After they all packed into the car, the Grangers and Harry made their way to Diagon Alley for the day. Hermione parents had been use to this even though they are both Muggles. They are so proud of Hermione for getting into Hogwarts and for all she has achieved. They went off towards Charing Cross Road, London and to the Leaky Cauldron, which is the entrance to Diagon Alley from the Muggle world. They arrived about eleven o clock and walked straight into the Leakey Cauldron Pub. It was a small, shabby-looking inn but was cosy. As they walked in they noticed a familiar face.
"Hagrid!!" Hermione screamed and ran over to the gentle giant and gave him a big hug. Hagrid was such a softy for his size; he was about a head and shoulders above the rest of the people around him.
"Hi yer ther you two. How you bin?" he asked in his booming but not frightening voice.
"Not bad Hagrid. What about you?" Harry asked.
"Great! Bin gettin ready fur the start of school. Tings gettin really interesting this year." Hagrid's idea of interesting was completely different to theirs. He had pets dragons, and giant spiders before and they aren't exactly adorable in Hermione and Harry's mind.
"What yer up to down ere? Buying yer school buks?" Hagrid asked.
"Yeah, and meeting up with Ron later too." Harry was really looking forward to talking to Ron. They went through to the back of the pub and into the back. They tapped the wall (Three up, two across) and it opened up to reveal Diagon Alley. Harry looked around and he remembered how much he loved it there. There was The Quidditch Supplies shop and Harry was looking in the window at the firebolt in the window. He didn't need to look at the one in the window; he had one at Hermione's bought for him by Sirius.
They went into Gringrotts bank. Harry had run out of the money he took out last time so needed to refill his pockets. His parents had left him a healthy sum of money which has come in useful over the years to buy his school things. Harry needed to top up on some of his potions and buy his new school books.
Harry and Hermione were wandering around when Hermione ran across the street to look at something in the window of "The Jewel in the Crown". Harry had never seen this shop before but then again, it was a jewellery store and he wouldn't notice it. The shop was full of magical items and Hermione was looking dreamily at this particular Celtic style silver necklace in the window. Its label said:
"Charm necklace made from silver deep in the Himalayas forged by possibly the greatest craftsmen of all time, the elvees. These creatures are similar to elves but are much smaller and don't have the ridiculous and pointless pointy ears.. Their ability to create the most beautiful jewellery known has made them famous in the magical world. This necklace has special powers which protects the wearer from certain charms and makes charms easier to perform. It makes a perfect gift for any young witch."
"Do you like it Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Like it! I love it, it's so beautiful. Not like I could afford it." She sadly pointed out the price tag, it said 79 Galleons. She turned and slowly walked away from the window disheartened and they continued their way down Diagon Alley.
Harry and Hermione were taking the same subjects this year. They had got a letter through telling them that Muggle Studies was now compulsory. They walked into Florish & Blotts to buy the books they needed when they caught sight of a familiar, but not welcome face. Draco Malfoy.
Harry and Draco had been enemies since that day on the train when they first met. They both burst into laughter when they saw what Draco had in his hand – a copy of "Muggles – and their silly little ways." The Malfoys were known for their hatred of Muggles or muggle born wizards. Draco must of heard them laughing as he tried to hide his face from them. He took no joy in buying this book, but the shopkeeper did.
"Well, well Mr Malfoy, never thought I'd see the day you buying a muggle studies book," he said as loud as possible so the whole shop heard. Draco's face was such a picture that they suddenly wished they had a camera.
Once Draco had finished buying his book he stormed out of the bookstore nearly knocking Hermione over. This was probably the first time they had seen Draco and he had not said anything to either Hermione or Harry. They bought the books they needed and walked towards the Three Broomsticks to meet Ron. Hermione stopped and looked down Knockturn Alley. Lucius and Draco were down there. Draco seemed to be getting told off for something. Then he hit Draco over the head with his stick, and it obviously hurt because they both heard Draco cry out. Lucius raised his stick again when he caught sight if Hermione and Harry watching him. They saw him take a step towards them and they ran for it. They reached The Three Broomsticks and they hid behind a bush and watched Lucius Malfoy appear from the alley and look for them. After a few minutes, he went back down the Alley with Draco reluctantly behind him.
They walking into The Three Broomsticks and the instantly saw Ron come running towards them. "Hiya! How are you two?" Ron looked so happy to see them.
"Even better on seeing you Ron," Hermione replied, "you won't believe what we've just seen." She tells Ron about Draco and his dad.
"So what? Draco Malfoy deserves everything he gets." Ron is obviously unsympathetic towards Draco for obvious reasons. They have hated each other just as long as Harry and Draco have. "Isn't that a good thing? Don't know what you're fussing about Hermione."
"But you have to feel sorry for him. His dad hit him, hard. Ron, you don't see something wrong with that?" Hermione said getting increasingly annoyed at Ron
"No, why should I? It's Malfoy; you know they guy who keeps calling all of us names and probably the most annoying person in the world. I think he deserves it." Ron argued.
Hermione could see that she wasn't going to convince him and changed the subject to Quidditch much to the delight of Harry and Ron who talked about it for the next couple of hours.
Harry left Ron and Hermione for about half an hour as he said he had forgotten to do something. When he came back he looked very pleased with himself but wouldn't say what was so urgent that he had to leave them. All he would say was "You'll see." and looked at Hermione.
The rest of the day went smoothly and after buying so much strawberry and peanut butter ice cream that they all felt sick it was time for Harry and Hermione to go home. They set off to look for her parents and were shocked when they found them standing outside the entrance of Diagon Alley. Lucius Malfoy was talking to them with Draco standing behind him, but they weren't enjoying the conversation by the looks on their faces. As they got closer, they were able to hear some of the conversation.
"…well you know, with everything going on, I'm surprised you are still allowing your daughter to go to Hogwarts. It's really not safe for her there these days."
"Is that right Mr. Malfoy?" It was Hermione standing behind him. He turned to face, not threatened by her.
"Oh yes, Miss Granger. You better keep on you guard," He informed her.
"I'll keep that in mind," Hermione said.
"Come Draco," Lucius demanded and the Malfoys disappeared down the street.
"Remind me never to stick up for him ever again Harry." Hermione said and Harry and the Grangers went in the Leaky Cauldron and back into the car.
Harry and Hermione were curious to what Lucius Malfoy had told the Grangers. Over dinner Hermione asked them what he had said to them.
"He told us that a powerful wizard is around and planning to kill Mudbloods like us." Harry and Hermione looked at her parents and Hermione had tears in her eyes.
"He called you Mudbloods?" She asked. She buried her head in her hands and started to cry. Harry explained to the Grangers what Lucius Malfoy meant. They didn't realise that it was an insult at the time. Mudblood means dirty blood, anyone who is not a "pureblood" like muggle born wizards. The Malfoys truly believe in this ideology. Hermione ran upstairs and Harry ran after her.
As soon as she reached her room she burst out, "How dare he call my parents mudbloods! Like he's perfect!" She said in-between sobs. "I can't believe I felt sorry for Mini Malfoy. Ron is right, he deserves everything he gets." Harry gave her a hug and tried to comfort her.
"Well, we'll find a way to get him back, don't you worry about that. The Malfoys won't get away with this." Harry was so angry, how dare he call her parents mudbloods, they had been so kind to him. They were far better people than the Malfoys could ever be.
"No wonder Draco is like the way he is, he's just copying off his father. They are so similar it's hard to tell them apart. Imagine what he's going to say at school Harry." Hermione said. "He's going to tell everyone that his father called my parents a Mudblood and they had no idea what it meant. I don't know if I could control myself," Harry agreed. He wouldn't be able to control himself if Malfoy started, but he could be expelled from Hogwarts for fighting and the Malfoys would have won. They would have to come up with a plan to get them back without getting expelled from Hogwarts.
The next week flew by with Hermione still upset about what Mr Malfoy had said to her parents, but she was also nervous about school, which was fast approaching. She hadn't got much sleep over the last week for worrying so much. Harry wasn't nervous but excited about school. He loved school; it was the place where Harry has been the happiest.
On the day before school starts, the Grangers took their daughter and guest out for dinner again. They all enjoyed themselves and Hermione looked like she might be able sleep.
Harry woke up in a cold sweat again. He keeps seeing the vision of Voldermort's rebirth. It's only four o clock in the morning but still decided to go and get a bit of fresh air outside. But he wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep. Hermione didn't manage to get to sleep and was outside looking up into the sky. Harry slowly made his way towards Hermione trying not to scare her.
"Hey Harry! You won't believe this but there's a meteor shower going on. Do you want to come and watch with me?" Harry couldn't resist and laid down beside her and both were carefully watching the sky for any sign of a meteor. Harry had never seen a Meteor shower before but had read about them in a book on space he read last year. "Aren't they beautiful? Oh look there's one!" She grabbed Harry's hand to point it out to him and even though the light only lasted a second, they didn't let go of each others hands. They watched the Meteor shower till dawn and they couldn't see any more, but they didn't want to go inside and stayed out and talked about what they were looking forward to next school term.
"I can't wait for the Quidditch tournament to get going. Talking of Quidditch, Heard from Krum lately?" Harry asked Hermione suspiciously. Krum had taken a shine to Hermione last year during the Triwizard Tounament and had asked her to stay with him in Bulgaria.
She became very uncomfortable and said, "Well he did write again asking if I wanted to go and stay with him but I decided to stay…"
"And have me stay here with you instead." said a rather proud Harry.
She went red although Harry didn't notice. "So come on, what are you looking forward to this year?" He asked sensing that she wanted the subject to change.
"Well, it's the exams this year…"
"Hermione! Other than work?" Harry laughed. That was exactly what he thought she might say, just like Hermione to think about work.
"erm…erm…probably Christmas, it the most magical time of year. I love Christmas but I never get much." At this Harry smiled but Hermione didn't see it. "Also, my 16th birthday should be good. My parent said they were going to send me something special." Harry had a sudden horrible thought. He had never known when her birthday was.
"Er…Hermione, I know I this might seem odd but… when is your birthday?" Harry cautiously asked but Hermione laughed.
"I never like to make a fuss at my birthday. It's ok, I don't think Ron knows either. It's the 21st September." Harry felt so guilty that for the last few years he hadn't got her anything for her birthday. She had given him something for the last few birthdays, and this year she's made a special thing out of it, and he's never done anything for her.
It was growing light and the sunbeams were hitting off the pond in the middle of the garden and glaring in their eyes. They got up and went back into the house to get ready. They had to leave by half nine to make it in time for the Hogwarts train at eleven or they would miss it.
The arrived at Kings Cross station at with half an hour to spare. They found platform 9 ¾ very easily and they saw Ron there too. She had the rest of his family were there. Percy was supervising his brothers and sister on to the platform. Percy worked for the Ministry of Magic. Mrs Weasley saw Harry and threw her arms around him almost squashing him. She saw Hermione and made her join in.
"Nice to see you loves. Hope you've had a good summer?" She asked.
"It's been great, thanks for asking. I've been staying with Hermione." He said looking towards Hermione.
"Come on, you're going to be late and you won't get a compartment to yourselves." Percy shouted over the top. The entrance to platform 9 ¾ was through a wall barrier that you have to walk through. Harry remembers who daunted he was when he first realised what he had to do, but now it was routine. Harry and Ron walked through together and Hermione went through with Ron's little sister, Ginny. As soon as they were through they could hear the hustle and bustle of the Hogwarts students boarding the train. The gleaming red Hogwarts Express was getting ready to leave with steam puffing out the top. They went to the far end of the carriages and boarded with all their trunks. Mrs Weasley and Percy stayed outside until it was time to leave. The train horn went and they were off, for another exciting year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.