It was Diagon Alley day at the old Black Residence, and the entire place was a whirl and a bustle getting ready. Well, everyone except for Hermione Granger, who was sitting patiently and reading a book, occasionally jotting down another book that she'd want from the bookshop.

Harry and Ron, as usual, had forgotten stuff. Ginny hadn't precisely forgotten, but she had managed to misplace the shoes she'd want to wear, and was frantically skurrying around getting in everyone's way.

It was half past noon, and they were supposed to have left a good half hour ago, Hermione Granger thought crossly, wanting to get the entire thing out of the way so she wouldn't have to deal with Ronald for longer than she had to. Harry, at least, had finally managed to assemble himself, and was standing there awkwardly reviewing the list.

Out of nowhere, Snape loomed over Harry's shoulder - when Hermione saw him, she couldn't help it, she shrieked. Harry jumped two feet forward and one in the air, spinning around as he landed. Snape said dryly, "You jump like a mangy mog. And look like one too - can't you do anything for that hair?"

Upstairs, Ron muffled a series of giggles at the hubris of Snape criticizing anyone else's hair. "Afraid not, sir, I've tried." Harry Potter said pleasantly, determined not to get into a fight with Snape if he could help it. After all, it was summer. Nice time, not good for fighting. Furthermore, who knew what Snape would have him do, if he felt like Potter needed punishing and Dumbledore wasn't there to stop things from getting out of hand.

Snape nodded quickly, and said in that smooth, silken way of his, "I have a favor to ask of you, Potter."

"Oh?" Harry asked, turning his head slightly to look Snape full on in the face. He was tempted to stand on his tiptoes, but that would have lost Dignity Points.

"I have a list of schoolbooks that need to be bought. It is... rather extensive, though you should be able to afford it. Would you be willing to pick them up for me?" Snape purred.

"Can I see the list?" Harry asked, his caution telling him that he'd better figure out if Snape's request might get him in trouble. Because it really wasn't outside the realm of possibility for Snape to be trying to do that.

Harry's eyes got wide, as he skimmed the list Snape handed over, "This is enough for fifty students, at least!"

"You should consider yourself fortunate that you can go shopping this year. Many cannot." Snape looked at Harry, whose eyes glimmered behind the glare on his glasses, and continued, "You surely wouldn't deprive your fellow students of their ability to study, would you?"

Harry Potter straightened, thinking back to how often he had longed to get away to Hogwarts, how much it often seemed like the only place he could go... Behind those thoughts, other ones echoed, wondering if Snape had ever felt the same way. "Yes, sir." Harry blushed, and then corrected himself, "I mean no sir."

"As you were." Snape said, his lips twisting into what might be a smile at Potter's discomfiture, "And thank you."

[a/n: Snape's Slytherins are NOT going to Diagon Alley. No way, no how.

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