Disclaimer: I don't own Hermione or Harry or Ron or anyone else...Kudos to JK Rowling!

Move faster, Hermione!

Hermione Granger grabbed spell books and quills as she stumbled around her room, tossing them into the large brown trunk that rested at the foot of her bed. She grabbed her black Hogwarts robes from her closet and jammed them atop her other school things, then slammed the trunk shut. She locked it, then whispered an anti-theft spell as she waved her wand.

Crookshanks watched her from his spot on her bed, his tail swaying in anticipation. Hermione gathered him in her arms and, none too gently, pushed him into his travel basket.

"Sorry, Crookshanks," she said, as he grabbed at her t-shirt to steady himself. "I don't have much time." He stared at her through the small opening on the side of the basket, and she sighed heavily. "I wish you could come with me."

Her attention was drawn to the window at a persistent tapping. Hedwig was hovering there, a letter tied to her leg.

"Get in here,"said Hermione, opening the window. The bird sailed in, landed effortlessly on the bed, and held out her leg patiently.

Hermione took the letter quickly and shoved it into her pocket. She quickly muttered another spell as she pointed her wand at her trunk. The bewitchment caused her trunks and Crookshanks' basket to have a combined weight of a spell book. She tied the handle of the trunk to the handle of the basket, then called Hedwig to her arm.

Hedwig complied, but her eyes were wide as she saw what she was being asked to deliver. Hermione tied the string to the birds leg, then added a letter to the string. The bird rose effortlessly and dragged the trunk and basket to the window. Hermione helped her get them out the window, then watched as her most treasured possessions flew away.

"Hermione! Come down here, please!"

Hermione tore her eyes from the window, totally alone. She sighed as she grabbed a ready backpack off her bed and put her wand in her pocket. She looked over her room one last time before shutting the door.

She hurried down the stairs to the livingroom, where her parents were sitting together on the couch. Two glasses of ice water were resting on the coffee table, and the news filled the room with the latest stories.

Her father smiled up at her as she entered. "Hey there," he said. "What are you up to upstairs? It sounded like you were tearing the walls down."

Hermione forced a smile. "It's nothing, Dad. Couldn't find a book."

Her mother took her glass and sipped at the cool liquid. "Such a racket over a book. You never lose anything, darling."

Hermione nodded, her smile fading. In her hurry, she had neglected to keep the noise down. Her carelessness might allow them to catch on more quickly than she was prepared for.

"First time for everything, I suppose." Hermione glanced at the television, seeing the weather forecast on the screen. She memorized it, then continued to her parents. "I'm going to the library for awhile. I'll be back late."

Her mother sighed. "Honestly, Hermione. You spend more time in that building than you do at home."

"Oh, leave her alone," said her father, patting his wife's knee. He smiled up at Hermione. "Read it all, sweetheart. Everything you read will be useful to you someday."

Hermione smiled, genuinely this time. "Thanks Daddy," she said, bending down and kissing his cheek. She kissed her mother's cheek as well, saying, "I love you," as she hurried through the door. She forced the tears away until she was three blocks from her home. Tears finally streamed down her cheeks, though she did not push them away.

She thought through her plan once more, making sure she had thought of everything. She glanced up and down the street, then pulled her wand from her pocket and raised her arm into the air.

A second later, a three level purple bus was parked in front of her, with a rough looking man at the door reading instructions. Without waiting for him to finish, Hermione handed him the money for her fair and said, "London, please."

Harry Potter was sitting on his bed, trying to make sense of his Potions assignment, when a loud tapping caught his attention. He looked up to see Hedwig fluttering outside his window. He hurried to let her in, and was surprised at the load she was carrying. He reached out to help maneuver the large Hogwarts trunk and wicker basket through the window. The objects seemed to weigh nothing as he helped Hedwig drop them onto his bed. As soon as they hit the bed, though, they seemed to regain their weight, as his bed creaked softly.

Harry pulled the letter from Hedwig's leg and carried the exhausted bird to her cage, where she drank the available water greedily.

Harry opened the letter and saw the remnants of Hermione's neat handwriting. He read:

Harry,

I received an owl from Dumbledore that said Voldemort is trying to get to you through Ron and me. Ron's safe with the Order, so don't worry about him. I'm afraid Voldemort try to hurt my parents if I stay with them, so I'm getting far away from them.

I'm sorry to burden you with my school things, but I couldn't leave them with my parents. Even Hedwig couldn't have gotten the load into the Order, so could you please take them with you to the train? The spell to make it lighter is Nadalarga. Just swish and flick and you should be able to carry the trunk with your finger.

Please don't tell the Order. They have more important things to worry about right now. I'll try to make it to the train, but I won't make any promises.

Love from Hermione

Harry stared at the letter in shock. He looked back at the basket next to the trunk, seeing fluffs of reddish fur sticking out. He opened the basket and Crookshanks jumped, looking around rapidly. He saw Harry, backed quickly away from him, nearly toppling between the bed and wall. Harry grabbed him quickly, scratching behind his ears the way Hermione always did when her cat was nervous.

Crookshanks calmed and seemed to remember Harry at last. The bushy cat curled up on Harry's flat pillow, resting after his journey.

Harry reread the letter, wondering why he had once again been left out of the mix. Why would Hermione just run away? Why not contact the Order and go the Headquarters with Ron? What did she know that no one else did?

Hedwig watched him from her cage, finally flying over and perching on Harry's shoulder. Harry let her nip at his fingers at he thought what to do next. The obvious answer would be to owl Dumbledore, but he had a feeling that Hermione had a very good reason for sending her things to him and not to the Headmaster. Did she possibly know something that even Dumbledore did not?

He stood quickly, Hedwig's claws sinking painfully into his shoulder. He pulled paper and pen to him and began to scribble a note to Ron. He had to know what the Order was up to and what it had to do with Ron and Hermione's safety.

Hermione could take care of herself until then.