Ron's response came a day, a broken urn, a replaced door handle, and a successful cast of the Levitation and Unlocking Charm later. Maddy was practicing the wand casting hand motion for the Softening Charm when Pig slammed against the kitchen window and made her jump out of her skin. She ended up knocking her mug of coffee onto the floor.

"You've got to get used to owls Madds," Hermione said with a chuckle. "We get owl post every morning at breakfast at Hogwarts."

"That sounds like an awful lot of coffee spillage," Maddy said as she watched her sister banish the spilt coffee and mend the mug.

Hermione opened the kitchen window to let Pig in and immediately the little owl sought Maddy and went to perch himself upon her shoulder. As Maddy charmed Pig with coos and pets Hermione untied Ron's note. She grumbled something unkind about his penmanship as she began to read—more so attempted to decipher his secret code.

YOU HAVE A SISTER? Crikey. AND YOU'RE HELPING HER STUDY? Poor thing.

Well, I'm sorry to hear about her loss. She's lucky to have you guys. Crazy she's a witch too. What's her name?

Is it Maddy? Or Madeline? And Pig loves her? Well I'll you what if it weren't for the fact that

Sirius gifted him she could keep him. The twat knocked himself out cold yesterday flying into dad's shed.

Silly bugger. ANYWAY. You're coming to Harry's birthday AND staying for the WHOLE summer.

Mum's ORDERS (especially now that she knows about your sister).

See you soon Herpes!

PS Are you and Harry not talking? Did you have an argument?

PSS Come of it mate. Mum doesn't hate you she just ADORES Pot.

PSSS You're bloody mad for not entering the potion's championship Hermy.

You'd win it with your hands shut and your eyes tied behind your back!

"I beg your bloody pardon?" Hermione said frowning hard at Ron's scrawled penmanship. "Hands shut and eyes tied…?" She then shook her head and blew out a passionate breath of air. "The twat got it the wrong way around." She mumbled to herself with a chuckle. Then she pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. "Merlin and his baggy Y-fronts that was painful to read."

Maddy laughed and asked, "Baggy Y-fronts?"

"Yes," Hermione replied. "A specialty of Ron's—Ron, who it seems you'll be well acquainted with sooner than expected since we're under strict orders to spend the summer at his family home."

"With Harry?" Maddy asked. A tad too nonchalantly.

Hermione shot her a look, but Maddy was not looking at her she only had eyes for Pig. Who in turn only had eyes for her.

"Yes," Hermione replied slowly.

"When do we leave?" Maddy asked.

"We'll head over on the 30th July." Hermione said. "We'll have to catch the train as I don't trust myself enough to apparate with you without splinching one of us."

Maddy nodded. "I can't wait," she cooed as she scratched Pig's head.

Hermione looked to the couple.

I can. She thought.

"Right," Hermione began. Giving the living room a once over. She walked into the kitchen next, making sure all the outlets were switched off. "You have everything?"

Maddy walked into the kitchen with Hermione's Hogwarts portmanteau in hand.

"I still have no idea how you managed to enlarge this thing." Maddy remarked.

"That's because I didn't." Hermione responded shortly as she pulled the kettle's plug out of the socket—just as an extra precaution. "I performed the Extension Charm on it."

"Yes, but you told me those are strictly controlled by the English Ministry?" Maddy asked.

"I know, that's why I used an undetectable one." Hermione said walking past her sister into the hallway whilst carefully checking around the house.

"But—how did you do that?" Maddy asked with a desperate need of a clearly informed answer.

But Hermione just shrugged and said, "I don't know, I just did."

Maddy frowned at her sister's back as she followed her through the house.

"You just do an awful lot of magic you know?" She said.

Hermione nodded, "I know—right! I think that's it. Ready?"

"Ready when you are sister." Maddy said, reluctantly letting the argument go.

"Come on then, I don't want to hear Ron complain if we're late and I certainly don't want to risk upsetting Mrs Weasley if we're late for dinner." Hermione said unlocking the front door to their family home.

Maddy took her leave first. Hermione gave one last look at the place. And something inexplicable in that very moment made her stop and stare for longer than was necessary. It made her look down the hallway to the kitchen. At the stairs that led to her childhood bedroom. She even found herself memorising the scent of the house. Of her mother's bergamot and lavender potpourri that she always insisted on buying fresh every year. Of her father's spiced lotion that—

"You ok, Mione?" Maddy asked from behind her.

Before Hermione could allow herself to respond with the opposite, she said, "Yes."

With a final look of farewell, Hermione shut the door behind her and with her sister they departed for the Burrow.

They boarded the 139 bus first, from Golders Green Station, and got off at Church Street Market, a sixteen minute walk from Paddington Station. At Paddington they made their way to platform three—with Hermione constantly pulling Maddy forward whenever she paused to stare and admire her surroundings—and boarded the twelve-thirty Great Western Railway train to Plymouth. After an almost three hour journey west, with endless questions from Maddy about the Weasleys, they finally arrived at Exeter St. Davids. There they disembarked from the train where Hermione surprisingly and without warning pulled her sister into a disabled toilet and locked the door.

"What are we doing in here?" Maddy asked looking around with mild repulsion at the unkept public toilet. She clutched Hermione's portmanteau firmly and held it even further away from the suspiciously wet floor. "It smells."

"I'm going to apparate," Hermione said. "I can't do that in front of Muggles."

"What!" Maddy asked alarmed. "Without me?"

"No, you silly—Merlin do you really think I'd abandon you in the middle of Devon? Who do you think I am?" Hermione protested.

Maddy instantly relaxed—still holding the Hogwarts trunk uncomfortably high up in her arms—and mumbled an apology.

"Right," Hermione began. "Hold my hand—and at no point do you let go. Understood? Good. This will be your first time so you might throw up—don't worry, that's completely normal."

"I thought it was too dangerous to apparate?" Maddy asked.

"At this distance I'm fairly sure I can manage it without splinching either one of us—the Weasleys are basically round the corner from here." Hermione explained.

Maddy swallowed and asked, "Fairly sure?"

"Indeed," Hermione replied with a confidence Maddy did not share. "Ready?"

"No," Maddy squeaked.

"Relax—grip my hand tighter if you need too—but don't let go. Deep breath in—in three, two—"

Crack.

Crack.

As soon as they found daylight again Hermione was abruptly jerked down to the ground. Still gripping madly onto her Maddy dropped to the grass and dry heaved.

"Crikey—no wonder pregnant witches are strongly advised not to apparate," Hermione gasped. "I thought you'd gone into labour halfway through the apparition."

Maddy could not respond as she heaved once more and brought up no food as her breakfast had long since been digested. With her other free hand Hermione patted Maddy's back as her body slowly began to readjust itself and relax again.

"That was awful," Maddy finally managed to utter. "It felt like being forcefully flushed down the johns."

Hermione lightly chuckled. "Yes," she agreed. "It is a bit disorientating."

"Herpes!" Someone who could only be Ron called out from afar.

Hermione whipped her head around and suddenly a wide grin found its unapologetic way to her lips. She gently pulled away from Maddy and stood up to find Ron jogging toward her with his bright, shaggy hair flouncing about. Behind him, she saw that Harry had opted to walk over instead. Before Hermione could stop herself she was running toward Ron.

"Oh, incoming—" Ron managed to say before he found himself decidedly wound up in one of the tightest hugs he had ever found himself in.

"Merlin's hag Herpes," Ron wheezed. "You hug like a boa constrictor—missed you too." He said patting her back as if she were a child. Or a pet.

Even though Hermione did not want to let go of Ron's lanky frame she did. She laughed and took a step back to admire him. For some reason it felt like she had not seen him for ages.

"Yea—alright mate—I didn't miss you that much—what the fuck are you crying for? It's not like I died. Merlin. It's only been a month." Ron said with a crooked smile. "Oh, I see—is it that time of the month?"

Hermione gave a sniffle and quickly wiped her eyes before planting her fist in his lower stomach. Ron doubled over and strung together a few vibrantly, colourful phrases as he clutched onto his stomach.

"That's no way to talk to a witch, Weasel." Hermione said with a wide grin.

"That's no way to treat your host, Herpes." Ron wheezed.

"Pff, you're not hosting—your mother is. As far as I'm concerned you're a guest here too." She said.

Hermione then looked over to the wizard standing a little away from them. Her grin softened to a smile at the sight of Harry. Harry who over the years, and especially last year, Hermione had realised had become the most handsome young man in the entire school. And in her life. Somehow the vision of him before her made all awkwardness and recent past events melt away. She was not angry at him. She was not nervous—nor anxious. She realised, in that moment, that she just dearly missed him. And before she could stop herself she was rushing toward him too.

She hid her tears in his t-shirt has she hugged him like never before. Unlike Ron, Harry seemed inclined to return the embrace. When they finally let each other go. Hermione aggressively wiped her eyes dry again and looked up to Harry's sun speckled face. It made her breath catch in her throat. The summer sun always made his eyes turn from Scottish algae green to English forest green.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi," he murmured.

At the sound of his warm voice, the sight of his eyes, the sun on his skin—Hermione suddenly had the inexplicable sudden urge to kiss him. Then remembering herself and her completely out of character behaviour she took a step away from him.

"Sorry—I—" she stuttered. "I don't—I must of—it seems I really missed you guys."

Harry smiled and Hermione returned it nervously.

"That's fair considering the summer you've had—how is she?" Harry asked looking at someone behind Hermione.

"Oh—oh!" Hermione exclaimed. "Right."

"Pot—Weasel—this is Made." Hermione said as she made her way back to her sister. "But you can call her Maddy—Madds."

Hermione helped her sister onto her feet. Ron finally managed to do the same and stood up straight—or straighter at least.

"Oh," he said. "Oh." He then breathed as his eyes fell onto Maddy.

Hermione's brows furrowed. "Oh?" She echoed.

Ron's head snapped to hers. "What?"

There seemed to be a slight flush on his cheeks. He cleared his throat and oddly walked toward the two and outstretched a polite hand toward Maddy.

"Mad-ehh did you say?" Ron asked. "Lovely to meet you."

Hermione's brows furrowed even more and she whipped her gaze over to Harry. What-the-fuck? She said to him. Harry just smirked in response and shrugged his shoulders in a you-know-as-much-as-I-do manner.

"No," Hermione said—trying to fix her face. "It's more like Madé."

"Oh, is it French?" Ron asked smiling down at Maddy.

Hermione turned to find her sister smiling back with almost just as much warmth. Hermione inconspicuously gave her a small nudge in the ribs in protest.

"No—you troll brain—she's from Indonesia. It means second born in her mother tongue." Hermione explained.

Ron's cheeks were now enflamed.

"Oh—I see—my apologies Mad—Maddy." Ron gushed.

"That's ok," Maddy said softly, kindly.

At the sound of her voice or accent or both Ron uttered another, "Oh," again.

"You sound like you're transfiguring into an owl." Hermione bluntly stated.

"What?" Ron said tearing his eyes away from Maddy.

"I said someone here is part owl." Hermione said loudly as if Ron had gone partially deaf.

"Who?" Ron asked snapping his eyes back to Maddy. Then to Hermione again.

Hermione pressed her lips together trying not to smile.

"You know what? Never mind—I'm going to say hi to your lot—you two…well, it seems like you might be in need of a private room soon." She said as she picked up her portmanteau and ignored Ron's and Maddy's blushing faces and awkward smiles that kept flickering from unsmiling to smiling as if not knowing wether it was appropriate to do either.

"You coming?" Hermione asked Harry as she brushed past him.

Harry took one look at Ron and Maddy and said, "Yea—I'll greet your sister properly later."

The two off them then made their way back to the Burrow.

"Whatever happened to Lavender?" Hermione muttered when they were far enough from the couple.

"Oh, you didn't hear? Ron broke up with her." Harry said, sliding his hands into his pockets as he walked beside her back to the main house.

Hermione came to a halt. "When?" She asked with a frown.

Harry stopped walking too and said, "As soon as he made it back home for the summer."

"And how—may I ask—did the Weasel do it?" Hermione asked already having guessed the answer.

Harry softly cleared his throat and his eyes momentarily flickered away from hers.

"By owl." He said.

Hermione's frown turned into a glare. She sternly and disapprovingly glared at Harry as if he were Ron himself. She then gazed over to her sister and the wizard in question.

"Tell him, if he so much as mispronounces my sister's name again or looks at her the wrong way, unlike Lavender, I will set him alight. He knows how good I am at with Bluebell Flames—he'd do well not to tempt me with something warmer." Hermione said unsmilingly.

She turned to find Harry smirking down at her. Her own lips twitched in response.

"Noted." He said. "Although you'll probably be happy to know that Lavender didn't take it lying down—she sent a Howler. Only, it's virtually indestructible and she cursed it to continue insulting Ron whenever he gets too close to it. Its teeth are capable of giving paper cuts too. Of course, Fred and George have been analysing it and trying to work out the curses behind it all month—it's been driving Molly up the walls."

Hermione's lips quirked to the side in a lopsided smile, though there was nothing kind about it.

"Good girl." She said proudly, as if Lavender were her own sister.

Harry's brows quirked up questioningly and his eyes flashed with amusement.

"I thought you weren't a big fan of Browns?" He asked.

"I'm not. I don't like her at all—what Won-Won saw in her is beyond me. Pretty enough I suppose, but not a braincell to match—and irritating voice too. But a witch should never take anything lying down—let alone if it's from a wizard." Hermione started walking toward the house again, and with her back to Harry she added. "Maybe sex—but even then, that's debatable."

Hermione did not turn around to gauge Harry's reaction. Instead she carried on walking, stepping over frolicking gnomes. The ugly, potato-headed and potato-skinned Gremlins giggled with their sharp teeth as they chased after each other like co-ordinated toddlers with exceptional motor skills. Soon Harry joined Hermione again, and they continued on together back to the house.

"When did you get here?" Hermione asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, literally a week after I got back to my aunts." He said.

"Oh really?"

"Yea, Dumbledore seemed to think I'd be safer this summer here—you know, before I can move in with Sirius. Mad-eye had to escort me." He explained.

"How was that?" Hermione asked, suppressing a smile.

Harry caught it and grinned, "Bearable."

They both shared a quick laugh before they came up to the front door to find a Mrs Weasley rushing toward them.

"Oh, Hermione," she said breathily, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You made it—where's your—"

Mrs Weasley let go of her and scanned the fields behind them.

"Oh," she said again, this time softer. She placed both her hands over her heart in an endearing manner. "Is that your sister?" She asked Hermione without looking at her.

"Yes," Hermione said stepping aside so Ron's mother could walk out. "Ron's helping her with her bags."

Hermione felt Harry's eyes on her and she smirked accordingly, but the joke had been lost on Mrs Weasley.

"I must go and say hello…" She more so said to herself. She then waved a hand in Hermione's direction and added, "Ginny's room as always, dear."

Hermione nodded and thanked her, but she waited by the door and watched as Mrs Weasley walked over to her son and Maddy. Hermione watched as Ron's mother introduced herself and then did something Hermione could not remember Mrs Weasley having ever done with her. She hugged Maddy. Hugged her as if she were a Weasley. As if she were Harry.

Something deep inside of Hermione began to fizz and hiss like a cauldron full of Assorted Sours and Acromantula venom. She quickly took a sharp breath in and gave her back to the embracing parties.

"Do you think she'll ever forgive me for opening the Chamber of Secrets?" Hermione asked lowly. "Although—if we have to be honest—she's never liked me. I'm a Slytherin. Ron used to say how much she couldn't understand our friendship—you remember? Maybe I need a sob story like Maddy, or you—no—don't say anything. It won't make me feel better."

"I wasn't going to," Harry said with one of his soft, kind smiles Hermione admired so much. She had always believed his mother had blessed him with it, along with his eyes. "We've been best friends long enough for me to know not to."

They both then ended up staring at each other. It was a subtle thing but intense in its own way. Their staring contest was interrupted, however, when Fred and George came bounding down the stairs and through the front doors.

"Oh shit—" Exclaimed Fred.

"Herpes!" Exclaimed George.

They backtracked and came jogging back to Hermione and Harry in the doorway. The twins each gave her a quick side hug then hurriedly excused themselves.

"Important work is underway," began George.

"We just need to quickly borrow Ron for a sec—we think we've cracked it!" Finished Fred.

The two then jogged out of the door again and toward Ron with something rectangular and deep red in Fred's hand.

"That's what they say every time…" Harry muttered.

"It's the Howler isn't it?" Hermione asked, already knowing the answer.

Harry unsuccessfully suppressed a smirk as he said, "Watch."

Together they waited and watched as the twins made their way over to their younger brother. As soon as they were an arm's length from Ron two things happened.

One, as soon as she saw them Mrs Weasley howled with a repressed rage she reserved for the twins and the twins only, "You get away with that you scallywags! No! Not in front of—"

Second, the Howler in Fred's hand exploded open and screeched louder than Mrs Weasley as it screamed, "YOU LIAR RONALD WEASLEY! YOU BALL-LESS, SPINE-LESS, POOR EXCUSE FOR A WIZARD! YOU GINGER LANKY POLE WHO CAN LOCATE A BLUDGER FROM A MILE AWAY BUT NOT A GIRLS CLI—"

"Jesus." Hermione breathed with utter admiration, and equal part shock.

"Yep—impressive really." Harry said. "Poor sod."

Hermione laughed.

"That should teach him to take better care of his bed—no one but him has to lay in it. Well, him and whichever witch wants to lay with a wizard who can't locate her clitoris apparently."

Hermione laughed again, thinking back on her own anti-climactic time with McLaggen last year. Then, mid laugh, she yelped as someone yelled with outrage which was closely followed by a chorus of crashing objects and a breathy sound reminiscent of fire.

"Bill and Charlie are playing Dragon's Chess." Harry explained.

"Dragon's Chess?" Hermione asked bewildered.

When they both entered the living room they entered to find the two eldest Weasley brothers kneeled on the floor collecting what looked like pieces of burnt rubble. On the coffee table sat something square almost completely ashy black. A single miniature dragon prowled said board with an air that looked none other than to be of victory.

"Afternoon, boys—or evening by now." Hermione said making her entrance.

"Hermione!" Charlie greeted cheerfully.

"Long time no see, Granger." Said Bill with his gentlewizardly smile.

"Yes," Hermione said with her own smile. "Dragon's Chess I see?"

"Oui—they 'ave been playin' it all day." Said the beautiful, as always, Fleur as she glided gracefully into the living room and sat like a princess on the arm rest of one of the armchairs. "Granger. Bon après-midi."

"Bon après-midi, Delacour. Comment vas-tu?" Hermione asked politely.

They then entered a short conversation as Hermione utilised the little French she knew. She had found that it had been the only way to get Fleur to like her after she too, like most, had taken an aversion to her at the beginning of their acquaintance. Others like Ginny, however, preferred having little to do with Phlegm.

Once their conversation ended Hermione turned back to Charlie and Bill and stated, "I didn't know such a version of chess existed."

"Yes," began Charlie getting back onto his feet with blackened sooty hands.

Hermione tried not to stare.

"I picked it up from Russia on our way back from tracking down a wild infant Russian Molten-Drinker—it's something of a craze over there. If you thought Wizard's Chess was barbaric—this one's brutal. Want a game?" He asked grinning over at her with a grin Hermione was adamant had stolen the hearts of many witches.

It seemed to work its magic on her too, as Hermione found herself saying, "Alright."

"You hate chess." Harry automatically interjected with swiftness.

"Correction—I hate loosing." Hermione said to Harry. She then turned back to Charlie. "I'm just going to quickly drop my things off in Ginny's and change into something more comfortable."

"Excellent," Charlie replied beaming. "That'll give me enough time to get the board ready again—and then, you're on Miss Granger."

"Oh, no, Mr Weasley," Hermione said smiling slyly. "You're on."

Harry, who stood between his best friend and the dragon-toughened, strapping, older Weasley brother, looked to a fro from one to the other. And did so unsmiling.