A/N: If you've made it this far, then thank you so much, I love you! Hope you're having as much fun reading it as I am writing it!

Disclaimer: I realize a lot of this is very similar to the actual book, but that's kind of my intention. I want it to follow the books closely, but I change a few things here and there. As I progress through the story, I will make it a lot more my own. I just think these beginning parts are crucial for setting up the storyline. Anyway, I don't own the rights to Harry Potter, its characters or the storyline. The only things I own are the parts of the story you don't recognize.

Chapter 2: Diagon Alley

Mr. Granger parked the car across the street, and everybody shuffled out of the car. The entered The Leaky Cauldron and headed straight to the back where they opened the brick wall separating Muggle London from the magical world entirely hidden from the rest of the world. The bricks opened up to reveal Diagon Alley - the place where students of Hogwarts can go to get school supplies or Quidditch equipment and witches and wizards can find various potion ingredients from the Apothecary or new robes for any occasion. Today they were on their way to buy school supplies for the upcoming year. It was Hermione's second year at Hogwarts, and she had to admit after her first year she was a bit nervous. Surely there wouldn't be anything as bad as what happened last year. During her first year, she helped Harry face He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named alongside Ron. The three had to decipher riddles to move through to the end where Harry met with Professor Quirrell who was a host for Lord Voldemort himself. With the power of the Mirror of Erised granting Harry access to the Philosopher's Stone Harry was able to defeat the host, but unfortunately Voldemort was able to leave the host body and hasn't been seen since. Hermione was hoping that nothing like that would happen this year. She wasn't sure if she would be able to handle something like that again. Ron's letter popped into her head as she thought about what he said about the house elf and how he warned Harry not to go back to Hogwarts. Surely it couldn't have anything to do with that, right?

Hermione pulled out her Hogwarts letter to figure out what she needed first for her second year at Hogwarts.

Hermione Granger,

Welcome back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of books and supplies you will need for your second year. Students are advised to bring any extra supplies that might not be listed below. Also, it must be reiterated that students are not allowed beyond the perimeters of Hogwarts grounds including but not limited to the Forbidden Forest as well as Hogsmeade. If you have any further questions, feel free to owl either Professor Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall.

Second-year students will require:

The Standard Book of Spells: Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk

Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart

Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart

Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart

Wandering with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart

Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Hermione couldn't believe that they were required to buy almost every single one of Lockhart's books. She had read all about him and was completely infatuated. What girl wasn't though? He was the epitome of handsome, and he had the smarts to go with it. Everybody knew about the adventures he had been on as he was quite famous for them. She couldn't wait to start reading his books.

Before they could do anything else, they had to stop in Gringotts Wizard Bank to transfer their muggle money into wizard money. They walked up the steps and into the massive white marble building. Tall counters lined either side all the way down. Behind the counters stood little goblins ready to help any witch or wizard with anything they might need in the bank. Hermione walked up to the closest goblin that wasn't already helping someone.

"Hello, I would like to transfer muggle money into wizard money, please."

"Name," said the goblin at the counter.

"Hermione Granger."

"How much would you like to transfer?"

"Sixty pounds, please."

"Sixty pounds will come out to nineteen Galleons, fifteen Sickles, and fourteen Knuts, is that what you wish to do?

"Yes, please, that should be plenty," Hermione handed over the money and collected the transfer money.

She headed out of the bank in search of her friends when she spotted Harry walking over with Hagrid. He appears to have been through a pretty rough time. He's covered in what seems to be some sort of soot, and his glasses are broken.

"Harry! Hagrid! It's so good to see you both! Harry, why are you not with the Weasley's? Where's Ron?" She asked after she looked around and didn't see anybody else with him.

"Long story I'll tell you later. Hagrid found me after I had gotten lost in Knockturn Alley. If he hadn't have come along when he did, then I don't know what would've happened to me," Harry briefly explained.

"Right dodgy place, that is. That there is where them dark witches an' wizards go ter get bad things they can't find in Diagon Alley. Good ter see yeh, Hermione," Hagrid said.

"Lucky you came along when you did then, Hagrid. If you're not with the Weasley's, Harry, then where are they?" Just as she finished her question, she spotted Mr. Weasley, Ron, Percy, Fred, and George trying to make their way through the crowd towards them.

"Harry! Oh, thank goodness! We were all incredibly worried! I was hoping you had only gone one grate too far. Where did you land, anyway?" Mr. Weasley said as he tried to catch his breath. He noticed Harry's glasses were broken and had Harry hand them over so he could fix them.

"Knockturn Alley, I'm afraid," Hagrid said.

"Wicked!" The twins said in unison.

"Mum never lets us go there," Ron said with a hint of jealousy.

"I should ruddy well think not," said Hagrid. "That ain't no place for wizards such as yerselves."

Just then Mrs. Weasley arrived with Ginny, Ron's little sister, at her side. It was Ginny's first year at Hogwarts, and she couldn't be more excited. Although, it was hard to tell if the redhead was more excited about starting school or seeing Harry for the first time all summer. She couldn't stop talking about him, and it was no secret she fancied him.

"Harry, I'm so glad you're alright! You had us all so worried. Come now, let's go inside." They all filtered into Gringotts and got their necessary money. Once back outside Percy headed off to buy a new quill. Mr. Weasley insisted on taking the Granger's out to talk about muggle things - he was obsessed with all things muggle. He worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office at the Ministry of Magic. Mrs. Weasley still had some things she had to get for Ginny's first year. Fred and George went off to talk to their friend, Lee Jordan. That left Harry, Ron, and Hermione to walk around Diagon Alley until they were to meet up with the others at Flourish and Blotts in an hour. They wandered around the different shops and bought a few odds and ends before making their way to their meet up spot.

As they approached Flourish and Blotts, they noticed a huge crowd of people gathered outside the entrance all trying to shuffle their way into the book shop. Hermione noticed a banner across the top of the door.

GILDEROY LOCKHART

Will be signing copies of his autobiography

MAGICAL ME

Today 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

"Guys, look at this," she pointed to the banner.

"Well that explains a lot," Ron rolled his eyes. "Guy's a bit on the loony side if you ask me."

"Ron!" Hermione slapped him across the arm. "You're just jealous of everything that he's accomplished. If only you were half the man he is. He's perfect!" Hermione had a dreamy look on her face. Ron and Harry looked at each other as if silently communicating their thoughts on Hermione's odd behavior.

"Hermione, you barely know the guy! He could be a total fraud just getting on with his good looks and charm."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Hermione said in a way that left no room for further discussion on the matter. They made their way into the store and tried to find the others in the massive crowd of people. Hermione finally spotted them and led Harry and Ron through the sea of people.

"There you three are, good." Mrs. Weasley sounded slightly off. She kept fidgeting with her hair and her clothes. "We will be able to see him in a minute."

"Mum fancies Lockhart," Ron whispered to Harry and Hermione. "All summer she's been acting like a love-struck teenager. It's quite revolting."

"Ronald! Don't talk about your mother that way," Hermione scolded.

Gilderoy Lockhart stood from where he was signing his books. All around him there were copies of his book Magical Me. Right on the cover was a winking Lockhart with an enormous winning smile that could dazzle almost anyone. It seemed he was always wearing that smile. A smaller man carrying a big black camera came up behind Ron trying to get a good picture of Lockhart. "You there, out of the way. This is for the Daily Prophet."

"Big deal," Ron scoffed and rolled his eyes as he moved out of the way.

Lockhart heard him and looked around to find who said it. His eyes fell on Harry who was standing next to Ron.

"Why if it isn't Harry Potter!" said Lockhart walking towards him. "Young Harry only came in here to buy my new book 'Magical Me' but little did he know that he would leave here- "he handed Harry a stack of his books "-with my entire collection…free of charge!" He shook Harry's free hand and told Harry to smile for the camera. "A picture with both of us is bound to make the front page, Harry!"

Harry was so red in the face that you would think he had never been so humiliated in his life. Harry hated any kind of attention especially when it had to do with his fame. He scurried away from Lockhart as quickly as he could. He made his way back to where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron. He tipped his books into her cauldron and said, "Here you have these…I'll just buy my own." Harry had so much money left from his parents that he hadn't the slightest idea what to do with all of it.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" Harry turned around and saw Draco Malfoy walking down the steps from the second floor of the store. "Famous Harry Potter can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."

"Leave him alone! He didn't want all of that!" Ginny spoke up for the first time around Harry.

"Oh, Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" Draco sneered

"Now, now, Draco. We mustn't be making a fool of ourselves," Mr. Malfoy made his way over to his son. "Wouldn't want to be seen conversing with the less fortunate." Mr. Weasley walked over as he said this. "Ah, Arthur, we meet again."

"Lucius," he acknowledged.

"Busy time at the ministry, I hear," Mr. Weasley has been working overtime at the ministry with the number of raids they've had to handle. He had been trying to nail Lucius with something for years. "I hope they're paying you overtime." He picked up one of Ginny's books from her cauldron. It was a very worn and battered book that was barely being held together. "Guess not," he said as he tossed the book back into her cauldron. "What's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

"We have a very different definition of what disgraces the name of wizard, Lucius." Mr. Weasley said challengingly.

"Clearly," Mr. Malfoy said with an air of arrogance. "Fraternizing with Muggles. As if you could sink no lower."

Mr. Weasley lunged at Lucius and pushed him into the bookcase behind him. The people around them went quiet as onlookers tried to find out what was going on. The shopkeeper frantically walked over to the two and tried to break up the fight. "I will have none of this in my shop! If you would like to act like wild animals, then you will have to take it outside!"

Mr. Weasley backed away, and Lucius pat out his clothes from any wrinkles the fight might've caused. "Come now, Draco. We have more important business to attend to elsewhere." He took one final look at the Weasley's before briskly walking out of the store.

Hermione found Ginny once they were all outside. "Hello, I'm Hermione. You must be Ron's little sister, Ginny." Ginny nodded shyly but didn't say anything. "I just wanted to let you know that what you did for Harry in there was very brave of you. I'm sure Harry is very grateful."

"I just didn't like the way he was talking to him. Harry clearly doesn't like the attention. He didn't ask for any of this," Ginny said.

Hermione was stunned. Little, shy, quiet, Ginny was quite protective of Harry. It was quite cute. "You're very right. Harry can't stand to be the center of attention," Hermione chuckled, and after a bit, Ginny relaxed.

"You know, Hermione, you're the first of my brother's friends actually to talk to me. Everybody always thinks I'm too young to have around. You seem lovely."

"Thank you, Ginny, that means a lot to me," Hermione smiled. "You're pretty nice yourself. If you need someone to help you around your first year, I'd be more than happy to help. I have to go now, but I'll see you at school," she gave Ginny a hug and Ginny thanked her.

Hermione turned to find her parents, "Don't mind them they're just an old wealthy wizard family who thinks they're better than everyone else. Nothing they said is true. Let's just get out of here. I think I have everything I needed to get today. Thank you for bringing me here. Let's go home now."

The Grangers said their goodbyes to the Weasley's and parted ways. They walked back to the Leaky Cauldron and straight through back into Muggle London. All three of them let out a breath they didn't even know they were holding. Today turned out to be much more stressful than they ever planned it to be. Hermione was excited to go home after the exhausting day they had and practically ran to the car parked on the other side of the street. The ride home was rather quiet for the most part until Mr. Granger spoke a little before they arrived at home.

"Your friends seem nice. I can see what you see in them. That blonde-haired boy was a bit rude, though. Suppose he takes after his father. That man needs a reality check. He had a very skewed sense of right and wrong."

"I suppose Draco does get it from his father. He's not our friend he's just some mean kid that nobody likes. He is very much like his father. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, isn't that what you always say, Dad?"

"Right you are, Sweetie. Right you are, indeed."

They pulled up to the house, and everybody tiredly climbed out of the car and up the steps into the house.

"Today has me completely knackered. I think I'm just going to go to bed," Hermione yawned proving her exhaustion.

"Alright, Honey. I'll save some dinner for you in case you change your mind. Good night, Pumpkin," Hermione's dad gave her a hug before she made her way upstairs.

"'Night, Mum and Dad."

She quickly changed into her pajamas and settled in beneath the covers. Today was a successful day, and it made her that much more excited for the upcoming school year as if she wasn't excited already. A chance to learn was always a source of excitement to her. She fell asleep to dreams of her favorite classes.

Again, I hope you like it so far. If so feel free to leave a review. Speaking of which thank you so much SB Potterhead Budgie Lover for the very first review on this story! Totally made my day!