Well

Okay, I know that I was supposed to update last weekend, but I broke my arm. So I've only been able to type with one hand. So that's my reason and I think it's a damn good one. Some more from me at the bottom.

A/N: I don't think that I mentioned this before but this story takes place in their 6th year and totally disregards OoTP, HBP, and TDH. Now that that is all cleared up,

Disclaimer: I do not own the wonderful world that is Harry Potter, I only vacation here. I am in no way making any kind of prophet of off this piece; we commoners leave that to the great J.K. Rowling.

Now, on with the story!

--

"Get up boys! We're leaving in 45 minutes!"

That was the first thing Harry had heard all morning and he wasn't too thrilled about it. He loved Mrs. Weasley like family, but he would be the first to admit that she had a rather annoying voice. "Argh," he moaned as he rolled over and buried his head deeper into the pillows. "Way too early to get up."

"Come on Harry! We're going to Diagon Alley for our school stuff today! You wouldn't want to miss that would you?" Ron said excitedly as he jumped up and put on some clothes.

'You weren't the one up half of the night playing dress-up with Fred and George,' Harry thought bitterly, head still buried in the pillows. Out loud he said, "That sounds pretty good to me."

"Oh come off it," Ron said as he pulled off Harry's covers. "You need to get your ass out of bed before Mum comes in to get you herself."

With that said Harry promptly got out of bed and went to his trunk. He looked inside at his miserable wardrobe. 'I really need to get some new clothes,' he thought bitterly to himself. 'Maybe next time I go shopping I can go by myself so I can purchase a new wardrobe.' He pulled out o pair of pants and a shirt and headed to the bathroom.

Half an hour later, he and Ron emerged into the brightly lit kitchen.

"It's about time!" Hermione complained loudly. "You two have been up there for ages."

"Up there confessing your undying love for each?" Fred asked mockingly.

"I really thought you would have waited until school to do that," George added teasingly.

Ginny sent a scathing look at her older twin brothers, Ron turned almost completely red, Hermione pretended like she was gagging, and Mrs. Weasley continued cooking as if she hadn't heard anything.

"Of course," Harry replied sarcastically, playing along. "What else would we have been doing?"

"Shagging like rabbits," Fred and George said in unison after they shared a look.

"But we hadn't even confessed our love yet. How would you expect us to do that?"

"I'm sure you'd find a way."

"But what about marriage? Sex before marriage? It's an outrage!" He didn't know why but he was actually having fun with this. He continued to be oblivious to every one else around him.

In the mean time, Ginny looked as she was about to attack her brothers, Ron was a very dangerous shade of red, and Hermione had an odd look on her face that said 'I can't believe they're still talking about this'.

"Like marriage has ever stopped anyone," George said matter of fact like.

"Maybe not you," Harry mocked.

"This conversation is not about me!" he cried, falsely indignant. "It's about you!'

"Alright you win!" Harry cried throwing up his hands. "I thought I could out last you through this awkwardness but it turns out that I can't!"

"Don't feel bad Harry-" Fred said.

"No one can," George finished.

"Well sit down," Mrs. Weasley said as she sat plates down in front of every ones chair. "You don't want it to get cold do you?"

"So what are you guys going to do today?" Ginny asked, swallowing her anger.

"Well we're obviously going to get out school things," Ron answered mockingly, having recovered from his embarrassment.

"That's not what I meant," she said, a little bit of her seeping into her words. "I meant where are you guys planning on going first."

"I'm not sure where we're going to go first," Harry said thoughtfully. "But you're welcome to come with us if you'd like."

"Well of course I want to go!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly. "I was just about to ask if I could go with you."

"Well then," Harry said after a bite of toast. "I guess we're all going to be hanging out today. Of course, if that's all right with you Mrs. Weasley."

"Why of course it is Harry," the plump woman gushed from the other side of the kitchen. "Just so long as you all stay together and keep each other safe, there are people put there how would like nothing better the to bring harm to any of you."

"Of course we'll stay together, it would be most foolish of us to split up in the middle of Diagon Alley," Hermione said to Mrs. Weasley. "You needn't worry."

"Yeah, Mom," Fred cut in.

"We'll be there to protect them if the situation calls for it," George finished.

"Maybe we should worry," Harry said, poking fun at his favorite pair of twins, they wouldn't be the favorite if he actually liked any other pair of twins he knew.

"Enough talk," Mrs. Weasley said as she bustled around the kitchen, cleaning up the breakfast mess. "You should all get ready to leave. We'll be traveling by Floo so you had all better be ready. The connection will only stay open for so long."

"Yes Ma'am," they chorused as they al headed to their rooms to retrieve their supply lists.

--

"It isn't fair. Mother," a very agitated blonde stated, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Now Dragon, you know you have no choice in this matter."

"I will not marry mother," Draco said stubbornly. "I am too young to be expected to commit like this."

"Stop being foolish, Draco. You know as well as I that this betrothal is binding. There is no way out of it."

"But Mother, it is not fair! Why should I have to honor a commitment Father made before I was even born?"

"The Vassily1 child would be a great asset to our family Draco. Their blood would make you and your children stronger," Narcissa Malfoy said calmly, trying to sooth her upset child.

"I do not care, Mother. I should be able to decide who I wish to marry. What if I do not even like them?" Draco asked falling gracefully onto his bed.

"You know that not all marriages are based on love, child. I do not wish to do this-"

"Then why do it?" Draco all but yelled screamed at his mother. "Why did you agree to this? You had a say in this, I know you did!"

"It isn't that simple Draco," Narcissa argued back, anger rising. "Your father and I had no choice in the matter. If we would have refused they would have killed us."

"What if I love someone else?"

"It would not be important to them, Draco, you know that."

"Why was it so important to them? A family as prestigious as theirs should have had no trouble finding a spouse for their child. Why did it have to be me?"

"You're a pureblood Draco-"

"Don't give me that," Draco spat. "We are not the only pureblood family. They're not even British. Why come all the way here to form a marriage contract?"

"Because of your creature blood, Draco," Narcissa said sadly.

"What do you mean? No one is to know about that. How could they possibly know about that?"

Narcissa didn't answer her son; she just looked at him sadly. She knew her son could not get out of this marriage. Not even death could break this contract. "I am sorry, Dragon. When I agreed to this I believed the Vassily child to be dead. I had no idea."

"So I have no choice?" Draco asked sullenly, resigned to his fate.

"No, you do not."

"Do I have to tell anyone yet?" Narcissa shook her head in the negative. "I would like to be left alone," Draco stated stoically, eyes never leaving the ceiling.

Narcissa got up and walked to the door of her son's room. She took one last look at her solemn son before exiting the room and closing the door behind her.

--

All the Weasley children, Harry, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley were all crowded into the cozy sitting room at the Burrow. Fred and George were put in charge of making the fire while Mrs. Weasley divided the students in twos, using the buddy system. "These are the groups Harry and Ron, Hermione and Ginny, and of course Fred and George. You are not to separate from your buddy. You are in charge of keeping each other safe when we go our separate ways."

They all nodded in understanding, the fire blazing brightly in the pit.

"Alright then, Fred, George you go first." She watched as the twins grabbed some Floo powder and stepped into the fire, calling out 'Diagon Alley', and disappeared. "Harry and Ron, then the girls, don't leave until I get there."

They landed at a small shop at the end of Diagon Alley that Harry had never been to before. Harry looked around, taking in his surroundings. The shop seemed to be a bit run down, full of little knick-knacks and tattered old books. It resembled a muggle thrift store. The shop keeper smiled warmly at them as they brushed the soot off of their clothes.

"Hello, how are you today?" Said shop keeper asked kindly. He had light brown hair that was streaked with darker highlights and blue eyes accented with hints of brown in them. He had soft features, giving him an effeminate quality.

"Alright," Mrs. Weasley answered, having landed in the shop. "How are you?"

"Oh, never better," he replied, shifting his gaze to Harry. "Always new people to meet everyday and some people you've met before." He seemed to be speaking directly to Harry.

'Why is he staring at me?' Harry thought turning away, uncomfortable under the intense gaze.

'I'm not staring, merely observing,' a voice replied in his head. He jumped at the sound of this voice and bumped into Ginny, who was standing a bit too close to him. She blushed.

"Well I don't mean to be rude, Eros, but we must be going now," Mrs. Weasley said politely.

"Why of course, I didn't expect that you would stay here the whole time. I take it I'll see you later?" the shop keeper, also known as Eros, stated.

"Yes, have a good day."

"You too, Molly." Mrs. Weasley blushed. It wasn't everyday that you spoke to a beautiful creature such as Eros. Mrs. Weasley ushered the children outside of the small shop before they had time to see her embarrassment.

Out in crowded streets of Diagon Alley they stopped. "We'll meet back here at 2 o'clock?" the burly woman asked her charges.

They teens agreed as they headed in the opposite direction of the older woman. Mrs. Weasley headed down the street to collect Ginny's school supplies, not trusting her baby to collect them or her self. Ginny glared at her mothers retreating back, knowing the exact thoughts that were going through the women's head.

Fred and George decided that it was time to leave the students alone so that they could explore Diagon Alley without the sniveling brats reporting their every move to their mother, they couldn't have that now. With the exception of Harry of course. "Well we would love to stay here and baby-sit you all, but sadly we have better things to do with our time," Fred said rather mockingly.

"But you're welcome to come with us Harry, your company isn't totally unbearable," George said with a grin that hid what he was really saying from everyone but Harry and Fred.

"No thanks," Harry said, declining the offer politely. "I think I'll stay here with these guys."

"Suit yourself Harry," George started.

"We were only trying to offer you some better company," Fred finished.

"I resent that statement," Ginny exclaimed, offended.

"But we don't care," Fred said as he turned around and started walking away.

"We'll see you all later then," George said as he turned and followed his twin.

"They can be so obnoxious sometimes," Ginny said as she watched her older twin brothers as they left.

"Must run in the family," Harry muttered to Hermione, she giggled.

"What's so funny?" Ron asked eyeing the two suspiciously.

"Oh nothing Ron," Hermione said, patting Ron on the back. "It wasn't anything important."

"Oh," Ron muttered, believing the girl of his dreams almost immediately. "Well what should we do now? Mom's out of our hair for about another three hours, so really we don't have any rules."

"Of course we have rules, Ronald," Hermione said in her most strict voice. "If we didn't have any rules to follow, who's to say we wouldn't get ourselves killed?"

"Oh come on Hermione, don't be such a goody-two-shoes," Harry said coming to his friends rescue. "Ron's not saying that we should be totally irresponsible, only that we could have a little bit more fun than we normally could under the watchful gazes of the adults."

"Oh is that all?" Hermione said, hands on her hips. "Without rules there wouldn't be any structure in our society, everything would come crashing down around us. Besides, they're only looking out for our best interests."

"We look out for our best interests too and we manage to have some fun," Ron stated, not about to take this lying down. "They just don't remember what it's like to be young anymore."

Hermione looked from one best friend to the other, knowing that she couldn't win against both of them. She looked to Ginny for some help, but let's just face it, a rock with a smiley face painted on it would be more helpful than Ginny when she was with Harry. "Fine, let's just drop it," she sighed. "What did you two have in mind?"

"Well first off," Harry started. "We should actually get our school stuff, and then decide what to do depending on how much time we have left."

"But I want to do something fun now," Ginny protested.

"We actually have to go and get our own school things, Ginny. Mom's not getting ours for us," Ron said mockingly to his little sister. He got a dirty look in response from said red-headed girl.

"Well then," Hermione said, cutting off the inevitable fight that was about to happen. "How about we start and Flourish and Blot's, then we'll work our down the street.

"Sounds good to me," Ron said. Harry and Ginny nodded.

The four of them headed off in the direction of the store, never noticing a set of blue eyes that were watching them the whole time.

--

About two and a half hours later found the four teens standing in Diagon Alley, three of which had arms full of books. Having completed all of their school shopping, except for Ginny, The now had nothing of importance to do.

"Well what should we do now?" Ginny asked her brother and two friends struggling to hold on to their heavy loads. He felt no inclination to help them out.

"Go somewhere were we can put these blasted books down," Ron replied, face turning red from the strain of caring his books as well as some of Hermione's.

"How about we go get some ice cream?" Hermione supplied, taking some pity on the boy carrying most of her books.

"Sounds good to me," Ron panted, walking off in the direction of the small ice cream parlor.

The four walked the short distance to the ice cream parlor and deposited their heavy loads on the table. They all ordered their preferred frozen treat and sat down among all of their books. Hermione took a seat next to Ron, across from Harry and Ginny. They ate in peace, while keeping up a mild conversation, holding nothing of importance. They remained outside of the parlor sitting at the table, even after they all had finished, just talking and passing the time until Mrs. Weasley's set meeting time. That time came all too soon.

"Well," Hermione said, shuffling about and gathering her books. "We're supposed to be meeting Mrs. Weasley in about ten minutes; we should be going."

They other three solemnly agreed and stood up, gathering their thing sin the process. They headed back to the little run-down, where they saw Mrs. Weasley waiting impatiently on the walk. "You're late," she said disapprovingly.

"No we're right on time, just like we said we would be," Ginny said defiantly.

"Do not take that tone of voice Ginerva," Mrs. Weasley said dangerously. Ginny huffed and looked down at the ground. "Well let's get back," she stated as she turned and walked into the store. The reluctant teens followed, already missing the brief freedom that they were losing.

"I'll see you soon, Mrs. Weasley," Eros called. He was still looking Harry, causing the before mentioned teen to shiver.

"Yes, goodbye, Eros," Mrs. Weasley replied, uneasy at his cryptic statement.

In a matter of moments, they were all gone, leaving the shop devoid of all human life.

--

"Was that him?"

"Yes."

"And you just let him leave?"

"They'll be back soon."

"How can you be so sure?"

An evil smirked played across his lips as he held up the book in his hands. "They left something behind."

"I love the way you think. You always plan ahead." The two beings shared wicked grins before disappearing from the spot, they had other matters that needed to be attended to before this plan could be put into action.

--

Alright, this is longer than the last chapter, but until I get a good sense of where this story is going, updates may be a little slow, but I promise they won't be this slow again. Please Review!!