Chapter 15
A few days later, Harry and Draco were sitting in the Great Hall playing another game of wizards chess after breakfast when they heard the fluttering sound of wings overhead. Both boys looked up to see Hedwig and a pure black owl flying towards them. When the birds landed, Harry noticed that they had letters attached to their legs. Draco reached over to his owl, Shadow, and untied the letter.
Speaking to no one in particular, he said, “It’s our Hogwarts letters. Do they think we are that desperate for mail? We’re already here!”
Harry sighed. “I guess this means we’ll be taking a trip to Diagon Alley.”
At that moment, Ron and Hermione walked in and sat down near their friends. Ron, who had overheard the last comments, said “At least we get to escape the castle for a day!”
The quartet turned when they heard the doors to the Great Hall open, revealing their Transfiguration professor. “Not so fast, I’m afraid." Looking at each of the students in front of her she added, "I was hoping to catch you before your letters arrived but I can see I am too late.”
Draco stood up and glared at the Deputy Headmistress. “Please tell me you are joking. You can’t seriously think we are going to stay here the rest of the summer. We deserve this break and it’s only for school supplies!”
Professor McGonagall pressed her lips tightly together. “You are going to make this difficult for me, aren’t you Mr. Malfoy?” She said it more as a statement than a question.
Ron looked up towards his Head of House. “Would it work, professor? Because if it would, I’ll start right in with Malfoy!”
She regarded the two of them hesitantly. “I am beginning to fear the repercussions of the two of you being on the same side these days. I have a feeling I may be seeing more of you boys than I would care to in detention this year.”
At that moment the two boys looked at each other and exchanged identical smirks. Hermione hid her face in her hands, groaning.
McGonagall nodded. “I rest my case. My only concern is for both Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger’s safety after this summer’s attacks. Diagon Alley can be a dangerous place, and many questionable people may be out there looking for you because they know you will be due for school supplies.”
Hermione cleared her throat and made eye contact with the Deputy Headmistress.
“Miss Granger, school is not in session. You may speak at will.”
Hermione shifted uncomfortably. “Yes, professor,” she blushed and continued. “Well, I was thinking we could each take an Auror with us. Maybe we could each pair up and invite Lupin and Tonks?” She stood closer to Ron with that thought.
Professor McGonagall seemed to ponder the idea for a minute. “I’ll return shortly with my decision.”
Draco looked over at Harry, who had been unusually quiet. “Okay, Potter. I hope Tonks and Lupin like us after the fiasco at Hermione’s house . . . I need this trip out of the castle!”
An hour later they were in their respective dorm rooms getting changed for their trip to Diagon Alley.
Hermione, Harry and Tonks walked in one group followed by Draco, Ron and Lupin in another.
Tonks spoke up once they made it to the corner. “All right, so I think if we meet back here for lunch in two hours, it should be enough time for everyone to get their supplies.”
Ron spoke up. “Perhaps it would be acceptable for us to meet at Fred and George’s shop before heading to lunch?” He shuffled his feet but kept eye contact with the Aurors, determined to see this through.
Lupin and Tonks looked at each other hesitantly.
“The joke shop, Ron?” Remus seemed to be choosing his words carefully, knowing he was being entrusted to keep the group safe. “That goes against what we promised Professor McGonagall . . .” He couldn’t finish what he was about to say. As students, he, James, Sirius and Peter would have asked the same thing. “Well, I suppose a few minutes wouldn’t hurt.”
Hermione’s jaw fell to the floor in shock. Tonks had a similar reaction but smirked in pride. Harry clapped Ron on the back and Draco stood there, stroking his chin with a very impressed look on his face. With everything agreed upon, they split up.
As they walked their separate ways, Ron was venting to anyone who would listen.
“I still don’t understand why Hermione and I have to be separated. It’s not like we’re going to be snogging every chance we got! I just wanted to be with her out in public for the first time, that’s all.”
His former professor turned to look at him and tried to show he understood by patting his shoulder. “Ron, that would mean Draco and Harry would have to be paired up instead. Do you know how dangerous it would be to have the two most sought after teenage wizards walking together through Diagon Alley? It’s bad enough that I have a member of two wizarding families who until not too long ago hated each other!”
Draco was laughing quietly at that. “Yeah, the reactions we have been getting from the few students we have come across have been priceless. Where is everyone? I can’t wait to see the look on some of their . . .”
Noticing an abrupt silence, Ron and Lupin turned around and did not see Draco anywhere. Then, Ron heard a voice that almost made him turn several shades of white before realizing what was going on. It was Draco.
“Ron, just act normal and pretend I am not here.”
Gaping at what appeared to be no one, he answered loudly and somewhat irritated, “Well that shouldn’t be too difficult as you are suddenly nowhere to be seen.”
Lupin whispered in the general direction of the voice, “It’s kind of difficult when there is a shapeless voice telling us what we can and can’t do. Care to fill us in on what is going on?”
The voice of Draco spoke, “There are some people that I am not yet ready to face. I just saw Pansy standing on the corner where we meet every year. She’s looking for me.”
Ron gawked in the general direction of the voice. “And your point is . . ? Come on, Malfoy; your own dad - who is a Death Eater I might add - has seen you with us. It’s not like Pansy is going to give him some new bit of information regarding your whereabouts.”
Ron took a step back when Draco slipped off his invisibility cloak.
“Shut up, Ron.” He breathed in slowly, “Though I suppose I will have to face up to my so-called friends now that Father knows where my allegiance lies.”
He looked at the passing students walking around him. “Now I get to find out who my true friends are.”
Lupin watched everything unfold with mild amusement. “Now, if the two of you are finished with your little moment of truth, can we get some shopping done? I am eager to get it over with so we can go to your brother’s joke shop, Ron.”
With that being said, the three of them walked towards the nearest book store, the latest incident now behind them and almost forgotten.
Pansy Parkinson watched as Draco walked with the werewolf and the blood traitor.
“What do we have here?” she said just loud enough for her own ears to hear.
She turned to look around and when she looked back, he was gone.
Maybe I imagined it. It was an unbelievable sight! she thought.
Pansy walked towards the next shop shaking her head. Out of a nervous habit she glanced behind her as she turned into Flourish and Blotts. She had been raised to watch her back in a family full of Death Eaters.
As she checked her surroundings, Draco reappeared in the same spot he had been in moments earlier. She took a quick breath in. Alarmed, Pansy backed into a bush next to her and observed her friend.
Oh, Merlin. Tell me this is just a bad dream.
Her stomach became queasy as the scene in front of her unfolded. Draco… he was smiling at that red-haired weasel! They were laughing now, too ” but why? How?
He’s spying for the Dark Lord and his father. There could be no other logical way to explain this ghastly behaviour.
The three eventually left her line of sight, and she found herself staring at nothing and no one in particular. Pansy, disgusted at what she saw her best friend do, needed answers and quickly. Making an effort to collect what was remaining on her shopping list, she was determined to corner Draco before the day’s end.
With that in mind, she turned back towards the book store and shoved a lost looking first year out of her way as she entered.
Hermione and Tonks dragged Harry to each store that was on the supply lists in record time. Within the hour, their books and anything else needed for their classes was purchased and shrunk down for ease of storage.
In the end, Harry was quite impressed with the timing they made. “Well, now where are we going?” He cringed trying to imagine where the two females would drag him to next.
Hermione put her arm around her best friend and smiled. “The next hour is all yours, Harry. That is because you have been such a good sport so far, letting us take you from one place to another.”
A bit of color entered Harry’s cheeks and, to no one’s surprise, they headed for Quality Quidditch Supplies as it was the only shop he cared to visit. After that they made a joint decision to visit Fred and George’s joke shop.
Hermione was the first one in the door, and she found herself running right into Draco. “Oof! Sorry, Malfoy. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“As much as I would love to stay and chat with you, Granger, I think there is someone here who is dying to see his girlfriend.”
With that he walked her around the corner to where the Pygmy Puffs were. He had Hermione discreetly cover Ron’s eyes as they approached from behind. Draco then cleared his throat.
“Guess who.”
“Malfoy, get your sweaty . . . lavender? Since when do you wear lavender? Have you been into Hermione’s soap again?”
She couldn’t resist. “Again? Since when have you used my soap, Draco?” Ron laughed at them, pleased at the look of surprise on Hermione’s face once she realized he was joking.
Tonks and Lupin joined them with Harry in tow. He had been in the back room discussing how the shop was doing since, thanks to his Tri-Wizard winnings, he was the financial backer for it. “Fish and chips, anyone?”
Tonks lead the way to the door. Stomachs were heard growling in agreement. They quickly paid for whatever they were purchasing and hurried out the door towards the Leaky Cauldron.
Safe Haven by NikkiSue
Chapter Notes: This is a lighter chapter than others. The gang gets their supply letters for Diagon Alley and have an eventful beginning to their day. The trip is split into two chapters. Also, now that my saved (already typed and ready to be beta'd) chapters have been moved to this computer, I can update more frequently! Thanks for your patience during my eight month hiatus from posting updates. My inbox is empthy in case the howlers start coming . . .