Thanks for all your great reviews!

Butler I'm glad you like my story. If this sounds too much like another story I'm sorry. I didn't do that on purpose.

HappySnakes Rule wow! I'm glad my writing means that much to you. It made me feel great to read your review. To answer your question, I was sitting around with my friends being stupid and we started talking about the Skittles commercials, where skittles rain from a rainbow. Somebody said that it would be really cool if that could really happen. I sort of edited it a little, and turned it into a prank. As for your suggestions, I have some things already planned for later chapters so just keep reading!

Hikuro Hoshi Really? Thanks. Harry and Ginny will get closer once they see e/o again. And I agree with you. There are some pretty weird matches out there. Anyway, here is chapter 8 so you don't have to hate me anymore ;)

FlamingWater Thanks for the amusing and very random review. Glad you liked my story. And yes I had figured out that you were a girl if you were wondering, and I will probably be old and saggy and living in an apartment with 34 cats too, so its all good. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing my story :)

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Silver Warrior Thanks for your review. Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter! This is the eighth time I've written this, so if you haven't figured it out by now I don't know what to say to you, other than you might need to see a doctor. Anyway…

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

As always, read and review!

Harry recognized Hermione's handwriting immediately as he unfolded the letter. He felt slightly disappointed, although he wasn't quite sure why. He shrugged it off, and ripped open the letter and began to read.

Harry,

It was so nice to see you again today. It wasn't the ideal visit under the circumstances, but not much we can do about it is there? I do hope you're okay, as you and Professor Lupin left rather quickly. Nobody knew that you two had even been associating together this summer so it was quite a shock for many of us to see you both together, although I guess we should have known better. We all noticed, though, that you and Lupin looked happier after the rainbow storm or whatever it was today. I am very interested as to how that was pulled off. Once we get back to school I plan on researching the matter. The most surprising event for me however, was that Fred and George are the newest members of you-know-what. I never thought that Ron's mum would allow it, and even if she did I didn't expect them to be serious about it. Ron said he was pretty surprised as well when he found out. He's said that Dumbledore's got his reasons though. I've just noticed how mush I have been blabbering on. I think I'll stop now.

To the point of this letter, Harry. After you and Professor Lupin left, Ron began to tell off Ginny about how the letter she sent you must have been highly inappropriate, and that since he can't trust her to write a simple letter without botching it up, she is not allowed to write you anymore. He said you shouldn't worry, and that you will not have to receive any more letters from Ginny, that he will be writing to you again from now on. Ginny said something back about how she could write to whom ever she wants, and made a comment about Weasley temper or something or other. Needless to say, that set Ron off again. I wouldn't be surprised if they are still fighting. Once Ron started to ask me why I couldn't stay with them right away, but for some reason Ginny saw us and started laughing, and Ron went all red and started screaming again. We ended up leaving early because Mrs. Weasley got tired of all the stares Ron and Ginny were attracting with their shouts.

I'll probably stay with Ron's family at the end of July, as I am spending some time with my parents right now. We're having a bit of a family reunion at the moment, with a lot of my relatives. I have been telling them all that I attend a boarding school in Wales. It is quite a pain. Anyway, it was lovely to see you today Harry, and I hope I'll see you soon although I'm not sure when.

Hermione

Harry looked up from the letter laughing. He could picture Ginny laughing at Ron's anger and referring to it as the Weasley Temper. And it was just like Hermione to want to research a prank. Then his smile faltered a bit. Hermione had mentioned that Ron wouldn't let Ginny write him anymore. Harry felt a surge of anger at his friend for being so pig headed. He walked over to the desk and got a piece of parchment and began to write.

He explained to Ron that he was sorry he had caused a fight between him and Ginny, and that Ginny had indeed said everything in her letter that she should have. He told him that the reason they were laughing was probably because of the cheering charms that he had suspected had been in the rain (which wasn't exactly a lie, but he wanted to make sure that Ron didn't know they had talked about him.) He called Hedwig over to him.

"Deliver this to Ron, okay girl?"

Hedwig gave him a hoot and a peck and flew off into the night.

The next day Harry found himself walking off to Mrs. Figg's house once again to begin training. When he reached the door, Mrs. Figg greeted him with a warm smile and let him in. Harry thanked her and walked into the office where he and Dumbledore had their lessons.

"Hello Harry," said the headmaster as Harry walked in. "Do have a seat and we may begin."

Harry sat down across from the headmaster.

"Hello Professor," said Harry.

"I understand that you may have a lot on your mind, Harry, after recent events, so today's lesson will not be a demanding one." Dumbledore said.

"Thank you professor," replied Harry.

Harry began clearing out his mind, and suddenly he could see himself and Dumbledore in the office, as thought he was looking in from above. The image lasted only for a fleeting second, however, and Harry didn't stop to dwell on it, as he was supposed to be clearing out his mind.

Harry looked at Dumbledore and nodded that he was ready, and heard the whisper of "leglimens," from his teacher.

Images began flashing through his eyes, and before long, Harry was able to force the headmaster out, just as he had done with Snape last year. Harry had been showing improvements in Occlumency over the past week of steady training, however so this wasn't a surprise. The idea, however, was not to even let Dumbledore into his mind. They kept trying, until the image of Harry's vision of him and Dumbledore that he had had when clearing out his mind, appeared in his eyes. Before Harry had the chance to force out the headmaster, Dumbledore had broken the curse.

"I think," said Dumbledore slowly, whilst looking thoughtfully at Harry. "That this lesson is over for today. I believe that it is about time to start your dueling lesson."

Harry looked at the clock on the wall behind him, and saw that he was right.

One hour later, Harry found himself in the middle of the clearing staring at Moody, who was about to cast the Imperius Curse on him. He had tried to explain to Moody that he could already throw it off, but Moody insisted that you could never get too good at it, and he had also said that he needed to see for himself.

"Imperio!" cried Moody. "Run around this clearing six times as fast as you can."

Harry felt a familiar feeling of ignorant bliss come over him. He felt like he didn't have a care in the world. He distantly heard Moody's command. That shouldn't be too hard, said a voice in Harry's head. Just do it... No! said an even louder voice. You don't have to listen to him. Why would you want to run some more? Harry felt himself overcoming the curse, quicker than last time, and found that it was also easier. He supposed that this was because the last time was with Voldemort, and a much stronger curse.

"I'm sorry, but I think I did enough running this morning thank you," said Harry while everyone in the clearing looked stunned.

"Wow," said Tonks. "I can't even totally throw off that curse. You must be brilliant."

"The imposter Moody taught us in fourth year," explained Neville, who had seen Harry throw off the curse before, and therefore was looking less surprised than the others, however still very impressed. "Harry was the only one who could throw it off even a little, so the imposter kept him at it until he could throw it off completely."

"Is it true that you threw off Voldemort's imperius?" asked Tonks.

"Yeah I did, but where did you hear that?" asked Harry curious.

"Dumbledore mentioned it at one of the first Order meetings a year ago," answered Remus.

The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to get Neville to be able to throw off the curse, and after four hours of practice, he was getting pretty good at it, though not as good as Harry.

After a long day, Harry walked back to the Dursley's, and went to collapse on the bed.

Harry,

I hope you were okay after our little meeting in Diagon Alley. I wondered if anyone told you about Ron and me fighting. He got pretty mad which made me mad and I started to think that what you said about the Weasley Temper being true. Repeat that and I will deny it. I definitely think Ron is having girl problems though. You should have seen his face when Hermione told him that she couldn't come to the House straight away. It was hilarious.

I am blabbering again. I was writing this letter to ask you if you are okay after everything that happened on Sunday. You and Lupin looked pretty upset when you were leaving. Everyone was a bit concerned.

I'm sorry if this letter is coming a bit later, but I had to use Errol, because Ron would kill me if I asked him to borrow Pig. He has no idea I am even writing this letter, but I was worried so I decided to risk it. Please don't tell him though or he will be pissed, even though he did sort of apologize for yelling at me. I believe you had something to do with that? Well if you did, thank you Harry.

Ginny xo

Harry looked at Errol who was now sitting in Hedwig's cage. Hedwig had left to go hunting. He received this letter when he had gotten home from training on Saturday. He read it over and over, feeling good that he had so many people concerned about his safety, and that Ron had apologized to Ginny because of him. He couldn't believe that it had only been a week since the hearing though. So much had happened.

It had been about a week since he had had the weird vision in Mrs. Figg's office, and things were going great. Neville had been able to fully throw off Moody's imperius curse, and Harry had been able to stop Dumbledore's entry into his mind. Dumbledore had been very pleased, and had told him that they were to continue practicing Occlumency, but half of their lesson would now be devoted to learning the leglimens curse.

In their lessons, they had been learning how to do more effective dueling spells. Harry and Neville's hard work over the summer was beginning to show, however. They both were beginning to look more muscular, and they were both becoming very flexible. At the end of every week they would duel against Moody, Tonks, and Remus for practice. The duels were practicing disarming only, and Harry and Neville had been becoming increasingly good at it, though they usually lost. They had complained that it was unfair dueling them against two Aurors, and an ex DADA teacher, but Moody explained that that would be the way that many duels would be. Never fair.

Today, however, Harry and Neville had won, though it had taken them five hours of dueling, which was why Harry had just returned home at 10:30 in the evening completely energy deprived. He put Ginny's letter aside, and collapsed on his bed falling sleep almost instantly.

Harry awoke on Monday morning to his uncle yelling. "Boy! Get your ungrateful arse down here!"

Harry grumbled and got out of bed throwing on his robe and left his room. Yesterday they had been almost civil to him. He didn't have lessons on Sunday, so he had stayed outside most of the day.

When Harry reached the kitchen, he found his aunt, uncle, and cousin glaring at him. Harry glared back, and sat down at the table.

"Boy, I am having an important dinner tonight, and I need you to stay out of the house," said Uncle Vernon.

"Who is coming over this time?" Harry asked.

"It doesn't matter to you boy," snapped Aunt Petunia coldly. "They have a girl Duddy's age though. I bet you two will hit it off spectacularly won't you Duddy-kins?'

Dudley nodded with a piggish grin on his face. Harry almost felt bad for the girl, as he could easily figure out by the looks on Dudley's face what dirty thoughts were running through his cousin's mind about this girl. Just then Remus appeared in the kitchen and told Harry it was time to leave.

Harry returned to the Dursley's house early that night, and heard their voices in the kitchen. Since he recognized all three voices, he guessed that the guests hadn't arrived yet. He crept up the stairs, and flopped down on his bed. It had been an exhausting day. Moody had been teaching them some very powerful curses, and at first had Neville and Harry try them, but that had not worked very well, so they had to dodge them, while Remus and Tonks fired them from every direction. Tonks had also taught them a useful shield, which involved a button. You had to hit a button with a spell and it would turn into a handheld shield. She just explained that you always had to have a button on your robes.

Harry lay down and closed his eyes as he heard the doorbell ring, and voices in the hall. He guessed that the guests had arrived. He knew this deal was very important to his uncle, as he had been talking about it since Harry returned from Hogwarts. He suddenly saw himself lying on his bed, as though he was looking in through the roof. The vision was similar to the one he had during his lesson with Dumbledore. He had had one more of these visions over the past week, in which he could see the entire room he was in, but he had told no one.

This time, however he was thinking about what was going on in the kitchen, as he was so hungry. He saw the entire kitchen, and then his thoughts followed into the sitting room and what he saw surprised him. There were the three Dursleys. Uncle Vernon was sitting on the sofa, having a deep conversation with a man that looked slightly familiar, and Aunt Petunia was putting on her shrilly false laugh, as she listened to a familiar looking woman. Then Harry noticed Dudley eyeing a girl with very bushy brown hair. Harry was momentarily stunned as he watched the scene.

Hermione was eyeing the people infront of her with a look that said she was thinking very hard. Then her face changed to the look that Harry and Ron always said she had when she had just had a huge brainstorm, which she just had. She recognized these people, and wondered if she was correct. She decided to ask some questions to find out.

"What is your name?" she asked the plump boy in front of her. He had seemed delighted that she had spoke to him, and was eyeing her greedily, which disgusted her.

"Dudley Dursley," he replied snapping out of his trance.

Hermione let out a little gasp and her eyes got wide.

"Is Harry Potter your cousin?" she asked excitedly.

Everyone in the room looked up at this. The three Dursleys looked terrified, and Hermione's parents had expressions of interest, as they had met Harry before, and Hermione talked about him and Ron Weasley all the time.

Harry snapped out of his vision before he could hear his uncle's answer, and sprinted down the stairs, wondering if he had been correct. He ran to the sitting room door and opened it cautiously.

"Harry!"

"Hermione!"

Hermione ran up and gave him a hug.

"Gerroff, Hermione, I can't breathe," said Harry wincing. When she had finally let go of him Harry turned to Mr. and Mrs. Granger. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Granger."

"Harry Potter," said Mrs. Granger timidly. "Nice to see you again. Hermione talks about you all the time."

Harry managed a light smile, and looked over at the Dursleys who were all wearing expressions of mixed fury and horror. Harry had to bite his lip to keep from laughing, as he knew that if he ruined this deal for Uncle Vernon his life would be a living hell for the rest of the summer, regardless of how many threats Moody had made.

"Where were you, Harry," asked Hermione, slowly. She had heard about the way he had been treated, obviously, and wondered if they had him locked in his room again. She shot a look at the Dursleys.

Harry gave her a look that said not to mention anything, and wondered how he should answer her without giving away too much information.

"I was dueling with Remus in the park," he found himself saying.

The Dursley's gasped, looking shocked that Harry had just mentioned magic infront of their guests.

"Don't worry," said Harry trying his best not to burst into laughter. "Hermione is a witch. She goes to Hogwarts too."

Harry was shaking with silent laughter, as was Hermione by this point, as she knew how the Dursley's felt about magic. When Dudley heard this he backed against the wall, hand over his fat bottom, and Harry was shaking violently, and he could have sworn that he had a broken rib from holding in his laughter, and tears were coming out of Hermione's eyes, as Harry had told her the story of Dudley's first encounter with Hagrid many times.

"So you three are magical then?" asked Uncle Vernon, coldly.

Hermione stopped laughing suddenly and spoke defending her parents. "No, only I am magical. My parents are muggles like you."

Harry noticed the bewildered looks of the Grangers and the Dursleys.

"Muggle means non magical," he said with a sigh. Then he grinned. "They are just like your parents Aunt Petunia."

He then turned to Hermione's parents and explained. "My Aunt Petunia was my mother's sister. My mother was the only magical one in the family though."

"Really," said Mrs. Granger to Aunt Petunia. "So you know something similar to what we are going through with our daughter."

Aunt Petunia looked revolted for a moment, but apparently had remembered how important this deal had been to her husband so she said, "Yes. Every year we would send my sister off to that magical school. My parents were always so heartbroken when she left."

Harry noticed the last part was true, and he had heard the slight bitterness when his aunt had said it. She looked displeased that she had to talk about a world she pretended didn't exist, and scowled briefly when Harry smirked at her over Mrs. Granger's shoulder. Then he turned to Hermione.

"You were dueling?" she asked with a look like Professor McGonagall. "You're not allowed to use magic outside school."

They sat down on the sofa, as Harry thought about how to answer her.

"Yes, well," Harry began slowly. "The minister gave me a paper saying I would be allowed to use magic over the summer, incase I need to protect myself over the summer now that Voldemort is back. It's been real convenient around here." Well that was part of the truth. That was good, right?

"Are they treating you well?" asked Hermione, getting his meaning.

"A bit better than usual, but I wouldn't say well. That would be stretching it a bit," Harry said with a grim smile.

"I could tell my parents not to make this deal if you want," suggested Hermione. "They would listen to me if I told them that the Dursleys were horrible."

"SSSHHHH," said Harry rather loudly. "If they find out that I was the reason they didn't get this deal, then life would be hell for me, and no amount of Moody's threats to them could change it."

"Alright, but just because I want you to be happy here," replied Hermione slowly. She suddenly changed tactics at lightening speed. "So, what's up with you and Ginny? She's mentioned you in her letters a few times, and after seeing you two in Diagon Alley I know something's up."

"Nothing's up Hermione," said Harry rolling his eyes. "She wrote me a letter as Ron instructed, and she cheered me up, and we've written a few other times. Not even a lot. Maybe twice. What's up with you and Krum?"

Harry grinned as he knew the topic would be enough to distract her before she threw out anymore hints about him and Ginny. It worked, and Hermione blushed.

"I've written him a few times this summer, but I haven't seen him," said Hermione. Then her voice turned worried. She looked around to make sure that everyone else was talking before she started in such a whisper that Harry barley caught her words. "I heard from him a week ago, but in his letter, he said he couldn't say much, and he would tell me the next time he sees me, and that he would see me sooner than I think. Do you think something's going on with you-know-who?"

"Does that mean he's going to be at Hogwarts," Harry wondered aloud not fully hearing her. "The last thing I need is people showing up again like in fourth year. Another year as messed up as that one would be hell."

Harry had gone to his room feeling happy that night. He had just gotten to see one of his best friends, and the looks on the Dursley's faces when they had found out Hermione was magical were priceless. He and Hermione had spent a long time that night talking about their summers, and catching up, since the last time they had spoken was not exactly cheerful. He had heard all her complaints about lying to her relatives about her school. Harry reminded her that it couldn't be as bad as having all the neighbors thinking you went to a school for juvenile delinquents. She agreed to this. It had been hard for Harry to avoid the subject of his training, but he either managed a stupid excuse or he diverted the attention back to Hermione again.

Everything had worked out that night. They had enjoyed a dinner in which Harry received no dirty looks, and was allowed the same amount of food as everyone else. This was something that had only happened once before; when Harry had received his first letters from Hogwarts six years ago. Harry sighed as he thought about the Dursleys sucking up to the Grangers, and by the look on Hermione's face at dinner they both shared the thought, that the scene before them was sickening. Everything had worked out for the Dursleys however, as they got their deal. He remembered their conversation before Harry had come up to his room.

///flashback///

"You owe us big for dinner tonight boy. We should have skinned you alive." Said his uncle after the Grangers had gotten safely in their car.

"I think it's the other way around," Harry had replied. "If it weren't for me, Hermione would have told her parents they way you treat me here, and they would have been out the door in a second. I saved your ass tonight, and for that, you owe me!"

Harry saw that Uncle Vernon grew angry as Harry spoke so rudely. When he realized that everything his nephew was saying was also true, he grew even angrier. Harry realized he was in trouble, and went up to his room quickly. He was angry at his uncle, but his feelings had dissolved as he remembered his uncle's face at finding out Hermione was a witch. His face broke out in a grin.

///end flashback///

Harry climbed into bed. He couldn't help thinking about what she had said about him and Ginny though. Had Ginny really talked about him? And why did this make him happy? He wondered why Ron and Hermione were reading too much into a few letters. Nothing was going on between him and Ginny. That wasn't likely as they had hardly spoken in the five years that they had known each other. Yes, but you regret that don't you? Said a voice in his head. He had been very excited about seeing her in Diagon Alley and he wondered why. She had looked really pretty, especially covered in rainbow colored paint.

"hrmph," he said in frustration. Why had he thought Ron's little sister was pretty. He had never thought of her in that way before, and decided he shouldn't start now. He hastily cleared his mind like he was supposed to, and fell back onto his bed for what he hoped would be a good night's sleep.

Harry had no idea what horrible dreams lay ahead of him that night.

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