Christmas with Muggles

"Hurry up you slobs! You should have packed last night!" yelled Hermione impatiently. She was standing at the bottom of the stairs to the boys' dormitory and looking up agitatedly. Harry Potter sighed and brushed his thick black hair out of his eyes. Although she was one of his best friends and he loved her, Hermione could be slightly overbearing at times. Then his face brightened. This would be the first Christmas he had spent away from Hogwarts with his friends. Mrs. Weasley had invited him as well as Hermione to come and spend Christmas with the Weasley family.

Ronald Weasley was haphazardly throwing clothes into his slightly battered trunk. His owl Pigwidgeon was flying overhead making erratic movements. Pig would swoop down on Ron then pull out of the dive and attempt to drag a crumpled shirt out of Ron's trunk making it nearly impossible for Ron to pack. Ron was grinning. He couldn't wait to leave Hogwarts for two weeks. As much as he liked the building he wasn't too fond of the classes that were mandatory if you wanted to live there. Plus, a whole two weeks with his two best friends! They would be able to spend time alone, away from the rest of the school and he might be able to convince Hermione to tell him whom Ginny was dating at the moment. His sister hadn't told him and it was driving him insane. He wanted to tell the scum that was going out with Ginny what would happen if he tried to do anything with her or if he broke her heart. Ron's threats to give a person a beating were no longer empty. He had grown to 6'2", his shoulders had broadened and he had impressive biceps, forearms and abdominals from being the Keeper and Captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team.

Hermione stomped her foot in frustration then decided yelling was not going to make the boys move any faster and went to check that she had packed her entire book collection. She was slightly nervous about this holiday. Although she had spent many of her summers with Harry and Ron she was worried about them coming to her house. Molly had invited the trio to spend Christmas at the Burrow, but Hermione's parents had wanted her to come home and bring her friends with her. They had told her that she wouldn't be able to visit the Burrow anymore unless they met Ron and Harry. It wasn't that they didn't trust her, they told Hermione, it was just that at the age of sixteen hormones could sometimes make her do things she normally wouldn't do. As if. Hermione snorted derisively. Fall in love with Harry or Ron; it would be like falling in love with a brother. She had talked the idea of going to her house over with her friends and they had agreed to it. Arthur Weasley, after hearing of his son's holiday plans, had given Ron a camera and told him to take a picture of anything Mugglish. Ron had agreed somewhat reluctantly. He, after all, didn't think that Muggles could be that interesting. He'd rather take pictures of Hermione, and Harry of course.

The boys thundered down the stairs into the common room carrying their relatively light trunks. After all, how much stuff did a guy need? Ron nudged Harry and asked, "Could you imagine Hermione without her books?" Harry tried to picture it and gave it up. It was impossible!

Hermione turned around and smiled when she saw the two boys. "Come on now, let's not be late," she said briskly.

"Hermione," Ron moaned, "the train doesn't leave for forty-five minutes."

"If we want to get a compartment to ourselves then we'd better leave now." Harry nodded his agreement and picked up his trunk. Ron, attempting to be a gentleman, picked up Hermione's bags and tried not to groan at the weight.

"What have you got in here, Hermione?"

"Nothing much, I have clothes at home, just a few books for a bit of studying and light reading."

Harry laughed outright at this. He knew how 'light' Hermione's books were, even the ones she used for her 'light' reading. With a final moan Ron heaved the bags off the ground and the threesome headed down to the Hogwarts Express.