Chapter 7
“A quidditch shop?” Hermione said, stopping in the middle of the road to laugh. “Your surprise was a quidditch shop?”
“Not just any quidditch shop, Hermione. Spintwitches Sporting Needs!” Harry grinned as he gestured in front of them.
“Sorry, you’re right. Your surprise was the Hogsmeade quidditch shop?!” She said in an excited tone that was clearly fake. He just rolled his eyes and she smirked.
“Okay, it’s not exciting for you, but Theo said they don’t have anything like this at Durmstrang because no one’s supposed to know where it is. They don’t get to just go out and go shopping every few months during the school year. I thought it would be fun to show them around.”
“Fine.” She relented, following them all inside. Ron usually made her go in for at least a little bit every time they came last year. The shop was nice, it’s walls were lined with posters from the national teams and all sorts of gear. Last year they’d come in with Harry while he’d been under his cloak and Hermione had gotten him a pair of gloves for Christmas that she was pretty sure he’d been admiring—it wasn’t normal for things to magically float without levitation spells.
“Whoa,” Theo said, admiring the Firebolt they had on display. “These are amazing. Every time I see one."
But Hermione noticed Draco shaking his head fondly, “Your broom’s barely a year old Theo.” He told him and Theo just grinned back.
“Yeah, but can you imagine? They’re supposed to be at least 15 kilometers faster than the 2001.”
“They’re alright.” Harry shrugged and boys frowned at him suspiciously.
“How would you know? Do you have one?” Theo asked.
“Yeah, it’s a long story but my 2000 got destroyed last year so someone gave me one.” He said casually and Hermione couldn’t help laughing at the excitement on Theo’s face.
“Oh come off it, Harry. We both know you completely freaked out when it arrived.” she teased.
“Yeah, until someone got it taken away from me."
“We’ve been over this." she crossed her arms over her chest. "I was looking out for you in case the alleged mass murderer chasing you was the one who’d sent it.” And then in a quieter voice so no one else could hear them she added, “And by the way, I was right.”
“Sirius Black’s the one who sent you it?” Draco asked.
“Yeah but it’s not like that.” Harry told them defensively. “He didn’t do anything wrong. He just felt bad that the womping willow ate mine.”
“Ah yes, because everyone just has their broomsticks eaten by trees.” Theo deadpanned and Hermione laughed.
“Exactly."
“Yeah, whatever, what I was goingtosaywas if you wanted to, you can try it out while you’re here. I thought we’d be playing quidditch this year but evidently, everything’s been cancelled.” And then he walked away, leaving Theo gaping behind him.
After that luckily, they were in and out of the shop pretty quickly. Theo grabbed some broom polish and admitted he’d also brought his broom, but only because flying helped him de-stress sometimes and he hadn’t wanted to be without it. Harry was overjoyed though, sing-songing to Hermione all the way through the shop that she’d been wrong, and his surprise had worked out. Once outside though, she had no idea where to take them next.
“Er, you mentioned a quill shop?” Theo asked after a moment.
“Oh yes! Scrivenshaft's! We can go there now.” Hermione said, talking as she led the way. “They’ve got all sorts of stuff there too. If you need parchment or ink as well. Snape actually requires we write his essays on a specific type they sell there so this really works out well for us all.”
“He cares what kind of parchment you use?” Draco asked.
“Yes, but I’m pretty sure it’s just for the sake of frustrating us. There really is no difference between any of them.”
“Oh, but if you turn it in on the generic one, he’ll notice and take it out on you in front of the whole class. ‘Mr. Potter since apparently you find yourself so far superior to the rest of your classmates that the rules do not apply to you. I will expect seventeen inches on the unit I haven’t taught and that you’ve never learned on my desk on Monday.’” Harry mimicked in a rough but fairly accurate Snape impression—though the end was a little rushed as his annoyance came through and it was definitely not what Snape had actually said.
“WhyHarry?” she laughed as she shook her head. He was so weird.
“I’m not wrong.” He told her and she conceded.
“Yeah, he’s not wrong.” and then she may have looped her arm through Draco's again, just because it was there, and because she saw him smile to himself when she did.
“Alright so we’re buying parchment I guess.” Theo said, looking unsure of whether to be amused or uncomfortable by them.
“Definitely.” Harry nodded.
Scrivenshaft's was fairly crowded seeing as most of the students had made their way over to the town by then. First, they did a loop around the store to see everything that was available, then they split off to find their own things. Draco never let go of Hermione though so the two of them ended up wandering together. She grabbed a few extra self-inking quills because they reminded her of the pens she used back home and missed dearly. Wizards were absurd to her for not accepting that kind of muggle technology, but she already stood out enough, so she didn’t need to draw more attention by bringing a biro to class.
Hermione was however slightly surprised when she saw the quill Draco picked out, it was one of the most expensive the store sold. When he noticed her watching him, he blushed—heactually blushed—before nervously laughing and explaining that he was somewhat of a perfectionist and had found these worked best for him. Then he quietly added that they were the kind his mother used, and using them made him feel closer to her while he was away. Hermione wasn’t sure she’d ever heard something so sweet from a boy their age.
When they’d finished selecting their things and had gone to pay, Draco insisted on buying her stuff for her. And when she’d told him it wasn’t necessary, he’d fought her and said that she would truly make him happy if she let him do this for her…well how does a witch say no to that?
Probably by remembering that his other friend also forced you to let him pay for you earlier? Yes, but Theo had justified it by saying it was his fault she’d bought so much, because he’d said Draco loved Chocolate Frogs but wouldn’t admit it publicly because of some reason—he hadn’t explained—and then he’d played the ‘Hermione, my entire family is dead and they were fucking disgustingly rich even for four people so please let me throw away the money that now solely belongs to just me. You’ll be personally reminding me that I’m all alone in my sad miserable life if you leave me with a pile of gold at the end of this’ card and had stolen the bag from her while she’d been too stunned to respond.
But Draco was smiling at her and looking like she really would make his day if she let him take care of her, and Ron had said his family was possibly one of the wealthiest in all of Europe, so she tried not to feel too guilty as she let him. And then promised herself she’d pay him back somehow.
She found her opportunity in the next shop, Tomes and Scrolls. This was Hermione’s happy place in Hogsmeade. It was the place she looked forward to going to the most. With thousands of books lining the antique shelves the smell of parchment flooded her senses the second they walked through the doorway.
“Alright so we have to make a plan.” She told Draco as they stepped to the side.
“A plan?” he asked, his brow furrowed on top of his usual frown.
“Yes, a plan.”
“To go through a bookshop?”
“Yes,” she groaned slightly. A part of her started to worry Ron might have been somewhat right. Maybe Draco had just been indulging her on reading for the sake of it. But then his face broke into a small smile as he studied her, and he grabbed one of her hands again.
“Alright, let’s hear it.” He told her.
“Really?” she asked, butterflies forming in her stomach at the way he was watching her. “Because Harry says I sometimes take this a little too seriously.”
“Yes, please. Tell me. This is serious.” And then he contorted his face to be straight, but his smile kept breaking through and Hermione couldn’t help but grin up at him.
“Be serious.” She laughed, pulling on his hand to straighten them, but unable to stop giggling.
“I am.” He insisted. “Tell me your plan.”
“Okay, I am.” She tried to remember what she was going to say before but Draco kept changing his expression and she started laughing again. “Right now, I am.” She repeated but once again failed, totally enthralled by the boy in front of her. He was so different from how he’d been in the candy shop and at school.
“I’m waiting.” He insisted.
“I’m trying,” she answered, and he squeezed her hands and she tried her best to focus. “Okay, so we have to start at the top.”
“The top.” He repeated seriously.
“Yes, the top. That’s where the big books are.”
“The big books.”
“Stop repeating everything I say.” she poked him in the stomach with her free hand.
“I’m trying to understand the plan Hermione. Please take this seriously.” He scoffed looking offended.
“Oh—you.” She grumbled and poked him again. Godric this is fun.He’s fun. He’s teasing her without mocking her and he’s smiling at her, and it feels like this moment is just for them two.
Draco switched hands to grab the one she’d been using and tangled his fingers with hers.
“What are you doing?!” she asked.
“You’ve lost hand privileges.” He scoffed.
“I’ve what?”
“Lost your privilege to your hand.” He said in a haughty voice. “Stop poking me or else I’ll take the other.” And then he pulled her hand to his chest for safe keeping, causing them to stand much closer to one another than before. Hermione’s breath hitched as her eyes locked with his, but he just smiled and continued in a lower voice. “Now, are you going to finish your plan or not? I thought we came to look at books.”
“Fine.” She said quickly because he was basically leaning over her with how tall he was and as much as Hermione hugged her friends a lot, this was a decidedly un-friendly way to be so close.
“Good.” He said, and then he let his arm down so she could step away. Which she did. Quickly.
“Er, right…” she said, now feeling nervous for some reason. “Um, so I…I usually—well I don’t know if you want to, it’s quite boring probably, Harry and Ron always say it is so…we can just, if you want…maybe we—”
“Hermione.” He cut off her babbling.
“Hmm?”
“How about I just follow you and you do whatever you would normally if I weren’t here.” He said and smiled down at her again.
“Are you sure? I’m told it’s quite aw—”
“There’s nothing I’d rather do.” And from the way he was looking at her, the sincerity in his eyes, she knew he was telling the truth.
“Alright.” She said quietly, and then she pulled him with her.
The top of the store was where the historical volumes and textbooks were, the ones Hermione sometimes liked to pick out when her lessons got boring and she wanted to learn stuff on her own. Then there was the third level which was filled with fictional novels. Hermione would always be partial to her mum’s favorite books back home, but she’d found some fairly interesting stories that were written for the wizarding world as well. The second floor encompassed the children’s section, and the first was full of new and famous books of all sorts. She led him to the top first.
“So this is it.” She gestured around as they reached the fourth-floor landing. Draco was looking all around them.
“It’s quite an impressive shop.” He told her.
“I know. I always have to pace myself when coming here so I don’t run out of room at home.” Hermione explained as she led him into the charms section.
He looked intrigued, “Your family must keep a decent library then?”
“I suppose,” she said, smiling as she pictured her purple bedroom back home where her dad and her had built bookshelves into the walls when she was younger. It was one of her favorite memories from her childhood. “My dad jokes that it’s my own library, but really it’s just a fairly large collection.” She added, slightly embarrassed thinking about it. It definitely wasn’t the wisest financial choice, but she loved to read books and there was something so special about owning her own copies. Her cousins usually gawked at the stacks and shelves whenever they were over for holidays.
“I bet I can beat it.” Draco said with a cocky smirk as he released her hand to pull a book off the shelf and examine it. Hermione noticed how delicate he was with the pages, and it only added to her fascination. Not many people appreciated how much care she gave to handling books, but he seemed to share the notion all on his own.
“I highly doubt that.” she said, pushing her hair behind her ears bashfully. “I’ve yet to meet anyone who rivals me in how much they’ve read.”
“Well, you must know that I can’t promise I’ve actually read all of mine. I’m not entirely sure it would be humanly possible to. But I’ve read a fair amount.” He put the book back and looked at her. Now she was slightly curious. This would be the true testament to how much he read if he thought there was an amount someone couldn’t read in a lifetime.
“Okay, how many? I think my collections above 300.” she told him, leaning on the bookshelf next to them as she watched his reaction for any tells.
But he just grabbed another book off the shelf and didn’t look at her as he mumbled something.
“What was that?” Hermione smirked, was he messing with her? He repeated himself quietly, but Hermione knew she couldn’t possibly have heard him correctly. “Draco you have to speak up.” She teased.
“Er,” he looked around them, possibly for listeners before finally looking at her, and now it was him who seemed embarrassed. What had happened to his smirk from a minute ago? “Somewhere above 700,000 on my father’s side and 500,000 from my mother’s.”
Her jaw dropped. It actually dropped. As did her smirk. They were gone. In the wind. Out of her mind as she stared at him waiting for him to laugh at his own joke.
Because no.
A person couldn’t actually own that many books.
It wasn’t possible.
She didn’t even think there were that many books published in the English language.
But Draco didn’t laugh. In fact, Hermione was pretty sure he was blushing again as he scratched his neck.
“I know. It’s absurd. But I’m told it really did start out as a small collection, then someone decided to make it a competition with other houses and centuries later, here we are.” He shrugged.
“How?” she breathed, still shocked.
“Er, I don’t entirely know. It’s written somewhere in the library at our manor, but I imagine they just…bought them all.”
“No, how do they store all of that? I can’t imagine they can fit into a house, let alone a single building! I’m not even sure Buckingham Palace could fit that many!”
“Ah,” He grimaced, looking guilty as she watched him blindly pull another book off the shelf. Hermione was only more intrigued, “Well, Malfoy manor is rather large.”
“Your house is larger than the Royal Family’s?” she gaped; her eyebrows were probably in her hairline at this point.
“I’ve never actually been to the muggle palace. So I mean…who’s to say.” He said carefully, and Hermione just knew from looking at him that he could say. Even if he’d never been, he knew and it was definitely larger.
“How rich are you?” she said without thinking before face palming. “I’m sorry. Don’t answer that. That’s none of my business. I shouldn’t have even asked. I think you may have broken my filter.”
At that he paused and looked at her curiously, “Why? Do you have to filter a lot around me?”
“Just you know, so I don’t embarrass myself by asking how much money your family has or commenting on your literally perfect face.” She said, intending the second half as a joke but quickly realizing there wasn't much of a way for that to be a joke. Shite, her eyes went wide. “I didn’t say that.” She rushed out, afraid to look at him.
“What? Hermione no—” He straightened, but she could hear the laughter in his voice and knew she’d fucked up. Great, the one guy at school that she likes she just basically told she has a crush on him. Even if he’d been nice to her all week, no boy was nice enough not to mock you for that. Shite.
“No, it’s my fault. I shouldn't have.” She looked anywhere but at his face as she cut him off.
“Hermione—”
“Are you going to buy that?” she did it again, pointing at the book he’d been holding.
“What?” he asked, but she couldn’t look at his face so she grabbed it out of his hand without thinking.
“Here, I’ll pay for it.”
“But—”
“You should, um, you should go find Harry and Theo, I’ll meet you guys at the front.” And then she turned and started walking down the stairs.
“But, Hermione!” he said but she didn’t let him finish. She was practically running to the first floor, not even checking to see what book it was as she paid for it. She was too mortified. Here they’d been having the most wonderful time and she’d had to go and ruin it.
When she’d finished, she went to sit by the entrance with her purchase. Godric, you’re an idiot. He probably thought she was crazy now. That she was obsessed with him. He probably thought she’d started faking her fainting spells as a way to get his attention. Hermione was full on spiraling as she sat there waiting, the boys were taking a while. So to distract herself she looked in the paper bag, she was pretty sure Draco hadn’t even checked the title when he’d grabbed it. It was probably on something weird or obscure and she’d just spent a fairly large amount of money on it. She picked it up—ah yes, Martucian’s Magiks: Phillipe Martucian’s Theses on Ancient and Complex Memory Magic, just what Draco needed. She was sure he was justdying to have a 17th century guide to ‘everything one must understand beyond the obliviate’. Especially since he’d just told her he already owned basically every book in existence. This was stupid. She sighed, kicking herself for being irrational and stood.
“Hi,” she told the man at the counter when she approached.
“Hi, you’re back already?” he asked.
“Yes, but not to buy something new. Can I return this?” she asked, handing him the bag. He gave her a sympathetic smile.
“Didn’t like what you bought, Ms. Granger?” Godric Hermione, you’re on first name basis with the bookshop owner.
“No, I bought it for a friend, but I think it might have been a mistake.” She looked around and noticed there was another textbook sitting on the counter. “Is someone buying that?” she pointed to it.
“You want a book on modern herbology?” he raised a brow. No, but I did run off like an idiot saying I’d buy him a book, so I can't very well come back with nothing.
“Yes please.”
“Alright.” He handed her the book.
“What do I owe you?”
“Same price, hon. You’re all good.”
“Thank you.” She said, smiling tightly at him. When she turned around to go back to her seat by the door she saw the boys coming downstairs. “Ready?” she asked Harry, making every effort not to look at Draco.
“Er, yeah. Did you get everything you needed? You usually take more time.”
“Mhm. I’m good.”
“Er, alright.” He was looking at her funny and she worried Draco might have told him. Hermione just hugged the new book to her chest as she led the back out into the street. “Um, where should we go next?”
“I’ll go anywhere.” Theo said politely.
Harry nodded, “Yeah, me too. I don’t really need to buy anything else.”
“We could just walk, talk.” That voice came from a different. In fact it came from the very person Hermione was actively avoiding looking at but could practically feel staring at her. Talk. He wanted to talk. He wanted to talk to her probably and let her down easy. But Hermione didn’t want that, because whether or not she was ready to admit it she wasn’t really ready to get over the crush that had been forming on Draco so she needed to find an excuse. It came to her then in a building she could have sworn had not existed the last time she’d been there.
“NO.” she winced. “Er, I mean no, we can’t. I still have to umm…we can’t go back to the castle. We have to go in there.”
“Where?” Harry asked.
“There.” She pointed at the building.
“Hermione, what are you talking about?” He said and she was starting to worry, was he going to stop her? Make her talk? She didn’t want to talk.
“I’m talking about that Harry. The Apothecary.”
He looked at her, then at the apothecary before looking back at her, frowning. “Hermione what apothecary? There’s no apothecary in Hogsmeade.”
“That apothecary! You literally just looked at it.” she pointed to it again.
“Are you pointing at the burned…down…pub?” he asked, and Hermione huffed at him. What was he talking about? There was very clearly a brand-new apothecary three shops over.
“Harry, what are you talking about?”
“I’m trying to figure out what you’re talking about.” He said looking annoyed. “Don’t look at me like I’m an idiot Hermione, you’re literally pointing at a practically burnt building!"
“No I’m not!” she scoffed. What the hell was he on?
“Hermione,” he growled but Theo cut in.
“Not to interrupt or pick sides, but Hermione, you are. I’m not saying you're lying, but…that is a…burned down pub...”
What the hell? She shook her head at them in disbelief. Why were they lying? She was about to ask them as much when Draco cut in.
“I don't really know what game they’re playing at, Hermione, but...I’ll go with you.” He said and her eyes caught his immediately.
“What?” she asked.
“Draco,” Theo frowned.
“Theo, it’s just an apothecary and she’s asking to go. I don’t know why you two are playing tricks and lying to her.” He defended and Hermione’s heart lurched, crap that crush isn’t going to go away any time soon.
“We’re not playing tricks, Malfoy. And who the hell are you to tell her I’m lying to her?” Harry gritted, but Draco looked as frustrated as Hermione felt.
“Because you are, Harry!” She said. It wasn’t even about getting away from Draco at this point. She just didn’t understand why her best friend was lying to her.
“What the fuck? No I’m not!” he said throwing out his arms and Hermione almost wanted to believe him…except he was lying. There was clearly an apothecary behind them.
“Don’t shout at her.” Draco snapped and Hermione’s eyebrows flew up as he glared at Harry. “This is absurd andchildish. I don’t understand why you find this funny but it’s not. Now, Hermione and I are going to go to the fucking apothecary with or without you. I don’t actually care, but you do not get to shout at her.” And then he grabbed her hand and started walking.
There really was an apothecary. She could see it with her own eyes and it was beautiful and warm looking through the windows as they approached. “You can see this, right?” she said as they got closer.
“Of course.” He frowned at her. “I don’t know what those two were doing but it wasn’t right. Obviously I can see it, it’s here.” And then he released her hand as they climbed the stairs and he held the door open for her.
“Thank you.” She said softly, clutching the book and trying to forget about how badly she’d embarrassed herself in front of him before.
“Always.” He smiled as he followed her in.
And the door had just nearly closed when someone shouted “DRACO!” but it was so quick that Hermione knew she must have imagined it.
---- ---- ---- ----
The apothecary was warm and inviting as they stepped inside which was a nice reprieve from the autumn weather.
“Thank you,” Hermione told him, a nervous expression on her face. He knew what she was thinking about and all he wanted to do was ease her worries. She thought he had a perfect face? He thought she was perfect. Everything about her, she could break his heart a thousand times and Draco would still find her perfectly enchanting.
“Always.” He told her sincerely. For a moment it sounded like someone called his name, but he was too focused on the witch in front of him to care. That is, until he heart a giant clatter.
Immediately his head snapped up and looked around. The shop was empty, and, like he and Hermione had known it would be, it was practically brand new. Except it wasn’t empty because there was a man standing far across the room and staring at him.
“Er…hi.” He heard Hermione say, but Draco’s eyes were focused on the man. Something about him was…strange.
“Hi.” He said as he stepped forward and Draco could fully take him in. He was an average height, but shorter than Draco, and the man was skinny with long black hair and a worn face. Draco would place him somewhere in his upper thirties. He seemed uncomfortable though, like he hadn’t expected them to come in.
“Are we intruding?” Draco felt compelled to ask.
“What?” he frowned and shook his head awkwardly. “No, not at all. Not at all.”
“Right.” Draco nodded and took Hermione’s hand again.
Something about this man made him uncomfortable and he didn’t know why. But…it was an apothecary and certainly a nice one. And though Draco may have kept it to himself, he did have a certain affinity for potions so he was curious.
“Did you have something you wanted to get?” he looked down and asked Hermione. She looked up at him in surprise and, Salazar, he wanted to wipe away the furrow on her brow. He wanted to take away all her anxiety. To tell her how incredible she was, how brilliant, how beautiful, how if she thought her feelings were embarrassing, his were without a doubt far worse. But now wasn’t the time for that.
“No, I’m good. I just wanted to come in, I guess.” She shrugged and that too, was perfect.
“Do you mind if I have a look around?” he asked and she shook her head as they started walking.
“Incredible” someone breathed, and Draco froze as his eyes snapped to meet the man’s who was still watching them.
“Pardon?” he asked, though he’d definitely heard him correctly.
“Er, nothing.” The man shook his head and then walked up to a shelf and pulled a vile before approaching them. “Have you tried these? Attention Elixers, brilliant for studying.” He said, his eyes wide, watching Draco almost expectantly?
“No.” he answered carefully, discreetly stepping between him and Hermione.
But the man just took another step closer, so much so that Draco could see the color of his eyes now, bright blue.
“Hi, mate.” He said to Draco then, slowly and with almost a half grimace half smile.
Draco decided he was beginning to understand why the shop was empty.
“Good evening, sir. Do I know you?” he asked stiffly.
"Oh come off it. It may have been a while but I know I don't look that different." He smirked and Draco watched him closely, trying to remain poised.
"I'm sorry sir. It isn't my intention to offend, but I seem to have forgotten your name."
The man just stared at him. And then his face went slack. Draco took a step back, bringing Hermione behind him completely now.
“No.” he said and Draco was officially ready to leave. “No.” he repeated forcefully.
“Pardon?” he said, trying to understand what was happening.
“TheBastard.” He said to himself, his eyes going wild.
“Who?” Draco asked, taking another step back but not wanting to alert the man who appeared to be growing angry of their movements.
“Sir are you alright? Did we do something to upset you?” Hermione asked, but Draco thanked Merlin she wasn’t putting up a fight as he moved them closer to the door.
The man looked up again at that, his eyes soft on Hermione in a way Draco didn’t like. He dropped her hand slowly and began to reach for his wand. Before he could grab it though, the man spoke. “Never, Flower. Merlin knows you could never.”
Draco’s heart stopped beating. It was like it happened in slow motion.
He’d called her Flower. Which could only mean one thing. The second he’d said it Draco had known, they may not know this man but he knew who they were. And Emmeline had had two nicknames, one for just family and one for others…this stranger knew the wrong one.
He whirled around as fast as he could to tell Hermione to “RUN!”, but her expression was one of anguish and a second later she was falling. He desperately jumped to catch her and only had one thought before everything burned. Please don’t let them take her again.