The remaining days passed by slowly, until, at last, the day arrived when
Hermione had planned to meet Harry & Ron at Diagon Alley. She couldn't wait
to look around that little shop that she had bought Harry's birthday
present from. As she slid out of bed that morning, she started to wonder if
Harry would even show up. If the Dursleys really did beat him, they
probably wouldn't want him to go away. When she fastened her own necklace
around her neck, she began to wonder if Harry really liked her present. She
realized that lately, she had been thinking a lot about Harry. Suddenly,
she fell into a deep trance-like state.
"Freak!" "Abnormalty!" "Be grateful I ever let you into this household!" Hermione could see Harry! The Dursleys were beating him & hitting him! No wonder Hermione hadn't heard from him yet. "Get out! Get out now! Go meet your freakish friends at that freakish school of yours & don't come back until next year!"
Hermione snapped out of the trance. "That. Was. Strange," Hermione muttered. She really looked forwards to Hogwarts this year. The friends, the adventures, the classes, it was all at Hogwarts. She had also been chosen as a 5th year prefect, to no ones surprise. Hermione found herself gathering her things to leave mindlessly, there was too much to think about. "I hope Harry is okay. I know Ron will find a way to get him out of that evil household though, they managed it before, they'll manage it again," Hermione thought.
"Honey! We're leaving!" Mrs. Granger yelled up the stairs.
She ran down the stairs as fast as physically possible, out the door, & into her mother's red Chevy Suburban before anyone could say another word.
"Whoa! Where's the fire?" Mr. Granger asked kiddingly.
"Oh honey, leave the poor girl alone. You know she wants to see her little friends," Mrs. Granger answered.
The two adults walked out to get in their car. Mr. Granger got in the front seat & turned the ignition. The car started off easily, & the trip to the Leaky Cauldron was uneventful, as usual.
"Hermione, sweetie, we can't go in there with you, because we have some errands to run, but we'll be here to pick you up at 6, okay?" Mrs. Granger said.
"Sure mum! Love ya! See you then!" Hermione called out as she ran into the Leaky Cauldron.
She couldn't wait to see her two best friends again, the summer had been long enough. She tapped the bricks & waited patiently for the bricks to form the familiar archway that led in. As soon as the arch was big enough, she ran in to the Alley to Gringotts, where they had agreed to meet before they went into the huge bank to get their money, then go to buy their things for Hogwarts. As she ran up to the steps, she noticed many familiar faces, those of the Weasleys, Harry, & much to her dismay, Malfoy, Crabbe, & Goyle in the background, just waiting to taunt the so called "Golden Trio".
"Harry! Ron! Ginny! Everyone! I'm so happy to see you all!" Hermione screamed.
After everyone said their hellos & Hermione got a big hug from Mrs. Weasley, they went into Gringotts Bank. Hermione was very pleased to note that Harry was wearing his necklace, but very angry that he was bruised & cut in several visible places, & she was positive that he was also hurt all over under his robes.
"Why if it isn't Potty, Weasel, & the little Mud-blood. So we meet again," drawled a familiar unpleasant voice, that they all knew only too well.
"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry said harshly. "I'm not in the mood for your stupidness now."
"Fine, but just know that I'll never be far from you," Malfoy answered.
"Draco, that has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard," Hermione said.
Suddenly, she froze. He was wearing something she had never seen, but she knew it all too well.
"Freak!" "Abnormalty!" "Be grateful I ever let you into this household!" Hermione could see Harry! The Dursleys were beating him & hitting him! No wonder Hermione hadn't heard from him yet. "Get out! Get out now! Go meet your freakish friends at that freakish school of yours & don't come back until next year!"
Hermione snapped out of the trance. "That. Was. Strange," Hermione muttered. She really looked forwards to Hogwarts this year. The friends, the adventures, the classes, it was all at Hogwarts. She had also been chosen as a 5th year prefect, to no ones surprise. Hermione found herself gathering her things to leave mindlessly, there was too much to think about. "I hope Harry is okay. I know Ron will find a way to get him out of that evil household though, they managed it before, they'll manage it again," Hermione thought.
"Honey! We're leaving!" Mrs. Granger yelled up the stairs.
She ran down the stairs as fast as physically possible, out the door, & into her mother's red Chevy Suburban before anyone could say another word.
"Whoa! Where's the fire?" Mr. Granger asked kiddingly.
"Oh honey, leave the poor girl alone. You know she wants to see her little friends," Mrs. Granger answered.
The two adults walked out to get in their car. Mr. Granger got in the front seat & turned the ignition. The car started off easily, & the trip to the Leaky Cauldron was uneventful, as usual.
"Hermione, sweetie, we can't go in there with you, because we have some errands to run, but we'll be here to pick you up at 6, okay?" Mrs. Granger said.
"Sure mum! Love ya! See you then!" Hermione called out as she ran into the Leaky Cauldron.
She couldn't wait to see her two best friends again, the summer had been long enough. She tapped the bricks & waited patiently for the bricks to form the familiar archway that led in. As soon as the arch was big enough, she ran in to the Alley to Gringotts, where they had agreed to meet before they went into the huge bank to get their money, then go to buy their things for Hogwarts. As she ran up to the steps, she noticed many familiar faces, those of the Weasleys, Harry, & much to her dismay, Malfoy, Crabbe, & Goyle in the background, just waiting to taunt the so called "Golden Trio".
"Harry! Ron! Ginny! Everyone! I'm so happy to see you all!" Hermione screamed.
After everyone said their hellos & Hermione got a big hug from Mrs. Weasley, they went into Gringotts Bank. Hermione was very pleased to note that Harry was wearing his necklace, but very angry that he was bruised & cut in several visible places, & she was positive that he was also hurt all over under his robes.
"Why if it isn't Potty, Weasel, & the little Mud-blood. So we meet again," drawled a familiar unpleasant voice, that they all knew only too well.
"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry said harshly. "I'm not in the mood for your stupidness now."
"Fine, but just know that I'll never be far from you," Malfoy answered.
"Draco, that has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard," Hermione said.
Suddenly, she froze. He was wearing something she had never seen, but she knew it all too well.