20 August 1993
It took a few days to arrange a port key back to London, giving Molly plenty of time to make meals that Arthur would only need to heat up to serve. Nanet brought Hermione some of her old books on rituals, spells, and curse breaking she knew were not available to her in England. The curse breaker also took her out to the market so that she could get her friends some souvenirs, for Luna a gold necklace with a scarab encased in Amber, for Eloise some gold bangles with protective runes engraved into them, for Neville a strange flower that only bloomed on a full moon, and Harry a wooden box that had an undetectable extension charm and was charmed so only the owner could open it. With a teary goodbye Molly reluctantly left half her children with her husband.
"Good afternoon, Tom!" Molly greeted the bar keep with a friendly smile. "Is Harry Potter in?"
"Why would you be needing Harry?" Tom asked suspiciously.
"We've come to stay so Harry won't be alone." Molly bristled and dropped her trunk with a loud THUNK.
"Yeah, I bet. Everyone wants to see Harry Potter, got quite a bit of business since he arrived." Tom smiled grimly.
"We left Egypt early so that we could be here. Where is he? He is here, isn't he? He hasn't wandered off?" Molly cried, growing anxious.
"No! He's in the Alley. He spends afternoons at Florean's doing his homework." Tom grew alarmed as the witch became more and more distraught.
"Very well, I need 2 rooms. We'll be staying till the 1st and need a few more when my husband and the boys arrive." Molly said, taking out her handbag.
"Well, I can't just reserve rooms. You want them, you gotta pay for them. I'm usually all full the week of the 1st." Tom said slyly as he spotted the full coin purse. Molly eyed him shrewdly.
"Fine! 3 rooms!" Molly snapped and handed him the correct amount. "The boys will just have to squeeze together for a couple days."
"Mum, I'll take the trunks up. Why don't you go find Harry?" Charlie interjected quickly before his mother got upset. Percy was already heading off to send a letter to Penny to let her know he was back.
"Thank you, dear." Molly smiled warmly at her son before grabbing Hermione's hand and stalking away.
"Mum!" Hermione snatched her hand back, looking scandalized. Molly smiled indulgently at her youngest, feeling a pain in her chest that she was already a teenager.
"Harry!" Hermione cried, running ahead of her mother. They found him exactly where Tom said he would be, eating an ice cream and working on an essay. Harry's eyes nearly fell out of his head when he saw the red head running towards him. Hermione was very tan, wearing an emerald green flowing skirt and white beaded top. Harry stood quickly as she threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking them both over.
"Hermione! When did you get back?" Harry smiled at his petite friend as she stepped back.
"Oh, I came back early when I heard what happened! Did you really blow up your aunt?" Hermione laughed at his sheepish smile.
"It was an accident but the Minister says they fixed it. Uncle Vernon made me come down to eat with the family because they couldn't explain the plumbing in the attic. She just made me so mad, Hermione!" Harry grimaced.
"Poor Harry, I know you were looking forward to sitting peacefully in the attic until we came back." Hermione smirked. "Oh, I wish you could have come! It was so fascinating, Fred and George al-" Hermione babbled excitedly when her mother finally caught up.
"Hermione Weasley! Don't run off like that! I don't know where poor Percy has gone. What if he's lost? Oh, Harry dear I'm so glad you're alright! I wish we never agreed to send you back to those muggles!" Molly cried as she swept the boy into a rib cracking hug, making the teenager blush. Hermione smiled smugly as her mother was not letting go anytime soon.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. You didn't need to cut your vacation short for me." Harry mumbled sheepishly over the woman's shoulder.
"Nonsense!" Molly pulled back and looked at him critically. "We couldn't leave you alone, not with that maniac Black on the loose. Have you been eating alright? Don't know what I'll do with only the pub food."
"Really, Mrs. Weasley, I'm fine. Aren't you going back to the burrow?" Harry asked as he waved at them to join him at his table.
"No, we've arranged rooms until the 1st. The minister demands you stay here so we came to be with you." Molly said sternly. Harry was touched and a little insulted as if he couldn't handle being on his own.
"Oh, well, I've been fine for the past couple weeks. It's been nice, the owner here is a huge history buff and has been helping me with my history essay, even giving me free sundaes." Harry grinned.
"Well, we just didn't feel right leaving you alone. I'm sure Hermione is anxious to get her books. Another one taking 12 subjects." Molly shook her head fondly at her blushing daughter.
"12? Really Hermione?" Harry exclaimed.
"Well, Percy did it and while I'm skeptical after reading some of his books...there are some perks." Hermione smiled wickedly.
"Perks?" Harry questioned.
"Sorry, it's a secret. Percy only told me after he found out I was taking all 12 courses." Hermione smirked at his obvious frustration. "You're so nosey! You just can't help yourself, can you?"
"I'm merely interested in my friends activities." Harry said imperiously as she laughed.
"Well, I'm going to send an owl to your father, let him know we've arrived. I can't believe I left him with the boys. Who knows how much trouble they'll get into." Molly groused as she got up. "No wandering outside the alley, you two!" She said sternly before leaving them.
"The woman thinks I'm still a baby." Hermione pouted and looked longingly at his sundae.
"Want one? I get a free one everyday. I'll buy!" Harry offered eagerly and blushed.
"S'alright, Harry. I actually just had lunch. So. What else have you been doing?" Hermione asked eagerly.
"Well, I've mostly been wandering the alley. It's been great, honestly. I've already bought my school books and I've just been finishing my summer assignments." Harry shrugged. "Where's Ron?"
"Oh, he stayed. I think he's got a bit of a crush." Hermione smiled broadly.
"Really?" Harry said eagerly and leaned forward.
"Yes, one of the curse breakers Bill works with. Her name is Nanet and she's this gorgeous, brilliant woman who brought me to see some of the sights. Ron would start drooling whenever she came by the flat." Hermione smirked.
"Does he have a chance?" Harry asked.
"Nah, pretty sure even if she wasn't like 10 years older she's still...uh what was the phrase Bill used..." Hermione licked her lips as she thought. "Licker of the furry cup." She saw the look on Harry's face and promptly broke into a fit of giggles.
"Poor Ron." Harry sighed dramatically.
"So, what happened to make you blow up your aunt?" Hermione asked eagerly.
"Well, I was there a few days before she showed up. I made a deal with Vernon, he signs my Hogsmeade permission form and I wouldn't turn her into a pumpkin. Unfortunately, after I blew her up, I left and totally forgot about it." Harry grumbled
"You could ask mum or if not, I'm sure Professor McGonagall would understand." Hermione said reassuringly.
"I hope so, I was really looking forward to it." Harry grumbled.
"How's Dobby? Does he loooove working for the Great Harry Potter, sir now that you are living at the Leaky?" Hermione grinned mischievously, changing the subject.
"I swear, I don't know where he is half the time. He has so much energy. Some nights I wake up to find him knitting socks, since I gave him permission to wear any clothes he likes. We call it a uniform, socks, mittens, and hats. The little bloke is totally nutters." Harry grinned.
"Ron was a bit put out that he didn't get chosen. I don't think mum would really a appreciate having an elf, you know? Probably have it degnoming the gardens day and night." Hermione giggled as temptation was too much for her and she stole a bite of Harry's ice cream.
"Oi! I said I would buy you 1!" Harry laughed at Hermione's guilty expression. With a sigh he stood up, pulling her along with him to go inside to order new sundaes. "What would Ron do with a house elf? I'm still at a loss as to what Dobby does 98% of the time."
"Strawberry and peanut butter, please." Hermione smiled politely at the teenage girl behind the counter, the girl was already mixing some crazy concoction for Harry and he grinned sheepishly. "I think he was hoping Dobby would do his chores or his homework or something." Hermione laughed.
"I wouldn't think Dobby is well versed in magical theory." Harry smirked as he paid for their sundaes and went back to his favorite table.
"What is that?" Hermione exclaimed looking at his towering sundae that was a swirl of different colors.
"Errr, well, it's got chocolate, strawberry sauce, jellies, some kind of spicy marmalade, and marshmallow." Harry grinned as he stirred it all up.
"It looks disgusting!" Hermione snickered. "Thank you!" Hermione began to eat her own sundae.
"Are you really taking 12 classes?" Harry asked skeptically after a moment.
"Yes, absolutely. Shouldn't be too hard, I've read most of the course work thanks to my brothers." Hermione blushed.
"Does it ever get boring? Knowing everything before you even get to class?" Harry nudged her.
"Well, it's not like I know everything. I do have a good memory but...it was kind of mine and Percy's activity. I had something with all of my brothers...Percy is such a swot, so we would sit and read our brothers school books, look through their notes. I mean, I've been doing it since I could read...but no, it never gets boring. I like being able to help others and it gives me time to be with my friends instead of living in the library." Hermione shrugged.
"You don't live in the library? Did you warn Eloise you were moving out?" Harry looked scandalized.
"She's gotten better! I stayed with her a whole week and she barely opened a book!" Hermione laughed.
"So, tell me more about Egypt!" Harry said excitedly.
"Well, apparently there's all kinds of problems with the muggle world there so we didn't get to visit but we went to see the pyramids..." Hermione went on in great deal about the sights and sounds of wizarding Cairo.