Part XXII
Hermione and Harry made their way through the store with organized efficiency. They shared a basket, with their respective sides divided by parchment down the middle, and though Harry noticed how barren Hermione's side appeared compared to his own, the crease in her brow made him hesitant to comment on it. And Hermione, when she wasn't keeping track of the total of the items she'd grabbed, was admittedly looking forward to writing Tom about meeting Draco's other friends.
Even though they were spread throughout the store, she found the other Slytherins' presences soothing - except for Blaise, who she was mostly indifferent to.
Once all of their necessary supplies were collected, Harry and Hermione ventured up to the counter together. The witch behind the counter smiled at them, nodding as they explained whose belongings were whose. While she was ringing up Harry's purchases, Hermione noted that her name tag read Penny.
When the patiently cheerful Penny got to Hermione's much more modest gathering of supplies, her lips pursed slightly.
"You're sure you've got enough parchment for the new term, dear?" she asked carefully. "And do you have an account?"
Hermione blinked at the second part of her question, suddenly remembering Tom's promise to set hers up, whatever that meant. She gave her small stack of supplies a frown. She barely had enough galleons to get robes, and she certainly wouldn't be purchasing a pet anytime soon. But she hated to spend Tom's money, especially after the mountains of books he'd already bought her in the last month.
"I…might have one, actually," she eventually muttered. "My sponsor was supposed to set one up for me?"
Penny brightened considerably. "Would you be Miss Granger, then? Lord Riddle's sponsee?"
Hermione nodded shyly at Penny's warm smile. The elder witch pulled out a charmed journal full of charmed pages. From what she could tell, they were all finance logs of sorts, and Hermione was contemplating the ins and outs of monetary and data entry related charms when Penny perked up again.
"Ah-ha! There you are, Miss Granger," she said brightly. "Your accounts have been set up, dear. You don't have a limit, either…are you sure you wouldn't like to get a bit more parchment?" she asked gently.
Hermione frowned at her basket again. "I suppose…" she said after a moment. She offered Penny a half-hearted smile and promised to return shortly.
Harry grabbed the basket, content to carry it for her, and they slipped down the parchment aisle.
"You alright?" Harry asked.
Her lips were turned down as she picked out several more rolls of her favorite parchment. "Yes," she said unconvincingly. "It's just…hard."
Harry nodded in understanding and followed her back to the sealing wax and stationary. "You don't like feeling dependent on him. I get it."
She turned to look at him and he gave her a half-smile and a shrug. "It's not the same, I know, but still. I get it."
Her frown deepened. "I think learning to trust your god-father trumps whatever you'd call my situation with Tom."
He shrugged again. "It's not a contest, 'Mione. And I certainly wouldn't discount juggling two of the same person through time."
She contemplated several sets of sealing wax to replace the plain black she'd originally picked up instead of responding. When she started debating with herself over the vibrant crimson, emerald green, and deep royal blue options that had caught her eye, Harry gently nudged her shoulder.
"You can get them all," he said gently.
She blinked at him. Right…Tom hadn't given her a limit.
Frustration settled bitterly in her chest as she sighed and grabbed two sticks of each color. She did her best not to stomp as she moved throughout the store replacing her initial finds. Her simple string for tying essays was replaced with spools of dragon leather strips and pixie spider silk. She gathered doubles of some ideas, but traded the rest for more expensive alternatives. She tossed a few things into the basket that Harry hadn't been expecting.
"A fountain pen?" he asked, eying the pretty metal instrument.
She shrugged. "I've always wanted one."
She bought more ink than she probably needed, even considering her extensive note-taking habits, and threw in a few overpriced blank journals for notes…or whatever use she found for them. A satchel caught her eye - albino dragon leather stained a wine-like magenta, with plenty of pockets and buckles and functional zippers for the main body of the bag. The tag boasted of weightlessness and expansion charms. She picked it up.
Penny couldn't have been happier to ring up Hermione's annoyance-fueled purchases. Harry was relieved when the witch didn't announce Hermione's total, for fear that his best friend's mood would only worsen if she found out exactly how much of Tom's money she'd managed to spend at one store.
Before they left, Hermione carefully tucked the charmed box Penny had safely packed her things into within her new satchel. When the weight of the bag didn't change, she added her shrunken school books and offered to carry Harry's things as well.
"So far, it weighs the same," she promised as she zipped her bag up and slung it over her head so it sat across her torso. "I'm gonna go scope out Malkin's. Can you let Draco and the other's know?"
Harry made quick work of locating his adopted cousin before jogging to catch up with Hermione. Luck put him on her heels as she pushed open the door to the robes shop.
He grinned at her somewhat surprised expression. "Didn't want to lose you and need to use our Atendo Stones."
She snorted as they were approached by a seamstress, and soon they were each on a pedestal being measured by magical tapes. Harry realized his best mate was still on edge and tried to think of something to say to cheer her up.
"We could take a break if you wanted," he offered. "Or go buy something trivial. Rosa Lee Teabag was having a sale, I think."
Hermione shrugged. "We could," she said noncommittally. "I'll be alright. I'm just a bit tired is all. It'll be nice to get back to the Hollow and curl up with a book later, y'know? Maybe finish up some of our summer assignments."
"With your fancy new pen?" Harry quipped.
They met each other's eyes and snickered as the measuring tapes finished whizzing around them. As they picked out material for their robes, Madame Malkin verified their house status, but Hermione asked her for two Slytherin patches nonetheless.
"I have a few friends who nearly had theirs torn off last year," she said. "It'd be nice to have a few on hand just in case they almost ruin their robes again."
Harry wasn't quite brave enough to ask Hermione if she wanted to switch to Slytherin, at least not with her mood teetering between fine and simmering fury. Still, he eyed the green and silver insignias with a pang of longing before Hermione tucked them into her satchel and the doorbell chimed behind. Tracey and Theodore bickering cut through the relative silence in the store.
"Davis, stop. For Salazar's sake, can we shop for one thing at a time?" Theo said waspishly.
"It's not my fault that you can't multitask, Nott," Tracey threw over her shoulder with a huff.
Theo scowled at her back as Tracey floated off towards a pedestal to be measured, fully aware that she was actively not looking at him.
Draco shrugged when he caught their gazes and stepped up onto a pedestal beside Tracey without a word. Theo and Blaise followed silently, the former of whom positioned himself as far away from a certain witch as he possibly could.
While bolts of wool and lining cloth for Harry and Hermione's robes were measuring and cutting themselves, Madame Malkin moved over to the Slytherins for their material preferences and to verify their house affiliation. When Theodore didn't ask to have his robes lined with silk or cashmere, Tracey sputtered with indignance.
"You're a Nott," she chided. "Old galleons! Aristocracy! And you're settling for synthetic satin?!"
Theo gave a derisive snort. "Synthetic satin is slick. There's less friction than silk-based satin, so my knits won't get as many pills. Lay off, Davis."
The Slytherins stepped down once their measurements were complete, allowing Harry and Hermione to take their places once their robes were ready for tailoring. Hermione's calming sigh as she stood on the pedestal triggered a yawn. Maybe after getting their robes, they'd have time to stop for hot chocolates at the Leaky. She regretted not shrinking the diary and tucking it into the pocket of her jeans. Asking Tom the younger about his day might have distracted her from the discomfort of his older self spending so much money on her in one summer.
The shop felt claustrophobic by the time Hermione had safely tucked both sets of her and Harry's new robes into her satchel, causing a ripple of discomfort to work its way through her shoulders.
"I'm gonna step outside while we wait for them," she told Harry quietly.
"I'll come with you," he said. "Let me tell Draco."
She escaped Madame Malkin's and leaned against the windowsill outside. Harry joined her shortly after, letting their shoulders touch as people walked up and down the busy street. She had just started to relax when voices came from up the street.
"Hermione! Harry!"
She glanced up at the small hoard of gingers waving enthusiastically, then slowly turned towards Harry, whose eyes were stony.
If Molly and Arthur noticed their rigid postures as the Weasley's approached, they pretended not to. Molly immediately started gushing over them and Hermione had to fight to keep her polite expression in place.
"Oh we missed you this summer, dears! Ron told us about your holiday, Hermione, but he couldn't recall where you'd gone! Well, wherever it was, I hope you had a grand time! And Harry, sweet boy, was your family reunion tolerable?"
Harry remained silent, blinking in confusion as his gaze went back to Hermione. His building anger felt detached from his person, making it hard for him to deduce how she wanted to handle the situation they'd found themselves in. The only thing that made their predicament even remotely entertaining was how pale and anxious Ron looked.
Hermione gave Ron the barest of glances before she turned back to Molly and offered her a bemused smile. "What holiday, Mrs. Weasley?"
Molly's brows drew together. "Pardon, dear?"
"What holiday?" Hermione repeated patiently, acutely aware of the small bell that chimed as Draco exited Madam Malkin's with the other Slytherins in tow.
"We're finished here, 'Mi-" he began, his voice trailing off as he took note of their present company. His expression darkened, but his trademark Malfoy sneer wasn't as strong as she'd expected it to be.
Harry latched onto the excuse to ignore the awkwardness by turning to address the new arrivals with a small grin. "Took you lot long enough," he said, his teasing aimed at his cousin. "Tracey, did you find the perfect material for the inside of your robes?"
Tracey huffed and flicked her flaxen locks over her shoulder as she threw a glare at Theodore. "I did, Harry, thank you so much for asking."
"Lord forbid you chafe," said Theodore, his tone contradicting his sentiment. "Your knitwear, on the other hand…"
"Don't start this bollocks again," Blaise moaned. "Shut up."
Draco chuckled at the lot, and sensing the growing tension amidst the Weasleys, he made a point to insert himself between Harry and Hermione. He slung an arm over each of their shoulders while holding Ronald's gaze. "Mister and Missus Wealsey," he greeted smoothly. "Apologies for the interruption. We were just finishing up our school shopping. Though I did hear that you'd won the ministry raffle - Congratulations. Where did you take your holiday?"
"E-Egypt," Arthur answered, his voice unsure as he glanced towards his youngest son briefly. "We took a family trip to Egypt."
Molly made a small noise of distress and gave Ronald a sharp look. "I don't understand. You told me that they weren't available this summer, Ronald!"
"Oh not at all, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said brightly. Her calmness was making Harry nervous. "I spent a fortnight at home before Draco invited us to Malfoy Manor. When Sirius' trial wrapped up, Harry and I went to stay with him. Mum and Dad are going to visit soon, but they have a conference to go to." She shrugged. "It has been a busy summer, I suppose, what with the trial and all, but I didn't have any preexisting plans… though I did wonder why I never heard from you. I assumed you had plans of your own."
Harry had never admired his best friend more than in that moment, but he bit the inside of his cheek to hold back a smile.
Molly's expression crumbled for all of two seconds before she rounded back on her youngest son, her fury burning brighter than her hair. "Explain yourself."
Ron shrank away. "Harry could've come!"
"After Hermione conveniently didn't receive an invitation?" Harry snapped. "You sure know how to work yourself up over the stupidest of things, Ron. Hermione's sponsorship isn't grounds for treating her like rubbish!"
Before Ron could reply, Arthur let out a noise of surprise. "I'd nearly forgotten that Lord Riddle took a sponsor, but with the trip to Egypt, I hadn't heard who. Congratulations, Hermione!"
Molly and the others, namely Percy, Fred, and George, also expressed their praises, though the twins were more playful in their congratulations than the neutral sincerity their older brother gave off.
Harry gave Ron a dark look and raised a brow. "That's how you should've responded."
Ron flushed bright red. "If I don't want to invite someone to my house, that's my business!" he snapped. "You're the ones who went and buddied up with a bunch of bloody snakes!"
"And if I refuse to visit when you exclude my best mate, that's my business," Harry growled. "Since you haven't seen the Prophet much this summer, let me catch you up to speed: My godfather, Sirius Black, was found innocent and released from Azkaban. I was adopted. Sirius and Draco's mum are cousins, which makes Draco my cousin." He shared a quick glance with said cousin, who was grinning smugly. "Godric forbid I make an effort to get to know my cousin and his friends."
"You're not so bad past the red and gold yourself, cousin," Draco said sweetly.
Theo snorted quietly and muttered, "Red and gold" under his breath. Tracey stepped on his toes.
"I can feel the love from here, Draco," Hermione said dryly. "What am I, the doormat?"
"No," said Draco, grinning. "You're the clever doormat, 'Mione."
Hermione sent a half hearted elbow into his side as Tracey let out a sharp, scandalized gasp.
"I think we're late to meet our parents!" she cried, grabbing first Theo's sweater, then the back of Draco's shirt and tugging them away from the Weasleys. "Pleasure meeting you all! Sorry to chat and run, but we must be off. See you at school!"
Molly and Arthur's farewells were weaker than their children's, though Ronald refused to comment on their departure at all. Once Tracey had ushered them all past enough of the crowds that the Weasleys could no longer see them, she let out an exasperated huff.
"So we're not late, obviously," she began. "But that was a train wreck and so is that family, so I figured maybe we should get out before they ruined our lovely day, yeah? Yeah. Anymore stops before we head to Rosa Lee?"
Hermione took one look at the witch's smirk and smugly raised brow, and decided in that moment that she absolutely adored the basket case known as Tracey Davis.
"You are a delight," Hermione told her. "And I love you for that."
Tracey winked at her. "I love me too."
They reached Rosa Lee Teabag with time to spare, but Harry and Hermione noticed Sirius sitting alone in the back of the main parlor. Sighs of relief left them both.
"I think we're gonna get a table and wait on our parents," said Draco. "D'you want to join us?"
"Raincheck for Hogsmeade?" Harry asked.
"Sure. See you later then?"
"'Course."
Harry and Hermione said their goodbyes before weaving through the parlor towards Sirius, who glanced up and smiled at them.
"You made good time," he noted. "Get everything you need? Maybe some extras?"
Harry shrugged sheepishly. "Just a few…I thought Hedwig might like a few toys…and I'm low on broom polish…"
Sirius only smiled. "You're allowed a bit of trivial spending, Harry," he said, his voice gentle but firm. Hermione got the sense that he was implying a greater message, and wondering if it had anything to do with the discussion Harry said they'd had the day after his birthday.
"Right," Harry murmured. "But, um…yeah, almost everything I might've gotten, I got for my birthday, so…"
Sirius nodded. "As long as you've got what you need, and enough wants to be comfortable, I'm content." Harry mumbled another quiet affirmative as Sirius turned to Hermione. "And you, love?"
She gave him a small smile. "I've got everything."
Except a pet, but well, she'd ask to come back another time…or on holiday.
"Dinner then?" he said. "What are you two hungry for? Italian? Pub food? Indian?"
Harry and Hermione shared a glance and shrugged.
"I'd be content with a meat pie or bangers, t'be honest," said Harry.
Hermione nodded. "Me too."
Sirius nodded. "Sounds good to me. It's a bit early though…tea first? Then you can tell me what's got you two tied up in knots."
They ordered tea and told Sirius about their almost-disastrous run-in with the Weasleys. He chuckled when they explained how Tracey had helped them all escape, but Harry's irritation over the matter was still clear as day. Just as Hermione's resigned indifference was written all over her face.
"If Ronald gives you any problems this year, I want to know about it alright?" said Sirius. "Either of you."
Sirius didn't call them on their half-hearted assurances to inform him of any trouble they might — would — have in the coming term. Instead, he winked when they finished their tea and led them outside, ignoring the onlookers that stared when they realized who he was and who he was with.
No matter how much he wanted to turn around and tell them all to mind their own fucking business.
He doesn't belong to you pricks, he thought instead. He's mine. Always has been. Always will be.
He ran a hand through Harry's wild locks to ground himself, but also for those tactless enough to openly stare as they walked down the street. When Harry gave him a shy grin over his shoulder, an expression Sirius returned warmly, his ire dissolved.
He had far better things, and two far more interesting people, to spend his energy on anyhow.
Happy Friday! I'm tickled by how many of you assumed I would cancel Crookshanks. Diary Vets - She doesn't get Crookshanks on her own, remember? ;)
That said, I have it on good authority that Crookshanks' backstory underwent some tweaks... I also have it on good authority that Hermione will make another trip to Diagon Alley next Tuesday...