Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter or anything from the magical world. However, I own the plot of this story!

Chapter One

The doorbell rung and Harry bolted to the door. Hermione was coming to stay with him for one whole week at the Dursleys. The last part obviously being the downside to the arrangement of course. Harry pulled open the door and smiled as he saw Hermione standing on the doorstep. Without even waiting for a greeting, Hermione pulled him into a hug. Dudley appeared out of nowhere and looked at the scene before him.

"Could you stop making out on our doorstep?" he ordered, rather than asked, shoving another spoonful of yogurt into his mouth. Harry pulled away, blushing and looked at his cousin hatefully.

"It's called friendship, Duders," Harry replied.

"Yeah, sure looked like it to me!"

"How would you know, when was the last time you had a proper friend. Oh, that's right…never." Harry turned back to Hermione.

"Did you bring Crookshanks with you? I was kind of hoping we could put him on Dudley's face in the middle of the night-"

"Harry!" Hermione scolded.

"What!" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Girlfriend disapproval, that's not a good thing, Potter," Dudley drooled.

"How would you know? You've never had one!" Harry laughed, turning back to Hermione. "Need help with your trunk?"

"Yes, please."

"Great, anything to get me back in my own room again!" he continued, stepping outside to grab the trunk. Hermione followed Harry up the stairs into, what she assumed, was his room.

"So, you're sleeping in bed and I'm going to enjoy the comforts of the floor," Harry announced.

"You can't sleep on the floor!"

"Of course I can. I spent the first eleven years of my life in a cupboard, I'm sure I can handle a week in a sleeping bag on the floor."

"No, no, we'll take turns. I'll feel horrible if I get the bed and you have to suffer on the floor." Harry laughed and wrapped his arms round Hermione from behind.

"Good ol' Hermione Granger, worrying about others before herself."

"Harry, you know that's not funny-"

"Ah yes, I recently discovered that people laugh when they find something utterly stupid and not funny at all. Now," Harry continued. "I understand you are ticklish, Miss Granger."

"You wouldn't dare!" Hermione warned, trying to pull away.

"Oh, wouldn't I?" Hermione giggled as Harry lifted her off the floor.

"Now, where best to take care of you?" he mused, looking around the room and finally dumping her on the bed.

"I swear Harry, if you tickle me I'll-"

"Lecture me?" Harry asked, innocently before moving in to tickle her. Hermione squealed and tried to get away, but Harry pinned her down.

"Now, who is the greatest wizard in the whole world?" Harry asked, stopping for a moment.

"I-I hope you don't mean yourself – oh, no, I'm sorry, you-you are!"

"I'm what?"

"You're the greatest wizard in the whole world!" Harry let his guard down for a moment and it was all Hermione needed to move in and continue the tickling session.

"Now," Hermione said, pushing him backwards onto the bed. "It's pay back time!"

"Hermione Granger, gone bad!" Harry cried. Hermione rolled her eyes dramatically before sitting on top of him to stop him moving.

"Now, let's edit your sentence a bit, shall we?" Hermione asked. "Who is the greatest witch in the whole world?" Harry pretended to think about it for minute before smiling up at Hermione.

"Why, you are, of course!"

"Flattery will get you no where, Potter."

"Darn, it, it was worth a try." Hermione raised her eyebrows, causing Harry to smile.

"But, really, you are the most brilliant witch in the world!"

"Glad to hear it," Hermione laughed, finally getting off him. Harry didn't move off the bed. Hermione laid down next to him.

"What's up?" she asked, grabbing his hand.

"I was just thinking. Imagine Voldemort didn't kill my parents," Harry replied. Already Hermione didn't like where this was going, or at least she thought she didn't. Truth be told, she didn't know where it was going. "I might never have met you."

"But, I would still have come in to your compartement-"

"We didn't all exactly 'click' right there. It was the troll. If Voldemort hadn't killed my parents, he wouldn't have needed Quirells help. Quirell wouldn't have let the troll in and we would have had no reason to come looking for you because we would have been eating in the Great Hall and then we would have just gone back up to the Common Room and that would have been the end of that." Hermione stared at him as he finished.

"Merlin," Harry breathed, turning his head to look at her. "Imagine never meeting you."

"Trying to say it would have been a blessing?" Hermione joked. "No one to nag you about your homework. Of course, without me there, you two would have been expelled or killed by now! Bossy, know-it-all Granger." Hermione looked away.

"That's not all you are, Hermione," Harry protested. "You're beautiful and kind and caring and everything else. You're always there for me when I need you and you're the one person I don't have to worry about telling things to! I mean sure you nag me, but like you said, we'd probably be dead now if it wasn't for you-"

"Don't say that. I didn't mean to say that. I don't even like thinking about that. It's horrible." Harry turned on his side to face her and leant on his elbow, pulling her closer to hug her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere, Hermione," he soothed, kissing her head. Hermione snuggled up closer to him and smiled.

"Hey, Potter, come cook…" Dudley's voice trailed off as he saw Harry and Hermione on the bed.

"Dudley," Harry spat, quickly sitting up. "Do you not know how to knock?"

"Yes."

"Well, could you bloody well do it!"

"No." Harry rolled his eyes and pulled Hermione up to sit beside him.

"What do you want anyway?" Harry asked, acidly.

"You have to come and cook dinner-"

"Can't you dear old mother cook it for herself?"

"We're watching a film and she wants you to cook." Dudley didn't leave. Harry looked round at Hermione and sighed.

"Really sorry about this," he apologised.

"I don't mind," Hermione replied with a shrug of her shoulders. Harry grinned before standing up.

"Fancy doing a bit of cooking?"

"I can't cook, you know that."

"That's ok, we can poison them."

"Harry!"

"Yeah, sorry, that was wrong, again."

"Girlfriend-" Dudley started, but Harry cut him off.

"Disapproval, yes thank you for the update. You coming, Hermione?" She let him guide her out of his bedroom and into the kitchen. Dudley followed them.

"Don't you have something better to do Dudley, like stuffing your face with whatever food you can get your hands on? What are we meant to be making, Dud?" Harry asked, not even looking at him. All his attention was focused on Hermione.

"You realise that you're probably going to get your clothes ruined, right?" Harry asked. Hermione shrugged. "Aw…no. I like that shirt. Aprons!" Harry dived into a cupboard and pulled out two identical aprons. Hermione giggled as Harry pulled the apron over his head and he responded by sticking his tongue out at her.

"Harry Potter in an apron, I bet Malfoy would have loved to see that one. I should take a picture and accidentally leave it in the common room."

"You wouldn't!"

"I would, but I don't have a camera…darn it. I knew I should have brought one." Harry handed Hermione her apron after tying his own up. Hermione seemed to be having trouble.

"Want me to do that up for you?" Harry asked, smiling.

"How come you can do it and I can't?"

"Years of practice!" Harry stepped forward and grabbed the two straps of the apron, bring them round the back of Hermione's neck. He was sure he felt her shiver, but didn't say anything.

"Now, Dud, what are we meant to be making for dinner?"

"Burgers and Chips," he replied, simply.

"Is that it. I got all excited that it was going to be something fun…Oh well…We can make a cake. What do you think, Hermione?"

"Yeah, burger, chips and a cake, interesting combination, Harry."

"Good. So that's settled, what flavour cake shall we make?"

"Lemon!"

"Lemon?"

"Lemon."

"Ok then." Harry grabbed three uncooked burgers out the fridge and shoved them all on a plate and stuck them in the microwave before grabbing the buns and putting on in the toaster.

"Chips are in the bottom draw of the freezer, could you grab them for me?" Harry asked, grabbing the chipper off a shelf and putting it on the counter.

Twenty minutes later the two of them were laughing and covered in flour. They were just waiting for the cake to come out of the oven.

"I told you that you would get your clothes ruined!" Harry laughed. Hermione rolled her eyes and grabbed another handful of flour off the counter, throwing it in Harry's direction. It landed in his face and he closed his eyes. Hermione burst out laughing.

"You're going to pay for that one, Hermione Granger!" Harry threatened, grabbing her before she could get away.

"Can't I do anything that doesn't get me punished?" Hermione asked as Harry pinned her against the counter. He shook his head and grabbed two fistfuls of flour from the bag.

"Oh no, Harry, please, come-" the last word was cut off as Harry dumped the flour on her head. It created a cloud of white powder around them. Hermione giggled and Harry looked down at her. When she finally stopped laughing long enough to look up at him, she eyed him suspiciously.

"Why're you staring at me?" she asked.

Harry leant both hands on the counter either side of her and smiled, then without thinking, he said the first thing that came into his head, "You look so cute when you're covered in flour." Hermione's eyes grew wide and she stared at him.

"Cute?" she asked, finally. "Didn't know I could look cute, I'll have to try that one more often." Feeling somewhat relived Harry tried to look serious.

"Well, don't get used to my compliments. Once we go back to Hogwarts, I'm going to start being an annoying prat who never does his homework, again." Hermione kissed him on the cheek.

"I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Did you two not get enough at the door? Now you have to do it our kitchen as well?" Dudley sneered, walking into the room. Hermione turned bright red and looked away from Harry.

"Dud, do you have to spoil the moment every time?" Harry mumbled under his breath.

"Err…Harry…" Hermione whispered. Harry looked down at her, realising that he was still pinning her against the counter.

"Oh, right. Sorry," he apologised, stepping away. Harry took the cake out of the oven as a 'ding' sound came from it and put it on the side. "Let's go and get cleaned up. That better still be there when I get back Duds!"