"I really don't understand why we have to come here," drawled an irritated voice. Silver eyes focused on the bouncing brunette, whose hand had come to tightly grip his forearm.
"He granted us permission Draco! I'm not missing out on having these in my collection, even if you sneer at them!" Hermione Granger turned with a roll of her eyes, glaring at the blonde that accompanied her through the busy muggle street.
"You said I could add anything I wanted to your library, as long as it had some sort of value. These are classics! I'd settle to buy the cheaper versions but you're being a git so we have to buy the first edition versions!" She waved a hand in the air as she spoke, narrowly missing a passersby who started to grumble and glare as they kept moving.
The infamous smirk lifted the corner of Draco Malfoy's mouth as he took the lead, hand gently prying away her grip before taking a hold of her hand.
"You know you're excited that these are first editions, it took Blaise month's to find them." He stopped in front of a worn down looking building. The bricks seemed rustic and worn, the window tinted and dark with the delicate "Wondrous Books, Find Your Adventure" written across.
Draco snorted, turning to Hermione with a raised brow. "I'm going into a muggle shop for you. A muggle shop."
With that he turned and gently pushed open the door, the soft jingle of bells indicating their arrival. It was definitively a used book store. Several books lay in piles around the place, dust collecting on top of ancient covers. The main counter was carved from chestnut, an old register sitting on top. The room smelled like coffee and leather.
Hermione positively glowed.
Stepping up to the counter she gently rang the bell that had been placed for customers. While she could have spent hours exploring, they had come for a specific reason. "Hello?" She called out softly.
"One moment!" Came a cry in return.
Startled, she glanced at Draco whose brows had both raised. Whomever had answered them sounded like a small child. And while they had not interacted with the muggle world in several years, Hermione was quite sure it was still illegal to have child labor.
"How can I help you?" Came the voice again.
Frowning, Draco leaned against the counter (hiding his disgust of the dust) to find that there was no one there. He turned to speak to Hermione when a little form behind her caught his attention. At first he started to pull out his wand, but then realized that it was indeed a child. He could be no older than three or four at most.
Hermione turned to face the boy, but unlike Draco she froze for an entirely different reason. The child had the brightest green eyes, killing curse eyes. Eyes she hadn't seen in five years. His dark raven hair sat like an unruly mop on his head, but the baby fat that still lingered on his face made the look even more adorable. He wore an oversize shirt, little feet bare except for the red socks that adorned them.
"Harry?" She spoke hesitantly, as if the ghost before her would disappear if she spoke loudly.
The little boy tilted his head, "how do you know my name?"
"Harry Potter!" Draco exclaimed, his eyes catching the scar that had turned infamous five years prior.
The child's face scrunched up in confusion, his face turning towards Malfoy. "I'm Harry Evans… Daddy said to watch the store while he ran out for a minute. So, can I help you?"
It was quite cute, watching the child try to act as if he were an authority figure. It was obvious whomever had left him at the store hadn't expected any customers to come in.
Before Draco could answer, Hermione crouched down, her hazel eyes focusing warm and happy as she started at the child. It was Harry! There was no other explanation! Evans, clever to hide him, but not enough for the smartest witch.
"My name is Hermione, Harry, do you remember me?" She felt a hand settle on her shoulder, Draco.
"No…. should I?" Little Harry frowned.
"Looking at us, you don't' remember? You don't remember Dra-Malfoy?" She felt the hand on her shoulder squeeze, a warning of what she was about to learn.
"I can't see you silly!" Harry giggled, his smile lighting up the boy's whole face. "I'm blind!" Without asking, the child reached forward and touched her face. His hands skimmed from the top of her head to her chin, getting a mental picture of the woman in front of him. "But you seem pretty!"
Hermione had to stifle a cry. It was Harry. It made complete sense. They had been looking so long for the teenager, no one would have thought to look for a little boy. No one would have thought he'd be residing so close to Diagon Alley in the muggle world. Most assumed he had died or run. He was a child!
"How old are you Harry?" Draco interjected.
"I'm six!" He held up his hands proudly, before waving at the books around them. "Watcha looking for?"
Although Draco wanted to reply 'you,' he confirmed that they had come into the store looking for classical first edition books. Harry confidently turned on his heel and started to walk, assuming the adults would know to follow him further into the store.
Both seemed to notice that he concentrated as he walked, little tongue sticking out of the corner of his lips as he counted the steps to the bookshelf.
"They're here!" He cried triumphantly, pointing at a large shelf full of old books. "Daddy likes these best, even though we don't sell them a lot."
Hermione exchanged a look with Draco before speaking, "what is your daddy like Harry?"
"He's old!" Was the first thing out of the child's mouth, earning a laugh from Draco.
"He's got a beard this long!" Harry made a motion that swept down to the floor and forward. "And he wears round glasses and a silly hat!" He leaned forward, cupping his hand over his mouth as he spoke. "And sometimes, daddy says that he can do magic, but I think he just wants to seem cool."
He grinned, turning back to the shelf and reaching out to touch the spines of the books. His little fingers grasping his favorite and pulling it out. Harry had come to learn the books by the feel of the covers, as they rarely did sell with their steep prices. "This one is my favorite!" He proudly held up 'Winnie the Pooh.'
"What's your daddy's name Harry?" Draco asked.
"Uh…." The little boy's brow furrowed, and after a moment he spoke again. "Daddy!"
Hermione grinned, she gently took the book from the child and gazed over it, knowing that Harry would not be staying at the store for much longer now that they knew he was alive. "I do like this book, would you mind terribly if I bought it? I can bring you a new one."
Harry looked forlorn, head falling down to the floor.
"How about I borrow it, and I bring it back tomorrow. I can read it to you then!" She suggested, knowing full well that Harry would soon be with the wizarding world, away from the muggle store.
"Okay!" He agreed.
Draco crouched down next to Hermione, his hand slowly reaching out to poke Harry. The child giggled, a hand coming up to clutch his stomach.
"How about I make you a promise Harry. We'll come back tomorrow, and buy a bunch of books! But, you can't tell your daddy that we were here."
The child seemed to consider it, his expressions on his sleeve as he pouted. "But daddy says that we shouldn't keep secrets."
"It won't be a secret! It'll be a surprise! Think how happy your daddy will be when we come back and buy all those books tomorrow! And then you can have Hermione read you your favorite book!"
Harry grinned then, nodding enthusiastically. "Okay!"
Draco made to stand up when a pair of little arms circled around his neck, squeezing tightly with relish. The child turned in his arms and found Hermione, hugging her as well. "I'll keep it a surprise for daddy! I won't say anything!"
Harry stepped back, allowing them to move towards the front door of the store. Hermione turned, her arms wrapped around the book as Draco gently prodded her out the door. "See you tomorrow Harry," she called. The child was so wrapped up in the surprise he didn't hear the emotion in her voice, the tears that threatened to spill.
Spinning in place, Harry had barely started to jump back to the counter when he heard the bell jingle again.
"What made you so happy my boy?" Came the gentle voice he was very familiar with.
"Daddy!" Harry all but ran towards the man, arms encircled legs. While his father was old, the man still could hold himself up, and leaned down to place Harry on his hip. "I'm just happy daddy is home!" Cried the child, always enthusiastic.
"Yes," his father agreed. "And I think it's time someone took a bath. It's almost dinner time and you need to sleep soon." He laughed at the child's pout, but persisted in following their routine.
When Harry was all tucked in bed, curled up around his plush lion toy, he did not see his father leave the house. His little mouth speaking the answer to the question Draco had asked earlier. "His name is Albus Dumbledore."
Harry did not wake when cracks echoed in his room.