A new chapter! Yeah! I can't believe it! this story's practically writing itself! Well same as usual! R+R! thanks!

The ride up wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I felt awkward, even though it wasn't necessary. Everyone rode up together, for the first hour. It was great fun; we all talked and had a wonderful time. After that, Ginny and Lisa left to visit their friends in their own house and grade. I felt a whole lot better after the girls left. It was just Harry, Ron, and I, how I liked it, just the three of us hanging out.

"It's been a long time," I think.

We joked and laughed like usual and even got in a couple of games of exploding snap. But after a while, Harry got up and said he was going to see Ginny. Ron and I protested, but he muttered something about being a nice boyfriend and going to meet her friends. Ron and I laugh as he turns red and sulks out of the car.

All of a sudden it got a lot quieter in the car. I tapped my foot nervously and played with my fingers.

" Thanks for writing me all summer" Ron said, finally breaking the silence. "Sorry you couldn't come and visit!"

" I know, I was so sad, but my trip was amazing!"

" Japan, that's so cool!"
My family had taken a trip to Japan this summer, to visit a doctor friend of my father. He lived in Tokyo, but had a very beautiful summerhouse on the coast of Fukushima.

" It was, I can't believe how lucky I am! I have pictures you wanna see?"

"This was my first time ever using a magic camera"

" You bought one?"
" yeah, I picked up an older one at a second hand store in Hogsmeade at the end of the school year. It was a great deal! So I decided this was the perfect trip to try it on!"

Hermione was so lucky. She had parents that loved to travel (and had the money to fund it of course!). I always loved to hear her stories. She made the world seem like such an amazing place. She started going on about the beach and the city and all I could do was smile.

"What?" she asks after a while " do I have something on my face?"
" No! I'm just enjoying your story!" I smile softly at her " go on!"

" So anyway, here we are at our friend's summer house! It's a big traditional home, it even used to have a shrine in it!"

She blushes as I take the picture from her.

"That's me in front of the house. I know it's not a great picture, but like it! Dressing up was fun!"

I look at the picture in awe. It was the only photo that wasn't magic. It featured a bamboo colored house with a large garden and Hermione of course. She stood in the center of the picture in a dark purple kimono ensemble, smiling like she always did. But that wasn't what drew me to the picture. Her long curly hair was now perfectly straight and hung from her head in a waterfall of glimmering auburn.

"You're beautiful" I mumble to myself and turn to her.

"So what do you think? I know it's so typical, go to Japan and you have to try on a kimono…"

"You look great!" I say and hand back the picture "wow, you're hair's amazing! What happened?"
"My dad's friend has a daughter my age, and she taught me a fast and easy way to straighten my hair!"

"She's a witch?"

She scowls.

"Ron, you know muggles do get along with out magic quite well."

"I know" I say and roll my eyes. She laughs a bit and turns back to the stack of photos.

"Oh! This was a gorgeous place to visit…."

She goes on about Osaka Castle, but I can't seem to get that picture out of my mind

"You have Lisa!" I say to myself "don't blow it! You know Hermione will never love you back! It's just better this way, you know this."

"I know" I mumble softly

"What?"

"Nothing"