Author's note: Here's the third chapter. Hope you enjoy it. For those who have read this before, I've edited it and added a few sentences so it's slightly different.

Chapter 3: Muggle Activities

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" called Hermione. She then turned to her cousin. "Please don't embarrass me with your need to flirt with every single boy you meet and tell embarrassing stories about me!"

"Of course I won't," said Annabel, rolling her eyes. "As if I would tell them any stories, they've probably already heard them all."

Hermione wasn't convinced, but walked into the hallway to open the front door. On the front step stood her two best friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Both were happy to see her as it had been four weeks since she last saw them but Ron had a look of confusion upon his face.

"Hey! How are you two?" she asked, hugging Harry and then hugging Ron.

"I'm fine," Harry smiled.

"I thought we were meeting in Diagon Ally," Ron said, confused as he looked into the hallway.

"I know but I had to change our plans," said Hermione, dropping her voice to a whisper. "My cousin is here and she doesn't know that I'm a witch or that the 'school in the mountains' is Hogwarts. I don't think it would be a good idea to bring her into Diagon Ally so I'm afraid you'll have to fit into Muggle society for now."

"That should be alright," said Harry in a low voice, but Ron looked a little furious.

"Fit into Muggle society?" he said, hardly believing what he had heard.

"Yes, Ron, going to places that Muggles normally go to like the movies, music concerts, bike rides, going to see the football –"

"I understand the football part because Dean has talked about it, but I don't understand what the other things are," Ron muttered.

Harry rounded on Ron and gave him a look that said, 'it's not for you; it's for Hermione and her cousin so if you don't stop complaining I swear you'll get it later.'

Ron sighed. "Sorry about that, Hermione. I've just never actually gone and do things that Muggles do that's all." He smiled apologetically and clapped his hands. "So, what's your cousin like?" he asked, peering around Hermione thinking that her cousin was behind her.

Hermione looked behind her seeing no one and figured that Ron thought Annabel was there. Typical Ron can't go five minutes without thinking about meeting a new girl that sounds interesting, she thought bitterly.

"She's in the living room," she said, standing back so Harry and Ron could come in, dragging their bags behind them. "By the way, Harry, your birthday is in a few days, isn't it?"

"Yeah, glad you remembered," said Harry "I have no idea how I want to celebrate it though…"

"Oh, I'll think of something," said Hermione, with a little smile. "I'm having an eighteenth party about two days before we go back to school. You are invited of course but it's going to be a disco."

"Oh what fun," Harry muttered sarcastically. Hermione missed the sarcasm as she shut the front door and started to lead them into the living room.

"Harry, what is a dis -" Ron started to say but was distracted suddenly. Hermione knew instantly he had been distracted by her cousin's 'beauty'.

"Annabel, these are my two best friends from school, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Harry, Ron, this is one of my cousins, Annabel Smith."

"How many cousins do you have?" Harry asked in wonder. He only had one cousin named Dudley who he hated a lot due to the fact he had to live with Dudley and his parents as his parents had been murdered by Lord Voldemort.

"About fourteen. My mum's side is pretty big," Hermione replied. Annabel got up from her seat and walked towards the two boys.

"How do you do?" she asked, holding out a hand.

Harry shook it first and was quick to let go. Ron though held onto her hand for what seemed like five minutes until Hermione silently kick him behind his ankles. He came to his senses and let go but Annabel had a look on her face that said 'I've got you so badly, you're not going to stop thinking about me for the rest of your life.'

"Do you guys want something to eat or drink? You must have had a long trip," said Annabel, walking into the kitchen. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I'm supposed to do that!" she hissed at Annabel. "I live here, you're a guest!"

"Oh come on, Hermione, technically I do live here as I come many times during the year and I am family after all." Annabel got chocolate chip cookies out of the pantry and laid them out on a plate. Ron was watching her with board interest.

A loud high pitched bring, bring sounded throughout the kitchen and Harry and Ron looked around for the source of the noise.

"Annabel! How many times have I told you to turn off your phone while we have company?" Hermione said angrily.

"Honestly, Hermione, you can't expect me to turn it off all the time," said Annabel, getting her handbag and searching it for her phone. "Otherwise my friends won't be able to call me." She found it and put it to her ear. "Hello?" her face fell. "Oh, hi, Marcus. I'm at my cousin's place. Yeah it was last minute, didn't have time to tell you, I've been there for four weeks…" Annabel walked out of the kitchen chatting away on the phone to her boyfriend.

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to Harry and Ron. "Ok, what I thought we might do today is go out and see a movie. It's something like pictures in the wizardry world except they talk and move scenes," she explained to Ron who had given her a confused look. "That's the general idea anyway."

"Don't worry, you'll see once we get there," said Harry. "I haven't been to the movies since Dudley's sixth birthday and I was only five. I saw something called Star Wars, pretty confusing. What movie are we seeing?"

Hermione was about to answer when Annabel walked back into the kitchen. "I heard something about movies," she said, looking from Harry to Hermione.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Yeah I thought we might go after lunch and see Titanic, it's supposed to be really good…"

"Oh! I wanted to see that!" shrieked Annabel.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Course you did.

An hour later, they were ready to go to the movies but they had to wait for Annabel to decide what shoes she was going to wear. Hermione locked up the house and walked out to the garage to get out her car.

"Wow, Hermione, I didn't know that you had a licence," said Harry, as she pulled up next to him, Ron and Annabel.

"Well I had been learning since I was fifteen, got the permit last year and got my licence during the Easter holidays. Mum and Dad brought me this car for doing well in our fifth year exams." She put on sunglasses. "I look pretty hot, don't I? Like the car?"

"Yeah…" the boys trailed off as they started to examine the car with great interest. Annabel had looked at the car too many times already and got in the front seat, rolling her eyes.

"Come on boys! We're going to miss the start of the movie if you keep staring at the car all day!"

The boys stopped looking and climbed into the back seat. Hermione pulled on the accelerator while Annabel fiddled with the radio station, finally settling on a station playing songs from the girls' pop group, Spice Girls who Hermione detested. She and Annabel had different music tastes.

She ignored it and drove in the traffic flow, not noticing the glances and flirtasous winks Annabel was sending in Ron's direction. Harry, though, noticed her looking at Ron and the blush that had crept along Ron's cheeks as he stared at Annabel. He frowned at the pair, wondering when Hermione would finally notice the exchange of looks.

After about twenty minutes, Hermione arrived in the cinema car park and got a good parking spot.

They brought tickets, popcorn and drinks and walked into the theatre, seating in the middle of the row, halfway up the back.

"Wow, I didn't think it would be this big," Ron wondered out loud. "The pictures are huge!"

"Shh! The previews are starting!" Annabel whispered, her hand near Ron's arm.

Halfway through the movie, Hermione was regretting her choice of film as this movie seemed to be about forbidden love than about a historical event in Muggle history. Well what did you expect? It's a Hollywood blockbuster, not a documentary on the History Channel. There was even a sex scene! Disgusting!

She sighed and looked over at Harry, who was clearly bored. He glanced over at her and jerked his head in Ron's direction. Hermione looked over at Ron and saw that Annabel was holding his hand, looking a little scared while Ron had his arm round her shoulders. Both of them seemed to be paying attention to the movie. Hermione could feel heat rising up inside her at this sight and it was sicking to watch.

A big crutching sound brought both her and Harry's attention back to the movie. The ship had just struck an iceberg, splitting the starboard side of the boat and making ice fall on the deck. To Hermione, this was the highlight of the movie…

"Oh good, some action here," Harry whispered to Hermione fifteen minutes later as water rushed though the ship. Hermione faked a smile, still feeling stupid about picking this movie. It seemed to have a point though, but she couldn't find what it was…

When the ship disappeared down into the ocean, Harry suddenly cheered. "Finally, it's gone. They should have known not to call it an 'unsinkable' ship."

Hermione didn't answer; she wanted the movie to end.

Draco stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron. He had just been to Diagon Ally, going through his mother's will. It was pretty stressful for him to organise his mother's funeral when only a few people turned up, but there was not one else to help him with it so he was on his own.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. She had been gone for four weeks and already he felt lonely, but it wasn't new to him. He felt lonely at Hogwarts all the time.

He walked down the street, a cinema ahead of him. Its doors opened and Granger stepped out along with her cousin Annabel and Scarhead and Weasley.

He quickly hid, not wanting to be caught by her again, especially since she had her boy friends with her this time. He frowned as he saw Annabel's arms round Weasley's waist, falling all over him. He was smiling down at her, his arms round her shoulders.

Well, she is not getting a letter from Draco now that she was playing round with an enemy. Well, it was going to be difficult as she was related to his enemy in the first place.

He watched them make their way to a car-park which wasn't far from the entrance of the cinema and was close to where Draco was hiding. Granger led the way, weaving her way between cars, rummaging in her pocket as she walked. She pulled out keys and started to unlock the doors to a red sports convertible.

Draco's eyes widened. Granger had a car and not a crappy one, but a really flashy one that looked new. Her parents must have brought it for her, Draco thought as he watched Annabel say something, tossing her hair behind her and Granger answering curtly. He didn't know that the Grangers were that wealthy…well in Muggle money they would be…when it came to wizard money well he beat them by a mile…

They climbed into the car and Granger backed out of her car space and out of the car park, zooming off down the road, music blasting from its speakers. She's a bit of a reckless driver or she might be trying to impress Scarhead and Weasley.

He shook his head and turned on the spot to Disapparate back to the manor.

"Can I drive your car, Hermy?" asked Annabel, tossing her hair behind her shoulders.

"Ha, ha, no!" answered Hermione curtly, unlocking the back doors. "And you're sitting in the front with me."

"Ok, ok, no need to be bossy…"

They all got in the car and buckled up while Annabel fiddled with the radio again. Hermione frowned and flicked it over to CD, not wanting to hear the Spice Girls again. She turned the key in the ignition as one of her favourite bands, Oasis, blasted from the speakers and drove out of the car-park.

"Hey, I want to listen to Spice Girls," pouted Annabel. "This music is crap!"

"For your information, Annabel, I think the Spice Girls are crap. Their music is so cheesy and besides you listened to them on the way here and this is my car!"

"Whatever."

Hermione smirked as she concentrated on watching the road, listening to one of her favourite songs:

All your dreams are made

When you're chained to (your) mirror with (your) razor blade

Today's the day that all the world will see

Another sunny afternoon

(I'm) walking to the sound of your favourite tune

Tomorrow never knows what it doesn't know too soon

Need a little time to wake up

Need a little time to wake up wake up

Need a little time to wake up

Need a little time to rest your mind

You know you should so I guess you might as well

What's the story morning glory

Well

(You) need a little time to wake up

Wake up well

What's the story morning glory

Well

Need a little time to wake up

Wake up

"So, do you guys go to the school in the mountains?" asked Annabel, turning around to talk to the boys sitting in the back seat. Hermione turned down the music a little so she could hear what they were talking about.

"Yeah both of us," said Ron.

"How did you meet Hermione, may I ask?" asked Annabel.

"Well…" said Harry, wondering how to put it. "We originally meet her on the train when she was helping someone look for a lost pet and then we were sorted into the same house…and that's how we became friends." There was a pause.

"That's all?" said Annabel, looking disappointed.

"That's not how it happened," Hermione cut in, still looking at the road. "They hated me at first until Halloween –"

"Oh, Hermione, don't tell her the story," Harry interrupted, shaking his head.

"What story?" asked Annabel, looking eager to hear it.

"They don't want you to know because they were acting like heroes and they don't want to be known like that. They were just doing what they would do for other students in my situation," said Hermione.

"What happened?" Annabel demanded, getting frustrated that she didn't know straight away.

"Well…" Hermione began, wondering how she should put the incident with the troll. "I was in the girls bathroom crying and this…tiger came into the bathroom and was about to attack me when Harry and Ron arrived. They tamed it and it went away."

She could see Harry and Ron's faces of utter horror in her rear view mirror; they couldn't believe she had told the story let alone replace the troll and make it a tiger instead. Annabel didn't notice their faces, but was amazed.

"They saved you?" she said, hardly believing what she heard. "Even though they hated you?"

"Yes, they did and I was very grateful for it and we've been friends ever since," said Hermione, fighting back not to laugh.

"How could a tiger get into your school in the first place?" asked Annabel, looking very confused.

"Bel, the school is in the mountains, there are mountain tigers there and they're extremely dangerous."

"Oh."

Nobody spoke for awhile, listening to Oasis. Then Annabel broke the silence, as she usually did.

"So, is she really annoying at school?"

"No, Hermione isn't annoying, she is brilliant," said Harry frowning at Annabel. He didn't like how she didn't speak nicely of her cousin, she sounded like Malfoy.

"Thanks, Harry," said Hermione. "Annabel, if you don't mind, can you please save your questions until dinner? I want to listen to the music if you don't mind."

To Hermione's surprise, Annabel fell silent immediately turning back to face the front and sat up straight in her seat. Hermione smiled at her moment of triumph and listened to the next song:

Slip inside the eye of your mind

Don't you know you might find a better place to play

You said that you may never be

But all the things that you see slowly fade away

So I start a revolution from my bed

Cause you said the brains I had went to my head

Step outside, summer time's in bloom

Stand up beside the fireplace

Take that look from off your face

You ain't never gonna burn my heart out

And so Sally can wait

She knows it's too late as we walking on by

Her soul slides away

But don't look back in anger I heard you say

Before too long, Hermione had pulled up in the driveway of her house and they all entered the house, the smell of Spaghetti Bolognese filling up their senses.

"Yay, food!" said Ron, going into the dining room and sitting at the table. Harry rolled his eyes and followed into the room. Annabel's phone rang again and she answered it, following Harry into the dining room, arguing with her boyfriend.

Hermione walked into the kitchen to see her mum stirring the Bolognese sauce into the meat.

"Hey Hermione, how was the movie?" asked Hermione's mum, putting an arm round her daughter's shoulder and giving her a squeeze.

Hermione shrugged. "I didn't like it that much, too much of a romance movie than a disaster movie. The romance was forbidden though…"

"Forbidden love, hey?" asked Mrs Granger, removing her arm from Hermione's shoulder and stirring the sauce into the meat. "Makes the movie interesting, doesn't it?"

"I suppose, but personally I wouldn't go mucking around with someone who I wasn't allowed to be with," said Hermione, getting plates out of the cupboard.

"Oh, Hermione, since when is true love forbidden? As long as they were completely and head-over-in-heels in love with one another, it's not forbidden is it?"

"I guess so, but the reason for it being forbidden was because they were in different social classes," said Hermione, getting out splayds for eating Spaghetti Bolognese.

"Since when is there such thing as social class? Personally I think it's wrong to divide society into class and also judge people by what level status they have. We're all human after all…anyway dinner is ready now."

Mrs Granger turned off the hot plates, taking the pot with the spaghetti and serving it onto six plates, then piling the meat with the sauce on top. Hermione took the plates in two at a time while Mrs Granger got drinks. She noticed Annabel was off the phone, but it was right next to her, looking as if she was expecting a call soon.

"Wow, Spaghetti Bolognese tonight hey?" asked Mr Granger, sitting down at the table. "Hello Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione's told me all about you two. How are you both?"

"Great," they both answered.

"How are your parents, Ron? I saw your father on the Underground the other day, had to help him through the barriers…"

"Oh, he's fine," said Ron, turning a bit red, embarrassed that his father needed help to get through ticket barriers. "He's helping someone write a book on –"

Hermione cleared her throat and kicked Ron under the table. Ron flitched then remembered about Annabel not knowing that Hermione and her friends were wizards.

"Yes, writing a book?" asked Mr Granger as Mrs Granger sat beside him, placing the parmesan cheese on the table. "What about?"

"Oh, um…" Ron stuttered, unsure of what to say. He glanced at Hermione as if to ask her how he should explain it. She didn't say anything nor did she mouth out things for him to say. He was on his own now.

Ron cleared his throat and continued. "The book is about the different groups in society, but it focuses on two societies mainly and comparing the differences…"

Mr Granger nodded as he was eating a fork-full of Spaghetti Bolognese.

Annabel turned to Ron, amazed. "Your father is a co-writer for a book? Awesome."

Ron turned even redder and was glad that food was in front of him to distract him from Annabel. Hermione, meanwhile, rolled her eyes, Annabel never thought writers of books were cool; she was just trying to impress Ron. There was no conversation for awhile as everyone ate their meals.

Annabel put down her fork. "That was marvellous, Aunt Elizabeth, thank you. Mum's is better," she added under her breath so that no-one, but Hermione could hear her.

She growled silently and curled up her fists. Annabel is such a snob!

"My pleasure," said Mrs Granger. "Mark, I need your help with some paper-work."

Hermione's parents cleared the table and went off to the study to do their paper-work while Hermione, Harry and Ron went to watch TV in the upstairs den. Hermione flicked over to The Simpsons and sat comfortably in a chair, putting her feet up on a footstool, watching the opening titles. Harry and Ron settled themselves on a two-sitter couch and Annabel came into the room and sat in another armchair, jumping in excitement.

"Ohh! The Simpsons, I love that show! Homer is so funny don't you think?" Annabel asked both boys, mainly addressing Ron. She battered her eyelashes suggestively at him.

Harry shrugged while Ron looked confused. "I've never watched the show before," he said.

"Oh really? You'll love it!" squealed Annabel.

"Shut up, Annabel, otherwise they won't know what it is!" snapped Hermione, as the first scene came on.

Annabel remained silent as they watched The Simpsons. The episode was a repeat, but Hermione hadn't seen it yet as she had been at Hogwarts even though the episode premiered over a year ago.

It was about the richest man in Springfield, Mr Burns trying to block out the sun and everyone being angry at him for some reason. Homer Simpson was angry at him for not remembering his name, the school was angry at him for stealing their oil, the bar tender of Moe's for polluting his pub and Grandpa was angry because he lost his home.

Hermione laughed a lot, especially at Homer's antics for trying to get Mr Burns to remember his name. Harry and Ron were laughing too, loving every minute of the show, like Annabel said they would.

"Don't you have a TV at the school?" asked Annabel, during an ad-break.

"No, the school thinks it's a distraction from our schoolwork," said Harry, as Ron was too busy staring at the commercials to answer.

"That's a shame," cooed Annabel. "My school does. I go to Victoria College which is past London, up north. It was founded by the Queen herself…well the idea, not done until after her death of course."

"Oh wonderful," Harry mumbled under his breath.

"Say, you know how you to the school in the mountains with Hermione?" she asked a while later. Both boys nodded.

"Do you know someone called Draco Malfoy?"

They looked at her in shock while Hermione wished she could strangle Annabel for mentioning him.

"How do you know him?" asked Ron, looking slightly furious.

"I meet him in an antiques shop a few weeks ago when I arrived here. Hermione was there too, weren't you? She pointed some sort of stick into his neck, threatening him with it apparently, going to poke him in the eye…"

Harry and Ron looked at Hermione in utter disbelief. She nodded as if to say, 'it's true, Annabel met him and I threatened him with my wand'. Harry looked back at Annabel, frowning at her.

"Was he mean? Did he want anything?" he asked, looking concerned.

"No, he wasn't mean, he was really nice!" exclaimed Annabel. "He was so friendly. I don't know why Hermione is not friends with him, especially since he was so handsome, has such beautiful blonde hair, and goes well with his pale skin…anyway I'm off track. He was looking for a locket for his mother and I found one for him."

"Wait, Annabel, did you say he was looking for a locket for his mother?" interrupted Hermione. This information was new to her.

"Yeah, he said he was looking for a locket to give to his mother who is very sick. Thought it might cheer her up. Poor boy," she added sadly. "Didn't I tell you, Hermione?"

Hermione didn't answer, but looked at Harry and Ron and saw they were thinking the same thing. Malfoy's mother, ill? That was unfortunate to hear, last time they heard she was perfectly healthy. But hang on, why did they care?

"I really don't know why you guys can't get along with him; he's really not that bad. He called me a Muggle, said it meant a person who very playful and lively is very smart and someone that everyone loves. He said that a Mudblood meant boring bookworm and that's what Hermione is. Apparently there's a lot of Mudbloods there…"

"Um, Annabel," said Ron nervously. "Mudblood and Muggle don't mean what he said –"

Hermione roughly kicked his leg and he fell silent, rubbing his sore leg, cursing under his breath.

The show then came back on and was getting towards the end…this wasn't going to finish, it was getting too long. Sure enough, a gun-shot sounded and Mr Burns was shot. He fell over the town's sun-clock and collapsed, the citizens surrounding him. They wondered who shot him…

"Oh nuts, a cliff-hanger!" cried Harry, frustrated. "I want to know who shot him now!"

"I know who shot him and I can tell you –" began Annabel, but Hermione cut across her.

"Annabel, I think we would like to find out for ourselves, no matter how long we have to wait."

"Oh alright," said Annabel. "Hey, another one is starting, a Halloween one!"

They sat back and watched another half-hour, this time seeing three different Halloween stories.

"Hey Ron, you want to see my comic book collection? I think you'll be very interested." Annabel smiled slyly at Ron, battering her eyelashes once again.

"Ok," Ron muttered, his face starting to grow as red as a tomato.

They both left the room, going to Annabel's room.

Hermione rolled her eyes, knowing that Annabel did not have a comic book collection; she was too girly to have one. She wondered what Annabel wanted with Ron…it must have something to do with what happened in the movies. She didn't have long to wonder as they returned at the end of the second story and sat down in their places, acting as if nothing had happened. The third story then started…

Hermione suddenly got a nervous feeling inside when she realised the core area of the third story…witches and witchcraft. Surely Harry and Ron won't say anything.

"Oh man, how scary would it be if there were such things as witches and magic!" exclaimed Annabel, as the show finished. "What do you think?"

An awkward silence arouse as the three of them sat there, wondering how to answer her question. Finally Harry said, "I don't think they would be that bad to be honest…"

"Do you?" asked Annabel. "Personally, I think witchcraft and witches are evil, the servants of the Devil who are working to bring the one and only Lord down. I'm a Christian, you know, and don't believe in magic. I don't even like the idea of Halloween, but yet I go trick and treating cause it's so much fun dressing up and tricking people to giving you sweets. Anyway, I'm heading to bed. Night to you all!"

She waved and headed into the guest room.

The two boys bided her good night and turned to Hermione. "So that's why you didn't tell her?" Harry asked, as soon as Annabel closed the guest room door, keeping his voice low.

"Yeah, because she believes in God," whispered Hermione. "She feels strongly about her views on witchcraft and magic being evil. She would be so ashamed of me if she knew I was a witch."

Harry nodded, but Ron looked confused. "Who's this God person?" he asked.

"Don't worry, I'll explain when we get back to the Burrow," said Harry.

"Speaking of which, we should be heading out now," said Ron, looking at his watch. "Mum will be getting worried if we don't go now. Hermione, can we use your fireplace?"

Hermione nodded and they went downstairs to bid Mr and Mrs Granger goodbye. "See you in a couple of weeks," said Mrs Granger, waving the boys goodbye.

"In a couple of weeks?" asked Ron as he and Harry followed Hermione to her living room.

"For my party," said Hermione, taking a pot off the mantelpiece which everyone assumed was a pot plant, but really had Floo Powder inside. "You two are staying over then going back to the Burrow the night before going back to Hogwarts if that makes sense."

"Remember, my birthday is in a couple of days," said Harry. "Mrs Weasley will probably have a party and you'll be invited. We'll send you an owl."

"Ok, but do it at night so Annabel doesn't suspect," said Hermione, getting the powder and tossing it into the fireplace, green flames bursting into life. "See you both later."

She kissed each of them on the cheek. She thought she felt Harry shiver slightly, but figured it was her imagination.

Harry stepped into the fire, saying "The Burrow!" and Ron followed him soon after.

Author's note: Please leave a review to tell me what you think. I'll put up the next chapter soon. Thanks for reading! :D