Don't Act Like You Know Me

Year 3 - Moonlight

There was one thing Hermione wanted to note about the summer before her third year. She had gotten taller! She only hoped that Ron and Harry hadn't gotten taller as well so she wouldn't have to be the short one anymore. She imagined what Draco looked like. He had only written her a couple times, considerably less than last summer. She thought frequently about how Draco sort of saved her last year. He caught that cauldron with his bare hands just so it wouldn't take more months to unpetrify her.

"We're here!" Mr. Granger said as their family car approached The Burrow, the Weasley family home. This year Hermione was going to Diagon Alley with Ron and his family to avoid another run in with her Slytherin Prince's father, as her parents were still rather shaken up by last year's incident. Hermione's mother handed her her Gringotts bank key. "Get some galleons and sickles for Hogsmeade this year." Hermione took the key. Ron was waiting outside the front door for her.

"Bye, dad," Hermione said as she got out of the car and removed her trunk from the back.

"Hermione," Ron smiled. He embraced her in a hug.

"Bye, jellybean. Hey," Mr. Granger signaled Ron. Hermione grew red with embarrassment. "No funny business, alright?"

"Yes sir," Ron said. Mr. Granger winked at Hermione before driving off. "Come inside. Everyone can't wait to see you." Ron led Hermione into the house. It was charming. It looked like a place that someone would call Home Sweet Home. 

"Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley chirped from the kitchen. "How wonderful to see you again, dear!" Mrs. Weasley wrapped Hermione into a hug. She smelled of snickerdoodle cookies. "Would you like a cookie?" Mrs. Weasley asked, presenting a tray full of cookies. Yep, Hermione thought.

"Sure, thank you," Hermione took a cookie off of the tray. They were warm, but not too much so. 

"Nice to see you back, Hermione," Mr. Weasley said.

"Mr. Weasley," Hermione nodded.

"Ah, our favorite buck-toothed Gryffindor is here, Fred!" George said, coming down the stairs. He wrapped her in a hug. A strange scent was lingering on his clothes.

"Still developing that joke shop, I see?" Hermione asked.

"You know it," Fred said as he followed George down the stairs and gave Hermione his hug.

"Percy's upstairs reading or studying or doing whatever he does, but he gives his greetings," George said. Hermione smiled and nodded. Suddenly, Ginny hopped onto the landing. Her eyes lit up when she spotted Hermione.

"Hermione!" Ginny squealed. She ran down the stairs and jumped into Hermione's arms. Ginny had aged a little, but she was still young and excited.

"Hi, Ginny!" Hermione laughed. "It's so good to be back."

"We'll head off to Diagon Alley in a bit, I just have to clean myself up first," Mrs. Weasley said.

"No rush." Hermione sat down on the couch with Ron. "So, anything new?"

"Nope, nothing much," Ron said while stuffing his mouth full of snickerdoodle cookies. Ron was taller. Hermione's dream of not being the shortest one didn't come true, but it was okay. Ron's ginger hair was deeper colored and less kept. Hermione figured that his mother didn't brush his hair every morning anymore. His voice was a tad deeper, but in that stage where it was prone to voice cracks. It seemed as if his nose had gotten bigger, but his face was the same. The one thing that hadn't changed about him was his stupid Weasley grin.

"Same here. I think I'm going to get a pet this year in Diagon Alley this year, though."

"Cool, which one?"