Chapter sixteen: Shopping

Harry panted heavily as he raced through the grounds. His raven hair fanning out behind him in the wind, his expression one of stone. He usually ran when he had a lot on his mind, it just seemed like a free release for him, the way his feet pounded on the ground pushing himself to the limits. The grassy meadow nothing more then a blur to him as he raced, and in the same instant his mind racing as well. He had hoped to have Hermione working for him of his own free will, but when she utterly refused he wiped her memory clean and sent her back to her home, he could have easily killed her then a there but no matter her betrayal he couldn't bring himself to slay her just then. Oh yes, she betrayed him all right, every day reporting him to the headmaster on every little thing he did. Though she wasn't alone in her horrible crimes, his dearest friend Ronald also betrayed him. But it was Hermione's that hurt the worse of the two. He had always considered her his sister, yea Ron was his best mate, but Hermione was always closer to him. Cursing himself for letting a tear fall he threw his legs into full gear, giving him the feeling of falling and flying at the same time. Harry's eyes locking on the swiftly approaching forest, no more then a few yards from him. His magic quickly changing his running form to that of a powerful cat, a Nudu to be exact. Now running on all fours and increasing his speed he raced headlong into the woods, his shiny black coating causing him to blend in perfectly with the dark woods.

"Is it worth it?" A small voice in the back of his head demanded.

"Is death ever worth it?" Harry shot back at the voice as he leapt over a fallen log in his path. His powerful feline muscles pushing him harder and harder as he gained pace.

"I meant what you will become. Is it worth it. Why stand for them when no one as ever stood for you?" The voice questioned again as Harry broke through the dense woods into a small clearing with a rather strange yellow flower blooming. Harry barely paying attention this continued on his path and soon jumped back into the thick woods.

"Because no one else will." Harry answered himself as he broke into yet another clearing though this one lead straight on to a cliff, the vast blue ocean raging beneath it. Harry noticing this continued his pace, while in the same instance unfolding that hidden feature of his form. Wide and powerful black and violet wings spread from his back and launched him into the air with a powerful push. Finding himself free in the air he continued to soar for a moment before flapping his wings and pointing himself sky ward to rocket towards the heavens.

"Well, then, I suggest you get back then. You and your cousin have some shopping to do." The small voice reminded Harry who mentally curse and pivoted in the air and began his way back towards the castle.

"Rose is going to kill me." Harry groaned to himself as he flapped his wings again. She had decided for Harry and Draco to Diagon alley at 2 o'clock and hated when anyone was late for anything.

"Well, I suggest you get the move on then. That bloody woman was nuts to begin with, and now she as a sister to help her." If Harry could pale in this form he certainly would have. One of them was bad enough, now there was two.

"Bloody hell."

"Indeed."

Draco stood at the edge of the gates, pulling a silver pocket watch out of his robes. His cousin was taking forever and he was in quite the rush to get his shopping done and over with, he still had a meeting with Blaise for dinner and really wasn't up to missing it. But no sooner had he thought this his cousin appeared in a black flash in front of him, running his fingers through his hair.

"Sorry bout that, had to get a quick shower in." Harry said in a rushed voice, shrugging slightly. "So we going then? We don't need to stop by gringotts, I already got the money bag." He explained pulling out a silver bag and showing it to Draco he only raised an eyebrow before vanishing with a loud crack. "Wait up damn it." Harry snapped vanishing in a black flash, reappearing milliseconds later next to Draco sticking his tongue at him, Draco rolling his eyes in response.

"Real mature." He drawled looking around at the people that were staring at them in shock. "Looks like we got the attention of the masses, my dear cousin." Draco exclaimed in a loud enough voice for the people to hear him. Harry rolling his eyes and starting forward, his confident stride parting the people like the red sea. Draco falling into step beside him snickering to himself as the duo made their way towards the quidditch shop. Both boy's decided it was prime time to update their brooms seeing how four new brooms had just hit the shelf. The water runner, silver arrow ex, firebolt squared, and the nimbus excel. Harry deciding on the silver arrow ex for himself and the firebolt squared for the rest of the team, and Draco claiming the water runner, and leaving the nimbus for the rest of his team.

Harry laughing at the sly comment Draco made about a passing man pushed the quidditch door open, and making his way over to the counter. Coming face to face with one Susan bones who looked at the two of them with a fearful eye, sending both boys into more laughter. Harry's laughter crippling him, while Draco managed to keep a straight face talking to the girl.

"You seem to have a problem with seeing me with my cousin." Draco drawled schooling his face back into the normal Malfoy glare, the girl looking at him with fear. Bringing Harry out of his laughter to glare at the girl who looked ready to faint, Harry nudging Draco out of the way.

"Grow a back bone will you?" Harry snapped looking at the girl who regained her composer and glared right back at him, Harry breaking his glare smiled at her. "That's better, if my aunt saw you cowering like that she would have broken you in half." Harry said off handily, the girl's eyes flashing with fear for a second.

"You two are cousins?" She asked in a small voice, both boys rolling their eyes. "But what about the bet.." She stopped here clamping her hands over her mouth and looking at the two. Draco who had been looking over the equipment on the walls stopped and wheeled around to look at Susan.

"What bet?" He demanded, nudging Harry back out of the way.

"Well, ... almost everyone in Hogwarts was betting when the two of you..." She stopped here and blushed a deep red. "Would get together." She finished blushing even harder though snickering at the boy's shocked and disgusted faces.

"I would kill myself first." Draco declared looking at his cousin who nodded his head in response. Before both boys turned back to the now openly laughing Hufflepuff. "Glad you think that's funny." Draco snapped, with Harry pushing him out of the way.

"What ever, we'll deal with that later." Harry said with a sneer at Draco before turning back to Susan. "I need, one Silver arrow ex and six firebolt squares, and Draco over there needs one Water runner and six nimbus excels." Harry paused here and seemed to be in deep thought. "And add the best equipment you've got here for each position as well." Susan looking up at Harry with envy and shock in her eyes.

"We'll never win now." She said in a defeated voice before rushing to the back to grab what they ordered. Harry and Draco using this time to plan which store they were going to next.

"Wand shop." Harry said looking over the various books on quidditch the store had.

"Out of the question. I need to get some new dress robes, I have a date tonight." Draco declared with a thunderous tone, his ear growing pink. Harry giving him a curious glance and raising his eyebrow.

"All right all right, don't get your knickers in a twist." Harry said waving him off before getting a sly smirk on his face. "And just how is the lucky girl anyway." Harry said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Draco sneering back in response.

"It doesn't matter who it is, I've got one. How about you?" Draco said smirking before making his way back over to the counter to Susan and an openly crying store manager. Harry growling for a second before regaining his cool and swaggering over to the counter.

"It just so happens, I was planning on asking Susan out." Harry said with a smirk before turning to Susan who was pretending to be interested at ringing up their purchases. "So how about it Ms. Bones? Care for a night out on the town?" Harry said smiling at the girl, who started to blush red again.

"Well..er.. see.. Zach.." She stammered, Harry clutching his heart in fake hurt, Draco smirking in turn.

"Alas, taken by another." Harry said with a false hurt voice. "Well, then my dear maiden, should you change your mind drop me an owl." Harry said smiling at the girl as he pulled out the silver bag from his pocket and handing it to her, the manager now falling on the ground in tears. Harry and Draco looking down at him with identical sneers.

"I think he might blow his load.." Draco said sighing to himself, causing Harry to groan and hit him on the arm. That was NOT a mental image he needed right now.

"Here you go, everything is shrunk. Just say world cup to unshrink them." Susan said handing Harry back his bag as well as another one though this one was black. "Come again."

"We sure will." Harry said smiling while heading out of the store, Draco close behind him. Harry's mind wandering, while Draco nudged him in the ribs.

"What's up with asking Bones out? I thought you were with those other two girls." Draco drawling grabbing hold on Harry's shoulder, Harry turning around to face him.

"I'm not talking to them right now, let alone date them." Harry said in a dark tone. "I caught them this morning fighting over me like two bitches in heat. One, I'm not some freaking piece of meat. And two, how can I be with anyone that acts like that? No shame nor pride? Its quite sick really. Granted it won't stay like that for long, my aunt is going to be having a few choice words with them." Harry said with a shudder, Rose wasn't the woman you wanted to piss off. Though before Draco had a chance to respond his attention was drawn behind Harry, causing Harry to turn around to see just what the problem was.

"Good afternoon Mr. Potter. I think you should come with me." Kingsley said in a dark tone, with Tonks and Mad eye behind him.

"And if I refuse?" Harry said with the same dark tone, with Draco stepping beside him.

"Then I'll have to force you to come. Dumbledore's orders." The tall man declared drawing his wand, the two behind him doing the same. Harry's mind running quickly over the fact that they were openly following Dumbledore's orders, though the answer quickly came to him.

"Left the ministry have you?" Harry said drawing his own wand, with Draco on the side of him doing the same. "At least you made one smart decision."

Hey there,

Hmm... not much to say right now.. sorry it took so long to update.. doing alot of other things.. :Is hit by cruico anyways:

Leon