Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

The time had come to leave Florida for home. Luckily, the 'Air Con' charm had lifted so that Cassie had had a peaceful, sticky free night's sleep. Cassie also explained to Hermione that it was tradition to have a midnight feast on the last night before they went to sleep.

Hermione heard Cassie's alarm set off at midnight and she heard her cousin dive into the kitchen cupboards. Hermione was left sitting on her bed in her night gown, thinking sadly of Cassie eating her midnight feast by herself on these trips; because she never brought friends or family with her before now and Robert being a dentist, her parents never knew about it of course.

This feast was unlike the one the night they left for their holiday back home. It was aroused with quiet laughter, jokes and munching chocolate. Hermione couldn't remember having this much time with her cousin before now without arguing about something.

Before the sun rose, the girls were already asleep again in their comfy beds.

After one last meal of waffles and fruit at the kitchen table, the Grangers heaved their luggage into the boot of their hire car and Uncle Robert drove them all back to Orlando International Airport.

'Did you enjoy your trip, girls?' Aunt Jane asked enthusiastically from the front seat.

'I loved it thanks, Aunt Jane!' Hermione beamed, giggling as Cassie showed Hermione pictures on her mobile phone.

'What are you laughing at?' Uncle Robert asked as he stopped at some traffic lights.

'Just some pics from at the theme parks, dad!' Cassie said. This was partly true. When they went to 'Sea World' that day when the American wizards were present, Cassie caught a few embarrassing snapshots of them trembling before a particularly large walrus.

They got to the airport on time and waited in the transit lounge for their due flight at 4.25pm. The plane left the ground on schedule and they took off from the bright blue skies, straight for what would be the darkening, patchy grey ones.

They were back in Heathrow, Uncle Robert and Aunt Jane found their car in the car park and the family travelled silently back to their home. Hermione was so tired; she couldn't move her mouth at all. When it should have been 2AM in Florida, it was now dawn in Britain and her mind pounded in the confusion. Finally, after a while, her aunt and uncle dropped her off at home. Hermione's parents came out of the house and smiled brightly. 'We got your postcard, honey!' Mrs Granger smiled, hugging her only daughter tightly. 'I'm so glad you had fun!'

Hermione wanted to say goodbye to her cousin, but she was asleep in the back of the car.

'We mustn't wake her up,' Aunt Jane said, hugging Hermione's mum goodbye. 'We'll see you all later…and maybe we will see you in the summer, Hermione?'

'Yes, I'd like that!' Hermione beamed.

She waved off her Aunt and Uncle from the front door and went inside.

Monday morning, the skies were fresh and frosty in the dying winter air. Hermione stepped off the Hogwarts Express in a thick coat, matched with scarf and gloves. She shivered, mouth muffled with woolly scarf; Hogsmeade felt even colder then when she left. She chattered her teeth while the conductor helped get her trunk down. Out of the foggy platform, a huge looming figure came towards her. 'Come 'ere, Hermione!' Hagrid boomed, opening his arms wide. Hermione skipped into his embrace and smiled. 'Good to see you Hagrid!' She said happily.

The two of them walked up the Hogwarts grounds together, the snow had cleared yet there was still a touch of mushy slush here and there. 'They've been most anxious to see yer, Hermione!' Hagrid said reassuringly. 'Though I think Ron an' Harry have had a bit of trouble doing their homework without yer around!'

Hermione laughed and they set upon the stone steps leading up to the front door. Hagrid opened it with his huge hand and it creaked in. They stepped into the Entrance Hall, where Professor McGonagall was waiting for them.

'Good trip, Miss Granger?' She asked.

'Yes, Professor,' Hermione answered.

McGonagall surveyed her behind her glasses and her lips were tight, more then usual. 'The Headmaster made it clear to me that your little slip up of a certain spell last Thursday was in defence?'

'Yes, Professor,' Hermione said meekly, Hagrid moving her trunk into the hall. 'In defence of myself and my cousin!'

'Of course,' McGonagall said a shadow of a smile on her face. 'Very well. There's no need to go any further with this investigation. You may go straight to Gryffindor Tower!'

'Professor,' Hermione said, looking around. It was so quiet. 'Shouldn't it be breakfast now?'

'Certainly, however the students wouldn't forfeit their last morning off to get up this early!' The smile almost cracked onto her face.

'Morning off?' Hermione wondered.

'Yes, it's a bank holiday isn't it?' McGonagall's smile now formed and she left for the Great Hall.

Hagrid heaved Hermione's trunk up to the Fat Lady and bid her farewell. She breathed in, said the password, ('Alpha Centauri') and heaved herself through the portrait hole. She expected it to be empty, but a colossal boom of noise almost swept her away. The Weasley Twins, Ginny, Harry and Ron roared with delight and stepped back to reveal a rather smart banner hanging on top of the fireplace which read, 'WELCOME BACK HERMIONE!'

Hermione gasped and ran into their arms, hugging each of them tightly.

'So how was Dizzy World?' Ron asked, winking. Hermione suppressed a laugh and dug into her trunk. 'Well, I got presents for you all!' Her cheeks glowed in the warmth of the room.

She gave Ginny a cuddly toy in the shape of a dolphin. Ron received not a 'Disney Pen' but a snow globe of the theme park castle. He gazed at it and shook the 'snow' up and down, eyes glued to the ornament inside. Harry got loads of sweets and finally, she turned to Fred and George. They looked eagerly at her and she sighed, giggling, pulling out something wrapped in bubble wrap.

The twins tore away the wrap and gasped at their present. It was a mini toilet. George pressed down on a red button on top and it made rude noises. They laughed hard and loud for quite some time. So easily amused.

'So,' Harry said, as they listened to Hermione's tale of adventure in Florida, 'you like your cousin now, then?'

'She's quite underestimated,' Hermione nodded her head. In the background she heard farts and wheezes and Fred and George's naughty giggles. It had been two hours and it still hadn't got old for them.

'Quite a nice tan, you got!' Ginny laughed.

Hermione looked at her arms proudly but protectively covered her hair.

'Yeah, we didn't want to say anything but…' Ron rolled around the heath rug, laughing his head off. Hermione grimaced. She whipped out her wand and tidied her hair down to its normal size. 'Thank goodness I can use magic again!' She muttered.

Harry yawned. 'Back to work tomorrow though!'

'By the sounds of it, you've not done much then?' Hermione asked, raising her eyebrow.

WHELCH

Fred chortled in the corner.

'Well…no, not exactly,' Ron's ears went pink. 'You know that essay Snape set us?'

'I finished that before I left!' Hermione said, cross.

'Hey hey! Don't jump to conclusions!' Ron said quickly, 'we just need…a bit of checking is all.'

'What am I to you, a practise marker?' Hermione said, a bit frosty.

There was silence apart from the flush of a toilet behind them. She sighed. 'Let me have a look!'

Harry and Ron hurriedly gave her a thousand thanks and raced up to their dormitory to retrieve their homework.

Ginny giggled, 'so…are you going to write to Cassie more often?'

'I think I will, yeah!' Hermione smiled at Ginny's toy dolphin sitting in the red head's lap.

That night, Hermione went up to the Owlery and fastened a package to one of the school owl's legs. It soared off into the night and Hermione leant against the window ledge, gazing at the starry night sky. The package was destined for Cassie, as she remembered her saying, 'I'd love to eat something weird…'

Filled with chocolate frogs, Cauldron Cakes, fizzing whizbees and other much enjoyed wizard treats she had collected off the train, she was sure Cassie would enjoy them very much. The lady who pushed the lunch trolley mentioned that there were too few passengers to finish off the entire entity so gave what was left to Hermione for free.

The owl vanished behind a cloud and Hermione turned back to Gryffindor Tower. The image of her cousin's face when the owl arrived was one of utmost delight.

THe eND!

Hope You enjoyed the story and Merry Christmas to All!!