AN: Ndavis77, thank you so much for reviewing, feedback is always welcome. I know Hermione was a little OOC in the past chapter, I hate to do that to her but her characterisation was difficult for what I want vs her actual characterisation, so I decided to change her slightly. There is reason for this, reasons that will become clearer in further chapters I hope, but thank you for sticking with this anyway, I appreciate it!

Read and review please!

Song suggestion: How we do, Rita Ora.

Chapter Eight: Homecoming Heart.

"Hermione!" Ginny cried as she rushed down the driveway to her.

"Hey Ginny." She smiled.

"We've missed you."

"Oh, I missed you all too."

"So, this interesting summer?" She winked.

"Uh-"

"Hermione!" Harry and Ron rushed out and both caught her in a hug.

"Hey guys."

"Later." Ginny mouthed and Hermione nodded reluctantly.

"How are you?" Harry smiled.

"Fine, better for seeing you all."

"Where are your things?" Ron asked looking around.

"Here." She held her beaded bag up, "Honestly Ron, magic."

"Right." He nodded before taking her owl cage off her.

"Thanks Ron." Hermione grinned as they wandered back to the Burrow.

"No problem."

"So Harry, you're finally free of the Dursleys, how's it feel?"

"Bloody brilliant." He beamed and circled his arms around Ginny's waist.

"And I'll have you know that as I'll be staying in Ginny's room that I don't expect any funny business."

"Yes Hermione." Ginny giggled while Harry blushed.

"Good." She nodded to herself.

"Hermione." Molly Weasley engulfed her in a hug as she walked in the front door.

"It's lovely to see you Molly, thank you for having me."

"Honestly dear, no need to thank me." She waved her off, "Come on, time for a spot of breakfast."

"Yes." Ron hissed happily.

"Honestly Ron, all you think about is your stomach." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"A growing boy needs food."

"That excuse?"

"It's true."

"Okay Ron."

Suddenly the table was crowded with red haired Weasleys eating and chatting. Mrs Weasley levitated the dishes from the counters to the table and smiled as everyone stuck in.

"Pass the toast." Ron smiled.

"Pass the sausage." Fred asked.

"Pass the bacon." Arthur nodded.

"So how's marriage life treating Bill?" Hermione asked Molly.

"He's happy." She smiled, "Fleur seems to be a good wife."

"Aren't all Weasley wives?" Hermione smiled, "Honestly, how do you deal with this lot?"

"You get used to it." She nodded fondly at her family.

"Well, Bill and Fleur's wedding was lovely, thank you for inviting me." She thought back to the event weeks before.

"I know, I still can't believe my baby's married." She dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief.

"Oh, mum, not again." Ron cringed at his mum's tears.

"Don't be so insensitive Ron!" Hermione tutted.

"She's been crying about it for ages though."

"Ron!"

"Yes, Ronnikins don't be so mean to your mum." George teased.

"Are you okay now Molly?" Hermione asked.

"Fine." She smiled, "I better make more tea."

"Would you like some help?"

"No, I'm fine dear." She waved her wand and the tea made itself-it reminded Hermione of how Draco had made hot chocolate-Don't even think of him Hermione she scolded herself, "Are you okay Hermione, you seem a bit far away?"

"I'm fine Molly, honest." She could feel Ginny's eyes on her so she ducked her head, "Just tired, apparating really takes it out of you."

"It is a side effect." Molly nodded.

"Yeah." Hermione sighed and ignored Ginny's scrutinising stare.

"You'll be fine." Molly reassured her and she nodded and smiled.

The day passed quickly with games of Quidditch, Wizards chess and exploding snap. So as the moon shone in the sky, Hermione was settled in her bed reading a book while Harry and Ginny did whatever they were doing-she didn't want to know whether they were just talking quietly or more…

"Harry James Potter you have five seconds to remove yourself from our room right now." Hermione warned as she glanced at the late time.

"Yes Hermione…bye Ginny." He kissed her and walked to the door, "Goodnight Hermione."

"Goodnight Harry."

"Love you Ginny." He winked before shutting the door behind him.

"Love you too." Ginny called and looked over at her best friend with a grin, "Don't you just love him?"

"Um hum…" Hermione hummed focusing on her book.

"Tell me who he is!" Ginny commanded as she leaped onto Hermione's bed and ripped the book from her hands and threw it behind her.

"Who is?"

"This guy you spent an interesting summer with?"

"Why does a guy always have to be involved for it to be interesting?"

"By the look on your face there is…you didn't?" She gasped.

"No!" She cried outraged at the implications of that statement.

"Good. But who is he?"

"You'll never believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"Draco Malfoy." She mumbled incoherently.

"Who?"

"DracoMalfoy." She said quickly.

"Come again?"

"Draco Malfoy." She sighed.

"The Draco Malfoy?"

"Ssshhh…yes." She whispered.

"Oh my gosh! You're joking right?"

"No."

"Pigs are flying." Ginny muttered, stunned, "How, why, when?"

"We bumped into each other at the market and mum invited him back and he ended up staying two nights, last night and the night before."

"Oh my gosh!"

"I know."

"But…you didn't!" She gaped.

"Didn't…?"

"You didn't kiss him, did you?"

"Um…" She blushed deeply.

"Oh my gosh!"

"I kissed him, but I was tired and half asleep." She reasoned desperately.

"Well, at least it was once, just a one off, nothing more…you kissed him more than once!" She gawped as she saw Hermione's guilty face.

"I was freaking out about the first kiss this morning and he kissed me again."

"Oh Godric!"

"You can't tell anyone Ginny, not even Harry, you know what he'll do!"

"Okay, I won't…so what was it like?" She smiled mischievously.

"Ginny!" Hermione laughed and threw her pillow at the younger witch.

"I'm curious, Slytherin girls go on and on about him being a good kisser…and more, and I want to know off someone unbiased."

"He's okay…" She struggle against the memory, "I honestly want to just forget it."

"He was more than okay, he was good! You face is so easy to read!"

"Ginny!"

"Okay, okay…was he better than Viktor?"

"Um…I don't know." She mumbled, "Viktor was more reserved but Malfoy was…more forward in his intentions."

"Ooohhh…now we can get some juice out of this story…so do you like him?"

"Hell no!"

"That blush says opposite."

"Both kisses were under the condition of vulnerability so neither count. I couldn't like him if I tried." But her stomach churned suspiciously and she frowned to herself. She didn't like the ferret, she couldn't, and Harry and Ron would go spare!

"Okay Hermione, whatever you say." She sighed and moved back to her bed, "Try not to blush too hard."

"Night Ginny." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"So do you think you'll kiss when we get back?"

"Night Ginny."

"I bet you dream of him tonight."

"Night Ginny."

"Okay, okay, enjoy your dreams."

"Just go to sleep Ginny."

"Right, goodnight Hermione."

"Night Ginny" She repeated for the fourth time. Gosh, I hope I don't dream of him. Was her last thought before she fell asleep.

AN: Okay, so OOC a little in this chapter. Please remember they will be a little more teenager-ish due to no Voldemort stress and I wanted this to be a fun, light hearted fanfiction, so I'm pleading creative license. But the OOC characterisation does have a reason, so stick with the story to find out why!