A/N: This is my unofficial attempt at fanfic100, a la the LJ community. I don't have an LJ account, and my character choice was already taken by the time I heard about this little idea, so I'm going to write it and post it here. It's going to be a bit of a long-winded project, but I'm up for it. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I am not J. K. Rowling. If I were, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. I'd be writing canon.
001. Beginnings
The brightly colored displays in the shop windows were intended to draw the attention of the people passing by, arouse their curiosity, and entice them to come in and buy something. More often than not, however, the displays only drew the attention of children passing by with their parents. Which was almost as good, for some shopkeepers. Children were known to have the ability to talk their parents into buying things. Unfortunately for one Mr. Carlton Jarvis, few children ever felt compelled into entering his shop, and the adults who came in rarely bought anything. He sighed, turning away from the front window of his shop. Oh well. Such was the cost of owning a rare books store.
The tiny bell over the doorway tinkled, the light tone causing Mr. Jarvis to halt in his steps. He turned around slowly to see a young girl, possibly six or seven years old, holding on to the hand of a very well dressed man in about his early thirties. His face held an expression of great bemusement; the girl's held one of determination. She marched up to the confused store owner and held out her hand.
"I'm Hermione Granger, and I have nothing to read."
Mr. Jarvis took the small girl's hand and shook it gently, trying to keep the delighted smile off of his face. He noticed that her grip was strong for such a small hand; misleading, much like (he was willing to bet) the rest of her. The old man turned his head to look at the younger man, whom he suspected was the girl's father.
Mr. Granger shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed. "She's read every child's book we own at least twice," he explained, "and she's cleaned out the library. I was hoping you might have something she hasn't read yet."
The old shop keeper chuckled and looked back at the girl. Hermione was staring up at the man impatiently, as if waiting for him to regain his manners and introduce himself. He cleared his throat. "Carlton Jarvis, at your service Miss Granger," he stated to the precocious youth. "Perhaps I might have something for you. Do you happen to enjoy the sciences?" He withheld a laugh as he watched the girl's eyes light up. This was, he could tell, the beginning of a long and healthy relationship. "Right this way, then. I think I may have just the thing you're looking for..."
