Hermione stepped out into the blinding sunlight. Diagon Alley was bright this morning, and she'd been correct in assuming it would be busy. People crowded the streets, bustling to get their shopping done before the new school year. There weren't nearly as many people returning this year, but it was still a nice day for shopping. Hermione felt the warmth against her skin, but that was as deep as it went. She could remember feeling it in her heart, but it couldn't reach now.

She felt the tug of Ron's hand as he pulled her along. She could see the excitement on his face and couldn't help grinning. It wasn't true happiness, but she felt relieved. Things really could be normal. She was sure this "off" feeling would pass. She had no doubt about it. She just had to keep smiling, and eventually it would be true. That's the way it worked. She was certain of it.

As she stumbled, she snapped out of her thoughts. Rons arms around her, catching her, sent her heart thumping. He always had a way of making her feel safe. Even in their toughest moments, she could be calm as long as he was there. It was a nice feeling. Comfortable.

She looked up at him and grinned. He smiled down at her and she blushed slightly. Sure, his smile was a little goofy, but it was also so sweet and so wonderful.

"You alright, princess?" His voice sounded worried. Hermione nodded quietly, not daring to speak in fear that her voice would give away the breathlessness that she felt. Sometimes she could not believe how lucky she was.

As she regained her balance, and they continued walking, she glanced surreptitiously at him. He really was attractive. Sure, he'd been gawky before, but he'd grown into his appearance. The strong jawline and muscular frame. Those years of playing Quidditch had done wonders for his body. It really was a man's sport.

Their first stop was Gringott's to pick up some money. The damage caused by the dragon was all but gone. Only slender cracks here and there revealed any weaknesses. The marble floors still shone and the wooden counters were polished. It really was a beautiful sight to behold. Hermione had always been very impressed with Gringott's. The goblins had clearly taken much pride in their workmanship.

As they lift the bank, she glanced back over her shoulder. She loved seeing it this way. She'd felt such pain in her heart at the ruins they'd left before.

Their next stop was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. They fought their way through the crowds and entered the surprisingly empty store. Madam Malkin was rushing about with great bolts of fabric. Her assistants scurried around, doing their best to stay out of her way.

"Ex-excuse me. Madam Malkin?" Hermione stuttered, and blushed. Harry looked at her questioningly. It was not in her nature to stutter. Madam Malkin whipped around and her eyes widened.

"Customers!" She exclaimed, a huge smile spreading across her face. "How fortuitous. How fortuitous indeed! We've been all but barren the past few days." Though she didn't elaborate, the trio could imagine why. When the war took place, the shop had been nearly destroyed. She'd struggled to build it back up again, and by the time she had another garment shop had opened Eeylops Owl Emporium and the Cauldron Shoppe. It seemed that the robes there were a bit more modern, though considerably more expensive.

Madam Malkin was more than happy to help them find robes and it them, all at a discounted price.

"Just tell people where you got them, dears." She told them. It was obvious that she needed a boost in business and they were more than happy to help. She'd supplied them with their robes for six years. It would seem a shame for her shop to flounder and fail.

They said their goodbyes and headed out. It was shortly after noon and the crowds seemed to be nearing their peak. Ron's stomache growled audibly and Harry chuckled. It was definitely lunchtime. After a short discussion, they headed to the diner that had replaced Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. It was quaint and smelled delightful. As they were seated, Hermione glanced swiftly around at the décor. It was a bit kitschy with bright flowers in little blue and green vases atop doily covered tables. The curtains had bold floral patterns and the walls were a pale mint green. The chairs and tables were mismatched, which added to the homey feeling of it.

Hermione perused the menu, noting that they seemed to be mostly breakfast type foods. She quickly settled on the French toast, which came with whipped cream and Canadian maple syrup, and a coffee.

"Well, I think I know what I'm having. How about you?" She glanced at her comrades, hoping they'd made their decisions. She was quite hungry and wanted food to arrive sooner, rather than later. Harry and Ron both nodded and folded up their menus. When the waitress finally arrived, Hermione had to do a double take.

"Angelina!" She was shocked. Angelina Johnson, working at Galaxie Diner! Angelina grinned at them. "Hey, guys. How's it been?" Hermione was relieved that her voice was as casual as it always had been. It had been hard for her after Fred died. Angelina had loved him. Everyone knew that. They'd wanted to get married. Fred had been talking about it right up until the final battle. They didn't know then, what would happen. How could they? Everything had happened so fast, and then he was gone. And then Angelina was gone too.

Hermione tuned back into the conversation as Harry told their friend about what they'd done during the summer. It really had sounded lovely. Their summer of goofing off and having fun. Hermione missed that. She almost wished she could've been there. But it would've been too hard to face them after all that had happened at her house, and with her parents.

"So, did you get head girl?" Hermione realized that she was now part of the conversation and nodded her head. She'd received the badge when she'd gotten her supplies list. It didn't say who the head boy was, but she hoped it was Anthony Goldstein. She'd seen him earlier in the week as he'd been shopping, but hadn't gotten the opportunity to ask him. Still, he was hardworking and intelligent, and had been a devoted member of Dumbledore's Army.

Angelina finally left to get their order to the cook, and the trio was left alone once more. They had a lot of catching up to do. Hermione managed to dodge most of the questions about whether she'd enjoyed her summer and what she'd done, choosing instead to focus on quizzing the boys about if they'd done any of the summer reading. As she suspected, they had not. Sometimes she really did feel that it was a shame that she wasn't friends with more hardworking students. But she supposed that her school life would be considerably less interesting.

When their food arrived, it was another waitress who brought it to them. The girl flashed Harry a flirtatious look that he appeared oblivious to. The French toast was delicious, succulent and moist. Unfortunately, the coffee, even with copious amounts of cream and sugar, was bitter. Hermione was not a fan of bitter coffee. Really, she wasn't a fan of anything bitter. She barely managed to choke down things like pumpkin juice, much prefer mango or pineapple. Raspberry-orange was another that she enjoyed. Those sorts of things were uncommon in the wizarding world, sadly. Sometimes she felt that the magical community was just too stereotypical.

They finished their lunch, enjoying the food so much they barely spoke, before paying and exiting. They needed to finish their shopping.

The street was bustling and crowded. It was challenging to avoid bumping into people, so it was no surprise when Hermione found herself knocked sideways when someone crashed into her. She turned to apologize, and caught her words just in time.

"Watch it, mudblood." The words were harsh and Hermione felt herself flinch slightly. She glared at the slender blonde boy, but her chest felt tight. She knew her existence meant little, and she was fortunate to have the people in her life that she had. But hearing him speak that word… Hearing him call her a mudblood just made it feel more real.

She lowered her gaze and turned away from him, muttering a quick "sorry" before walking away.

Her apology has caused Draco Malfoy to pause. He watched the tiny brunette walk away, feeling intrigued. Since when did Granger apologize to anyone?