It was a beautiful day in Diagon Alley. The sun was bright and the weather has a perfect feel to it.
"Can you believe this is the last time we'll be here buying school supplies?" asked Ron, as he, Hermione and Harry sat at a table outside the ice cream parlor enjoying a cold treat.
"I know. Here we are in 7th year!" said Harry. "It seems like just yesterday we were on the train to Hogwarts for the first time."
"I don't think I'll ever forget how annoying I thought Hermione was!" joked Ron. He cleared his throat and did his best impression of her. "Neville's lost a toad. Has anyone seen it?"
Hermione found this sort of funny, but of course also felt the need to give Ron a soft wack on the back of the head.
"Oh come on Hermione. Its true... you were a little uptight then," joked Harry.
"I'm not the only one who was annoying. Remember in second year when Ron...." Hermione stopped as she noticed Draco Malfoy heading towards their table.
"Oh look" whispered Ron. "Here comes the only person who hasn't changed. Still as big a git as ever."
"Well well," said Draco as he made his way over to their table. "If it isn't Pothead, Weasel, and their little whore!"
"What did you just call her?" asked Ron, as he got up. It was still summer and the students were not allowed to do magic, but Ron didn't care. He was going to pummel Malfoy with his bare hands.
"Open your ears... I called her a whore. That's what she is, isn't she? She's dated both of you!"
Both Harry and Ron decided simultaneously that they would not allow him to insult their best friend like this. (It was true that she had dated both of them, Ron in the summer before 5th year, Harry in 6th, but neither of those relationships worked out, and the trio had since decided that they were best suited as friends.)
As Harry and Ron moved to beat Draco Malfoy into the ground, they were beaten to the punch by Hermione, who did something they had never seen her do. She punched Draco. And it wasn't a slap, or a girly punch. She punched him square in the face with astounding power and accuracy.
"Don't you ever, ever call me a whore you pathetic piece of shit!" she said looking very pleased with herself.
"I think you broke my nose. You mudblood bitch!!" said Draco as he held his nose, which was now bleeding all over his hand.
Ron and Harry stood there in shock, neither knowing quite what to say. Hermione was simply in shock also, not just that she has punched him, but also that he wasn't hitting her back. She wouldn't put it past him to hit a girl. A moment later she noticed why.
Lucius Malfoy strode up to the table, took one look at his son, pulled out his wand, spoke a spell, and healed his son's nose. He then turned his attention to Ron and Harry. "Which one of you little cretins did this?"
"I did" said Hermione defiantly.
"Ah... covering for you friends. How noble." Said Lucius. But a moment later, Lucius looked at his son, and Draco's expression betrayed him. Lucius leaned toward Draco. "We'll discuss this when we get home" he said in a hushed, disappointed and threatening voice.
"Well Miss Granger," said Lucius. "It appears that you are a very strong young woman. And very beautiful I might add." He said as he stroked her chin and brushed her long brown hair, which lay on her shoulder. As he touched her she felt horrible tingles and her body shuttered. She pulled away.
"Don't ever touch me!" she said strongly, not quite yelling but her tone was firm.
"And feisty too. Just like your mother."
"How do you know my mother?"
"Lets just say I know your mother very very well."
Hermione was confused. Her mother was a muggle. How would Lucius Malfoy know her? He was lying, she decided.
"Ah, you don't believe me, do you?"
"No."
"Go ask you mother then. She can tell you all about our little love affair. She was quite good in bed I must say." Hermione turned red. Ron made a horrible face at the thought of anyone sleeping with Lucius Malfoy, let alone one of their parents.
"Stop lying!" shouted Harry, as he was lunging forward, but Ron held him back.
"Ah, Mr. Potter. Just when I thought you couldn't get any stupider you move as if you're going to attack a member of the Ministry."
Harry sat back down. He knew Mr. Malfoy was right. If he even touched him, he'd be in a huge amount of trouble, no matter how provoked he was.
Lucius Malfoy just smirked. "We need to be off now, but it was lovely seeing all of you again," he said in that slimly, evil tone he had.
Before she even realized it, he reached down to Hermione's hand, picked it up and kissed it. She pulled her hand away and made a face. She wanted to spit on him but thought better of it. "You remind me very much of your mother." He paused. "Don't forget to ask her about me."
Then he and Draco set off down the street. As they walked away, the trio watched, and while they couldn't hear what they were saying, from the body language it appeared that Malfoy Sr. was berating his son for getting beaten up by a girl.
There was silence, as everyone was taking in the events of the past few minutes. They began walking down Diagon Alley in silence. Hermione was the first to speak. "Do you... you really think that my mom had an affair with Lucius Malfoy?"
"I doubt it. He's probably just trying to freak you out," said Harry.
"I don't know. Do you think I should ask my mother?"
"I guess it can't hurt, but just remember, you may not get the answer you want," replied Harry.
"You're right. But I need to know." Hermione paused and changed subjects. "Oh! Here's the quill supply store. I need to run in here for a moment. I won't be but a second."
Harry and Ron watched as she ran into the store. They looked at each other, both thinking the same thing, but neither wanting to say it. Finally, Ron did. "Did you notice anything odd about the way Lucius was looking at Hermione?"
"Yeah, I did. It was weird. It was almost like he wanted her," said Harry in a serious tone.
"He had a weird sort of lust look in his eyes... like he was undressing her with his eyes. It kinda freaked me out," Replied Ron
"Me too. And the way he touched her hair. It was creepy. I'm slightly worried."
"If he tries to hurt her, I'll...."
Just then Hermione came running out of the store with a bag full of supplies.
"What are you guys talking about?" she asked.
"Quiddich," lied Harry quickly.
"God, do you guys ever talk about anything else?" she laughed.
The rest of the day, the three finished shopping and didn't mention either Malfoy, but it was on their minds. Ron and Harry were worried, and Hermione was planning what to ask her mother when she got home.
~***~
A/N So what do you think? Please please review!! Praise or flames... whatever... just review!
"Can you believe this is the last time we'll be here buying school supplies?" asked Ron, as he, Hermione and Harry sat at a table outside the ice cream parlor enjoying a cold treat.
"I know. Here we are in 7th year!" said Harry. "It seems like just yesterday we were on the train to Hogwarts for the first time."
"I don't think I'll ever forget how annoying I thought Hermione was!" joked Ron. He cleared his throat and did his best impression of her. "Neville's lost a toad. Has anyone seen it?"
Hermione found this sort of funny, but of course also felt the need to give Ron a soft wack on the back of the head.
"Oh come on Hermione. Its true... you were a little uptight then," joked Harry.
"I'm not the only one who was annoying. Remember in second year when Ron...." Hermione stopped as she noticed Draco Malfoy heading towards their table.
"Oh look" whispered Ron. "Here comes the only person who hasn't changed. Still as big a git as ever."
"Well well," said Draco as he made his way over to their table. "If it isn't Pothead, Weasel, and their little whore!"
"What did you just call her?" asked Ron, as he got up. It was still summer and the students were not allowed to do magic, but Ron didn't care. He was going to pummel Malfoy with his bare hands.
"Open your ears... I called her a whore. That's what she is, isn't she? She's dated both of you!"
Both Harry and Ron decided simultaneously that they would not allow him to insult their best friend like this. (It was true that she had dated both of them, Ron in the summer before 5th year, Harry in 6th, but neither of those relationships worked out, and the trio had since decided that they were best suited as friends.)
As Harry and Ron moved to beat Draco Malfoy into the ground, they were beaten to the punch by Hermione, who did something they had never seen her do. She punched Draco. And it wasn't a slap, or a girly punch. She punched him square in the face with astounding power and accuracy.
"Don't you ever, ever call me a whore you pathetic piece of shit!" she said looking very pleased with herself.
"I think you broke my nose. You mudblood bitch!!" said Draco as he held his nose, which was now bleeding all over his hand.
Ron and Harry stood there in shock, neither knowing quite what to say. Hermione was simply in shock also, not just that she has punched him, but also that he wasn't hitting her back. She wouldn't put it past him to hit a girl. A moment later she noticed why.
Lucius Malfoy strode up to the table, took one look at his son, pulled out his wand, spoke a spell, and healed his son's nose. He then turned his attention to Ron and Harry. "Which one of you little cretins did this?"
"I did" said Hermione defiantly.
"Ah... covering for you friends. How noble." Said Lucius. But a moment later, Lucius looked at his son, and Draco's expression betrayed him. Lucius leaned toward Draco. "We'll discuss this when we get home" he said in a hushed, disappointed and threatening voice.
"Well Miss Granger," said Lucius. "It appears that you are a very strong young woman. And very beautiful I might add." He said as he stroked her chin and brushed her long brown hair, which lay on her shoulder. As he touched her she felt horrible tingles and her body shuttered. She pulled away.
"Don't ever touch me!" she said strongly, not quite yelling but her tone was firm.
"And feisty too. Just like your mother."
"How do you know my mother?"
"Lets just say I know your mother very very well."
Hermione was confused. Her mother was a muggle. How would Lucius Malfoy know her? He was lying, she decided.
"Ah, you don't believe me, do you?"
"No."
"Go ask you mother then. She can tell you all about our little love affair. She was quite good in bed I must say." Hermione turned red. Ron made a horrible face at the thought of anyone sleeping with Lucius Malfoy, let alone one of their parents.
"Stop lying!" shouted Harry, as he was lunging forward, but Ron held him back.
"Ah, Mr. Potter. Just when I thought you couldn't get any stupider you move as if you're going to attack a member of the Ministry."
Harry sat back down. He knew Mr. Malfoy was right. If he even touched him, he'd be in a huge amount of trouble, no matter how provoked he was.
Lucius Malfoy just smirked. "We need to be off now, but it was lovely seeing all of you again," he said in that slimly, evil tone he had.
Before she even realized it, he reached down to Hermione's hand, picked it up and kissed it. She pulled her hand away and made a face. She wanted to spit on him but thought better of it. "You remind me very much of your mother." He paused. "Don't forget to ask her about me."
Then he and Draco set off down the street. As they walked away, the trio watched, and while they couldn't hear what they were saying, from the body language it appeared that Malfoy Sr. was berating his son for getting beaten up by a girl.
There was silence, as everyone was taking in the events of the past few minutes. They began walking down Diagon Alley in silence. Hermione was the first to speak. "Do you... you really think that my mom had an affair with Lucius Malfoy?"
"I doubt it. He's probably just trying to freak you out," said Harry.
"I don't know. Do you think I should ask my mother?"
"I guess it can't hurt, but just remember, you may not get the answer you want," replied Harry.
"You're right. But I need to know." Hermione paused and changed subjects. "Oh! Here's the quill supply store. I need to run in here for a moment. I won't be but a second."
Harry and Ron watched as she ran into the store. They looked at each other, both thinking the same thing, but neither wanting to say it. Finally, Ron did. "Did you notice anything odd about the way Lucius was looking at Hermione?"
"Yeah, I did. It was weird. It was almost like he wanted her," said Harry in a serious tone.
"He had a weird sort of lust look in his eyes... like he was undressing her with his eyes. It kinda freaked me out," Replied Ron
"Me too. And the way he touched her hair. It was creepy. I'm slightly worried."
"If he tries to hurt her, I'll...."
Just then Hermione came running out of the store with a bag full of supplies.
"What are you guys talking about?" she asked.
"Quiddich," lied Harry quickly.
"God, do you guys ever talk about anything else?" she laughed.
The rest of the day, the three finished shopping and didn't mention either Malfoy, but it was on their minds. Ron and Harry were worried, and Hermione was planning what to ask her mother when she got home.
~***~
A/N So what do you think? Please please review!! Praise or flames... whatever... just review!