(A/N: Thanks to everyone who gave me encouraging and supportive reviews; they are much appreciated!)
"Harry. . .Harry. . .wake up. . ." Hermione interrupted Harry's sleep.
"Okay I'm awake." Harry sat up and reached for his glasses.
Hermione was already dressed. "Come on Harry, I've already let you sleep and extra hour and half." Hermione said while she pulled him out of bed.
"What's wit the rush?"
"If we don't get there early, it will be extremely crowed." Hermione said a little impatiently.
"Okay, is it alright if I take a shower first?"
"Go ahead, I am still not quite ready yet."
Harry headed for the shower while Hermione went to her room. He could not understand why she wasn't quite ready; she looked just like she always did. "girls" Harry thought.
By the time Harry was out of the shower and opening the bathroom door Hermione was just walking by. Not watching where she was walking, Hermione ran into Harry. "Oh sorry Harry, didn't mean to bump into you-it happened again-they were staring into each other's eyes, only this time it was just for two seconds.
"You know we have to stop bumping into each other like this; it's only a matter of time before one of us gives the other a concussion." Hermione said jokingly to ease the awkwardness they created between them again.
"So are you to ready to go?" Mrs. Granger questioned walking out of her room.
"Yes." They both answered.
"Let me grab my purse and I will be ready." Hermione informed them.
Harry thought "Hermione with a purse, make up and new hair style? She has really changed in the past week." It did not bother Harry, he seemed to like it.
The ride to the mall was only ten minutes. Harry was glad, he did not think his butt could handle another trip like the one to Hermione's house. As they approached mall Harry's eyes lit up. "Wow! Is that the mall? Are there really hundreds of stores in there?"
"Maybe not hundreds, but still enough to find what it is that you are looking for." Hermione informed him.
"Okay guys, I will be back at 2:30 to pick you up. Watch your time and be back right here on time!" Mrs. Granger preached.
"Okay mum, see you at 2:30."
With that Hermione and Harry walked into the mall as Mrs. Granger drove away.
"So where do you want to go first Harry? There is any kind of store you could think of in here."
"A toy store! I have never been in one. I know we're a little old for toys, but I was deprived of having toys as a kid." Harry told Hermione.
"Well, come on; it is right over here." Hermione pulled him by the arm as she led him into the toy store.
Harry's eyes went crazy at the site of so any things he had never seen. There were so many things in the store that appealed to Harry-action figures of cartoons he'd seen on TV, toys that mad loud noises, guns that spat out water, it was all so new to Harry. He embraced as much of it as he could.
"Okay Hermione, what's next?" Harry had an extremely excited look on his face. "I know! A music store, come one Hermione where is it?"
"Calm down Harry. We will get there later; it's at the other end of the mall. We can go from store to store."
There were so many stores. "There is no way you could visit every single one in day's time," Harry thought. The next store to catch Harry's attention was a candy shop.
"Look Hermione, they have every flavor beans!"
"No, Harry, they are called Jelly Belly Jelly Beans. They come in many flavors, but none are icky like vomit or earwax. Most are fruity and they are labeled so you know what they are."
After being in the candy shop for about thirty minutes they walked out; Harry carrying a small bad of an assortment of candy.
"You better hope some of that is low in sugar. May parents are strict about that." Hermione warned.
"What kind of store is that?" Harry questioned pointing to a store full of colorful things.
"That Harry is my favorite store, besides the book store. It is a store for girls, you may not like it. It has jewelry and accessories." Hermione told him as they walked in the store.
"Accessories?" Harry looked puzzled.
"I'll show you." There were all sorts of odd things Harry did not understand.
"Why do girls need all of these things?"
"We don't actually need them, we just like them."
Harry still did not understand. "Girls" he thought again. This must be the reason girls take so long to get ready Harry thought.
They walked the mall for what seemed forever. The two went into so many shops that Harry lost count. His favorite was the candy shop and music store. He had never heard so many different styles of music before.
"It is almost 2:30 Harry, we better get so my mum doesn't worry."
Mrs. Granger was already there and waiting. "So how was your first mall experience Harry?"
"It was great, thanks for taking us!"
"You're welcome Harry, so what did you two buy?"
"I got some candy and music." Harry said.
"I bought some stuff at the accessory shop." Hermione told her mum.
"So what movie are you two going to see Friday?" Mrs. Granger asked glancing at them in rearview mirror.
"I'm not sure, Harry what kind of movies to do you like?"
"I enjoy watching scary movies." Harry informed her.
"What kind of scary? Like murder movies or suspenseful movies?"
"It doesn't matter, I like all of them. Sometimes I would sneak downstairs at night and watch them on TV while the Dursleys are all sleeping." Harry told them.
"I know where we can go, it is a place downtown that shows scary movies all summer long."
That night Harry mused of his day. It was by far better than any day he had during summer vacation. He was so thankful to have a great friend like Hermione to show him all these new things. Then those few seconds of gazing into Hermione's eyes crept into his thoughts. It was odd that two days in a row, the two days the had been her presence that this had occurred. Without knowing he drifted off into sleep.