Chapter 5

Harry dusted the soot off of his robes as he walked into Diagon Alley. Smiling at the air of excitement and the enticing calls and aromas he looked at the open windows of the many shops lining the street. There was Olivander's wand shop, Madame Malkin's robes, the Potionary, Gringott's wizarding bank, Fred and George's joke shop, and many more. But as he heard Mrs. Weasley come out behind him he turned, reluctantly; back to listen to her.

'….Now we have to meet back here in 3 hours. No exception-'

'Mum, I have to get my hair done at Wisp and Whorl's at 4:00.'

'OK, Ginny can stay until 5:30 to get her hair done while we go eat at the Inn-'

'Mum I have to get some new robes hemmed for me, I'm growing out of all my old ones. And that will take a bit for her to do.'

Sighing Mrs. Weasley threw her hands up into the air and said, 'Just make sure you all get to the Inn and have supper by 6:30 and that's final. Please.'

Harry smiled at Mrs. Weasley and said, 'Don't worry; we'll get back safe and sound.'

Mrs. Weasley smiled at him and said, 'You four say that all the time, and then you usually end up getting into trouble. Just make sure you four all get everything you need before spending on frivolous extras.'

The foursome began to trot off before Mrs. Weasley had even finished her sentence. They were instantly heading to get their potion supplies first off.

Outside the shop Ron had just walked into the glass door and upon entering the other three were all laughing as they passed the barrels of newts eyes and frogs livers. Ginny's eyes slightly tearing in mirth, while Harry was simply smiling; this all quickly stopped though when they heard a sneer.

'Well, well…it's certainly good to know that even in poverty you can still laugh. Isn't that right Weasles?'

The four turned to look at the speaker and Ginny snarled back, 'Watch it ferret, or you might be bounced so high as to be able to see if there really is green cheese on the moon.'

Draco raised an eyebrow at her, he would never admit it aloud, but he was slightly impressed by the spunk of the youngest Weasley.

'What's the matter Ronnikins, your sister has to fight your battles for you now that Potty is useless?'

Ron snarled and was about to attack Draco when Harry put a restraining hand on his shoulder, Draco gave Ron a malicious smile. Turning to Harry he said, 'So...how is life now that you've killed all of your parents; birth and god? Is it lonely?'

Hermione glared at him and started speaking in a harsh voice, 'At least he still has people who love him, I mean, who have you got. Your father's in Azkaban and your mother's dea-'

But Hermione was cut off as Harry put a warning hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Hermione looked at him with a questioning gaze and looked about to open her mouth to audibly remind him of how evil Draco was when Harry gave a curt shake of his head. Draco was curious as to why Harry would stop Hermione from finishing the rant that she had started against him; this wasn't like Harry at all, for god's sake, he had laughed when she had punched Draco.

Harry looked at Ron meaningfully and Ron mumbled something about robes and mending. Harry then looked to Hermione and Ginny, Ginny seemed to be about to rebuke him when Hermione took her arm and said, 'Come on, you need some new catcher gloves, and I need some new books, the selection at the library isn't as extensive as it could be on some subjects.'

Harry smiled as Hermione, who had gotten the hint, led Ginny out of the potionary. Turning back to Draco he let the smiling mask drop and said, 'How come you have to provoke them like that? It only makes them angry, and then that only makes them want to hurt you, and then when they hurt you, you try to retaliate and the whole circle just keeps on going. Not to mention it's going to make it hard to live with them now.'

Draco was taken aback by how Harry was talking, his curiosity rising, what was going on with the Golden Boy he knew? The one who he could provoke so easily, who he enjoyed to rally with; the one who he had been fighting since they first met.

'Well Potter, they shouldn't be walking around with arms stretched out, offering people the perfect target, opportunity, the chance even, to mock them.' He felt kind of bad as he spat it at the Griffindor.

Harry sighed and said in a slightly disappointed voice, 'Whatever, I guess a leopard can't change its stripes, even if it's given all the opportunities.'

Draco inwardly tried to figure out what could have changed Harry to this extremity, before Harry would have jumped at the chance to verbally attack him, now he was disappointed that Draco was giving him the chance? While he sat thinking this over Harry looked at the book held in his hand and said, 'Sexual Pleasure and Sex Related? Looking forward to school this year are you Malfoy? Or just trying to expand your personal library of useless books?'

Draco tried not to blush, as he had forgotten about the book, but instead gave a cocky smile and said in a self assured tone, 'Some of us aren't celibate potter.'

Harry smiled and said with laughing eyes, 'Yeah you're right.'

Turning around Harry left a slightly shocked Draco in his wake. The Golden Boy was no longer so golden in innocence, and he was no longer the explosive sparring partner he once was.

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Hermione looked breathless while she smiled and continued on, '…I have to get some more parchment to mail Lizz with, no wait, she is coming to Hogwarts now. So I won't need it. I mean, Lizz is just too cool. Her dad was a manager of this big musical band, and her mum works in the Department of Mysteries. And she has an older brother who works with the different species like Vampires, and Centaurs, and Merpeople, and….'

As Hermione talked Ron was showing Harry his new quills, some of them had golden scribing on them, and his new robes that were his first non hand me downs. Meanwhile, Harry noticed out of the corner of his eye that Ginny looked a bit perturbed, not quite sure why he was about to ask her when she burst out.

'Ok, we get it, you're in love with 'Lizz', but you could have at least said something about my hair!' Ginny looked like she was close to tears.

Hermione looked at Ginny and said in a shocked voice, 'I'm not in love with her. And Ginny, your hair looks great.'

Ginny glared at Hermione and said, 'Tell me what's different about it then!'

Hermione smiled a bit and said in a soothing voice, 'You got some blonde highlights, and you had your hair feathered out at the bottom.'

Ginny gave a small happy smile and said, 'Yeah.'

'It looks really nice Ginny.'

'Thanks.'

Harry watched all of this with interest, was there something here he hadn't noticed before? But Ron didn't notice anything, as usual, as his head was in his new robes and explaining their intricacies to Harry.

Harry shook his head to clear it of Hermione and Ginny speculations, and he then interrupted Ron's rave about the small stitching, 'Yeah, I think we should probably meet up with your parents now. I mean it's…' Looking at his watch Harry's eyes widened, 'Bloody Hell. It's already 7:00.'

Ron looked at him as if he was making a joke that fell short of being funny then shook his head in denial, 'You're losing it mate. It can't possibly be that late already.'

Harry stuck his watch clad wrist out to Ron, and as Ron's eyes widened he said, 'Losing it huh? The only thing we'll be losing is our heads when we catch up to your mum and dad.'

Ron's eyes widened further and he said, 'Bloody Hell…mum.'

Ginny and Hermione had been listening to the two friends after their small spat and now Ginny said in a scared whisper, 'We'd best run.'

At this the four friends all took off as if the devil himself were on their heels.

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OK, I seriously need a beta, because when I'm working with the story there are some things i may accidentally over look.
But i hope that this appeases you more than the others. please write and let me know.