When Vernon didn't miss - Sahits

"HAAAARRRYYYYY!" Hermione flung herself on Harry and hugged him. To her shock, Harryhugged her back.Hermione stepped back and looked at him. She had been nearly an inch taller, in part because of herten months age advantage. Harry was now an inch taller than she was (and now nearly two monthsolder instead of ten months younger, although of course Hermione did not know that), and fullymuscled. The other version of Harry had really only entered adolescence just before leaving hisThird year. This Harry was already there."Did Ron ever get in touch with you?" Hermione asked, still holding Harry's arm."No," Harry answered, not caring all that much. His experiences that summer had given him morethan enough male bonding to replace Ron in his life."I know you can't feel much for what happened to your relatives,"Hermione said, "but like I saidwhen I first wrote, I am sorry about Hedwig."Harry's face fell. "I don't know how they could do that to such asweet being," Harry said. "Maybethey had some reason for their, well, their hating me. I was forced on them. But Hedwig. . . ."Heshrugged helplessly."I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned it."Harry shrugged again."Are you going to get another owl?""No, no I don't think so," Harry said. "Not right away, anyway. It just wouldn't be the same.""I understand."Harry smiled wanly. "Shall we go buy out a bookstore?"Hermione's eyes went up in mock shock."I learned something this summer, Hermione.""What's that?""For nearly ten years, I couldn't excel. THEY" (he spat the term)"couldn't stand me outdoing theirprecious. I might not be quite as smart as you, but I don't think there'll be many others in our classahead of me."Hermione beamed at him, but then her smile faltered."I know, Ron won't like it," Harry said. "Either he didn't feel like writing, or he somehow didn'tnotice the note. That would mean he really wasn't my true friend. Those notes were spelled so thatmy true friends could see them."Hermione could see some possible flaws in Harry's arguments, but was too happy with Harry's fullattention to bother pointing them out.