CHAPTER 6
The Dark Mark
"Touch me, one last time, please love me back!"
-Exert from one of my fictions.
"Harry Potter, I think I'm in love with you!" I said as he wrapped his arm around my bare shoulder.
"Indeed?"
"Oh yes…I'm ill with love, and you?"
"Oh yes I can feel the fever!"
Harry and I were in a Starbucks in London. We all decided to go to London before entering Diagon Alley. We didn't want to rush the day with shopping, so we decided to lounge at this very famous café. Harry and I were standing in line; Ron, Lavender, Draco and Ginny were sitting in booths waiting for drinks that we were bringing them. It was getting extremely hot in the line (contrary to the cold autumn weather outside). I undid the buttons to my shirt jacket and slipped it off exposing my sleeveless turtleneck shirt. Harry smiled and ran his hand up and down my arm. I couldn't help but lean against him.
"Damn, this line will never end, and I need to use the lavatory!" I whispered fiercely in his ear.
"Its okay, go, I'll stay in line."
"Okay, I'll be back!"
I left the line and went past the stand with the sugar, cinnamon and other spices sat for customer use. I looked quickly around at my surrounding; taking in the tan colored paint that thickly stained the lavatory hallway, the cheap paintings on the walls, the noisy water fountain and payphone. I opened up the lavatory door and went straight for an empty stall.
I stood in the mirror and applied lipstick to my lips. I wanted to look special, today is the day Harry and I celebrate for being Head Boy and Girl. I pulled at my curly (for today!) hair instead of the silky smooth hairstyle. The curls made my facial bones look sharper. As I opened the door I was confronted on the other side of hall, the men's lavatory, by the last person that I would want to see.
"Hi Hermione…"
***
"Hey, where are you going Draco?" Ginny asked as I got up.
"The lavatory dear, I'm in desperate need of a bathroom break." Ginny giggled and pointed towards the Lavatory hall.
"Thank you love."
***
"Hello Colin, I didn't think I'd be seeing you around." I said calmly.
"Yeah, who would have thought, huh?" Colin said distracted. He had his hands in his pockets and was looking me up and down.
"You look different, happy, that's good."
"Yeah, it is good…"
"How's Ginny? I know I haven't talked to her in a while."
"She's okay."
Colin stepped closer to me.
"Tell me Hermione, how involved are you and Harry?" he was so close to me now I could thickly smell the Irish coffee on his breath. I turned my face up in disgust and he rested his hand on the wall next to me, blocking me from leaving.
"We're getting married, sounds serious huh?"
"Yeah."
"Colin, I have to go." He stopped me from going again. His eyes were filled with naked emotions. He had the look of a broken heart. But I knew all he was a heartless bastard.
"Please, Hermione, don't leave I'm sorry for hurting Ginny."
"Don't apologize to me Colin."
"Can I, can I kiss you?"
I looked at him with an alarmed expression. What was wrong with him? Can I kiss you? Hell no!
"No Colin."
He lifted his hand and rested it on my shoulder, moving it to rest on my breast. I opened my mouth to yell when he was jerked violently backwards.
"What the hell are you doing Creevy?" Draco was holding Colin's shirt. Colin pulled from his grasp but stopped struggling.
"I wasn't doing anything. I was just about to leave."
"Bullshit Creevy. I hope you know that if you had tried something stupid, you would have been beaten."
"C'mon! What makes you think I can't touch her? And you were the one that actually did harm to her?" Draco let go of him, hurt with the severity of truth.
"Yeah! Tell Ginny I'll see her around."
"You better not come near my fiancé Creevy!" Colin laughed and disappeared in the crowd. Draco turned his icy stare to me, which slowly melted away.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded. He opened the door to the men lavatory and stepped inside, leaving me alone in the hall.
***
Slowly I joined the rest at the table. They were surrounded by crumpets, scones, tea, and coffee.
"Hi! Honey, that took long!"
"I know."
A few minutes later Draco appeared and sat next to Ginny and started with a scone and tea. I close my eyes and leaned against Harry. A woman burst into the coffee shop.
"HE'S BACK!!! OH MY GOD HE'S BACK!!! NEITHER WIZARD NOR MUGGLE IS SAFE!!!! VOLDEMORT HAS SENT HIS FOLLOWERS!!!! HE IS HERE!!! HARRY POTTER, HE IS HERE!!!!" the woman was not looking at Harry but at no one. A blast of green light hit her and she fell to the ground. A skull with a snake in its mouth emerged from her. Everyone screamed in the shop. Harry looked at Draco and Draco looked at Ron. They withdrew their wands, I did the same also.
I leaped from my seat, my wand at the ready.
"STUPEFY!" I shouted, the spell flew out the door and hit someone. Harry ran to the door and looked out. The whole street was dead, people where screaming and bodies were all over the pavement. "Oh my God, Harry…"
Colin laid there, his wand in his hand.
The Dark Mark hovered above each body on the pavement. HH
