/I don't own anything you recognize in this story. /

Chapter Four

It seemed to Harry that the days flew a whole lot quicker now that he was here in his own world. Every day it seemed that if he wasn't working in the Weasleys' Wizard Joke Shop, he was either finishing up his homework, getting next year's books, or hanging out with Ron and Hermione. All too soon it seemed, September 5 loomed over Harry in just over a week.

Harry sat in a chair in front of the joke shop, his feet up and his eyes half-closed, enjoying the last rays of the day. It was another long day in the coalmine, but to Harry, it couldn't have been even better. He wished that the summer could stretch on forever, or at least a little bit longer, but at the same time he didn't. Who wouldn't want to go back to Hogwarts?

Hearing someone walking towards him, Harry opened his eyes all the way and turned in his chair to see who it was. He smiled complacently when he saw that it was Hermione. Pulling up a chair beside him, Harry motioned for her to come and sit with him. She always came to sit with him after the Weasleys closed up shop for the day.

Sitting down beside him, Hermione sat motionless for several moments. Harry glanced at her curiously. She was never this quiet, in fact she was always chattering about something or other, usually about how ridiculous the Weasley twins were getting, but usually with affection.

Unable to wait for her to say anything any longer, Harry finally spoke up. "What's the matter, Hermione?"

Hermione gave a sad smile. "I was watching you work today and I couldn't help but thinking how great a person you've been, Harry. You're the greatest wizard there ever was and then I started thinking about everything that's happened over the last couple of years and then I thought of you and your future and oh, Harry," she wailed, throwing her arms around him and burying her face into his shoulder, "I'm so afraid that I'll never see you again."

Harry blinked and slowly lifted his hand to pat Hermione's back. It surprised him to see Hermione this way, after all she rarely, if ever, got truly upset like this. Well, there were new things to everything, he guessed.

"Look, Hermione, don't be panicking on me already. I'm going to survive, all right? I'm going to defeat Voldemort and I'm going to graduate from Hogwarts in all in one piece and we'll all be best of friends long after Hogwarts. I promise. If I don't, well, we'll get to that part later," Harry managed to say through Hermione's gripping hug.

Finally pulling away from Harry, Hermione smiled through her tear-stained face. Wiping her face, Hermione sniffed.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I don't know what got into me; I've never done such a thing before—not since Ron said I didn't have any friends in my first year," Hermione exclaimed.

"It's quite all right, we all have our ups and downs, I guess," Harry said, still shocked from what had just happened.

"Of course. I knew you'd understand Harry," Hermione said, standing up, "I best be going, I promised everybody I'd go and get something for us to eat tonight."

Harry nodded. "Alright, then."

Hermione smiled and headed down Diagon Alley. Harry watched after her quietly, wondering why women were always so emotional. Standing up, he headed back inside and going behind the counter, he climbed up the narrow stairs. He needed to talk to Ron, and desperately.

Reaching the living room of the apartment, Harry noticed that Fred and George were sitting in front of the coffee table, counting up their money for the day. When they looked up to see who it was, they grinned.

"We made a busload today, Harry," George said excitedly.

"Yeah, all thanks to you, Harry," Fred exclaimed.

"I didn't do anything," Harry said, "Do you know where Ron is?"

George shrugged. "I haven't a clue. He's probably in his room, finishing up last minute homework tidbits. The crazy oaf, taking after us, but that's not a bad thing to be truthful."

Harry nodded and headed down the hallway. Ron's room was the last room on the right, right next to Harry's own bedroom. Knocking the door and hearing a "Come in" from within the room, Harry went inside.

George's guess was right, Ron WAS finishing up last minute homework tidbits. Harry grinned at Ron's mad dash at writing his homework. His red hair was frizzled from continuously running his hand through it. His hands and face were covered in ink and his forehead was sweating.

"Still haven't finished your homework yet, Ron?" Harry asked jokingly as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You have room to talk, you're always spending the last minute doing homework," Ron grumbled.

"Not in the summer holidays. I'll let you copy if you want," Harry said.

"Gee, thanks, Harry. I'll do that later, then," Ron closed his Potions book and threw it on the floor beside him, "So what's new?"

Harry told Ron about what just happened with Hermione. When he was finished, Ron looked as baffled as Harry was.

"Well, that was surely different. Well, you know, she IS a girl after all, and you know how they have to be emotionally attached to everything," Ron finally responded.

"But Hermione never acts that way," Harry said doubtfully.

"Yeah, well, she's just like everybody other girl, you finally think you're understanding them girls and then all of a sudden, they do something totally unexpected, leaving you totally baffled and trying to figure them out again," Ron assured Harry.

"Thanks for that little tidbit," Harry said, "but that doesn't explain anything."

Ron just shrugged. "That is our plight, Harry. You won't ever figure them out."

Just then, the Weasley twins roared that Hermione was back and dinner was officially being served. Knowing if they didn't go now, they wouldn't get anything, Ron and Harry rose and headed towards the kitchen. Along the way, Harry silently agreed with Ron. He would never figure girls out, not now, and certainly not ever.