Harry was awoken the next day by the sunlight streaming in and Ron's loud open mouth breathing. Stretching and yawning, the boy searched for his glasses. Holding them in his hands, he realized that Ginny and Ron were probably right; he did need new glasses. The current glasses he wore had been his father's and while they weren't far off from what he needed to see; it was off enough that he often got headaches. Not to mention all the places that were cracked or scratched from enduring years of being his cousin's punching bag.
He placed his glasses on, running his hand through his morning hair, which only served to make it stand up even more. His hair really was always awful, and every time his aunt tried to cut his hair to tame it, it came back stronger. Gathering his clothes, he pulled on one of the borrowed pairs of trousers and the cotton shirt he'd worn the day before. The satchel that carried his money sat on the desk, and he looked between the satchel and the glasses that still sat in his hand. If I buy new glasses, I'll have barely anything left, he thought to himself. It wouldn't cost too much for a new pair of glasses, but Harry shook his head and put his glasses on.
His money would go into saving for marriage, he decided, smiling as he recalled the melodic laughter of the girl he'd met the day before. The sun shining through her chestnut curls had been an almost divine experience. He was alerted from his recollection by the other boy – now awake – throwing a pillow at his head.
"Oi whats that for?" Harry whined, rubbing the back of his head where the pillow had hit. It was all for show though, and Ron knew it, chuckling at his friend.
"You were thinking about your precious little lady and I thought I'd remind you how much of a hypocritical git you are." For effect, the red-head stuck his tongue out at Harry who only seemed to blush and frown at having been caught.
"I can't help it mate. She's the most amazing woman I've ever met."
"I don't doubt that Harry, but you've met your ghastly aunt, my bratty sister and my mum. Doesn't really speak to that being a high bar to jump over." Harry scowled at that, preparing to fight back saying he had too met more women than that, but he realized Ron was right. The only other woman he could add to the list was his own mother, but no one could ever be as perfect or wonderful as his mum.
"Yeah well that doesn't make this girl any less perfect." Ron rolled his eyes at Harry's dramatic declaration and started getting himself ready for the day as well. The two men were ready to head down to breakfast only a short while later, where they were met by Ginny and a bloke around their age. He was standing tall, his naval uniform in immaculate condition. Not a thread or a hair was out of place. His dark features were handsome, and he was clearly well built from his military training. When the two men came down the stairs, the couple stood and the man stuck his hand towards Ron.
"Hello. I'm Dean Thomas. It's a pleasure to meet you. Ginny has spoken very highly of you." Ron accepted Dean's hand, eyeing Ginny suspiciously as she burst into laughter.
"Don't lie to him love. He knows I only tell his most embarrassing stories. This one is Harry, he saved my life when I was eleven and we've been the best of friends since them. Gents, this is Dean." The way that Ginny smiled up at the man was hard to watch for Harry, being able to feel their love was almost too much. Ron, naturally, took this time to take the mickey out on his sister.
"Only the embarrassing ones? So does Thomas here know about how you sent four different owls to Harry on Valentine's day one year? Or how you used to run around the house in only your underclothes? Or…" Before Ron could say anything else, Ginny stomped on his foot, her heel digging in. Ron yelped at the blow, but Ginny just glared at him, daring him to say anything else. Grabbing him by his collar, Ginny made some excuse about needing to discuss something with her brother. Ron looked to Harry in a panic, clearly asking him to save him from Ginny's rage. Harry just laughed and told him, "You did this to yourself mate."
As Ginny dragged Ron off to properly take out her rage, Harry reached his hand out to shake Dean's. "A naval man as Ginny tells it. How do you like it? I considered it for a while. Don't think I could be so far from here. Not that home is a good place to be, but its…home you know."
Dean seemed to nod at Harry's statement, and gestured for the two to sit. Harry was incredibly grateful, his stomach loudly proclaiming how ready for breakfast it was. Ron and Ginny joined them moments later, Ron looking a little worse for the wear. The strict, angry expression the girl had been wearing melted away as she took her seat beside Dean. His posture, which had been straight and rigid, seemed to relax at her presence as well. Ron wore an expression of nervousness that informed Harry right away what Ginny had done.
"What did she threaten to tell your mum?" Harry asked, offering some sweet bread to his friend. Ron's normally red face was pale, and his terrified blue eyes met Harry's as he spoke. "She said she'd tell mum about me, Fred and George sneaking off to that brothel for my coming of age. I think if she ever found out about that she'd skin me alive."
Harry did his best not to laugh at his friend because he knew he was right. Molly Weasley was not a woman to be trifled with, and if she heard that her precious baby boy was out galivanting in such a disreputable place she was likely to never let him leave the house again. Turning his attention back to Dean, Harry began making small talk with the mysterious and quiet man. As the meal continued though, Dean seemed to open up more and Harry found that he did rather like Ginny's fiancé.
"Ginny tells me you like to read. Never cared much for books myself, but when I was stationed at the palace for training, they insisted I learn. Even saw the princess once or twice in the library. Used to try to give me the slip when I was guarding her, but I'd always find her in the stacks." He drank from his goblet and took another bite before realizing that Ron was staring at him with a renewed interest.
"You mean you know the Princess?" He asked, a twinkle in his eyes and his sister's threats forgotten. Harry hated pointing out that Ron was more likely in love with the idea of the princess than the person, but his friend seemed so happy.
"Yeah. Princess Hermione was…well you expect all royalty to be snobbish and rude, but she is incredibly kind and gentle. What can you expect with parents like hers though? Queen Helen and King David are good people. Not like those Malfoys. I hear that if the Princess doesn't find a husband at this ball, she has to marry the Malfoy heir." Ron seemed to blanche at this and he and Harry turned to each other, wearing similar looks of disgust. Draco Malfoy was the very epitome of what one expects a royal to be; snobbish, entitled, and utterly intolerable.
"Well I change my mind now Ron, you've got to marry the poor girl. It would be irresponsible of us to allow our sweet princess to marry that…ferret." The Malfoy family was just one step down from the monarchy, and they thrived on constantly reminding those below them. Ginny particularly had been rather cruelly treated by Draco when they were children.
Dean patted Ginny's hand, and the smiled at him appreciatively. "Breakfast is just about done." He spoke, taking one last long sip of his juice. "What are you all doing the rest of the day? I know that Ginny here needs to pick up her dress from Madam Malkin's."
Harry just shrugged, deferring to Ron who seemed to still be thinking about the Princess (telling by the dopey expression on his face). The dark-haired boy knew better than to say anything though, as he was just as in love with a girl he barely knew. Nudging Ron with his elbow to alert him to the fact Dean was speaking to him, the boy jumped slightly, recovering quickly. "We need to fetch Harry some new spectacles from Ollivander's shop."
Blushing in embarrassment, Harry turned to Ron and in hushed tones informed him sternly that he couldn't afford new glasses. He'd just deal with his old ones until he had more money.
"Don't be ridiculous, Harry. I'll buy them and you can pay me back when you have the money. Who knows when we're going to be in the city again, and your glasses are falling apart." Ginny spoke in her tone that seemed to dare Harry to challenge him, and the boy swallowed his objections. He realized that if he didn't agree she'd go off and buy them anyway, so he might as well accompany her.
"Well alright then, but I will be paying you back." His voice was stern, and he watched Ginny roll her eyes before sending him a small nod. The Weasleys were not rich by any means, and they were always so generous with him. He felt a surge of happiness and gratefulness towards his friends. They had dragged him to the city, and if they hadn't, he wouldn't have met his beautiful mysterious girl.
When they were done with breakfast, the four set out on their adventures for the day. Dean, Ron, and Harry ogled the stables, noting that they were breeding some of the fastest horses in the country. Ginny scowled at the boys looked, knowing that her mother would never let her ride horses like the men. They also stopped briefly into the apothecary to pick up some herbs and medicines for Ron and Ginny's mum. The last place they stopped before lunch was Ollivanders, which Harry had not expected.
The walls of the store were filled witch boxes upon boxes of glasses of every variety. He had everything from opera glass to common spectacles to glasses that magnified what you were looking at. Harry was mystified as he walked in, which was not offset by the appearance of a very old man in well-worn clothes. His white hair was long on the sides, forming into distinguished sideburns. He looked a little odd, a spirit of youth surrounding the otherwise fragile looking older gentleman.
"Hello, my name is Garrick Ollivander." He introduced himself, bowing slightly at the group. Each of them in turn bowed – except for Ginny who curtseyed – and introduced themselves.
"My name is Ronald Weasley, sixth son of the Earl of Ottery St. Catchpole. This is my little sister Ginevra…" She frowned as Ron used her full name, but kept from commenting. "Her fiancé Dean Thomas, a midshipman in his Majesty's navy." Dean nodded his head slightly, smiling at his introduction. "And this is Harry Potter, urm…" Ron stumbled over Harry's introduction, as the two men had never really gotten around to figuring out his rank. His father was some sort of nobility, but his Aunt and Uncle never really talked about him, so Harry didn't know.
"Just Harry Potter will do." He relieved Ron, nodding his head at the man. Ollivander's eyes stared at him intensely, and Harry realized he wasn't looking at him, but rather at his glasses.
"I would recognize those spectacles anywhere Mr. Potter. It feels as if it was just yesterday when a similarly jet black haired young man came to me for his first pair. I remember every pair of glasses I've ever sold. Each was hand made by me, as was your father's. I carved the frame out of a beautiful mahogany branch. The glass was cultivated on the beach, made by lightning striking the sand. Bit of rough shape they're in, I must say my boy." Harry looked stunned at the man before sheepishly shrugging. They were in terrible shape, but that was more due to his cousin's fists than his own carelessness. He wanted to keep them even after he got a new pair…considering they were one of the few things he had left from his father.
"You remember every pair of glasses you've ever made? That seems unlikely." Ron offered, probably not realizing how rude that sounded. Ginny just rolled her eyes at the boy and looked like she was about to apologize again for her brother.
"Your older brother Percy has reading glasses doesn't he?" Ollivander began, the look in his eyes showing that he already knew the answer, but he loved playing this game.
"Oh…urm…yeah he does." Ron supplied, clearly taken off-guard by the fact that the man knew that.
"Yes. He got a replacement pair when he moved to the capitol about – what was it now – ten years ago?" Waiting for confirmation from either of the red-heads in the shop, he received a small bewildered nod from Ginny, who seemed rather intrigued by what was happening. "He got a beautiful pair of spectacles. Silver. He insisted on the half-moon shape that Dumbledore popularized. Those lenses were made of blown glass, with a slight yellow tint to them." Ron joined Dean and Harry who were staring at the man in amazement.
"Bloody hell." Ron remarked, which earned a satisfied smile from the old man. The man began to lead them towards the back, where the stacks of boxes grew even higher. There was a lounge of sorts, with about a dozen different chairs of all colors, sizes and shapes. Hanging on the wall was at least three dozen small mirrors, decorating every spot of free space on the wall. "Wait here Mr. Potter as I fetch some options."
Harry sat down on a ratty looking gold chair was red engravings. Dean and Ginny sat on a bench that was close to a hallway that Harry assumed led to a back office. Ron, seemingly displeased with the remaining options, ended up in a pink chair with ruffled fabric. "Matches your dress clothes." Ginny remarked, and Ron looked as if he was going to be sick. Harry had only seen a rogue sleeve of the boy's outfit for the ball, but it had not been in fashion for at least a few decades.
"Right you are Mr. Potter." Ollivander remarked, suddenly reappearing in the room as if he had never left. In his hand, he held three different sets of glasses. Pulling out the first, they were gold with thick blue-tinted glass. Ron and Dean gave him downturned smiles, as if they were finding the words to politely say that they looked awful. Ginny just laughed.
The second pair he tried on were made of a thick wood, the clear lens uncovered on the bottoms. While an improvement from the first pair, they still didn't seem to be right. The third pair, however…the third pair fit his face like they were made specifically for him. Black tinted metal sat in a rounded frame around glass that was clear as day. Harry's green eyes looked out into the parlor as if he was seeing the world for the first time. He had no idea Ron had that many freckles or that Ginny had a bit of gold in her eyes. Jumping up and laughing manically, Harry felt like a new man.
"Curious…" The old man remarked, stalling Harry's strange celebration mid prance. Clearing his throat and regaining his composure, Harry turned back to the glassmaker.
"What's curious?" He asked, still trying to catch a glimpse of his reflection in one of the dozens of mirrors that adorned the wall.
"Oh nothing. Those frames just remind me of a boy I once knew. Now on the matter of payment…" The four followed the man back to the front, and Ginny placed the necessary coins for the new pair on the counter, earning a gracious nod from Harry who mumbled his insistence that he would pay her back when he had the money.
Stepping out of Ollivander's shop for the first time with his new glasses (his father's old spectacles securely in his pocket), was a beautiful experience for Harry. He thought fondly back on their entrance into the city only a few days prior and couldn't wipe the goofy grin off of his face as he took in the sights before him again.
"Stop gawking mate. I'm starving. Fancy a bite at the Leaky? We need to drop off Ginny's shopping anyway." Ron placed an arm around Harry's neck, walking in step next to his friend. Looking back towards Dean, he continued, "Unless you want to carry all that around all day."
Dean laughed and shook his head, turning to Ginny and muttering something about how its his pleasure to help his lady. Ron turned back to Harry and made a faux gagging motion before pulling himself and Harry along towards their inn. Lunch passed very similarly to breakfast with Ginny threatening Ron and Harry deepening his budding friendship with Dean.
After lunch, they walked to Madam Malkin's to collect Ginny's dress for the ball that was taking place in two days' time. Harry thought it was rather pretty, a glowing gold ball gown style dress that had red floral lace appliques spreading from her waist like a garden of flowers. Their day had been too good, which naturally meant that something was bound to come along and ruin it. That something came in the form of an impressively blond young aristocrat.
"Weasley, I'm surprised your family can afford such a luxurious gown. What did your father do? Sell off the family house?" Draco Malfoy stood at the entrance to the fitting area, and Harry watched Ginny cautiously as the girl started slowly turning a dark shade of red. Ginny was such a strong person, but there was something about the Malfoy heir that shut her down. Making her excuses about needing to go speak with the Madam regarding her gown, she disappeared into the next room.
Dean stared after her, briefly flickering his glance towards Malfoy. He seemed to be determining whether going after Ginny or punching Malfoy in the face was a better use of his time. Harry assumed he had made his decision when he followed after Ginny without so much as another glance at Malfoy. He was immaculately dressed, with his primly slicked back hair contrasting Harry's own messy jet-black mop.
"Oh, Potter…I didn't know that poor orphans were invited to the ball. I guess your father's title can get you far still, despite the fact he's been dead…what is it 15 years now?" Harry curled his fingers into a fist at his side, but he refused to engage with the pompous git. When Draco could sense that he wouldn't be getting the response from Harry, he moved on to Ron. Ron's expression was one of blind rage, and Harry watched his friend carefully, preparing to stop him if there was a move towards fisticuffs. "Weasel. Trying to catch yourself a bride at the ball? I'm sure that there's a scullery maid somewhere who'd have low enough standards for you."
Seeing the movement in Ron's torso before Malfoy did, Harry managed to grab Ron's arm and hold him back. Malfoy's smug smirk only grew, as he picked some non-existent lint off his coat. Harry's green eyes connected with Draco's grey ones, and his warning went unspoken. Malfoy may have been taller than him, but he was much stronger. Although the boy hid his concern well, he could see the boy's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. "All sorted Ginny?" Harry called, keeping his grip on Ron tight.
"Yes. We're all done." Ginny responded, sheepishly holding onto Dean's arm as a physical barrier between herself and Malfoy. Sneering at the group of them, he mumbled about not having the time to waste on inferior persons before walking away. Harry didn't realize he had been holding in his breath until it released when Draco stepped out like a hissing fire.
"Has he somehow gotten more intolerable since we were children. I know I haven't seen him in years but Merlin." Ron spoke, shaking off Harry's hand as he shuffled out into the bustling streets of Diagon Alley.
"Let's not talk about him anymore." Ginny chided, sounding more like herself than she had in the shop. "Come along Harry. We haven't taken you to Flourish and Blott's yet." The moment that Harry stepped foot in the book shop, he had forgotten all about Malfoy and he reprehensible superiority complex. It wasn't that Harry was necessarily in love with books, but they allowed him to escape the sadness of his life. As he ran his fingers along the spines of the stacks, his mind went back to Susan and Hogwarts and how his mother must've loved this place. For all he knew, Harry could have been in this place for days, but when Ron finally pulled him away – once again complaining about how hungry he was – he was holding his newly purchased The Winter's Tale.
Hugging the book to his chest, he recalled Susan's face when she had recommended it to him.
"I'm currently reading a book on Greek Mythology. I just got to the birth of Hermione. I wonder if the princess knows her namesake." This caused Susan to giggle, which confused Harry because he didn't think it was particularly funny.
"What's so funny?" He asked, looking over at her in time for her to brush a stray curl behind her ear. He thought it was such a delicate action, and he longed to reach out and touch her.
"You assume that I…that the Princess is named after Hermione from Sparta." Her voice was rich with emotion, and Harry looked at her; challenging her to explain. "I think the Princess is named after Queen Hermione in The Winter's Tale. She's wise and kind and persists through everything. Such a tragedy befalls her at the hands of men though."
"The Winter's Tale?" Harry asked, and she smiled kindly at him.
"Shakespeare, perhaps you should read more than his sonnets." She responds, resolutely. There was a glint of something in her eyes, and Harry couldn't help the nagging feeling that arose once again that she was keeping something from him.
"Susan?" He asked, watching as her honeyed eyes connected with his, and he almost didn't have the heart to ask her. "Why do I feel like there's something you're not being honest about?" She looked away from him, and his heart ached from the loss of her. She instead stared at her hands, taking a deep breath before speaking again.
"What a fool honesty is." She quoted, and Harry just stared at her. "Its from The Winter's Tale. Maybe if you read it, then I'll tell you." Harry wanted nothing more than to press her, to know what it was she was hiding, but looking at her in that moment, he couldn't bring himself to care.
The rest of the day was quick, with dinner passing in a blink of his eye, his eagerness to read his book overwhelming his need to eat. The moment it was polite enough to do so, he excused himself from his half-eaten dinner and bounded up the stairs. By the time sleep had come, he was hunched over a candle, devouring the play. He didn't know when he went to sleep, but the book lay open in front of him, his fingers grazing lightly the words she had quoted to him so delicately…
What a fool honesty is.