Fortunately his days at the Dursely went by quite quickly, but those last few hours Friday afternoon seemed like eternity. Then finally at precisely 5:00 pm, the doorbell rang. Harry who was sitting in an armchair trunk and all ready to go, shot up and slowly pulled his trunk to the door, then quickly opened it.

"Hermione!" he gasped. But this wasn't the Hermione he'd left at the end of year five. She was what was it.... pretty. Not like she ever hadn't been, but he had never noticed it on a regular basis. (Except at the Yule ball, which was once out of the five years he known her.) Her hair was longer and straight and fell sleek over her shoulders. She had gotten a tan, looked quite well rested; maybe she had done something other than study this summer.

"HARRY!!" she gave him a quick hug round the neck.

'How was your summer?"

'Great Harry, I'll tell you more later, you got the note right?"

"Yea" he said quickly

"Lets go, mum and dad are waiting."

Hermione grabbed Hedwig's empty cage, and they walked to her car."

After about four hours of driving, (which wasn't so bad considering the fact that he had Hermione to talk to.) they drove up to a small area, Harry at once recognized were he was.  He couldn't believe his eyes. How could they? How could Dumbledore? It would be to hard for Harry to stay at Grimwauld Place with all the memories of Sirius…he couldn't bring himself to get out of the car.

"Harry…come on. We need to talk to you inside."  Hermione reasoned

"IM NOT GOING IN THERE!" he yelled surprising even himself.

Hermione's eyes filled with tears.

"I told him this would be to hard but he wouldn't listen he said it was the only safe place from you know who!" she clapped her hand over her mouth, she obviously wasn't suppose to tell him Voldemort was after him again, but he knew anyway.

They waited and waited …and finally Harry got out of the car without so much as a god-bye. He saw Hermione hug her parents and say "See you at Christmas." and head towards him

They walked inside slowly.

Harry closed his eyes, he didn't want to be here, the pain was still stabbing him like a thousand daggers digging deep into his skin. Hermione broke the silence.

"Ron and Ginny and Mrs. Wesley should be here in the morning. Seeing as half their children don't attend Hogwarts anymore it would be stupid to make them all come."

"Right." said Harry; he hadn't spoken since they drove up to the house.

'So Harry what going on I mean, you no he's back, and, and, Oh Harry! He's out to get you again!" She broke into tears and ran upstairs.

Harry slowly walked into the room; he noticed along the hallway the portrait of Sirius's mother was gone as were all the little heads of house elves. Hermione was now positively wailing.

"It's okay. It's not like any of this is new to me."

"I know Harry but but what you went through last year and the year before, its just so unfair!" she said wiping her eyes with the backside of her hand.

Harry felt a rush of gratitude towards her, he couldn't believe that people were finally beginning to understand what it felt like to be hunted by the darkest wizard of all time.

"Harry its just you're my best friend, and I know how much it hurts to loose someone so close and I guess what I'm trying to say, is I'm really, really worried about you!"

She was now beyond a state of tears, she cried silently, and so all Harry could do, was sit next to her, and hold her hand, praying for the morning to come soon.

            'Mrs. Wesley! Ron! Ginny!" Hermione ran to greet them, as Harry slowly did the same.

" Hi Harry!" said Ron. Over the period of one month, he was still able to grow, but his warm friendly face looked the same as it did in June. After hours of talking , dirty dishes, and full stomachs, Hermione, Harry, and Ron went upstairs to private talk.

'So." Hermione breathed

Ron and Harry sighed deeply together. The best part about having two great friends like this, Harry thought, is you no exactly what each other's thinking, without saying a word.

They didn't talk …there really wasn't much to talk about. Voldemort was back; there was nothing anyone could do about it. So they sat side by side, comforting each other by just being "there".

 After a good few hours of nothing more but silence, Hermione finally spoke.

"Promise me something," she said to Ron and Harry. " no matter what happens this year, no matter what anyone does, will try our hardest not to fight, and we be friends as long as were at Hogwarts?"

"Hermione," said Harry "I'd have no reason to even be at Hogwarts if it weren't for you and Ron."

'You two are my best friends, and although we might have never actually said it, I know we've all thought it." Ron told them.

"Defiantly" said Hermione.

"So lets not promise to be friends at Hogwarts," Harry said "Lets promise to be friends forever."

Harry and Ron sighed deeply , and Hermione fell into silent tears.