Consequently~*
Harry and Ron caught up with Hermione and Ginny just as a carriage pulled up by the grounds.
"You two sure are slow. We almost had to leave without you." Hermione said and smiled.
"Oh shut up Hermione!" Ron grumbled as he climbed into the carriage. Hermione and Ginny both laughed and climbed into the carriage after them.
"Harry are you coming?" Ginny asked. Harry looked up. He seemed distracted. He smiled at her and then climbed into the carriage.
The carriage jolted and began to move.
"So what were you staring at earlier Harry?" Ginny asked. Harry shrugged.
"It was nothing." He said with a wave of his hand. Ginny pursed her lips but didn't pursue the matter. Harry and Ginny got into a conversation about quidditch and Hermione pulled out a book. She saw Ron roll his eyes and looked up.
"Do you have a problem with me reading Ronald?" Hermione asked. He looked at her.
"No." He said and returned his attention back to the window. Hermione sighed and returned to her book.
The carriage pulled into hogsmead. Ron opened the door and they climbed out onto the cobblestone streets bathed in sunlight. Ginny linked arms with Hermione and smiled at her.
"Lets go to Scrivenshaft's quill shop. I need to get some new quills and ink." Hermione smiled and nodded.
"I could do with some new parchment as well." She said and turned to Harry and Ron. "See you in the Three Broomsticks later."
"Alright." Harry said. Hermione and Ginny walked away from them headed towards Scrivenshaft's quill shop.
"So after we get our quills and such do you want to stop by Fred and George's shop?" Hermione asked as they walked. Ginny smiled and rolled her eyes.
"We might as well. You can guarantee that Ron will be in there trying to haggle his brothers for a better price." Hermione and Ginny both laughed.
They opened the door to the quill shop and walked inside. Hermione breathed in deeply and smiled. It smelled of sweet ink and parchment. Ginny walked over to the quills and began examining them. Hermione grabbed a pack of paper and a bottle of bottle of black ink.
"Hermione look." Hermione walked over to where Ginny stood. "They have color changing ink." Hermione nodded and picked up another bottle. She smiled.
"Cool, they have moody ink."
"There's a certain quill that goes with that you know." Hermione and Ginny both jumped and turned around. The shopkeeper, Mr. Shrivenshaft stood behind them holding an ink-smeared rag in his hand. Hermione smiled as she had he had always reminded her of a bird.
"Thank you Mr. Shrivenshaft. Um, which quill is it?" Hermione asked curiously as she scanned the many quills on display. The shopkeeper smiled and delicately picked up a black-feathered quill.
"Raven feather." He said and handed it to her. "They're the best for color changing ink because the feather catches so many colors of light." He said matter-of-factly. Hermione nodded and took the ink, quill and paper up to the counter.
"Are you ready Gin?" Hermione asked. Ginny walked up beside her holding an owl feather quill and a bottle of black ink.
"Yes." She set her items beside Hermione's. Mr. Shrivenshaft nodded and placed the items in separate boxes. The girls thanked him, gathered their purchases and left the shop. Once they were outside Ginny smiled.
"I've always thought Mr. Shrivenshaft looked somewhat like a bird." Hermione chuckled.
"So did I. He has such a long nose." She commented. Ginny nodded.
"Yeah. So are we going to Fred and George's shop?"
"Yeah it's just around the corner." They walked the cobblestone streets looking at the items in shop windows. They passed by Madame Puddifoot's and nearly got ran over by a girl who ran out. A boy came running out after her.
"Hanna!" The boy called. Hanna Abott rushed passed Hermione and Ginny. Her face was angry and to the girls surprise Neville was running after her. He stopped out of breath and looking sullen beside Hermione and Ginny.
"Neville?" Ginny questioned. He looked up and smiled wearily.
"Hey Ginny, Hey Hermione."
"Hi. What did you do to make Hanna so mad?" Hermione asked. Neville sighed.
"I don't know. I must've said something to make her angry." He shook his head. Hermione felt sorry for him. He never seemed to have that much luck with girls.
"We're headed to Fred and George's shop, do you want to come with us?" Ginny asked. Neville smiled and nodded.
"Sure. I can talk to Hanna later and apologize." He said. Hermione smiled and nodded at him.
They walked down the street and reached Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and entered the large shop.
"Hermione Ginny!" Ron and Harry walked over to them.
"Hey Harry, hey Ron." Ginny smiled and hugged Harry. He looked a little embarrassed but didn't say anything.
"Ah Hermione Ginny. Glad you could come! You see anything you want?" Fred and George walked up.
"You never said that to me when I came in!" Ron protested indignantly.
"You're our brother." They said in unison. Hermione smiled and Ron frowned but remained silent.
"So anything you want?" Fred asked. Hermione smiled.
"Gin was the one who wanted to come in here. No offense to you guys." Hermione said. George smiled.
"No offense taken." He turned to Ginny.
"Anything I can offer you little sister?" Ginny pursed her lips and smiled.
"Some money for Honeydukes." She said extending her hand. George rolled his eyes but smiled. He handed her ten galleons.
"Thank you. Come on Hermione. Lets stop in Honeydukes before we head to the Three Broomsticks." Ginny said linking arms with her. Hermione smiled.
"Sound good. I want to get some Chocoballs and a blood lollipop." She said. Ginny laughed.
"God, do you remember last time you got one of those?"
"Weren't we with my parents then?" Hermione asked. Ginny nodded and smiled.
"You had a blood lollipop and your mum thought that you had put on way too much lipstick."
"Yeah! And then she tried to wipe it off and the red never went away."
"Didn't you finely explain to her that it had been the sucker you'd eaten?"
"Yeah. But she sure caused me a lot of embarrassment before I could." Both girls laughed. "Come on. Lets get out of here." Hermione and Ginny walked out of the Joke shop and out onto the busy streets. They passed by Gamble and Japes and Hermione paused. She looked at Ginny with a hopeful expression. Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes and turned towards the old bookshop.
"Just five minuets Hermione. If you stay in there for an hour like you did last time I swear I will drag you out myself." Ginny said as she held open the door. Hermione smiled at her and walked into the shop.
The smell of parchment and ink greeted her as she walked in. She immediately walked into the shelves and immersed herself in famous wizard and witch authors.
"Ooh! Scrimgore Lansky!" She plucked a book from the shelf and flipped through its pages. Scrimgore Lansky was a tremendous wizard horror author. His works were so famous and Hermione loved them. She sank down in a chair to read and heard the bell of the book store door tinkle. She sighed and snapped the book shut. Footsteps approached and she stood.
"Ginny, I just got in here." Her friend smiled sheepishly.
"Yeah, now we should really leave. Malfoy and Pansy are headed this way." Ginny said and made a face. Hermione rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was have Malfoy ruin her afternoon. She sighed and picked up the book from the chair.
"Fine, we will go over to the three broomsticks and meet the boys. But first I want to buy this book." Ginny sighed.
"But Hermione you already have so many books. Why could you possibly need another?"
"It's Scrimgore Lansky that's why." The two girls headed up to the counter and Hermione set the book down and rummaged in her purse for some galleons.
The door to the shop opened and Pansy's raucous and obnoxious laughter could be heard all through the store. Her laughter stopped short and Hermione tensed.
"Oh look Draco, there's the filthy little mudblood and the stupid weaslet." Pansy crooned, loud enough so both girls could hear. Ginny bit her lip angrily.
"I could so curse her right now." She whispered.
"I know, so could I. I really don't want to deal with Malfoy right now and Pansy just makes everything worse." Hermione agreed. She quickly paid the book clerk and grabbed her book and turned to leave. Malfoy and pansy stood directly in front of the door.
"Excuse me Malfoy I have somewhere to be."
"Oh? Is that so Granger?"
"Yes, now move."
"Well, testy aren't we granger, that's no way to talk to a fellow classmate now is it? You should show some respect." He whipped out his want but Hermione was faster and casually blocked it with a flick of her wrist. His wand sailed across the room and clattered to the floor. She shoved past the both of them and opened the door. The knob turned in her hand and she ran into none other than Lucius Malfoy.
"For merlin's sake watch where you're going! Ah, Ms. Granger." He pursed his lips with distaste and noticed his son standing beside her. He brushed past her and gripped Draco by the arm.
"I need to speak with you immediately." He hissed. Hermione stifled a chuckle. Ginny turned to her.
"Oh! Hermione, I forgot to ask you to get that book for me. Remember the one we talked about in potions?" Hermione caught on to Ginny's ruse and nodded with a roll of her eyes, acting annoyed. They ventured away from the Malfoys and Pansy back into the shelves. Ginny hid behind a shelf and craned her neck to hear the conversation.
"You are so immature Ginny." Hermione said with a quiet chuckle. Ginny placed a finger to her lips and continued listening with a roll of her eyes. Lucius was scolding Draco for something he had said to his mother and this made Hermione smirk.
"God, he is such an arrogant prick don't you think?" She whispered to Ginny. Ginny smirked.
"Which one? They're both pretty arrogant." Hermione rolled her eyes and grabbed a book off of the shelf. It was another book by Scrimgore Lansky, but she knew Ginny wouldn't mind. She grabbed Ginny's hand and they walked back to the counter and she purchased the second book. Draco was still being chastised by his father but it seemed to be coming to an end. The girls turned to leave for the second time when Lucius Malfoy addressed Hermione.
"Ms. Granger, I notice you have a very unique necklace on." Hermione turned to him, clasping her necklace self-consciously. He smirked at her obvious discomfort.
"From what I've heard Ms. Granger, the use of time turners is prohibited at Hogwarts." He extended a hand.
"Best relinquish it before you get in trouble Ms. Granger. Don't want such a grand student having problems and possibly being expelled now do we?" Hermione glared at him.
"What I do in my school affairs is none of your business Mr. Malfoy." Lucius shook his head.
"Just hand it over you silly girl, I'll give it back if it means that much to you but you can be assured that the headmaster will know that it is in your possession."
"It was the headmaster who gave it me sir." She said indignantly. His eyebrows raised in interest.
"Was it now? The headmaster has very fine taste. If you would let me examine it I could tell you a little about it. It is a very rare find indeed, not your average time turner." This piqued Hermione's interest and she unclasped the chain around her neck.
"Hermione…" Ginny whispered in warning. She gave her a side glance and handed over the time turner. Lucius inspected it with interest and handed it back just as he had said.
"Well?" She asked. He smirked and Hermione realized where Draco got his smirk. Lucius waved a hand dismissively.
"You're a smart one Ms. Granger, I bet you can figure it out in all those books of yours." He nodded curtly to Draco, with a stern expression and turned to talk to the book keep. Hermione sighed and suddenly felt her time turner leave her hand. She whirled on Draco and glared menacingly at him.
"Malfoy you stupid git! Give that back this instant!" Malfoy smirked snidely and held it up in the air.
"Geez Granger, so protective of your little trinket aren't you. He tossed it in the air and caught it.
"Merlin Malfoy, just give the bloody thing back." Ginny snapped. Malfoy raised his eyebrows at her.
"Well, well, language Weaslet. I'll give it back, but you'll have to catch." He smirked and flicked the inner circle absentmindedly and tossed it high in the air. Hermione shoved him hard and lunged to catch the falling necklace. Draco shoved at her angrily. The necklace fell and Lucius Malfoy had stopped his conversation and bolted to catch it from falling, knowing the consequences if it did. Draco was knocked to the floor by Hermione and she lunged for the necklace as it fell. She landed on top of him on the floor just as Lucius Malfoy dove to catch it as well. Hermione's vision swam suddenly and she felt sick. Draco lay beneath her and Lucius on the floor beside him. Their faces faded out of focus as the world around her began to spin faster and faster until it was nothing but a blur. Her vision tinged with black and she fell unconscious, succumbing to the spinning darkness.
