For the next six weeks of the summer holidays Hermione trained hard, until Allie declared her able enough to just be trained at weekends when she returned to school. Hermione was given the last week of the holidays off, so that she could visit her friends, being the show-off that she was Hermione apparated to Grimauld place, her birthday being on the 31st of July she was the oldest in her year, she was very nearly in the year above. The other wouldn't be able to apparate until the following summer.
Hermione was growing increasingly nervous about the upcoming visit as she waved goodbye and picked up her suitcase. She just didn't know how to tell Ron and Harry about this. Hopefully she would just blab it out without thinking. Despite what people said that was, in Hermione's experience, the best way to tell people about things, without too many repercussions.
Hermione apparated into the entrance hall, waking up the late Mrs Black.
"Hermione!" she heard Ron exclaim, then, "You can apparate now?"
"Yeah, I am of age, I had lessons during the summer, do you and Harry want to show me where to put my things, then we'll go and meet your parents. Hermione shouted over Mrs Black.
"You know wher-oh!" Ron shouted back.
Harry came around the corner to see whom Ron was yelling at.
"Hermione!" he called, and ran up to give her a hug. Hermione hugged back, a little too hard "Ow!" Harry exclaimed, "When did you get so strong?"
"I'll explain upstairs." Hermione said. That definitely piqued their interest. Once they were upstairs she put down her suitcase and told them everything that had happened, it was so much easier than she had previously imagined.
"Wow" Ron said at the end, obviously at a loss for words.
" Hermione, that's…that's amazing" Harry said lamely.
"Hermione, can you…that is…you know Malfoy has been such a ferrety git recently" Ron started
"No Ron, I can't hurt humans." Hermione cut across him
"Oh." Ron said, looking dejected.
"Shall we go downstairs?" Hermione asked. They followed her mutely, still trying to soak up the information.
"Hello Hermione!" Mrs Weasley called from the kitchen. Hermione was glad that they already knew what was going on through Mr Weasley, she really didn't feel like explaining it all through again. To her surprise and glee everyone was acting totally normal around her, Allie had prepared her for a bestranged welcome, but nothing of the sort was happening here.
As the week wore on Hermione once again immersed herself in the entertaining business of cleaning this death trap of a house. Here was another area where her slayer powers were helping out. With her reflexes strength and stamina Hermione became a valuable member of the 'clean team' and saves Ron's, Ginny's, Harry's and Fred's necks a couple of times. She had also 'encouraged' the twins not to test any of their tricks out on her. Forcefully.
All too soon the summer ended, and it was time for their trip to Diagon Alley. They flooed, much to the delight of Ginny who absolutely loved flooing. They all arrived in one piece, albeit a little sooty, and proceeded to buy their books, Hermione bought herself some more robes, since she had grown lots over the summer. She was almost as tall as Ron now!
"Ello there ermione." Came a familiar voice from behind her.
"Hagrid, hi!" she said, turning and giving him a hug, careful not to make it too strong.
"Well, yeve grown ower the summer, you must be at least as tall as Ron over ere now." Hagrid grinned
"Thanks Hagrid" Hermione said, grinning back. "Ron, Harry! Come see who I've found!" she yelled over the crowds.
"Hi Hagrid." Harry said, squinting up at his face. "It's good to see you."
"You too arry, how've you been bearin up then?" Hagrid asked tentatively
"Fine, better now I'm away from the Dursleys. Hermione has promised to take me under her wing this summer." Harry said, Hagrid looked slightly confused.
Someone put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. Startled she grabbed hold of it and swung the person over her shoulder. They gave a startled little squeal.
"Oh, Allie, I am so sorry!" Hermione said, going bright red.
"Is everything ok Hermione?" Allie asked, "You seem a little jumpy."
"Yeah, I just keep having these funny dreams of late, they're putting me on edge."
Ron cleared his throat.
"Oh, right." Hermione said "Harry, Ron, Hagrid, this is my watcher Alison Cane, Allie, theses are Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Rubeus Hagrid." They all shook hands.
"Watcher?" Hagrid asked, "Only sla-ow!" He cried as Hermione stamped on his foot.
"Let's meet your parents in the leaky cauldron, we can talk there." Hermione said to Ron, she walked off, followed by a greatly exaggeratedly limping Hagrid.
It was dark in the leaky cauldron, but not so dark that Hermione couldn't see the look of shock on Hagrid's face.
"Well I'll be blown, our Hermione." He murmured.
"Sorry to break this up, but what are these dreams like Hermione? Slayers often have prophetic dreams when great danger approaches." Allie said briskly.
"They are really weird." Hermione shivered
"I am sat on the school train, when vampires storm it. I get knocked out, then I see Harry, Ron, and the Scoobies, as well as my parents and you, you are all floating round in front of me, Bohemian Rhapsody style, and repeating one thing, 'You are my pretty maids, all in a little row, row, row, and the queen of hearts is getting hungry', it's said in a cockney accent that freaks me out. Then I wake up".
"It sounds like just a normal dream to me, sorry to have raised any alarm." Allie shrugged it off. If you want to try and find them the scoobies are here somewhere, you could introduce them to these friends."
"Good idea!" Hermione said enthusiastically, "Come on guys."
With that she left, leaving Harry and Ron to follow in her bubbly wake.
It didn't take long to locate the Scoobies, as they stuck out like a sore thumb. There were quite a few of them, as 'Scooby' had grown to cover all those who fought against the first, plus a few new slayers and watchers, including Hermione and Allie.
"Hey guys!" Hermione said, "Why are you here?"
"Checking out your world H." Faith replied, "Do you guys really ride broomsticks?"
"You betcha, it's fun." Hermione said, immediately adopting 'Scooby talk', and completely mystifying Ron and Harry.
"Guys, these are Ron and Harry, you can introduce yourselves, as there are so many of you, and I'm all intro-ed out." Harry just caught the meaning of this; Ron was still in the mystery zone.
Not understanding what was going on completely failed to worry Ron as a tall brunette stepped from the crowd.
"Hi, my name is Dawn." She said, offering a hand.
"Errrrrr." Said Ron, looking at the hand as if he was figuring out what is was. The girl raised her eyebrows and went off to talk with Hermione. The two of them soon started giggling, and Ron kicked himself, turning bright red.
"Smooth move Ron." Harry said from behind him.
"Sod off." Ron growled, then turned and stormed back off to the leaky cauldron. Harry followed him, laughing.
They all spent a very cosy evening, exchanging stories of their exploits n the world of fighting baddies. Ron hung off every word every time dawn got up to tell a story. It was obvious he was smitten by her. Even Hagrid noticed it was so obvious. In fact the only person who hadn't figured was Dawn herself.
All too soon the morning, and school came. They all said many goodbyes, and promised to write and visit. When the train driver threatened to leave without them they finally tore themselves away. They just caught it, and to their delight managed to find an empty compartment.
It was dark and stormy, and Hermione felt very jittery, these were the exact conditions her dream happened in. Allie's scoffing over her dream just being normal suddenly seemed less reassuring. Without any warning the train jerked to a stop. Screams echoed along the corridor, and Ron fell off his seat.