Diagon Alley was a rush of people, as always, when the Granger family arrived. Children were running around throwing candy apples at each other, while the parents were chasing around trying to get everything bought and ready. Unlike their little siblings or parents, the teenage witches and wizards were gathered in little groups, talking and laughing about the year to come. Just then Hermione spotted a tall boy with red hair talking with a slightly shorter boy with dark brown hair and a shiny scar among his forehead.
"Harry!" Hermione screamed, running to where they stood, "Ron!" With Haylie right on her heels, she hugged each of them and then introduced her little sister.
"Harry, Ron this is my little sister Haylie," Hermione said, putting an arm around her sisters shoulder, " and she will surprisingly be starting Hogwarts this year." Harry and Ron smiled at Haylie.
"Hi," Harry said.
"Hey", Ron added, shaking her hand. Haylie blushed and continued stare at Ron as they went through the different shops to buy the usual supplies. Their first stop was the bookstore, where they did, by far, the most shopping. Haylie had most of her books already from Hermione, but she still needed some added books. As Ron and Harry walked over to the "6th year" book shelf, Hermione helped Haylie find her new books.
"Ok, Hay, we need Practice Potions, and The Salem Witch Trials Studies," Hermione mumbled as she searched the many bindings of the brand new books on the shelves. Haylie's eyebrows rose.
"What are the Salem witch trials?" Haylie asked, grabbing the book and observing the cover.
"Well, in America a long time ago people were accused of being witches and were taken to the gallows," Hermione said, still searching for the other book.
"What are the gallows?" Haylie asked, dumbfounded. Hermione sighed and leaned against the bookshelf.
"The gallows are where people get hung." Haylie gasped as her older sister said this.
"Witches got hung?" Haylie whispered, looking frightened. Hermione's face softened.
"Well, I'm not sure if they were really witches or not and that was hundreds of years ago, so you have nothing to worry about little sis, "Hermione reached out and ruffled Haylie's hair, not so different from her own. Haylie looked down at the book for a few seconds and then became her usual, active self, again.
"I'm going to go talk to Harry and Ron," Haylie turned to leave, but decided to add something else, "Ron is so much hotter in person!" As Haylie hurried over to the other side of the store, Hermione rolled her eyes. Haylie looked very similar to Hermione, but not exactly. Haylie had Hermione's bushy light brown hair and her pale skin. On the other hand Haylie was a live wire, always jumping and having fun. She had blue eyes and a pretty smile. Besides those things Haylie was really like her sister, from her looks to her love of books and homework.
"Gotcha!" Hermione pulled Practice Potions off the shelf and went to join her friends and sister. When she walked up behind Haylie she overheard Haylie talking to Ron about jokes.
"Oh I love playing jokes too!" Haylie laughed, put her hands in the air, "They are so fun! Maybe we could play a joke on Hermione sometime." Ron smiled and glanced up at Hermione, who was tapping her foot on the linoleum floor. Just then Haylie realized her sister was standing behind her, obviously annoyed.
"I'm going to talk to Harry now," Haylie mumbled, rushing away. Hermione sighed and put her forehead up against the cold wall.
"Oh Hermione, she's cute! Don't get all annoyed at her. After all she is a little kid," Ron said, laughing. Hermione glared at him.
"You don't know my sister," Hermione raised her head away from the wall and started flipping through the pages of the book in her hand. When she didn't continue, Ron started to turn to walk away. She saw this and grabbed his arm. He turned, obviously surprised.
"I mean, she is such a little suck up. Plus she is a smart-mouth and has a disregard for the rules, and she always gets great grades and she brags about them and she is just so…"Hermione listed, counting on her fingers.
"So much like you?" Ron questioned, a sly smile appearing at the corner of his lips. Annoyed, Hermione pushed past Ron and walked over to Ginny, who was chatting with Luna Lovegood. She waved lightly and listened in on their conversation.
"Oh hey Hermione… well anyway I heard her talking about it to Lavender," Ginny was whispering, "Draco's cousin is coming to Hogwarts and supposedly she is worse than he is!"
"Is that possible?" Luna asked, her eyes looking like two huge saucers.
"I didn't believe it at first until I saw her outside!" Ginny cringed.
"Who are you talking about?" Hermione asked, desperately trying to get her mind off her bratty little sister.
"Draco Malfoy's younger cousin is coming to Hogwarts as a first year! Her named is Rose Forbes! She is really pretty though? How could someone who is related to the Malfoys be pretty?" Ginny exclaimed, her nose scrunching up.
"Where is she?" Luna asked, looking around, way too enthusiastic. Ginny peered around for a moment and then jumped and her finger flew through the air and narrowly missed Hermione face.
"Right there! The one in the purple!" Ginny cried, still pointing at a young girl looking through a book. Hermione glanced over and saw the girl look up and talk to a woman at the front desk. Ginny was certainly right, Rose was pretty. Scary enough she reminded Hermione of a rose, one of the white roses that always seemed so clean and gentle. Her skin was pale, but perfect, and her hair was a silky, snowy blond that reflected beams of light when the sun shone on it. The locks of hair seemed to glitter, and when she flipped it back, no hair was out of place, just soft.
"Look at that hair! It looks so much like Draco's, only better! I wish I had that hair!" Ginny sighed, twisting a piece of her own fiery red hair between her fingers.
"Could she be a Veela?" Luna asked, admiring her own hair.
"No." Hermione said, still watching Rose carefully. Then suddenly Draco came out of nowhere and grabbed a hold of Rose's arm. The girl tried to pull away, but Draco dragged her out of the store. The girls frowned, but just shrugged the event off.
"Ready to go?" Harry said tapping Hermione on the shoulder. She nodded and gestured for the rest to follow. They made their way out into the bright sunny day once again, a walked down the busy streets.
"I want to go in there! Oh and there to! This is so great!" Haylie exclaimed running from each store to the next. By the end of the day Haylie had rested her head against the car door and fell asleep as the Grangers drove back to their home. The whole mini-van was filled with bags and suitcases and people. Ron and Harry sat beside Hermione, talking about everything.
"Year 6! Only one more year after this till it's all over!" Ron yelled, shooting his fist in the air. Hermione glared at him but Harry nodded.
"I have enjoyed Hogwarts and I don't want to leave," Hermione turned her nose up into the air, and looked out her window.
"Oh come on Hermione. I'm sure you get tired of it once in a while," Harry said, smiling. Hermione shook her head fiercely, causing her just brushed hair to tangle.
"Well after a year with your sister, I'm sure you will," Ron added, pointing to Haylie.
"I don't know, maybe having her around will be nice," Hermione shrugged, staring at her sleeping sister, "I mean, I always miss her a lot when I'm here."
"Really? Cause I don't miss Fred or George at all!" Ron exclaimed, looking surprised. Hermione smiled, knowing he was lying through his teeth. Harry, clearly, noticed it too.
"Oh yes you do! You've sent them letters 5 times a day all summer," Harry laughed.
"Whatever," Ron mumbled. The rest of the ride went smoothly and the Granger family and Ron and Harry got to the house and started to put all their new supplies in their suitcases.
"It's good your parents let you guys come with us," Haylie told Harry and Ron, as she led them to their room. The spare room was pretty small and Haylie wondered how both boys would possibly squeeze into this little space.
"You two can't possibly fit in here! I'm going to talk to Hermione," Haylie cryed, frowning. The boys shrugged and stood and waited. Haylie sprinted down the hallway, which caused her to be somewhat out of breath when she reached her sister's room. Hermione looked up from her magazine and her eyebrows furrowed.
"What now Hay?" she asked, sighing.
"How can both Ron and Harry fit into that tiny room?" Haylie yelled, too overexcited.
"Geez, sis! Calm down! Why don't you ask one of them to sleep in my room," Hermione started to pick up her magazine once again. Haylie's eyes widened.
"You mean with you?!" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. Hermione noticed the creamy, sky blue nail polish that covered her sister's fingernails and she jumped off the bed, very angry.
"No! I would sleep in here with you and they would get my room and is that my nail polish?" Hermione screamed, her eyes watering and her hands shaking. Obviously noticing Hermione was more than just irritated, she shook her head denying her sin.
"That is mine! I told you not to go through my stuff Haylie! Haylie Emma Granger you will give my nail polish back to me now!" Hermione's voice changed and became deeper as her mood grew foggier. Haylie ran out of the room, knowing she was in big trouble. Only when Hermione was truly angry did she call Haylie by her first and middle name. The screaming of both girls could be heard from the guest bedroom, where Ron and Harry were clicking through the many channels on the old black and white television. Ron was amazed.
"This is great! Who is that?" Ron asked, his eyes popping out of their sockets. Harry had to smile as he looked into the face of the celebrities on the television that he knew his friends knew nothing about.
Ron smiled, but both boys suddenly jumped from their seats when Hermione and Haylie ran in and Hermione attempted to steal the small, breakable nail polish bottle away. Unfortunately, something horrible happened before she could succeed.
