Chapter 2: …So Little Time

"Hermione, wake up. It's time to go."

"Mmm… mom give me ten more minutes," Hermione grumbled.

"The last time I gave you ten minutes you took thirty," said Mrs. Granger. "Now get up. You're vacationing with Ronald's family until the start of term. Remember?"

At this piece of information Hermione's eyes flew open. A stream of thoughts was going through her head. Most of the thoughts included the word 'Fred.'

"I'll give you five minutes to get dressed and get to the table for breakfast." Then Mrs. Granger turned and left her daughter alone.

Hermione's mom gave her five minutes to get to the table. Hermione was at the table in three. As she arrived an owl fluttered into the kitchen through an open window. Hermione's thought, I wonder what Harry thinks of his present. He should have gotten it by now. Her thoughts were interrupted by a pinch on her hand.

"Ow! Oh, of course. I'm sorry," she said to the owl. Then she found three knuts and put them in a pouch on the owls' leg. She picked up the Daily Prophet and looked at it.

"Any news from the wizarding world, honey?" asked Mr. Granger looking up from his muggle paper.

"Nothing of interest," said Hermione, laying down the paper. "What time are Ron and his parents coming?"

"Just after nine," said Mrs. Granger, setting eggs and bacon down in front of Hermione.

"That soon?" asked Hermione. "It's already eight-thirty! I still have to pack."

"I told you to do that yesterday," Mrs. Granger scolded.

"I got…er…distracted," said Hermione, gobbling down her breakfast.

"How are they coming? Mr. Weasley mentioned something about floo powder in the letter. What does he mean by 'floo powder'?"

"Traveling by floo powder is traveling from fireplace to fireplace. Every wizarding household is connected on the floo powder network," said Hermione sounding as if she'd swallowed a textbook.

"But our home isn't a wizarding household," said Mr. Granger looking over the top of his paper.

"Mr. Weasley works at the Ministry of Magic and has connections in the magical transportation department. He has our fireplace on the network for the day." Hermione finished eating and rushed to her room to start packing. In a little over half an hour she would be with Harry, Ron, and the rest of the Weasleys on the way to the beach.