15 July 1993
Dobby was busy from the moment he bonded with Harry, by the time Harry went to bed that night, Dobby mended and altered all of his clothes. He also cleaned out his trunk and rucksack, putting all of his completed essays and notes into organized folders. Harry was amazed as he went to pack his trunk, it was already done and everything had a lemony clean scent to it.
Molly was not exactly welcoming to the overexcited elf who tried to take over the kitchen. At first, Dobby stayed hidden, cleaning the burrow, reorganizing the kitchen, and instantly laundering all of the family's clothes. Molly thought her children were finally taking care of themselves, she felt conflicted. Her children not needing her was not a reality she was prepared to deal with so when she found her children weren't responsible, she she frantically scanned her home with magic to find a startled house elf darning Ronald's socks.
Hermione spent the 2nd week of the summer fully immersing herself into the muggle world. Eloise took her to the cinema, the London Eye, museums, and at night they would watch the telly. She honestly never wanted to leave, Eloise's parents thought some of her questions were odd and at times insulting. Eloise would try and explain that Hermione didn't mean anything by her odd mannerisms, it was just how she was raised. Even shopping was a whole new experience in the muggle world. After visiting her vault and converting some gold to pounds, Eloise lead Hermione through the streets of London to buy some clothes to help her fit in. Eloise convinced her that she had 'layer' her clothes. Whatever that meant. She just let Eloise dress her before they went anywhere.
Hermione met Eloise's brother Elliot the day Charlie was scheduled to come and get her. Arthur wanted to come and meet the muggles but Charlie wisely convinced him it wouldn't be a good idea. Elliot was tall and skinny, with shoulder length inky black hair and bright blue eyes. He wore black eyeliner, had a number of piercings, including his eyebrow and tongue. Hermione stood in the doorway gaping at him for a moment in his ratty jeans and flannel button up shirt.
"You must be Hermione!" Elliot held out his hand with a friendly smile.
"Pleasure." Hermione gaped with a slight blush.
"So how are you enjoying the muggle world?" Elliot asked as Eloise snickered at her friend.
"I love it! There's so much more then you would find in the magical world, so many people." Hermione gushed with excitement.
"Yeah, bit of a shock to find out she was a witch but it explained so much...you know she's the one who pierced my ears!" Elliot chuckled at Hermione's incredulous expression." Oh, she begged mum for weeks then they got infected. I teased her, next thing you know I've got these huge studs in my ears! Mum walloped me, wouldn't believe me that I didn't get them done m'self" Eloise paused her packing when she heard someone apparating in their back yard. Hermione rushed to the back deck with wide smile.
"Hermione!" Charlie chuckled as he pick her up spun his youngest sister around. "Mums going to kill you."
"Why? What did I do?" Hermione cried, her face paling. Charlie just waved a hand at her outfit. Hermione looked down with a frown, Eloise dressed in a pair of shorts, a purple baby doll dress made of light flowy material and her white converses. "When in the muggle world, one must dress the part of a muggle." She said in her most regal, snooty voice and curtsied before breaking into giggles.
"Hi! I'm Charlie Weasley! You must be Eloise, Hermione has told us so much about you." Charlie chuckled as he walked past his sister to see Eloise standing at the door, gaping at Charlie.
"Pleased to meet you." Eloise squeaked, blushing furiously.
"She didn't mention anything about a brother though." Charlie smirked and held his hand out Elliot, letting his eyes travel over his form.
"Elliot Midgen. Just visiting..." Elliot said shyly, obviously enjoying the frank look of appreciation from Charlie.
"Oh? I'm here visiting too. Work in Romania, dragon reserve." Charlie smiled wickedly, still holding Elliot's hand.
"Really? Dragons? That's amazing. I travel a lot for work, mostly the states though." Elliot bit his lip in thought.
"What do you do?" Charlie leaned on the doorframe, crossing his arms.
"I write for SPIN." Elliot chuckled nervously, blushing.
"Yeah, must be pretty brilliant. How about I write you sometime? Dragons are amazing but it can get lonely." Charlie pouted. Elliot nodded eagerly as he wrote down the address. "It's been great meeting you. I'll be in touch." Charlie grabbed Hermione's rucksack and winked before apparating them to burrow.
"My first crush, stolen by my brother." Hermione sighed dramatically.
"Really? First, huh?" Charlie grinned as they walked towards the kitchen door.
"Yes!" Hermione squeaked, blushing.
"I won't tell a certain green eyed seeker anything." Charlie said slyly as Hermione ducked her head to hide her glowing cheeks, "if you say nothing about a certain muggle."
"Slytherin." Hermione shouted in mock disapproval.
"Well? Fine I would not tell Harry but I could definitely tell Fred and Geor-" Charlie was getting nervous. His mother wasn't aware of his tastes and constantly tried to fix him up with nice girls whenever he came home.
"Tell me what?" Harry asked from behind them, making the siblings jump.
"Bugger! What are you, part cat?" Hermione mumbled as she held her hand over her heart.
"No, tell me what?" Harry persisted.
"Nothing. Just uh...nothing. Nothing, right, Charlie?" Hermione blushed furiously and glared at her brother.
"Just something about your birthday, Harry. No worries." Charlie said smoothly and winked at his sister. Harry regarded them suspiciously, it was never a good thing for Harry to have that look. It meant a mystery, that he felt only he could solve. "Why don't you go down to the pitch with everyone, I'll give your bag to mum."
"Alright." Hermione chirped and kissed his cheek. She turned to Harry who was still watching her. "Coming?" Harry and Hermione raced down to the quidditch pitch, finding Ron, George, and Fred waiting on them.
"What are you wearing?" Ron shouted as soon as he saw his sister.
"Eloise picked it out for me." Hermione said sheepishly as she fiddled with the hem of her dress.
"So these-" George frowned down at his sister.
"-are muggle clothes?" Fred circled her, seeing her showing far too much leg.
"Yes! There's nothing wrong with it, either. I've seen girls at school wear far less." Hermione huffed impatiently as she stalked past them to get to the broom shed.
"Those girls aren't our sisters!" Fred and George countered at once.
"Then I suppose you won't be happy with the rest of my new wardrobe." Hermione smiled wickedly.
"'Mione! You can't go out wearing things like this." Ron blurted, his ear turning red.
"Honestly, you're all being ridiculous! Can we fly now?" Hermione whined as grabbed Bills old Cleensweep.
"You don't fly." Ron blustered as he tried to block her path.
"You're starting to get on my nerves, Ronald!" Hermione hissed, her brown eyes flashing dangerously. Ron glared back, not backing down. Hermione mounted the broom and took off, circling the pitch. "She doesn't fly!"
"Oh ickle Ronniekins-"
"- when will you learn?"
"Spitefires good at everything." Fred and George finished with smug smiles, knowing it was them that taught her to fly a broom. While Ron gaped open mouth at his sister flying gracefully, Fred and George took off after her.
"Why hasn't she tried out for the team?" Harry wondered as she watched Hermione dodge her brothers.
"Didn't even know she knew how to fly." Ron croaked.
"You saw her last summer, remember?" Harry turned to his best friend with an amused expression.
"Beginners luck, right?" Ron said sheepishly as he mounted his broom to join them.
"HERMIONE CEDRELLA WEASLEY!" Molly was sprinting down the lawns towards the pitch. They only enjoyed an hour of dodge bludger while in the air before Molly came to break up the fun.
"Mum!" Hermione whined as she landed besides her brothers and Harry.
"Don't you mum me, Hermione Weasley! You shouldn't be flying! You could have died! Your much to young to be mucking about with your brothers on brooms. No-" Molly paused as she put her arms on Hermione's shoulders, and whispered in a dangerous voice. "What are you wearing?"
"Mum!" Hermione cried as Molly wasted no time in dragging her back to the house. The boys followed at a much slower pace.
"I did not raise you to fly around with boys in nothing but a dressing gown! Are you even wearing anything underneath?" Molly shrieked as she lifted the dress to find denim shorts that were rolled up."I know I should never have allowed you to go to that girls house."
"Mum!" Hermione cried, her face beet red from embarrassment, her brothers and Harry were a good distance away but she was sure the Diggorys could hear her mother yelling. "It's fine! Eloise and her family were very nice to me and there's nothing wrong with the way I'm dressed."
"You're not wearing any pants! Hermione you are not a little girl-" Molly's face was red and setting herself up for a nice long lecture when her husband crashed from the floo.
"We've won! We're going to Egypt!" Arthur cried excitedly as he waved some papers around excitedly.
"The Ministry Drawing?" Molly asked incredulously as she looked over the papers.
"One international port key for immediate family and 1000 galleons! I've already talked to Bill. He was able to get a flat through Gringotts in the center of the magical district." Arthur rambled excitedly as he picked up Hermione and spun her around happily. Molly was silent as she read through the papers, it wasn't until Arthur gathered her into his arms and kissed her hard on the mouth that her brain started to function.
"Ew!" 4 voices said from the from behind their parents. Fred, George, Charlie, and Ron all looked slightly green at the display, Percy was eagerly reading through papers his mother dropped, Harry was looking at them with a slightly wistful sad expression and Hermione clapping with joy.
"Oh, Harry...dear." Molly looked around at Harry who shuffled awkwardly. "We will arrange it the transportation department. It may cost a few galleons but-"
"Molly, Arthur. Are you in?" Albus Dumbledore stepped through the floo, dusting himself off. "Sorry for not sending an owl ahead, there was something I desperately needed to speak to you- Harry, what are you doing here?"