Disclaimer: I don't own HP.

A/N: This is only my second fic, so please, I'm still trying to do my best, alright? Okay. I think you guys will like this story plot line better, well, because it's...I dunno. Please read and review, alright? Thanks! So much!

C'est la Vie

Chapter 1-Back to the Burrow

Harry drew in a sharp breath as he felt his feet touch the solid ground beneath him. He hated traveling by Floo powder, and wondered why if he hated it so much, why did he keep doing it every year? He shook his head and opened his eyes and peered out with one eye open.

He saw Ron smiling brightly, he was sitting with two older men with red hair-Harry instantly recognized them. Charlie and Bill Weasley. They were leaning over a chessboard, and Harry knew that Ron was trying to taunt them with his chess skills.

He saw Ginny and one of her friends giggling, looking through some sort of magazine. He looked around for Hermione, and decided that she hadn't come yet. His thoughts were abruptly coiled by Mrs. Weasley who pulled him into a tight hug.

He gasped for air, and then smiled. "Hi Mrs. Weasley." He felt her let go. His vision blurred for a minute, then Harry instinctively pushed back his glasses, but they weren't there. Harry kept forgetting that this summer he'd gotten rid of them, getting that damned blasted laser eye surgery, or whatever those muggles wanted to call it. It fixed his fury vision and he didn't have to worry about his glasses all the time. But in some ways, they had some type of comfort to him, and he couldn't just leave them anywhere. He took them everywhere.

He had to admit, he did look older and better without the thick rimmed glasses, but he always had them; in his pocket or robe, just to know that they were there.

Ron gave him a slap on the back. "Well, isn't it ole Harry Potter?"

"I'm not old," Harry said.

Ron grinned. "You remember Charlie and Bill, don't you?"

Harry shook their hands. "Yeah I-"

BOOM. CRASH. SLAM. SCREAM.

Harry looked up at the ceiling and pointed with his eyes brows arched. Ron got the picture and smiled brightly, then shaded his face from his mother. "Fred and George."

Harry suddenly nodded, and turned to him. "Oh, they're here? I only remembering you telling me about Charlie and Bill being here." He shrugged. "More company."

Ron snorted; he obviously didn't like the idea of Fred and George staying in his room and having to share it with them. He took a good long stare at the chessboard, before moving a piece of it over to the right. "Checkmate." He said.

Bill stared at the board. No way the little kid had just done that. How? He had his queen centered-damn. He cursed under his breath. "Damn you, Ron." He leaned back in his char. His father and Sirus were involved in a conversation about Muggle objects. "Now how did you get to be that good?" he placed a finger on his chin and ran along the small line of skin that needed to be shaven. "Ah, I know. Because I taught, you, didn't I?" He smiled. "Yes, I did. You were taught by the best, Ron."

"And you were taught by the master, Bill." Mr. Weasley had left his conversation with Sirus and sat down next to his son. "I taught you how to play." He looked over to Ron and winked. "Well, as soon as Hermione gets here I think we should all just eat supper and get some rest. It'll be quite a trip to Paris." He smiled. "Finally, we get to go." He grinned.

Arthur looked over to his wife who was giving one of her recipes to Sirus. "Here, take this one, too." She handed him another sheet of paper. Sirus looked at the four sheets he was holding. He felt awkward, asking for cooking tips, but he had to cook for Harry now. Well, not all the time. Harry knew how to cook to. He smiled at Molly and took another paper from her.

"Don't you think you should keep some of these for you?" he asked.

She smiled and shook her head. She tapped her hair with the tip of her spoon. "No need to. I've got them memorized up here. Uses the 'ole noggin." She smiled.

"Yes, but-"

"Sirus," she patted his hand, "I have a whole book full of copies of these. Don't worry! Just take those and trust me, you'll have a wonderfully cooked meal that you and Harry will love!" she smiled at him, and was happy to see that he smiled back.

The loud footsteps that brought everyone to look at the stairs belonged to Fred and George. The looked tired, and exgasted, but they each were wearing slight grins on their faces. "Well, Fred, when do you think that it'll be able to come out onto the market?"

Fred looked at his twin and picked out an apple out of the large bowl of fruit on the counter. He took a large bite out of it, and looked thoughtful as he chewed. "I don't know, George...soon, very soon. That's really all I can tell. What about you?"

George shrugged and reached into the bowl and took out a banana. He peeled it slowly, then smiled suddenly. "Fred," he smiled, and took off the skin of the fruit, "what if we created something for our trip?"

Fred's grin suddenly spread across his face. "Like what?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "Well, it'll come to us later. Let's go back upstairs." He took another bite of his banana. He chewed it, and smiled. He swallowed loudly, and looked back at his brother. "Shall we continue?"

"Yes, we shall."

"A hem."

The twins turned to see Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, and all the Weasley children and Harry staring at them. Deciding not to face their family, they turned to Harry. "Harry, my dear boy, how are you? When did you get in?" They rushed over to him, smiling. Harry stared at them. They draped an arm around him. "Excited about our trip? Paris is supposed to be beautiful this time of the year. As they say in the city of love, 'combien allez-nuit?' How are you this fine day, Harry?"

"I'm afraid that would be 'comment allez-vous?'" A female voice said behind them. They all turned around to see non other than Hermione Granger.

She hadn't changed to much over the summer. She had a light tan, her once bushy hair hanging around her face and down her back in brown thick ringlets, and wearing a tank top and jean shorts, and a simple pair of straps sandals on her feet. She had grown too, not just in her height. Maybe an inch or two, not too much. She barley reached Harry's chin though, and didn't even come close to Ron. She was about five foot four, standing up to her full height, trying to look tall instead of the small girl she felt like.

But everything else other than her face-had changed. Her face was still perfectly angled, her skin folding in the right places when she laughed, her brown-golden eyes laughing in his emerald ones, her cheeks slightly flushing after one of their adventures. Yeah, that was still the same.

Standing there, however, she didn't look like their little sixteen-year-old friend. She looked like a petite goddess.

But Harry let his eyes wander from her feet up to her legs, taking his time, he traced the shape of her legs. He watched as her legs went from the narrow wined of her calves to the shape of her thighs, and to the wide hips that were visible through the waist of the jeans. Harry could see the small soft curve of her body, the gently raise of her breasts through her shirt-

Harry didn't even know he was staring at her until it was too late. She was looking at them all with a certain kind of worsens. Ron, Harry, Fred, and George were gaping at her, and Bill and Charlie were started to play chess again, but couldn't resist the urge to sneak her a peek or two.

"Hello?"

Harry smiled and pulled her over. "Hey Hermione." He pulled her into a hug and she filled his arms. He took in a deep breath and felt his gut tighten. Now, why was this happening? She let go and hugged Ron. She smiled at the two, but had to look up to see them. She frowned. Harry saw this, and said, "What's wrong?"

She pouted and sat down at the Weasley's counter. "You two are taller than me now." Her brows grew together in frustration, and she let out a breath and picked up a piece of fruit, but instead of eating it, she tossed it from hand to hand. "You two are taller than me now," she repeated.

"We already heard that, Hermione." Ron smiled.

"Oh, shut up, Weasley." She grinned.

Harry looked at her and raised his eyes. "Huh? Since when are you on a last name basis? With Ron?"

"Keep out of it Potter."

"And with me?" He pouted at her.

She smiled and scratched her shoulder. "Now where was I?" She smiled and put the fruit back down on the bowl. "You guys are what? Around six foot?" She didn't need them to answer that. She could tell that Harry was just about six foot and would be reaching it soon, and that Ron was already past six feet. Most likely six foot three or four.

Ginny came down from the staircase, and squealed when she saw Hermione. "Hermione!" They hugged each other. "Come on, let's get you settled for tonight before we leave tomorrow." She grinned and looked at her mother. "Hey Mum, do you think you can maker your famous ricotta for Hermione? She has to try it! Please?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Alright."

Sirus looked up and stuffed the recipes into his robe pocket. "Well, I have to say Arthur, thank you so much for inviting Harry on this trip." He grinned over at Harry. "He's been dying to forever, and you just made his dreams come true." Harry blushed a bit, and engulfed himself in a conversation with Ginny and Hermione.

"Well, Harry, I better go. I've got some work to do. See you later." Sirus smiled. Harry looked up and smiled at Sirus.

"Bye Sirus!" He waved and Sirus disappeared with a tiny "pop". He turned back to see that Ron was shaking his head. He gestured for Harry to follow him upstairs to take his bags and suitcase up to his room. Harry nodded and picked up his cases and followed Ron up the narrow stairs while chaos went around the room again.

Ron still lived in the attic with the house goul. Harry smiled and set the case down and sat down on the cot that Mrs. Weasley had set out for him. "Are you excited, Ron?"

Ron sat down on his bed, and fingered his Cudley Cannon bedspread. "Yeah, of course I am." He grinned suddenly. "Why wouldn't I be? Tons of French girls that don't speak a word of English walking around?" He smiled when Harry threw a pillow at him. "What?"

"How can you think about that stuff? You're not some kind of weird perverted guy I know, are you?" Harry grinned. "You haven't turned into Seamus or Dean, have you?" Harry and Ron both suppressed a shudder.

Just then the door opened. Hermione walked in, smiling. Ron laid back on his bed and folded his arms behind his head. "What do you want?" he grinned at her face.

"Oh be quite," she tried to snap, but she laughed instead. Her face was literally glowing. She must be really excited to go to Paris, Harry thought. "Dinners ready," she said. "I suggest you two come down. It smells delicious. But if you two have to do-erm-manly things up here, I'll be sure to mention it." She smiled again, and left.

Ron stared after her. "Can you believe that?"

Harry shook his head. "Yeah, I can actually. Did you see her face? She was literally glowing." He grinned. "She must be really happy about going to Paris after all this time, you know?"

Ron nodded. He stood up and stretched. "Of course she is. Do you remember what she told us ever since she became our friend? I mean really our friend. In second year? She would constantly say, 'I want to go to Paris, someday, perhaps after I graduate from Hogwarts, and see the world. My aunt lived there, and said it was a wonderful place and I've always wanted to visit.' And some more stuff I can't remember. Come one. I'm hungry."

Harry smiled, remembering the memory. "Ron, when are you never hungry? I bet you even dream of food." Ron shook his head, trying desperately to forget the dream he had the night earlier about roast turkey and chestnut dressing.

As they decended the stairs, the wonderful aroma of food overwhelmed them. Everyone was taking their seats at the table. Harry saw Hermione helping Mrs. Weasley bring the food out in pots. She caught his eye for a moment, grinned, and then continued to help her.

Harry sat down, and when Hermione came, he pulled out the chair next to him, gesturing to sit next to him. It was so simple, yet sweet, that he got out of his chair, and pulled hers out and scooted her in, then sat down again. And they began to eat.

Ron sat on Harry's other side, while Ginny occupied Hermione's other side. Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie were across from them, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were across from each other. Ron watched, his mouth watering, as the food was passed around the table and everyone started to load it onto their plates. When it finally came to him, he grabbed it out of Harry's hands and started to shovel some on his plate. Harry blinked, then grinned. "Ron, you've never changed."

It was delicious. The pasta sauce had just the right amount of cream and garlic, and the diced potatoes were buttery and hot, and slid straight down your throat. Harry thought he was in heaven, eating at the Weasley house again. After his second helping, Harry pushed his plate away from him. "I'm stuffed."

Hermione followed suit. "Me too." She turned to Mrs. Weasley. "That was wonderful, Mrs. Weasley, thanks so much."

Harry smiled. "Yeah, thanks Mrs. Weasley. It was delicious."

She beamed when suddenly all the people at the table were telling her how good it was. "Oh Mum," Ginny said between bites, "I'm so glad you made this! I needed a good meal before we have to eat the French gloop." She smiled at her.

Harry suddenly realized that a Weasley was missing. "Uh, where's Percy?" Harry looked around the table. "I thought he was coming as well with Penelope."

Fred and George shook their heads and looked down at their plates. They sniggered. Mr. Weasley eyed them, then turned back to Harry. "Well, Percy had a lot of work to do, and Penelope was pregnant, so he decided it would be best for his job and Penelope if they stayed home." He sighed. "Too bad, he would have enjoyed it though."

"Yeah," Harry said, and took another drink of pumpkin juice.

Hermione suddenly raised and checked her watch. "Ten thirty." She smiled and stifled a yawn. "I think I'll head to bed, if you all don't mind. I'm a bit tired. I suppose I wore myself out somehow." She smiled. "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight!" everyone called. Harry watched her leave before standing up himself. "I think I'll turn in too. I don't want to risk being half asleep while we're on our way to Paris, now would I?" He smiled cheerfully. "Goodnight everyone."

"Goodnight, Harry."

Harry climbed up the stairs. But instead of walking into Ron's room like he would have, he walked over to Ginny's. He knocked and heard a muffled, "Come in." He opened the door and saw Hermione in her pajama shorts and T-shirt climbing into the cot. She looked up at him at the door. "May I help you, Harry?"

He smiled and sat down on her cot. "Hermione, is something bothering you? I mean, you just got up in the middle of dinner like that. Are you okay? Are you feeling sick or something?"

She shook her head and smiled. "Nothing like that. I suppose you could say I'm a little nervous. I've waited almost my whole life to go to Paris, and now I finally get to go." She smiled and leaned her head against the pillow with a plop. "Finally." She smiled at him. "Harry, I'm sleepy. I'll see you in the morning." She rolled onto her side, taking in a deep breath, and releasing it in a sigh. Harry figured their conversation was over, and started to leave. He closed the door behind him and walked up to the attic to Ron's room.

Ron was already in his pajamas. He just got out of the bathroom from brushing his teeth. He grinned at Harry when he walked in. "I thought you were supposed to be in here."

"I stopped by to see Hermione."

"Ooh," Ron grinned. "I get it. I know what you two were really doing." He sniggered.

"Ronald Weasley, get you're mind out of the gutter," Harry said before grabbing his pajama pants and his sleeveless tank and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Ron stared at his direction, and forced a grin on his lips. "Touchy, touchy." Harry walked back in flicking his tongue at the top of his mouth making a click clock sound. He grinned sheepishly at Ron and climbed into his cot. Ron went into his bed.

"Hey Ron?" Harry asked, in mid-darkness. "I've got a question."

"Shoot."

"Where are Fred and George staying?"

Ron smiled up at the ceiling. "Oh, since we're leaving first thing in the morning, and Bill and Charlie only got here last night, they're all sleeping in there. Well, gets them out of my way. G'night Harry." Ron turned over to his side.

Harry opened his eyes and blinked a few times, then finally felt the urge of sleep take him.

* * *

Harry woke up when he saw something flying around the room. It was small, fury, brown...Pig! Harry heard Ron curse as he tried to catch the owl, which was now hooting around the room in joy. The noise eventually awoke Hermione and Ginny, and they came over to see what the commotion was.

Harry stood and helped Ron catch him, and stopped when there was a giggle at the doorway. The two boys turned to see Ginny giggling and Hermione, wearing a smile. Harry just then realized that they were still in their pajamas. Harry coughed and felt his cheeks heat up.

Hermione and Ginny were still in their pajamas; Ginny wearing a night gown that came down to her knees, and Hermione wearing her T-shirt and shorts. They were smiling. "What's so funny?" Ron asked.

They shook their heads and left the room, shutting it quietly behind them. Ron stared at his door for a minute, then shook his head as well. "Harry, what are they up to?"

"You're asking me like I know?" Embarrassed, he pulled on a T-shirt over his tank. "Let's go downstairs. I smell-"

"FOOD!" Ron cheered, and he was out like a flash. He sprinted down the stairs, past Hermione and Ginny, and seated himself at the table. He placed the napkin in his lap, and took his fork and knife in his hands. "I want food! I want food! I want food! I want-"

"Oh shut up, Ron." Fred mumbled, and sat down across from him. George followed his brother into the room, then collapsed into an empty chair. "Mum, what's for breakfast?"

Mrs. Weasley set down a plate of sizzling sausages. "Eggs, pancakes, sausage, and bacon." Damn cholesterol, she thought. This was the last meal she got to cook in a while-she wanted to enjoy it while she could.

"Sounds great, Mrs. Weasley." Harry stifled a yawn and sat down next to Ron. "It looks great too. Thanks."

Hermione sat down and Ginny followed. Scrabbled eggs, two silver dollar pancakes, three sausages and two pieces of bacon found their way onto her plate. She smiled and dug her fork in to them and chewed on it.

Ron watched everyone helping themselves. He reached over, but Mrs. Weasley slapped his hand away. He watched Harry reach for a sausage. Four pieces left. Then three. Then two. Then one. Fred reached for the last one.

Ron yelled. "NO!" He grabbed the plate and swallowed the sausage. "You can't have it now!" He laughed. "The last sausage is mine!"

Harry stared at him for a moment, before letting out a snigger. "Ron, incase you haven't noticed, there are more sausages on the counter. You can bring them over if you want."

Ron blushed until his ears gave off heat and reluctantly took the plate of sausage from the counter and placed it back on the table. He didn't speak much after that.

"Alright, kids," Mr. Weasley stood up and smiled. "Hurry up! Take your showers, get ready! The klane leaves in two hours! Be back down here in thirty minutes!"

"Uh, Mr. Weasley? It's a plane, not klane."

"Oh yes, well, then, in thirty minutes!" Mr. Weasley smiled sheepishly before disappearing behind a set of doors.

"Well, if you guys don't mind, I think I'll take my shower now," Harry raised from his chair, and smiled. Hermione looked at him, and grinned. He yawned. "God knows I could use the wake up call." He yawned again.

Picking a new pair of underwear(^_^), a new shirt, and a pair of shorts, he hailed his way to the bathroom. It was a cramped room, with a small sink and a toilet and a small shower enough to fit one person in. Just enough room for only one person. He sighed and turned on the water, and stripped of his clothes.

The hot water peeled away the layers of sleep that were still on him. He smiled and just closed his eyes and let the water bounce and stream down his face. After washing his hair, and bathing, He finally turned off the water and stepped out.

The first thing that greeted him was the sight of himself in a fogged up mirror, naked. He grabbed the towel from the rack and started to dry himself. After feeling that he was dry enough, he started to get dressed, but a knock on the door made him wrap the towel around his waist and opened the door.

Hermione nearly dropped her bundle of clothes. "Oops, sorry Harry. I thought you'd be out by now." She blushed. "I'll wait outside." She turned around and marched down the hall. Harry shrugged and closed the door.

He stared at himself in the mirror, trying to flatten his hair, but since that was almost impossible, he decided to get dressed.

He was fully dressed by the time she walked passed him to go in the shower herself. "You take a long time, Harry. You're almost as bad as us girls." She winked at him, and closed the door behind her. Harry heard the sound of rushing water come from the room, and saw some steam creep away under the door.

Thirty mintues later, all the Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione were all clensed, and ready to go to the airport. Mr. Weasley had called a taxi cab, and was storing away the suitcases now in the trunk. Several more taxis were called.

Mrs. Weasley went over her check list one more time. "Alright...have we got everything?" Fred inturupted her.

"Yes, Mum. We have everything we need! Can we go now?"

"Alright. Get in the car."

Ron climbed into the backseat then Hermione got in, and then Harry squeezed in. Fred and George look in and then turned back to his mother. "Mum, they're packed in there like sardines."

Mrs. Weasley chose to ignore this, and continued putting Bill and Charlie into another taxi with Ginny. Then Fred, George, Mr. Weasley, and herself would fit into the last one.

The driver of Harry and Ron's taxi turned back to them. "Big family...where yall' goin' to?"

"Paris," Hermione answered, dreamily.

"Nice place," he commented. "Been myself, once. Yes sir, it's a great city. Some crazy people there though. My neice lives there, has her own book store. Great one too. Called 'Le Parie Books'." He grinned. "Made me proud. Second father I was to her, yes I was." He grinned and kept talking. Ron and Harry exchanged glances, and felt the cab finally pull away from the Burrow.

* * *

"Now boarding passangers to Flight 902. We are now boarding passagners to Flight 902."

Harry took a hold of his bag and walked slowly to the gate. He handed his ticket to the flight attendent and boarded the plane. He found his seat in the middle of the coach class, and took his seat in the center. He grinned and saw Ron sit on his left side, then Hermione scowled and sat down on his right. She looked out the window until take off, staring dreamily at the clouds.

"Hermione?"

She broker her gaze from the window and smiled at Harry. "What?"

"Nothing; I just wanted to make sure you weren't passing out or something." He grinned and leaned back in his chair. He looked over to Fred and George who were sitting next to each other, and Ginny sitting uncomfortably next to the aisle. They were all drinking drinks.

Ron pulled off the annoying container of the little pack of traveling mix the blond haired girl in the blue uniform gave him. He felt his stomach lurge, remembering that they were atleast a hundred thousand feet off the ground. His mind went blank and he chewed on the peanuts.

Harry sighed, closing his eyes, for what seemed like it was going to be a very long flight ahead of them.

* * *

A/N: I know it sucks, let's just say that right now and there. Sorry it was only 7 pages! I had total writers block, and I decided to end the first chapter there. Okay? Okay. Well, please tell me what you think of it, alright? If I don't get any reivews, I won't post the next chapter! Thanks a million!

Oh yeah, "C'est la Vie" means "That's life" or "That's the life" in French...sorry, my french skills are limited...hehe.

~Kate