Unofficial Portkey Archive

Dressed and ready for the day, Harry made his way back downstairs towards the den to wait on Hermione. He didn't feel like getting all dressed up, so he sported casual khaki pants, his blue collared shirt which remained untucked and a pair of black rubber flip-flops. He ran his fingers through his hair a couple of times as he walked over to the den where Ron was sitting in front of the tele, still dressed in his pajamas. "Planning on getting dressed anytime soon?"

"No," he said lazily never keeping his eyes off the screen.

"What are you watching?" he asked as he sat down.

"MTV."

"Ah...Macey's favorite channel...got you hooked?"

"I guess, nothing else is on."

"What show is this?" he asked when he saw an older man with greasy long black hair, with blue tinted sunglasses hanging low on his nose.

"The Osbournes," he said as he grabbed the remote and turned it up. "Sometimes it's kind of hard to understand Ozzy....he mumbles."

"Ozzy?" he asked now intrigued. "I've hard of him...Muggle singer, right?"

Ron shrugged. "According to Macey, yeah....looks like a Death Eater, though."

"Yeah, he does look a little scary," he said as he watched him mumble something and then a couple of beeps cut him off.

"Apparently, he cusses a lot," Ron informed him.

"Interesting....this show seems pointless...yet, I find myself not wanting to look away."

"I know," Ron said. "Wait till you see Kelly Osbourne...talk about a trip."

Hermione walked down not much later, dressed in jeans and pink light sweater that fit her upper body. "Hey Harry, you ready."

"Yeah, sure," he said even though he was half paying attention.

"Well, let's go I'm starving."

"K...can we wait until this is over?" he asked.

"Won't be for awhile, it's a marathon, gonna last all day."

"Dang...all right, let's go before I get hooked even deeper," he said as he stood up.

"Is this the Osbournes?" Hermione asked. "Macey and I watched it one night....I've seen this episode."

"Good, you can tell me how it ends," he said as he grabbed her arm. "Ron, you wanna tag along? We're going to go eat at the deli cafe in Diagon Alley."

"No thanks, I'll just grab something here."

"Where's Macey?" Hermione asked.

"Dunno, still in her room."

"Okay, well let's go Harry," she said as she tugged her arm.

"See ya Ron," he said and then together they Apparrated to Diagon Alley.

Macey came out of her room a second later, just in time for her to see them leave. "Hey, where did they go?"

"Lunch, at Diagon Alley.....what have you been doing?"

"Just reading? I have a test in American History soon."

"Another one?" he asked when she walked over and sat next to him. "When are you going to graduate?"

"My tutor said I should be ready for my finals by May, it's September now, so I have awhile."

"Does your tutor know your a witch?"

"Hardly," she laughed. "She thinks I'm on a soccer team."

When Macey found out she was a witch she was thrilled, but she still wanted to keep up her Muggle studies too. During the summer when she was away from her school, she would take summer school. Once she started playing professional Quidditch she had a private tutor, the same one she had now. She was proud to be a witch, but she was also proud of her Muggle side as well and she wanted an education in both worlds.

"I need a break though, the words are starting to get blurry."

"I'm just watching MTV."

"How did you live half your life without TV?" she asked.

"I have no idea."

"I'm starved, I'm going to make a sandwich."

"Cool, make me one?"

"Get off your lazy ass and help me if you want one," she said as she stood up. "You're still in your PJ's for cryin out loud."

"We have the day off, I can do whatever I want....pleeeease make me a sandwich?"

"Fine...only if you buy next time we eat out."

"Deal," he said as he reached out his hand.

She took it and couldn't help but noticed the tingle that when up her arm. She looked down at him and could tell that he felt it too. She hastily pulled away and walked quickly to the kitchen. It was just static electricity....it had to be. What else could it be?

Hermione sighed as she speared her salad. "It really is a beautiful day, isn't it?"

Harry took his first hefty bite of his cheeseburger. "Uh huh," he said with his mouthful. "Fis if fe fest furger," he told her between chewing.

Hermione winced. "Harry, please close your mouth, it's a very unpleasant sight," she said as she grabbed her gillywater and took a sip.

"Fawey," he said as he grabbed his butterbeer and washed it down.

"Didn't you have enough of those last night?" she asked before she popped in a chunk of chicken from her salad in her mouth.

"Having another butterbeer the day after cures the hangover," he told her with a wink.

She chuckled. "Or a good hungover spell."

"Yeah, but Ron and I usually forget it." He dipped his fry in his glob of ketchup. "It's nice to have a mixture of Muggle food at this place. A cheeseburger....can't get more American than that....and then they have pizza....I really couldn't decide."

An American Muggleborn had opened up the deli awhile ago, which Macey of course discovered first. They had Muggle beer, plus wizard beverages such as butterbeer and gillywater. The place was very popular and was always bussing with people, especially during the summer. Today, it was sunny and a bit chilly, but it was too much of a pretty day for them not to sit outside.

"I might have to have a sundae after this....the brownie chocolate with whip cream."

"Oooh, eating dangerous," Harry said with a grin. "I'm so proud."

"Hey, eating the salad cancels it out," she said and then laughed. "Well...sort of." She took another bite of her salad. "I envy Macey, the girl is a bottomless pit...she eats almost as much as Ron, yet she's as skinny as a rail."

Harry shrugged. "Quidditch helps a lot," he said and took another healthy bite of his burger.

"Harry!" A high pitch voice shrieked in excitement.

Harry looked over at the owner of the voice. He saw Ashley prance over towards their table and he swallowed his food...along with his soft curse. Not that he didn't like Ashley or anything, but it was always a disaster when Ashley and Hermione were in the same room. Harry looked over at her for a split second, but it was long enough to see the annoyed look on her face. "Ashley," he said as he slowly stood up to greet her.

"Hi!" she said as she kissed his cheek. "It's so wonderful to see you."

"Er...you too, Ash..."

"Why didn't you call to tell me you were in town?" she asked pouting slightly.

"I just got in last night, I...."

"No worries, would you like to have dinner? We could have a romantic....." She trailed off when she looked down to see Hermione still sitting on the chair, looking at her with pure hatred. "Oh....it's you." She looked back at Harry. "I didn't realize you had company."

"I don't make a habit of eating lunch by myself, Ashley," he said as he looked uneasily between the two. "You remember Hermione."

"Course," she said giving her a quick smile. "Pleasure to see you again, Hermione."

"Mmm, I bet," she said between her teeth before she turned attention to her salad. She forked her salad over and over again a little too hard but never put it in her mouth.

"So what do you say? Dinner tonight?"

"Um..." He really didn't want to go out tonight, he was looking forward to staying at home with his roommates, but at the same time he knew he owed this to Ashley. He was away for long time. "Sure, we can have dinner."

"Oh, perfect!" she squealed and kissed him on the cheek again. "I have to get back to my friends, pick me up at around seven, okay?"

"Sure...see you then."

She perked up her shoulders and grinned. "See ya....bye, Hermione."

"Later," she grumbled.

Harry sighed as he finally sat down and turned his attention back to his food. He saw that Hermione was about to say something so he held up a hand. "Don't say anything...."

"But..."

"No."

"I...."

"Not one word."

"But I was only going to....."

She didn't get to finish her sentence because Harry reached over and shoved a handful of fries into her mouth. "How bout that sundae?"