Going "Home"
Sirius was really proud of Harry. The school year was over and Harry had passed all his classes with fairly good marks. Naturally, Hermione had the best grades of the first years, but Draco wasn't all that far behind her. Ron and the twins had passed too, of course. Even Neville scraped through. Hermione had been a little surprised that the twins had actually done enough to pass between all their pranking. Sirius wasn't. After all, most people didn't realize the intelligence and creativity that went into good pranks, and the twins could match up to the Marauders.
Soon, the wardrobes were empty, Neville's toad was found, and the notes warning the students against magic use were passed out. "I always hope they'll forget to hand these out." Fred groaned.
Hagrid led the students to the train and the group somehow found a compartment big enough for all of them. The twins set out to find Lee Jordan ten minutes into the train ride and dragged him back. When the other's, except Harry, complained that there wasn't enough room George pulled Harry into his lap.
"There," he smirked, "Plenty of room now."
Harry flushed. Lee and Fred laughed as they sat down.
Draco rolled his eyes, "Hey Harry, whose house do you want to go to first this summer?"
"Um, I'm not sure?"
"Why don't you just come home with us!" Ron grinned, "You're already packed and all, just tell your aunt and uncle that you'll be going home with your best friend Ron."
"You mean, your best friend Draco." Draco scowled.
"No, I meant what I said."
Harry looked to Hermione for help.
She sighed, "Boys, boys, your both pretty now stop making Harry uncomfortable."
"Besides, Ronniekins, Do you want to tell mum that we're going to have a guest over? That day. With no warning. At all." Fred asked.
Ron paled a bit.
"Not that she'd be mad that you were there, Harry." George added, "She'd just want to prepare things a bit first."
"Yeah, she'll love you." Fred agreed.
Draco was scowling again. "I suppose my parents will be the same way. But I'm going to have you over within two weeks!"
"We'll make it one!" Ron countered.
Lee leaned over to Harry and whispered, "Is it always a competition with them?"
Harry nodded, "Hermione or Shadow will stop them before it gets too out of hand."
"What about these two gits?" He gestured to the twins.
"Hey!" They snapped.
Harry snorted, "They place bets."
In the end, they decided that whoever's letter got to Harry first, would get him to their house first.
"Hermione, you'll come over too, right?" Ron said.
Hermione looked surprised. "I guess. I mean, if you want me to..."
"Of course we want you to." Draco snapped, "We're friends."
Hermione grinned.
Sirius wanted to hug the girl. Her anxiety wasn't quite as severe as Harry's, but she was still insecure. He doubted she'd really had friends before Hogwarts and was glad the boys had let her into the group.
The rest of the ride was nice. They joked around, speculated about the next year, and made plans for the summer. When the candy trolley came around, Harry and Draco made sure that everyone had something, including Sirius, who was fed a couple pumpkin pasties. They changed into their Muggle clothes as the train neared King's Cross. Once off the train, they could see a guard allowing people through the gate in twos and threes.
"Promise you won't forget to write?" Harry said.
"Of course we'll write!" Hermione hugged him, "See you later this summer, okay? Bye Shadow." She scratched his ears and ran over to a nice looking couple Sirius assumed were her parents.
"Draco!" A woman's voice called. Sirius turned. Narcissa was standing next to her husband, elegantly waving to her son. Lucius looked as disapproving as ever.
"Coming mother!" Draco called back. He turned back to Harry, "I'll write you tomorrow. Promise."
Harry grinned, "Tomorrow, then."
Draco walked over to his parents, trying to look at least somewhat dignified. Sirius only barely managed to keep from laughing.
Molly and Ginny Weasley were waiting near the Dursleys. Harry shyly thanked Molly for the sweater and fudge he'd gotten for Christmas.
"Oh, it was no trouble, dear. I'm glad you enjoyed them." She smiled.
"Ready, are you?" Vernon's voice was gruff. Sirius imagined it was because he was trying not to scream at all the "unordinary" people in King's Cross. Petunia and Dudley stood behind him. Both looked rather scared of Harry, which made Sirius happy.
Harry nodded.
"Oh, you must be Harry's family!" Molly said.
"In a manner of speaking," Vernon answered.
Sirius silently cheered when he saw the dark looks from Ron, Fred, and George.
"Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day."
Harry nodded again and waved to his friends, all of whom put on bright smiles as they waved back. Sirius felt another surge of pride when he saw the look in the twins' eyes. He had no doubt that they would have something special in store for the Dursleys' the next time they saw each other.
In the car, Harry whispered to Sirius, "It's only for a week or two. Then I can go see my friends again. And during that week I've still got you." Harry's voice dropped a little more, "Right, Sirius?"
Sirius licked the boy's cheek. He had a point. Besides, summer was only a couple months long, and the Dursleys' didn't know Harry wasn't allowed to use magic. Sirius let his head rest in Harry's lap on the way to the house. Maybe this summer wouldn't be so bad after all.