Angel Of Mercy

Angel Of Mercy--Chapter 2

"Hermione?" Harry asked, surprised. This was not the Hermione he knew from Hogwarts. The Hermione he knew was a stuffy, rule-abiding, prim and proper book-worm. The Hermione in front of him was dressed in almost the same manner as Melody, except her jeans were blue and her T-shirt read 'I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it!'

"Hey, Harry," replied Hermione. Melody looked from one to the other.

"Sorry for not believing you, Herms," said Melody, looking a little sheepish. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I told you I knew him! Did you believe me?" she said. "No!"

"I said I was sorry!" said Melody, looking sheepish. Hermione laughed.

"It's okay, I forgive you," said Hermione. Harry looked extremely confused.

"Wait a sec. You two know each other?" he asked. The two girls nodded in unison.

"Yeah, since we were pretty little. She's my best friend's cousin. When she came to America during one of her summer vacations, we hit it off famously," replied Melody. Hermione nodded in agreement. Harry still needed some clarification.

"Okay, I get that. But what about you knowing who I am before even meeting me?" he asked. Melody and Hermione rolled their eyes in unison.

"You're Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived. Who wouldn't know who you are?" said Melody.

"You're a witch, aren't you?" he asked, the information finally clicking.

"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! What does the young man win?" said Melody, like a cheesy game show host would. Hermione got into the act and continued.

"He wins a fun-filled summer with his cousin and best friend!" she exclaimed. Harry was extremely puzzled. This definitely was not the Hermione he knew. The two girls laughed at his expression.

"Okay, who are you and what the hell have you done with Hermione?" he asked. Melody and Hermione stopped laughing.

"Oh, I'm still Hermione. I just learned to loosen up, is all," replied Hermione. "Before Mellie came last summer, I was still the boring bookworm you know. But she showed me how to have fun!"

"Yeah, you really needed to loosen up. You were way too uptight!" said Melody.

"She's not as bad as Percy," said Harry.

"Who?" asked Melody. Harry explained.

"Our friend, Ron has a brother named Percy. He's way more uptight than Hermione ever was and ever will be," he said. Melody nodded in understanding, and the atmosphere was bordering on uncomfortable. Hermione decided to lighten up the mood.

"Hey, do you guys want to come inside? My mum was really happy that you were moving to England, Mellie," said Hermione. Melody and Harry nodded, and the three teenagers went inside the quaint little house. Mrs. Granger came straight out of the kitchen and greeted Harry and Melody.

"Melody, it's so good to see you again. Will you be going to Hogwart this year?" she asked. Melody nodded. "And this must be Harry!"

"Hello, Mrs. Granger," said Harry. He had met her before, but it was only briefly in Flourish and Blott's just before second year.

"Oh, please, call me Anne. 'Mione's said a lot about you. Think you're the cat's meow!" said Mrs. Granger. Hermione turned red when she said this.

"Mum!" she exclaimed. Mrs. Granger left the room, and Hermione went back to normal.

"Hey, look on the bright side. At least she didn't bring out the baby pictures!" said Melody.

"Good point," said Hermione. "Want to go outside?" Harry and Melody nodded. They went to the backyard to sit and catch up. Hermione was telling Melody about the troll incident back in first year.

"Yeah, I was really scared, but Ron and Harry came and saved me. It was really Ron's fault that I was in the bathroom moping. He said, and I quote: 'She's a nightmare, honestly. No wonder she hasn't got any friends!'" said Hermione. "He was an insensitive prat back then. Still can be, if you ask me."

"Oh, he's not that bad. Later that year, he sacrificed himself so you and I could go on and get the Philosopher's Stone," said Harry. He clarified the situation to Melody. "We thought our Potions professor was trying to steal the Stone, and went to investigate. Turns out it was our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

"So, what does your mother do?" Hermione asked Melody.

mione "She was an Auror for the American Ministry, but got relocated out here to help with the fight against You-Know-Who," she replied. Harry was slightly surprised.

"Your mum's a witch, too?" he asked.

"Yup. She's a Muggle-born and attended the Salem Witches Institute in Salem, Mass. I went there, too, until this year," Melody replied. "That was one of the reasons for Granny's and Grandfather Victor's divorce. He had much the same attitude towards magic as Aunt Marge and Uncle Vernon do. And we have to live with that magic-hating asshole!"

"Hey, at least you get to move out in a couple of weeks," said Harry. "I'm stuck there all summer!"

"I might be able to arrange something," said Melody. "I'm only moving up the street from you. The old Figg place, I think."

"Oh," said Harry. Arabella Figg, Harry's cat-obsessed neighbor had gone insane during the previous school year, when she was tortured for information by one of the Death Eaters. She now resided at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies.

"Yeah, my mum and I were asked to move into that house by Dumbledore to help maintain the wards around Privet Drive," Melody was saying. After seeing the look on Harry's face, she stopped. Hermione, once again, broke the slightly uncomfortable silence.

"So, what kinds of work do you think we'll have during sixth year?" she asked.

"Do you ever stop thinking about schoolwork?" asked Harry.

"Nope," she said. The three teens decided to discuss matters of Hogwarts. They talked about different professors and students, going into detail for Melody's sake. They did a little of Malfoy bashing, which is always fun. When Melody and Harry left to return to the Dursley's, she was definitely looking forward to the next year.