Hermione looked up to notice Ginny biting her bottom lip, eyes wide, entranced with the story,
"But that could have been anyone, couldn't it?" She asked.
Hermione chuckled slightly,
"That's what I thought, but Dumbledore explained that I was 'born with magic in my own right' because I am muggle born, my parents did not pass magic down to me. I was also born without rivalries as I am an only child. And, the biggest clue to them all, I am one of Harry's closest freinds, 'freind to the Dark Lord's hate'. I had already set the prophecy in motion by discovering that Sirius could be saved."
At this moment the door opened, revealing a very curious looking Ron, who poked his head round the door with an inquisitive look upon his face,
"What are you two so secretively talking about?"
He asked, walking towards them.
Hermione smiled, seeing this as a good opportunity to stop her tale for now.
"Nothing that concerns you." She said cheerfully, "Anyway, no one has told me of anything, they got up to while I was away. Come on, what have I missed at Hogwarts?"
Ron and Ginny looked at each other, smirking,
"Trust me Hermione, you havn't missed anything, we went to Hogwarts without you, then came back here for Christmas to be at the order's base at all times, for dad and everything. We kept asking about where you had gone but no one would tell us anything, I don't think anyone even knew apart from Dumbledore. Then suddenly you turn up with Sirius, someone we all knew to be dead for nearly half a year, alive and well, not really kicking but alive all the same. And thats about it."
Hermione nodded,
"I bet I need so many new school books for this year, I got my list but didn't have time to buy them. anyone want to come with me to Diagon alley?"

Ron nodded,
"Yeah, I need some new stuff and mum promised she'd buy me something for my OWL results anyway."
Hermione smiled and looked to Ginny,
"Nah not for me Herm, I've got to finish this off anyway." She said, indictaing to her parchment on the table, looking slightly crestfallen at Hermione's discontinuation of her tale.
Hermione nodded,
"Looks like it's just you and me then." She said to Ron, "Just let me get dressed and I'll meet you down here in about ten minutes." And with that she placed her toast plate in the basin and headed upstairs.
Fifteen minutes later Hermione reappeared in the living room and sat down nervously waiting for Ron. She was fully aware that this would be her first time she was going out after her ordeal with Sirius, and kept trying to smooth down her hair even though she knew it would not stay. Whilst waiting for Ron, she decided to distract her mind by lighting the fire for which they would travel via floo powder in.
Ron finally arrived a couple of minutes later dressed in baggy jeans and a stained T-shirt,
"Right lets go then," he said casually, stuffing some money into his pockets,
"I managed to get a bit from mum, she's been in a good mood ever since you two came back. He said with a smile, Hermione returned it before throwing some floo powder into the fire and clearly stating her destination.

Brushing herself down after stepping into Diagon alley she turned to see Ron emerging from the fire place behind her. She cast her eyes around the busy bustling streets surrounding her, they felt so surreal after all that she had seen, that life was continuing to go on, that these people at this moment had no other worries than how to haggle the prices of 'that cauldron' down. As these thoughts whirled around her head she felt for a moment light headed, but managed to shake the feeling off as she heard Ron's voice,
"So, where would you like to go first?" He asked, surveying the area.
Hermione took a deep breath in and immediately thought of her school work,
"Oh Ron, you already have your Hogwarts things don't you? In that case we better divide and then meet back up later; I don't want to drag you round all the school shops again."
"I was getting worried about that. Thanks Herm, you sure your going to be alright on your own?" He asked, casting a subconscious look toward her cheek.

Hermione nodded, "I don't know if you've forgotten but I have faced worse things than a crowded street." She laughed, then added, "Ill meet you back at the Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream parlour, then, if we have any money left we can get our last few things together."
:Ron nodded, "Sounds like a plan, I'll walk you to your first shop."
: Hermione led the way through the hordes of people and finally arrived at the entrance to Flourish and Blotts where she said goodbye to Ron and watched him sail through the crowds and turn into the next street.
: Two bags of books later Hermione emerged from the shop and started to head toward Madam Malkin's, she turned from the street and found her bags seemed to be getting heavier by the minute. She looked around to try and gather her bearings but that strange light headed feeling began to return as she saw the swarms of people around her, none of them noticing her standing there. As she glanced around her flashes of her past seemed to haunt her mind, one of standing before the whispering veil, one of violence, a flash of pain. Her breathing began to quicken until the noise of the outside faded and all she could hear was her own breathing. With her eyes whizzing around her but not being able to distinguish anything but the crowds of people she felt herself stumble backwards. Wishing for a familiar face to emerge the image before her face blurred and she lulled backwards, feeling herself fall slowly as the flashes took hold and the world went black.