Hermione Meets Dudley

Once again, Harry was back in number 4 privet Drive. Anoher two long monts of dealing with the Dursleys. His broomstick and books are locked once again in the cupboard under the stairs.

"How many times do I have to tell you to clean all the mess here?!," said aunt Petunia in her usual thunder-like voice.

Harry is used to it. Doing all the household chores all by himself while his cousin Dudley is sitting in the couch munching everything he could store in his large tummy. No wonder why Harry call him the 'Pig-in-a-Wig'.

"If I could only use magic here, but they knew I can't," he muttered.

"What did you say?," Aunt Petunia barked at him, still watching Harry scrub the kitchen floor.

"Nothing," he said in a deadly whisper.

"One more 'Magic' word and I'll make sure you'll never have you dinner once again!," she barked into Harry's ear.

Later that afternoon, the doorbell rang. Aunt Petunia, looking very confused, because she never expected a visitor to arrive that day, opened the door looking terribly angry.

"Who is it?," she asked in an unpleasant way.

"Oh…Hi! Good afternoon, Madam."

Aunt petunia looked suspiciously at the person in front of her. Standing there is a girl with curly, brown hair, neatly dressed and carrying a huge birthday present.

"I think you've got the wrong house, I suppose you're going to a birthday party," Aunt Petunia said, partly laughing.

"Well, I'm Hermione Granger. And I wasn't mistaken. I'm here to see Harry," it was Hermione.

Before Aunt Petunia could say another word to deny Harry, she saw him rushing through the stairs.

"Hermione!!!," cheered Harry running as fast as he could towards the door, pushing his Aunt Petunia out of excitement, giving her a loud thud on the floor.

"HARRY!!!!," she roared.

"I'm sorry Auntie, I didn't mean it," Harry apologized, pretending he really feels sorry about it. He winked at Hermione, his nasty smile widened.

Aunt Petunia twisted his ears forcefully before she left. She closed the door with a loud bang, leaving the two outside.

"Oh, Hermione! I didn't expect…I can't belie…."

"Happy birthday, harry!," said Hermione, putting her arms around him.

Harry went scarlet.

It's his very special day but he almost forgot it once again. The Dursley doesn't seem to care about it at all. And besides, his Aunt gave him piles of house works that morning. If he fails to finish them before his Uncle Vernon arrive, surely there won't be dinner for him.

Harry lead Hermione into the garden and they sat on the wooden bench facing the bushes. He's still holding Hermione's present with both hands.

"You really surprised me Hermione."

"Oh, well Harry, it's not the only reason why I came here," said Hermione.

"What?"

"You've told me before about your cousin Dudey…Darry…err….what's his name again?"

"Dudley," replied Harry, wearing a sour expression on his face.

"That's it!"

"Forget about him, Hermione. It's not a good idea to meet him."

Hermione's eyebrow arched.

"Are you a friend or not?", she asked coldly

"Of course I am, but…but…"

"But what?"

"He's the worst thing you'll ever meet. Worst than a boggart, a dementor and even worst than….Snape."

The thought of Professor Snape is good enough to make him feel bad and ruin his special day. He's Harry's least favorite teacher in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"I don't believe you Harry. Dudley is your cousin."

"I told you he's a nightmare!"

And before Harry could say another word to make Dudley sounds worst than anything else, they heard a loud footsteps coming towards them.

"HARRY!!!", Dudley screamed, "You are not yet done with the toilet, Harry!!!," he snarled on Harry's face.

"Did you hear something Hermione?," he asked, trying to annoy his cousin.

But before Hermione could answer…..

"Ouch!!! That hurts!," cried Harry. Dudley hit him hard on his head.

"Mum!! He never listens to me!," he roared, as if Harry did something horrible to him. Well, of course, just to make things worst for Harry.

But Harry was quick. He have decided to leave before his Aunt Petunia come near them.

"I'll leave you here for a while, Hermione. I'm warning you about Dudley. Please be careful. I hope you will understand what I'm talking about," said Harry, looking bothered.

Suddenly, Dudley sat beside Hermione, his eyes were blinking. Harry ignored him.

"By the way, I'm Dudley. Dudley Dursley," he introduced himself the moment Harry was out of sight. He extended his hand for a handshake.

"Hermione Granger. It's a pleasure to meet you Dudley," Hermione replied, looking scarlet, "Harry told me great things about you."

"He…he did?!," Dudley asked in a great shock. He never thought Harry would do that. Of course it wasn't true.

"Oh, well…yeah. Harry and I were good friends, you know."

Dudley moves closer to her.

"I've heard that you're the best student I your class," he told Hermione to start their conversation.

"Not really. I'm just doing my best. But it's really great to know that we, being a 'Muggle' could learn all those magics as easy as 1-2-3," Hermione told him.

"You…a mugg..a what?!"

"A 'Muggle'. A person belonging to a non-wizarding family. My parents are both dentists." Hermione flashed her pearly-white teeth with a smile. "But Harry, he's really a wizard."

"Oh…yes…he is," Dudley muttered in a low, shaking voice. He began to look pale and scared.

"Why are you shaking, Dudley? Did I say something wrong?"

"Nothing. I..I just can't believe that I'm talking to a pretty lady beside me," Dudley lied.

Dudley is afraid of hearing things connected to 'magic'. Eversince Hagrid, the Hogwart's Gatekeeper gave him a pig's tail on his butt. During that time, Hagrid went looking for Harry to send him to Hogwarts and to inform him who he really is, or rather, what he really is - a Wizard.

"Hermione, honestly, I'm really interested about that school of yours. And I'm looking forward…to…you know…," he said in a deadly whisper, to make sure his Mum won't hear anything.

"To transfer? Am I right?," Hermione asked.

"Ye..yes!,"

"But you must get a letter from Hogwarts first, just like Harry and I. But I will try to talk to Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore. I'll tell them that you deserve it," she informed him.

"Really?!"

Dudley has the feeling of excitement and triump, not only because he's having a chance to go to Hogwarts but also, the thought of bullying Harry even in the wizarding world.

"I'm so happy to hear that, Hermione," he said, holding her hand, "and would you mind if I ask for your number?"

"Yeah, pleasure!," she said at once. She took a piece of paper and a pen from her pocket and scribbled her phone number.

Harry is still inside the house, scrubbing and mopping the toilet. He has a feeling that something wrong is going on outside.

"No Hermione, not now…not Dudley," Harry said to himself.

After more than an hour of a very tiring work, Harry returned to the garden. But it's too late because Hermione is leaving.

"Harry, what took you so long? I can't stay any longer. My Mom and Dad will pick me up in five minutes. I'll just call you sometime. Or maybe I'll just send you an owl," Hermione said, looking very disappointed.

Harry gave Dudley a dagger look, as if he's going to hit him hard on the face. Dudley smirked.

"Goodbye Hermione. Thanks for coming here. And also, a huge thanks for the present."

"Don't mention it. Bye Harry. Happy birthday again," Hermione planted a kiss on his cheeks. His face went scarlet again.

"Bye Dudley. It's really nice meeting you," she turned to Dudley.

"Goodbye," replied Dudley. He stood up and lead her outside, leaving Harry standing still.

Hermione waved goodbye at him. Smiling serenely, she went out of the gate.

Days and weeks has passed. Harry remained silent, still wondering what the conversation between Hermione and his cousin Dudley are all about. One night, while he's washing the dishes in the kitchen, he almost broke the glass he was holding when he heard his Aunt Petunia screamed her lungs out.

"DUDLEY!!! What's going on?!!," Aunt Petunia shrieked, her horse-faced turned white.

She saw Dudley, well-dressed, as if he's going to a formal dinner party. He looks exactly like his Dad Vernon, both looks large and beefy.

"Explain this to me, Dudley!," she asked in a horrifying ton of voice.

"I'm going out on a date, Mum. My first date ever," Dudley replied proudly, a triumphant smile flicked across his face.

This time, the glass on Harry's hand fell on the floor and shattered into pieces.

CRASH!!!

"Oh, no! He's going out with Hermione!," he shrieked.

The next day, Aunt Petunia woke up very early. She went outside, carrying the milk bottles. And there she saw a familiar looking envelop. She took it and read it in an instant. And then, her face turned white and her eyes grew wider. She tried to scream but no words ever came out from her mouth. For what's written in the envelope is this:

To: Dudley Dursley
No. 4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging, Surrey

It was a letter from Hogwarts!