Hello! I'm so glad I finished this early, the story is definetely picking up the pace. If there are a few spelling errors, I'm very sorrym please let me know via PM or review and I will fix it. I have plans tomorrow, and Wednesday (unfortunately not the kind of plans I'd like to have on Valentine's day) so likely I'll have another chapter out by Friday or Saturday pacific time...but I'll try and make it longer and worth the wait. XD have fun reading!

Chapter Ten

There was no other way to put it. Penelope Malfoy was beautiful.

She looked like Malfoy, but there was this goodness, this purity, in her face. She had waist-length blonde hair- not quite as bright as Malfoy's, but still bright enough to clearly be a Malfoy- and she had bright green eyes to rival Harry's. Penn looked ready to do anything. Hermione was somewhat shocked by the waves of ambition streaming off of her, but pulled herself together and waved them over. She waved happily back, looking up at Malfoy with a grin. Hermione got another shock: his face was transformed, looking at Penn encouragingly and lovingly. He looked so brotherly.

Penn and Malfoy walked over to the table, and sat down. Hermione cleared her head, ready to meet her."Hi," Penn said. "I'm Penelope Malfoy, but if you wish, you can call me Penn." Her voice was melodic and confident, but there was the slightest undertone of Malfoy arrogance. "Hello," said Hermione. "I'm Hermione Granger."

Penn nodded. "I know, Draco told me all about you," she said, smirking ever so slightly. Malfoy went faintly pink, and so did Hermione. He had been talking about her? She wasn't sure whether to feel violated or honored.

Penn ignored their blushes and continued. "And I heard about your role in the wizarding war, I was alive when it happened, I was about nine," she said, rambling on. "You're a bit of an idol to me, a strong, independent woman who isn't afraid to change the world." She smiled at Hermione brightly, looking not the least bit embarrassed.

"Well," said Hermione. Her face had gotten much redder with praise, but she was very pleased."Thank you so much for that, I'd love to speak with you on what you'd like to do with your own, clearly abundant, ambition-" she began, but Malfoy cleared his throat, winking at Hermione jovially. He really was so happy around Penn, and she could see why, Penn's positive nature was infectious. But they needed to stay on track. "You're probably wondering why we've brought you here - your brother taking you to a random magical pub to a witch you don't know personally," she said. "And…..I think Draco should explain the beginning of that." It was the first time she had used his first name by itself since….ever, probably. Draco blinked, a little unnerved. "Well, Granger and I first met up in the library," he began. Hermione glared at him for usage of her last name - after all, she used his first name! - but Draco just smirked and continued. "And she heard a bit of our phone conversation."

Penn stiffened almost imperceptibly, and nodded for him to go on. "She heard the bit about you waiting for your Hogwarts letter, and how you thought you might be a Squib…" Draco knotted his hands together, clearly nervous. "And we checked the library...you are, but there's something we can do about it." His last words tumbled out in a rush of nervousness, and his eyes dropped to the ground. Hermione looked over to Penn to see how she was taking it.

The smile had dropped from her face. She was very pale, and her eyes were very dark. She was clearly trying to hold it together in front of Hermione. Penn said nothing, her entire body language screaming angry, but then she relaxed very slightly. It seemed everything would be fine, but then a light overhead exploded, raining warm shards of glass all over them. Penn sat, letting the shards rain down on her unflinchingly. Draco yelled and repaired the lightbulb. After he had finished clearing the glass up, she hissed, "So what can you do to help the fact I'm a Squib?" She almost spat the word and Hermione hastened to explain.

"See that light that exploded? That happens to all young witches and wizards - or simalar things at least - and we think you could become fully magical because the magic is in your blood somewhere, you just proved that with the light." Hermione beamed and Penn nodded slowly, still unsmiling.

Draco continued, pulling out the Felix. "We've decided that to test if you could become magical, if the magic in your blood is...abundant… enough to possibly have some effect which could be manifested into magic later. We'll give you this potion - liquid luck. It lasts for twenty-four hours..if it works. If lucky things start to happen to you, we'll continue. Sound good?" he asked. Penn grinned. "Let's get started," she said, taking the tiny bottle from his hand and downing it in two gulps. Hermione and Draco exchanged a look, nervous.

She stood up suddenly. "I have a feeling I should make a bet with that Seer," she said, and strode over to the Seer still gossiping to the hag. Hermione, slightly confused but still hopeful, hurried behind her, overseeing from the background.

"Hello, sir. Are you a Seer?" Penn asked promptly. Hermione caught a ghost of a smile flitting across Draco's face.

The Seer nodded. "Are you willing to see part of your future...for a price?" he asked silkily. She grinned. "Of course, who wouldn't? But I don't think you can. In fact, I'll bet you eight Galleons that you can't answer my question." Draco raised his eyebrows. "Bold, isn't she?" he whispered to Hermione, breath tickling across her neck. She shivered involuntarily. "Very," she answered. "Eight Galleons is alot."

The Seer accepted the deal, closing his eyes. From a piece of spare parchment in her pocket, Penn scribbled some words. Then she said, "I've got a question, which I'm about to ask, written on this paper. If you can guess it, eight Galleons are yours."

He pressed his fingers to his temples, and cracked one eye open to look at her. "Your question is...what house will I be in at Hogwarts?" The Seer opened the other eye. "Money, please."

But Penn laughed and showed him the parchment. Hermione couldn't make out the words, but the Seer yelled. "Ahh! A rookie mistake!" he moaned. "Here are your Galleons, my dear...don't do that, they're real, don't you trust me?" Penn winked, flounced off with her money.

"What was the question?" Draco asked interestedly. Penn grinned. "I asked what house he will be in at Hogwarts, and something told me he's going to think what house will I be in at Hogwarts...and he forgot to rephrase it." She cackled, and Hermione snorted

"I think the potion affected me, though, that must've been the something telling me to bet," she said excitedly, jangling her coins. "So? What does this mean now? What are we going to do?"

Hermione realized that Penn was, indeed, right. The potion had clearly affected her, but what did they do from there? They had no further plans from here, and Hermione was at a loss of what to say or do. She turned to Draco to see her flummoxed look reflected on his own face- he had no idea either. But Hermione knew someone who might.

"Draco, Penn," she said, glancing around. "I think it is time we pay a visit to someone who has battled - and still battles to this day - alot of magic."

"I think it is time to visit Harry Potter."