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RETURN

CHAPTER TWO-LONDON

SUNDAY

Sunday came and we all eagerly climbed into the van and Mr. Weasley drove us into London. We were all talking happily En Route. Ginny was excited about getting some new clothes.

Ron apologized again and I forgave him naturally.

I caught Harry watching me every few moments. I could feel myself blushing and have to turn away to look out the window. We arrived at London about 2 hours later.

Everyone was dressed in Muggle clothing. Although Mr. Weasley looked perfectly Muggle from the waist up, dressed in a polo shirt with a logo stitched on it, he had on pajama bottoms. Evidently, no one had told Mr. Weasley the difference between daywear and nightwear.

I had on a navy skirt and a light blue poplin shirt. My hair was fluffed around my shoulders.

Harry was dressed in jeans and a black shirt

Ron was also dressed in jeans and a white tee shirt and Ginny was dressed in dark blue pants and a red shirt.

We pulled up in front of Radicals, a famous chain of clothing stores. It was also in the US as well. As we all piled out, Ginny leaned close to me.

"Why don't you try on some new stuff?" she suggested to me.

"I don't think so," I said, smiling.

"Why not? It might motivate someone," Ginny said, quirking her head towards Harry, who was in deep conversation with Ron. I looked at them, then at Ginny.

"Yeah. Good idea," I grinned.

We entered the store and had to squint our eyes because the lights were ridiculously bright. We noticed, though, that there were racks and racks of clothing for men, women, boys and girls, so we all would be able to browse for clothes and not have to go from store to store in order to find stuff for the lot of us.

"Okay. Ginny you and Hermione go find what you're looking for. We'll wait by the dressing rooms so we can see how you look," Mr. Weasley said, smiling.

Ron looked thunderstruck.

"I'd better not see anything," he said.

"Don't worry. No one would want you to," I joked, linking arms with Ginny as we walked over to the woman's section.

I heard Harry laughing behind me.

Ginny found her outfit. She tried it on and stepped out to model it for the guys.

Mr. Weasley clapped.

"Perfect! Let's see what Hermione found,"

Ginny found a cute little outfit for me. It consisted of a red plaid skirt, which came slightly above the knees, and a white shirt with a V-collar that was plain, but fit my body snugly, showing off my figure. I reluctantly stepped out and clasped my hands behind my back.

Ginny found me a cute little outfit. It was a skirt, which came above my knees. It was a red plaid skirt. The shirt was white with a V collar, but it fit my body snugly, showing off my figure. I reluctantly stepped out and clasped my hands behind my back.

Ron's jaw dropped. Harry slumped sideways into Ron. Mr. Weasley was smiling. I didn't expect Harry to have the reaction he did. Ron? Maybe. After all, he was oblivious to solid objects most of the time.

"What a cute outfit!" M. Weasley said.

Harry looked like he had been hit with a stunning spell. He looked like he was drooling onto Ron's shirt.

"Hey mate! I don't need watering!" Ron said, disgustedly as he pushed Harry off of him.

Harry only fell sideways the other way off the bench. Ginny burst out laughing. That seemed to have snapped Harry out of the stupor. Harry quickly collected himself and sat back down on the bench beside Ron.

Ron was still looking at him strangely.

"Okay, girls. Why don't you change and then pay for the outfits?" Mr. Weasley said.

Suddenly, I realized I had left my wallet behind.

Harry jumped to his feet.

"I'll buy it for you," he said, quickly.

"I can't let you do that," I said.

"Really, Hermione. I'd love to do this for you," Harry insisted.

We stared at each other for a moment before I agreed.

I turned and headed back into the dressing room. I changed back into my street clothes and then left the room with the new outfit hanging over my arm. Ginny was at the cash register already paying for hers.

I stood behind her. Harry was standing beside me.

"So, you like the new outfit?" I asked him casually.

"Absolutely. It looks great on you," Harry replied.

I smiled and felt my heart fluttering. I noticed it did that whenever Harry was around me.

Once we were all paid for, we left the store. Ginny was eagerly whispering to me about how I knocked Harry off his feet...literally.

We giggled as we climbed into the van.

This time, I was sitting with Harry alone in the back bench seat. Ron and Ginny were sitting in front of us in the middle seats.

"You really look incredible in that outfit," Harry said looking at me. I decided to have some fun with him.

"Just in the outfit?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No!" he said, automatically.

"Relax. I'm just fooling. Thanks, Harry," I said, grinning.

He grinned back. You couldn't help but grin whenever he grinned. It was catching.

Suddenly, Mr. Weasley lost control of the car. Ginny and I screamed. The van fishtailed, and then Mr. Weasley struggled to gain control of the van, and then, spun 180 degrees. I screamed again when the side of the van slammed into a pole. From the force, I was thrown onto my back on the floor. Harry landed on top of me. I was thrown into Harry. Ginny was thrown into Ron. Harry quickly wrapped his arms around me.

"Is everyone alright?" Mr. Weasley called worriedly from the front.

"Yes!" Harry and I said in unison.

"Ginny? Ron?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Fine!" they called back.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked me, concerned.

"Yeah. You?" I asked.

I saw a trickle of blood streaking down Harry's temple.

"You're hurt!" I cried.

"Who's hurt?" Mr. Weasley called.

"Harry!" I cried.

"You told me you were okay!" Mr. Weasley scolded lightly.

Harry had a gash on his temple. It must've been when the car spun 180 degrees I thought. His head must've hit the window. Sure enough, there were small spider web cracks on the window.

"It's just a gash. I'm okay," Harry said, firmly.

"All the same. We're taking you to the hospital," Mr. Weasley said.

Harry got up off me. He looked pale and shaken. He acted okay though. Normally. I slid back onto the seat, but I was still concerned about Harry.

"Dad, how are we getting to St. Mungo's?" Ginny asked.

"We're not going to St. Mungo's. We're taking him to a Muggle hospital," Mr. Weasley said.

"Are you alright?" a woman asked, suddenly appearing at the driver's side door.

"We need an ambulance. One of the young men hit his head on the window," Mr. Weasley said.

The woman nodded and pulled out a cell phone and she began dialing.

I looked at Harry and I was biting my bottom lip nervously.

"I'm fine. Don't worry," he said, reassuringly.

At the Muggle hospital, he was checked over by the doctors and declared okay after a few tests. They said he just had a mild concussion and was ordered to rest for a few days. Ginny asked her father why we didn't bring him to St. Mungo's, since she was a little skeptical about how advanced Muggle medicine was. "Because Harry needed help right away...how would we get him there right there smack in the middle of all the Muggles? Fly? That would really terrify them," Mr. Weasley responded.

The van had a huge dent where the sliding door was and the glass was shattered. We could still smell the burning rubber from when the van fishtailed. Mr. Weasley had called a Muggle taxi to take us home.

I had excused myself after dinner and headed upstairs to Ginny's room. I was curled up on the extra cot reading. I had let my hair down.

Shortly, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I called.

I looked up. It was Harry.

"Hi," I said, as I closed the book and sat up. "How do you feel?"

"Hi," he said, softly. "A little better."

He closed the door behind him and sat down across from me on Ginny's bed. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his thighs. He clasped his hands and his emerald green eyes were locked on me.

"I really had hoped you would come," he said, gently.

I smiled. "I know...you told me earlier,"

He shook his head. "No. I had hoped you really would come,"

I looked at him bewildered. "What are you trying to say?"

Harry took a deep breath.

"I need to talk to you," he said, slowly.

"Okay, what about?" I asked, sitting cross-legged on the cot.

"Us,"

I tilted my head. "Us? What about us?" I asked

"Something's changed...I mean, I feel differently," Harry said, quietly.

I must have still looked bewildered because Harry chuckled.

"What I'm trying to say, Hermione...is...." His voice trailed off as the door suddenly burst open and Ginny appeared.

"Guys! Fred's gone and given himself girl parts!" Ginny said, but then realization formed on her face and she broke into a grin.

"Excuse me," she said, grinning as she bowed as she backed out, closing the door.

"Oh boy! That must be a sight!" I laughed, Harry joining me.

"What were you saying?" I asked.

Harry stopped laughing and his expression turned serious again.

"I'm in love with you," he replied.

My breath caught in my throat. My heart was pounding in my chest. I put a hand over my heart.

"Harry..." I began but he cut me off.

"I understand if you don't feel the same way or if you're in love with Ron. I just wanted you to know how I felt. I've felt this way since our first year, I just wasn't able to tell you until now," he said.

"Harry..." I started again, but he continued.

"If you don't feel the same way, can we still be friends? I don't want to lose you..."

To silence him, I reached over, grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer so that I could kiss him. I kissed him softly and gently. He kissed me back the same way. We parted and he sat back, totally surprised. I could still taste his lips on mine.

"Shut up for a moment, will you please?" I said, grinning. "I'm in love with you too. I always have been. I am not in love with Ron. I was too scared to tell you as well."

Relief flooded over his face.

"Whew," he said, exhaling loudly. "I was afraid of making a fool of myself."

"Not at all," I smiled.

He smiled back.

He put a hand on the side of my face and stroked my cheekbone with his thumb.

He kissed me softly and gently again and I kissed him back just as softly and gently.

After we parted, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. Our chins were resting on each other's shoulders.

"I love you so much," he whispered in my ear.

"I love you too," I whispered back, pressing my face into his neck.

We just held each other for a while.

After we released each other, he left the room and stated that he was going to bed. I climbed into bed myself, grinning.

Ginny entered the room shortly grinning goofily as she climbed into bed

"So?" she asked, excitedly. "What did you guys talk about?"

"He told me that he was in love with me," I said.

"Ah ha! I knew it! I was right, eh?" Ginny cried.

"Yes, you were," I said, laughing.

"So, have you decided when you're going to do it?" Ginny asked, bubbly.

"Do what?" I asked.

Ginny wiggled her eyebrows.

"Aw geeze, Ginny!" I moaned laughing. "Of course not. We just found out we even liked each other!"

I grabbed my pillow and smacked Ginny right in the face with it and she fell off her bed backward. She grabbed her pillow and smacked me up the back of my head. Feathers were flying around and sticking in our hair. The door opened and Ron and Harry stood there, watching us amusedly.

Ginny saw them and tossed her other pillow at Ron. Ron caught it and then lunged for Ginny, smacking her in the back with it. She landed face down on her bed. I playfully threw my second pillow at Harry. He caught it and pretty soon, the four us had indulged into one heck of a pillow fight. We were laughing and having a good time. The entire room was covered with feathers. We were stopped a few moments later when Mrs. Weasley had caught us. Fred had apparently lost his 'girl' parts was obvious as he passed by the room.

"Harry! You just suffered a concussion! You should not be out of bed!" Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"Mum! Did you pluck a chicken? What's with all the feathers?" Fred asked, scanning the room.

"Talk to these four," Mrs. Weasley said, nodding toward us, who were still covered with feathers.

"Get some sleep you four. I'll get you some new pillows," Mrs. Weasley said, shaking her head. She looked stern, but there was a smile forming on her face.

She waved her wand and the feathers disappeared. She waved her wand again and four fresh new pillows appeared. Ginny and I took our pillows..

"Good night, Ron, Harry," Ginny said, still giggling.

"Night, Gin," Ron said. "Hermione."

"Night," I replied.

"Night," Harry replied as he winked at me before heading out of the room. "I think I passed gas!"

Still grinning to myself as the lights went out, I curled up under the covers and fell into a peaceful sleep.

The next day, we went to Diagon Alley for some extra school supplies. We went by Floo powder. Mr. Weasley said that he'd give the Muggle transportation a rest for now.

I got some extra quills and parchment. Harry and Ron immediately headed for Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ginny and I waited at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor after we were done getting our supplies.

Harry and Ron appeared shortly with tee shirts that read THE FIREBOLT-THE ONLY BROOM TO RIDE in blue letters. I shook my head but smiled.

Mr. Weasley had to pick up some things for Mrs. Weasley in Flourish and Blotts.

Once we were finished, we headed back to the Burrow.

We all packed and got ready to board the train tomorrow. I packed my robe, books, quills and parchment, along with my textbooks.

I was excited, but nervous about starting a New Year. Luckily, all of our friends would be there as well....and we had to look forward to Professor Snape's lessons. Although the Professor was well-versed in the art of making potions, I did have to admit that at times, Snape could be unreasonable...maybe most of the time. I knew I would really enjoyed this years classes. I had Aritmancy still, along with Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Astronomy. Astronomy was really what I was looking forward to again.

I had no idea that things would definitely turn.