The next morning Harry woke up in his own room, not remembering how he got there. He must have dragged himself upstairs later than coherency would permit. He smiled remembering him and Miranda's conversation last night. Harry began to ponder what this over-dramatic little American girl would come up with to get his two reluctant friends to admit their feelings to each other. They had become dangerously close to it last school year.
He got dressed and headed down to the kitchen. He was surprised, and a little disappointed, that Hermione and Miranda weren't down yet. But he shook that off, why should he be disappointed? Instead he turned to face Ginny who was sitting across from him this morning.
Hermione and Miranda didn't arrive until about a quarter of an hour after everyone had finished eating and left so it was only Ron and Harry who remained. It was quite an entrance as well. Hermione came slowly down the stairs grinning from ear to ear. And no wonder! Her hair had been miraculously tamed so it came cascading down in full, individual curls instead of its usual bushy mass.
Harry and Ron's jaws dropped (and Ron's remained dropped long after)
"Hermione," Harry finally started calmly, "How did you get your hair so . . . different?"
Hermione still beaming sat down across from them.
"Miranda helped me with it."
"Morning ya'll!" They all turned and there in the doorway stood Miranda herself decked out in stylish blue jeans and a green and white polka-dotted t-shirt that elegantly draped over her curves. Her hair, in similar curls, was pulled back with a matching ribbon. She glided over to the table and sat beside Hermione.
She started in on the rapidly cooling breakfast dishes that had been set out for them and looked up with a grin,
"So do ya'll like Hermione's new look?"
Harry watched as Ron began nodding eagerly before realizing what he was doing. He immediately forced a casual nod of vague approval. It was closest to "playing it cools" that Ron had ever come.
Miranda grinned, "Thought so."
Harry smirked as Miranda's plan was slowly coming into to light. She noticed his smirk and smiled deviously.
"So what are you two's plans for today?" Harry asked to keep the conversation moving while the girls finished breakfast.
Hermione looked up, "Well first of all Miranda needs to see the sites a bit. But I thought later we might all meet in Diagon Alley."
Miranda squeaked.
"Also," Hermione continued, "I think Miranda ought to meet Bill and Fleur. I realized last night that her stay falls in cadence with the wedding so we should see if it's alright that she comes."
Miranda raised her eye-brows, "Who's getting married?"
"My brother Bill's marrying Fleur Delacour." Ron said, albeit a little stiffly.
"Oh . . . Sounds fun!"
Later that day Harry and Ron, after an uneventful morning of Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess, (All of which Harry lost) entered the Leaky Cauldron to wait for Hermione and Miranda to join them.
Harry glanced at his watch, ten minutes to one. Hermione said she'd be there at 1:00 so considering her strict punctuality they had probably gotten there just in time.
Sure enough within the next five minutes Harry and Ron turned to see Hermione and very much excited Miranda walking through the door.
Harry waved them over and Miranda eagerly ran ahead.
"I saw the Globe Theater! I am in the company of the Gods of the Drama right now!" She was quivering with excitement.
Hermione caught up and smiled at the two boys, "She's told you about the Globe I assume?" Hermione looked affectionately at her beaming cousin, "Well I admit it was fascinating but really, I don't think it's worth all this excitement!"
Miranda stared at her cousin in disbelief, "Beg pardon? Did I hear you correctly? This is the William Shakespeare Globe Theater! You don't have to dedicate your life to the performing arts like me to appreciate the full meaning of that hallowed hall!"
Harry had to fight not to laugh. He had a feeling he was being introduced to the thing that made Miranda tick. This was what she felt truly passionate about.
Hermione was smiling indulgently, albeit patronizingly at the little ball of passion standing before her.
"Yes, Miranda I understand that acting is important to you and yes, you are very good at it. But you have to admit it's only a building . . . Why get so shaken about it?"
"Only a building? Hermione, that's like saying 'why celebrate that holiday? It was only a day.' Or 'why honor that hero? He was only a man.' Don't you see? It's what happens to you in your life that set you apart. What you do with your time! That's what makes the Globe important! It's time was one of artistic innovation and milestones in the dramatic genre! Never let me hear you belittle it again!"
Hermione grinned, "Miranda, you are most definitely a writer!" With that she giggled and patted the blonde orator on the back.
Miranda stared at her and flushed as she realized she had been lured into a display of passion.
"Yikes! Why do you do that to me, Hermione?" She turned quickly and plopped into a chair at a nearby table.
Hermione turned to her friends and grinned again, "She hates showing her deep side, thinks it makes her stand out too much . . . in a bad way. So I like scaring it out of her. She's brilliant isn't she?"
Harry and Ron, who were still a little awed by Miranda's display, could only nod mutely and follow her to the table where said brilliant girl was sitting. She seemed to have calmed down; in fact she looked rather embarrassed.
"Sorry about that, I just . . . I just get carried away sometimes."
Ron coughed, which only caused Miranda to go redder. Harry instantly wanted to console her.
"Hey what you said was brilliant! Carry away as you wish."
Miranda smiled warmly and managed to move the conversation on.
"So what's the plan this afternoon?"
Hermione patted her hand and looked to the boys for help on this matter; surprisingly Ron was the one to offer it.
"Bill and Fleur said they'd meet us at Fred and George's store at 2:00."
Hermione smiled gratefully, "Excellent! Then we'll just look around the shops until then."
Miranda lit up, "Yay! Shopping!"
Miranda was in awe as soon as the archway opened and remained in awe until they reached the first shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"Pardon my ignorance but what the heck is Quidditch?" She queried as they approached the displays.
Ron looked at her in shock and horror, and then turned to glare at Hermione, "You give her every bloody detail about our world and you don't tell her about Quidditch!?!?"
Hermione ignored him and began to give Miranda a brief summary about Quidditch but was so often interrupted by Ron that she just gave up and turned it over to him.
At the end Miranda was staring ahead of her in a daze. Harry followed her gaze to a display of bludgers strapped to the wall in long rows.
"So those things are just let loose to attack people?" It came out as a shaky whisper.
Ron nodded deliberately as if daring her to criticize his sport.
Miranda shook her head, "That's not cool with me. You're talking to the girl who's been hit in the head with a ball in every sport she has ever attempted!"
Ron turned to Harry and muttered, "That explains so much." Harry smiled reluctantly.
A little later they arrived at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Miranda smirked at the title.
"This place looks cool. Does your family own it?" She turned to Ron at this.
Ron, for some reason only his twisted intellect would understand, took offence to this.
"No, my dad is the head of his department at the Ministry of magic!"
Miranda raised eye-brows and held her hands up in front of her, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know; it was an honest mistake, you know . . . with the last name."
Hermione spoke up before Ron could retort, "It belongs to Fred and George Weasley . . . Ron's Brothers."
Miranda nodded gratefully and they stepped into the crowded shop.
The room was abuzz with activity, many were swarming around a large counter where they sold, 'Fool the nurse and befuddle the folks . . . sick day suckers; in Influenza, Strep throat, and for a limited time . . . the Ebola Virus!' Harry glanced at Miranda who was reading the sign and chuckling.
"They can't be serious!"
"Quite serious Miss Harris . . . took us about a month to develop those!"
They all jumped and turned to find the shop-owners standing directly behind them.
