As the Knight Bus rattled to a stop, Harry realized how much he'd actually been looking forward to seeing Hermione. After weeks and weeks of having no one to talk to but the Dursleys and Hedwig, Harry was certainly ready to have someone to talk to who could give him intelligent responses. Harry moved to pick up his trunk and Hedwig's cage, but Stan came rushing forward, grabbing Harry's trunk and whisking it out onto the cobblestones.
"Ere yoo are, 'Arry. Nice to see yoo 'gain." Stan said happily.
"Er... thank you." Harry said. He didn't know why Stan was suddenly being so helpful. He was usually rather a hindrance. Do wizards usually tip their porters? Harry thought, sheepishly. He decided it was better safe than sorry, and handed Stan a few sickles and thanked him.
"O'... yoo din't 'ave to do tha', Mr. Potter." Stan replied, with a bit more respect than he normally would have. He bowed his cap to Harry, and re- boarded the Bus.
"Goodbye!" Harry called. He turned to the mouth of the alley he'd been let off in, and realized that he was just outside the Leaky Cauldron, which was exactly where he wanted to be. He smiled to himself excited at the prospect of a week with one of his best friends, and totally free of the Dursleys.
Harry dragged his heavy trunk into the Leaky Cauldron, paid for his room, and struggled to get the trunk and Hedwig's cage up the stairs. When he finally got his things settled, he rushed through the inn, through the back garden, tapped the bricks in the wall, and out into Diagon Alley. Harry breathed deep in the aromas of Florean Fortesque's ice cream, the pungent odor of the Apothacary, and a strangely familiar flowery scent.
"Hello, Harry," said Hermione, and Harry could hear a smile creeping into her voice. He whirled around, grinning at her.
"Hermione! Good to see you!" he laughed.
"Oh, Harry! I've missed you," she said, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug.
"Well... erm... " Harry sputtered. He could feel his face growing very red indeed. When Hermione finally saw it fit to let go, Harry's face had lost a bit of it's embarressed twinge, but not for long. As she released him, Hermione planted a small kiss on Harry's right cheek.
"I worry that the Dursleys don't treat you right..." she said, as though that explained her behavior. She didn't seem to think that what she'd done was at all odd, but Harry certainly did. She was talking away as though she'd done nothing more than shake his hand firmly and wish him good-day.
"I really do wish Ron could have come," Hermione continued, "I talked to him briefly last week, and he mentioned a family trip to see Charlie, so I didn't bother to ask. He shouldn't have to choose."
"Yeah..." Harry replied, distractedly. He just couldn't get his mind of Hermione's behavior. Why is she acting so oddly? He wondered.
Hermione smiled lightly at him as they walked through the shops, and Harry returned it with a bit of a forced grin. Why is he acting so oddly? She wondered.
"Ere yoo are, 'Arry. Nice to see yoo 'gain." Stan said happily.
"Er... thank you." Harry said. He didn't know why Stan was suddenly being so helpful. He was usually rather a hindrance. Do wizards usually tip their porters? Harry thought, sheepishly. He decided it was better safe than sorry, and handed Stan a few sickles and thanked him.
"O'... yoo din't 'ave to do tha', Mr. Potter." Stan replied, with a bit more respect than he normally would have. He bowed his cap to Harry, and re- boarded the Bus.
"Goodbye!" Harry called. He turned to the mouth of the alley he'd been let off in, and realized that he was just outside the Leaky Cauldron, which was exactly where he wanted to be. He smiled to himself excited at the prospect of a week with one of his best friends, and totally free of the Dursleys.
Harry dragged his heavy trunk into the Leaky Cauldron, paid for his room, and struggled to get the trunk and Hedwig's cage up the stairs. When he finally got his things settled, he rushed through the inn, through the back garden, tapped the bricks in the wall, and out into Diagon Alley. Harry breathed deep in the aromas of Florean Fortesque's ice cream, the pungent odor of the Apothacary, and a strangely familiar flowery scent.
"Hello, Harry," said Hermione, and Harry could hear a smile creeping into her voice. He whirled around, grinning at her.
"Hermione! Good to see you!" he laughed.
"Oh, Harry! I've missed you," she said, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug.
"Well... erm... " Harry sputtered. He could feel his face growing very red indeed. When Hermione finally saw it fit to let go, Harry's face had lost a bit of it's embarressed twinge, but not for long. As she released him, Hermione planted a small kiss on Harry's right cheek.
"I worry that the Dursleys don't treat you right..." she said, as though that explained her behavior. She didn't seem to think that what she'd done was at all odd, but Harry certainly did. She was talking away as though she'd done nothing more than shake his hand firmly and wish him good-day.
"I really do wish Ron could have come," Hermione continued, "I talked to him briefly last week, and he mentioned a family trip to see Charlie, so I didn't bother to ask. He shouldn't have to choose."
"Yeah..." Harry replied, distractedly. He just couldn't get his mind of Hermione's behavior. Why is she acting so oddly? He wondered.
Hermione smiled lightly at him as they walked through the shops, and Harry returned it with a bit of a forced grin. Why is he acting so oddly? She wondered.