Note: I'm excited about this one. I've reached double digits! And it's only been a few days. Sorry for being so enthusiastic!

Anyway, Hermoine's point of view again. I didn't have anything to say for Draco quite yet, so I decided on this. I also thought it was time another old friend came into play. ;)

Enjoy, and review!

Chapter 10

Hermoine

I rushed down Diagon Alley, shielding my face from the oncoming snow. I pulled my scarf tighter around my face, and let out a sigh of relief as my destination came into view.

I opened the door to Slug and Jiggers Apothecary to get ingredients to make a new Blood-Replenishing Potion for Ron. He had been released from St. Mungo's the previous day, and I had to give him the potion every few hours, or whenever he complained of feeling dizzy or light-headed. Which was quite often. He'd already emptied my stores of most of the ingredients needed.

I stepped inside, and closed the door in a rush behind me. Instantly, my cheeks warmed, changing from a cold red to their regular color.

I looked up just in time to see Neville Longbottom walk up, wearing a Slug and Jiggers' uniform robe. I smiled.

"Neville!" I said, throwing my arms around him in a hug. He awkwardly returned the motion.

"Hermoine, I haven't seen you since Hogwarts!" he said, smiling. I nodded.

"I know. I thought you'd be replacing Professor Sprout by now!" I laughed jokingly. He smiled.

"Oh, not yet. I'm not quite there in the age yet… I'd be close to the actual students. And she's not quite done yet." Neville said quite seriously.

"Well, do you think you could help me?" I asked, pulling my list out of my jeans pocket.

"Oh, of course!" Neville said, taking my list quickly. "Dragon Liver?" he said to himself. "Come with me!"

I followed Neville as he made his way through the towering shelves of glass bottles and boxes. He turned the corner into a particularly cramped aisle, and stopped at the end. I looked up. A sign floated a few feet above in the air. It said, Livers. I gagged. A lot of the ingredients used in potion-making really were quite disgusting.

"I'm sure we have Dragon Livers around here somewhere… I'm pretty sure we just got a shipment in…" he whispered to himself. He flicked his wand, and rose a few feet in the air. He scanned the shelves, and returned beside me with two boxes.

"This should be enough for a few potions." He commented. Then he glanced back down at the list. "Dried Nettles…"

He sighed, and started back into the maze of shelves. On the outside, the shop looked rather small. On the inside, it was quite contrary. It was huge, and extended further back than I'd care to go. I knew I wouldn't be able to find everything without Neville.

He led me to the back of the shop, which took about five minutes to walk to, and then turned and walked down a red carpeted aisle which had a sign hovering above it. Dried Goods.

He stopped in the middle off that sign and another that said Live Creatures-Small.

Then he bent down, and used his knees to support his elbows. He reached out, and pulled out a jar that contained dried nettles. Then he glanced back at the list.

"You're going to need a basket…" he commented. He flicked his wand again, and a basket appeared. He handed me the basket, and put the two boxes of dragon liver and my jar of dried nettles inside.

"What exactly are you making?" he asked, walking down the aisle to the live creatures. He craned his neck up, and flicked his wand once again. He floated up above my head, and scanned the shelves again.

"Blood-Replenishing Potion. Ron and Harry had a little argument." I said.

"Oh, that explains the caterpillar… and the knotgrass… and Re'em Blood… Mandrake… but what about the Runespoor Eggs?" Neville asked.

"Oh, I like adding that; it doesn't change the effect of the potion, but it helps to make Ron… well, more aware. It's just helpful. It may help him explain the whole thing that happened with Harry, too. I still haven't heard the story." I responded. Neville returned with a jar of caterpillars.

He then set off down the aisle again, taking a better route. He grabbed a container of knotgrass from a shelf, and then continued, turning down another aisle to get the Mandrake.

"Do you just need the Mandrake leaves?" Neville asked, stopping in front of a group of shelves.

"Yeah, that's fine." I said, moving the basket to my other arm. It was growing heavy.

Neville reached up, and grabbed a jar of Mandrake leaves. He added it to the basket, and continued on.

A few minutes later, we were standing in an aisle, the only thing left on my list being Re'em Blood. We had been standing in silence for a few minutes.

"Have you seen Luna recently?" Neville asked, scratching his head as he glanced around the shelves.

"Oh, yes. She works at the hospital now. As interesting as ever." I said, laughing lightly.

"How's Harry?" he questioned. He continued looked back and forth across the shelves.

"He's well, but he's stuck in bed as well. He's well cared for. Ginny." I smiled.

"Oh, how's she?" he asked, sounding curious. He flicked his wand, and floated a few feet in the air.

"She's well. They're engaged." I said, smiling. "So am I." I added happily.

"Oh really? Ron, I'm guessing?" he said. I heard a smile in his voice.

He landed back on the ground beside me. Nothing was in his hand.

"Yeah." I said. "Where's the Re'em Blood?" I asked.

"Well, I we don't have any out here. I'll have to go check the stock. You can wait by the desk." He said. He led me back down the maze of shelves, and then stopped me at a long desk. It was the checkout.

I placed my basket down on the counter, trying to give my arm a break while Neville went into the stockrooms.

I leaned back against the desk.

"Did you find everything you needed, ma'am?" an all-too-familiar voice said from behind me. I tensed up, and turned around. Malfoy.

"Why are you everywhere I go?" I asked, aggravated. In my head, I was still scared out of my mind, worried that he would snap again. He seemed more scared than I was.

"I'm not following you, if that's what you're getting at. I work here. And if I recall, you were the one who walked into my mother's hospital room." He said coolly.

I gulped. "Look, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to do that." I said stupidly.

"I don't need to hear it. I'm over it. Now are you going to pay, or not?" he asked.

"No. I'm waiting for Neville to get the Re'em Blood." I said, grabbing my basket.

"I'm sure you could wait over there, then. Other people do actually need to pay." He said icily.

I nodded. "Yeah, of course."

I walked over to a nearby shelf, and stood. I leaned against it, careful not to put all my weight on it, in fear it could actually tip over.

Why was it Malfoy was everywhere that I was recently?

Neville returned from the stockroom, again empty-handed.

"I'm sorry, Hermoine. We don't have any." He said dejectedly.

"Oh… I really need it. I'm all out of it, and I need to make Ron his potion…" I said calmly.

"Again, I'm sorry." Neville said, looking back at Malfoy. "Malfoy! I told you to order more Re'em Blood!" he called, turning around.

"I did, Longbottom." Malfoy said, rolling his eyes. "You're just too stupid to know it's in the new shipment area. It came in today."

I looked over at him in disbelief. "You could say it nicer." I heard myself saying.

"Excuse me?" Malfoy said, stepping around the desk. Apparently, nobody actually needed to be checked out.

"I said, you don't need to be such a twit." I amended, stepping to meet Malfoy. He tensed up as I stood closer.

"Granger, get away from me." He hissed. It was like a repeat of earlier.

"What. My bad blood is going to give you some disease or something?" I said sarcastically.

"No." he said lamely. "But I suggest you leave, Mudblood."

I groaned. "You are so juvenile!" I exclaimed. I stomped my foot.

Malfoy chuckled. A low, throaty sound. "Says the one throwing a tempter tantrum." He said, leaning towards me. "Accio Re'em Blood." He breathed.

I could feel his breath warm on my face. My breath came up short. I didn't trust him being so close to me, but I knew I couldn't back down. It was a test. And I wasn't going to show that he scared me. I couldn't.

A bottle came soaring through the air, and he caught it in his hand. He dropped it in my basket. "Are you ready to checkout now, Mudblood?"

I stepped around him, and silently placed my basket on the checkout. Malfoy walked back around the counter.

"Malfoy, I'll get it." I heard Neville say.

Malfoy's hand shot up. "Allow me." He growled. Another throaty noise. I noted in the back of my head that it would be kind of sexy if Ron did that.

I groaned aloud, irritated that that had even crossed my mind.

Malfoy held his hand out, expecting me to hand over my bag of coins. I did. I dropped the purple bag in his hand, and he picked out the proper amount of coins. He handed my bag back.

"Goodbye, Mudblood." He smirked, and turned around.

"If you didn't call me a Mudblood, I'd say you're flirting with me." I called, irritated. It was the best insult I could come up with. And insult to Malfoy, but not exactly to me. I saw him tense up. He paused, but thought better. He kept on walking, and disappeared behind a curtain.

I smiled to myself, content I had been able to make him slightly miserable.

Then I smiled at Neville, waved goodbye, and suggested he have dinner with us one day.

With that, I walked out on the door, a smirk still sitting on my face.

Notes: See? I promised they'd have a moment! Not emotional, but definitely a hint at a romance. I will write in Draco's point of view next! I can honestly say, I like writing his point of view better, even though these past two Hermoine chapters are two of my longest chapters... so far!

So, watch out for the next chapter!

Review!