"Wow Ron, let's do that more often!" Hermione said as they broke from their kiss.
"Anytime, Hermione, it was my pleasure." Ron laughed.
"I'll bet it was!" Hermione giggled. They kissed again just for fun.
"So, um, we are supposed to meet up with Charlie, Harry, and Ginny. They went ahead of us." Hermione said, "They are shopping already!"
"Well, I'm not that great of a shopper, so if you want to skip that, we could just do something else." Ron said hopefully.
"Well, no, I really want to have a look around. I'm not promising that I'll buy anything though. Oh, this is like our first date! Taking me shopping, oh how sweet!" Hermione squealed.
Ron grumbled something under his breath.
"What was that?" Hermione asked sharply.
"I said that this sounds like tons of fun." Ron said unenthusiastically.
"Don't worry; we won't shop the whole time." Hermione winked.
"Oh good! Because if shopping is all we do, this might not work out."
Ron and Hermione found their way to the white room with the dance music blaring. The wall that had crumbled for Charlie, Harry, and Ginny had been magically restored.
"There is obviously some secret to getting these walls to move." Hermione pondered out loud over the music, "I'll bet the music is part of the secret, too. Maybe we have to find a number combination in the beats and then tap that on the wall
"Whatever, Hermione. I don't think that's it. I'm pretty sure we just have to dance!" Ron shouted back.
"We have to do what?" Hermione yelled.
"Dance! Let it go! Not everything is numbers and spells!" Ron said as he took Hermione's hand and started to twirl her around.
Hermione completely forgot about trying to crack some elaborate code. Dancing with Ron was so much fun! She got to touch him, she got to show off the booty shake that she learned from watching too much muggle tv. Ron meanwhile, got to shake his head and let those short crimson curls on his head go wild!
They were quite disappointed when the wall crumbled. Even Hermione admitted to herself that shopping could never be as fun as dancing with Ron.
Ron gave Hermione another kiss before he started to clear a path through the rubble for her.
"Ron, you are such a gentlemen, do you know that?" Hermione said, taking Ron's hand.
"Only around you." Ron knew he'd get a kiss for that line. And he was right.
Meanwhile Charlie, Ginny, and Harry had been cruising through the stores, checking out the merchandise, and scoffing at the prices.
"300 Oggles! What, are they joking? That looks like a shirt from Dudley." Harry critiqued.
"Yeah, and I wouldn't wish those shoes on my worst enemy." Ginny sneered.
"Will you two cut it out? You've been fashion policing for 10 minutes already! Get over it!" Charlie said in a very exasperated tone. He wasn't really annoyed though. In fact, he was quite happy. He was hoping that since Harry was getting along with Ginny so well, he might rethink the whole Polyjuice Potion thing. But, just as Charlie was getting his hopes up, Harry pulled him aside while Ginny was closely examining a purple handbag.
"Charlie, do you think you could hang with Ginny now? Tell her I went to buy gifts. I saw a street back there that looked like it had suspicious shops. I think I could buy, you know, 'it', there." Harry whispered.
"Harry, I don't want you to do this. You two are having so much fun together, why would you want to leave?" Charlie whispered back.
"Because I'm not having fun. Do you know how hard it is to hang around with Ginny and not kiss her? Besides, playing fashion police is not exactly a fun activity. Shopping in general tends to get dull after about 30 seconds." Harry complained.
"I feel for you man, really I do, but I think in the long run both she and you would appreciate it more if you just were honest with her." Charlie said.
"I'll worry about that later. It's vacation now. I don't have to think about consequences if I don't want to." Said Harry.
"That's not true." Charlie counseled.
"I don't care. I had a hard year. I'm doing this for me. And I don't need parenting. I've managed so far without it." Harry spoke with finality in his tone that even Charlie didn't want to cross. Harry was after all, a very powerful wizard.
Harry walked away from Charlie, over to Ginny who was now comparing the purple purse with a smaller green one.
"Harry, which purse would look better on me?" Ginny asked.
"The green one makes you hair sparkle." Harry said, just before thinking, "oh my gosh, did I just say 'sparkle,' what is going on!"
Ginny gave Harry an unfamiliar look before checking both purses again. "You know, I think you're right."
"Anyway, I'm going to go gift shopping, I'll see you later." Harry said quickly. He was eager to get away because he was feeling so embarrassed. "Sparkle! What was I thinking!" he thought.
Harry rounded the block and was back on the main street, El Camino de la Ropa. The street he wanted was La Mort Street. He didn't want to ask for directions because he didn't want to admit that he couldn't remember where he had seen the street.
Anyway, about 10 minutes later, Harry finally rounded the right corner and he was in the midst of unkempt dark stores on a crooked lane. Everywhere else in the Wizarich District was very well kept and very upscale looking. Harry was shocked and a little frightened to see such a shift in moods happen from rounding onto La Mort Street. With a little sense of foreboding, Harry determinedly plodded along, peering into windows for any display of potions.
He found Mephistopheles' Magic Market about three stores down on his left side. He was drawn to it because it seemed to be the most prosperous on the street. The windows in this shop were not broken and the sign was not crooked. It was still quite black and mysterious, but Harry didn't listen to the part of his mind telling him to run for it.
Harry opened the door with the gold painted doorknob and slipped quietly inside the store.
"Welcome, sir. My name is Mephistopheles. Mephy for short. What my I do for you?" said a short old man with a bald spot on his head. He was dressed in a brown robe and sandals.
"Um, Mephy, I am looking for a potion." Harry stammered out nervously. Mephistopheles was giving him the creeps.
"You are going to have to be more specific than that. I carry quite a wide range of products."
"Polyjuice Potion. Ready made." Harry said, clutching his pocket where Jeremy Titan's hairs remained.
"Ah. That's an interesting request from a boy of your age. Would you like one with the hairs already added. You know we just received hairs from the American Wizard President, though I can hear that you are British, you may prefer some of Mr. Fudge's. And I do suggest you buy them fast as I do believe that will be our last shipment from him, he is getting quite bald." Mephistopheles said with a slight sneer.
"No, I've got my own hairs."
"Are you sure? I could throw in a couple for a very reasonable price."
"No thanks. I'm quite sure." Harry was getting nervous. Mehpy was scaring him.
"Well aren't you a strong boy. I'll be right back with your potion. How much would you like?"
"Just enough for one hour, thank you." Harry said.
"Oh don't thank me. I'm just the middle man." Mephistopheles said as he disappeared behind a curtain.
He emerged a few minutes later, Harry had not moved at all.
"You didn't want to look around? I sell quite a lot of other things, you know. But, since you seem anxious to leave, the potion costs 50 Oggles. Though I dare say you'll be paying for this with a lot more than money." Mephistopheles said in his sinister tone.
Harry pulled the money out of his bag and quickly made the exchange. He held tightly onto the bag with the bottle inside and left the store as fast as he could. He ran out of La Mort Street and slowed to a walk only when he was back among the crowds on El Camino de la Ropa.