The streets of Diagon Alley were crowded with students from Hogwarts. Hermione and Harry went with the Weasley family to do their school shopping. There was a sense of sadness in the air, because they all knew it would be their last year shopping for school supplies. It was the kind of day where the sun and the clouds were battling for dominance of the sky, and the air was thick with the coming rain. Hermione looked up and sighed. She had been keeping an eye out for Draco all day, hoping that by chance he was making purchases that day as well. She felt as though it was hopeless; after all, what were the odds?

"Hey, Harry, Ron, come get a look at this broom!" The boys dragged Hermione over to Seamus, who was staring longingly at the newest model broom in the Quidditch supply shop.

"Wow, that's wicked Seamus!" Harry was enamoured with the broomstick.

As the boys stared wistfully at the broom none of them could have, Hermione allowed her eyes to wander. She was tired of standing there, listening to the boys blabber about Quidditch, and thought that the book shop would be more interesting.

"Hey, guys, I'll meet you in Flourish and Blotts, ok?" She didn't wait for a response. Just as she turned to go, the boys headed towards the entrance to the Quidditch supply shop.

"So Seamus, how much is the broom?"

"More than your family makes in a year, Weasley," came a sneering voice from the doorway. The boys all snapped their heads in the direction of a smirking Draco Malfoy.

"Oh Merlin, couldn't you have died over the summer or something Malfoy?"

"I was thinking the same thing about you Weasel." Draco cocked an eyebrow. "Funny how that works out, isn't it?" Draco walked past the group, making sure to push Ron against the wall.

"Oops," he snickered as he left the shop. He stopped a few yards away from the door. He was sure that if Harry and Ron were in Diagon Alley, Hermione would be with them. Draco sighed in disappointment, assuming that Hermione must have stayed behind for some reason. Apparently, he'd never heard what they say about making assumptions. Calling to Karissa, he headed to the book shop.

Hermione was perusing through the bookshelves, looking for something good to read. She would have to stock up before school started, as the book store in Hogsmeade was not nearly as extensive as Flourish and Blotts.

Draco was crouched down, looking for a book he had read about in The Daily Prophet. It was supposed to be a very good read. Suddenly, he caught the familiar scent of vanilla, the one he had engraved in his mind. He quickly stood up to look for Hermione. She had to be there!

At that same moment, on the opposite side of the bookcase, Hermione kneeled over to check out a book on the bottom shelf. The Daily Prophet said that it was a very good read. She pulled it out, and as un lady-like as it was, she sat on the ground to give it a cursory glance.

Draco sighed again. He must have just imagined the sweet smell of Hermione. It was wishful thinking that made him so alert. He mentally slapped himself for being so stupid, and went over to the secluded schoolbook section to get the books on his school list.

"Come on, Karissa."

Hermione snapped the book shut and looked around. She was sure she had just heard Draco's voice. She stood up from her position on the ground and looked around the bookshop. Her heart dropped as she realized that it was merely wishful thinking, not Draco's voice, that called her out of her book. Picking up her pile of books, she went to pay the man at the counter. Hermione passed the man her money and turned to leave when she saw out of the window that the sun had completely disappeared and the rain was coming down in buckets. Just what she needed. With a heavy sigh, she sat down at a table towards the back and began to read one of her novels.

Draco and Karissa finally finished finding their needed schoolbooks and paid the man at the counter. The man didn't feel as though the shiny sickles Draco had paid him with were real, and proceeded to ask every member of the staff what they thought. By the time he was finished casting all his counterfeit spells, the rain had let up and the sun once again broke through the clouds.

Hermione looked up to see if it had stopped raining. She saw a flash of silver blonde hair that she had dreamed about all summer. Her breath caught in her throat and she gathered all of her belongings in a heap. She ran towards the door to see if the hair she had seen truly belonged to her Silver when suddenly two male bodies stopped her.

"Hey 'Mione, sorry it took us so long, but we were stuck in the Quidditch shop when it started raining!" She craned her neck around Ron to see where the blonde head had gone, but it was too late. She had made it up inside her head. Her body relaxed, disappointed, and she looked at Ron and Harry.

"That's alright. Can we go now?"

They had only just arrived at the Burrow and Hermione had begun packing her school things when an owl flew in the window.

"Hermione,

Went to Diagon Alley today. I've only just gotten home. I had to take Karissa to get her school things as well. I swear I could've killed her. How she got into Ravenclaw, the world may never know. Speaking of killing, I ran into your boyfriend at the Quidditch shop. What a wanker! Anyways, the reason I owled you so fast is because there's a book in Flourish and Blott's I thought you ought to get. It's called The Life and Times of Milo Evenstar. I saw it and figured you'd be interested. I hope I got this to you before you went to Diagon Alley.

Rained buckets earlier today. Hope you stayed dry! I was stuck in Flourish and Blott's while the stupid clerk made sure my money wasn't counterfeit.

-Draco"

She looked down at the book in her hands and gave a hollow laugh. The Life and Times of Milo Evenstar. They had purchased the same book. Not only that, but they had been at two of the same places at the same time. She felt like bashing her head in with the book.

"Draco,

Funny. I went to Diagon Alley today as well. No worries, I bought The Life and Times of Milo Evenstar - what's funny, I was going to tell you to buy it.

I was in Flourish and Blott's when it started raining as well. I sat in the back and started reading my book. I thought I heard you, but I couldn't see where you were. I guess you were in the back getting school books. Was also with Ron and Harry outside of the Quidditch shop, but I left to get reading material.

Irony is everywhere, don't you think?

-Hermione"

Draco let out a loud noise of exasperation and banged his head against his trunk a few times. He was in the middle of packing when her owl arrived and he was angry with himself for missing Hermione so many times. Karissa popped her head in the door.

"Draco, what was that noise?"

"Nothing, Karissa. Don't you need to get packed or something?"

"Packed for what?"

"Hogwarts, Karissa."

"Oh yea!" She giggled. "Mom feels the house elves do a better job of packing than I do. I always forget something."

"Imagine that. Say, have you ever met Neville Longbottom?"

She wrinkled her nose. "What kind of a name is that? Is this a joke?"

"Your life is a joke," he muttered.

"What?"

"I said don't be a slow poke. You should probably go help the house elf or something."

"Oh," she nodded. "You're probably right. I don't think I'd fit in their tea cozies."

The sad part about that was, Karissa was completely serious.

The next week, the Weasley house was bustling with activity. Bits of toast were flying everywhere as everyone was doing last minute packing and helping to load the new car. After several trips, they were on their way to King's Cross. Hermione kept her nose buried in The Life and Times of Milo Evenstar, but she was secretly thinking about her reunion with Draco. Hermione looked at her watch. It was 10:30. Only a half hour more and she would be seeing him. She checked her reflection in the mirror for the thousandth time.

"Hermione, calm down, it's just the train ride."

"I know, Gin, but I'm Head Girl. I have to look poised."

"You look like you always do," Ron sighed as he took her hand in his.

"Thanks Ron," Hermione said in a tone that no one picked up.