Diagon Alley
His face haunted my dreams yet again – But this time was different, this time had me waking with trembles. This time it was Malfoy carving into my flesh, and there was no pain in his face, just hatred and disgust. I sat, unable to shake the uneasy feeling in my stomach – after seeing his pain so many nights I started to subconsciously feel sorry for him. UGH
Just then Ron stirred and began to wake up so I quickly reversed the silencing charm I'd cast on him in the night.
"Wake up Ron we've got to eat before we go and we need to be in the fire place in 45 minutes." I whispered to him before grabbing his nose roughly and shaking his face around with it. I then jumped up from bed and looked for some clothes to wear – I chose a short red flowery dress as the weather was going to be nice today and paired it with a short denim jacket and my favourite converse.
As I took my clothes off from last night Ron had apparently woken up fully and rolled across the bed to wrap his arms round my waist and try to pull me down, but I knocked his hands away gently
"Not now Ronald we've got a busy day ahead of us" And with that I dressed and left the room swiftly with my toiletries bag so as to get ready in the bathroom.
Ginny and I both did our hair and bit of makeup in the bathroom together and we played around with a few of the hair spells we knew.
"Hermione you'll send my hair green if you do that! Just make it go normal I look like a bush-whacker!" Ginny said laughing as I almost used the wrong spell on her hair – instead I used a relaxing charm and some others to make it shiny and flow in the right way, with a slight loose curl look to it. She then moved on to doing mine a little differently to how I usually have it – relaxed and naturally wavy. Instead she made it all dead straight so it looked much longer and she mumbled a few spells I hadn't looked at yet to make my hair part a little further to the side and she pinned a couple of bits up.
"Oh thanks Gin, I quite like my hair like this" I laughed and went on "Guess I haven't utilized that book as much as I can."
She chuckled and said "You'll end up needing it more one day." And with that she skipped out of the bathroom. I took my things back into Ron's room and went downstairs to where the smell of bacon and toast was strongest. I helped myself to a couple of slices of toast and set them off buttering themselves as I poured myself a glass of orange juice and sat down next to Harry (Ron having not made it down yet)
"Harry, I feel like I've not seen you! We should go for a coffee later, just the two of us so we can catch up." I said smiling at him; I had really missed my best friend over the holidays.
He grinned back at me and nodded "Yeah we should, when we've got everything we'll nip into the café by the bookstore."
I hugged him and took a bite out of my toast. "I've really missed you Harry."
"I've missed you too Hermione. I hope everything's been alright with your parents." He smiled at me in a sympathetic sort of way and I sighed, because up until about 2 weeks ago nothing had been alright, everything had been so wrong I thought I was going to lose my parents all over again.
When we finished eating and we all had our lists and anything else we needed with, us we each stepped into the fireplace, one by one, and said the words "Diagon Alley" very clearly before shooting off through the flu network and stepping out into the wizarding world.
Diagon alley was extremely busy today probably due to the fact that there was now almost double the amount of 7th years that would be attending Hogwarts this year (there was around 50 people who had signed up to repeat their last year). I looked around the crowds of people and couldn't see a streak of ginger hair anywhere and decided to head straight to the bank.
When I finally fought my way through the herds of witches and wizards and reached the marble stairs leading up to the grand entrance to Gringott's I turned back to see down the alley more clearly but there was still no sight of any Weasley's – something that did catch my eyes however was a familiar platinum blonde head of hair scurrying through the crowds of people quickly. My eyes narrowed suspiciously, but I decided it could have been anyone.
Just then I felt someone tap on my shoulder and I turned to find Professor McGonagall smiling down at me "Good morning Miss Granger. I hope all is well this fine morning."
I smiled back at her and nodded "Good morning Professor, and yes everything is fine thank you." With that we headed inside and were taken straight into a large room with 2 goblins.
We all took seats around a table and one of the goblins took out a file and began reading. There was an awkward silence for what seemed far longer than a couple of minutes before the goblin looked back up over his half-moon glasses "Well Miss Granger, Gringott's bank has always had a specific loaning system in place for students who don't have sufficient recourses necessary for all their equipment. We decide whether someone should get a loan depending on their grading average, their family's banking history and a general judge of character – the terms of one of these loans is that the money is only spent on school supplies, any money not spent will be returned to the bank and the loan will be paid off within 5 years or there will be consequences." The way he said it made me shudder what are wizarding consequences for not paying a loan in time? I wondered to myself
"We have decided that you, Hermione Jean Granger, are eligible for a loan. We will be giving you 200 galleons after this meeting which is yours to spend on school related things only. You will bring back any money not spent and another contract will be written up then, but for now we would like you to read and agree to this contract." He handed over a roll of expensive looking parchment and I quickly read over the details then signed my name at the bottom and gave the details of my wand.
The goblins lead us back to the main entrance where I said my goodbyes to professor McGonagall. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, to the ever growing crowd of people I reached into my bag to get the list of supplies needed for Hogwarts and before I had the chance to look back up someone came smashed into me, knocking me sideways, and when I crashed to the floor my head slammed down after me and the last thing I noticed before drifting out of consciousness was a flash of white blonde hair fall next to me.
I came back around a minute later – though it felt like hours – and I had to blink a few time before my blurred vision became more normal and I felt my cheeks flood with heat as I realised I was surrounded by people how humiliating! Passing out in Diagon Alley! And now everyone is staring at me I thought as I tried to stand up, however my balance was very off and I couldn't manage it.
Just as I was about to take a second attempt, and one of the witches from a shop near me had moved the crowd of people from around me, I felt someone take my hands and help me up with a gentle touch on my back "Come on, there's quiet and shade down here." Said the vaguely familiar voice from behind me, leading me down an alley to where there was an old wooden bench.
I sat down and groaned as I felt the warm wetness on my head and realised I was bleeding – I was far too light headed to work a spell on myself. But just then the boy who took me down here sat next to me and mumbled something, and my head felt better instantaneously "Sorry about that, I wasn't looking where I was going…"
With a jolt I realised who the voice belonged to and I jumped up, whipping my wand out, pointing it right into the face of Draco Malfoy "You!" I hissed at him.
"Well, I should have expected that really." He said quietly looking directly at my wand before sitting back and crossing his legs, trying to look relaxed, but quite clearly uncomfortable. He grinned slightly, that sarcastic, narcissistic, arrogant grin "Come on Granger I just rescued you from all those people and fixed your head. Take it as a peace offering."
"Are you kidding me!?" I narrowed my eyes at him and lowered my wand slightly. "After everything you've done over the last 5 years I'm supposed to accept a peace offering? You're a death eater Malfoy – you're entire family is! How are you even a free man!?"
His grin faded and his eyes turned sad and brooding "I handed my father over to the ministry and they locked him up with the dementors – my mother's on the run. I then spent a while being questioned and such by the ministry and had a few trials, but they decided to believe me and –" He pulled up the sleeve of his burgundy shirt and showed me his wrist, no longer stained by Voldemort's dark mark, in its place was a large pink mark that looked like skin that had be burned and was healing.
By now my wand was held loosely by my side rather than death gripped and aimed at his chest. I realised my mouth was open and quickly snapped it shut and felt the need to sit down. As I sat next to him I noticed that he wasn't in his usual all black suit, and instead was wearing denim skinny jeans, a burgundy shirt buttoned up to his mid-chest area. Also he had grown his hair out a little and gotten some colour in his usual sickly pale complexion, so he looked a lot healthier and happier.
"You turned him in? Your own dad?" I asked softly; shock had drained all the harshness out of my voice.
He laughed humourlessly and shook his head "He was no father. He barely qualified as a sperm donor. He was just a bully who stuck around to make mine and my mother's life hell. He ruined our family and almost got us killed a thousand times through sheer stupidity and selfishness. He deserves to be in Azkaban. He deserves all the pain and emotional torment they inflict on him."
For a moment I wanted to comfort him, I wanted to hug him and say it would be okay – but then I simultaneously remembered all the torment and cruelness he had projected on Harry, Ron and I over the years as well as the recurring dream I'd had of him over the holidays. I wasn't sure whether to blush or start shouting at him for being an utter douche. I just sighed and stood back up. "Sorry, that sucks. I have to go, school supplies to get and such…" I put my wand back into my jacket pocket and started to walk away slowly.
He was next to me again in the blink of an eye "Me too." He smiled slightly and walked in front of me, but then turned so he was walking backwards. "I don't know why I decided to go back for another year, but who knows; maybe I'll enjoy it more this year." He winked at me before walking off into the crowd and disappearing.
I wandered around for a short while still bewildered by what had just happened was Draco actually trying to be nice? Or was it part of a new act? I contemplated for a while then remembered I had shopping to do. I got the list out of my bag again, this time with no injury. I decided to first get my robes as I was right next to Madam Malkin's and I already had my sizes so I was in and out quickly.
After that I headed down to Flourish and Blott's and, after getting my books, headed to the apothecary and all the other shops I needed for the rest of my things.
When I had all my things in bags which were slightly over weighing me I quickly went to Gringott's to finalise my contract then decided to go straight to the coffee shop next to Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour and wait for Harry with a Pumpkin latté.
I was only sat waiting for a few minutes before harry came in with all his things, and to my surprise, a tiny barn owl.
"Harry!" I shouted and waved him in so he could find me, then gave him a hug when he reached me, "Who's this little guy?" I said poking my finger through the cage for the owl to nibble on.
He smiled and said "It's a girl, she's 7 months old and her name is Quince. I'm going to grab myself a drink, I'll be back in a minute Hermione." He wondered off to the counter and I sat stroking Miss barn owl while she got a little more used to me.
I heard someone cough behind me and whipped my head around instinctively and saw a tall thin blonde boy looking down at me grinning – for the second time today.
"You again?" I said suspiciously "Are you following me Malfoy?"
He chuckled "Why on earth would I do that? I simply felt the need for a warm drink, is that a crime?" He raised his eyebrows at me and I felt my cheeks flush; he was being far too nice, it wasn't right. "What do you suggest? I'm feeling gingerbread latté but I'm not sure… What are you drinking?"
He was being nice, trying to keep a conversation going
"Oh, uh – Pumpkin latté… It's really good." I said, tucking my hair behind my ear.
I saw him raise his hand to my face as though in slow motion, before he lightly rubbed his fingers on the side of my forehead where I had cut it falling earlier. I felt my face heat up at his touch, so much so that I must be bright red. "Dry blood…" He mumbled before pulling out some cloth and muttering a spell over it to dampen it, then gently wiped the blood of my head. "Good as new." He said with a little rueful smile, and then he picked up my drink, had a sip and frowned at it. "Ugh, tastes like piss Granger. Think I'll definitely go for the gingerbread." And again, as he walked away, he winked at me.
No sooner had Draco walked away was it that Harry returned and sat opposite me. "Hermione… Were you just talking to Malfoy?" He asked with a hint of distaste as he said Draco's surname.
I coughed awkwardly not knowing whether to say yes, and go into detail about my morning, or just skip over it all, but before I had a chance he had come back to our table to answer himself.
"Potter!" He shouted, a cup steaming in his hand as he grinned at me before Harry turned. "Look," He said in a normal tone "I wanted to thank you…"
"For what?" Asked harry harshly, still a hint of displeasure in his voice.
"For saving my life. Last year when Crabb nearly killed us all in the room of requirements. You're a good man Potter. I was too stupid to admit it then." He held out his hand to Harry and I found myself open mouthed for the second time today over this boy.
Harry looked taken aback for a moment before taking his hand in a firm shake and saying "Well, you're welcome."
Draco smiled at him and said "See you at school." and he walked out – though not before giving me one last wink.
Harry looked at me "Is he on drugs?"
We both laughed and talked for about half an hour before deciding it was probably time to head back to the Burrow, or try and find Ron and Ginny if they were still here – and just as we walked out we saw them both heading into the building connected to the flu network, so we shouted them and caught up.
"Hello again" Ron said and gave me a quick peck on the lips before we went inside.
When we were inside there was a line of fire places with a few people still there, including Draco. When he saw us he started walking over – I assumed to show Ron and Ginny that he's a 'new man' as well as Harry and I, but Ron automatically whipped out his wand and said "What's he doing here?"
Draco looked at me and chuckled, then back at Ron "Wand down Weasley I only wanted to say a few words." I gave him a small smile and he winked at me again and either Ron noticed, or he was in a very bad mood because with a flick of his wand he sent Malfoy to the floor with a loud 'thud'.
I hit his arm "Why did you do that!? He said he was going to talk Ronald!" And before I let him answer I walked quickly over to Draco and helped him up "Are you ok?" I asked checking for any sign of an injury
He chuckled, appearing humoured by something and said "Yeah, it's only Weasley he can't do that much damage can he?" He chuckled again, more darkly this time and I narrowed my eyes at him "I'm joking" He whispered to me and winked at me before grabbing my shoulder with his hand softly and rubbing his thumb along it a moment longer than would be 'casual' then headed off into a fireplace and disappeared in the green flames.
"What the hell Hermione? I thought you were on my side?" Ron said trying not to shout at me, but there was no holding me back.
"Oh Ronald just stop! You attacked him for no reason and you know it! Both Harry and I have spoken to Draco today and he's been perfectly kind and friendly, he's apologised to me, he's thanked Harry and he's spent all summer making amends for what he's done! You're the one who did wrong right now, and I don't support the 'wrong'!" I stopped myself from screaming and firing spells at him.
"Oh he's 'Draco' now is he? Suddenly you're best friends with darling Draco." His voice was laced with venom each time he said his name.
"Stop being pathetic Ron." And with that I jumped into a fire place and said "The Burrow." And landed back in the warm living room I had left that same morning.