Disclaimer: *sniff* I don't own anything
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Forever Never Ends
Chapter 6
"Mother, father, where are we going? I thought we were going to go to Diagon Alley!" Becky asked curiously, as her parents led her to a room in the manor that she had never known was there before.
"Becky, baby, we are going there," replied Draco.
"But, father, shouldn't we be going to room with a fireplace? You can't get anywhere with Floo powder without a fireplace!"
Pansy chuckled. "Oh, Becky, silly, there's other ways to get to places."
"Yes, that's absolutely right," said Draco. "There are better ways of traveling. Besides, I won't have my precious daughter showing up in public with ashes from the fireplace!"
Draco quickly walked to the desk sitting at the opposite side of the room. Opening the drawer, he pulled out a small marble ball. He muttered a spell and then walked back to his wife and daughter.
"I have just turned this marble into a portkey, Becky. Touch it."
Becky and Pansy both reached out to touch the small object that Draco held in his fingers. Instantly, all three of them felt a jerk behind their navel and felt everything rushing past them. Seconds later, they opened their eyes and found that they were standing beside a brick wall. They looked around and saw that they were in Diagon Alley. The place was very crowded today because it was a Saturday and a lot of people were off work.
The first place that they went to was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Becky had robes at home. In fact, Becky had many robes. They were all expensive designer brands and had been perfectly measured and made to fit her. But, they weren't the kind that one could normally wear to school. Madam Malkin's was a good place for getting nice, school uniform robes.
Becky entered the shop and met Madam Malkin. She was a nice, cheerful witch and today she was wearing a beautiful rose colored robe.
"Hogwarts?"
"Yes," Becky replied quietly.
Madam Malkin slipped a large robe over Becky's head and began to pin it to the right size and length. Becky felt rather uncomfortable. She was terrified to move, fearing that the pins might poke her. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Madam Malkin was finally done. She took the new robes, wrapped them up in brown paper, tied some string around it, and handed the bundle to Becky.
"Thanks," she muttered before walking out of the store with her parents.
The next place they went to was the Apothecary. The place smelled like a dump. No, it smelled worse. But it was a terribly interesting place. In the Apothecary, Becky bought everything that she needed for Potions class, and then went to purchase a nice pewter cauldron, and other various objects she needed.
Their next stop was a book shop called Flourish and Blotts. Inside were rows and rows of shelves filled with books. Becky was fascinated. She loved books.
"Doing a bit of early Hogwarts shopping, eh?" asked the shopkeeper. "Would you like some help?"
"Yes, please," said Becky as she handed the man her list of school books.
The old man shook his head at the list she held out. "First year?"
"Yes."
He ignored Becky's outstretched hand and pointing to his head, he said, "I've got it all here. Been working here forty years. Books are the same every year. You'd think I'd know all of them."
He walked off towards the middle of the store and quickly pulled out a few books and carried them to the check out counter.
"Is that all?"
Becky did not hear him because she was looking intently at a thick book on a nearby shelf.
The old man asked again, and this time she heard him.
"I would like that book also. The big one on the shelf."
"Ah, yes, a very good book. Hogwarts, a History. Good choice." He walked over and pulled the book out of the shelf and laid it on the desk with the other books. "Twenty four galleons and three knuts."
Draco paid the amount and then the three of them left the shop for Ollivanders. On the way there, Pansy met with a friend of hers, Blaise Zambini. Pansy and Blaise left for the Leaky Cauldron to talk, and Draco took Becky to the wand shop. As they stepped inside, a bell tinkled and an old wizard stepped out of the shadows.
"I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Rebecca Malfoy."
Becky gasped. This creepy old man actually knew her name. The wizard came closer to her and started measuring her body and recording it.
"You have your mother's eyes. She was a very beautiful and brilliant young lady."
Becky thought about his words for a second. Sure, she supposed her and her mother's eyes were close enough alike. They were both blue, but aside from that, there was not such similarity.
Mr. Ollivander left her side and disappeared behind the shelves. He returned a few minutes later with a stack of rectangular boxes. He opened each box, and inside each was a wand. He passed each wand to her, and she tried waving each of them, but none was good for her. After half an hour of waving wands, Becky finally found the right one. When she first touched it, she felt a warmth spread through her body, and when she waved it, golden sparks erupted.
"Ah, holly and phoenix feather, nine and three fourth inches. Very much like your mother's." And with this last comment, he put the wand back into the box, handed the box back to Becky and said, "Seven galleons."
Draco paid the old wizard and then he and Becky walked out of the shop together and headed towards the animal shop.
"Becky, you stay here and find something you want. I'm gonna go check on your mother. I'll be back soon," Draco said after they were in the shop.
"Okay."
Draco turned to leave the shop and disappeared down the street.
Becky looked around the shop, trying to find an animal that she would like. She spotted a pretty, golden brown colored owl and rushed over to see it closer.
At that moment, the shop door opened, and a young woman dressed in muggle clothing stepped into the store.
~
Hermione Granger was tired from a long morning of shopping. She had bought some new robes, books, and some other objects. After the death of Crookshanks, which she didn't want to think about at the moment, she never owned a pet again. But now, she believed she was ready and she entered the newly built animal shop in Diagon Alley.
The minute she stepped in, she saw a beautiful golden brown colored owl and was mesmerized. She knew this was the pet she wanted. Hermione quickly walked over to claim the animal, but when she got there, she realized another child was there, admiring its beauty.
The child had long locks of soft golden hair. Hermione stared at the child.
The hair…so familiar…
Becky sensed that someone was watching her, and quickly spun around and faced the person who stood behind her.
"Hi," said Becky, not knowing what else to say to this woman whose eyes looked so much like her own.
Hermione smiled. "Hi, were you looking at the owl?"
"Yes…"
"Are you going to buy it?"
"Well, I really like this owl, but I also really want to get a cat. I can't make up my mind. Are you going to buy this owl?"
"Well, I would like to, if you aren't."
"Oh, since you like this owl, I'll just get a cat."
Hermione was surprised by this girl's generosity. Usually children this age were terribly selfish.
"Are you starting school soon?"
"Yes, I'll be starting Hogwarts this fall, actually. My first year. I do hope the teachers are nice."
"Oh, so you will be one of my students."
Becky gasped. "You're one of the teachers?"
"Yes, in fact, I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts," Hermione answered.
"Oh, well, it's nice meeting you."
"Yes, I need to be going soon. Are you sure you won't mind if I buy this owl?"
"Oh, no, go ahead. I'll just go pick out one of those pretty cats over there."
"Thank you so much!" Hermione smiled at the girl again, took the cage with the owl, paid for it and then left the store.
Hermione was in a good mood. She had just met one of her soon to be students. If all the children were as nice as the girl then teaching would be a breeze. She was so preoccupied with thoughts that she didn't see the man walking towards her. The two of them accidentally bumped into each other, causing Hermione to drop her new books.
"Sorry," Hermione muttered as she bent down to pick up the books.
"No, no, no, it's all my fault," said the man. "Let me help you."
Damn…where have I heard that voice?
"No, it's alright, I've got it," said Hermione, still gathering up the books. "But thanks anyways."
The man hesitated for a moment, and then walked away. When Hermione finally finished picking up her books and looked up, he was already gone.
~
Draco Malfoy left his daughter at the animal shop and started heading towards the Leaky Cauldron to find his wife. The thought of the things that Mr. Ollivander had said and it puzzled him.
Pansy…brilliant?…couldn't be…
After arriving at the bar, he conversed with his wife and her friend Blaise for a while. The conversation was pointless and boring, centered around shopping and clothes. Pansy was not the most interesting person to be around. Although Pansy was a good and faithful wife to him, Draco did not love her.
Soon, he left the Leaky Cauldron to return to his daughter. He had been at the bar for quite a while, and he hoped that Becky was okay. Draco walked fast to try to get to his daughter as soon as possible. He was still playing Mr. Ollivander's comments again and again in his mind and trying to find sense in his words. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't see the woman walking towards him and they collided. Her books dropped from her arms and she bent down to pick them up.
"Sorry," she said, with her face down, scrambling to gather all her books. Her shiny brown hair slid down to her face, and she moved a hand to tuck it back.
Brown hair…
"No, no, no, it's all my fault," Draco said, sincerely. He wanted to help her out. He bent down to her. "Let me help you."
"No, it's alright, I've got it," the woman said.
That voice…so familiar…
He hesitated, wondering if he should ask her for her name.
No, she'd think I'm a nutcase…
He turned around swiftly and continued down the street to find his daughter.
~
Hermione was exhausted from shopping at Diagon Alley the whole morning. When she returned to Hogwarts, she retired to her room where she rested for a while, and then tried on the new robes that she had bought. She had a hard time deciding which one she wanted to wear first, but finally settled on dressing in the pale blue one. The new books that she had purchased earlier in the day were on her big oak desk, where she had left them earlier.
She picked up these books and left her room to see the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, where she would be teaching in the fall. It was the same classroom that was used in her days at the school, and she was still very familiar with how it looked. Only, now, the walls were lined with tanks full of weird creatures. She went around trying to identify each animal, but found that she was unable to do so. She had forgotten so much during her years of isolation.
Hermione moved to the teacher's desk and touched it lightly. She sat down, still running her hand over the smooth surface. In her other hand, she held the books that she had brought. Giving a great sigh, and being terribly dismayed at the fact that she forgot many of the things she had learned at school, she started to read through the books, hoping to recover the knowledge she once had. After all, if she was to be the teacher, she must know everything.
She was frustrated and discouraged that she no longer held the knowledge that she used to have. Suddenly, bringing her out of her thoughts, she heard the door knob turn and the door swing open. Looking up, she saw Severus Snape step in. He obviously did not see her.
"Good afternoon, Severus."
Severus was started. He had thought that the room was empty. "Hermione! What are you doing here?"
"Well, this is my classroom, you know. I should be asking you the same thing," she said, as she got up from her seat and headed towards him.
"I'm sorry to be intruding. I had no idea you would be here. I've been coming in here everyday to feed the animals," he said, pointing to the creatures in the tanks.
"Oh, I see."
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, well, I thought I had better read through all the course books. It's been a while. I wouldn't want to be a bad teacher."
"Of course you wouldn't be! You were the brightest student Hogwarts had had in a century!"
Yeah, much good that did for me, Hermione thought bitterly. "Oh. Well, things have changed."
There was a pause. "You were the school's most promising student. We expected you to do great things."
Hermione felt tears filling up her eyes and ducked her head so that Severus wouldn't see. "I'm sorry I let everyone down."
Severus saw the tears collecting in her eyes and wanted to comfort her, but he also wanted answers. "What happened?"
Hermione shook her head, still not ready to talk about the subject. "Life. Life happened. And it killed all my dreams."
"Why?"
Tears were gliding down her face freely now. "I don't know what happened! I don't know why! I didn't ask for it! But it found me!"
He held his arm out and put his hand on her shoulder to draw her closer. She put her head on his shoulder and cried onto his dark robes.
"Oh, god, I wanted to do so much! And now I'm just a failure…a failure. Look at me, I'm pitiful! I can't even remember everything I've learned. I feel so…hopeless."
Severus held her tightly in his arms, enjoying the warmth. "Everything you forget, you can relearn. I will help you. I promise."
"That won't change anything!" said Hermione, lifting her head from his shoulder, and as if realizing for the first time that she had been hugging Severus Snape, she gasped and stepped back from his embrace.
"Hermione, what happened? Tell me," said Severus. He knew he should not be asking something like this at a time like this, but his curiously got the better of him.
Hermione turned around so her back was facing Severus. "I…I…I can't."
"Hermione, sooner or later you will have to face your past."
"A past that I've tried to hard to forget. A past I don't want to remember."
"Your memories are a part of you, Hermione. Don't push them away…embrace them…for that is when you shall find peace."
Severus stepped up to her and circled his arms around her, trying to comfort her. Hermione made no attempt to push him away, but fell into his embrace. She sobbed quietly, with her head lying on his shoulder. She didn't want the memories to come back. For the past decade, her goal in life had been to forget them, and forget that they had ever existed. But, now, she knew it was time to start to gather up her past, even if it would cause her great pain. And it did, for later that evening, they came back, slowly and painfully as she knew they would.
TBC
A/N: hey everybody…I'm not sure if I spelled blaise's last name right…hm…. who knows. And yes, this IS d/hr, but it doesn't seem so at this moment. I think it's sad that draco and hermione met, but they didn't know it was each other…hahaha…I'm evil. I hope they meet up soon, but you know, that really depends. Reviews really inspire me…*hint* *hint*!!!!! Yeah, if you like this story…please review…becuz reviews really seriously inspire me a lot and it helps me write faster…hehehe. And I haven't got many reviews lately…kinda disheartened :(
