Chapter Five: A Most Wonderful Day
*12:53 PM, Saturday July 30th; Diagon Alley, London England*
They all followed Mrs. Weasley as they went in search of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. When they arrived, they found Hagrid with a large bottle of blackish looking liquid. Harry recognized it as Doxy spray, seeing as Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Ron, the Twins and Ginny all used it last year to clean Doxies out of the curtains at Grimmauld place.
"Hiya, Hagrid." Harry said cheerfully. "'Ello you lot! I got me repellent `ere," Hagrid said shaking the bottle back and forth. "Well, it's bes' if we get goin' now if ya want ter get ter Hogsmeade while it's still light out."
They walked down the Alley, until they reached a large gate that Harry had never noticed before. Then again, I've never been down into the Alley this far. He reasoned. Hagrid strolled up to the gate, and extracted his large, rather pink umbrella and aimed it at the lock. "Alohomora!" the gates sprung open as soon as he had murmured the words.
Mrs. Weasley ushered them all through the gate, and locked it with the Colloportus charm when they were all safely on the other side. "Just follow the path, children." Mrs. Weasley said as she walked off ahead of them. They arrived at the mouth of a long, and winding alleyway in Hogsmeade.
Mrs. Weasley spun around so she was facing all four kids. "Now, you all have gained the temporary privilege to wander around the village, but STAY IN THE VILLAGE," she emphasized the last three words, " Now, I want Harry and Ron together, and Hermione and Ginny-" she was rudely interrupted by the tallest of the children. "Mum! I'll stay with Ginny. Harry and Hermione can wonder off together." As Ron finished, he tossed a wink at Harry. "Alright then. Do not separate, under any circumstances! All meet back here in three hours." she instructed them.
"Yes, mum." Both Ginny and Ron answered. Mrs. Weasley then walked off and headed towards the Three Broomsticks. "Come on Ginny. Let's go to Honeyduke's. Get anything you want, my treat!" as he finished, Ginny made a humungous smile across her face, then they went off to find the store.
"Guess it's you and me for today." Hermione said as she looped her arm into Harry's. Harry smiled a great big smile, and they both headed off looking for who knows what. "Ooooh!" Hermione said as they passed a new bookstore that had opened a few weeks previously. "Let's go in Harry! Please?" she made the puppy face. I can't say no to that! he thought. "Yah, why not?"
Hermione pulled Harry into the bookstore, (Candlewick's Spellbooks and More). As Harry looked around he found that the place was a little bit more cramped than Flourish and Blotts. Hermione steered him along as she went to the counter. "Do you have Spells and Charms: How They Came About, and Who Created Them?" she asked the short woman. "Let me check, deary." The woman said as she walked into the back room.
Harry scanned the bookshelves looking for something that he might find interesting. So far all he saw was: Soufflé's: How To Stop Them From Collapsing, Jinxes and Cheeses, and Magical Baking Basics. Harry decided that he was, obviously, going through the cooking section of the store. The woman came back from the room, holding a regular width book with a lot of pages.
"That'll be 13 sickles, deary!" said the witch as she handed the book over to Hermione. Harry decided to help out, and paid for the book. "Thanks, Harry!" she said as they left the store. She got onto her tip-toes and kissed Harry's cheek. Harry absolutely melted. He placed his hand where she had placed her lips and smiled fondly.
"Do you want to go to the Shrieking Shack?" Harry asked her. "Um, sure. I did make you go into that bookstore with me." She replied. "Yes, yes you did." They both started laughing as they made their way to the Shrieking Shack.
It was actually a bit beautiful in the summertime. Grass had grown wildly everywhere around the house, except for the area behind the fence, where Harry and Hermione were now standing. The memories of the time when Harry had found the truth about who Sirius really was came into his mind, and he reminisced.
"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked him concernedly. Harry realized that he had been sporting a glazed look while thinking about the adventure in the Shack almost three years ago. "Yah, just thinking." He said, still staring at the rickety house. "Okay." She stated simply.
They stood there, just staring for the good part of an hour. Harry spoke first after the memories had temporarily subsided into the back of his mind, awaiting a time for lingering. "Hermione, thank you for not pushing me to say anything. Thank you for coming here, with me." He gave her a tight hug. "Anytime Harry."
He held her for a few minutes, then slowly loosened his grip on her and released her. "Harry, your goofy." She said. "What? Why am I goofy?" he asked, mildly shocked at the comment that came out of nowhere. "Well, you just are." She smiled. "Well, if your going to call me goofy, than I can do this!" he lunged at her and pinned her down. "H-Harry!" she screamed as he tickled her furiously.
She finally managed to push him off of her, but she couldn't stop laughing. "Ha, ha, ha! Got you back! No one calls me weird!" Harry said as he flexed and puffed out his chest jokingly. Hermione giggled wildly, until she caught her breath. Harry held out his hand to help her get up, but instead she yanked his arm until he was back on the ground.
She began to lift herself up, but Harry had caught her forearms and pulled her back down. Once again Harry got himself up, and held out his hand. This time, she took it and pulled her self up next to him. They laughed, then Harry suddenly remembered what he wanted to bring her here for.
"Hermione, I need to tell you something." She stopped laughing almost abruptly. She nodded her head, telling him to continue. "Well……………urm……………How do I say this?" he said nervously. She stared at him, confused. Harry thought to himself for a moment and tried to gather his thoughts to say something not totally incoherent.
"Harry! I can't take it anymore!" she yelled suddenly. Harry snapped out of his thoughts, totally shocked. "Wh-What?" he asked her, completely lost. "I-I…………I like you Harry!" She jumped forward and planted her lips on his. When she broke the kiss, Harry stood there rooted to the spot. "Oh no……I'm so sorry!" she yelled. Harry, still shocked, just stood there realizing that she had felt the same all along.
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