives and all?"

Laura nodded, and Hermione saw realisation beginning to dawn on her cousin.

"He lives with his godfather now, and he hasn't seen or heard from his relatives in two whole years. That awful cousin of Harry's, well, it's him. It's Dudley. He must have had a diet or something, because last time I saw him, two years ago, he certainly didn't look like that".

Laura looked at Harry, pity in her eyes. But when Hermione turned her head to talk to her best friend, she saw that he had a huge evil grin on his face. On top of that, he was laughing.

"Dudley's here", he hissed and rubbed his hands together. "Cute little old Dudders. And his friend Rat-face. Oh, the possibilities!"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Harry.

"Are you going to do what I think you're going to do?", she asked suspiciously.

He got up and pulled Hermione up by the hand after him.

"I sure as hell am!", he laid both hands on Hermione's shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes, making her knees go weak. "It's payback time!"

~oOo~

They entered the mess-hall among the last. The hall itself was simply decorated, a rather big stage with curtains and all was at the topmost end, and the rest of the room was occupied by the long, wooden tables. Another side of the room was filled with the canteen itself.

Harry mischievously looked around the room, and Hermione was very amused by his face, which was a small boy's on the face and stature of a grown man. It also made her go weak at the knees.

'I've got it really bad!', she silently thought to herself. 'Quit it right now, Granger, get a hold of yourself!'

When they reached the canteen and grabbed their food, Harry quickly nudged Hermione's arm and moved his head in the direction of an already occupied table. Hermione looked at him questioningly.

"Dudders and his little pals are sitting over there. We'll go find a table at the other end of the mess-hall, don't you think?"

"Um, sure!", Hermione said and smiled broadly.

They all went over to a table right in front of the stage and next to a window overlooking the lake. Laura came tightly after Harry and Hermione, and she had a conspiratory look on her face.

"So", she said and ran a hand through her short blonde hair. "What's the plan?"

"Plan?", Hermione replied.

"The 'Get-back-at-Harry's-evil-cousin-and-his-friend-Rat-face'-plan", Laura answered, like it had been the most natural thing in the world, which it also was, when Hermione actually tore her thoughts away from Harry for five seconds.

"Well", Harry began excitedly and leaned over the table. "For starters, I've noticed that Grey is probably a part of Dudders' gang as well, since he's sitting over there with him and Rat-face. Second, Dudders doesn't know either of you or your - especially Hermione's - connection with me."

"That could give us some advantages", Hermione thought out loud.

"It could, definately", Harry said and grinned evilly. "But I'm not sure how to use it yet. Although, I have a plan - sort of. You and I are going to teach Dudders over there how much fun you can have with magic. You did bring your wand, right, Hermione?"

"Yes. But is that really fair? I mean, I don't think Dumbledore made an exception for us just so you could play pranks on your cousin, Harry. Evil as he may be".

"Of course he didn't, but since we're alredy allowed to use magic, the man can't do anything about it until we get back to school. And since the worst possible punishment over there can be detention - he'll never go as far as expulsion, not when it's you and I", Harry launched that incredible smile of his at Hermione, once again. She turned her eyes away in fear of blushing.

"Please, Mio can we?", he made puppy-dog eyes along with that comment.

Hermione didn't stand a chance, not at the nickname and all.

"Alright, we'll give it a shot", she said and snickered a little.

"Thanks Mio you're the best!".

"So, what did you have in mind?"

"Nothing too obvious, at least not right at first. Maybe an itch?"

"Maybe. And what about being forced to do everything backwards - including talking - for a whole day? For later?"

"Sounds great", Harry extended his hand over the table and shook Hermione's.

All three of them were laughing, even though Laura had troubles with grasping the full extent of magic. Hermione sighed inwardly. She coud never resist anything Harry asked her to do. It was like being under a permanent, unbreakable Imperious Curse. And she never knew she could be such a cunning prankster.

Team number one won the competition, of course. They all got up on stage, and Hermione was a bit worried about Dudley noticing Harry when they did, but she found that the resident pig in a wig had left the mess-hall. In hindsigt, she remebered Grey and reckoned he must have told Dudley about Harry's presence (and of course that was the reason to his strange behaviour around Harry earlier), but she wanted to see what happened the first time the cousins actually sonfronted each other face to face.

When they went back towards their cabins a lot later, they all looked forward to spending an amazing summer in each other's company. The girls bid harry good-night, but Hermione could have sworn that right before she was going to enter her own cabin (which was right next to Harry's) she heard Harry's deep voice murmuring:

"Just watch out, Duddy dearest. You're in for more than you bargained for. The best witch and wizard in their year at Hogwarts, both armed with their wands. It's payback time!"

~oOo~

A/N: That's it. It's over. I figured it was easier for everyone if I did short chapters and posted regularly, so here's chapter three.

Chapter four will be called Payback beginning or The arrival of the Campers, I haven't decided yet. It will contain the arrival of the camper's, though. Once they've arrived I've planned to make one chapter span a whole week.

Sooo...: What will happen when the campers arrive? Will Hermione finally get a grip? Does Harry harbour any feelings for her? When will Dudders and Harry meet face to face? And will this develop into a full-scale camper's war? Which various pranks will be played? And will The Pig in a Wig get to play some back?

The answers of all those questions, and more, in upcoming chapters of Camp Moonlake!

The show WILL go on!

Please just make a little old fanfic writer very happy and REVIEW!