Disclaimer: see chap 1

Chapter 2

"So I assume you've been informed of the summer arrangements, then?" Mrs. Weasley asked Hermione absentmindedly. It was around 11 pm, and Hermione had just been dropped off at the Burrow.

"Actually, no. I didn't even know I was coming over until this morning, and what I do know is I'll be here for the rest of the summer. But I figured it would be like the other summers-Ron, Ginny, Bill, Charlie-" Hermione paused, as she didn't know whether Percy was a Weasley yet or not, so she decided to just skip over the name, "You, Mr. Weasley, Harry and I. Why? Is something wrong?"

"Well, you know the war is far from over, and so Bill and Charlie are abroad, as they have been, trying to work on certain situations in the countries they are familiar with. Percy-" Mrs. Weasley stopped for a moment, inhaled and continued, "well, he's still coming to term with what happened at the end of the school year. Arthur and I are going to be here mostly, but we also have some work to do, but we'll just play that by ear. Harry, the poor dear, has to stay with the Dursleys for some time-Dumbledore never explained that bit to me, I'll have to pester him for the answer some time. I really am not sure if Harry will be coming here this summer, Dumbledore seems to have some special plans involving him."

"Oh dear me," Hermione said, frowning, when inside she was screaming, 'Oh MY Gad! How will I survive the summer? Ginny, Ron and I and that's it? I'm gonna die. That's it, this is the end of my life, this is the last thought I will consciously have. I'm doomed.' She excused herself to go to the bathroom and locked the door as she pulled out Mack.

Dear Mack,

My ray of hope-Harry, is no longer someone I can count on to bail me out of this. He-according to Molly-might not even come this entire summer! There is no possible way Mrs. Weasley would allow Ron to leave Ginny's and my sides and knowing her, she'd probably charm him to. And two girls our age 'walking around town' without the big, strong, muscular, Quidditch toned, red-haired, and gorgeously blue-eyed,- wait, I'm getting sidetracked here-Ron with us. Bottom line-I'd have to try on all sorts of ridiculous outfits, and try all sorts of ridiculous shades of eyeshadow and lipgloss, while Ron was there. Watching. And most likely, laughing.

The thought makes me sick.

Yours truly and forevermore,

Hermione Granger Weasley

"Ginny! I need to go! You've hogged it for the past, I dunno, five minutes." Ron was pounding on the door, and taking a look at the door, Hermione knew it couldn't take much more pounding. So she swung it open, and Ron fell flat forward. He scrambled to his feet.

"Yeah, I meant to do-Hermione! When did you get here? Why didn't anyone wake me up? I can't believe you're here! Did you hear about Harry?"

Hermione was simply speechless, and she gazed up at him in shock. He had grown another inch in the three weeks it had been since school closed. He now towered above her, a full five inches taller than her.

"Yeah I know, Mum couldn't believe the growth spurt either. Where are your bags, I'll get them." He lifted the two suitcases easily and started climbing the stairs. Hermione knew those suitcases were heavy. One was filled halfway with books, the other half with cooking supplies (goal 3) and the other was filled with clothes. It had taken her two trips plus Mrs. Weasley's help to bring those up. She gaped. Ginny giggled behind her. Hermione spun around and gave her a huge bear hug.

"Ginny!"

"Hermione?"

"It's been so long!"

"Hermione, I got your last letter yesterday."

"I've got so much to tell you!"

"Ah, well-"

"Hey! What's this? I'm Hermione's best friend, and she's said more to my sister than she's said to me! Where's my hug, Hermione?"

"Of c-course, Ronald!" She stuttered a bit, but used his full name, which he hated, to cover for it. She was a bit hesitant, though, before she gave him a hug too. He smelled like Old Spice and sweat, which was fine with her, because she loved, loved, loved Old Spice. She let go quickly, though, so as not to attract any attention to the fact that her eyes were closed during the hug.