Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Harry Potter.

7. Wands

Hermione opened the balcony door in her room, went down to the ground... and crawled into the balcony.

That's right crawled. Malfoy had told her that she could go to the balcony anytime she wanted, as long as nobody saw her meaning Hermione would never get to see what was beyond the Mansion fully, only what she saw when she passed a window.

She lay on the balcony floor and looked up at the still cloudy sky and sighed. Oh how she longed to see some beautiful sunshine except for this predictable weather of everyday cloudiness.

She heard her bedroom door open "Granger" Malfoy called.

Hermione sighed once more and crawled back into her room. She shut the door behind her and got up.

"Yeah?" she asked as she dusted herself off.

He threw her a cloak.

"What's this for?" Hermione asked as she took the cloak in her hand and looked at it.

"We're going out, put on some proper clothes for outside and throw the cloak on. Meet you downstairs in ten minutes" he said leaving the room.

There he goes again. Hermione thought. Telling me something but never everything.

She got ready, threw the cloak on and walked downstairs where Malfoy was waiting.

"Where are we going?" she asked, but all she got was a small glass from Malfoy "What's this suppose to be?"

"Drink it" he said simply.

"Well first I've gotta know what it is and why"

"Polyjuice potion, we're going to Diagon Alley and obviously you can't go as yourself"

Hermione gave him a questioning look and remembered her last experience with Polyjuice Potion which wasn't a pleasant one but she was a Gryffindor and Gryffindor's were brave beyond measures so... she drank it in one gulp.

The glass fell from her hands and shattered on the ground sending sharp pieces everywhere just barely missing the two of them.

Her stomach hurt. Her mind was spinning around in circles trying to have a proper thought and gain focus on the situation. She began to feel ill and ready to fall at any moment, her vision blurred and it seemed like the room was going off in all these different directions.

She dropped to her knees but didn't make it as Malfoy held her up. He took a firm hold on her arms and she tightly clung onto his for support but then she just couldn't anymore and let go. Malfoy still holding her arms, pulled her up to stand and she clung on to him tightly as the sickening sensation finally passed.

She breathed in deeply.

"Are you alright?" he said with a hint of concern but empty of sarcasm. He looked at her directly in the eyes as she stared up at him.

She nodded and let go.

She looked back at him and he was... smirking at her?

"What?" she asked and her eyes widened. That was not her voice!

His smirk widened. He walked into the downstairs hall and pointed to the mirror on the wall. Hermione slowly walked towards it. She looked at herself and blinked.

She had blonde hair, sparkling green eyes, she was two feet taller and a few inches off from Malfoy's height. She had soft pink lips and light pink cheeks.

She turned back to Malfoy, eyes still wide. He gave a small laugh, took her hand and they apparated into Diagon Alley.

Hermione looked around. No way in hell was this Diagon Alley!

It was as if it had no life. The happy people who walked and ran down the streets in all these different colored robes were now taken place by these all up tight looking wizards and witches Hermione guessed as obvious purebloods.

They wore mainly black, most of the other colors were dark and hardly any pastels. The old shops had been taken down and new useless shops had taken their place. And now the buildings matched the people: gloomy and dark.

She followed Malfoy up the street. He opened the door to the one store that still was the same... Olivander's.

With curiosity Hermione followed him in. He was already talking to some guy at the counter. No, not Olivander but some other dude.

"So, as I understand you're cousin needs a new wand"

"Yeah, that's right. Uh, that's her right over there" Malfoy pointed at her.

Hermione looked behind her expecting to see a somebody behind her but then realized... it was her!

She gave sheepish smile and walked up to the counter "Be right back" the man said.

Hermione looked at Malfoy with shock as he looked around the store casually like as if nothing happened.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he said "Getting you a wand"

"But-"

"Here you go, try this one out" said the guy, holding out a wand for Hermione to take.

Hermione took the wand and gave it a try "Lumos" Hermione bit her lip as a stack of wand boxes flew out of their shelf and flew across the room.

"Sorry" Hermione said nervously.

"No worries, happens all the time" he said relaxed as he took out another wand "Try this one"

"Lumos" this time only one wand box flew out hitting Malfoy in the head who glared at her trying hard not to curse.

"I'm sure this one"

"Lumos" this time, the store went pitch black only to have light return a few seconds later.

Wand after wand after accident after accident Hermione finally found the right wand.

She left out of the store, wand in her pocket as Malfoy came out.

"Finally" he muttered, purely annoyed.

"Why'd you get me a wand?" Hermione asked.

"Look let's get a few things straight, one you do not hex me with that wand, two you don't cause havoc with that wand, three you use it for your protection and you can use it as long as, again, you don't hex me or anything with that thing"

"Got it" Hermione nodded.

He looked down at his watch "Ugh. We've gotta go, potions almost wearing off" he said and he took her hand and next second they were back at Malfoy Mansion.

All night long in her room Hermione practiced spells with her new wand. Shooting off spells at random places, making the walls change colors, making the room fill with bubbles and just plain have fun.

After that long dreadful period of being deprived from her magic she was glad to have it back.

One thing she didn't get though... why had Malfoy bought her a wand? He had said so she could 'protect' herself but... just how much of that was really true?

A/N: Oooh was Malfoy being nice? Yes my beautiful readers, yes he was.

Okay I know what you're all thinking, When are they gonna hook up?! Well my loving readers... not yet. Sorry but do you really think Malfoy would take an automatic shining and liking to Hermione just like that? I don't this so, not in this story anyway. You've gotta build chemistry first!!!

Now go on and review!