After getting dressed, Hermione was acting very shy. In a matter of hours, she felt as if her life had been changed. From lacking the courage to even confess to Harry, she had now done the 'deed'.
"Harry…" whispered Hermione.
Harry had a smile on his face as he sat very close to her. He put his arm around her, pulling her further close to his chest.
"I love you, Mione," said Harry.
Hermione flustered, even though she had already confessed, but eventually replied, "I love you too, Harry."
"I will try and send letters through post to you. Can I not call you?" Asked Hermione with trepidation. The prospect of not meeting or talking to Harry for two months was gnawing at her from inside. She had just gotten the love of her life and now the prospect that she could not even talk to him during the next two months was a terrible thing.
Harry smiled, "Do not worry, Hermione. This year things will be different. I will come and meet you. You can spend as much time as you want with me."
Hermione's face lit up in joy but then instantly dimmed, "But how will you come? Will it be okay?"
Harry smiled, "Do not worry, I have a solution this year."
Though Hermione remained confused, she did not question further.
"I hope your parents are okay with me visiting your house?" enquired Harry, though he knew the answer.
The joyous expression on Hermione's face dimmed a little, and she muttered, "They would be okay. They are mostly busy with their work."
Harry nodded, and though he understood Hermione's reason for her slight sadness, he did not say anything. It was not the right time to discuss about those topics. He would comfort her later.
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They continued sitting in each other's embrace for another fifteen minutes, until the Hogwarts Express finally arrived at the platform of King's Cross Station.
Harry, followed by Hermione, deboarded the Hogwarts Express and landed on Platform 9¾.
The duo had not taken even two steps when a red-haired wizard came running towards Harry and almost collided with him. Harry almost cringed at the sight but maintained a neutral face.
"Harry… Hermione…" shouted Ron Weasley loudly enough to make people standing even ten feet away hear him easily.
"Where have the two of you been? I could not find you at all on the whole train. I did not even see when the two of you packed your trunks."
Harry felt his anger rising at Ron's behaviour and the thought that he had been 'best friends' with someone like him made him cringe. He took a step back to keep a polite distance from the red-haired idiot.
"We had been on the train, Ron. In the last compartment," answered Harry while giving a side-eye glance towards Hermione, who blushed slightly.
"But I think I checked towards the last part of the train," muttered Ron in confusion.
He leaned closer and hushed, "Never mind… You heard Sirius escaped? Did you two do it? And even Buckbeak escaped. Malfoy had been blabbering on about it for the entire journey."
Harry nodded subtly, acknowledging the truth, "We just helped Sirius to hitch a ride on Buckbeak."
Ron's eyes widened in realization. He was about to enquire further when a mature voice interrupted him, "Here you are."
Harry turned his head to see Arthur Weasley coming towards them in tow with Molly Weasley.
"Mr. Weasley," greeted Harry. "Mrs. Weasley."
Hermione also followed suit.
Molly smiled with her motherly smile, but her expression was pained, "Oh! Harry… my boy… what all you have to go through in a year?"
"Dementors… Sirius Black…" she added as she stepped forward and tried to hug Harry.
Harry did not react and leaned slightly back, leaving Molly hovering in the air.
"Everything is fine, Mrs. Weasley," he added with a small smile.
Though this was an embarrassing situation for Molly, it did not seem that anyone of them took notice of it.
Arthur stepped in, "It is good that everything is fine."
"Even so, Harry, you must stay alert. I doubt that he would surely make a return. Sirius Black is still roaming outside. Until then, you must remain safe and do not wander around."
Ron chimed in at that moment, "Dad… you do not know the truth…"
But Harry cut him off, "Ron, it would be better if you discuss these things after reaching your home and not in public."
Both Arthur and Molly raised their eyebrows at this and looked between Ron and Harry but did not say anything.
"I understand," said Ron with a face of realization.
Arthur changed the conversation, "So, how are you going to spend your vacations?"
Though Arthur asked this question without any malice, Harry could not help but remember how every year he was forced to remain at the Dursleys' house in the name of safety. He had to spend two months either doing household chores or remaining cooped up inside a small room. He instinctively clenched his fist.
Hermione was the only one who sensed Harry's reaction, and she took the lead and answered, "Nothing special… I would most probably remain at my house only."
Harry also had regained his composure by now. Even so, he replied stoically, "Usual for me… at my uncle's house."
Molly, being her enthusiastic self, said, "Why don't the two of you spend some time at the Burrow then? Probably the last week of the vacations?"
"I will talk to my uncle," replied Harry formally, while Hermione also chimed in, "I will also talk to my parents."
Harry did not want to drag the conversation any longer, especially considering that if he did not leave immediately, he would be surrounded by other Weasleys.
Harry said, "I think my uncle would be waiting outside. I should not make him wait."
"My parents would also be waiting," chimed in Hermione.
"Yes, we should also get going," said Arthur.
"Where are the remaining kids?" he asked, looking around.
Harry and Hermione gave a final nod to the Weasley couple and walked away. Harry and Hermione crossed the barrier of the platform and stepped onto the Muggle side of King's Cross Station.
Hermione spotted her parents standing at some distance away from them.
"Bye, Harry," said Hermione. Though she wanted to wrap Harry in a hug one last time, she was too embarrassed, especially with her parents watching her from a distance.
"Bye, Hermione," said Harry and gave a small smile to her.
She gave a last look to Harry and ran away in her parents' direction.
Harry looked around and spotted Uncle Vernon standing at some distance away with his usual purple coloured face.
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