Story: War
Chapter: 3
Rating of Chapter: R
My Other Fics: Stress, Wake Me From This Nightmare, Forlorn
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The only things I own are the plot, any characters, spells etc that you do not recognize.
Author Notes: I now feel about 85%, so here is the next chapter.
I see I have a nomination in the Reader's Choice Awards, thanks, I really appreciate it. Although I'm sure I won't win, considering the superb experienced writers out there.
Chapter 3: 93 Diagon Alley
Two weeks later, Hermione was waiting impatiently. "Come on Harry, the taxi will be here any minute," she shouted up the stairs. The taxi would be taking them to Diagon Alley before they went back to Hogwarts for their final year.
"I'm coming, I can't find my broom polish!" He called back, sounding unusually flustered.
"I told you, it's under your bed." Harry sighed in frustration and hurried down the stairs, his suitcase dragging behind him.
"Why did you have to start tidying things all of a sudden?" asked Harry.
"Your floor was a mess, you might have been kept here against you will Harry, but that is no excuse for an untidy room." He suddenly noticed how much influence Hermione received from Professor McGonagall when she did an uncanny resemblance of her 'scary' face. Nevertheless, he suddenly backed down.
"It all really depends on what subjects you are taking. Since we are seventh years we will not be taking as many lessons so you will be able to drop up to three classes this year. We have NEWTS this year, so we get to spend our extra time in reviewing instead." Hermione said, beaming positively.
"Great," grunted Harry knowing full well that Hermione did not intend to drop any classes this year but would be expecting him to review for their NEWTS just as much.
*
Diagon Alley was as packed as ever, the buzz of excitement, the screeching of first years. 'Oh, it was wonderful,' Harry thought. 'Although, the noise did become a little irritating after the first few times of visiting.'
Hermione dragged him left, right and centre throughout half a dozen shops, before finally pausing when she noticed Harry had stopped outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. She stamped her feet slightly, but he didn't even twitch. "What are you looking at?" she asked.
"X-Bolt…Hermione, if I cut back on the books and borrow yours, I could afford it!"
"No Harry! You need every book. This year is going to be tough enough as it is." She frowned at him stubbornly.
"Bu-" he argued.
"No!" she replied firmly.
"But, Draco has an X-Bolt?"
"That's no reason for you to have one."
"But if I have an X-Bolt, it will give Hogwarts's chance of winning a huge boost!" Harry argued again.
"Harry," said Hermione strictly. "I cannot stop you from purchasing what you want to do with your money. But if I know you correctly, you will do the right thing." With that she kissed him quickly on the cheek and turned away, awaiting his answer.
Harry thought things over for a moment before realising she was, as usual, right. "Ok, dear…where to next?"
"Hey guys!" They turned around and were greeted by two redheads, Ron and Ginny Weasley.
"Hi," Harry and Hermione said together.
"Come on Harry, I have to show you something," said Ron, dragging him along. Hermione followed, along with Ginny.
Ron led them through a couple of small dark streets, streets that Harry would never have dreamt of visiting. They turned one last corner before being met by a small, bright shop in a little alleyway.
Harry glanced at the archway above the yellow and orange shop. "Does that say what I think it does?" asked Harry, also noticing the number 93 next to it.
"If you're thinking Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," answered Ron, hardly hiding his excitement.
"You must have been here before, why are you so excited?" asked Hermione.
"Free sweets," replied Ginny. "That's the only reason he comes. Me, I like the Extendable Ears…" Hermione laughed slightly at the sneaky grin developing on the girls face.
"Come on," Ron said, hurrying them in.
Harry and Hermione looked around in the rather small shop, it was painted head to foot in a variety of bright colours. Shelves were stacked on all walls with jars and bars of candy such as Ton Tongue Toffee, Canary Creams and Cockroach Clusters. Of course, along with the candy was an array of interesting items, such as, Dungbombs and hiccough sweets. Fred and George were perched behind the desk; Harry noticed something very new in George.
"Is that?"
"A monkey? Yes," said George, allowing the monkey to leap down onto the counter. It then started doing the hula in front of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, causing them to hurl with laughter.
"We won it two weeks ago. There was a huge parade here through the summer with games and everything. I guess now we know who has more muscle than the Mighty Mark Macintosh!" Fred said in a rather scary Percy fashion. He started flexing his weedy arms in front of them, this time making them hold in their laughter.
"Yeah but that nose-biting teacup down his shorts must have weakened him," sniggered George.
"I bet he felt half the man," added Fred, slapping hands with his brother.
"So does the monkey have a name?" said Harry.
"Yeah, Harry Jnr," said Ginny.
Ron snorted behind Harry, making him feel a little embarrassed. "I think it's a sweet name. Harry Jnr…I like it."
"Hermione!" Harry pleaded. "Cut it out." Just then, the door opened slowly.
"Stock!" yelled Fred. He ran over to the door and held it open. The man in front of them didn't say anything, he had his back turned and he was wheeling in a few crates from across the street. "Did Eric send you?"
"Yeah," the man turned around and revealed himself to be Draco Malfoy. "I was told to deliver these while I was here. You know, I never thought a Weasley would negotiate with a friend of a Malfoy."
Fred was actually smiling. "Yeah well, I never thought a Malfoy would save a Weasley's life. What made your…friend decide to branch out into manufacturing items?"
"Well, he still makes potions from scratch, he just has the machinery to make you numerous amounts of your little items," answered Draco.
"Little? I have you know little man that one of out Ton Tongue Toffees would blow you away."
"Ha, we'll see."
Draco helped Fred and George take the boxes in the back of the shop. He still didn't know that anybody else was there. He was finishing unpacking some boxes for the twins, when the back door opened. "Fred and George asked me to help w-" Draco looked up to see Ginny standing before him. Their eyes locked for a moment before Draco got up from the ground, and walked past her to the door.
"Actually, I'm done." He walked out of the door and into the main area of the shop, tripping slightly on a pair of feet. "Sorry," the two of them said. He then looked at the person and was slightly surprised. "Hello Potter."
"Mal-Draco, what are you doing here?"
"Delivering for Eric. Speaking of Eric, did you know he has a business partner?"
"No, why would I?" asked Harry.
"Because it's your Godfather."
"Really?" said Harry, who was a little shocked. "Why didn't he tell me?"
"Well it was only sorted last week, but I thought Granger would have told you."
"Oh, I was at…" Hermione stopped as she suddenly realised that telling Draco, Ron, Ginny (who had now re-joined them), Fred and George that she had spent two weeks at Harry's might not go down to well. "I was…out for quite a while. Outside I mean, studying. I probably didn't even listen."
"Typical," sneered Ron.
"Anyway, Sirius tried out a few Potions and it turned out he was pretty good with them. So they are working together now, I think they're opening a stall out here next to Fred and George." Draco said.
"Wait a minute, you didn't call them Weasley." Ron pondered.
"I know."
"Then why do you call me it?" he asked, his face getting redder with frustration.
"I just love to see your angry little face."
Author Notes: Draco, Draco and more Draco!!! He is definitely my favourite character to write. He rules, all worship Draco!