A/N: Okay I've changed it! This part has been edited and the last little bit has been cut off completely. I'm forming a plan in my head to have a kind of 'flash forward' to Ron and Hermione's future, but I might not be able to write it for two weeks (I've decided, due to an overwhelming response to the horrible ending I wrote, sleep can wait!) Once I've got my exams out of the way I should have a couple of hours to get something on paper.

-------------------------------------------

CHRISTMAS WITH THE GRANGERS

Hermione threw open the front door, stepping inside and dumping her trunk next to the coat stand. With only a short squeal as warning, a flash of red and green flew past them almost knocking Hermione right off her feet. It took them a few minutes to realise it was Hermione's mother.

"Er, hi mum." Hermione greeted her awkwardly. Mrs Granger held Hermione at arms length and stood examining her for a few moments before pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Oh, I've missed you so much!" Mrs Granger exclaimed.

"Now dear, give her some room to breathe." Mr Granger suggested, stepping up beside his wife. Mrs Granger stepped back and suddenly noticed Harry and Ron standing there.

"Oh my goodness!" Mrs Granger exclaimed. She leapt forward and threw her arms around both boys. "I'm so happy you came!"

"We're happy to be here." Harry replied politely, once Hermione's mother had released them. "Thank you for inviting us." Mr Granger had given Hermione a quick hug and had now turned to Harry and Ron.

"It's no problem." Mr Granger said, offering his hand. "We weren't sure we'd be able to get Hermione here without the two of you anyway." Harry laughed politely and shook his hand, then Mr Granger turned to Ron. "This must be young Ronald, then." Ron nodded and accepted Mr Grangers hand.

"Y-yes sir. Ronald Weasley." He stammered.

"Ah, son?"

"Y-yes sir?"

"Could I have my hand back?" Ron was still shaking it vigorously.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Ron's ears went bright red and he stared at his feet. Mr Granger stretched his fingers and mumbled about 'a hell of a grip'. Harry stifled his laughter and patted Ron on the shoulder. The awkward moment was broken when a loud shriek rang out from the doorway of the next room.

"HERMIONE!" A tall woman in a flowery dress bounded up to them and threw her arms around Hermione. "If it isn't my favourite niece!"

"Er, hi Aunt Bernice. I'm your only niece." Hermione replied pulling away. "What is going on here?"

"We thought while you were home we might have a wee bit of a family reunion." Mrs Granger smiled.

"A family reunion?" Hermione repeated gaping at her mother. "But..."

"Nevermind that." Hermione's aunt held her at arms length just as her mother had done. "Well, my goodness, look how much you've grown! Come along, dear, I want to show you off to everyone." Hermione shot a desperate look over her shoulder before being led into the next room. Harry and Ron exchanged a wide-eyed look before following a few paces behind. Bernice led Hermione to the other side of the room where a grey-haired old woman was sitting in a large armchair.

"Mother, look who it is, Hermione!" Bernice exclaimed, presenting Hermione to the old woman as if she were some type of trophy.

"Who?" The old woman squinted at Hermione trying to get a better look.

"Hermione, mother, you remember, Angela's girl?"

"Oh yes, yes of course." The old woman nodded.

"BERNICE!" A deep voice bellowed from across the room. "Come look at this."

"Coming dear!" Bernice called back, then patted Hermione on the shoulder before rushing off.

"Hello Nana." Hermione sat on the stool next to the old woman. "How have you been?"

"Good, good. Still alive, that's always a good sign. And who are these two?" Hermione's grandmother indicating to Harry and Ron with a slightly shaky hand.

"Oh, this is my boyfriend, Ron, and our best friend, Harry." Hermione replied, indicating to them each in turn.

"Did I hear someone say boyfriend?" Bernice was back. She grabbed Ron by the arm. "Come along there I want to hear all the details." Ron gave Hermione a pleading look before he was dragged off to the couch.

"Dear, you couldn't get an old woman a cup of tea now could you?" Hermione's grandmother asked.

"Of course, Nana, I'll be right back." Hermione got to her feet and Harry began to follow her towards the kitchen when he was pulled aside by Hermione's father.

"Now, Harry here," Mr Granger was saying to a small group of men, "he's from Surrey. Aren't you Harry?"

"Er, yes." Harry glanced around looking for Ron.

"What part of Surrey are you from?" One of the men asked.

"Er, Little Whinging." Harry replied politely, still trying to find Ron in the crowd of Hermione's relatives.

"I've got a friend who lives in Surrey, odd bloke, always on about drills or some nonsense." The man continued, then he gestured to Hermione's father. "You and he would probably get on quite well." Everyone besides Harry burst with laughter. Harry raised his eyebrows wondering about the mental health of Hermione's family, then he remembered Hermione's father was a dentist and gave a small laugh.

"Do you play any sports, Harry?" Another of the men asked.

"Er, a bit." Harry replied and he caught Mr Granger's eye.

"Old Reg is a big sports fan." Mr Granger supplied thumping the man on the shoulder. "He's taking bets on tonight's Boxing match if you're interested."

"Argh," the first man shook his head in disgust, "Boxing! Horrible sport. Two men trying to bet the living daylights out of each other, and people think that's entertainment?"

"My cousin does." Harry replied. "I'm just glad he's not using me as the punching bag anymore." The group laughed heartily and Harry found himself fully immersed in the conversation, while across the room Ron had managed to escape Hermione's Aunt Bernice, but had been cornered by Hermione's cousin, David. The conversation was entirely one sided as Ron stood listening to the short mousy-haired boy explain the rules of something called Cricket.

"I still can't believe you've never heard of it." The boy exclaimed. Ron shrugged. "So, what do you play?"

"Er..." Ron was fairly sure that if he began discussing Quidditch, Hermione would do him in. "Football." He replied, his mind flicking back to the West Ham posters all over their dorm, courtesy of one, Dean Thomas. He'd have to remember to thank him.

"How exactly do you know Hermione?" David asked.

"School." Ron replied.

"Which school's that?" David persisted. Ron began to answer, but then suddenly went white.

"Er... it's - ah - well..." he stumbled. He didn't have a clue what school Hermione told people she went to, but he was fairly sure he shouldn't use St Brutus' Centre For Incurably Criminal Boys (as was the place Harry had been forced to tell muggles he attended).

"You don't know what school you go to?" The younger boy laughed.

"It's not that, it's just..." Ron tried.

"Just what?"

"Just, it's a - a secret." Ron finished. Hermione's cousin eyed him suspiciously. He began to say something else, but was interrupted by a new presence. A small blond boy with big blue eyes had appeared at David's side.

"Hello, I'm John." The boy announced. "Who are you?"

"Um, I'm Ron, a friend of Hermione's." Ron answered.

"Who's Erminy?" The boy asked, but didn't wait for a reply. "What's that?" He pointed to the wand sticking out of Ron's back pocket.

"That's nothing." Ron said quickly, grabbing the wand and stashing it up his sleeve.

"Come on John, let's go find mum." David said taking the little boys hand and leading him away. He gave Ron another odd look as he passed.

"What was that about?" Hermione asked, finally escaping a group of older woman.

"Hermione, what school do you go to?" Ron asked at once.

"Is that a trick question?" Hermione asked with a laugh.

"No, I mean, what school did you tell everyone you go to?" Ron clarified.

"Oh -ah- I forget." Hermione replied, then quickly changed the subject. "Do you want to go upstairs? I'll give you a tour and we can take a break from all of this." Ron was more than happy to oblige and followed her into the foyer and up the stairs.

"What's wrong with your cousin?" Ron burst as soon as they were away from the crowd.

"David? He's obsessed with cricket. - That's the bathroom. - Just don't get him started and you should be safe."

"Too late." Ron mumbled, then continued, "what's Cricket?"

" - My parent's room, you don't need to go in there. - Muggle sport." Hermione replied.

"It sounds boring." Ron commented.

"It's not boring, it's subtle," Hermione protested, "and don't let David hear you say that. - This is the guest room, you and Harry will sleep there. - " They were almost to the end of the hall. " - Linen closet. - " Hermione turned around and began heading back towards the stairs.

"Wait, what's in here?" Ron asked, grabbing the handle of the last door.

"No, Ron, don't..." Hermione was too far away to stop him. Ron pushed the door open. "...it's my room." Rons jaw dropped open. The floor of Hermione's room was almost entirely hidden under an assortment of books, clothes, magazines, posters, parchment, rubbish and anything else that would normally be found in a teenage girls bedroom.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed. "You're a closet slob!"

"Oh I am not, Ron." Hermione defended herself. "I just didn't have time to clean up, and my mum probably would have, but she doesn't like coming in here anymore."

"Why not?" Ron asked curiously.

"Apparently, she and the mirror had a disagreement." Hermione bit her lip trying not to laugh. The mirror on Hermione's dressing table, made a small tut-tut noise. "I got it from Diagon Alley before first year. Quite rude really." The mirror huffed. "Could we please close the door now?" Ron ignored her and stepped over a pile of books towards Hermione's bed. He dropped down onto it and bounced a couple of times.

'Hmm, comfy."

"Ron, what are you doing?"

"Seeing how the other half live." Ron replied, he patted the spot beside him. Hermione laughed and joined him. "You know," a sly smile crossed Ron's face, "everyone else is all the way downstairs and..." Hermione kissed him before he could finish. "Mmm." Ron pulled away. "Stop doing that." He laughed, then leaned in and kissed her back.

***

Downstairs Harry had escaped into the kitchen, to find Mrs Granger alone at the kitchen table.

"Mrs Granger? Are you alright?"

"Oh, Harry. Yes of course. I was just looking at these old photos." She motioned for him to sit beside her. Harry glanced at the open photo album in front of him. A page of still muggle photographs stared back. Harry laughed. The first was of a four year old Hermione, dressed in a pink frilly bathing suit and a bright blue sun hat. The next, Hermione was dressed up as a lady bug and had tears streaming down her face. Mrs Granger flipped through the pages, giving Harry a brief story behind each of the photographs.

"This is the year before she met you." Mrs Granger smiled as she turned the page to a picture of a Hermione, Harry recognised. She was sitting on stone steps, a book balanced on her knee. "Taken outside the town library." Harry laughed, typical Hermione. Mrs Granger turned the page again, but there weren't anymore photos. She sighed sadly.

"Don't you have any of Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

Mrs Granger shook her head sadly. "Nothing after she left for first year." Harry hesitated, then reached into his back pocket and pulled out a moving photograph of he, Ron and Hermione that he always carried with him.

"Take this one." He said handing it to her. Mrs Granger looked as though she was about to burst into tears.

'Thank you Harry. You're a good friend to my daughter." Mrs Granger smiled and then stood up. "We should be getting back."

***

Ron and Hermione were still kissing when a voice from the door interrupted them. "Ahem."

Ron pulled away and caught sight of Hermione's father standing in the doorway. He immediately leapt to his feet, looking incredibly guilty. "Mr Granger. I was - we were - "

Hermione's father frowned eyeing Ron, then he turned to Hermione. "Everyones getting ready to leave, please come down and say goodbye." Hermione got to her feet and Ron followed her out into the hall, smiling weakly at Mr Granger as they walked passed.

-------------------------------------------

I apologise for the previous horrible ending & I hope you liked it with the changes! Please review!!!