Hermione took Draco's hand, the one stamped with a smeared red balloon he had been scowling at, and led him through the entrance gate.

"Keep up, there's lots to see," she called cheerfully.

Her enthusiasm kept his feeting moving even though the crowd of surrounding muggles made him want to retreat. Laughing children with painted faces were running across their path as they shuffled through the crowd. The sinking sun made what sky was still visible through tangles of tree tops and metal structures glow purple.

At that moment, lights sprang to life all around them. The dark moving masses were suddenly illuminated by thousands of colored bulbs. Orange lights endlessly chased green ones and rainbow lights swirled in hypnotizing spirals while flashing lights advertised the best fried this and that.

Everything smells so good, I don't know what to eat first!" Hermione called over the noise.

Screams grew louder, then fainter as a fake ship full of passengers whipped through the air. Men were inviting people to "step right up" and "try your luck". Tinkering music floated over from a spinning platform of painted horses. The crowd, the noise, the lights, it was a bit overwhelming.

"What are we doing here, Granger?" Draco asked.

"Having fun," Hermione responded, grinning at his look of disagreement. "Lighten up, Draco. You're going to enjoy this! Let's eat something.

He smiled despite himself. It was hard not to be reassured when he looked at her. She tightened her grip on his hand and led him deeper into the crowd toward several stands that smelled of grease. What he was about eat, Draco didn't know. But before he knew it, Hermione was shoving sugary confections and food impaled by sticks into his hands.

"This is a corn dog, they are really delicious, and this here is an elephant ear," she explained.

"Muggles eat elephant ears?" Draco asked, horrified.

Hermione laughed. "They're not really elephant ears, its just the name. They are sort of like funnel cakes. Here, try this," she urged, shoving something pink and blue and fluffy into his hands, "cotton candy!"

Draco hesitated. She pinched off a bit of the fluff and put it to his lips. He allowed her to feed it to him. The moment it touched his tongue, it disappeared, like magic. He grinned.

"I knew you would like it," she beamed.

They walked for a while, admiring the attractions and swapping their half eaten apples on sticks, her caramel for his candied one. Hermione convinced him to go through the fun house. Upon exiting, Draco decided the name was misleading. He had nearly fell over when someone emerged from behind a false wall and growled loudly at them. The distorting mirrors had been rather amusing, though. It had all been worth it to hear her laugh.

After much indulgence on unfamiliar foods and feeling that same food turn in his stomach as he watched some of the more extreme, dizzying rides, Draco was led toward an enormous spinning wheel glowing in the distance.

"It's called a ferris wheel. You sit in those hanging seats and it takes you up and around, you can see everything, the park, the stars." Hermione told him excitedly.

Draco laughed and shook his head. "You will get on this contraption but you squeeze the life out of me when I take you up on my broom?"

She punched him lightly in the shoulder and got in the line. When it was their turn a gruff looking fellow directed them into their seats. Draco held Hermione's hand as she stepped up on the platform, then seated her first before nestling in beside her. Almost immediately, the wheel began to turn. They rose higher and higher until they were above the tree tops looking over the park. She was right, you could see everything from here, including the stars, but Draco only saw it reflected in her eyes.

She smiled when she noticed him watching. "I always loved to come here as a child. It was my favorite time of the year. When the sun went down and everything lit up, it felt so magical. I loved that feeling."

Draco loved that feeling, too. That's how every moment with Hermione made him feel. The magic of spells and carnival rides only paled in comparison to her.