Author's Note: Wow, I have the most amazing reviewers ever. You guys are so awesome. Thanks so much. I appreciate all of your enthusiasm. This chapter is dedicated to my good pal DC (gryffin14). May the ROAR be with you! Hehe.

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The first thing Hermione saw upon returning home from the carnival was another letter on her desk. Pig was sitting proudly on the chair next to the letter.

Hermione pulled off her trainers and sat down at her desk to read the letter. It was once again from Ron.

Dear Hermione,

I know I wrote you yesterday and asked you to come to the Burrow next month, but there's been a change of plans. I can't tell you why in case this letter is intercepted. Anyway, do you want to come to the Burrow this week instead? I know you wanted to spend some time with your parents, but I figured you could stay here for a week or two and then spend the rest of your summer with them.

Going to Luna's was mad. Ginny thought it was really funny for some reason. Sorry but I had to let that out. Send your reply with that mad owl and hopefully I'll be able to tell you more about it this week.

Ron

Hermione finished reading and stared at the letter in confusion. Why did she have to go early all of a sudden? She pondered for a moment and realized it must have something to do with the Order if Ron wasn't allowed to mention it.

She walked down the hall to her parents' room and knocked on the door.

"Yes?" said her mum.

"May I come in?" Hermione asked.

"Sure, darling." Hermione pushed her mum's door open and hopped up on the bed with her. She could hear her dad brushing his teeth in the bathroom. "What is it, Hermione?" her mum asked.

"Ron just wrote me a letter and asked if I could go to the Burrow this week."

"This week? I thought he wanted you to visit next month."

"So did I," Hermione replied, "but there was a change of plans."

Her mum absently stroked Hermione's hair. "Do you want to go this week?"

"Of course I do," said Hermione incredulously. "So, may I go?"

"Well of course you can," said her mum, smiling at her.

"Thank you Mum!" said Hermione, scuttling off the bed. "I'll ask him to pick me up tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Who's picking you up tomorrow?" asked her dad, opening the bathroom door.

"Ron," said Hermione, trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh," said her dad. He raised his eyebrows. "Ron, eh?"

"Yes, Ron," said Hermione in a dignified voice.

"Are you going to visit him?" said her dad with a twinkle in his eye.

"Yes, I am." She could feel herself going pink and turned to stare at her mother. "So is tomorrow okay?"

"Yes, that's fine," said her mum. She was also smiling. Hermione turned on her heel and hurried out of the room to send a reply to Ron. Honestly, they're so embarrassing.

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The next day Hermione woke up very early and immediately started packing for Ron's. She was very conscientious of the outfits she selected to take, although in the end she got careless and just threw things into her trunk.

By ten o'clock she had showered and packed and was waiting anxiously for Ron. She tried to busy herself by reading, but that didn't work very well. She ended up staring at the words on the page and wondering if Ron would notice any changes in her.

Only one weekend had passed since she'd last seen him. Was that even long enough for her to "lighten up"? It probably wasn't, but at least Hermione had made a head start. Besides, she wouldn't really be able to exercise her new personality unless she was with her friends.

Around one o'clock Hermione became tired of "reading" and busied herself by making lunch. She was just spreading the peanut butter on her sandwich when she heard a crash in the living room.

"Ouch!" said a familiar voice. Hermione's heart lifted.

"Hi Ron," she said, smiling at him as she walked into the room.

"Hi Hermione…I just ran into your lamp," he said guilty. He gestured at the lamp, which had fallen to the floor.

She laughed and smiled at him. "It's okay, Ron. Nothing's broken."

"Good."

"Is your dad coming?"

"Yeah, he's—"

Hermione heard a small pop and the tall form of Mr. Weasley appeared next to her.

"—apparating," said Ron.

"Hello, Hermione!" said Mr. Weasley brightly. "Good holiday so far?"

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, it's going quite well."

"Good, good. Where are your parents?" he asked eagerly.

"They're upstairs. I'll go call them," Hermione replied..

"No need, Hermione, we're here," said her mum as she walked into the room accompanied by Hermione's dad. "How are you Arthur?"

"Oh I'm fine Clarissa, how are you?" he asked, shaking her hand. "And Danior, nice to see you again as well."

Hermione turned away from her parents and looked at Ron. "Want some lunch? I was just making a sandwich."

"Sure," he said. He followed her into the kitchen.

"So did you use floo powder to get here?" Hermione asked. She spread more peanut butter on the sandwich and handed it to him.

"Yeah, wish I could apparate but…." He trailed off and munched on his sandwich instead.

Hermione took out two new pieces of bread and made another sandwich for herself. "So, why the change of plans?"

Ron swallowed. "Those mad Muggles Harry lives with had a fit yesterday. They practically killed him. Something about Dudley getting hurt and they blamed it on him…anyway, Dumbledore wanted him out of there until they calm down. So he's at the Burrow now. And I figured you'd want to come while he was here."

"They acted that way even after Mad-Eye and the rest of the Order gave them a talking-to the other day?" Hermione asked.

"Yep. Stupid idiots." He finished chewing the rest of his sandwich and swallowed again. "Anyway, Dumbledore doesn't want anyone to know he's there. He thinks Voldemort would attack the Burrow if he found out."

"Yeah, I suppose he would," said Hermione. "How does Harry seem to be doing?"

Ron thought for a moment. "I think he's okay. Think he wants to forget about it, if you know what I mean. When I left he was playing Quidditch with Fred, George, and Ginny."

"Well that's good." She paused for a minute. "I read Quidditch Through the Ages yesterday."

"You did?" said Ron, cocking his head at her.

"Mmhmm."

"Why? I thought you hated Quidditch."

She laughed. "Ron, I don't hate Quidditch. Besides, I thought the book might be interesting."

"Was it?"

"Yeah, it was actually," she declared.

Ron stared at her for a moment. "Want me to help you get your trunk?"

"Sure. It's upstairs. C'mon." She led him up the stairs and into her room. "It's right here…"

"Jeeze!" Ron exclaimed.

"What?"

"Your room is so pink!"

Hermione laughed at him. "It's not 'so pink.' It's a very light shade of pink, actually. Besides, you have a sister, you should be used to pink by now."

"Yeah, well, her room's blue. It used to be Bill's room. You know that."

"Yes I do," she said, picking up one end of the trunk. Ron grabbed the other handle and they slowly made their way downstairs with it.

Mr. Weasley was chatting merrily with Hermione's parents in the living room. The three adults looked up when Ron and Hermione entered.

"Ready to go?" said Mr. Weasley, clapping his hands together.

"Yes," said Hermione, setting the trunk down.

"Have fun, Hermione," said her mum, pulling her into a tight hug.

"We'll see you soon, 'Mione," said her dad, kissing the top of her head.

"Bye Mum, Bye Dad."

"It was nice to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Granger," said Ron politely.

"You too, Ron," said Mrs. Weasley, smiling at him. Ron grabbed Hermione's trunk and pulled it into the fireplace with him.

"See you in a minute," he said to her. "The Burrow!" he called before being whisked away.

Hermione's parents beamed fondly at her while she stepped into the dancing green flames after Ron. She waved to them and then called out, "The Burrow!" She began to whirl and closed her mouth so she wouldn't inhale any ash.

The Burrow suddenly came into view and Hermione nearly fell out of the fireplace. She regained her balance and stood up straight, brushing soot off her.

"Hermione!" Ginny yelled, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"Hi Gin," said Hermione. "You're suffocating me."

"Sorry," Ginny laughed.

"Hi Harry, hi Fred, hi George," Hermione said to each of them. They were sitting at the kitchen table drinking water. All three of them were rather sweaty.

"Hello Hermione," said Harry.

"Greetings," the twins chorused.

"Do you want me to take your trunk upstairs?" asked Ron.

"Yes, I'll help you," she replied.

"No, it's okay Hermione, I'll get it," said Harry. "I need to go take a shower anyway."

Hermione shrugged. "Okay, thanks."

Ron and Harry each grabbed an end of her trunk and began walking upstairs. Ginny and Hermione followed them.

"So…where's Crookshanks?" asked Harry.

"I didn't bring him. He would go crazy over those gnomes again."

Ron and Ginny both moaned.

"What?" Hermione asked them.

"Nothing, it's just that at mention of the gnomes they go crazy," said Harry, laughing.

"I swear if I have to de-gnome the garden one more time I will end up killing them all," said Ron.

"Yeah," said Ginny, "and then I'll bake a gnome pie."

They all laughed and reached the landing. Ron and Harry set Hermione's trunk down.

"Well, I'll see you guys in a bit," said Harry. He continued to climb the stairs to Ron's room, presumably to gather his things for a shower.

"And I need to talk to Hermione," said Ginny, pulling on her arm. "Come on."

"I guess I'm not allowed to join in the girl-talk?" said Ron sarcastically.

"Do you want to join in the girl-talk?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Good point," said Ron. He hurried off downstairs. Ginny dragged Hermione's trunk into the room and flopped down on her bed.

"So, tell me about this plan," she said mischievously.

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A/n: Yay, she's finally at the Burrow! Time for all the real fun to start. Please review and make my day!