4-Diagon Alley
by Caitie Did
I dont own nything. By the way did you guys see the preview words for the next Hp book? thirty eight chapters! It'll totally be worth the delay!
I dont own anything..cept the plot! :)
Harry was the first to fall out of the fireplace and into The Leaky Cauldron, sliding across the floor and into a table.
"Why does that always happen to me?" he muttered under his breath, getting up and dusting himself off. He turned at the loud noise from the fireplace, and was pushed back into the table as Draco came sliding out behind him.
"That is not pleasant.."Draco mumbled queasily, and Harry had to bite down a laugh. Draco was turning a shade of green not unlike the color Hagrid had turned at Gringotts before Harry's first year.
"Why don't you go sit down...and by the way...where did you come from?" Harry said, and puled out a chair for Draco, who greatfully collapsed into it.
"I woke up late.."he responded, agitated.
"So did I.."Harry awnsered sarcastically, and turned around when Ginny came out of the fireplace, soot smeared on her face,"You've got soot on your nose.."harry said, and brushed it off her nose, standing quite close to her, and failing to notice Neville, Dean, Justin, and Hannah, who had all walked in the door and were staring at them, small grins on their faces.
"There.."Harry said quietly, his lips inches from hers,"It's..all...off.."Hannah
cleared her throaght, and Ginny and Harry broke apart like they were repulsive
to oneanother.
"Is everyone ready to go?" Draco asked, staring pointedly at them,"Get
a room.."he added, and Hannah burst into giggles, shutting up quickly when
Justin hit her on the arm.
"Yes, let's go then.."Harry agreed, glaring at Draco, who just shrugged his shoulders, following them out back.
When they entered Diagon Alley, it was pouring rain, and the group immedietly headed to Madam Malkin's, stepping inside.
The shop was filled with Hogwart's students, young and old, who were searching for dress robes nad school robes for the upcoming year.
"I didn't know we had to get dress robes again.." Harry said, and took out his list, realising he'd missed it,"Wonderfull..another ball.."he added unenthusiastically.
"Come on, Ginny. We'll find you something.." Hannah said, and grabbed her hand, pulling her back into the girls section of the store, leaving the boys alone at the front.
"What do you supose they talk about back there?"Justin asked curiously, and Draco snorted.
"What?" Justin asked, and Neville awnsered his question.
"How much Ginny wants Har-"Harry shut him up with a look, his cheeks bright red with embarassment, and turned to Draco.
"Alright then...how much Hannah wants Justin.."Neville added, and Harry took a moment to stare at him. There was something different about him, and it took Harry a while to place it.
"You lost weight.."he remarked, and Neville nodded.
"Gran said it would be good for my heart or something..I didnt really pay attention.."he said vaugely.
"Well..let's go and figure this out..."Harry walked towards the boy's section, the others following him.
"Do you have any idea how to go about this.." Draco asked a moment later. The boys looked about as if they were standing in a room full of things that might strike them at any moment,"I was just wondering..because the servants have always gotten me my dress robes.."
"Mrs. Weasley got mine last year.."Harry agreed, glancing nervously at the various robes, just knowing that no matter what kind he got they couldn't have lace on them.
"Do you need help boys?" They looked up at a middle aged woman with brown hair nad hazel eyes, and nodded.
"Yes.."they said together, and she smiled.
"I'm Rosie..Rosie Malkin..are you from Hogwarts?"she asked, and Draco nodded, which caused her to grin.
"What?"Harry asked her, and she indicated the curtain between the changing rooms as they followed her into the back of the shop.
"I was just going to say that there are some lovely Hogwarts students here
at the moment.."
"We know.."Harry and Justin said together, and she laughed, raising her
eyebrows.
"Now, come along boys...we'll have you fitted in no time.."she said kindly, nad led them towards a series of platforms.
They waited.
"Well..go ahead..hop on up.."she said, and they stood up on the platforms, immedietly noticing the measuring tapes that were flying in all directions around them.
"How do you supposed the others are getting along?" Dean asked, and Harry shrugged, staring at the curtain in shock when Hannah's head popped through a small opening.
"Are you done yet?" she asked impatiently, and glanced at Harry,"Harry..I need your opinion.."she pulled him through the curtain to the girls side, and Harry stared around awkwardly until he saw Ginny standing in front of a mirror, looking at her reflection critically.
"I dont know.."she muttered.
"Well I think it's quite becoming dear..may-"she cut the mirror off.
"Oh shut up, you.."she turned to face Harry, lightly blushing and indicated
her dress robes,"What do you think, Harry?" she asked hopefully.
To be truthfull Harry coudn't really think much at the moment. His throaght had suddenly gone very dry, so when he tried to say 'it looks nice' , it came out as a mixture of coughing and words that Ginny couldn't understand.
"You want some rice?" Hannah asked confused, and Harry held up a hand, finishing his coughing, and turned to face Ginny.
"I said it looks nice.."he said hoarsly.
Ginny's face fell, and Harry corrected himself without thinking, as he realised later.
"You look beautiful, Ginny.." he said quietly, and her eyes widened.
"I don't know..it's really expensive.."she said uncertainly, twirling in
front of the mirror, and for the thousandth time Harry wished he could
split half the gold in his vault with the Weasleys.
"I'll pay for it.."Harry said quickly,"You can't not buy that Ginny..it's perfect for you.."he said honestly, and grabbed twenty galleons out of his pocket, and handed it to her.
"Harry.."she started, her eyes wide, and Harry waved it off with his hand.
"Call it an early Christmas present.."Harry responded,"I've got to go back...and find some robes.."he went back through teh curtain, his eyes wide.
The first thing he saw was Dean and Justin mocking him.
"'You cant not buy that Ginny..it's perfect for you.."Justin said, and Dean put on a high pitched voice.
"'But Harry!'" he squeaked, and they turned and stared at Harry, their
eyes wide.
"Having fun, are we?" he asked, and looked at the box on his pedestool
uncertainly.
Ginny was blushing from her red hair to her ears, and Hannah giggled, folding the robes she was getting and putting them back into a box.
"I think he fancies you.."she giggled, and Ginny, if it was possible, turned more red than before.
"Harry?" she asked, confused,"He's my friend, I don't think he's...though he is cute.."she added, and grinned.
"Don't deny the obvious Ginny.."Hannah responded, grinning, and Ginny roled her eyes, fastening her robes back up,"Let's check on the boys.."Hannah said mischeviously, and Ginny's eyes widened as Hannah opened the curtain a crack and peeked through it.
"Oooh..they're shirtless.."she breathed, and Ginny unconciously ended up peering through the same hole on the curtain as Hannah.
"Wow.."she giggled, and Harry turned his head nad stared straight at Ginny, his eyebrows raised.
Her face turned red again, and she closed the curtain briskly, getting up.
"Let's go pay..'she said, embarassed, and left the changing room, Hannah in tow.
"That'll be fifteen galleons.."she handed Rosie the coins, and took her bag, as the boys came out of the changing room, robes in hand.
Rosie gave Harry his total first, and a couple of minutes later they were all set to go.
"Thanks.."Harry called over his hsoulder, and looked over when Draco ran into someone.
"Sorry..I didn't see you there.."Draco said, and Harry recognised the voice before her recognised the face.
"Someone had to have gone starkers to have made you prefect.."Ron trailed off, glancing at who was with Draco, and when his eyes met Harry's, they narrowed.
"So, did you have a good summer?" he asked Harry, an odd look in his eyes. The same odd look that Harry remembered from the previous year.
"Comatose.."he respondedd, the words sounding strang to him,"It's pouring
rain..and we've really got to get back to school...but I'll see you In
September I suppose...Come on Ginny..Draco..everybody..."they left Ron
alone in the hallway.
"That was pleasant.."Draco said shortly, and Harry gave him a look as they
walked back into the Leaky Cauldron.
"Oh yes..completely..I'm bursting with exhuberant joy..."Harry responded sarcastically, and turned to face the fire,"I'll go first..." He was gone in an instant.
so, is it good? Tell me what you think? :)