A/N - Wow. I didn't expect this chapter to be this long. But I hope you like it! And thank you guys so much for your support. You don't know what it means to me.
Chapter Five: Diagon Alley
Ginny made herself comfortable on the green grass outside the Castle, situated across the Lake. She had her hands sprawled behind her for support while her front legs were gently crossed in front of her. Her gaze was solidly fixed over the clear blue water.
She'd always enjoyed the quiet peaceful atmosphere it lent to its surroundings. She took a soft breath in and closed her eyes, allowing herself to be completely absorbed in its serene pleasure.
The normally undisturbed Lake surface slowly began to break up in light ripples as a soft breeze began to pick up. She always loved the cool air. It made her feel so free; like she could finally breathe.
She relaxed to the feel of the wind blowing through her hair, sending a small shiver up her spine.
I guess I better head in. she thought disappointingly. The wind was picking up again, sending uncontrollable shivers through her body.
Just as she was about to stand up, she felt someone slowly wrap their arms around her.
A small gasp escaped her mouth at the sudden contact; she was completely taken off guard.
She heard a light chuckle from behind float to her ears at the slight jump she made. She felt the arms tighten from their loose grip around her.
"Cold?" she heard the familiar voice whisper into her ear. She knew who this boy was.
Ginny nodded her head in silent response. She leaned back into his embrace she'd come to know and love.
She felt him softly kiss her on the neck beneath her earlobe. She sighed as her heart leaped a little, sending little butterflies running around in her stomach.
He reached his hand out to her cheek, turning her head around to face him.
She looked into his eyes, the same mixed emotion that so often clouded them was lingering there once again.
He leaned in slowly, about to make contact...
"Ginny! You're still not up yet?"
Ginny peeked her eyes open only to immediately shut them at the bright light that issued forth from the open window across her bed. She groaned and rolled over onto her side, completely ignoring the frustrated sigh that Hermione let out from behind her.
"Ginny get up!" Hermione sang, pulling the covers off the girl.
I hate morning people. the thought angrily ran through Ginny's mind as she forced herself to sit up.
"There now! That wasn't so difficult now was it?" Hermione smiled teasingly. She knew that Ginny wasn't the brightest person in the morning.
"Hermione, what in the world has you compelled so early in the morning to disturb my sleep?" Ginny had, in all honesty, forgotten just what indeed had her friendcompelled to bug herso early in the morning.
"Oh you know, just thought I'd wake you up to say… go down to Diagon Alley for your wand." she shrugged her shoulders as if not a big deal.
"My wand!" How could I forget?
Ginny sprang out of bed and ran over to her trunk, nearly tripping on the rug on her way over. As soon as she got there, she threw it open and rummaged around a bit, grabbing any suitable thing to wear. She stood up, a pair of light blue jeans and a plain green t-shirt held in her hands, and ran off in the direction of the bathroom.
"I'll only be a sec!" she called out to Hermione as she closed the bathroom door behind her.
Hermione couldn't help but laugh a little at the girl's actions. After the initial door slam, she made her way over to Ginny's unmade bed and sat herself down. She looked around while drumming her fingers against the bedspread, every now and than hearing a loud bang followed by an inaudible something through the bathroom door.
Hermione turned her head around as finally, the door banged open and a much neater, yet still flushed Ginny walked out.
"Ready?" Hermione asked.
"As I'll ever be." She retorted, still a little grumpy at the intrusion on her restful sleep.
Hermione smiled sympathetically at her and sat up. "Okay than let's go."
The two girls headed out and down the stairs from the girls dorms. Ginny noticed that most of the common room was empty.
"What time is it anyway?" Ginny wondered out loud.
"Around ten, ten-thirty." Hermione continued on.
She stopped and stared at her friend. "That late already?" Ginny replied in shock.
Although she was used to the routine of getting up pretty late on school weekends, anything past ten o'clock was pretty late, even for her. Most students by that time had already eaten breakfast and were off on their way for the trip to Hogsmeade.
Fortunately for them though, food was still being served for the late comers like her and Hermione when they entered into the great hall. It wasn't full at all. Most students were gone and so the place was rather deserted.
Ginny seated herself at the edge of the Gryffindor table, Hermione taking a seat across from her. They quickly were able to consume a decent amount of breakfast before heading off.
Hermione stood up and headed for the doors, motioning the read head to follow suit. They exited and Hermione continued to lead the way. She led her down many hallways and corridors until Ginny was afraid they were lost.
"Where are we?" she finally asked when they came to a sudden halt in front of a very large portrait.
Hermione turned on her heel to face Ginny, a smile planted on her face. "Where here." She stated, holding upa hand in motion to the picture.
"Well, that answers my question. 'Where here'." Ginny mocked a little agitated. Hermione only smiled and let out a small laugh, turning her back to the younger of the two once again to face the portrait.
"Where is here exactly?" Ginny asked when she noticed Hermione wasn't going to elaborate on the subject.
"Adaperio." She heard Hermione mutter under her breath.
The portrait swung fully open at the command, allowing entrance into the room that lay behind it.
She stepped through. "Here is where my private dorm is located." She threw the words behind her in Ginny's direction.
"Oh." Was all she could manage.
The room was just magnificent. A brilliant shade of red and a lavish color of gold, swirled together to create the Head Girl's dorm. Ginny noted that although these were the same colors used to decorate the Gryffindor common room, the splendor of this surpassed it tenfold.
She was standing in what seemed to be the living area. A single deep red couch was situated in front of a very large fireplace. A deep oak coffee table nestled in between. A very cozy atmosphere hung in the air.
Behind that,a small hallway led off into the direction of three separate rooms. To the immediate right was a medium sized room, filled with the one thing Ginny knew could make her friend the happiest person alive: books. It was a personal library with rows and shelves of books of all different shapes and sizes.
A little further down to the left was a very large room. This served to be Hermione's bedroom. A large bed was in the center with a night-stand placed neatly beside it, along with a matching dresser and wardrobe.
At the foot of the bed was Hermione's trunk, of which she was now kneeled over in search of something.
Ginny walked in and stood against the doorframe.
"You get to have your own room?" she asked, her eyes still taking in her surroundings.
"Mmm-hmm." Hermione's muffled answer could be heard over the clinking and clanging issuing from her trunk.
"Ah ha!" she suddenly exclaimed, making Ginny jump a little.
She stood up, a small jar of what looked like powder held in her hands.
Ginny gave her a curious look. "What's that for?" she qustioned.
"Floo Powder. We've got to get to Diagon Alley somehow or another." Hermione said, heading back out into the living area.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The girls arrived on the other side of the fireplace and stepped out into the Leaky Cauldron. They were met up with the usual noise and crowd associated with the pub. They made their way out where Hermione pulled out her wand and they entered into the narrow street of Diagon Alley.
"Listen Ginny I have some things I need to take care of so if you don't mind, can we meet back here in about an hour?"
Ginny nodded in response and Hermione than handed her a mall sack of coins.
"For your wand." she smiled in answer to Ginny questionable expression.
Ginny threw herself forward and gave her a huge hug. "Oh Hermione, you wont ever know how much this means to me!"
The older girl just smiled once a gain and gave her a short wave of good-bye and headed off on her way.
Ginny was left standing there by herself in the middle of the street, watching her retreating friend's back.
She sighed to herself. I guess I better get to it.
The usually busy streets weren't as crowded as she was normally accustomed to. She was so used to the noise and mad rush whenever she stepped foot here that the calm and quiet seemed unnatural to her in her opinion.
Slowly step by step, her feet carried her off in the direction of Ollivander's Wand Shop.
She stood before the very old looking shop and pushed open the door, which made a long and loud creak she did so. She entered and to her surprise found no one inside.
She cautiously walked in a little further, stretching her neck in trying to peek over the many shelves of wands and boxes.
"Mr. Ollivander?" she called out when she reached the counter. She instinctively tip toed and peered over and behind it.
Yeah, as if he'd be down there hiding from you or something. she scoffed at herself with a roll of her eyes.
"Ms. Weasley?"
She must have jumped two feed into the air when she heard the voice come out from somewhere behind her. She wheeled around on her heel and was finally facing the aging old shop keeper.
"Mr. Ollivander!" she squealed in an unusually high pitched tone.
"Ms. Weasley, what are you doing here?" he asked in surprise.
"I…uh…. It's a long story." She chuckled out nervously. "I came here to purchase another wand."
"Oh?" he raised an eyebrow. "With permission I presume?"
"Ah yes, of course!" she said half defensively. "Dumbledore gave the Head Girl and me permission to come down here for that purpose."
"Yes." He grumbled. "I know what you're looking for."
And he headed to the back of the store from where he came. She quickly lost site of him behind the tall rows in the middle of the shop but she could hear him scrambling about behind them, fumbling with the many boxes, looking or a certain wand in particular.
His excellent memory served him well as he came back with an exact replica of the wand the Ginny already owned.
He gently set the box down and carefully picked up the wand, admiring the piece of wood in his fingers.
"Wonderful make this one is." He twirled the wand in his hands, examining his fine work. "Contains one single unicorn hair, and just the right size if you ask me, twelve inches." He smiled.
He than eyed Ginny a bit before holding out the wand to her in what seemed to be in an almost hesitant manner.
"Take care of this one Ms. Weasley." He told her as she took it into her hands.
"Yes sir."
Ginny stepped out of the shop a few minutes later, utter joy and relief running through her as she walked into the quiet street. She was so happy to finally have her wand back. Being without it, although only a short period of time, was something she didn't want to have to go through again.
At least I've managed to escape a howler. she thought.
Buying her wand had taken much less time than what she thought or than what she was given. She still another forty-five minutes to play around with.
Wonder where Hermione went off to? she sighed, randomly looking into the shop windows as she passed them by, hoping for a sight of the girl.
She stopped in the middle of the street, her eyes going from one shop to another. What should I do now? she thought with boredom.
But than that dream flowed in and danced around in her mind. Replaying itself over and over again. The dream she had had only just that morning. Once again it had felt so real, just like the one from the day before.
Strange. the thought crossed her mind more than once. But that boy. Who is he?
In her dreams she always felt a feeling of familiarity towards him. Not just because of the sensations inside her dreams, but out of them as well. This nagging feeling that seemed to overwhelm her whenever she gave it thought; like he just had to be. Real in that she knew him outside that fantasy, that she knew him here in her reality.
But she knew that wasn't possible. It's just a dream after all.
She looked up and realized she had come to the end of the street. And apart from her distracting day dreaming, nothing had yet sparked her interest in order to keep herself busy.
She made to turn around, hoping that on her way back up she'd make up her mind. But unfortunately, things didn't turn out that way.
She wheeled around yes but had instead smacked into someone so hard it sent her flying backwards and onto the ground with a hard thud.
She winced a little at the sudden pain she felt on her backside. "Ow." She groaned.
"Well, well. What do we have here?"
She hadn't opened her eyes to look up at who ever she had bumped into. But now that was all too unnecessary. She knew who that voice belonged to; Draco Malfoy.
Maybe if I just ignore him he'll go away. she hoped to herself.
"What do you think you're doing here Weasel?" he drawled out.
So she ignored his question and picked herself up along with her things. As she stood up she hurriedly brushed herself off and gave him a quick side glance. There he was, arms crossed and with that signature smirk on his lips.
She rolled her eyes and walked past him making sure to bump shoulders with him in the process.
"You didn't answer my question Weasley." He drawled to her retreating back.
She stopped in her tracks. Her blood was past boiling, her temper was past rage.
"Stop calling me Weasley! I'm not my brother." She half shouted. She was barely able to control herself any longer.
She knew that even with the slightest glance behind her, she'd catch sight of his face and that, she knew, would only snap her barely controlled temper.
She began to stalk off when she felt the sudden pull on her wrist when he violently turned her around.
"Let go." She demanded.
"You didn't answer the question." He hissed, throwing her hand away.
She cradled her wrist in her other hand, which was sore and red from the violent touch. "It's not like it's any of your business what I'm going here or not."
"Remember Ginny," he spat with distaste, "I'm Head Boy. So it's very much my business to know what a student is doing here running around the streets off school grounds. Or you would prefer to have detention for the rest of the month?"
"Don't threaten me Malfoy." She narrowed her eyes, placing one hand on her hip. "And for you're information, I do have permission to be here. From the Headmaster himself. So why don't you just sod off and leave me alone!"
She wheeled around and briskly walked away, eager to get as far away from him as possible. She could feel his eyes burning into her back.
That stupid git! she shouted in her head. Who does he think-
So angry by the sudden intrusion of her peace, she failed to pay any attention to where she was going and slammed into someone for the second time.
But only this time, she was thrilled to see who was standing over her from her position on the ground floor.
"Oh are you okay?" Hermione quickly bent over to help the read head up off the floor.
"Yeah I'm fine. You?" Ginny pulled herself together.
Hermione nodded a yes as she lifted up her bags off the floor.
Lots of them to Ginny's notice. "What's all that?" she tried to peek inside one of them.
Hermione suddenly pulled them away. "N- nothing!" she began to fuss with them needlessly, trying to hide the shade of pink that rose in her cheeks.
She was always horrible at lying.
"Are you ready?" Hermione asked with more control of herself.
"Ready when you are." Ginny replied.
The girls headed back into the Leaky Cauldron and flooed their way back to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Hermione led them through what Ginny considered the impossible labyrinth of hallways and corridors that led to the Head Girl's dorm.
"Bye Gin. I had a really fun time." Hermione gave her a soft hug.
She returned the favor. "Me too."
"Meet up at Dinner than?" Hermione gave a look of hope.
Ginny smiled. "Sure why not. And thanks so much again 'Mione. For everything."
The older girl chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Just don't expect a gift from me at Christmas this year." She teased.
"I wont." Ginny laughed.
And the two parted ways.
Dinner quickly came but went just as suddenly. She lay in her bed with a full stomach, having made sure to eat enough to make up for her sorry breakfast.
School started tomorrow; that of which she really wasn't looking forward to. She rolled onto her side trying to force her mind to settle down so she could sleep.
So it begins. and she finally forced herself into a light sleep.
There you have it. Good, bad, awful, horrific? One word says it all. It only takes a mintue to tell me what you really thought of it. Please do, I'm not too sure about the encounters with Draco.
R&R