Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its characters.

Hermione checked her watch. She was running late already, even though she'd made sure that she'd waken up early specifically so she would not be late. She wanted to be at the shops by at least 11am. It's not that she had to, but that meant she would have an hour to shop, have lunch at exactly 12pm and have another two hours to shop before she met up with Harry and Ron. She needed to have all her shopping done before she met up with them because there was no way she could do their shopping and her own.

It would take her exactly 23 minutes to get to Diagon Alley if she walked to her safe place and apparated from there. But she was running nearly ten minutes late... Hermione suddenly stopped her frantic attempt to bend space and time, to wonder if she was developing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Finally she left the house in a plain pair of jeans that she found flattering on herself and 'Vote for Pedro' white T-shirt.

Armed with her trusty huge black handbag that had everything from her wand to fluoro band-aids in it, she started the trek to the designated safe spot. She would have apparated from her bedroom but if her father had of heard the crack, there would be hell to pay when she returned.

Since her mother had run out on Hermione and her father, there had been a ban put on about magic as it was her mother that had allowed her to attend Hogwarts in the first place. After much deliberation, Hermione's father had decided to let her return to Hogwarts purely because it would have been a bit too late for her to start at a muggle high school. Hermione and her father were never truly close to begin with, but since her mother had left them the gap was more noticeable than ever.

Sighing to herself, Hermione regretted not having her iPod and mentally slapped herself for falling asleep with it on the previous night and not putting it on charge. She decided to take note of her surroundings just to fill her mind with something. There were children playing in a front yard. They made Hermione wish she could feel like that again. Why does society wish to expand itself? She asked herself. After all, who could say they ever felt that happy after their thirteenth birthday? Wouldn't it just be better if we just let ourselves stay blissfully ignorant?

Hermione realised she was at her safe spot, an alley way that led to a gulley behind a row of houses. Shaking her head of the depressing thoughts and jealousy of young children, she pointed the wand to herself and disappeared with a crack.

Landing in the Leaky Cauldron, she checked her watch again and sighed, 11:13, it seemed to mock her. She walked to the door leading to Diagon Alley and went to pull the handle back when it slammed inwards and sent Hermione flying backwards.

"Oh Hermione! I'm so sorry, are you alright?" came the familiar voice of Remus Lupin.

"Ah yes I'm fine, I don't think my bum can get a concussion... can it?" she teased him and poked her tongue out as he helped her up.

"Oh well, no I don't think so," He cleared his throat almost uncomfortably. "What are you doing here by yourself Hermione? Or are Harry and Ron in the Quidditch shop?"

She chuckled at the cliché of Ron and Harry looking at broomsticks. "No I'm meeting them in a few hours, after I get my shopping done."

Remus smiled at her and she smiled back. Then she started to feel a bit awkward when she realised he was still staring at her, as if he had forgotten how to speak. Suddenly he cleared his throat and offered a lame excuse about having to buy potions ingredients and turned to exit the pub. Hermione thought this was an odd course of action as it seemed that he hadn't done whatever it was he intended to do when he entered the pub.

As she watched his retreating figure she concluded that it was his business, and his alone. She made towards her sanctuary – the bookstore. As soon as she pushed the glass door open and heard the familiar bell jingle, she felt at complete ease. She told herself that she could only limit herself to 15 minutes in here or else she would not be able to tear herself away.

After picking up the essential school books and seeing she had another five minutes to spare she decided to broaden her mind even further and went into the advanced Runes section. She easily got lost in book after book. She was determined to only skim one more book and make her decision. As she reached up for Runes and their Effects on Humanoid Creatures, her hand collided with a pale white one.

All of a sudden she was staring into the almost blank, grey eyes of Draco Malfoy.

"Granger, do you need this book?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Not exactly, I just wanted to do some light reading and runes are such an interesting-"She started.

"Well I do need it. Would you be appeased one of the other many thousands of books in this store?"He interrupted in a tone that Hermione could not determine if it was sarcastic or genuine.

She opted for a safe reply, "Sure."

She turned away and picked up the copy of Runes – Communication with the Past that she had been flicking through previously and went to the counter, paid and left without a second thought.

Looking at her watch she cursed as she realised it was a quarter past twelve, but also realised, that at least she was correct about needing an hour to shop before lunch.

Deciding to go to muggle London for lunch she made her way to the Leaky Cauldron. Just before she was about to enter the pub, she felt a hand cover her mouth and herself being pulled into a recess between shops. She tried to struggle away from the attacker before she realised the person wasn't fighting her just trying to keep her still. She turned to face the person and found herself staring for the second time that day into a pair of almost blank, grey eyes.

"Malfoy," she whispered as she pulled his hand away from her mouth. "What the bloody hell do you want?"