Waking From Intellect

Chapter One: Catching Up

Hermione stepped out of the fireplace, brushing her hair out of her eyes. She scanned the room until her eyes fell upon the two people she had missed the most over the summer. "Harry! Ron! The owls just can't match seeing you!"

What a difference a few months could make! She'd gotten taller, but so had they - Ron towered over her, but Harry was still relatively short.

"Hey, I just got here too. If you stop a second you'll notice something really weird: it's actually quiet. Ron here was just about to explain why." Harry said, walking over and helping Hermione with her bags. "He was just waiting for you to get here so he wouldn't have to explain it twice."

Ron grabbed a piece of fruit and sat at the table. "You two take a seat, and have some food. Mum left enough lunch for the entire family, but it's just us three that have to eat it all."

Hermione took a seat and gave both boys a smile. It was like she'd been missing something all summer and now had it back. It was almost as if her friends were a part of her somehow, and being together was the only way they could be truly fulfilled - but only in friendship.

She wouldn't date Harry even if the filthy tabloids thought she already was, and she wouldn't date Ron even though he clearly wanted to. She just hoped he'd gotten over his jealous stage. And right now she wasn't interested in anyone in particular - she and Viktor Krum had realized a long distance romance wouldn't work that well, but still owled each other frequently. Having tasted what it was like to be dating someone, she had decided to perhaps go out a bit while at Hogwarts. Nothing serious, of course, just someone to hold hands with at Quidditch games or slip love letters to in between classes. But no matter what she decided to do, Hermione was clear of one thing, that Ron had better keep his nose out of it. She just had to find a way to make it clear while they were still at the Burrow.

Ron took a swig of pumpkin juice while Harry took a seat. "Thing is, everyone wanted to be here to greet you two, but then Bill and Charlie both had to work. Then Ginny found out that some singer is going to be in town today, and begged Mum and Dad to take her." He rolled his eyes. "Mum wasn't going to, 'cause she wanted to be here, not at some stupid girl singing, but Ginny can be persistent. It was a real battle for Ginny to decide which celebrity to see," he said, giving what Hermione thought was a sly -well, sly for Ron- look towards Harry. "Guess you're losing your touch. Oh, and once Percy found out, he decided not to take off work and give us some time to catch up. Can't say I miss the git."

Harry leaned forward. "And the twins?"

"Oh, yeah, they're out playing Quidditch with Lee and Oliver somewhere-they wanted us to come too, but you didn't get here early enough."

Harry smiled at Hermione and Ron. "Well, it is great to see you two again. My," Hermione noticed that his face wore a grimace, "so-called family," Ah, she realized, that's it, "has been awful. As always. They're getting better I guess, but they still told all the neighbors I attend a correctional institution. I did finally figure out a way to get out of the house though. Something you'd be proud of Hermione. I volunteered at the local library."

Ron gave him a look of disgusted disbelief. "Ugh, Harry! It isn't enough that we have all this wretched summer reading, but you go and spend your time with more books. You're getting as bad as Hermione!"

She glared at Ron. "Maybe he's just discovered the value of reading, something you could stand to do if you want to pass this year. I, for one, have finished all of the required and supplemental books I own, and have only been waiting for our trip to Diagon Alley to finish. I've been reading other worthwhile books in my spare time though, and I'm sure Harry has been too, at the library."

"Sorry Hermione- only book I've been into is 'Quidditch Through the Ages'."

"You're both hopeless!" Hermione said, shaking her head in disapproval. "Is Quidditch all you two think about?" There was no use trying to change them, she knew from experience. She really did wish they'd try to get ahead sometimes. Helping them with their homework was one thing, but when the OWLs and NEWTs came, they'd be totally on their own.

Ron looked at her like she was mad. "What's with you? There's more to life than books and quills you know. You're the best witch in our class and you're still worried about SCHOOLWORK?"

Hermione just glared at him for a few seconds, annoyed, before speaking. "I'm trying to build a future for myself. Unlike you, I wasn't born into the wizarding world and after four years at Hogwarts, I still don't know what I'm doing. If I want to succeed, I have to try! My parents may be encouraging but there's nothing they can do to help me-they're as Muggle as it comes." She bit her lip and looked over at Harry for support, only to find that he was examining the tablecloth. Her eyes were glistening, betraying her emotion more than her words had, but her face had a passive mask. Refusing to give Ron the satisfaction of seeing her lose her composure, Hermione rose from the table, grabbed at her bags, and pulled them after her up the stairs to Ginny's room.

Once she was out of sight but not out of hearing, the boys started talking. "What is her problem?" Ron said, sounding confused and shocked. She could hear Harry answer him back, but couldn't make out the words. She didn't care though, and hurried on, throwing her things in the corner of Ginny's room and pulling out a book to help herself calm down.

Ron could make her so mad sometimes! He and Harry were such...such BOYS. She looked down at the book she'd blindly grabbed and laughed hollowly. It was a Muggle book that an old friend had recommended. The Invisible Man. Not the science fiction one, no, but the one about race and identity, the one they made Muggle students read in classes. She started reading, going only about five pages before there was a hesitant knock at the door.

"Hermione? Come back down, would you? Ron and I are sorry about upsetting you- and we still need to hear about your trip to Bulgaria, remember?" Harry sounded slightly anxious, and Hermione, though still annoyed, decided to give the boys another chance. She cracked the door open.

"Why didn't Ron come up himself?"

Harry smiled crookedly. "Because I'm making him clean up as punishment for ruining the enchanting vibe we had going. Besides, a domestic Ron is as funny as a Snitch catching a Seeker."

"I don't know what's wrong with me Harry, but I guess I should probably apologize too. After all, he's Ron: I know he never wants to study." The two went back to the kitchen, where they were greeted by a thoroughly contrite Ron and a thoroughly clean kitchen.

"Er, sorry Hermione. I - well, lets just have a game of chess, while you tell us about your visit to precious Vicky in Bulgaria."

"Alright. But only if I get to play for once- you can critique my moves." Ron really was nervous, Hermione realized, surprised that she could have that affect on him. Her moods might be going mad lately, but she didn't have to upset the other two- and she probably ought to reassure the other two that they weren't going to have to compete with Viktor for her time. She told them everything about her trip, from visiting famous sites to kissing Viktor (Hermione realized that it probably wasn't the wisest thing to say, especially as Ron's face started turning a color to match his hair) to how they had decided- both decided- that even if it was nice, it oughtn't be permanent. The boys were most interested in the professional Quidditch game she'd seen- Bulgaria v. Japan- and wanted to know full details on the Bulgarian team, and who she'd met.

Harry and Ron told their stories too, but they just couldn't compare to hers in unusualness. Harry's story was pretty much as it always was - horrible relatives, boredom, and housecleaning- while Ron's was filled with the pranking exploits of his siblings. Apparently, the twins were still experimenting with charms and tricks- turning Percy completely blue and making Ginny's ears and nose grow had been the highlight so far. Percy and Ginny had apparently gotten fed up with being "testers" though, as they struck back with their own prank.

"Really?" Harry laughed, looking impressed. "Perfect Percy pulled a practical joke! Are you serious Ron?"

"Yeah, I thought I imagining things when I found out," Ron said, shaking his head, "but most of the time he's still a stuffy git. It was Ginny's idea though. What they did was Ginny distracted the twins before breakfast one morning, walking down to the kitchen with them. Once they were gone, Percy got into their room, stole a few pieces of candy they had laying out-stupid of them really- and apparated into the kitchen. He waited till Ginny came down, gave her the stuff, then apparated back to the stairs so he walk down and make sure the twins didn't go into the kitchen. Ginny snuck the stuff into their eggs, and halfway through breakfast they turned blue and their tongues started growing. Seems Percy nicked some of the stuff they'd used on him, and a new batch of their ton-tongue taffy. They were furious - it was great to see, I thought they were going to kill each other, because they each thought the other'd done it and that it had backfired. Mum was furious too, until she realized who'd done it- then she said 'it was only a matter of time' before the consequences of their actions caught up with them. I swear, that woman lets Percy get away with anything." Ron looked rather disgusted at that.

"Well, at least you got a good laugh, right?" Harry said.

Hermione didn't respond though-- Percy had always been a bit of a role model for her, and she could never see him doing anything like that, even if it was to help Ginny. The three chatted on though, teasing each other. Apparently, Ginny still had a crush on Harry but was actually exchanging a lot of owls with Neville and Colin. Ron was a bit surprised at his sister, but Hermione just remembered all the conversations she and Ginny had had the year before at school. Hermione thought it was funny that Ginny came to her for ideas on dating, but did her best to help the girl. She knew that the younger girl's relationships with those two were purely platonic-Neville liked her, but Ginny just wanted to stay friends, and Colin and she had never been anything more than regular friends. Both knew about her crush on Harry, but unlike Hermione, weren't willing to help Ginny.

"Well, Harry, Ron, who do you two like? A certain Miss Chang still figuring in your future, Harry?" Hermione teased, enjoying the light mood, very glad that she had decided to make amends. She was surprised to see Harry's face cloud over.

"Oh, quit that Hermione. She was with Cedric, remember?"

"Oh right...I-I'm sorry Harry. It-It slipped my mind somehow." She felt terrible. Absolutely wretched. She had forgotten Cho dated Cedric - and that would bring up memories Harry didn't need.

Harry looked odd, both sad and angry. "I can never forget. Don't worry Hermione. I haven't gone a day all summer without going back to that day and replaying it in my head, working out all the things I could have done to save him, to keep Voldemort-"

"Don't say that, Harry! And besides, there's nothing you could have done!"

"Sorry Ron, but if you keep avoiding his name you give him power. But I can't change things, and Cedric's dead. So I go on with my life, trying to stay normal."

All three looked at each other, silently. There was nothing more to say right now. Just a quiet room, with memories of the past and worry for the future filling the air. They were so distracted that they didn't even notice the footsteps coming downstairs until Percy Weasley appeared in the door.

"Hello Harry, Hermione. Good of you to come visit. Am I interrupting something?" He said with a quizzical look. Hermione realized they must have looked odd, snapping up startled as he came into view. He looked, not annoyed or pompous, but warm and friendly for once. It was a nice change, Hermione thought absently.

She answered him before Ron or Harry could. "N-no. Of course not. Harry's just demolishing me at chess, that's all."