Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! The lovely world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

/

Little Puff

Ginny reached over to Hermione's purse, hanging on her chair. "Ron, I have to show you! Hermione got this gorgeous shirt!"

Hermione could feel her cheeks flush. "He's really not interested in my shopping, Ginny"

"What kind of boyfriend would he be if he didn't even look at your purchases?" Ginny had an honest surprised look on her face.

Hermione could honestly say she couldn't remember the last time he had ever been interested in her clothing preferences or purchases. At all. Had he ever?

Ginny fished the shirt up the shirt out of the bag with her long arms. She held it up over the table so neither of the boys had any chance in missing it. Even in the Leaky Cauldron's dim lighting the shirt shimmered like a glowing fire. A maroon fire, though. Hermione smiled quickly but then grabbed onto the shirt. "I think the who pub has seen it now, Ginny, thank you very much"

"It's a beautiful shirt, 'Mione" Harry said with a smile looking at her, then back to Ginny. "Should I go get the butter beers now?"

Ginny just waved her hand off whist turning to Hermione. Ron had gotten up together with Harry and followed him to the bar. Not one word had escaped his mouth. He had seemed excruciatingly bored by the look of his face. He hadn't even tried to look happy for her.

"My brother is a thickheaded jerk sometimes. And the worst part is, I don't think he even realizes it himself!" Ginny exclaimed.

"It's okay Ginny, really. I'm rather used to it by now." That sounded pathetic, even in her own ears. It must have in Ginny's too, because she gave Hermione the saddest look.

"Tom said he's been staying here for a week" Ron said carrying his own beer, yet again following Harry. "He has a whole mansion, practically for himself, and he's staying here. Pathetic!"

Hermione's eyebrows rose. Before she could ask who they were talking about Ginny had already asked.

"Malfoy." Harry said, sitting down in their booth. "He's been here for a week"

"Maybe he's been preparing for school?" After all he was an excellent student. Second best, next to Hermione.

"Really 'Mione?" Ron said. "It's more likely he's using it as his shag pit. Maybe his torture chamber."

"Doesn't he have dungeons for that?" Harry asked. Ginny bursted out laughing at this, and soon they all were giggling like small children, plotting about Malfoy again. It felt good to be back here, where everything was quite carefree and relaxed. It felt almost like nothing could touch them, touch their happiness. Because they were happy. All of them. This was as good time as any for Hermione to tell the news about being Head Girl.

"Oh, I forgot to mention earlier" Hermione started, trying to sound as carefree as she possibly could. They all looked up at her with big smiles on their faces, even Ron. "You know how I was elected Prefect our last year?" Their faces grew wider with their smiles as they knew where this was heading. "Well, this year Im Head Girl." A great cheer escaped them, but loudest was probably Ginny.

"Merlin Hermione! That's amazing!"

"I'm proud of you 'Mione"

"Yes, now we can all stay out as long as we want to!" Ron yelled. Ginny bursted out laughing at that.

"You honestly think just cause you're her boyfriend you'll get to do whatever you want? Ha! Haven't you spent any time with Hermione dear brother?" Truth was he barely had lately, but he knew what she meant.

"Oh, common, 'Mione. There's gotta be some perks being your friend and all?" Ron said with a pained look on his face. His whole body had slumped into a potato sac.

"Ginny pretty much said it already." She shrugged, but couldn't help but smile.

/

When they were done relaxing they had walked together to Slug and Jiggers Apothecary. They had entered the dark shop that smelled like rotten eggs. Ron was holding his nose and so was Ginny.

"This place is disgusting." whispered Ginny. "Just look at those claws, they've still got blood on them!" She pointed at the claws and fangs hanging from the ceiling.

Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Hogwarts always provided ingredients, such as herbs and dried roots, feathers and pixie nails. However, some things they had to get themselves, after they reached a certain level. Since all students didn't take potions in the higher grades it was mandatory to get the more advanced ingredients themselves.

Harry walked up to the shop keeper and asked for half a dozen silver unicorn horns, three bags of beetle eyes and two ounces dragon liver.

"That'd'll be 15 knuts for the eyes, 34 sickles for the livers, and 126 galleons for the horns"

Ron made a face at the thought of the amount they'd had to spend on this. Luckily he wasn't taking potions this year, but Harry, Ginny and Hermione was.

"This one is on me, guys" He said and handed the bulky man some money. "And I have still got to pay you for the books 'Mione."

"No it's okay, Harry" Hermione came to put the things into her purse.

"That thing has come quite in handy!" He said pointing at the purse, completely ignoring what she had just said.

She smiled back at him. "It really has."

Harry took Ginny's hand and Hermione and Ron shared an awkward look before he went to open the door for her. "After you" he mumbled with a pained look on his face. Almost like the rotten smell came from him.

"Ah! I can breathe again!" Ginny yelled. "Where to next?" She turned back to Hermione who just passed through the door.

"I was thinking…" Hermione brought out her list again "Weasley's!"

Even though Fred had passed away in the war George had decided to keep the shop in their name. He was running it in his memory. It was quite bitter sweet. Even though the war was over, and the initial reason people needed to laugh was gone… the after effects had left people with great loss. There was not one wizard who hadn't lost a friend, or a family member to the war. George hadn't wanted to continue the shop at first, it being a huge reminder of his other half. Fred on the other hand had probably done anything to make people laugh at a time like this. Therefore George felt he was obligated to keep it running. After all, it was their calling!

Ron's face didn't shine up like the rest of them did. It was still hard for him to handle the fact his brother was dead. No one blamed him.

The shop was filled with bright colors and sounds. Laughter and talking voices filled the shop as well as supplies did. U-No-Poo, 10-Second Pimple Vanishers, trick wands and muggle magic tricks were only a very few of the things they encountered in the shop.

"I've got to pick up some instant darkness powder and spell-checking and smart answer quills." Harry said looking at Ron who nodded back in agreement. "Just incase" he winked at his girlfriend.

"You never know when instant darkness powder will come in handy when your name is Harry Potter" She sighed, but the smile never left her face. "I'll come with you"

Hermione smiled at the couple and watched the three make their way through the crowd. She went to brows the many rows of supplies and found a card trick pile that reminded her of her parents. The muggle joke supplies tended to remind her of her parents. A sadness spread over her. She had managed to bring them back from Australia, but they were still as oblivious to her existence as when she had first performed the memory spell. They were brought to St Mundugus once a week, without their knowing, for treatment. Her spell had done the trick however, and seemed rather un-reversible. It would need quite some time before her parents could regain any memories of her. If it ever were to happen.

A fur ball suddenly crashed into her face. Her reaction was to instantly push it away from her face while her other hand grabbed hold of her wand.

A pygmy puff. Really, Hermione? She asked her self. A small laugh escaped her mouth. The little creature had placed itself on her shoulder now and she reached to pert it carefully. The soft fur felt so warm against her skin. Had it really been that long since she had experienced a physical touch that wasn't Ginny grabbing her hand or hugging her. Sure, Harry hugged her sometimes, but that didn't count. It wasn't warm and heart warming like this. Like this animal was…

She sighed to herself. At this rate she'd end up an alone pathetic cat lady. Her orange cat hadn't survived the attacks at Hogwarts, and the pain of losing her one and only family member that still remembered her, felt harder than she ever thought it would.

Maybe she should get this little cutie instead. She obviously needed some love. To feel wanted and needed, if so only by a little animal like this! "Do you want me to make you mine?" She purred to the little puff.

"Gladly!" Hermione turned around and faced the voice. "Hello!"

"Who are you?" Hermione asked in shock.

"Morris. Shawn Morris." He held out a hand. Hermione couldn't do other but look at it in disbelief.

"Aren't you that Slytherin that challenged Harry for a duel?"

He simply leaned his head back and laughed. "Yes that was me. But not only me, to be fair!" He leaned closer to Hermione and grabbed hold of one of her curls. "Now, how about making me yours, ey?"

Hermione took a step back, colliding with a shelf.

Before she could say anything a voice from behind Morris spoke. "Didn't know you fancied mudbloods, Morris." A hand appeared on his shoulder. Draco Malfoy walked up next to him, leaving his pale hand of Morris' shoulder. Quirking an eyebrow down at Hermione he opened his mouth to give another snarly remark.

"Don't call her that!"

The two Slytherins turned around to face the voice. Harry was standing with his wand pointed and ready towards them. Behind him were Luna, Ginny and Nevile, each holding tightly onto their wands.

Another man joined the Slytherins. "Take a chill-potion, won't you, Potter" Theodore Nott said.

"Looks like all Gryffindor war heroes have come to save you, Mudblood" Draco said with a grin on his face.

Hermione pushed her way through the Slytherins. Harry gave them a proper glare before going after Hermione. When he caught up with her he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "'Mione, are you okay?"

She shook her head, mostly to herself, in disbelief. "Yes, I'm okay." She said finally. "I just can't believe, that after everything, people still hold on to these kind of blood status ideals."

"It's sad."

"It is!" Hermione sighed.

"Where did you guys go?" Ron came up jogging from behind them. "You guys just left!"

"And where were you if I may ask?" Hermione swung around, anger re-boiling inside of her.

"W-w-what?" Ron stumbled to a halt.

"You!" She repeated. "Where. Were. You? I needed you, and you were off somewhere, doing god knows what! It's not that I cannot fend for myself, but when everyone else stands up for me, but you don not, is when I can't help but be reminded of how selfish and pitiful you are!"

Ron stood silent, not knowing what to say or do. He resembled something of a lost puppy.

"You will not even try to defend yourself?" The fact that Ron had not been there for her, supporting her, standing up for her, had hurt like nothing else. She had been humiliated and it disgusted her. She was used to his ways, but him hurting her she could never get used to.

"If you don't have anything to say, then I'll say something for you. We're done." With that she turned and left.

Ron was still standing in the middle of the street with everyone watching.

"What the hell just happened?"

/

Hey, I'm so happy to have uploaded another chapter! I meant for it to lead all the way to school, however it turned out longer than expected. I hope you all like this little (expected) twist!

Please write/review! I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments on the story! (Although it has not reached very far just yet!)

LOVE