All's Well in Good Old, Muggle-Style Summer Camp.

Chapter 3

Harry woke up. Why did he have to? He was having such a good dream. He sat up and put his glasses on. Ron was getting dressed. Harry decided to as well. Once they were down in the cafeteria, Ginny looked anxious. They sat down next to Hermione, who had saved them seats. Dumbledore smiled at his audience.

"Today I have a special announcement. Terry Boot has requested to have a party in the meadow tonight. Anyone who wishes to go may attend. His band (Dumbledore chuckled) will be playing." With that, he sat down and began to eat his breakfast.

"Well, well, well, Ron, your very first muggle-style concert." Hermione giggled to herself.

"Mine, too," Harry reminded her. They ate their breakfast of French toast and eggs in silence. Until Ron broke it.

"Ginny, do you really like Terry Boot?" he pressed the matter.

Ginny blushed that neon shade of magenta once again. "Well," she began. "I-I...Why do you care?" Ron picked at his food. He didn't answer.

"So," Harry changed the subject. "Are all of you guys going to the party?"

"I suppose so," said Hermione.

Harry could see Draco Malfoy, from the other side of the room, asking a girl (Harry could not make out who) to go with him to the party. Harry's stomach seemed to be a bottomless pit.

Their classes seemed to speed by, with the exception of swimming, which, much like potions, seemed to take forever.

Eventually they got to lunch, were Seamus Finnigan proudly announced that he was attending the party with Lavender, who blushed and laughed shrilly.

"So," said Luna. "It looks like everyone's going with some one." Her expression continued not to change, though her radish earrings did seem to grow redder. "Ron, would you like to go with me?" Ron's face grew redder than Harry had ever seen it before.

"Okay," he pronounced, vainly trying to keep down a grin. Hermione sniffed. She seemed suddenly interested in food rather than talking.

After lunch they had a break. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Ginny walked around outside together. Ginny looked over at her eye's usual target. She smiled. "Um...I think I'm just gonna ask him something..." her voice trailed off ask she departed.

Ron and Luna kept exchanging quick smiles. They stopped under an oak tree. "Harry," said Hermione, though her eyes were on Ron and Luna. "Would you like to go with me?" Ron came out of his trance.

"What?!"

"Um, yeah, I would," Harry blushed. He had wanted to ask her, but her asking him was just as good; even if she didn't seem to be talking to him.

More from the look on Ron's face than Harry's response, she replied: "that's good." She grinned and linked her arm with Harry's. Ron's frown deepened.

At dinner Ron and Hermione were not talking to each-other. It made Harry feel used. He got the impression that Hermione was only going to the party with him because she wanted to make Ron feel jealous. 'You think?' said a nasty, sarcastic voice in his head, 'she obviously doesn't like you!' Harry sighed. The voice was right. Hermione didn't like him. After dinner they would be going down to the meadow for the party, so everyone was hurrying to finish their food. When the trio was done, they went down to the meadow. Music was playing from Terry and his group of Ravenclaws. They were, for now, dubbed "The Weird Brothers" because all of them were obsessed with the Weird Sisters, and apparently not very creative at making up band names. Ginny was sitting down on a fold-out chair, staring at Terry, who was grinning back at her. Hermione walked over to her.

"So, did he agree to go with you?" she whispered.

"Yes!" Ginny sighed dreamily. "Isn't he amazing?" her eyes fluttered. "Who are you going with?" Ginny wondered.

"Harry," Hermione answered, a pink tinge appearing on her face. "Ron got really mad at me!" she giggled.

"And he's going with Luna, right?"

"Yup."

Harry, Ron and Luna made their way over. They had lots of fun, and the meadow was steadily growing more and more crowded. Harry and Hermione were talking, when Hermione's eye caught Ron and Luna slow dancing. Her nostrils flared dangerously. Harry knew that was not a good sign. She raised her voice until she was almost shouting, so that it was loud enough for Ron to hear. "Yes, Harry! I feel delighted to be here with someone as handsome as you!" She eyed Ron suspiciously, to see if he was looking. She kept going in her booming, dramatic voice. "You were my first choice to attend the party with!" Ron's face shot up a small bit, and Luna broke apart, wondering why the air was suddenly so tense. When Hermione saw that Ron was watching, she thrust her face toward Harry, kissing him quite dramatically. Though Harry knew this kiss was completely a fake, it was still he and Hermione's first one, so he still appreciated it. Ron gaped.

"Oh, come one Hermione, are you really that low?" he spat. "Admit it; you're just jealous because I'm going with Luna!" Hermione was wearing a poisonous face as she stormed over to Ron, looking murderous. "Seriously, you obviously wanted to go with me!" he yelled conceitedly; and when Hermione was close enough, he forced her face to his, in an unmistakably kiss. For what seemed like an hour, everyone in the meadow stared, agape. The music had stopped playing. Even Draco had stopped what he was doing to look at what was going on. Harry almost fainted, but this really only lasted about a half-second, because almost as soon as Ron's lips had touched Hermione's, she pushed him away. She looked at Ron as though he were the most disgusting thing she'd ever seen; and for a second she looked like she'd cry. "RONALD WEASLEY, I HATE YOU!" she screamed ferociously and then-

SMACK! She slapped him clear across the face and stormed of to the girl's dorm, covering her face in embarrassment. "Hermione, wait!" Harry called after her. Luna started dancing again with a bewildered Ron, the music started up again, and everyone around seemed to not care about what just happened. The babble rang out again as Harry followed Hermione into the Girl's cabin.

She was sitting down on her bed, drying her eyes. "Hermione...what happened...I mean...you-Ron...kiss..." Harry was lost for words.

"Oh, Harry, go away. This is the Girls' dorm"

"No," he said firmly. "Not until you tell me what happened."

"I guess I was just trying to annoy him. Oh, I hate him so much!"

"I always thought you were in love with him or something." That was the wrong thing to say.

"Me? Love HIM?!" she was livid. "I have NEVER even liked him! HE was the one who liked ME!" she pounded her pillow angrily. "I was just trying to make him jealous because....oh, Harry, I guess I just felt replaced because he and Luna are all together. He was the only boy who ever really liked me."

"That's not true!" Harry blurted blindly.

"What do you mean?" Hermione looked into his eyes.

"Well, I mean," he was suddenly very interested in his foot. "I like you," he said shyly.

Hermione's tear-stricken face smiled a small, touched smile. "Don't flatter me, Harry. I'm not as nearly cool or pretty as Cho," but the smile still didn't go away.

"No, Cho doesn't like me. You remember how she stormed out of that dating place on me like that. She probably still hates me. Besides, she's not the one I wanted to go to the party with, or else I would have asked her."

Hermione's smile widened. "Who did you want to go with?"

Harry blushed and smiled sheepishly. "You."

Hermione got up and hugged Harry. "Oh, Harry, I like you too!" Then she kissed him, making it impossible for Harry not to beam the biggest grin ever.

"What do you say we go back to the party?" Harry suggested. "I'll probably get yelled at if I'm found in the Girls' dorm." Hermione smiled and nodded, and, holding hands, they made their way back to the meadow.

* * * * * * *

* * * * * * * *

Harry and Hermione sat next to each-other at breakfast the next day, Ron and Luna doing the same. Ron seemed utterly terrified of Hermione. "Oh, no!" cried Harry, reading a notice that had been handed out. "We're having our first hiking trip of the summer tomorrow!" he groaned.

"What?" Ron said angrily. "Oh, man! I was hoping they'd forget about the hiking trip stuff! Besides, Flitwick of all people is doing the hiking trips. How is someone that short supposed to hike?"

"Beats me," she Hermione (Ron flinched at the sound of her voice). "Maybe being small comes in handy or something." After they had breakfast, Botany was their first period. They were learning all about herbs and spices. Professor Sprout was just telling them about what meals rosemary goes well with, when McGonagall rang a large bell, indicating that it was time to switch periods. Next they had swimming with Snape (and the Slytherins), who was giving them a test on how well they could doggie-paddle. Harry was pleased to see that Draco kept sinking. Eventually dinner came, and after that, as they walked sleepily to their cabins, dreading the hiking trip tomorrow, Hermione gave Harry a good-night kiss, with a whisper of "Good-night, Harry."

"Good-night, Hermione," Harry replied, and then, he entered his cabin, flopped down on his bed, and fell asleep.

To be continued....!! (Again)