In This Chapter- Fred walks in on Hermione on top of Ron, the gang heads to London to have some last minute fun before school starts again. Ron gets angry, and Hermione meets some old friends.

~*~

"Hermione…Hermione." A male voice called out through the early morning. "Hermione!"

"Mmm whattdawant?" A drowsy Hermione said sleepily. She opened her eyes slowly and looked right into the bright green eyes of... "Harry! Harry what do you want?" She was annoyed, and Harry answered her, clearly embarrassed.

"Uh Herm? You're, err, falling out." He looked pointedly at a point below Hermione's neck, and Hermione caught on. She looked down to see her red tank top riding dangerously low on her chest.

"Oh! Thanks Harry!" She said, adjusting herself. She looked around the cheery country-style living room that she, Ron, and Harry had fallen asleep in last night. Early morning sunlight was streaming in through the windows, and she could see the still-glowing embers in the hearth. She stretched her arms over her head and looked at Harry, who still looked a little pink in the cheeks from seeing his friend so exposed. She smiled at the boy she had grown to love and said,

"Harry, I honestly wouldn't care if you saw me stark naked, really, don't worry about it."

Harry smiled and blushed, no doubt thinking about a very naked Hermione, "I wouldn't care either." He finally said, with a flirty wink. Hermione laughed and winked back. They both then looked at Ron, who was still on the floor sleeping. They smiled at each other, then dived on poor Ron, who woke up with an anguished cry. Hermione was busy tickling him, having pinned him down, while Harry was beside him, hitting the red head with a soft pillow.

Searching for a destiny that's mine
There's another place another time

It was like this that Fred found them. Hermione straddling Ron, who was laughing so hard he had tears running down his face as she tickled his hard stomach, while Harry was still swinging his pillow at him, occasionally hitting Hermione and making them all laugh harder. A look passed over Fred's face that only Harry caught, as Fred looked at Hermione on top of his younger brother.

"Ahem." Fred made a noise clearing his throat, sending a startled Hermione off Ron, who was still laughing and gasping, for air. "Oh hi Fred." Hermione said brightly at the tall red head standing over her. "Mum sent me to get you three up, but it looks as though you're quite capable. Breakfast time." Hermione stood up and smoothed out her pyjamas and hair, thinking what an odd tone Fred had. Must have been a drowsy voice.

Hermione could smell the sweet scent of maple syrup mixed with tangy sausage. "Mmm smells good." Ron said, completely awake now. Hermione and Harry laughed at him, and they helped him up, it was the least they could do after the rude awakening.

"Good morning dears!" Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully as the three entered the kitchen.

"Hi mum, hi Mrs. Weasley." They answered back.

"Sit! Eat!" Mrs. Weasley said, making a fuss. George and Ginny where already seated and eating, and Fred had just slipped back into his seat as the three sat down, preparing to pile their plates high.

"Where's dad?" Ron said casually.

"Work." Mrs. Weasley said, pursing her lips together. "The ministry is running him raged, with all this you-know-who business. They finally believe what you have been saying since the tournament, Harry dear. They have Charlie and Bill working too, and I daresay many more, just like them, it is quite awful." Mrs. Weasley looked bitter, then brightened as she turned to Hermione. "Hermione dear, you mentioned wanting to take an outing to London before break was over, why don't you kids go today? In fact, why don't you get some rooms at the Leaky Cauldron, and stay the rest of vacation there? Its only a few more days, I daresay you would enjoy it, and you can show the boys and Ginny muggle London."

The kids looked at her, open mouthed, they where surprised Mrs. Weasley would let them leave the house at all, let alone go to London on their own, then she gave her reason. "Listen dears, I cannot lie to you and say you are going back to a completely normal Hogwarts, it is untrue. We are on the edge of a Great War, and you are all much too young to have to live through it, but none of us have much of a choice. I think you need to have some fun before you go back to school, as I am sure it will be a solemn place. Don't worry about security, Ministry officials are in and out of there at all hours of the day and night, and in Muggle London you are relatively safe, as long as you stick together. Now, do go pack your trunks and get dressed, you'll floo into the Leaky Cauldron in an hour."

Follow your emotions everywhere
Is there really magic in the air?

"This is going to be so much fun!" Ginny squealed as she and Hermione packed away their things in their Hogwarts trunk.

"I know I can't wait to take you shopping in London." Hermione replied.

"Oh I know! Muggles! My dad loves muggles, but we never are around them, this will be so much fun, really! I've been saving all my money for something like this." Hermione smiled, thinking of all the money in Gringotts that was now hers, she of course would have to trade it for muggle money, but still, in muggle terms, Hermione was a billionaire, and in wizards terms, she was on the same level as the Malfoy's.

She was on the same level as Draco Malfoy Hermione knew this, but it just now hit her. After all the years of being called a mudblood, of being degraded in front of everybody, after everything…. She came from a family as rich and as powerful as the Malfoy's did. Maybe that's why Voldemort wanted to do away with her parents, they posed a threat if they we not on his side. Hermione was bitter at the thought, the thought of how easy it was to allow Draco a mother and a father, and a home, which he knew he was his whole life, just for being an evil git, along with his father.   Hermione came from an innocent family, they stayed out of Voldemort's affairs, and they where killed. If she hadn't been at the Grangers that night, she might be dead as well.

"Hermione" Harry popped his head in Ginny's doorway,

"Gin? Ready to go? We're all ready."

"Oh, yea Harry, I just need to get my trunk downstairs." Hermione said, snapping out of her daydream.

"Here, let me help." Harry took the trunk and easily lifted it to go downstairs.

"Oh my hero." Hermione teased, looking at Harry's arms, which, she noticed, the muscles were very, very apparent. Harry laughed as he dragged the trunk downstairs.

"Come on dears, you don't want to waste any time dawdling, I daresay Hermione wants to show you the world she grew up in." Mrs. Weasley smiled brightly at Hermione who had entered the room right after Harry.

"I can't wait." Hermione agreed, as everyone took a pinch of floo powder.

"Ok everyone." Mrs. Weasley's voice got stern. "I trust you all to make the rooming arrangements, I don't think you need any more then two rooms for just the six of you, if you can behave yourselves." She looked at Fred and George, who, to Hermione's surprise, blushed slightly. "You all have enough money to split the cost of rooms for three nights, no need to spend any more money then you need." Everyone nodded in agreement, and, after saying goodbye they each took a turn in the fireplace.

"Oomph!" Hermione stepped out of the fireplace of the small pub. Harry, Ron, Fred and George where already there, and Hermione stepped aside to wait for Ginny to arrive. After the small red head appeared, they all went over to the bartender, who was also the manager of the lodgings.

"We would like two rooms please, for three nights." Harry said in a clear voice.

"Right then, Mister Potter that will be two galleons and five sickles." The toothless bartender said. The kids handed their share of the money to Harry, who gave it to the old man.

"Right then." The mad said, pulling out two keys. "Here you are, a door joins your rooms, rooms fifteen and sixteen." The kids thanked the man and headed to their rooms, and then stopped outside the doors.

"What are the sleeping arrangements?" Hermione asked.

"I wouldn't mind sleeping with you, Hermione." Fred said devilishly. Ron's eyes snapped at him, shocked his brother would say something like that to his best friend. Harry saw a storm about to erupt, and intervened.

"Ron, Hermione, and I will sleep in room fifteen, and Ginny, Fred and George will sleep in room sixteen." Fred was about to protest, but a relieved Hermione quickly said.

"That's great Harry, I'm going to take my stuff inside. Come in a few minutes, Ginny, and I'll give you some of my muggle clothes to wear." Hermione smiled at the girl, and then quickly headed into her room.

Soon after she set her things down, she heard the door close. "How dare he say something like that to you Mione!" Ron said angrily, displaying the anger Hermione thought he saved solely for Draco Malfoy.

"It's all right Ron; boys will be boys, and your brothers a horny little bugger if I ever saw one." Harry and Ron laughed at this, still a little amazed that their friend had changed so much. She was so open now, and not the shy bookworm she had been when they met.

"Why are they staying here anyway?" Hermione asked. "They aren't coming back to Hogwarts, so why are they coming with us?"

"That's probably mums catch." Ron said with a slight twinkle in his eye. "There kind of like the chaperones. They run the shop too, on Diagon ally, so I'm sure they'll be getting back to that tomorrow."

"They close on Sundays?" Hermione asked.

"Nah." Ron said. "Lee Jordan is their today."

"Oh." Hermione answered.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off to put their things away, and Hermione was delighted with a very clean and well-stocked bathroom. She put all her makeup and pair products on one side of the sink, claiming her territory; the boys could share the other side. Then she went into the bedroom, where there were three twin-size beds, all looking very comfortable, and she chose the one beside the left window. She went over to the closet and put away her muggle clothes, which she would need, and decided to leave her wizard clothes in her trunk.

She went back into the sitting area, where Ron and Harry where talking about Quidditch. She was about to join them when she heard a soft knock on the door, followed by a quiet "Hermione" Hermione smiled and said,

"Come in Gin, I know just what you should wear." As Ginny entered the room, Hermione turned to the boys. "Harry? Ron? Do you have muggle clothes?" Harry nodded unhappily.

"Yea, they're ten sizes too big though." She looked at Ron, who was bewildered. "Muggle clothes? Why would I have muggle clothes?" Hermione sighed.

"All right then, we're going to have to do some shopping. I don't suppose Fred and George have any either?" Ron shook his head.

"It's all right Herm," Harry said. "I have a lot of clothes, they will all be baggy, but there's enough for them until they buy their own." Hermione smiled gratefully at Harry, and turned to Ginny. "All right then, let me show you what I was talking about!"

Twenty minutes later, Hermione and Ginny walked of the bathroom looking cool and collected. Ginny was wearing a pair of muggle khaki shorts and a yellow tank top. She had on pair of white platform sandals that gave her about 3 inches in height. Hermione was wearing a pair of very fitted blue jeans and a white halter-top. It was going to be hot out today, being late august, and she didn't want to expose her legs, which she though where full of jiggly fat, so she opted for a bare shirt. Her jeans where dragging along the floor, and she slipped on a pair of black flip-flops.

Hermione gave Ron and his brothers the once-over. It was true that Harry's clothes where big for them, their pants where quite long Hermione grinned. "All right, you all look like fantastic muggles, now please try to act like them!" The twins gave her a 'What-else-do-you-expect' look and she laughed.

Half an hour later the group was leaving Gringotts, and had successfully exchanged their wizard money for that of muggle London. "Muggles are so stupid! This is just paper!" An agitated Fred said. Hermione threw him a hurt look. "Fred, I'm part muggle, remember? My parents and a lot of my friends are muggles as well, please don't insult them." Fred looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry Mione, could you explain this to me again?"

Never let your feelings get you down
Open up your eyes and look around

"Ginny look! Those jeans would look so gorgeous on you!" Hermione and Ginny were really getting into the muggle shops, and to Hermione's pleasant surprise, Ron, Harry, and George seemed to be having a good time too. Fred, on the other hand, was acting like a small child in a grocery store.

"Are we done yet?" He whined to the others, who were all shopping for clothes at another store.

"No!" They all replied, getting annoyed. Harry, Hermione, George, Ron, and Ginny all had armloads of clothes to try on, and where about to go into the dressing room.

"Fred, if your not going to try anything on, you can tell us how we all look." Hermione said with a wink.

"All right." Fred said, and he heaved himself into one of the bouncy dressing room chairs. After about three minutes, Hermione walked out, and was greeted by her friends, who came out at the same time. First she looked at Harry, who was wearing a forest green ribbed turtleneck that illuminated his eyes behind his glasses, and a pair of very dark, baggy jeans.

"Harry! Oh wow, it's going to be hard to keep the girls off of you this year! Don't you be taking advantage of them!" Hermione said in a laughing voice, but at the same time she meant it. Harry blushed.

"Thanks Mione, this stuff is a keeper then?"

"As much of a keeper as Oliver Wood himself was." Hermione said, and she turned to Ron, who was wearing the same type of turtleneck, only in a dark red colour, and a pair of slightly lighter jeans.

"Ron!" Hermione said in mock-alarm. "You're wearing maroon? Are you feeling well? You look like you may have a fever you look so hot." Ron turned the same colour as his hair and laughed.

"Thanks Mione, your opinion is the only one that I can actually count on when it comes to muggle clothes."

"Hmm, well I guess I can take that as a compliment." Hermione said.

"How does this look?" Ginny said, and stepped out from behind Ron. Ginny had on a pale blue quarter sleeved top that accented her curves-to-be perfectly, and a cute, but short, jean skirt.

"You look Positively fabulous, Gin." Hermione said with a bright smile.

"Whoa there Ginny." Ron said. "That skirt is a little short, doncha think?"

"It's all right Ron." Hermione said assuredly. "It's in style, really!" Ron just glared a little. Then Hermione heard an "erhemm." Sound of someone clearing his or her throat.

"George!" Hermione said, and looked at the red head. George was wearing a dark blue long sleeved polo shirt, and a pair of khakis. "George! Wow, this is quite a different side of the tee shirt and ripped jeans look you usually sport! I love it! You look gorgeous, just like an Abercrombie model!" Hermione gushed at George, whose colour was very close to rivalling Ron's.

"Oh. Thanks Mione, Should I get this then?"

"Definitely" Hermione said finally, "In fact, all of you should buy a few days worth, we will be here awhile."

"All right, Mione." George said,

"Oh, and by the way, you look completely hot yourself." Hermione was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans, which hugged low on her hips, and a black tank top with a V-neck. Simple but classy. Hermione felt a little self conscious, but stammered a

"Thanks George."

None of them noticed a fuming Weasley sitting in a dressing room chair, watching his brothers' get all the compliments.

~*~

"I'm starved." Ron said with an exaggerated sigh.

"I haven't eaten in hours!"

"You're right Ron." Hermione said, which drew an odd expression from Ron.

"I'm hungry too." She admitted.

"There a burger place nearby lets grab something there and call it a day."

Hermione walked along the streets happily, with Harry and Ron at her sides. She was getting some envious looks from many girls, being surrounded by such good looking guys, decked out in their new clothes, and of course, the twins where close behind. Likewise Harry and Ron where getting some looks from guys, who were obviously checking her out. Yes, Hermione was enjoying their day a whole lot.

Upon entering the burger place, Hermione ordered a small salad (no dressing) and a diet coke, and told the others she would save them a seat. She walked over to a large booth that looked like it could hold ten people comfortably. Just as she was ready to stick her plastic fork into the lettuce, she heard a shrill,

"HERMIONE?"

Hermione whipped her head around and jumped out of the booth. "Lauren? Jared! Jessica? What are you doing here? Oh my God!" Three people were running over to her, and wrapped Hermione in a huge hug. The broke away and Hermione stepped back, looking at her old friends.

Hermione knew Lauren, Jared, and Jessica from grade school, before Hogwarts. They grew up on the same block; in fact, Lauren was her neighbour, and long time best friend…before Hogwarts. She saw her friends occasionally over the summer, but for the most part, she hadn't hung out with them for years. They certainly had changed. Lauren had waist length black hair that shined like the models in an Herbal Essence commercial, she also had a dazzling and a brilliant smile. Her eyes where the same colour as Harry's, maybe that why Hermione was so drawn to him, he was familiar. Jared was built a lot like Ron, tall and lanky, with dirty blonde hair that hung fashionably in his eyes. Hermione had a small crush on Jared when she was nine, but she soon realized he made a much better friend then a boyfriend, and besides, he was a terrible kisser, even from a nine-year-olds point of view. Jessica was a person all her own. She had bouncy blonde curls that flung around her face when she laughed, which was a lot. She has a slightly bigger build, not fat; Jessica was a great athlete. First to be picked in elementary kickball, and now she was a softball, basketball, and track star at Hermione's would-be high school.

"It's so good to see you guys!" Hermione gushed, hugging them all one at a time now.

"You have no idea Mione." Jared flashed her a grin. "You really grew up, beaver." Hermione looked at him; dumbfounded he still remembered his old name for her.

"Jared Means! You take that back! I'm not a beaver anymore!" She hit him on the arm well naturedly, and he said,

"Your right Mione, you're gorgeous now." Hermione looked at him, again with a shocked expression.

"Well." She said weakly. "Your not so bad yourself Jar." Suddenly Lauren squeaked

"Oh! Look at him Jess! Oh wow, now that's what I call hot." Hermione turned around to see whom she was pointing to. It was…

"Harry?" Hermione asked. A strange look of realization crossed Laurens face, but passed.

"You know that gorgeous person? Oh my gosh Herm, he's not your boyfriend is he? Oh my god I'm so sorry!"

"It's ok Lauren!" Hermione said quickly. "Harry is just a friend! A friend from school!"

"So who are those other guys around him? And that girl?" Jared asked, becoming a bit protective of Hermione.

"The red head talking to Harry and stealing one of his fries is Ron Weasley, he's another friend from school, and Harry's last name is Potter. The two redheads behind them are Fred and George Weasley, Ron's twin brothers. The girl is Ginny Weasley, Their sister. Hey guys!" Hermione waved at her Hogwarts friends.

"Hey Mione, who's this?" Harry smiled, his green eyes flashing in a friendly way.

"Harry, guys, this is Lauren, Jared, and Jessica, they're very old friends, and I've known them since I was a baby. Harry stuck out his hand to all of them in turn, and Hermione giggled as she saw Lauren blush ever so slightly. Hermione noticed everyone seemed to get along after the initial introductions, so Hermione said,

"Hey Harry? Ron? Guys? Mind if I invite Lauren, Jared, and Jess to eat with us, this table is big enough. Harry nodded, and Lauren and her gang brought over their food. Jared took a seat between Ron and Hermione, and Jess took a seat beside Ron and Lauren, who sat beside Harry on the end. The twins and Ginny looked at Hermione's friends interested, after all, they barely knew any muggles at all, besides the muggle-borns they went to school with.

"So" Fred said, grinning devilishly. "Got any embarrassing stories of wittle Mione?" Lauren and Jess looked at each other and smirked. Jessica said,

"Well there was this one time, we where at the playground, and Mione and I were on the seesaw and-"

"Jessica! Don't you dare tell them that story!" A panicked Hermione said urgently, which just made her Hogwarts boys lean in further, and Jared laugh evilly.

"Well." Jessica said, ignoring a panic stricken Hermione,

"We where on the sea saw, we where about ten I think, and we where going pretty fast, well Hermione here lost her balance on the top, and she fell over! So here I was keeping her up in the air, while Hermione was still on the sea saw…hanging by her knickers! Oh yes, we have pictures, loads and loads. You should see them sometime." Jessica's eyes danced, remembering that day, while Ron, Harry, George and Fred howled with laughter. Ginny politely smiled, but you could tell she wanted to laugh along with her brothers.

"Ha!" Jared spoke up. "Sorry Jess, but you got nothing on me." Harry said,

"Oh? What could be worse then that?" Jared looked over at Hermione and winked,

"Shall I tell all your friends about out little slide adventure?" Hermione gapped at him.

"No! You don't you dare!" Jared grinned,

"Well, if you insist." He leaned over to the boys. "On day during playtime, when we where eight years old, Hermione decided she wanted her first kiss." Hermione buried her face in her hands, as Ron and Harry gasped. Jared continued, "So while the other girls while playing with Barbie's, and telling each other which boy had more cooties, our Hermione here had a book in hand, on kissing techniques. Only eight-year-old I ever knew who could read a book like that. Anyway, I was coming down a very long slide, and little Hermione here was waiting at the bottom, and kissed me right there! See? Told you my story was better."

Harry and Ron where clutching their sides while laughing, and the twins where just laughing. Ginny couldn't help herself this time, and she cracked up too, along with Lauren, Jessica, and Jared. Finally Hermione managed to produce a weak smile, and ended up laughing along.

"All right everyone; now that you know my interesting little details can we eat?" The group dug into their food, and they sat quietly for a time, with an occasional snicker from Ron and Harry.

"So what school do you go to?" Ginny asked Hermione's friends, after they had nearly finished eating.

"Jared and I go to Westbridge high." Jessica said.

"I go to a boarding school in America." Lauren said, blushing. "My mom went there as a young girl, and thought the experience would be good for me."

"Where do you all go to school? The same place as Hermione's? Harrington academy in Scotland?" Hermione shot quick looks at Harry, who nodded, but Ron blurted out,

"No! We go to Hog- Ow!" Hermione elbowed Ron in the ribcage.

"Ron quit trying to confuse my friends!" Hermione said in a fake stern voice.

"Sorry guys." She said to her muggle friends. "Ron has a mischievous streak in him he liked practical jokes." The three friends nodded in understanding. Lauren giggled.

"I feel bad for embarrassing Hermione like that." Jared spoke up, "but I'm sure you know that Hermione is great at nearly everything she does." They're where a few nods and Hermione wondered what her old friend was up to. "I mean, he's got grains, looks, and a brown belt in karate…"

"What?" Harry sputtered the only one of Hermione's Hogwarts friends who knew what karate meant, or even what a brown belt was.

"What's a brown belt?" Fred asked, confused.

"What's karate?" Ginny asked, even more perplexed. Lauren looked confused, then another odd look washed across her face. Jared gave Ginny a strange look.

"You know self defence? Chinese?" Then Ron opened his mouth again, "Why would Hermione need karate? She could just hex the stupid mug- OW!" Another elbow from Hermione.

"What Ron means is." Hermione excused hastily, "I don't usually show off my moves anymore, Jar."

"But Mione! You're great!"

"I know I could take all of you at once." Hermione folded her arms across her chest proudly.

"Hermione, when did you start karate?" Harry asked, clearly interested.

"And how could you possibly be a brown belt? Your only sixteen!"

"I've been taking gymnastic lessons since I was three, and karate when I was four, and I took karate for about seven years, before school, and have been continuing my lessons on summer, and I practice my karate during school, I don't spend all my time studying!"

The twins laughed, but Harry was still amazed.

"That's brilliant Hermione! Not a whole lot of people could possibly accomplish what you have!"

"Thanks Harry." Hermione smiled, but then was distracted by Lauren.

"Hey Hermione?" Lauren suddenly spoke up from beside Harry.

"Yea?"

"Can I talk to you for a second? I have a problem." Lauren shot her a pleading look, and Hermione obliged.

"All right, hey Ron, can you let me out?" Ron scooted out of the booth, and Hermione and Lauren walked outside.

"What's going on Hermione?" Lauren said, in a voice mixed with confusion, hurt, and realization.

"What are you talking about, Lauren?" Hermione asked, slightly nervous at her friend's tone of voice.

"What's up with those friends of yours? Have they never been outside of their school and house or something? The only person in there that seems to know what the hell we're talking about is Harry! That Ron kid…he's not a practical joker is he? Hermione, what school do you really go to? Its not Harrington Academy is it? Is it?" Hermione was shocked, what was Lauren getting at?

"I-I don't know what your talking about, Ren." Lauren impatiently put her hands on her hips, then started ticking off things on her fingers.

"All right, one-None of them know what Karate is, I mean, everyone does, two, Ginny doesn't know what a television is! She's wearing very up to date clothes, so I don't see how she could not know, and her brothers had confused looks on their faces too! And Ron was talking about hexing! Hexing whom Hermione? Hexing…muggles?" Hermione gasped. And Lauren threw in the very last piece…"And I know I distinctly heard the twins talk about something like a beater…something about a sport, I heard the first syllable...quid…. Could they be talking about the sport I think they're talking about? Could they be talking about…Quidditch?

Hermione stared, open mouthed at her. "Lauren? What do you know? What about Quidditch? And do you know what muggles are?" Hermione was rambling, and Lauren put up a hand to silence her.

"I know who you are now, Hermione." Lauren said in a low voice. "So that's the Harry Potter, huh? I was wondering… and those Weasley's…their purebloods aren't they? And you don't go to Harrington; Ron was going to say Hogwarts wasn't he!" Lauren was getting excited.

"Lauren! How do you know all this?" Hermione was beyond confused.

"I'm just like you." Lauren said, grinning with joy. "I'm a witch too!"

Days in my mind is confusion
Thoughts of you bring illusions
Trapped in a world, only you get in
My mind's playing tricks on me again