(A/N- This story was revised on 11/29/03. You probably won't find too many differences, just spelling and grammatical changes. Mystic)

Well I have finally decided to write the next chapter in this exciting tale… OK Well I wrote part of it about… 3 months ago and I have just now found the rough draft. I then finished it yesterday! Yippee! Well now on to this chapter.

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God Bless the Child

Chapter 5: The Book Shop

Once in Flurish & Blott's the trio quickly set off to find the newly required books for the upcoming school year. As soon as they had found the Defense Against the Dark Arts book, Complex Curses and More by Stewart Nottingham, they made their way to the front counter. Unfortunately for them, some one was already there. A certain blonde headed, pureblood boy, named Draco Malfoy. Harry and Ron started to back away, but Hermione had grabbed them by the back of their robes. She then started pulling them towards the counter. "Oh, no you don't." By the time they had reached the counter, Draco had turned around and started to laugh.

"What," he said, "does that mudblood have to drag you around like babies?" At this Hermione dropped Harry and Ron's robes, and had turned to Malfoy. "If I had to drag them around like children, at least they wouldn't be like you." Malfoy's smile had faded at this remark.

"Well at least I was brought up by proper wizarding parents." He replied coolly. Hermione's eyes had narrowed to dangerous slits. Ron, suddenly finding his voice, stepped forward. "Proper wizarding parents?" he asked, while Harry had a hold of the back of Ron's robes. "Do you think that a prisoner," Ron paused, "or is it a death eater? Is a good father? And a mother with the look of permanent disgust on her face, make a good set of parents?"

Draco's face had paled for a moment, and then just as fast it flushed. Draco quickly reached for his wand, and as soon as he had taken it out of his pocket he pointed it at Ron.  Draco's reply was full of hate, "I happen to think they do. It's better than having a muggle loving father, a mother that has had too many children, and a family with no money." Ron's ears turned a dark red.

Harry, having enough, stepped in between the two boys, "Stop!" he said. "Ron, Hermione, go to the clerk." Harry paused and then turned to Draco. "It doesn't matter who has a better family, at least you had one. Be thankful for that." Harry then turned away from Malfoy, with a stricken look. Harry then went and joined Ron and Hermione. Malfoy had been left, mouth gapping, where he stood.

Once they had paid for the books, and made their way outside, Hermione asked what Harry had said to Draco. His simple reply was "nothing". Seeing that Harry did not want to talk about it, Ron and Hermione did not press the matter.

It was nearing 5:30 P.M. when the trio sat down in front of the ice cream parlor. Harry had bought each of them a butter beer when Abarella had walked up with XP. "Hello, Harry." She called. Harry waved at her and then waved her over. Once she had reached the table, Ron and Hermione knew who she was. XP, who had first gone to the counter, soon joined them holding two ice cream sundaes. Handing one to Abarella, he sat down.

They set there for half of an hour until Abarella announced that she and Harry should head home, and that Ron and Hermione should go find their parents. After saying goodbye to XP, every one headed their own direction. Ron towards Gringrotts, Hermione towards Flurish & Blott's, and XP stayed right where he was. Abarella and Harry headed towards the Leaky Cauldron, where they each bought a handful of floo powder, a Knut each.

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            There you go. Next chapter coming soon!

Mystic Grim