The Point Of Love
Chapter One
The sun was shining on the crooked Burrow and its overgrown garden. In the kitchen sat Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny who were eating the rather large breakfast that Mrs Weasley had given them. It was their last day before returning to Hogwarts and they were chatting about the day's plans. Fred and George had already left for work as had Bill. Mr Weasley came into the kitchen yawning and sat down into a kitchen chair.
'Right, we've decided to let you go Diagon Alley,' he said importantly, 'but Hagrid will escort you.' Ron grinned across the table at Harry. 'Now, I want you all to be sensible and wary. These aren't safe times and you're lucky we let you go out without your mother and I.'
'Don't worry Dad. We can all apparate, apart from Ginny, but we can use side-apparation for that,' replied Ron as he ladled beans onto his plate.
'It doesn't matter if you can apparate,' Mr Weasley frowned, 'just have your wits about you.'
'We'll be alright Mr Weasley,' Hermione said and Harry nodding added, 'don't worry about us.' The subject was dropped and an hour later Hagrid appeared and they were ready to go. They waved to Mr and Mrs Weasley, who stood at the door and turned into darkness. Less than a second passed and the five of them stood at the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.
'Well come on then, we ain't got all day,' Hagrid led them through the almost deserted pub. When they reached the brick wall Hagrid pulled out his umbrella and tapped the bricks so they disappeared. Diagon Alley looked the same, crooked shops lined the street, colourful signs decorated shop windows and the place was heaving with anxious shoppers.
'Shall we go and get some equipment?' Hermione said, they agreed and made their way into a nearby shop.
*
Their arms were ladled with packages and parcels as they made their way back up the street. The sun was dying and a reddish tinge could be seen peeping over the rooftops. They were all extremely exhausted by the day's activities and Ron was grumbling. 'Did you really need to buy all that parchment Hermione? I mean, you can always order some and get It delivered.'
Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed, 'yes Ron. I'm taking lots of subjects and sometimes Owls are late delivering them.' She arranged her shopping in her arms before dropping a large box. 'Oh Merlin!'
'Give me them,' Hagrid said waving his umbrella so that their shopping flew from their arms. With another wave of his umbrella they disappeared. 'Don't worry, I've sent 'em to the Burrow,' he added at their shocked faces.
'Couldn't you have done that earlier, it would have been so much easier then.' Ron said, they laughed when suddenly a scream filled their ears. The air had suddenly turned cold and darkness engulfed them. Dementors, Hermione thought as she pulled out her wand.
'Ginny!' She could hear Harry yelling and heard a loud CRACK as someone dissaparated. She could her Ron calling her name and Hagrid shouting.
'Go Ron,' Hagrid yelled. 'I'll get Hermione, just go!' She heard Ron arguing then another CRACK sounded. A Dementor was closing in and as she heard Hagrid shout again she started to run blindly back down the street. She tripped and her want toppled out of her hand and she could feel the cold rapidly surrounding her. The Dementors' deathly rattle seemed to grab her as it lowered its mouth to hers. She closed her eyes and desperately tried to find the strength to push the monster off her even though she knew nothing would stop it.
Then a silvery light shot over her and the Dementor rose and melted away into thin air. She lay panting for breath as light filled the street again. She raised herself slowly from the ground, looking around for her saviour. A young man with a mane of blonde hair was running toward her.
'Are you alright?' Malfoy looked down at her, his face flushed pink and his wand shaking in his hand.
'You saved me,' she couldn't think properly, he stopped and shoved his hands in his pockets looking embarrassed. He shrugged and looked around before replying, 'If you want to have your soul taken away, you should have told me Granger.' He smirked and held out his hand. She looked at it for a moment before taking it; he pulled her to her feet. She looked into his grey eyes, hid slightly by his blonde hair and felt a tingling sensation in her arms and she shivered as the evening sun burnt her back.
'DRACO!' Lucius Malfoy had appeared and he was looking between them in horror. Malfoy snatched his hand out of Hermione's and stuck them back in his pockets. 'Be more careful next time Granger.' He turned and with a fierce glare at his father stalked off. Lucius looked a Hermione for a second before following. She turned in confusion and started back up the street, her mind reeling.
'HERMIONE!' Hagrid was pelting towards her, knocking over a display as he went. 'You're all right. I thought. . . I thought you'd bin taken.' Hermione patted his elbow, 'It's all right Hagrid, lets just get back to the Burrow,' she gave him an encouraging smile and together they turned on the spot into crushing darkness.
*
'Malfoy saved you?' Ron spluttered causing bits of chocolate to fly across the table. He, Harry and Hermione were sat at the kitchen table listening to Hermione's story.
'Yes Ron, how many times do I have to tell you?' Hermione said rolling her eyes impatiently. 'I was on the ground and the Dementor was inches away from me and a Pantronus shot out from nowhere. When I looked around he was running towards me with his wand in his hand.'
'I wonder why he saved you? I mean it's not something you do for someone you hate,' Harry said, 'maybe he's changed over the summer.' Hermione shrugged and looked out of the window. Why did he save me? She thought, he always calls me a Mudblood and Harry's right; you don't save someone you hate.
'Are you coming Hermione, Mum says we've got to be up early if we want to catch the Hogwarts Express.' Ron was stood at the kitchen door and Harry was nowhere to be seen. She nodded, got up and followed Ron up the stairs to her room.
When she had changed and checked that her trunk was packed, she lay in bed staring up at the ceiling. Ginny who lay in the bed next to her was snoring peacefully. She couldn't believe how fast the holidays had gone, however she couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. However this wasn't because of the castle it was because of a certain Slytherin. She wanted to know why he saved her. She wanted to stare into those eyes that didn't seem to end. She wanted to run her hand through that silky blonde hair. Wait! Why was she thinking of Draco Malfoy. He was the boy who had bullied her and her friends all of their school life. The boy whose snide remarks had echoed in her head. The boy who she had punched and who called her 'Mudblood' at every opportunity. No, she would have to stop thinking about him.