I want to say thank you to those who reviewed my story. I very much appreciate it. Here we go.
Thank you, Gino Santangelo
Thank you, AngleCat HellFire
Hermione walked down the steps of the castle side by side with Ron and Harry. They each had their arms draped on her shoulders and her arms around their waists. She smiled up at them and they continued to walk. Hermione's money jingled in her pocket as she walked. They made their way into a carriage and sat down. She looked out her window as the carriage began to move. Harry and Ron began to joke around but she shut out their voices and trapped herself in her mind.
Hermione suddenly thought of cigarettes. Why did they seem so familiar to her? She decided to think of what she was going to buy the boys. The carriage came to a stop in front of the entrance into Hogsmead. Hermione sighed as she made her way out of the carriage, taking a deep breath. She smiles and waited for Ron and Harry. Soon by her side, the three of them made their way to their favorite shops.
Hermione left the boys almost immediately to shop for them. The boys shrugged and went off to Honeydukes to buy sweets. Hermione walked off towards the first clothing shop she saw. She walks in seeing that it was deserted and she smiled. Slowly she looks aimlessly through the clothes finding noting that she likes. She leaves the shop sighing softly. Hermione made her way down the road until she came to a jewelry shop.
She made her way inside and was amazed with what her eyes saw. The most beautiful jewelry she had ever seen lain before her. She walked immediately to the counter and looked at the rings. An old woman walks out from behind a heavy black curtain and greets Hermione sweetly. The woman stood their staring intently at Hermione for a moment before disappearing behind the black curtain again. She smiled to herself slightly as she continues to look at the amazing jewelry. The woman returned with a dusty black velvet box in her hand.
"These belong to you deary." The woman said.
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked walking up to her.
"This is yours, now take it." The woman said handing Hermione the box.
"I haven't paid for anything." Hermione said placing the box on the counter.
"I know, take it." The woman said going back behind the curtain.
Hermione left the shop leaving the box on the counter. She wasn't about to take something that she didn't pay for and didn't have the money for. She didn't even look inside the box. She walked down the street looking into a few shops not really seeing anything she liked. She came to the book shop and felt she had to go inside. As she was scanning the books she felt someone watching her. She turned around to see Malfoy's back to her, him looking through a book.
She turned around quickly questioning herself. 'Why hadn't I seen him when I came in?' Hermione quickly glanced over her shoulder and saw that Malfoy was still looking at the book in his hands. Her heart beat began to beat irregular and she was confused. Hermione walked along the book shelf ignoring Malfoy, or well at least trying to. She suddenly saw a book she was interested in and took it off the shelf. 'If he is going to ignore me then I'll ignore him' she thought.
"It's a big surprise to see you here Mudblood." Malfoy said sarcastically.
"Shove off Malfoy!" Hermione said slamming her book closed and placing it back on the shelf.
"No I don't think I will." Malfoy said closing his book and walking up to the counter with it.
"Stupid ferret!" Hermione cursed as she left the book store in a huff.
Hermione stormed down the street and made her way into the Quiddittch shop. She sighed and was glad that the boys weren't in there. To her surprise and luck the Cuddly Cannons Keeper was there for the day signing autographs. 'Ron!' Hermione thought quickly. She bought the best Cuddly Cannons she could find and got in the back of a short line to have it signed. After her turn was up she looked at the signature and smiled to herself. She left the shop after feeling that there was nothing that satisfied her taste for Harry's gift.
Hermione continued to talk alone, looking into different shops, finding nothing she liked. What was she going to get Harry? She hadn't found anything yet so she didn't know. Hermione came to a store that she hadn't seen before. She walked in quietly and looked around. The store was fascinating. It looked as if she had entered a different world.
Jewels and jingles were everywhere. There was clothing, incense, and all sorts of things. There were so many different things she had never ever seen before and she was fascinated. Beads and gold jewelry that jingles were hung everywhere. Hermione picked up a large triple strand of gold jingles and saw how big it was. She was confused as to where it went. Hermione shook it slightly and smiled at it jingled in her hands.
"Your belly." A beautiful woman said coming out from a dark room.
"Excuse me?" Hermione said politely.
"That chain, lovely one, it goes on your belly like so." The woman said affectionately touching Hermione and puts the jingles on her.
"Oh." Hermione said shaking her hip making them jingle.
"They are for belly dancing my dear. You do not dance so you?" She asked nicely looking at Hermione lovingly.
"No, I don't." Hermione said blushing.
"It wasn't a snide remark my dear, just a question. You could be a wonderful dancer. I have books if you would like to read them." the woman said, her chocolate skin shimmering in the dim light.
"Oh yes please." Hermione said moving forward her belly jingling as she walked.
Hermione was given a few books and she tucked them under her arm. She looked on the back and she saw the price. The woman was going to give her the books but as she left with a bag full of items she left all the accounted money on the counter. Hermione had bought more jingles, some cloth to make clothes, incense, and a special brand of make up the woman had given her to wear. Hermione had also bought the books which were tucked deep in the bag. Hermione smiled to herself as she made her way towards another clothing shop. As she walked in she saw a jacket that would look perfect on Harry.
She grabbed the jacket and to her luck it was exactly his size. The jack was leather and had dark green interior. She was afraid at how expensive it would be so she took it up to the register and found out it wasn't as much as she had thought so she bought it. She smiled to herself and made her way to a carriage to head back to the castle. As soon as she was seated the carriage started to move. Hermione smiled and saw that she was alone so she looked at everything she bought. She thought of the woman from the store and how beautiful she was.
Hermione sighed as she though of the woman, she had to see her again and soon. She smiled at what she bought and opened the first book and began to read. The hairs on the back of her neck started to stand up and she looks around. No one is in the carriage with her but she still feels like she is being watched. She feels around the whole carriage so no one is in an invisibility cloak, so what was her heart racing now? She sat back down and tried to forget her heart racing and the feeling that someone was watching her. Hermione closed her eyes and was at the castle in no time.
She got out and walked all the way up to the Gryffindor common room without stopping. Hermione rushed up the stairs to the girl's dormitory and was pleased to find the dorm empty. Quickly she wrapped the boy's gifts with magic so she could read her book, not noticing the black box that lay on the trunk at the foot of her bed. She opened the book immediately and began to read. The prickling on the back of her neck came back, the feeling that someone was watching her. She got up and looked around, she was alone. Hermione noticed the box suddenly; that was it, that's what was causing that feeling.
Hermione picked up the box and recognized it immediately. She opened it slowly and peered inside. Three rings lay inside with three envelopes. On the envelopes were three names; Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ronald Weasley. Hermione gasped and held the ring next to her envelope. She set the ring down and opened the envelope, taking out the piece of parchment inside she read: Dearest Hermione, These rings are the Celtic rings of friendship, virtue, and life. Made in the mid 17th century in Scotland, these rings have been passed down, life after life and now to you, lovely one. They were destined to be yours, Harry, and Ron's rings. Where them on your right ring finger, I am sure it is a perfect fit. The rings hold you three together as one and can be used as a portkey when one of you is in danger, though you may not leave the situation only bring each other together. Never take them off, ever. Not even when you bathe. Take care of your self kitten. You may find the other powers of the ring as you wear it. Farewell.
Hermione was shocked as she placed the ring on her finger; a perfect fit. Her envelops and note caught fire in her hands and disappeared instantly. She closed the box and ran down the stairs to find Harry and Ron. To her luck she found them lying on their beds joking and eating Honeydukes finest. They didn't notice her come in until she cleared her throat. They looked at her and smiled. She showed them the box and laid it on Harry's bed and left quickly.
She wanted them to find out about the rings on their own. The rings were beautiful, hers especially. She took it off for a moment and it glowed bright green. 'Must do that when it's removed.' She thought and tested it again to make sure she was correct. There was an inscription on the inside of her ring just like the boys rings had. Her ring had the Celtic sign of 'Love.' She knew this because she secretly had always wanted that tattooed small in the back of her neck, though she never told anyone that.
The boy's ran down their steps and ran right into Hermione knocking her over, all three of them tumbling into the empty common room. They all smiled at each other. They stood up and brushed themselves off. All three of them began to laugh and they sat down. Hermione saw that the sign on Harry's ring was 'Bravery' and Ron's had 'Loyalty.' She smiled and thought that it suited them well. It was dinner time soon so they decided to go down early and eat. Hermione was happy and smiled at the two people she loved most in the world.
"Excuse me." Hermione said politely as they past a group of Hufflepuffs on their way to dinner.
"Man I am hungry." Ron said rubbing his stomach. Hermione smiled at his gleaming ring on his right ring finger.
"Pretending your married Mudblood?" Malfoy accused across the hall.
"Excuse me?" Hermione said loudly walking up to him.
"Well I can see what you would, considering you'll never really be married. I mean who would want to marry something as filthy as you." Malfoy said towering over her.
Tears rushed to her eyes and she ran away from them all. She didn't stop running and she couldn't see where she was going through her tears. Hermione wasn't hungry any more so she didn't bother to go back. She found her was to the top of the castle and it was cold. Through the astronomy tower she climbed out and stood on the balcony and cried. She didn't know why she let Malfoy get to her, he wasn't worth her tears yet she couldn't stop them. She was very much alone and she knew no one would find her, or so she thought.
