Disclaimer: I own nout, nothing, zilch, zero etc etc.

I haven't updated in ages so I apologise for my laziness, I'm not going to blame it on anything else but my computer did loose all its files during a thunder storm which did result in a scary power cut so…oh and then my dad broke the keyboard and did I mention my dog eating the hard drive, whatever that is? And then I got my Gcse results and then …

Anyways…

Chapter 6: Dealing with muggles.

Sunlight shone through the slit in the curtains to reveal scruffy red hair peeping out from the screwed up quilt. A muffled groan issued forth from the mound causing Harry to wake up from a pleasant dream in which Cho Chang was admiring his… another loud groan filled the room.

Picking up his glasses and putting them on, Harry threw his pillow at Ron hoping to wake the other boy up or at least cause him some pain for disturbing his oh so great dream. "Ron." He yelled at finding that the pillow had no effect. "Get your lazy arse up and out of bed. We've got to be out at ten."

The mound moved and more of the red hair was revealed as well as a blinking pair of sleep filled eyes. "What time is it?" Ron mumbled as he brought a hand to his throbbing head. "My head really hurts, feels as though a bludger's been bouncing on it all night."

For once Harry had no sympathy, he didn't know whether it was because Ron had stolen his drink or whether it was because his friend had interrupted his sleep and the dream, maybe it was both. "It's time you got a watch and the reason your head is hurting is because you downed two lots of Vodka within a couple of minutes." Sighing, he threw the covers off his bed and proceeded to walk to the bathroom where he collected a glass of water before heading back into the bedroom.

"What the-" Ron sputtered, leaping up from his bed and glaring at Harry who was holding an empty glass. "I didn't deserve that!"

"Cleared your head didn't it?" Harry grinned in reply, feeling satisfied at seeing a dripping wet Ron. "You can tell the hotel that you wet the bed."

"I did not. You better watch out or I'll-" He was cut off by a knock at the door, Ron glanced at Harry indicating that it was not possible for him to answer when he was soaking wet and just wearing a pair of underpants which were also slightly damp. If it were possible for him to turn redder, England would win the Quidditch cup every time for the next two centuries, a fact that was very unlikely to happen.

Hermione smiled as she stepped through the door, her face fell at seeing the state of Ron and the room which resembled a pig sty. "I was just about to ask whether you where ready and seeing as you're not I won't go there." The brown haired teen turned to the one with glasses. "Have you got a couple of quid that I can borrow? I need to buy the muggle paper."

"Quid?" Came the quiet voice of Ron as he tried to cover himself up from his female best friend, the tips of his ears turning to a nice shade of maroon.

"English muggle slang for money, pound coins." Hermione explained whilst try to avoid looking at the scene and quickly pocketing the money Harry handed to her. With a smile, she exited the room after telling them to be in the foyer in half an hour.

Harry grinned at Ron as he closed the door. "Well you heard her. Seeing as you've had your 'shower' I think it's my turn for a proper one." Ron merely glared, the words in his head were not fit to be uttered by someone his age and nationality, secretly hoping that he knew how to speak Trollish.

The trunks stood ready in the entrance as Hermione went to collect the car, Ron chose to avoid Harry who could not help but laugh every time he turned in Ron's direction. Sometimes it seemed Harry was far too immature to be 'the boy who lived'. Him the only hope for the wizarding nation?Ron thought as he studied the flowered wallpaper. My arse.

Apparently they where to head to the channel tunnel and cross into France for a day of shopping, which was commonly known to English muggles as the 'booze run'. Ron had had a lot of fun getting his passport ready, fascinated that he could travel anywhere with the little red book, again with the red.

"Ready?" Hermione asked as she entered the building, her car keys jangling from one finger. At the boy's nods, she turned and left them to carry the trunks to the car and place them in the boot after all, that was what men were for.

Once more, Hermione turned onto the motorway, heading south towards the not-so-white cliffs of Dover where they would catch the train to Calais. She hadn't been too sure whether to go by P&O ferry or by the chunnel (Channel Tunnel), her decision had been reached by Ron having no experience with boats and at least knowing what a train was, though the train they were to catch was very different. Her thoughts were halted as the car gave a sputtering sound whilst the arrow on the speedometer lowered gradually even though her foot was still on the accelerator.

"What's going on?" Ron asked from the back of the car, knowing that something was wrong because all the other cars where streaming past them.

"I don't know." Worried, Hermione pulled the car over to the hard shoulder and switched the engine off. "I checked everything and had it serviced before I left." A note of panic filled her voice as she exchanged a glance with Harry. "Nothing should go wrong! Is passed its MOT and everything!"

"You have got recovery haven't you?" Harry asked. "The AA or some other recovery service?" He had heard Uncle Vernon storming about such companies and how they were 'a ruddy rip-off.'

"Yes I have, but the train?!"

"Phone the company." Harry said calmly, using the voice he used when dealing with an annoying Colin Creevy in the second year. "If we miss the chunnel no big deal. We can get another one."

Hermione nodded and phoned the AA who informed her that a van would be with them in a matter of moments. Ron seemed excited at the prospect of meeting a muggle mechanic and seeing beneath the bonnet of a car, he virtually bounced in his seats.

Minutes ticked by, with Ron getting more excited and Hermione more frustrated before Harry, thanking the heavens, spotted a yellow van pulling up behind them.

"Well seems the fan belt slipped, easily fixed," stated the mechanic as he inspected the engine whilst trying not to cast uneasy glances at Ron, who was looking over his shoulder and watching every movement with interest though he understood none of the technicalities.

Hermione hugged Harry in relief at not having her carefully worked plans ruined. They would be in time to catch their train and spend the day in France before coming back, if, they could get Ron back on the train.

The bonnet closed with a click and the mechanic smiled at Ron and shook his hand quickly, his eyes darting back to the safety of his van.

"So what made you decide to do this job?" Ron was saying.

"Just a career option I liked, sir."

"Is it easy?"

"Depends on who you are."

"Does it ever get boring, not that I can see how it does, but does it ever?"

"Not really, some days can be slow though." The mechanic's voice was getting more and more squeaky as he was quizzed by an inquisitive Ron. It just wasn't regular for the customer to be interested in his job. Finally he reached the safety of his van and gave a rapid goodbye, leaving a disappointed Ron watching the retreating van.

"Well, you ready to experience what's next?" Hermione asked with a fixed smile on her face, wondering why she had thought of such an idea, Harry having never left the British Isles before, and Ron at least never by the muggle way. She was only glad that they where staying on the ground, well when it came to that, at least not in the air.

Tbc

Responses to reviews:

Indiegurl2008: I'll give the poor guy a break. Vodka is nothing like beer; it's basically a spirit drink, wait… 'an alcoholic spirit of Russian origin made by distillation of rye, wheat, or potatoes.' according to the oxford dictionary…I have no idea just that it tastes nasty and can be mistaken for water because it looks like it. Thank you for reviewing.

AislinnStar Legally in the Uk you can be sold alcohol at 18, but you can drink it whenever the hell you like (as long as not in public), I skipped the whole legal thing. Update soon?…I'm not so good at that but I'll try and not be lazy.

Sou85a: Yeah poor Ron but he'll cope; he's having fun with it so that's all that matters. Drink definitely does affect people in different ways; I get drunk far too easily…nasty stuff anyway and Hermione has that sort of mind.

Jess: Glad you liked the lift/elevator/big box that's goes up and down thing, I was thinking back to the fifth book. Thanks for reviewing.

LaNaHwAnNa: I'm sure Hermione can cope after all she's been around him for six years and apparently in the sixth book they're going to have some sort of relationship…so I've heard. She's strong and she has a nice pair of heels for stomping. I didn't update soon due to a sudden bout of lazyitis so sorry.

Orian'sbeltI think his new name should be poor Ron and I have a habit of beating myself up about stuff, friends just ignore it and tell me to shut up…Thank you for reviewing, glad you liked it and I promise not to say 'I don't like this chapter' again.

SinfulColours Never thought about the whole Krum thing so I'm angling towards the yes side… Glad you liked it and I hope I update sooner, just have to kick my arse back into gear.