Chapter 8

Severus looked down at the two kids eagerly looking up at him. They stood in an abondoned alley, a little way off the path to the Grangers home. 'Hermione, 'he said, 'we are going to be apparating. Now I..'. He raised an eyebrow and glared at her when he saw that she was getting ready to interrupt. Hermione quickly closed her mouth at the warning. She knew that Professor Snape didn't like interruptions.

Seeing her silenced he continued, 'I know that Draco's mentioned apparition to you.'

Hermione looked up and waited for a second to see if Severus had finished speaking. 'Yes,' she said, nodding her head eagerly. 'It's when you disappear and appear in a new place.'

'It's a little more complex than that but for now I suppose that will suffice.' said Severus. 'you will need to hold on to me and don't let go….no matter how discomfited you may feel.'

Draco smirked at that. Hermione turned suspiciously towards him while addressing Severus 'What do you mean, Sir?'

Draco replied for Severus, 'Nothing, you just have to experience it yourself.' Hermione pouted as Draco tugged on her braid.

Severus held out his hands and they each held one. There was a loud crack and the alley was once again abandoned.

They appeared next to a brick wall. Hermione immediately let go of Severus and emptied her stomach on the ground. Thankfully it missed their feet. Draco took a moment to steady himself, taking a deep breath. Once composed he looked at Hermione and started laughing. Hermione groaned clutching her tummy. She tried swatting at him but the world wouldn't stay still. However, Severus obliged her unspoken wish twacking Draco at the back of his head. The pale haired lad's laugh ended his laughter with a wince.

Severus flicked his wand and cleaned up the mess. He then pointed the wand at Hermione and muttered something. She felt a minty taste settling in her mouth. The poor girl was still embarrassed and quietly muttered a thank you sir to Severus. Draco seeing this, frowned. He reached out and held Hermione's braid gently tugging it towards him. Hermione followed his unspoken direction and stumbled towards him. He held her hand and turned pulling her towards the brick wall. 'Well atleast you missed our feet. My first time, I threw up on Mother's new shoes. She was furious. Father made the mistake of laughing and had to sponsor a shopping trip to Paris to placate mother.'

Hermione giggled, feeling better. She watched puzzled as Professor Snape tapped his wands against a few bricks and her mouth fell open as the bricks disappeared to form an archway. In front of her was an entire new world. The streets were full of men and women in colourful robes, entering and leaving bright bustling shops. Shops whose construction, Hermione was sure, defied muggle laws of science. There were owls flying in broad daylight. In a distance she could see the top of a tall white building.

Draco laughed at Hermione's amazement and tugged her along following his godfather down the cobblestoned alley. She manoeuvred her out of the path of a witch in bright magenta robes with a row of bags neatly following behind her like little ducklings. Hermione gapped and turned to Draco, 'Professor Snape doesn't dress like them.' Draco blinked for a minute and then bent over laughing as he imagined his stoic godfather in a pair of colourful robes. Hermione realising the ridiculousness of her statement joined him. She supposed like muggles, wizards to had their own personal preferences in terms of dressing.

She felt a hand come down on her head and gently steer her forward. She looked up, still smiling to see Professor Snape looking at them with an elevated eyebrow. She let him, steer her along pulling on Draco as he recovered from his fit, chuckles still escaping his lips. They moved towards a big white building with a plaque on it identifying it as Gringotts. 'That's Gringotts,' said Draco. 'It's the wizarding bank. Mother says its an outrage that we have to deal with goblins every time we make a withdrawal. Father says that he rather a goblin than a wizard guard his fortune'

Hermione frowned. 'Goblins? Like in Enid Blyton?'

Draco laughed. Hermione enjoyed Enid Blyton's books. More so when she discovered she was a witch even though Draco had told her thousands of times that the wizarding world was nothing like that in the Wishing Chair books. 'No, these are not the nice kind. Father told they feed thieves to their dragon.'

When Hermione looked sceptical, Draco turned to his godfather for support. 'Tell her its true Uncle.'

'Yes,' drolled Severus, 'thieves and dunderheaded little children.' Hermione looked at Draco. 'Maybe you should stay outside then,' she said and ran as Draco gave chase.

A/N: I am not really happy with this chapter. So I am stopping here and hoping the next chapter will be better. Please do review!