Sometimes It Takes a Dream to Wake You Up

9. Gang's all here

"Good morning, Harry. Sleep alright?" Mrs. Figg was coming in the front door as Harry descended the stairs in jeans and a black t-shirt.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered, unconsciously rubbing his bruised bum.

"You'll be happy to know that the Dursleyshave gone and we can go over there as soon as you and Hermione gather your things."

"But Ron and Ginny aren't here yet."

"Well, I'm afraid I can't stand another hour in this house the way it is. The Mists are just too overwhelming. I have arranged to have Ron and your Ginny flooed directly to the Dursleys."

Harry almost protested the "your Ginny" but just smiled. He very much liked the sound of it.

Harry nodded, "I heard Hermione in the bathroom. I'll go let her know the change in plans and bring my suitcase down. It's already packed."

Harry turned and went back up the stairs. He literally ran into Hermione as she was coming out of the bathroom in her dressing gown. She looked very uncomfortable as he tried to steady her with his hands on her shoulders.

"Alright there, Hermione? Sorry, didn't mean to knock into you like that."

"Yes, I'm fine." She shrugged his hands off as gently as she could.

"Mrs. Figg says we're leaving for the Dursley'sas soon as we can, and Ron and Ginny will floo directly there."

"OK, I'll be down in a few."

She had avoided his eyes for the whole brief exchange but he could tell how uncomfortable she was and that she'd had little sleep.

'Probably just nervous about seeing Ron again.'

Harry deposited his suitcase on the front porch and thought about asking Hermione if she needed help with her trunk. He felt a bit guilty that he hadn't helped with it last night but she'd left the table so quickly he hadn't thought to offer. As it turned out, Hermione had not bothered to carry the whole trunk upstairs, she'd just grabbed what she needed and left the rest where the trunk had landed on arrival. Without asking Harry dragged her trunk out on to the porch next to his luggage. It was a very warm day but Harry decided to sit outside on top of his case and wait for his companions. Hermione poked her head out of the door with a look of relief when she spotted her trunk. She was wearing a white blouse with a plaid skirt which hid her improved form a little more than yesterday's dress. She proceeded to put her night clothes and toiletries into the trunk and then sat down on top of it. She had a look of intense concentration on her face that Harry was very familiar with, to which he smiled. She seemed to be struggling with wanting to say something.

"Something wrong, Hermione?"

"Harry, I -" but Mrs. Figg walked out of the house with a small bag over her shoulder.

"Ready all?"

Harry and Hermione nodded in unison. Hermione seemed both relieved and irritated at the interruption. Mrs. Figg looked out across the front yard where two of her "cats" had appeared on either side. She nodded at them and they dipped their heads in response. She gave a quick look around before drawing her wand and silently waving it in the direction of Harry's suitcase and Hermione's trunk.

"There. I'm afraid I don't have a car so we'll have to walk. Shouldn't weigh too much now." Mrs. Figg began to walk towards the street.

Harry gave his suit case a tug and it only weighed a few pounds. He gave it over to Hermione and took up her trunk which weighed just a little more but was much bulkier. They followed Mrs. Figg.

"Where's your backpack? Why didn't you use it?" Harry asked Hermione.

"I did. I mean, I am. It's in the trunk, all my books are in it you see."

"Ah, of course. Had to be a very logical reason," he smiled.

She smiled back but then wiped it quickly from her face. Harry started to wonder if he'd done something wrong. She was almost acting as if she were angry with him. As they walked, Harry spotted the two "cats" he'd seen before keeping pace with them, one about fifty yards in front and one an equal distance to the rear. It was a hot day and even with the luggage magically lightened, they began to tire quickly. All three were panting when they eventually stopped in front of the Dursley'shouse.

Mrs. Figg looked around again checking with her "cats" and giving a quick look herself before she pulled out her wand and waved it at the house. She then held out her free hand, palm up and pointed her wand there. A six inch crystal cube appeared in her hand with a miniature rendering of the Dursley's house inside, lawn and all.

"What's that for?" Harry asked.

"This is an exact copy of the house as it is right now down to the last speck of dust and blade of grass. I will be making some modifications to the house so that you will all be more comfortable saying here and there is always the possibility that something may get broken by accident or otherwise. With another wave of the wand I can use this copy to make sure everything goes back to exactly the way the Dursleysleft it."

"Cool!"

Mrs. Figg smiled, "But you still have to live there Harry, so no wanton destruction just for destruction's sake."

"How do you do that, Mrs. Figg?" Hermione nodded at the cube.

"Do what dear?"

"Magic without an incantation. You didn't use one when you lightened the luggage either."

"Oh, that. Well the use of an incantation is really just a technique to get one's mind properly focused. Surely you've seen Albus do magic without using incantations?"

"Yes, or a wand for that matter."

"Well, that's a little trickier. Getting your mind properly focused just takes a little practice. Focusing the actual magic without a wand takes quite a lot more. Latin is used around here as it is a dead language that no one actually uses for conversation. Therefore your mind has to think a bit harder about what the words actually mean than if you were to use your native tongue. You didn't really think Latin predated magic did you?"

"I suppose a wizard could have invented Latin," Hermione thought aloud.

"And eastern wizards? The Chinese? The Japanese? Do you think they use Latin?" Mrs. Figg countered.

"I suppose I never really thought about it at all," she answered with the shame only she would feel of having to admit of not having thought on a subject.

"It's a nice crutch to learn with initially, but I think it's a handicap eventually. Especially when dueling. You're actually telling your opponent your intentions. How foolish is that?"

To emphasize the point she banished the crystal cube wordlessly back to her house or at least that's where Harry assumed it went. Hermione was looking very unhappy with this new information. Mrs. Figg had just said that incantations were a crutch which was another word for cheat in Hermione's mind. This meant if Hermione was using them and she was, she was cheating. Unacceptable.

They walked up to the front door and Mrs. Figg again silently waved her wand. Hermione scowled as the door unlocked and opened.

Mrs. Figg looked over with an arched eyebrow and smiled at the younger witch. "Hocus Pocus?" she offered after the fact.

"Hmph," an exasperated Hermione pushed into the house and set her trunk down with an almost imperceptible stomp of her foot.

Harry was trying hard to bite back a laugh at Mrs. Figg's smirk. She had a talent Malfoywould kill for that was for sure. He followed her inside and he dropped Hermione's trunk next to his suitcase. Mrs. Figg walked off leaving Harry and Hermione alone in the foyer.

"You're just encouraging her, getting upset like that," Harry spoke through the side of his mouth.

"I know. She really knows how to get you where you live though," Hermione whispered back.

Remembering the way Mrs. Figg had baited him on Ginny, "She does that."

There was an uncomfortable silence until Harry decided to break it, "Why are you angry with me Hermione?"

"What?! I'm not -"

But Mrs. Figg interrupted yet again, "There now. All cleaned up."

Harry was confused in that the older lady didn't look any cleaner but then he noticed the view down the hall was very different than it used to be. He walked slowly down the short hall taking in the change. The great room was much greater than it used to be, about twice the size in fact. The dozens of Dudley photos were gone. The items of furniture had doubled in quantity and tripled in comfort. It reminded Harry a little of the Gryffindor common room. The fireplace had been unblocked for Ron and Ginny to arrive in a few hours. There was plenty of space for them to do so and it was well covered by pillows and blankets. There was also a large sofa and a coffee table in front so there would be a comfortable place to sit and wait for Ron and Ginny. She'd done a job on the kitchen and upstairs as well. The kitchen was also doubled in size and well stocked with muggleand wizard foodstuffs alike. The upstairs had been completely transfigured from three relatively tiny bedrooms into two huge bedrooms of equal size both with their own bath. One room had a slight touch of lace to and one could assume that it was meant for the girls. Only two large poster beds per room were evident however.

"Shouldn't there be five beds Mrs. Figg?"

"No, Harry. I won't be staying here. Once the cauldron fires are doused, the Mists at my house should be gone very quickly and it will be my pleasant little house again."

"You're going to leave us here alone?" Hermione sounded a little frightened by this.

"I'll leave once Ron and Ginny arrive safely and I'll be checking in from time to time. I'll also be keeping an eye on you by means of a few spells and my kneazles of course. You stay in your tower at school unchaperoned. Do you really want an old Slytherin woman who loves to tease Gryffindors hanging about constantly for two weeks?"

Hermione calmed on learning that she would not be left alone with Harry for the next several hours. She knew she needed to talk to him but the thought of hurting his feelings and then keeping him company did not seem a very pleasant prospect. She spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon chatting with Mrs. Figg and avoiding being alone with Harry. She had lost all nerve to even attempt to try and talk to him about his feelings for her. And Ron was coming, her stomach fluttered with every chime of the grandfather clock in the foyer.

Finally, the clock struck four and as Mrs. Figg began to complain yet again about missing tea, the fire in fireplace blossomed in size and turned green. It was much larger than the flame had been at Mrs. Figg's. If it had not been a magical fire it would have scorched the ceiling. A trunk flew out with terrific velocity just missing Harry's head and imbedding itself in the wall behind him.

"Yeeeeahhh!"Ron flew out of the opening and overshot the pillows and cushions, landing hard on the carpeted floor almost banging his head into the coffee table.

"Ow! Damn bloody floo!"

"Ron, please! Language."

Hermione was having trouble maintaining her angry pose. As Ron brushed himself off and stood to his full height, it was evident that he had grown remarkably in the couple months since King's Cross. The loose, gauzy shirt he wore did not hide the muscles playing beneath. As he batted at the soot on his clothes, his chest and arms flexed, and with each muscle tremor, Hermione's stomach did a flip-flop. She licked her lips as she studied his face, his mouth was grimacing at the moment and his blue eyes were flashing with anger but his passion was much of what she loved about him. He was gorgeous when he was angry and pretty much the rest of the time too.

"Honestly Hermione, I almost broke my bloody neck. I think I'm entitled-"

Ron's anger faded instantly as he looked up and saw her. Her hands were on her hips in a pose that might have reminded him of his mum except for the fact that she was most definitely not his mum. The tanned skin of her face accentuated her eyes in such a way that they seemed to glow just slightly. The look of indignation on her face was the one he loved so much. It was the reason he always provoked her. Her moist lips pursed just so and so inviting.

'God help me. She's just so damn perfect.'

They continued to stare at each other in silence as Harry and Mrs. Figg shared a look and a mutual smirk. Then Harry cleared his throat and the other two teens jumped. Hermione suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be mad at Ron, not drooling over him. She looked away and then folded her arms in front of her which accentuated her cleavage a bit more causing Ron to finally notice that particular development. His mouth fell open as Hermione went to sit in one of the overstuffed chairs on the other side of the room.

"So when's Ginny coming, Ron?" Harry asked not bothering to hide his amusement.

"She spilled some pumpkin juice on her clothes, had to go change. She should be here in a few minutes." Ron answered while trying to not be obvious about constantly looking at Hermione. He wasn't very good at subtle.

"Well, let's move these cushions and maybe give her a better landing than you had. And get your trunk out of the wall. I guess they really sped the floo up for you two. Hermione didn't fly half that far."

They repositioned the cushions and then went to work getting Ron's trunk out of the wall. It took some doing and as they finally wrested it free from the plaster of the wall, the fire again blossomed green and a second trunk shot out. It hit the same part of the wall Ron's had and actually went all the way through to the room beyond this time. It was a very good thing that Mrs. Figg would be able to restore the house to its original condition. Seconds later, Ginny flew out, tumbling end over end in the air and overshooting the repositioned cushions due mostly to the fact that she weighed much less than Ron. Fortunately, she sailed over the coffee table and landed on the sofa.

Harry and Ron rushed over to help her up. She swayed drunkenly and was obviously very dizzy and disoriented as she stood up. As she stepped off the sofa and onto the coffee table, Harry marveled at her beauty. They were probably the same height now though it was difficult to tell exactly with her standing on the piece of furniture. She had not filled out as dramatically as Hermione had, but in Harry's eyes her slender build just made her all the more angelic. Her face, though slightly green at the moment, was so beautiful Harry was finding it difficult to breathe properly. He boldly grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"You'll be alright in a minute, Ginny," Harry reassured her.

Ginny, still very disoriented, did not realize she was standing on the coffee table. When she looked down to see Harry's smiling face staring up at her, almost a foot lower than hers, she fainted dead away.

*

Ginny came to in the girl's bedroom with a concerned Mrs. Figg and Hermione hovering over her. Harry and Ron had been shooed from the room as soon after they had laid her down.

"What happened?" Ginny asked.

"You fainted after you flooed in." Hermione sat on the bed beside her.

"I did?"

"It's a good thing Ron and Harry were right there or you might have really hurt yourself falling off that table."

"I was on a table?"

"Yes, you landed on the sofa coming out of the floo. You were very much out of it and you stepped onto the coffee table from the sofa. Harry said something to you and then you fainted into his arms."

"Oh, no!" Ginny's hand covered her mouth as she finally remembered. "I had a dream last night that he was much shorter than me and it was awful. When I looked down at him, it was like I was living the dream. Then everything went black. He's not shorter than me then?"

"You're about the same height I'd say," Hermione answered carefully.

"He must think I'm such a ... such a ... such a little girl. Everything's ruined now. We were getting on in our letters so well. I knew I was going to mess this up," Ginny started to tear up.

"Ginny, we haven't been introduced but I'm Mrs. Figg. As far as the boys know, you fainted from that horrible flooarrival and not from some silly dream. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. I'm going to go update Harry and Ron that everything's alright with you and then I'm going to go home and have some tea, better late than never."

"Thank you, ma'am," Ginny managed a smile for the older witch.

"Good bye, Mrs. Figg." Hermione continued after the door closed, "She's right, Ginny. You shouldn't be upset by this. I realize it's been a little embarrassing but let's just forget about it and go back downstairs."

"No, I don't think I can face him right now. I'll just stay up here and I'm sure I'll be better in the morning. You go on down."

"Actually, staying up here doesn't sound like too terrible an idea. We'll have to deal with those two for two whole weeks. No sense overdoing it."

"Still mad at Ron, hmm?"

"You know about that do you?"

"He hasn't exactly been low key about the whole thing at home."

"Ron isn't low key about anything," Hermione frowned.

"That's my brother," Ginny finally laughed a little.

Hermione decided to change the subject, "So you and Harry have been writing a lot?"

"Some. It's been wonderful. In the letters, he actually seems to like me. I mean really like me, flirting and everything. But now, I guess I'm back to being Ron's silly little sister who can't help fainting into the arms of the great Harry Potter."

"It'll be fine, Ginny," Hermione patted Ginny's hand. 'Harry wouldn't lead Ginny on, would he? But he really seems to like me. What's going on with him?'