Harry Potter and the American

Chapter Two: Back to School

Harry woke up very early on the morning before he and Hermione would leave for Hogwarts. He was very psyched about going back to school. Hermione woke up shortly after him and peeked into his room to see if he was awake.

"Are you as excited as I am?" she asked.

"Probably. Seeing how I am up so early," Harry replied with a smart look on his face.

"I can't wait to go back to Hogwarts!" said Hermione. "I miss the school so much."

"You're a Prefect, aren't you?!" Harry asked her. She nodded. "You could get us away with stuff, couldn't you?"

"Yes, I could," Harry smiled at her. "But, that would be breaking school rules. Oh, shut up Harry. You look like you are about to cry."

"I just want some alone time with you, that's all (sniff sniff)," Harry told her.

"Haven't you ever heard of the common room late at night?" she asked. "It's empty."

"That could work."

They smiled at each other before sharing there first kiss of that day. Hermione looked at Harry and smiled while saying, "Oh! I'll be right back! I wanted to show you what I wrote about you in my diary at the beach."

She left and came back with the little green book. She handed it to him and left the room. Harry sat down on his bed so he could read the diary. How he enjoyed reading this. She let him read it often. It was easier than telling him how she felt.

Dear Diary,

We finally got to the beach for our vacation. We went swimming in the ocean today. The funniest thing happened to Harry today! He was playing in the waves when one of the waves took his shorts right down! That teaches him for not tying the drawstring tight enough. Well I got to go to bed! Harry and I are going to the beach alone tomorrow!

Harry remembered that day very well. They went to one of the public beaches and it was half empty. Mr. and Mrs. Granger went on the boardwalk and Harry and Hermione went for a walk on the beach. When they started to swim again, Harry wasn't doing too well. He had enough trouble swimming in calm water, let alone in waves. Apparently, Hermione thought he was "playing" in the waves when he was actually trying to swim. A really big wave came behind his back when he was standing in the water talking to Hermione. The wave hit is shorts and pull them down to his ankles. And the bad thing was, he was facing Hermione. Of course, she giggled. He felt his face get red as he pulled his shorts back up. 'Good thing there was nobody at that particular part of the beach!' thought Harry.

He went over to Hermione's room and gave her a funny look. "What?" she asked.

"Oh nothing," Harry replied. "Thanks for reminding me about my pants falling down!" Harry smiled.

"Oh yeah! I forgot about it. That was really cute, though," she said with a smile.

"Cute!" Harry said really shocked. She had called him cute.

"Yep!"

He walked out of her room and went to his room acting mad. He sat on his bed and watched the door. In walked Hermione. She was about to cry.

"Why did you leave?" she asked as tears formed in her eyes.

He smiled at her and she looked shocked. "Harry! That was so cruel!" she cried.

"Well, you called me cute!" he said while pointing at himself. "How do you think that made me feel?"

"I didn't mean it like that Harry!" she replied. "I meant the moment was cute, not that. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." he said. "I just wanted to play a joke on you."

She looked mad. "Oh, Hermione. I didn't mean it to be mean." He walked over to her and held her in his arms.

"Next time I will specify exactly what is cute," she told him.

"Thanks." he said in return. "I thought you meant what you saw was cute."

She laughed and the two kissed again. 'Now I know I'm in love,' he thought to himself. Later that night, after dinner, Harry got everything packed up. He looked around the room and he knew he was going to miss this house and his room. He hoped that Hermione had him stay with them next summer. After he finished packing he went over to Hermione's room. She didn't pack yet and she was writing in her diary.

"Are you going to let me read that while we're at school?" he asked her.

"I'll tell you what," she replied. "I have another diary that I have never written in. I will only write stuff about you in that. You can read that."

"Ok," he answered. "What are you writing about?"

"Just about the little trick you played on me today."

"Oh," he replied. "Sorry bout that. Need help packing?"

"Sure," she said as she looked up from her diary. "How about you start packing my clothes while I finish up my writing."

"Ok," He started to pack her clothes for her the same way he packs his: pants on the bottom, next shirts, and then underwear and socks. He chuckled when he got to her underwear.

"What is so funny?" she asked him.

"Nice panties," he replied with a smile.

"Shut up," she said as she finished writing and helped him pack the stuff that was left.

"What? No thongs?" Harry asked with another smile.

"Shut up."

"Now I know a good Christmas present for you."

"Shut UP!"

After packing, Harry said goodnight and went to his room to go to bed. He couldn't sleep. He just kept thinking about Hogwarts and Hermione. He finally fell to sleep for what felt like two minutes. He woke up to Hermione's smiling face.

"Good morning, sunshine," she said with a chuckle looking at his face. "Breakfast is downstairs. Hurry up and get dressed. I let you sleep in for a little."

"Mmmphh...ok," he replied. He was very tired. Harry got dressed and went downstairs. It was 8:00. They didn't have a long drive. Usually he was up very early because it was a long drive from the Burrow. He sat down at the table and ate his eggs and bacon. He couldn't eat anything else. He wasn't really that hungry.

By 9:00, both of their trunks were packed into Mr. Granger's car and they were on their way. When they got to King's Cross Hermione said goodbye to her parents and Harry said, "Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Granger. I had a great time."

"You're welcome anytime at our house. You were no trouble at all," Mr. Granger replied. "Thanks for coming."

Harry smiled at them and then turned with Hermione to go to through the barrier. They each took a deep breath and ran through the barrier. There it was: the Hogwarts Express. He was finally going back. He and Hermione got onto the train and found their usual compartment. Ron and Ginny were already there. When Harry and Hermione entered, Ron said, "Finally. Hermione, we have to go to that Prefects meeting. Lets go. Hi Harry!"

"Hey Ron!" he answered.

"I'll be right back Harry," Hermione said to Harry.

They left and Harry was alone with Ginny. She turned to him and asked, "How are you?"

"Fine," he answered.

"How is Hermione?"

"She's fine also, thanks for asking," he answered again. "How are you? I haven't talked to you in I don't know how long."

"I'm pretty good," she replied. "I can't wait till we get there. I miss Hogwarts."

"Me too."

Ron and Hermione got back to the compartment and Hermione sat beside Harry and smiled. He put his hand on her hand and Ron saw them.

"Awwww! So cute!" he said in a mocking voice.

"Shut up!" Harry and Hermione shouted at him. Ginny laughed.

The food cart came around and Harry bought a lot of stuff to share with them. He gave a lot of it to Hermione and told her if was a thank you for the summer.

After they finished eating, they sat and talked. Hermione fell asleep on Harry's shoulder and, once again, Ron made an "Awwww." noise. Once they got to Hogsmeade Harry woke Hermione up and they got out of the train.

"Firs' years! Over here!" they heard Hagrid yell.

'It's great to be back' Harry thought. He had missed Hogwarts so much. They boarded the carriages. Harry remembered that it was only last year when he realized that they were being pulled by something. They were being pulled by Thestrals. People can only see them if they saw someone die. They got up to the school and sat down and the Gryffindor table. Hermione sat beside him and Ron said across from them beside Neville Longbottom. Harry looked ahead and saw the Sorting Hat sitting on a stool. He heard a noise and looked over to the door and saw that Professor McGonagall had arrived with the first year students. Everyone turned back to the Sorting Hat which had begun its song.

"...And so the story's told

And it comes now to an end

Students that sit here, brave and bold

Be Quiet! The Sorting is about to begin!"

Everybody in the Great Hall clapped loudly after the hat finished its song. They looked over to the worried looking first years and saw them moving forward to the hat. The first kid came forward (Alabaster, Kevin!) and the Sorting began.

The Gryffindors clapped as (Beauregard, James) was called to Gryffindor. After the long sorting, (ending as Ziegler, Alice was called to Hufflepuff) Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, stood up and said, "I have only a few words to say before the feast and they are 'Zippidee Do Da, Zippidee Ay!'" Everyone in the room cheered loudly as their feast appeared on the table. Harry helped himself to turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, and chocolate pudding. After he was sure he could eat nothing more, he and his friends talked. After a while, the food plates cleared and Dumbledore stood up again. Everyone went silent. He gave them a list of rules and then sent them to the dormitories.

Ron and Hermione stood up and yelled, "Gryffindors! Follow us!" They led them up to the common room and said to the portrait of the fat lady "Wizengamot" loud enough for everyone to hear them. When in the common room, Ron showed the boys where their dormitories were and Hermione did the same with the girls. Harry waited in the common room for Hermione so he could say goodnight.

She came down the steps and Harry hugged her. "Goodnight. Love you!," he said to her. He leaned in and kissed her and she said to him "Goodnight. I love you too!"

Harry went up the staircase and into his dormitory. He put on his pajamas and talked to Ron.

"So, how's Hermione?" asked Ron.

"She's fine," Harry answered.

"How far did you get with her?" Ron asked Harry with a smile.

"We kiss and that is about it," replied Harry.

"Did you see her...er...naked?" Harry shook his head no. "Did she see you?"

Harry nodded. "Only once and it was an accident. We were at the beach and a wave pulled down my swimming trunks." Ron laughed.

"So she saw you but you didn't see her!" Ron exclaimed. "That sucks, now doesn't it?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

He laid down on the bed and drew the curtains shut. He was happy that he was finally back to Hogwarts. He drifted into a heavy sleep...