Disclaimer: Don't you hate it when it's forgotten, oh well it's here now. I don't own Harry Potter….well I own a few books, but that's it not the creative rights I swear.

Summer with Hermione

Riding in the Grangers' station wagon was a very new thing for Harry. For one, the only other car he had been in was the Dursley's. For another, the Grangers seemed to like the muggle radio. As muggle bands pounded out notes to a very fast paced song, Harry looked over at Hermione. She was sitting in the back seat with him, her wavy brown hair cascading down to her shoulders as she read a book, `Probably for school' Harry thought. Just as he was about to ask, Mrs. Granger started talking to him.

"So Harry, Hermione here tells me you play, what was it? Quaddarch?"

"Uh, Quidditch, Mum," Hermione replied, looking up, blushing.

"Oh right, and your good at it, are you Harry?"

"Er, yeah I'm pretty good at it, Ma'am," Harry replied nervously.

"That's nice dear, and you keep up with your school work?"

"Er, only with Hermione's help," Harry replied feeling very wrong footed. As he said this however, he noticed Hermione's eyes widen in fear.

"Hermione, dear, you never said you and Harry were an item. Just that you fancied him," Hermione's mother said looking back at her daughter. "Well now, and don't be embarrassed. It's okay with your father and me if you two are an item..."

"Mum, please," Hermione pleaded.

"What dear…Oh…" Hermione's mother just realized something as she and Hermione looked at each other.

"Er--" Harry started, but before he could say anything, Hermione's father pulled into a driveway.

"Here we are, Harry this is our house. Make yourself at home, but I must ask, no owl droppings please?" Harry saw that Hermione's father wasn't angry, but seemed to have an inside joke about owl droppings with his family.

"No problem, Mr. Granger," Harry replied, still mulling over what Hermione's mother had said.

Hermione helped Harry take his trunk into the guest room, which consisted of a single bed, a wardrobe, and a large window.

"Hedwig will like this room," Harry said, just trying to make conversation, but it was clear to Harry that Hermione was too embarrassed to say anything. She just put Hedwig's cage down and turned to leave.

"Hermione…er…shouldn't we talk…I mean about our N.E.W.T.s or something?" Harry called to her. As she turned, he could see that she was still blushing, but she just smiled nervously and sat on the end of his bed. Harry walked over to sit near her, but she moved quickly. Obviously she didn't want to be to close.

"What's wrong…?” Harry started, but he was pretty sure what the answer was going to be, 'My mother thinking I like you, I mean that way. Urgh, I can't believe her'. Harry was quite anxious. He would be happy (probably more so than he even realized) if Hermione liked him, but as they sat in silence, a feeling of possibly being rejected seemed to increase by the moment. `She doesn't even know how I feel…'.

"Umm…Harry," Hermione whispered, obviously being careful about what to say, attempting not to hurt Harry too much.

"Yeah, Hermione?" Harry said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"Look, I wanted to talk to you about this last year, but with Sirius dying and all, I felt that it should wait. And with what Mum just said..." Her voice trailed off, as she thought of what to say. `Most likely to cushion the blow', Harry thought to himself.

"Umm I know it would be weird for you, but umm…Mum was right, I do fancy you, and if you'd like…" Hermione was looking into his emerald eyes now.

"Wha?" was the only thing Harry could come up with. He wasn't sure what was going on. Hermione Granger, in Harry's (and obviously Dudley's) opinion the most beautiful girl in the world, had just said she fancied him, or did she? Was Harry just hearing things?

"Oh, it's okay" She said, tears welling in her eyes "I wasn't sure how you felt…"

Getting up so Harry couldn't see that she was crying, "I just thought…you liked me too…" She was almost at the door.

"Wait, Hermione…" She turned to look at him, her eyes red with unshed tears. "Er, I.....I mean, I do...er like you too," Harry stammered out what felt like the hardest sentence of his young life. Unexpectedly, she rushed over to him, threw her arms around him, and knocked him over onto his bed.

"Oh, Harry," she cried, sounding happier than she did when she had passed her charms test with 112%.

"I can't believe it, all last year I was trying to tell you, but you just seemed to be drifting from me," she said, finally letting go of the Harry, allowing him to breathe.

"You can't believe it?" Harry asked puzzled. "Hermione, I have liked you since our third year. Do know how long I've been wanting this?" Harry said quickly, as a huge smile spread across his face. "I thought you had only invited me over so Ron could be alone. This is so much better."

"I…well yeah, umm so lets get you unpacked," Hermione said regaining her normal composure. She walked over to his trunk and opened it, before gasping. Harry wondered what it could be, but before he could ask, she had flung herself onto Harry again and kissed him. Before they both could savor the moment, they both jerked back in surprise.

"Wha?" Harry said dumbly.

"Oh Harry, you keep a picture of me in your trunk." It was true; the picture that Colin Creevey had taken of her in his third year had been stuck in the lid of his trunk. He smiled, feeling himself blush as he looked into her eyes.

"This is surprising for you?" he asked.

"Well yeah, I mean when you and Cho…"

"Mmmm, yeah me and Cho were together, but I still had feelings for you. I just thought you liked Ron, so I sort of didn't try…"

"I did, but Ron had different feelings. He liked Parvati more and we had an argument, but we're okay now," Hermione added quickly, as she saw a questioning look creep onto his face.

"Umm, so could I see your room, H-H-Hermione?" Harry asked quite nervously.

"Er…sure," she answered, blushing. She went to hold his hand, but seemed to think better of it. Harry on the other hand wanted to hold hers, and reached out for it. Hermione, seeing this as an invite, met his hand in the air and led him past the living room, where Mr. and Mrs. Granger were lounging on the couch, watching some game show on television.

"Is Harry settled in, Dear?" came Mrs. Granger's voice as they passed.

"Er, yeah mum, I'm just showing Harry 'round the house okay?" she called back.

"Oh fine dear, just leave your door open a crack when he is in your room."

As Hermione walked up the stairs, her face was a deeper red then when mother had blurted out how Hermione had felt. Leading Harry up the stairs and down the hall, Harry saw two doors down the end, one was open and he could see a toilet, assuming this was the bathroom and the other was Hermione's room. Harry slowed her down and drew her into a hug. Hermione didn't argue about it, thoroughly enjoying the feeling. She pushed open her door and Harry, for the first time in his life, stepped foot into a girl's room.

It looked like a normal boy's room with a few things wrong. A stuffed doll was on the bed and a picture on her nightstand was framed in hearts.

Oh, and it was pink. Harry breathed. It wasn't so bad, in here really, I mean once you got over the pink. Over by the window was Hermione's owl, and curled up on her bed was Crookshanks.

"Hey Hermione, if you have an owl, why don't you bring it to school?" Harry asked. He had been wondering this for quite some time.

"Oh, well she's not allowed. Mum and Dad don't think I should drag her everywhere, and how would they get my Christmas presents to me?" Hermione answered.

"Oh, fair enough." Harry was now looking over at the photo frame on her beside table and found himself, looking into what he thought was a miniature mirror.

"What, you thought you're the only one to ask Colin for a picture?" Hermione asked teasingly over his shoulder.

"Wha?…Oh no, I just, never…I mean…"

"It's okay, Harry, besides, I get teased by Parvati and Lavender about it at school," Hermione said, not blushing this time. Harry realized it might have something to do with the fact that they were now together.

"Umm…I didn't think you would sleep with a stuffed doll, Hermione," Harry said trying to reach for a conversation.

She smiled cutely at Harry and said, "Well, no you wouldn't." She winked at him to let him know she wasn't cross and led him over to her bed. They sat there chatting for what seemed like ten minutes only being interrupted by Mrs. Granger bringing up tea, saying that on Sunday they never ate formally at the table, she left looking at Hermione and Harry with a certain twinkle in her eye. Harry assumed it was something mothers did when they approved of their daughter's boyfriends, but he wasn't sure. Just as they finished eating, Harry looked out of Hermione's window and was shocked to see Hedwig. Hermione opened the window for her and she flew over to Harry's lap. He untied the note around her leg and she hooted gratefully. The parchment was from Ron. He showed Hermione and they read it together:

Hey Harry, and Hermione

Harry, are you sure you want to come over to Headquarters? If you are, then cool. So Hermione, have you told him yet? We're dying to find out. Parvati and I hope so, you two...well, I won't say anymore just in case. Oh Harry, we have your Firebolt over here. Dumbledore sent it to us when we got our booklists. Have you got yours yet? We also got our O.W.L.s back and guess what! I got Es on everything, ha! How cool is that? Me and Parvati have the same booklists, so we might be in the same classes. Wouldn't that be cool, anyway see you guys soon!

Best, Ron and Parvati

"Of course they got the same book lists, their both in Gryffindor," Harry said after reading Rons' letter. Smiling, he looked over at Hermione.

"Umm Harry, in your N.E.W.T. years you don't share all your classes with all of your house, I mean, like what it's been like for the last five years…"

"Oh…does that mean we might not see each other much?" Harry asked sullenly, once this information had washed over him.

"I'm sure we will, I mean we both told McGonagall we want to be Aurors right?"

"Yeah…"

"Then we will most likely be in the same classes." As she told him this news, a smile formed over her face, but it just brought a horrible memory to Harry's mind. Looking crestfallen, Hermione asked what was wrong. He decided, that if they were to be an item, well he should be honest with her.

“Okay Hermione, I'll tell you, but not tonight. I'm so tired I could pretty much fall asleep right here.” As Harry said this, he noticed a flirty look in her eyes.

“Oh, what a shame that would be…” Hermione said, still with that flirty look in her eyes.

“Er…” Harry started.

“Oh boys are so thick! Can't you even guess at what I'm hinting at?”

“Umm, well I could take a shot, but I don't want to offend you,” Harry replied simply. He looked into her eyes, and then he told her what Dumbledore had told him in his office only a month ago.

“Oh, Harry,” Hermione gasped as he finished. “I never knew.”

“Yeah, well, what do you think?” Harry asked.

“Well you do know a lot of jinxes and curses, don't you?”

“Yeah, but our wands they, well, they share the same core, a feather from the same phoenix,” Harry answered. At this, Hermione was all out of suggestions. They sat up for most of the night talking about it. Hermione asked if anyone else knew. Harry told her that he wanted it kept a secret, just so no one would worry too much over him.

“Oh don't be silly Harry, we worry because we love you,” Hermione told him.

“You love me?”

“Well, yeah…” Hermione answered, quickly looking away so Harry couldn't see the blush rising to her cheeks. Harry got up and walked over to the door, but before he could leave, Hermione went over to him and kissed him goodnight and watched him walk down the stairs to where he was sleeping.

`She loves me…' Harry thought, as he climbed into bed. Great, another person who will die because of Voldemort unless Harry become a murderer. Harry lay there most of the night thinking and it was well past two o'clock before sleep overtook him.

Harry woke up around 10:30 in the morning. Glancing around his room, he had expected to see Number 4 Privet Drive, but slowly he realized that he was still at the Granger's. This filled him with some hope. At least he wasn't dreaming and wouldn't have to face Dudley's taunts until next summer. Harry got quickly changed into jeans and a T-shirt, and walked out of his room and into the Granger's dining room.

“Oh, good morning, Harry,” Mrs. Granger said, beaming at him.

“Good Morning,” Harry returned, feeling slightly wrong footed.

“I don't know what's taking that girl so long to come down for breakfast. You'd think she's never eaten with you before dear,” Mrs. Granger said, trying to make conversation about how fussy girls are. Harry could only smile weakly at this as he helped himself to some toast. As always, when Harry was facing something that he had very little control over, his appetite failed him. When he had finished his first piece of toast, Harry heard someone walking down the stairs. He automatically turned his head and he saw something that made his heart sore.

Hermione was standing at the doorway in a denim skirt and a tight yellow T-shirt, with her wavy brown hair tied back in a ponytail. Beaming at him, she sat down to eat a bit of toast.

“What have you two got planned for today?” Mrs. Granger asked Hermione.

“Oh, I don't know. I was thinking maybe the movies, what do you think Harry?”

“Oh…er…uh yeah…okay,” Harry replied, wondering how on earth he was going to pay for a movie ticket. He had mountains of wizard gold in Gringotts, but Galleons and Sickles didn't really do a lot in the muggle world. They left the table and went into Hermione's room.

“Umm Hermione, I don't exactly have any muggle money, how can we see a movie?”

“Oh, never mind Harry, I have some. But you'll just have to buy me a book when we go to Diagon Alley,” she added with a smile. Harry smiled back. When they went into Diagon Alley, they would almost be back at school, back with the rest of their friends. They would get to see Hagrid, and play Quidditch.

“Harry, are you okay? We're leaving now,” Hermione called to him, a questioning look on her face.

“Wha? Oh, yeah fine.” Harry got up and followed her out of the house. She reached for his hand and began to lead him around the muggle suburb she called home.

It was so much different to Little Winging, that Harry felt very dependent on Hermione. All of the neighbors were friendly and waved politely at them. The houses weren't cramped little boxes, but actually had room around the side to walk down comfortably. The cars weren't driven by impatient, overworked slobs, but nice and friendly faces. Harry felt like he was in heaven.

“What's wrong Harry? You'd think you had never lived with muggles, the way your acting,” Hermione said, breaking him out of his trance.

“Well, never with nice muggles. In Little Whinging, I'm the neighborhood delinquent.”

Hermione looked shocked at this news. Harry was quick to explain that his Aunt and Uncle had told the neighbors that he went to an institute for incurable criminal boys. Hearing this, she laughed, and led him into a muggle shopping center, where Harry assumed the movie cinema was located.

“Hey Granger, what are you doing with that skinny runt? You know you wanna be with a REAL man,” someone called out from Harry's left. Turning, he saw what looked like a skinnier, red-haired Dudley.

“Oh just stow it, why don't you,” Hermione called back.

“I'll stow it, when you go out with me,” the boy jeered back. Harry felt his face going red. He was getting angry by the minute and didn't care if he was expelled. `Hermione doesn't deserve to be treated like that.' Reaching for his pocket where he kept his wand, he planned on jinxing this poor little creaton back to last week.

“Harry, no. Hogwarts won't be any fun if you get expelled,” Hermione pleaded.

“Fine, no magic. I'll take him down with my fists,” Harry said, his voice rising.

“Harry, don't please, just walk away, come on,” Hermione's eyes were watering as she pleaded with Harry. They walked back across the street and into a playground. Harry, who was furious, was pacing around.

“If he comes back, you won't stop me.”

“Harry, please listen to me. He isn't worth your time. I'm sure we could think of something better to be doing then worrying about William Dunderking.”

“Like?” Harry asked, Hermione beckoned him lower and kissed him teasingly as she got up to run. They spent the next hour and a bit playing catch and kiss, both thoroughly enjoying the game too much to care about the time; too much to even care that they missed the first half of the movie. Stopping, so they could buy some lunch, Hermione realized that they missed the movie.

“Hey don't worry, Ill still buy you a book,” Harry said smiling.

“Oh, Harry,” Hermione replied.

As they were walking back to Hermione's house, they saw two postage owls flying in their direction. Hermione couldn't hide her enthusiasm as they ran towards her house, dreams of finding out their O.W.L.s (and Harry's permission from McGonagall saying he could play Quidditch) filling their heads as they ran up to the front door. Panting, they made their way up to Hermione's room where, sure enough, the two post owls were sitting there, waiting for the letters to be taken from them.

Hermione reached for both of them, before handing Harry his. When she opened hers, she let out a shriek of joy, “Harry, I got all Os! Oh Harry I'm going to be in all the classes I need!” Tears of joy were in her eyes as she said this.

“I'm glad Hermione,” Harry told her, looking down at his unopened letter. Realizing that it wasn't going to easier the later he left it, he unrolled the parchment:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

Last year you sat your O.W.L. (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) examination. Your marks are as follows:

-Defence against the Dark Arts: Outstanding

-Herbology: Exceeds Expectations

-Potions: Outstanding

-Divination: Acceptable

-Astrology: Acceptable

-History of Magic: Dreadful

-Charms: Exceeds Expectations

-Transfiguration: Exceeds Expectations

During your Career Advice meeting, you expressed interest in becoming an Auror and you have been accepted into the classes needed to start you in this career path.

Harry didn't bother with the rest of the letter. He and Hermione were both attending classes to become Aurors. Harry couldn't believe it. He was going to become an Auror. He had done it.

“Harry what marks did you get?” Hermione asked, though when she saw his smile she needn't have asked.

“Not as good as you, but good enough to get me into the classes that I need to be in,” Harry said with a grin wider than he had had all summer long. Hermione through her arms around him and kissed him. Both full of joy, they talked about their upcoming year at Hogwarts. As it turned out, Hermione seemed confident in Harry's abilities to be able to pass his N.E.W.T.'s in his subjects, but Harry wasn't to sure.

“I've already gone dreadful in History of Magic, and now I have to sit through Binns' class again,” Harry told her. He seemed desperate, hoping that Hermione would say that he could copy her notes.

“Oh Harry, that's only because you fell asleep during your exam,” Hermione reassured him.

Feeling a bit better about this, they compared booklists. Looking at his own, Harry noticed he had a divination book. They both had a laugh about it, wondering what Aurors needed divination for. Before long, they were called down to dinner. After eating a succulent steak dinner, Harry went off to bed.

Lying there, Harry thought of Ron. Harry might not have any classes with Ron at all this year.

`Oh don't be silly, I'll have at least one', Harry thought to himself. `No point in worrying until they got their schedules…' Harry slowly drifted off to sleep.

Harry looked around; he was standing on the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch.

“Hey Scarhead, we going to play or what?” someone from above called to him. Looking up, he saw Malfoy's leering face as he sped around the pitch in a search for the Golden Snitch.

Glancing before him, he saw his Firebolt lying on the ground next to him. “Up!” he called to it, before it quickly rose to his hand. Harry mounted it and took off. As he rose however, he felt himself getting colder. Turning his head from side to side, he found hundreds of Dementors closing in on him. “EXPECTO PATRONUM!” Harry yelled, but to no avail. The Dementors continued to close in.

Harry was getting desperate. Scared, Harry tried to fly away from them, but his broom refused to move. Suddenly, he noticed the ground rushing towards him.

As he fell rapidly, the Dementors kept coming closer. “HARRY!” Hermione cried from somewhere beyond the Dementors. Just as he hit the ground, a Dementor closed on him. Harry tried to fight, but it slowly lowered its hood and Harry saw its face: pale and white with slits for nostrils and red snake like eyes.

“Voldemort…” Harry gasped, as Voldemort withdrew his wand.

“AVADA KADAVRA!” Harry saw a green light coming towards him, and just as he felt it hit him…Harry woke up with a start. Sweating profusely, he felt someone else in the room.

“Harry, are you alright?” Hermione asked him concernedly, handing him his glasses.

“Er…umm yeah I guess, just a nightmare,” Harry answered, putting on his glasses. Looking up, he saw Hermione sitting near him, eyes full of love.

“Are you sure?” Hermione asked, not wanting to leave him.

“Just a bad dream Hermione, it's okay I'm fine,” Harry told her reassuringly. She lent over and kissed him on the check and went to the door, but when she turned back, she saw him crying. Rushing over, she pulled him into a tight embrace.

“I'm going to stay in here tonight, okay Harry?”

“Yeah, thanks Hermione,” Harry answered, wiping away his tears. She spent the night by his side as Harry, not wanting to return to the horrible dream, stayed awake. Hermione tried to do the same, but after an hour of nearly dozing off, Harry offered her his bed.

“Oh no, Harry, I couldn't!”

“Please, you look tired. Just sleep, I promise everything will be all right in the morning,” Harry reassured her.

The morning came, and to their immense relief, her parents didn't fly off the handle. They said that they had suspected this would happen and that they hoped nothing too serious

had actually happened.

“Oh no, Mum, Harry just had a nightmare about Lord V-Voldemort,” Hermione told her.

“Who's Lord Voldemort, darling?”

“He, well, he murdered my parents when I was a year old…” Harry told her sullenly.

Thankfully, Mrs. Granger didn't push the subject.

* * *

The next few weeks were a mixture of emotions for Harry. On the one hand, he was having one of the best summers with the girl of his dreams, and knowing that he was being helped to become an Auror by Hogwarts was overwhelming. On the other hand, Harry was dreading going to Number 12 Grimmald Place. As the summer wore on, Harry and Hermione couldn't help notice strange things were transpiring. Most muggles seemed not to be aware of it, but they both knew that the second Wizarding War was spilling over into the Muggle World. New reports did do their best to explain it in terms that wouldn't throw the muggles into a frenzy. It made Harry and Hermione anxious to see the Order of the Phoenix, and see if their friends were alright. One night, as Harry and Hermione talked of the Philosopher's Stone, Harry thought of a question he had never asked any of his friends.

“Hermione, do you think that if Voldemort hadn't tried to kill me, we would still be together?”

“Oh, Harry…I, umm…well, Harry I believe in destiny. So I think we are meant to be together that none of this was chance,” Hermione told him.

“How long have you thought this way?” Harry asked her, enthralled by this topic.

“Oh well since the Department of Mysteries…” Hermione said, before realizing what it might unearth in Harry. He quickly looked away as his thoughts quickly jumped to Sirius and his death.

“Harry, it wasn't your fault,” Hermione tried, but Harry wouldn't hear any of it.

“I think I might go to bed, I mean, I'm pretty worn out.”

“Oh…okay then, Harry,” Hermione said, sounding a bit disappointed in herself.

Harry left without saying goodnight and climbed down the stairs to his room. It was his fault Sirius had died, no matter what anyone else said. Harry had played the hero, and had gambled with everyone's lives because of it. The trip to Grimmald Place was getting closer and closer and this fact didn't help Harry at all. Hermione tried to get his mind off it when she saw that he was in vain. She tried to be supportive, and it seemed to help as Harry revealed to Hermione his ever-increasing fear of losing the ones he loved to Lord Voldemort.

“Oh, Harry, don't think like that. Ron and I, we'll always be here for you,” Hermione said, fighting back tears. A rare smile crossed Harry's face.

“Thanks, Hermione,” Harry said, as he drew her into a hug. “It means a lot,” Harry whispered into her ear.

* * *

The night before they were leaving for Grimmald Place, Harry was sitting on the end of his bed, head in his hands. His thoughts, jumbled up and confused, were pounding in his head. `Sirius,' he thought, `I just want to speak to you again, I just want to say goodbye and that I'm sorry….' Harry felt his hot tears roll down his face. He didn't care about being strong at the moment, he just wanted a family that cared about him, but Harry could never have that. Voldemort made sure of it. `Voldemort, how could he be so cruel?' Harry wondered `What made him this way?' Before he could stew on these thoughts, he realized Hermione was standing at the doorway. She was crying. Harry could understand why, `She had just seen me, the boy she loved, the boy she thought to be strong, break down and cry' Harry thought bitterly. He raised his head, so he could look into her eyes.

“Why do I always have to be the strong one?” He asked, maybe a bit too harshly.

“Harry, I would never treat you like that, I just wanted to say that I loved you…” she answered, her voice wavering, as though she was about to scream and cry at the same time.

“I…I'm sorry, Hermione. I…I just don't know what to do anymore,” Harry said gloomily.

Without warning, Hermione ran over to his side and hugged him, not a happy one, but a loving one, nevertheless. They fell asleep in each other's arms; most likely still crying well after sleep had claimed them. Harry woke the next morning feeling, if possible, more miserable with the guilt of causing Hermione pain, as well.

Imagine what she was going through, seeing her boyfriend slip into a deep depression no matter what she tried. Harry made a silent vow that no matter what, he would never treat her like this again. Although, with the prospect of walking into Number 12 Grimmald Place looming over him like a vulture, Harry wasn't sure how long he could uphold that vow.