Summary: When the happenings at Hogwarts in the coming year are too much for the collective school to handle with the war fast approaching, Harry, Ron, Hermoine, and Ginny are sent to live in America where they can live protected and away from the Dark Lord - hopefully - as well at the Ministry of Magic. How will they deal with the loss of their magic when they're shuffled into a Muggle school?

Chapter One - Mile High Club.. well, not in that way

"But.. but.. I don't understand," Hermoine said clearly caught off-guard by Mr. Weasley's words. "America?"

"Yes," he said in a tone that was rather too cheerful for the occasion. "You, Ron, Harry, and Ginny will be going to America to study instead of Hogwarts this year. Muggle school, in fact. Dumbledore thinks it's best that you are out of the country entirely and on low profile until this whole mess with the Ministry is over. He thinks the whole lot of you will end up in Azkaban when they get word of exactly what happened. Either that or dub you insane for going after You-Know-Who since they apparently think he's dead." Mr. Weasly spoke quickly as he packed his things for an overnight trip into a muggle suitcase and shut it over so carefully, marveling as it clicked shut."I suggest you all stop googling at me and get to packing. There is no changing Dumbledore's mind in this matter I'm afraid."

The four of them stood there with unhinged jaws as they watched him leave the room.

"This is honestly the worst thing that could ever happen. Do they think we are children? That we can't handle ourselves?" Hermoine ranted as she threw her things rather messy into the luggage they were provided in a fit of rage. "I mean, we risked our lives for them and this is what they repay us by doing? Shipping us off to land of the bloody free?"

Ron opened his mouth to comment on her last remark but closed it thinking it best to keep his mouth shut while she was in the state she was in. He obviously didn't want to go like the rest of them - especially to a muggle school. Ginny and himself had never attended one unlike Hermoine and Harry. Although Hermoine didn't say much about it, he knew Harry had hated his time there and Ron wasn't exactly eager to experience the same.

"Well.. maybe it'll be fun," Ginny chimed in hoping to push back a bit of the negative energy floating around the room. "We get to see some new sights and going to a Muggle school doesn't sound all that bad."

"Only someone as thick as a wall would say that," Harry said as he appeared to be brooding in the corner of his bed. Looking down at his knees as he spoke, he didn't even catch glimpse of the painful expression written across the redheaded girl's face. "Those schools are absolutely ridiculous. You don't learn anything of use in them either."

Hermoine raised a brow to Harry's obvious mood and rolled her eyes. "Just because you had to endure Muggle school with your awful cousin doesn't mean they're all bad. Are you forgetting I attended it also? It isn't nearly as interesting as Hogwarts but it isn't as bad as you make it out to be. Honestly, you act as though it were a prison."

After an hour's worth of travel by van, the group - mainly Harry - sulked towards the boarding gate hoping that if they went as slow as possible that they might hear word of a change of plans. Unfortunately, this didn't happen and they loaded onto the plane with Mr. Weasley, Ginny, and Ron a bit too pleased to be riding a plane no matter where the destination was.

"Why are we taking a plane in the first place?" Hermoine asked as she moved to her seat near the window followed by Ron and Harry while Ginny and Mr. Weasley sat in the row adjacent to them.

"Because...," he said before he lowered his voice and leaned over Ginny's lap to avoid being overheard at any cost. "We can't risk them tailing us. They won't expect us to be doing things the hard way." He moved up to sit back in his former position and watched in amazed curiousity as Muggles piled onto the plane and took their seat around him.

Hermoine sat back and stared out the window as the drizzling rain splattered lightly against the pane of glass. It was dreary weather that clearly matched their moods. With a sigh, she let her head thump against the cushioned seat all set and ready to get the ride over with.

Harry clearly had the same thing on his mind as he fastened his seatbelt when the button above him flashed yellow. Maybe it will be better. The only reason I didn't have any friends was because every kid there was scared Dudley was going to knock the daylights out of them if they so much as associated with me. Plus, I have Ron, Hermoine, and Ginny. What more friends do I need?

An hour had passed since they had taken off and were now over open waters. Ginny quietly fretted by twisting the ends of her olive green tee in her petite hands. She didn't like the idea of being in a plane. Of course, it wasn't the height that terrified her. She had been on a broom loads of times of course but she was the one in control. Lots of things could go wrong on a plane. It could crash, it could explode. Merlin only knows why Muggles enjoy these things. They're like death traps.

Her brother, however, didn't seem to share her feelings. Actually, he hadn't been able to feel his left shoulder for the past half hour. A bit after they took off, Hermoine had fallen asleep. When she shifted, she mistakenly confused Ron's shoulder for a pillow and made herself quite at home. Not that he was complaining or anything. He tried to remain as still and quiet as possible so she didn't wake. He often caught himself staring at her sleeping form on more than one occasion. "Get a hold of yourself, Ron," he muttered unaudibly to himself. "It's Hermoine." Just because she looks so perfect when she.. no, wait!

"May I have your attention?" A polite woman began over the plane's intercom system. Will all passengers please fasten your seatbelts as we prepare to land shortly."

A/N: This is my first Harry Potter fanfic so all constructive criticism is very welcomed as always.