Disclaimer: I own none of it, None of it I tell you. Just the weeny wittle pwot.
Chapter 7: A Trip Down Cobblestone Road
Clear pale faces arose early in the morning anticipating the trip down Diagon Alley. For some strange reason it was like an annual holiday to a place you just didn't grow tired of. Even Arthur and Molly were grinning, their eyes shining from an early morning arising and a mutually enjoyed intimate moment.
Ginny raced down the stairs ahead of Fred and George who were throwing little balls at her hair. The balls would unravel into Talrunes that would make like they were Tarzan.
Harry walked across the hallway to collect Hermione when he was tackled to the ground by Ron, who had snuck up behind him, yelped like a constipated seagull and grabbed him around the knees. Ron hadn't thought that it wasn't exactly a bright thing to crash tackle Harry from behind, and was very lucky that Harry hadn't be armed.
Harry expected all sorts of hi-jinx in the Weasley household, but that sort of physical contact came as a bit of a shock. For a terrifying couple of seconds Harry thought that Voldemort or one of his Death Eaters had grabbed him. It wasn't until Hermione stepped out and looked at the messy human pile on the floor that Harry found out the truth.
"Ron, it really isn't wise to do that to Harry, you probably gave him a genuine fright." She looked down her nose at Ron until breaking into a pretty smile. "Come on boys, let get breakfast." She put her hands down in a gesture of helping the boys up. Harry smiled at her and wondered how she knew him so well. Ron was his bestest of best friends, but 'Mione sometimes just seemed to understand him better.
Ron frowned at the secret smile club occurring between his two best friends, but he still accepted Hermione's hand. Ron hadn't meant to scare harry, but he had always wanted to have the friendly, manly rumble with his best mate and seeing Harry in the hallway had presented itself as the perfect opportunity.
Harry placed his cast arm on Ron's shoulder to let him know that there were no hard feelings, then wrapped his other arm over Hermione's shoulder and together the terrible trio headed towards breakfast.
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Harry, Ron and Hermione grinned as they threw floo powder into the fire. They held each others sweaty hands and walked into the fireplace after clearly and loudly shouting 'Diagon Alley."
Harry walked out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron and smiled. He could understand why some people were drawn to alcohol if they were able to experience in a place like this. Ron walked out after him and smiled also, his freckles decorated with a gentle layering of soot. Harry wondered how Ron managed to do it. Hermione stepped between the boys and smiled at what you would think she would consider an unsavoury location. But Hermione loved the Leaky Cauldron as much as the next witch or wizard.
"Ah," Molly beamed at the trio. "You made it no worries. I have decided to let you explore alone, just be careful and don't waste your money. Ron, here take this, they should be enough for the books you need to buy. You will have to make do with the formal robes from last year. Be careful, all of you."
Ron's face fell. He hated the thought of another Yule ball, but hated the thought of having to wear those robes again tenfold.
Hermione watched the Weasley parents leave, smiling and greeting various witches and wizards on their way out the door. Harry felt Ron's shame and successfully guessed the reason for his crestfallen face.
"Ron," Harry said quietly. "I have to go to Gringotts, to get some money out and I was thinking, instead of buying you a separate Christmas and Birthday present this year, how about I combine the two and buy you some new formal robes?"
Ron looked up at Harry for a moment with sheer, pure gratitude before pride walked up and fumbled with his brain. Poor? Yes. Proud? Even more so. "You don't have to. I'll be right, maybe I can fake a sickie and spend it in the Common Room."
Hermione gave Ron her best scornful Headmistresses frown. "Don't be silly Ron. I shall put in with Harry for your robes and that way you should still get a separate Christmas present. Come on, you never know, new robes could make you look really cute." She nudged him playfully. Ron blushed right down to his toes. "No one could resist a Weasley in new robes." She gestured dramatically around the pub. "Every girl here not hit with the Imperius would have to be smitten."
Ron smiled and scanned the room. There were a few young ladies he wouldn't mind having around.
Harry had to agree, although his attention was drawn to a girl on her own, who seemed sort of sad. How Harry could tell from looking at her back he didn't know. Her lilac cape was silk and glistened like a purple waterfall. A single long dark tendril of hair was caught around the nape and dropped down her back.
"Come on Harry." Ron said cheerfully. "We've got to go to the bank and then you two are going to take me robe shopping."
Harry turned and followed his friend into the brick wall courtyard that led into Diagon Alley itself.
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It turned out that Ron was worse than a girl when it came to picking clothing. Sure he had bucket loads of Weasley pride, but that didn't mean you didn't take advantage of a situation when it presented itself. Madam Malkins had never had the fun of a Weasley being a little spoiled before.
Ron had claimed a change room and it therefore became surrounded by a multitude of robes sprawled in a manner reminiscent of a scatterbrain's bedroom.
"How about this one?" Ron stepped out, his hair a netted mess from the trying on and taking off of every robe style imaginable.
Harry and Hermione had grown bored ages ago; one could only handle so much of robes. The girls styles varied greater than the boys, but Hermione was sure that not even Lavendar or Pavrati would take this long. Harry looked up at Ron. "It's nice, I like the colour." He said unconvincingly. He did like the colour, but he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to shop for robes ever again.
"It is a beautiful colour Ron." Hermione marvelled at the colour which couldn't be described as blue-green or green-blue but neither and both in different shades of light. "It suits your complexion and hair colour." She added flatly.
One of the robe assistants meandered over unwillingly. "How does Sir find this robe?"
Ron smiled at him. He was the pauper being treated as a prince and he was revelling in the soft, yet crisp feeling of new robes, a feeling he was terribly unaccustomed to. "I really like it."
The assistant's eyes widened like a startled house-elf. "Really?" he coughed. "Lets see." The charmed robes slowly altered so they fitted Ron perfectly.
Hermione stared a little at Ron dressed so well and Harry smiled at the content glow that was strongly emanated from his best friend.
"What do you guys think?"
"Get it." They said, perfectly mimicking the twins.
"Ok. Can I get this one?"
"Certainly Sir."
Harry, Hermione and Ron left Madam Malkins and had to race around Flourish and Botts and the Apothecary to get back to the Leaky Cauldron before Molly had the opportunity to worry. It had even meant the boys gawking session at the new FireBolt LSE (Limited Special Edition) in the Quality Quidditch Supplies Shop window was reduced to a paltry couple of seconds.
The bookshop was significantly quieter this year and the bookkeeper in much better spirits. He had once again completely refused any sort of books with fangs and seemed to keep sliding off to a backroom and coming back even happier. Gentle whispers hunted at a restricted book of muggle drugs whose disappearance had corresponded with the better temperament of the old bookkeeper.
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"Hello there dears." Molly greeted her troop as they stormed into the pub again, but this time weighed down by various educational paraphernalia and carrying a Florean Fortescue cone each. "Got everything?"
Ron beamed at his mother. "Harry and Hermione bought me new robes for the Yule Ball!"
Molly's face fell momentarily and a quick, proud, hellish glare was flung at her son's young friends. Hermione caught it and winced.
"They are for Ron's birthday. Harry and I decided to go in it together. I hope you don't mind Mrs. Weasley." Hermione gave her best smile.
Harry missed the reason for Hermione's explanation, but nodded vehemently in agreement.
"Oh you're both so sweet. Thankyou for always looking after Ron."
"Are we ready to go?" Arthur handed everyone some floo powder. He received a group smile in response, though Harry's was a little forced. Slowly the group disappeared into the fireplace and into some prior school preparations at the burrow.
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As always all reviews are deeply appreciated
Jagged Epiphany formally known as PotterPrincess: Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!!! Thanks for all the catch up reviews and to answer your question I usually get my inspiration for the twins from my little bouts of Insomnia or uni overload.
Silverwolf: Thanks again for reading and your continual supportive and interested comments, all things will be answered in time.