Harry and Hermione: I trust you

Chapter one

It was summer, the end of third year. Of course, another miserable summer with the Dursleys. They made it clear that he didn't belong in their family. Harry made his way to the bathroom turned on the shower. Just as he was showering, Dudley barges in, demanding that Harry should get out. Harry didn't budge. So Dudley's response to that was flinging his cousin out of the shower, throwing his clothing at him and locking the door after him. Harry rolled his eyes and ran to his bedroom to get dressed. A letter landed on his desk. He opened it and read it.

'Dear Harry,

I know you're stuck at the Dursleys but I've asked my parents to let you stay with us for the summer and I wanted to know whether or not you'd like to come. I miss you and I wanna see you before our fourth year starts.

Hermione

P.s.

Guess what? I've discovered a foolproof way to keep Crookshanks from chasing Scabbers around the common room! Picture this: a tiny cat-sized Marauder's Map. We'll call it the "Marauder's Mew-sic Sheet." It's in the prototype stage, but I have high hopes.'

Harry looked at the letter and chuckled. He missed her as well. Hermione is the only person who understood him the most. Before he could reply, his uncle barged in his room. Harry's uncle Vernon had barged in his room so much that his door is nearly on its hinges.

"You. Make us food now. And this time I better see bacon on my plate and we better not be out."

"Well, Uncle Vernon, it's not my fault Dudley's got more rolls than a bakery. Maybe if he shared the bacon instead of inhaling it like a vacuum cleaner, we wouldn't be in this predicament. But hey, blame it on the bacon shortage, not the bacon bandit." Harry said in response, looking Vernon straight in the eyes.

This resulted in Harry's uncle calling him a smart ass but Harry didn't give a damn, he smiled as Vernon walked away. By this time, Harry had already forgotten that he needed to respond to Hermione's letter. Many hours had passed by until eventually it was nightfall. There was a knock on the front door. Petunia answered the door. Standing before her, was a girl with untamable brown hair and cinnamon brown eyes. Harry's aunt smiled at her as if she were the most pleasant thing standing on their doorstep.

"Hi, I'm here to see-"

"Dudley, oh yes lovely." Petunia said, cutting her off. Then she shouted over her shoulder. "Dudley, There's a girl who wants to see you!"

"Actually, I'm here to see Harry."

"Oh." Petunia's face changed from pleasant to a look of disgust on her face. She stepped to the side. "Potter, your freaky little friend is here." She shouted up the stairs.

Hermione stood off to the side and waited for Harry to come downstairs. When he came down, he immediately caught her eye. He's changed a lot since she last saw him, his hair was slightly longer, he had grown a couple of inches taller, Hermione found herself increasingly aware of his physical appearance. Initially, her admiration was focused on his bravery, loyalty, and intelligence. However, as time went on, she couldn't help but notice how his features evolved with age. Hermione began to observe the subtle changes in Harry's appearance. His messy black hair, once a symbol of his untamed spirit, seemed to frame his face more attractively. She noticed the way his emerald green eyes sparkled with determination and kindness, and how his smile could light up a room.

"As much as I hate to admit it, there's no denying Harry's... attractiveness. It's like every year he gets more and more... well, hot. But saying it out loud? No way. He's Harry, my friend. It's not like I sit around fantasizing about him or anything. I mean, who has time for that when there are spells to learn" Hermione thought.

Harry couldn't help but break into a wide grin. "Hermione!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine delight. "It's so good to see you! Merlin, it feels like forever since we've caught up."

He enveloped her in a warm hug, feeling a rush of familiarity and comfort wash over him. Pulling back, he studied her with a fond smile, noticing the subtle changes in her appearance that only made her more beautiful in his eyes. "You look fantastic," he remarked, unable to contain his admiration. "How have you been? I've got so much to tell you."

"Honestly, Harry, you can try, but you'll never get rid of me," Hermione teased, rolling her eyes playfully. "I've practically got a permanent reservation here."

Then, her tone softened as she added, "But in all seriousness, I've really missed you. It's been too long since we've had one of our adventures together."

Glancing towards the window, she continued, "My parents are waiting in the car, so I'm ready to go whenever you are and then let's catch up properly. I want to hear everything that's been going on with you."

Harry asked her help him pack. He thanked Hermione for taking care of Hedwig since she can't stay at the Dursleys anymore as it drove them mad. They go up stairs and pack Harry's things.

After a few minutes of packing, Harry gets in the back of the Granger's Vauxhall Corsa with Hermione. She couldn't hide her excitement since Harry is going to stay with them for the summer.

As the car journey stretched on, Harry eventually drifted off to sleep, his head gently leaning against Hermione's shoulder. Mrs. Granger glanced over at them and whispered to Hermione, "Is Harry asleep?"

Hermione nodded softly, trying to suppress a smile at the sight of her slumbering friend. But her amusement quickly turned to embarrassment as her mother leaned closer and asked, "So, when are you going to tell him?"

"T-tell him what?" Hermione stammered, her face flushing bright red.

Mrs. Granger gave her daughter a knowing look. "You know what, dear. Tell him that you like him."

Hermione's eyes widened in shock, and she sputtered, "Mum, no! We're just friends. Besides, Harry doesn't... he doesn't like me like that."

But her mother just smiled knowingly and patted Hermione's hand. "Well, dear, you might be surprised. Sometimes these things aren't as one-sided as they seem."

Hermione's blush deepened, and she quickly changed the subject, but her mother's words lingered in her mind as they continued their way to their house.

After arriving at the Grangers', they all gathered around the dinner table, sharing stories and laughter over a delicious meal. Hermione couldn't help but notice how easily Harry fit in with her family, exchanging jokes and anecdotes as if he had known them for years.

Later that evening, after dinner had ended, Hermione led Harry up to his room, a small but cozy space overlooking the garden. As they entered, she couldn't resist a mischievous grin as she pointed to a quirky decoration on the wall.

"You remember this?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye, referencing an inside joke shared between just the two of them.

Harry's face lit up with recognition, a fond smile spreading across his lips. "Of course," he replied, his voice laced with amusement. "How could I forget?"

They shared a knowing glance, their laughter echoing through the room as they reminisced about past adventures and the special bond that had formed between them. And in that moment, surrounded by warmth and friendship, Hermione knew that no matter where life took them, Harry would always hold a special place in her heart.