A/N - Okay, this is an updated version of my already-published fifth chapter. As my friend, Elfinmaiden (she has many different aliases, but this is one of them), pointed out, the earlier version had a lot of grammatical errors and being a sucker for grammatical perfection, I couldn't stand it. Also, in this version, I have changed a character's name from Adam to Kevin, because he is modelled after a Kevin and I thought it would be better to name him also Kevin. Thanks for pointing out the error, Elfinmaiden, but I'll have to decline your beta offer. It's really sweet of you, though, and I do hope you'll keep pointing out my mistakes. Enjoy the chappie!

Chapter 5 – Interesting Developments

Hermione woke up late the next morning feeling better. Her problems didn't seem as big and hopeless in the warm sunlight as they had done in the cold dark night. Harry was right; she had, to a certain degree, bounced back.

"Good morning," she called to her parents as she sat down to breakfast with them.

"Good morning, honey, you seem cheerful today," remarked her mother.

"I am; it's amazing what a good night's sleep can do," she replied.

It was true that, though it had taken her a long time to fall asleep, her slumber had been uninterrupted and the only dreams she'd had had been trivial, far-fetched ones.

She buttered a bit of toast and added it to her plate of scrambled eggs. Breakfast passed uneventfully, with her chatting a little with her parents. It was at the end of it that her father said, "Hermione, your mother and I are going for the International Dental Conference in California this weekend."

"International Dental Conference?" blinked Hermione. It sounded strange and boring, but she supposed it was just the sort of thing her parents would like.

"Yes, it's quite a prestigious event and we were very lucky to be invited," replied her father. "However, we were wondering what you would like to do while we're gone. I don't like the idea of leaving you all alone over here and I don't think you would like to stay with your grandmother, considering the, er, argument you had the last time you were there, so what do you want to do?"

Hermione was amused by the memory of her 'argument' with her grandmother. It had been a very small thing, really, which had become major due to her grandmother's narrow-mindedness. She had not given up her campaign against the ill-treatment of house elves; in fact, she had evolved it into a campaign against the ill-treatment of a lot of animals and it was this that she had been working on during her last visit to her grandmother's, which had been a year previously. Her grandmother, spotting her, had asked her what she was doing and on being told all the details, had been both shocked and annoyed. Hermione had definitely not gotten her love for animals from her grandmother. Her grandmother was not a friend to any animal known to us muggles and was even more hostile to the wizarding world's beasts that Hermione took great pleasure in describing to her. The old woman had nearly fainted when she had learned that boggarts and pixies are quite common and may have to be dealt with at any time and had, upon next meeting her son and daughter-in-law, informed them very quietly and importantly that she thought their daughter must be mad. To want to protect such creatures was nothing short of insane! Though she had known in a vague way about Hermione's being a witch, she had refused to bring herself to know the details and learning them in such a big way, taken quite by surprise, had not reconciled her anymore to the fact. She bore Hermione no ill will, but it was clear that she would rather not spend too much time with a person who was, in her view, not quite right in the head. This state-of-affairs had been silently acknowledged by everyone and Hermione was pleased that she would not be expected to stay with her grandmother and pretend to be interested in her obsessions with gardening and boots.

So Hermione was now faced with the dilemma of where she was going to stay for the weekend. She thought of asking Ron, but remembered that Bill and Charley were both home at the Burrow anyway and she didn't want to burden the Weasleys with one more guest, and Parvati and Padma Patil were in Switzerland for the summer. She said, "I'll think about it. I'm sure I'll come up with something."

"All right, honey, but do decide soon; we'll make all the arrangements accordingly," said her mother.

"Okay, don't worry," she said, getting up and giving her mother a kiss on the forehead.

She went back to her room and sat at her desk. She wasn't sure whom she could write asking for a place to stay. Not only could she think of no one, but she was also wondering whether it was right to just ask someone to give her board and lodging for the weekend. What would she say? 'Hi, this is Hermione. My parents have to go for a boring Dental Conference this weekend and I was wondering if I could stay with you.' No, it didn't sound right. She sighed and put away the piece of parchment and quill she had taken out. One more headache. Maybe she could convince her parents to just let her stay at home.

The phone rang. "Hello?" said Hermione, picking it up.

"Hey, Herms!" came Harry's voice from the other end.

"Hi, Harry," she said, not as enthusiastic as she would normally have been.

"Listen, are you okay? You seemed really upset last night..."

Hermione had thought a lot about how to answer this particular carefully framed question and said, "Yeah, I was tired and you know how we had been talking about Hogwarts and all...the combination of the two was a bit too much. I'm sorry if you were worried, but I do think you could've controlled yourself for my sake."

She could tell Harry was surprised and taken aback. "Hermione, I'm sorry...if I'd known you'd get so upset I would never have said anything."

"It's okay, I just wish you and Ron could get along with Draco; he's changed, you know. People are always changing – you shouldn't form one opinion that you can never reconsider."

"I...I don't know. He was my biggest enemy and you know how he was always out to get me. Even you can't deny...he did some pretty awful things."

She sighed. "I know. But we all make mistakes and what matters is if we learn from them. He has, Harry. Won't you give him another chance?"

There was a pause. Harry said, "You know I really care about you, Hermione, and I always want you to be happy..." His voice trailed off. "I'll try, okay? But I can't promise anything."

"Thanks, Harry! I'm not asking you to be friends with him; just try not to fight so much. It upsets me when I think that my two best friends in the whole world can't get along with my other friends. And not only can't get along with, but are actually hostile towards!"

"I understand."

"Thanks, Harry, you're a brick! Now if only Ron could be brought around..."

"I don't think you should try at the moment. The Speedy Bees threw him off the team."

"What?" cried Hermione, aghast.

"Yeah, apparently they found this Polish guy who used to play for his state and who has, wanting to lead a more quiet life, settled down in England. He was looking to play for a local team and tried out for the Speedy Bees. He was probably really good, so now they've made him Keeper. He's quite a bit older than them, though."

"Oh, poor Ron! He was so excited about this! How could they?"

"Well, he's pretty much down in the dumps. You know how he is, he'll never make a fuss or get angry or anything; he'll just sit around like his life is ruined."

"Poor thing! I'll write him a letter straightaway. But, really, they obviously don't deserve him if they can just throw him off like that!" said Hermione.

"Yeah, they must be a regular bunch of idiots. Probably have no one else who's any good on their team and that's why they were so eager to get the Polish guy," said Harry.

"Yes, that must be it! I'll tell Ron that," she said, already taking out her writing tools.

"Anyway, anything new your side?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing, just that my parents are going for a Conference to California this weekend and I have nowhere to stay," she said, a little distractedly.

"Why don't you have anywhere to stay?" asked Harry.

"Well, I can't stay at my grandmother's, considering the 'argument' (as my Dad puts it) I had with her the last time I was there, and Ron already has Bill and Charley staying the Burrow, though I really think he could do with some company to cheer him up, and Parvati and Padma are in Switzerland for the summer," she replied, putting aside the writing tools for later.

"Hmmm...why don't you stay with me?" he asked, unexpectedly.

"With you? But, Harry, your Aunt and Uncle..." she said, momentarily forgetting that he now had an apartment of his own.

"They're not in the picture at all. Have you forgotten that I move into my new apartment today?" he asked.

"Oh, yes! That would be great! But won't it be a problem, since you're just shifting in and all?" she asked.

"No, it's just for the weekend and I'll probably have everything set up by then. It'll be fun," he insisted.

"Yes, definitely! Thanks, Harry! I'll ask my parents and get back to you, okay?" she said.

"All right. Bye then!"

"Bye!"

She put the phone down and ran downstairs to talk to her parents. They were just leaving for their clinic. "Mom! Dad!" cried Hermione.

"Yes? Is everything all right?" asked her father, concerned.

"Yeah, everything's great! I've found a place to stay. You remember how I told you that Harry was going to move into his own apartment?" she asked.

"I think so..." replied her mother.

"Well, he's moving in today and he's said I can stay with him for the weekend," she said.

Her parents exchanged glances and her father started, "Hermione, we know Harry's a good friend of yours, but..."

After some convincing, her parents realised Harry was not a threat to their pretty teenage daughter and okayed the plan.

"Thanks, Mum! Thanks, Dad!" she said, kissing them both on their cheeks and running to the phone to give Harry the news. Once that was done, she wrote out her letter to Ron, which was filled with many encouraging comments and a lot of sympathy for the unfortunate Speedy Bees, who had lost the chance to gain a remarkable player and really ought to be ashamed of themselves, and she was then deciding how best to spend her day. She thought of going to a clothing store, since she really needed some new clothes, or indulging in a piping hot coffee and a good book at a coffee bar. She decided she could do both if she didn't spend too much time on her clothes and set off. She took a taxi to a nearby boutique she would earlier buy her clothes from and went in. The manager, a motherly woman in her fifties, recognised her and cried, "Hermione! It's been such a long time! How are you?"

"Fine, thank you, Mrs Jones. How have you been?" she inquired.

"I've been well, but, my dear, I reckon it's been an age since I last saw you! And so tall and pretty you've grown!" said the lady.

Hermione smiled. The last time she had come to the boutique had been three years previously and she knew she had grown up a lot since then. "Thank you. It's just, school's been very...challenging, lately. And the time that I am home for is always so busy; there are so many things to do...I just don't get time to shop. But I'm home now, I've finished school, so you'll be seeing a lot more of me."

"And I'm glad to hear that! We have a lot of catching up to do," said the lady in her familiar, friendly manner. "Things have been getting quite busy around here and I've been forced to hire another helper, a young boy. He's a sweet lad - you must meet him." And she turned around and shouted, before Hermione could stop her, "Kevin! Kevin! Now where's he gone? Kevin!"

At her third cry, a young man of about nineteen came out of the supply room. Hermione had to catch her breath; he was amazing. He was about six feet tall with very dark brown hair that fell in a fringe onto his equally dark eyes. He had a wonderfully shaped nose, perfect for his face, and a set of very perfect lips. Overall, he was quite perfect.

"Yes, Mrs Jones?" he asked her in an easy tone, though he was looking at Hermione out of the corner of his eyes. She felt herself blush involuntarily.

"I want you to meet somebody, who's a very old customer of mine. This is Hermione. Hermione, this is Kevin," Mrs Jones introduced them.

"Hi," he said, in the same easy tone, though his voice was somewhat softer.

"H-hi," stammered Hermione.

"Well, I think I see some customers, so I'll just leave you two to talk," said Mrs Jones, clearly pleased with the way things were turning out. (A/N – Old ladies with no romance in their lives have a habit of turning into matchmakers.)

"So, that's an unusual name – Hermione." She had never liked her name better than she did when he said it.

"My parents named me after a Greek friend of theirs. I know it's a little strange," she replied.

"Not strange, unusual. I like it," he said. He seemed quite flirtatious.

"Thanks," she said.

"So do you go to a school or something?" he asked her.

"I've just, um, graduated. I used to go to a boarding school. What about you?" she asked.

"I'm in the University of London. I'm studying hotel management there, though that's basically a way to pass time until I can get a sports scholarship to another university," he replied. "That's why I'm here. Trying to earn some cash, though I know it seems like a pretty crappy way to do it. But, what do you know? All the cool jobs are full up."

Hermione laughed. He was both easygoing and friendly. "Well, I suppose it can't be much fun to be stuck in a ladies' clothing store."

"Oh no, but I like it. Especially when I meet pretty girls like you," he replied. Okay, he was definitely flirtatious.

She blushed again and couldn't think of anything to say that didn't sound too prim or too daring.

"Though I have to admit, catering to grouchy old ladies like the one you see there can be quite a pain," he said, pointing to an old and clearly bad-tempered lady standing some way from them.

She laughed again. "Yeah, she doesn't seem too nice."

"No, I can tell you from experience that she isn't. See, the thing about this job is that it has taught me how to determine what kind of person someone is just by looking at them or the clothes they buy," he explained. "The grouchy ones will always like the plain, sober colours or the blacks. They never buy anything bright. Then there are the sweet, matronly ladies who invariably buy light pinks and yellows in soft fabrics. Then there are the young girls like you who buy modern yet sophisticated, bright yet not too loud, clothes. Those are the ones I like best."

"Aah, I see," said Hermione. He had moved behind her and had been pointing out the different types of people in the store. "You've discovered a whole new way to understand female psychology."

"Have I?" he asked, looking taken aback. "I never realised. I must work on this."

"Yes, you must," said Hermione, smiling.

"Okay, if I'm such an expert at female psychology, I'd say you like me," he half-asked, half-stated.

"Hmmm...I'm still deciding," she replied, getting into a flirtatious mood herself.

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked, then said, "Wait, I have an idea! Why don't I take you for some coffee and then you can decide?"

"Well, all right, I suppose you could do that," she replied.

"Great. I get off work at six and there's this nice place nearby," he said.

"Right. I'll come here about six and we can go," she said.

"I'll look forward to it," he said, flashing her a very cute smile and turning to attend to a customer.

"Bye," she said and walked out of the store, all thoughts of buying clothes and reading a good book forgotten.