Chapter 4
Hermione and Ron
The next day the Grangers and Harry made their way to Diagon Alley. Harry had to admit that he was looking forward to seeing Ron again, but not nearly as much as Hermione.
"There he is!" Hermione exclaimed, all smiles as she ran towards Ron and hugged him fiercely, pausing only once to give him a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Hello, 'Mione," Ron replied, his face happy but a bit red, calling Hermione by her nickname.
"Ron! How's it going, mate?" Harry said, grabbing Ron's hand and shaking it.
"Hey there, Harry. I'm fine," Ron said in response, smiling brightly at seeing his friend. "C'mon, you two...we were just going down to Gringotts to make a withdrawl. For school stuff, you know..."
"Great! I´ll join you," Harry declared, and the three made their way over to the cluster of Weasleys, easily identifiable by their bright red hair.
Upon entering Gringrott's Wizard Bank, Hermione looked about all that went on inside the institution with bright-eyed wonder. It suddenly occurred to Harry that Hermione had never had been inside Gringrotts before, and that was most likely why she seemed almost spell-bound and speechless. After the goblins in charge ascertained their identies, the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione were ushered into the strange conveyances---that reminded Harry of mine cars---in which they would descend to their respective vaults.
Hermione carefully took the seat next to Ron, and nervously held his hand.
"Hang on, Hermione," Harry advised.
"Why do you say that, Harry?" Hermione asked a bit timidly.
"You'll see," Harry and Ron counseled.
The car they sat in lurched into motion, and in the blink of an eye was racing full tilt down the twisting hilly tracks. Hermione's brown eyes went huge and she squealed in fright as they went through a stretch that plummeted them precipitiously downward then up again.
"That´s why!" Ron screamed to Hermione, who now held on to him tightly. Hermione didn't screech again, but she did make Ron grimace on occasion as she gripped his hand tightly.
The string of cars finally slowed down and came to a thankful halt. They had made it to the Weasley's vault. As was usually the case, Harry felt somewhat guilty when he saw how little gold remained the Weasley's vault.
"Not much," Mrs. Weasley quietly told Harry, but she then nodded, adding, "but enough, thank goodness."
Once the Weasleys had returned to their cars, the silent goblin drove them over to the Potter vault.
"We'll give you a minute, dear, shall we?" Mrs. Weasley told him kindly.
"Ooh, Harry," Hermione suddenly asked. "Do you think...well, that is, may I..."
"Come on, then," Harry said, inviting Hermione along.
"I'll wait here, you two," Ron called out. Harry knew it embarrassed Ron to see how much wealth Harry possessed, so he wasn't surprised when Ron begged off coming with them. It took a moment for their goblin guide to unlock the vault, and then he gestured them impatiently inside.
"Harry," Hermione gasped in quiet wonder. "Why, you must have a small fortune down here." She looked about at the stacks of bronze Knuts, silver Sickles, and gold Galleons.
"Yeah, I know," Harry said. "Still, I'd trade it all to have my parents back," he murmured sadly. He grabbed a handful of each type of coin, stuffed them into his bag, and then headed back out with Hermione in tow, allowing the goblin to resecure the vault. As they approached, Harry gave Hermione a cautionary look, then looked pointedly towards Ron. Hermione took the hint and stayed quiet about Harry's wealth.
After the trip to Gringott's, the party headed over to their destination, Diagon Alley, where all the students began looking for their new books.
"Hmm. Wonder who we're going to have as Dark Art's teacher this year?" Ron mused aloud.
"I don´t really care...so long it´s not Professor Snape," Hermione said.
"Right you are, love," Ron said, for once completely in agreement with Hermione.
The three then made their way about Diagon Alley, shopping and talking. This went on until such time that they found themselves outside the Quidditch supplies store.
"Blimey!" Ron said, looking with awe into the display case before him. Within there was a most marvelous-looking broomstick, one that would be sure to catch any Quidditch player or fan's attention.
"Whoa! The Firebolt 2," Harry read, pressing his hand against the glass to stare.
"I wonder...do you think it´s better than the original Firebolt?" Hermione asked, somewhat intrigued.
"Well if it is," Ron began, a bit heatedly, though still mesmerized by the sight of the broomstick. "I hope that Malfoy or any of the Slytherin don't show up with one. He was a big enough git with his Nimbus2001."
"Fat chance of that, Ron," Harry said smiling. "Remember, his father's still in Azkaban, and I´m fairly certain that Mrs. Malfoy doesn't intend on using all of what money they have left on buying Draco a new expensive broom."
"Right. Well, here's hoping you're right, mate," Ron said, nodding hopefully.
Their shopping done, and the day wearing on, it wasn't too much longer, and Harry and Hermione had to reluctantly go back home.
"Well..., you take care, love. I'll be sure to see you again on September First," Ron said and hugged Hermione to himself fondly.
She kissed him once rather heatedly, then held on to him for a few minutes longer, before sadly letting him go.
"See you soon, Ron," Harry said and they waved good-bye to each other. Once in the Granger car, Harry and Hermione were so exhausted that they soon fell asleep, and only woke up when Alice gently shook them.
"Well, good night. See you tomorrow, Harry," Hermione said, yawning hugely.
"Yeah, you too, Hermione," Harry said and yawned himself before heading to bed.
Hermione and Ron
The next day the Grangers and Harry made their way to Diagon Alley. Harry had to admit that he was looking forward to seeing Ron again, but not nearly as much as Hermione.
"There he is!" Hermione exclaimed, all smiles as she ran towards Ron and hugged him fiercely, pausing only once to give him a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Hello, 'Mione," Ron replied, his face happy but a bit red, calling Hermione by her nickname.
"Ron! How's it going, mate?" Harry said, grabbing Ron's hand and shaking it.
"Hey there, Harry. I'm fine," Ron said in response, smiling brightly at seeing his friend. "C'mon, you two...we were just going down to Gringotts to make a withdrawl. For school stuff, you know..."
"Great! I´ll join you," Harry declared, and the three made their way over to the cluster of Weasleys, easily identifiable by their bright red hair.
Upon entering Gringrott's Wizard Bank, Hermione looked about all that went on inside the institution with bright-eyed wonder. It suddenly occurred to Harry that Hermione had never had been inside Gringrotts before, and that was most likely why she seemed almost spell-bound and speechless. After the goblins in charge ascertained their identies, the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione were ushered into the strange conveyances---that reminded Harry of mine cars---in which they would descend to their respective vaults.
Hermione carefully took the seat next to Ron, and nervously held his hand.
"Hang on, Hermione," Harry advised.
"Why do you say that, Harry?" Hermione asked a bit timidly.
"You'll see," Harry and Ron counseled.
The car they sat in lurched into motion, and in the blink of an eye was racing full tilt down the twisting hilly tracks. Hermione's brown eyes went huge and she squealed in fright as they went through a stretch that plummeted them precipitiously downward then up again.
"That´s why!" Ron screamed to Hermione, who now held on to him tightly. Hermione didn't screech again, but she did make Ron grimace on occasion as she gripped his hand tightly.
The string of cars finally slowed down and came to a thankful halt. They had made it to the Weasley's vault. As was usually the case, Harry felt somewhat guilty when he saw how little gold remained the Weasley's vault.
"Not much," Mrs. Weasley quietly told Harry, but she then nodded, adding, "but enough, thank goodness."
Once the Weasleys had returned to their cars, the silent goblin drove them over to the Potter vault.
"We'll give you a minute, dear, shall we?" Mrs. Weasley told him kindly.
"Ooh, Harry," Hermione suddenly asked. "Do you think...well, that is, may I..."
"Come on, then," Harry said, inviting Hermione along.
"I'll wait here, you two," Ron called out. Harry knew it embarrassed Ron to see how much wealth Harry possessed, so he wasn't surprised when Ron begged off coming with them. It took a moment for their goblin guide to unlock the vault, and then he gestured them impatiently inside.
"Harry," Hermione gasped in quiet wonder. "Why, you must have a small fortune down here." She looked about at the stacks of bronze Knuts, silver Sickles, and gold Galleons.
"Yeah, I know," Harry said. "Still, I'd trade it all to have my parents back," he murmured sadly. He grabbed a handful of each type of coin, stuffed them into his bag, and then headed back out with Hermione in tow, allowing the goblin to resecure the vault. As they approached, Harry gave Hermione a cautionary look, then looked pointedly towards Ron. Hermione took the hint and stayed quiet about Harry's wealth.
After the trip to Gringott's, the party headed over to their destination, Diagon Alley, where all the students began looking for their new books.
"Hmm. Wonder who we're going to have as Dark Art's teacher this year?" Ron mused aloud.
"I don´t really care...so long it´s not Professor Snape," Hermione said.
"Right you are, love," Ron said, for once completely in agreement with Hermione.
The three then made their way about Diagon Alley, shopping and talking. This went on until such time that they found themselves outside the Quidditch supplies store.
"Blimey!" Ron said, looking with awe into the display case before him. Within there was a most marvelous-looking broomstick, one that would be sure to catch any Quidditch player or fan's attention.
"Whoa! The Firebolt 2," Harry read, pressing his hand against the glass to stare.
"I wonder...do you think it´s better than the original Firebolt?" Hermione asked, somewhat intrigued.
"Well if it is," Ron began, a bit heatedly, though still mesmerized by the sight of the broomstick. "I hope that Malfoy or any of the Slytherin don't show up with one. He was a big enough git with his Nimbus2001."
"Fat chance of that, Ron," Harry said smiling. "Remember, his father's still in Azkaban, and I´m fairly certain that Mrs. Malfoy doesn't intend on using all of what money they have left on buying Draco a new expensive broom."
"Right. Well, here's hoping you're right, mate," Ron said, nodding hopefully.
Their shopping done, and the day wearing on, it wasn't too much longer, and Harry and Hermione had to reluctantly go back home.
"Well..., you take care, love. I'll be sure to see you again on September First," Ron said and hugged Hermione to himself fondly.
She kissed him once rather heatedly, then held on to him for a few minutes longer, before sadly letting him go.
"See you soon, Ron," Harry said and they waved good-bye to each other. Once in the Granger car, Harry and Hermione were so exhausted that they soon fell asleep, and only woke up when Alice gently shook them.
"Well, good night. See you tomorrow, Harry," Hermione said, yawning hugely.
"Yeah, you too, Hermione," Harry said and yawned himself before heading to bed.