'I can't stand anymore of this!' Hermione quivered under her bed sheets. She was sleeping in her cousin's spare room tonight but Cassie insisted on having a proper sleepover which annoyed Hermione because they had to get up in five hours.

Cassie was busy bringing in sweets and pop, running up and down from the kitchen. Finally, on her third trip, she dropped the last mini pile of crisps at the end of Hermione's bed.

'I'm sooo looking forward to tomorrow!' Cassie laughed, jumping onto Hermione's mattress and sending a bag of popcorn to go flying into her cousin's face. 'Especially with you around! We can go on the log flumes and all the amazing rides every single day!'

Hermione's lip twitched but she restrained herself from grunting. Cassie had spent the entire evening after dinner to coax her into doing a little magic. And Hermione had spent the entire evening explaining that she wasn't allowed.

So Cassie merely sulked until her parents suggested they watch the Disney Theme Park DVD in the lounge to get the girls in the holiday mood. Cassie smirked all the way through it; Hermione knew she was gloating about knowing the place already.

Finally, Cassie had a major sugar rush and dropped off to sleep on Hermione's floor – without blankets. Hermione (having had only a pear drop) grinned and went to sleep herself.

It was a marvellous decision; Cassie almost slept in and her dad had a go at her for having sweets after dinner. The Grangers were rushing around getting suitcases together and finally they were in Uncle Robert's Mercedes heading for Heathrow airport.

Cassie was still sulking in the transit lounge but Hermione ignored her whining by pulling out a magazine (she couldn't read a magic book in an airport). 'Hey – I wanted to read that first!' Cassie snapped at her cousin.

'Cassie! Hermione bought that with her own money!' Her mum, aunty Jane, hissed quietly, sensing another tantrum coming on.

'You can have it on the plane,' Hermione said in a bitter sweet voice. This didn't meet Cassie's expectations and she ripped open her breakfast (a blueberry muffin). 'Still not fair, you have all them stupid books to read. What's the point of working while you're on holiday?'

'If you studied half as hard at school as Hermione does on magic, you would be the next Prime Minister young lady!' Aunty Jane said, annoyed.

Hermione blushed and hid behind her magazine. Actually, it was quite interesting to read up on what muggle celebrities were up to nowadays. Interesting…not entertaining. The things these girls got up to made Cassie look like an angel.

An hour later, they were on the plane ready for take off. Hermione got the window seat as her aunt and uncle thought it was only fair as Cassie got it every year. She looked outside and thought only of Hogwarts. What would Harry and Ron be doing right now? Asleep probably, being half term. Rain lashed down her window and she sighed, putting her hand up to the glass. She knew she was going to miss them and wondered if Fred and George were still having a strop about not getting a toilet seat from Florida…

Cassie glared at her while she smiled to herself. 'Finally looking forward to it, are you?' She was obviously annoyed that Hermione let her sleep in.

'I'm just thinking about my school,' Hermione muttered as the engines below heated up and a vibrating sensation ran through the plane.

Cassie sniffed and rested her head back on her seat. 'I hate school. Wish I was a witch – then I could take my anger out on those that deserve it!' She cackled. Hermione raised an eyebrow at her.

'Well I know which house you would be in then…' she muttered unpleasantly, staring at the blurred runway outside as the tyres finally left the ground.

Nine hours cooped up with this thing! Hermione groaned to herself. Somewhere, miles below, she was leaving the only place she could ever care about.