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Chapter 2: Picking up Harry and Hermione
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The doorbell of number 4 Privet Drive rang loudly, shattering Harry's thoughts. He jumped, somewhat startled, and Hedwig hooted loudly from her cage. Harry stood up from his bed and flew to the door.
He jumped down the stairs two at a time, and ran to open the front door.
"Get back, boy!" barked Uncle Vernon, waddling into the room.
Harry stepped aside, rolling his eyes, and stood behind the towering figure of Uncle Vernon.
The door swung open, revealing mops of bright red hair. He figured it was probably Ron, Fred, and George, since he couldn't see the face over the large form of his uncle.
"What do you want?" his uncle growled at the Weasleys.
Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance. If Uncle Vernon was so determined to appear 'normal' then he should learn to show it. Harry decided it was time to turn the tables on his uncle and make him feel as small as he made Harry feel every day.
"Open the door, Uncle Vernon. Making them wait outside is very rude. What would the neighbors think?"
Uncle Vernon grunted angrily and stepped aside. "No funny business now. Just take the boy and leave. We have no use for your lot in this house."
Ron and Fred stepped into the living room and looked at Uncle Vernon with obvious amusement.
"Oh, trust us, we wouldn't want to stay any longer than to rescue Harry from this crap shoot," Fred said in his usual cheery voice. "Go get your trunk and I'll wait in the car." Fred winked at Harry before leaving through the doorway.
"Car?" Harry asked.
"Yep, Fred drove." Ron answered with a smirk.
"When did he learn to drive?" Harry asked under his breath with an inquiring eyebrow.
"He asked to learn, claimed he wanted to learn something the Muggle way, and you know Dad, he was ecstatic," Ron answered in a whisper.
"Why don't you drive then?"
Ron shrugged. "Don't have the desire, I prefer Floo." Ron frowned. "Where's your stuff? I wanna get out of here, your Aunt and Uncle aren't the friendliest of folk."
Harry laughed at this. "Just thought that did you? You're catching on quicker these days."
Ron sent Harry a glare, then proceeded to help Harry carry his trunk to the black convertible parked in the driveway.
Fred sat in the front seat, wearing dark shades, blaring Muggle music from the Muggle radio.
Harry smiled at the thought of one of his neighbors looking out their window to see this.
"A convertible? Where did you get a convertible?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
Ron grinned. "Ministry car."
Ron helped Harry shove his trunk in the trunk of the car so there would be room for Hermione, then climbed into the passenger seat while Harry situated himself in the back.
"Muggles have very excellent taste in music! Harry, do you know who sings this?" Fred asked bobbing his head to the music, as he pulled down number four's drive.
"Umm. Yea, I think it's a band called Creed." Harry answered smiling.
"Well, it's bloody brilliant!"
"Yeah, they are a good band."
"Ok, well, onward, we still have to pick up Hermione." He turned in the direction of Hermione's house, and floored it. Harry was practically flung back into the leather of the seat.
"Jesus, Fred!" Harry shrieked from the back. His hand flew up to the back of his head. "I lost my stomach back there somewhere."
"Sorry, mate." Fred chuckled, and slowed down to the speed limit.
"What's the matter Harry? Afraid of a little speed?" Ron smirked.
Harry glared, but then cracked a smile at Ron's teasing tone. "If you must know, yes. I'm not sure I trust a wizard behind the wheel, to be honest," Harry said, crossing his arms across his chest, and watching the trees streak by. They sat with Muggle rock music blaring around them for a few minutes, not talking, just sitting there in comfortable silence. Harry rested his head on the back of the leather seating, and watched the clouds drifting lazily across the sky.
A thought occurred to him.
"Hey Ron, where's Ginny?" He asked as he lifted his head off the back of the seat, he leaned up into the front seat to address Ron. "She told me before school let out at the end of last year that she would write to me, and she never did. I thought she would at least come to see Hermione and me."
Ron frowned and turned around in his seat to look at Harry.
"Well, Harry, something's wrong with Ginny."
Harry's face clouded with confusion. "Care to elaborate? What could have happened in the past two months?" Harry asked.
Ron just shrugged.
The silence lengthened, and Harry guessed that the conversation was closed for discussion. He leaned back into the leather seats.
Harry turned back to watch the houses, lawns, clouds, and cars streak by, lost in thought, beginning to worry about Ginny.
He was kind of hurt that she hadn't come. He didn't want to admit that, but she had turned out to be one of his best friends. After she had stopped being so shy around him, he'd grown to love her company, even want her around him more. And if he allowed himself to admit it, he also thought she was pretty, very pretty.
He felt his cheeks grow hot.
He turned and stared at the scenery. Large white houses with white picket fences streaked past.
A young boy riding a bike passed going the opposite direction, on the vacant sidewalk. The sun was shining in full intensity, and Harry was grateful for the wind blowing though his hair, keeping him cool.
The car pulled into a long driveway of a large white house, like all the white houses in the neighborhood.
The front garden held all kinds of pretty flowers. Harry just assumed that Mrs. Granger must be a gardener.
Ron and Harry got out of the car, leaving Fred in the front seat with the radio, and walked up the driveway to retrieve their other best friend. Ron rang the doorbell, and a petite girl with big brown eyes, and smooth hair pulled back into a ponytail answered the door.
She looked at them, and her eyes became large.
"Ron! Harry! My goodness, you've grown since I last saw you! Ron, you're a tower!" She pulled him into a hug; her head only reached his chest. He chuckled and hugged her back tightly.
"You look great Herms."
Hermione blushed and turned to hug Harry.
"Herms how'd you get your hair to stay so straight and shiny?" Ron asked when they pulled away.
"Oh I used Sleekeasy's," Hermione said, waving the piece of information away. "Well, come in for a minute while I get my stuff." The boys stepped into the house, as the large oak door closed behind them; they walked into a large foyer.
The walls were a comfortable mushroom color, contrasting nicely with the nice mahogany table in front of them. There was a mirror fixed above it, and a large plant perched over the mirror.
Mrs. Granger bustled into the room, carrying a basket of clean laundry.
"Ahh hello Ron, Harry. How are you?" she asked politely, before placing the basket on the floor.
"Oh, we're just fine, Mrs. Granger," Harry said.
"Well that's good. Do you want something to drink? It's rather hot out there. I can't stand the heat myself, I always need to have a large glass of lemonade ready by my side in this kind of heat," she said with a slight chuckle.
Ron and Harry smiled politely, but declined the drink.
Hermione came bustling back into the room, dragging her trunk and looking around. Ron jumped to help her with her trunk enthusiastically.
"Thanks, Ron." She smiled warmly at him. Harry grinned at his two friends.
Hermione went over to hug her mother goodbye. Then went back to help Harry and Ron carry her trunk out to the car.
When Hermione saw the gleaming car in her driveway, she gasped, and stared at it.
"Ron! A convertible! But how did you get it?" she asked in an awed voice, walking toward the shiny car parked in her driveway.
Ron shrugged, before opening the back door for her. "Ministry car."
She slid all the way over to make room for Ron. Ron sat down next to her, so Harry was forced to sit in the front with Fred.
When he sat down, Fred raised his eyebrows, and Harry grinned.
"Hey wait a minute! Where's Ginny? Why didn't she come?" Hermione's voice seemed to echo in the car. During Hermione's fourth year, her and Ginny had become friends, and every since, Hermione had been like a big sister to her.
"She didn't want to come," Ron said quietly, scratching his ear nervously.
"Why? What's the matter?" Hermione asked, somewhat hurt.
"She's not herself." Fred said, starting the engine.
"Yeah she used to be so fun, and used to joke with us and all that. Now she never eats, she's really thin, she gets offended with the littlest things, and she just doesn't seem to care anymore. Oh, and just before we came to pick you guys up today, I went out to ask her if she wanted to come with us, and caught her crying. She said she didn't want to come because she would be intruding with the famous Hogwarts trio. She said it rather rudely, I might add," Ron added in an undertone. "But she won't tell anyone what's wrong."
Harry's concern grew at what Ron was telling Hermione, but he kept quiet.
"I don't know, Herms. Maybe you can talk to her or something. We've got nowhere." Ron indicated himself and Fred.
Her large brown eyes came together in thought and she fell silent. "That's not like Ginny. Well, I hope she opens up soon. She can't last very long without telling someone," Hermione said quietly, worry lacing her usually assured voice.
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Chapter 2: Picking up Harry and Hermione
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The doorbell of number 4 Privet Drive rang loudly, shattering Harry's thoughts. He jumped, somewhat startled, and Hedwig hooted loudly from her cage. Harry stood up from his bed and flew to the door.
He jumped down the stairs two at a time, and ran to open the front door.
"Get back, boy!" barked Uncle Vernon, waddling into the room.
Harry stepped aside, rolling his eyes, and stood behind the towering figure of Uncle Vernon.
The door swung open, revealing mops of bright red hair. He figured it was probably Ron, Fred, and George, since he couldn't see the face over the large form of his uncle.
"What do you want?" his uncle growled at the Weasleys.
Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance. If Uncle Vernon was so determined to appear 'normal' then he should learn to show it. Harry decided it was time to turn the tables on his uncle and make him feel as small as he made Harry feel every day.
"Open the door, Uncle Vernon. Making them wait outside is very rude. What would the neighbors think?"
Uncle Vernon grunted angrily and stepped aside. "No funny business now. Just take the boy and leave. We have no use for your lot in this house."
Ron and Fred stepped into the living room and looked at Uncle Vernon with obvious amusement.
"Oh, trust us, we wouldn't want to stay any longer than to rescue Harry from this crap shoot," Fred said in his usual cheery voice. "Go get your trunk and I'll wait in the car." Fred winked at Harry before leaving through the doorway.
"Car?" Harry asked.
"Yep, Fred drove." Ron answered with a smirk.
"When did he learn to drive?" Harry asked under his breath with an inquiring eyebrow.
"He asked to learn, claimed he wanted to learn something the Muggle way, and you know Dad, he was ecstatic," Ron answered in a whisper.
"Why don't you drive then?"
Ron shrugged. "Don't have the desire, I prefer Floo." Ron frowned. "Where's your stuff? I wanna get out of here, your Aunt and Uncle aren't the friendliest of folk."
Harry laughed at this. "Just thought that did you? You're catching on quicker these days."
Ron sent Harry a glare, then proceeded to help Harry carry his trunk to the black convertible parked in the driveway.
Fred sat in the front seat, wearing dark shades, blaring Muggle music from the Muggle radio.
Harry smiled at the thought of one of his neighbors looking out their window to see this.
"A convertible? Where did you get a convertible?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
Ron grinned. "Ministry car."
Ron helped Harry shove his trunk in the trunk of the car so there would be room for Hermione, then climbed into the passenger seat while Harry situated himself in the back.
"Muggles have very excellent taste in music! Harry, do you know who sings this?" Fred asked bobbing his head to the music, as he pulled down number four's drive.
"Umm. Yea, I think it's a band called Creed." Harry answered smiling.
"Well, it's bloody brilliant!"
"Yeah, they are a good band."
"Ok, well, onward, we still have to pick up Hermione." He turned in the direction of Hermione's house, and floored it. Harry was practically flung back into the leather of the seat.
"Jesus, Fred!" Harry shrieked from the back. His hand flew up to the back of his head. "I lost my stomach back there somewhere."
"Sorry, mate." Fred chuckled, and slowed down to the speed limit.
"What's the matter Harry? Afraid of a little speed?" Ron smirked.
Harry glared, but then cracked a smile at Ron's teasing tone. "If you must know, yes. I'm not sure I trust a wizard behind the wheel, to be honest," Harry said, crossing his arms across his chest, and watching the trees streak by. They sat with Muggle rock music blaring around them for a few minutes, not talking, just sitting there in comfortable silence. Harry rested his head on the back of the leather seating, and watched the clouds drifting lazily across the sky.
A thought occurred to him.
"Hey Ron, where's Ginny?" He asked as he lifted his head off the back of the seat, he leaned up into the front seat to address Ron. "She told me before school let out at the end of last year that she would write to me, and she never did. I thought she would at least come to see Hermione and me."
Ron frowned and turned around in his seat to look at Harry.
"Well, Harry, something's wrong with Ginny."
Harry's face clouded with confusion. "Care to elaborate? What could have happened in the past two months?" Harry asked.
Ron just shrugged.
The silence lengthened, and Harry guessed that the conversation was closed for discussion. He leaned back into the leather seats.
Harry turned back to watch the houses, lawns, clouds, and cars streak by, lost in thought, beginning to worry about Ginny.
He was kind of hurt that she hadn't come. He didn't want to admit that, but she had turned out to be one of his best friends. After she had stopped being so shy around him, he'd grown to love her company, even want her around him more. And if he allowed himself to admit it, he also thought she was pretty, very pretty.
He felt his cheeks grow hot.
He turned and stared at the scenery. Large white houses with white picket fences streaked past.
A young boy riding a bike passed going the opposite direction, on the vacant sidewalk. The sun was shining in full intensity, and Harry was grateful for the wind blowing though his hair, keeping him cool.
The car pulled into a long driveway of a large white house, like all the white houses in the neighborhood.
The front garden held all kinds of pretty flowers. Harry just assumed that Mrs. Granger must be a gardener.
Ron and Harry got out of the car, leaving Fred in the front seat with the radio, and walked up the driveway to retrieve their other best friend. Ron rang the doorbell, and a petite girl with big brown eyes, and smooth hair pulled back into a ponytail answered the door.
She looked at them, and her eyes became large.
"Ron! Harry! My goodness, you've grown since I last saw you! Ron, you're a tower!" She pulled him into a hug; her head only reached his chest. He chuckled and hugged her back tightly.
"You look great Herms."
Hermione blushed and turned to hug Harry.
"Herms how'd you get your hair to stay so straight and shiny?" Ron asked when they pulled away.
"Oh I used Sleekeasy's," Hermione said, waving the piece of information away. "Well, come in for a minute while I get my stuff." The boys stepped into the house, as the large oak door closed behind them; they walked into a large foyer.
The walls were a comfortable mushroom color, contrasting nicely with the nice mahogany table in front of them. There was a mirror fixed above it, and a large plant perched over the mirror.
Mrs. Granger bustled into the room, carrying a basket of clean laundry.
"Ahh hello Ron, Harry. How are you?" she asked politely, before placing the basket on the floor.
"Oh, we're just fine, Mrs. Granger," Harry said.
"Well that's good. Do you want something to drink? It's rather hot out there. I can't stand the heat myself, I always need to have a large glass of lemonade ready by my side in this kind of heat," she said with a slight chuckle.
Ron and Harry smiled politely, but declined the drink.
Hermione came bustling back into the room, dragging her trunk and looking around. Ron jumped to help her with her trunk enthusiastically.
"Thanks, Ron." She smiled warmly at him. Harry grinned at his two friends.
Hermione went over to hug her mother goodbye. Then went back to help Harry and Ron carry her trunk out to the car.
When Hermione saw the gleaming car in her driveway, she gasped, and stared at it.
"Ron! A convertible! But how did you get it?" she asked in an awed voice, walking toward the shiny car parked in her driveway.
Ron shrugged, before opening the back door for her. "Ministry car."
She slid all the way over to make room for Ron. Ron sat down next to her, so Harry was forced to sit in the front with Fred.
When he sat down, Fred raised his eyebrows, and Harry grinned.
"Hey wait a minute! Where's Ginny? Why didn't she come?" Hermione's voice seemed to echo in the car. During Hermione's fourth year, her and Ginny had become friends, and every since, Hermione had been like a big sister to her.
"She didn't want to come," Ron said quietly, scratching his ear nervously.
"Why? What's the matter?" Hermione asked, somewhat hurt.
"She's not herself." Fred said, starting the engine.
"Yeah she used to be so fun, and used to joke with us and all that. Now she never eats, she's really thin, she gets offended with the littlest things, and she just doesn't seem to care anymore. Oh, and just before we came to pick you guys up today, I went out to ask her if she wanted to come with us, and caught her crying. She said she didn't want to come because she would be intruding with the famous Hogwarts trio. She said it rather rudely, I might add," Ron added in an undertone. "But she won't tell anyone what's wrong."
Harry's concern grew at what Ron was telling Hermione, but he kept quiet.
"I don't know, Herms. Maybe you can talk to her or something. We've got nowhere." Ron indicated himself and Fred.
Her large brown eyes came together in thought and she fell silent. "That's not like Ginny. Well, I hope she opens up soon. She can't last very long without telling someone," Hermione said quietly, worry lacing her usually assured voice.
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