'Mione, you're back so late!' Mrs. Granger exclaimed. 'What were you doing.'?

'I had some fun,' Mione admitted, 'that was why I was late.'

'Oh really? What did you do?'

'Well, I took a walk around the park, and met some nice people.'

'Nice people. Like?' Mrs. Granger.

'This girl and two boys. They were very nice. We went ice-skating.'

'I'm glad you have company for the summer, Mione. I was honesty getting worried, you know. Anyhow, dinner's on the table. Why don't you eat and get to bed early? Then you can meet your friends again tomorrow.'

'That sounds like a good idea.' Mione agreed.

She quickly ate some stew and bread for dinner, before going up to her room, and undressing. She pulled on some lilac silk pajamas, and dropped into bed. 'I'm exhausted,' she thought to herself, 'from ice-skating. And looking at Robbie's eyes..'

The next morning, when Mione got up, the first thing she did was to shut her eyes tightly, trying to remember the dream she had been having last night. It had been good. Very, very good. So good, that even now she could feel warm waves of pleasure wash over her. And yet, the frustrating thing was that she couldn't remember anything about it. She had experienced wonderland, and she couldn't remember it. Very, very typical. She got out of bed, and brushed her teeth in the bathroom. After that, she went down to breakfast in her bathrobe. Her mother was at the table, wearing a long blue and yellow checked apron, and humming a tune to herself.

'Good morning, darling,' she said, cheerfully. 'Slept well? I suppose you're all geared up to meet your friends today?'

Mione felt a smile tug the corners of her lips. Just her mom mentioning Robbie and the other two made her feel good. 'Honestly, mum,' she said, as she sat down and took a piece of toast. 'You act like I've never had friends before.'

There was an odd silence for a minute. 'Well, to be honest, Mione,' Mrs. Granger admitted, biting her lip, 'that has always been a cause of worry to me. I mean.you've never really had friends, you know.it's- well, I can't help but feel anxious.'

'Mother! What on earth do you mean! I have to very close friends, one being the infamous Harry Potter, and Ron! How can you say I don't have friends?"

'Now, Mione,' Mrs. Granger said, pursing her lips. 'I really can't say I approve of that. No matter how much fun you have in- in that school or yours, I must say, it's a bit out of things, don't you think? After all, what counts is getting good grades over here, in the real world, and then living a good life.'

'But MUM!' Mione cried, astonished. 'What do you mean? Wouldn't it be great if I graduate from Hogwarts and do well in the WIZARDING world?'

'Well, Mione, dear, please don't be upset, but I don't like the sound of it, at all. I've put up with it for six years, because you're father insisted it would be okay, but I'm having my doubts now. You have your boards to do this year, and I can't allow you to just goof it up. You're not going back to- THAT place, Mione.'

She paused, and pulled out a leaflet from her apron pocket. 'I got this by post this morning.see this picture, darling? It's The Carmichael Academy for Girls. Now, wouldn't it be lovely to continue your schooling there? Mione- what's the matter with you! Stop crying!'

'Mum.' Mione muttered, her lip trembling. 'How can you think that this fucking place will be even close to as nice as Hogwarts?'

'Language, dear!' her mother remonstrated.

But Mione had had enough. 'That does it!' she yelled. 'I'm sick of this! I'm sick of you telling me Hogwarts is some second hand academy! I hate you! I'm not going to this fucking what-you-call-a-school anyway!'

She threw her plate on the floor, where it smashed to smithereens. Then, she raced up to her room, and grabbed her suitcase. She began pulling clothes out of her cupboard, and packing them in the case.

'Mione! What do you think you're doing?" her mother cried, rushing into her room.

Mione didn't answer. She put her schoolbooks, wand and robes into the case as well. 'Mione, stop; let's talk this over! I refuse to allow you to go back to that PLACE, but we can discuss the merits of your new school!'

'It's not my new school,' Mione muttered. Quickly emptying her dressing table draws into the case. Then, she shut it and got up.

'Bye mother,' she said, in a hard voice, and strode downstairs.'

When she had turned a few corners, she stopped, and thought. She was dressed in her bathrobe, in a small, alleyway, and she had no idea where to go.no relatives lived near here, and she hardly had any friends.except Dina, Colin and.Robbie. She leant against a wall, and began collecting her thoughts. Just as she began to commence her thinking, rain clouds began to gather above her. She was startled by a crash of thunder. Robbie's words echoed in her mind.. I ran away.I was sick of my parents.. I ran away.

'I have run away,' she realized suddenly. 'Because I was sick of my parents.well, Robbie.. here I come.'

She walked down the alley hurriedly. There was a large field to the left, and a few small, dingy cottages to the right. She peered at them, and so the no.22 written with chalk on the gate of one. She rushed as fast as her heavy suitcase permitted her to, and opening the gate, she went in, and knocked on the front door.

The cottage was a shabby one, with grayish walls, and a dirty, red roof. It had a small patch in the front, with some grass and a few weedy dandelions growing. The door was dusty, there were cobwebs on the walls, but it didn't look at all gloomy to her. The door opened.

Robbie stood, gaping at her, dressed in a white t-shirt, and jeans. She noticed that he had a black tattoo of a dragon on his arm. She gave him a faint smile.

'Hi Robbie.'she whispered.

'Loxy! What on earth are you doing here?' he asked, but not unkindly.

'I- I came to you.' she stuttered. 'Because- well, I had a fight with my mother.and..' Her voice trailed off, uncertainly.

Robbie put his hand out and pulled her in. 'You're soaked!' he exclaimed. 'Simply dripping. Hold on, why don't you dry yourself up in the bathroom, and change out of your bathrobe, and we can talk?'

Mione nodded, numbly. He pushed her towards a door in the wall, which transpired to be a minute bathroom.

'Would you like some hot water?' he asked. 'I can heat it in a pan for you.'

'If it isn't any trouble, please.' She said, massaging her arms.

He bustled towards the kitchen.

'Come with me,' Robbie said, 'it'll be warmer there.'

He gripped her wet arm, and pulled her towards the kitchen, which was small, with a black counter, on which was a small stove. Other than that, there were a few cupboards, some plates and glasses, a mug, and some spoons. Robbie quickly lighted the stove, and taking a pan from the fire, put it over it.

'How much water do you think you'd need?' he asked.

'Not much. Just a little,' Mione mumbled.

He heated the water for her, and she quickly washed in the bathroom. Then, she draped the towel around herself, and went to her suitcase. She decided to go in for comfort, more than looks, and pulled out a pair of baggy, khaki jeans, and a tight cream sweater. She dried her hair, but it still hung limply around her shoulders. There was no sign of the blue streak any more.

'Well, you look a lot better,' Robbie said, when she emerged from the bathroom. 'You were practically shivering. This cottage is normally quite warm throughout the year, but when the rains come, it starts to become chilly. Here, have some hot chocolate.' He gave her a steaming mug of hot chocolate, and they both sat down on the kitchen counter. Mione sipped the chocolate, and began to feel a lot better.

'Now,' Robbie said, when she was done. 'Tell me. What happened.'

All of a sudden, a wave of panic washed over Mione. Robbie was a muggle! How was she supposed to tell him about Hogwarts?

'I er- you see, she didn't approve of the school I was going to,' she said, in a low voice. 'She wanted me to attend the Carmichael something.and, well, she refused to let me return.but, I love the school that I go to, you know.I really like it.'

'Oh,' he said, 'that's almost the same problem I had. My father wanted me to go to a school, that specialized in the Dark- in a certain subject,'

Mione didn't notice the slip of his tongue.

'I used to live quite far away. My parents were rather rich.'

She looked up at him, and saw that those lovely eyes were looking at something, far, far away.

'We used to live in such a big house! But I left there, and took a train, and came here..'

'I suppose you miss being rich now?' she asked, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Robbie jerked out of his trance.

'Not really,' he said, smiling, 'Money can't buy you happiness, can it?'

'I guess not, but you're happy here?'

'I am now.'

She looked up, and to her surprise, saw him looking intently at her. His gray eyes were focused.

'I am now,' he repeated, 'I have been happy since 3:15 in the afternoon yesterday.since I met you..'

She went on staring at his eyes, and with a start, she suddenly realized that he was coming closer to her. All of a sudden, she felt his arm wrap around her waist, and pull her closer. She continued to stare into his eyes, drowning in their silvery gleam, until. He pulled away.

'I'm happy in general,' he said, with a shrug.

He hopped off the counter. 'I'm afraid there's only one room in the cottage. You can sleep in my bed.'

'Where will you sleep?' she asked.

'On a mattress, of course. I'm fine with it. No buts, you're sleeping on the bed, and that's final.' 'Robbie.' she said, suddenly.

He turned. "Yes?' 'You were about to tell me the subject your new school specialized in.. what was it?'

'Nothing- I've forgotten,' he said, suddenly curt. 'Would you like to rest for a while?'

Mione was about to pursue the subject, when she bit her lip.

'Yes, please,' she said. 'I'm somewhat tired.'

It was a lie. She wasn't tired. But she wanted to lie down and sort out her thoughts. Robbie showed her to the bedroom, which was small, but warm and comfortable. 'I'll be in the hall,' he told her, and shut the door. She lay down, and pulled the sheets up.

'You snore,' Robbie commented.

'Oh, shut up,' Mione told him. 'You aren't the quietest sleeper yourself!'

'Oh yes? And how would you know that?'

'I woke for a bit, and u were sleeping on the mattress.'

'Oh,'

'I'm sorry. I think I'll sleep on the mattress from now on,'

'No, that's all right,' Robbie assured her. 'I was fine on the mattress.'

'Hmm,' Mione murmured.

She had woken to see a mighty gale rattling the window, and rain crashing on the roof. She was snuggled up in Robbie's bed, and loved it there. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, with one arm protectively wrapped around her. The moment she woke up, however, he took it away.

'So.' Robbie murmured, as she sat up, 'what to do?'

'We could talk,' Mione said, rubbing her eyes. 'There's still a lot I could find out about

you.' 'Like?'

'Like how you know Dina and Colin.'

'Well, I met them on the train.'

'Train?'

'Yes. I had better start from the beginning.'

'Please do.'

'Well, I had told you before about my family. My father was a lousy hypocrite. He had wealth, and power and that's all he wanted. He also had social position.. that was important to him. He taught me on these lines.'

'Which were?'

'He taught me to be proud. Proud for what I was, and proud for what I would have been. Maybe a little more than proud. Perhaps I was even vain at a time.'

He paused and looked at Mione, who was watching him intently.

'I was sent to what was considered one of the best schools in the Mag- in the world. However, soon my father got displeased with the school, and the actions of the headmaster in particular. I was never very popular, except among my own comrades.'

'Why ever so?'

'I had an image to live up to. I had to seem like the arrogant guy, who had everything right for him. I had to do it the way my father did. I had to follow in his footsteps.'

'You didn't have to,' Mione said, cuttingly. Suddenly, Robbie did not seem all that perfect.

Robbie hung his head low. 'You don't understand,' he mumbled. 'I did have to.my father.he was strong, and I was weak. and well.'

'Whatever.' Mione said. 'Go on.'

But Robbie didn't continue. Instead, he looked at Mione in a funny way.

'You think that's despicable, don't you Loxy?' he asked her. He was suddenly moving closer.

'Wha-what? Of course not!' she said, quickly. But he was still coming closer, his arm wrapping around her waist again, pulling her closer to him. Before she knew it, their lips met.

Mione felt a jolt of electricity rush through her. She opened her mouth, and his tongue rushed in. It was feeling of ecstasy, happiness, and euphoria flooding threw her but a minute, later, he pulled back.

She looked up, and saw desire in his eyes, along with mad restraint.

'What?' she asked, softly.

'No, Loxy,' he said, quietly. 'I can't do this.'

Mione looked down at the ground. She was filled with confused emotions. She wanted to kiss him, very, very badly. But since he didn't she did not want to push it. So she leant back.

'That's ok,' she said, breathlessly. 'But-why?'

Robbie looked down at the ground.

'Loxy,' he said, nervously, 'Maybe I ran away from home, and all but.I've still got a bit of influence from my dad. I still have an image and reputation to live up to.'

'What!' Mione spat, her face contorting with hate. 'What the fuck are you talking about? Image? Reputation? You live in a second hand cottage with filth in ever corner, and then you're talking about image? You're a bloody bastard; I don't know why I was attracted to you!'

With that, she sprang out of bed, and rushed out into the hallway.