First Impressions
Chapter Three: First Impressions
Thoughts || “Dialogue” || Letters
Hermione had never hated being the oldest of her year-mates until now - when she was forced to spend almost an entire year stuck with just the books she purchased during her first trip to Diagon Alley.
Ever the bookworm, Hermione had read all of those books within the first two months of having them. It would have taken her less time if not for also having to read her normal books while around normal people at school.
She probably would have died from boredom and insatiable curiosity if not for her ongoing correspondence with Theodore Nott Jr. She just had so many questions about everything, and her parents were no help at all. They were even trying to dissuade her from attending Hogwarts in the first place! Telling her how magic is fake and she doesn’t have these secret abilities, as if she hadn’t already managed to wandlessly float her books above her head, or conjure a harmless little blue flame in the palm of her hand.
She was curious and terrified of meeting Nott’s childhood friends - curious because the Greengrass sisters were the daughters of the author Eleanor Greengrass, who wrote The Etiquette Compendium - A Collection of Lessons from Throughout the Ages, and terrified that, despite already having good manners and posture, she would forget everything, act like a farm animal, and make a fool of herself to those with any modicum of influence.
Beyond the boredom of muggle school - because it instantly became boring once Hermione found out about Hogwarts - Hermione’s almost year of waiting also helped cement the idea of permanently integrating herself into the magical world at the earliest opportunity. The reason? Her parents. Specifically her mother, but if her father was unwilling to defend his only child and daughter then he was just as worthless as the one who gave Hermione life.
On the first day of July, Hermione received a letter in the post made from the same thick, waxy parchment on which her acceptance letter was written. Excited, and a little apprehensive, Hermione quickly tore open the envelope, only to feel the burn of disappointment behind her eyes as she read the contents of the letter.
Just a bloody reminder that I get to leave this place in September and not come back until June. As if I’d forgotten.
Sighing, she trudged up the stairs to her bedroom, feeling restless from anticipation of what was coming. The calendar above Hermione’s desk still read June, which was easily fixed by flipping the page up. July 31st was circled half a dozen times as a reminder of when Hermione was planning to visit the Alley again. Her parents would be in Newcastle for a few days due to a dentistry conference, and Hermione would finally have the freedom to return to the magical world.
Hermione quickly scrawled a note to remind herself to check in with Nott the next time he wrote to her, confirming their plans to meet somewhere in the Alley on that same day. She needn’t have left the note, for not ten minutes later Nott’s barn owl, named Thaddeus, swooped in Hermione’s open window, dropping the letter on her desk before perching on one of the bedposts at the foot of her bed.
“Hello Thaddeus, I was just thinking of you,” Hermione greeted, opening the letter that was dropped for her.
Granger,
You would Not(t) believe our luck! Draco has just informed me that his father told him that their family will be shopping for supplies at Diagon on the 31st of July as well! I hope you haven’t forgotten our deal, and if you have this shall serve as a reminder: We are meeting at the Third Hand Book Emporium in the Alley on the 31st of July to buy you some supplementary reading material.
Now I’m not familiar with every shop that's in Diagon Alley, but if I remember correctly “The Alley '' often refers to Knockturn Alley, or at least it does when my father says it. You might need to find Draco and, if you can't find the shop in Diagon Alley, ask for an escort because Knockturn Alley is dangerous for even adult wizards, let alone a literal untrained muggleborn girl. I’m sure I’ve told you what he looks like before, but just to remind you - he’s pompous, and arrogant in a way that makes him think he’s indestructible and looks almost exactly like his father because of his hair. If his hair was curly like his mother’s ancestors he’d be her copy with curly blonde hair, but people are fickle like that.
Theodore Nott Jr
Heir of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Nott
P.S. Just realized I didn’t actually tell you what Draco looks like so here goes: white-blonde hair that he's gotten in the habit of slicking back with gel (we all think he looks stupid but his father told him to do that so we can’t change his mind), he has grey eyes, and generally looks very aristocratic.
Laughing quietly to herself at the pun, the hastily scrawled postscript note, and the irony of the two of them being on the same page despite the distance, Hermione quickly wrote her response.
Nott,
If you can believe this, I left myself a note to remind you about meeting in London just ten minutes before dear Thaddeus landed on my bedpost. I assume you got that useless reminder of a letter from Hogwarts? I thought it was going to be something actually interesting or new, like a few books for background reading for anyone who lacks the relevant upbringing, like myself. But no, it's just a stupid reminder that I get to leave this house for nearly 10 months each year. I’m not sure how prepared I would have been if we hadn’t met last year and I’m so very thankful to you for helping me rather than turning up your nose.
I appreciate the description of your friend, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for him as well as yourself while I wander through Diagon Alley.
Are you sure about the basilisk hide and the gold trimmings for my school trunk, though? It seems a bit… excessive. Saying that, however, I think I will get the add-on compartments with the magical extensions, just to be sure I won’t run out of room anytime soon. I plan on getting a lot of books and potions seems the easiest to practice for (preparing ingredients mostly, I don’t want to do something wrong while brewing and blow up my house and get thrown in prison for being the cause).
Hermione Jean Granger
Hermione ended her letter with her flourishing signature, having spent most of her time practising how to write with a quill and ink.
“Thaddeus, would you like to send this off now, or would you like to rest for a little bit? I can see if I have any bacon as well,” Hermione turned to face the barn owl, who hooted somewhat indignantly before extending his leg for the letter to be attached to. Nodding, Hermione did her best to secure her response and Thaddeus knocked his head against her arm, taking off back out the window he came in from.
The remainder of the month passed similarly, with Hermione exchanging letters with Nott regularly (not quite daily but nearly). She did remember to ask how one gets to Diagon Alley through non-magical means, to which he told her that there's a pub called the Leaky Cauldron somewhere on Charing Cross Road. Non-magical folk are unable to see it due to some charms or wards or whatever that are placed on the Alley itself to keep it safe and hidden.
I just need to find a pub that nobody knows exists. That’s easy enough, I suppose.
It was not easy at all.
Hermione spent ages wandering up and down Charing Cross Road, staring at every storefront and passersby before she finally found the mostly ignored, dingy pub tucked away on a side street off the main road. Muttering to herself about inaccurate directions, she opened the door to reveal a very lively and bustling pub.
I swear Nott said that the pub was quiet and peaceful. This is definitely not(t) quiet or peaceful.
Skirting around the edge of the main dining area, Hermione picked up bits of conversation that piqued her interest.
“He was here! The-Boy-Who-Lived! He shook my hand, twice!”
“Only because you jumped the queue twice.”
“Did you hear he remembered me?! I bowed to him at a shop and he said he remembered!”
“I can’t believe it, he’s really back. The-Boy-Who-Lived!”
Amongst the fawning, somebody was grumbling about having missed seeing him by only fifteen minutes while their companion sympathetically patted their arm as Hermione finally made her way up to the bar.
“Pardon me, sir?” Hermione spoke up as she approached the barkeep.
“Yes?” His voice was gruff and unwelcoming.
“Do you know how to get into Diagon Alley?”
He huffed and threw the towel that had previously been slung over his shoulder down onto the countertop.
“Follow me, then.”
Hermione tightened her hold on the straps of her rucksack and followed the bartender out of the pub through the back door into a walled-off courtyard.
“Now, watch closely, coz I won’t be repeating myself. Once you get yerself a wand, you’ll be able to do this as well. You start at the bin. Count three up, then two across, and tap this brick three times.”
Hermione did as instructed and watched so closely she almost forgot to pay attention. The plain brick wall soon transformed itself into a simple archway, leading into Diagon Alley, which was much more exciting during the day than at dusk.
“Thank you, sir,” Hermione said, stepping through the archway and into Diagon Alley.
"Mind yourself out there.”
Hermione stepped through the archway and grinned. She was here, back where she belonged. If only she didn’t have to go home for another month after today. Hermione sighed at that last thought.
Mentally recalling the long list of supplies she still needed to purchase, Hermione made her way down the Alley to Gringotts Bank. She had a coin purse to pick up.
Walking through the two sets of double doors to enter the bank was less frightening than she remembered. Was it because it was daytime? Or perhaps because she’d already met a few goblins? Hermione wasn’t completely sure.
“I’d like to enter my vault.”
“And who are you?”
“Hermione Granger.”
“And does Miss Granger have her key?”
“Yep.” Hermione pulled out an old brass key hanging from a chain under her coat.
“Very well, follow me.”
Hermione waited until the goblin had left the teller stand before following. The pair walked through vaguely familiar stone walls until they reached the caverns that held the Gringotts Vaults.
Rather than hopping on the rail cart, the goblin led them down a short, downward-sloping tunnel where they stopped at a large door. A door which was soon unlocked and opened to reveal a massive amount of golden galleons. Roughly 1,800G, if Hermione’s calculations were correct. Ignoring the gold, Hermione swiped a rather ordinary-looking coin purse and stuffed it in her (muggle) rucksack.
“Thank you, this was all I needed to fetch,” Hermione smiled sweetly at her escort. The goblin ‘hmphed’ and led her back into the atrium, where she was handed back her vault key.
“Have a good day!” She called, waving on her way out the door.
With the worry of funds now off her shoulders, Hermione practically skipped her way down the Alley, towards Mr W’s shop. She had a filled-out order form to deliver.
Luckily for Hermione, the shop had no other customers when she entered and called out for Mr W.
“Mr W! Are you here?”
“Hello, child! Welcome back! Do you have an order for me to fill?”
“I do,” Hermione said, grinning.
During her rummage to find the filled-out trunk order form, Hermione missed the tinkle of the bell to signal the door opening again. She pulled out the order form from within her rucksack with a triumphant shout.
"Ah hah! I found it. I've decided on a multi-compartmental trunk. The first compartment I would like to be a standard single compartment, with an extension charm for more storage. I would also like an extended library compartment, with at least three, rotating, display shelves, an extended potions compartment, and an extended wardrobe compartment. The trunk itself I would like enchanted for extra durability, weightlessness, shrink and un-shrink ability, and password protected, with a black basilisk hide exterior and gold trimmings. If basilisk hide is unavailable, I would like the sturdiest dragon hide you have available, please." Hermione recited, having meticulously gone through every detail about her trunk with Theodore Nott via owl-post.
Mr. Wiseacre had been writing down Hermione’s request on his own parchment, nodding periodically.
“Allow me to read this back to you, Miss Granger.” He cleared his throat. Hermione's eyes widened with pleasant surprise at the fact Mr. Wiseacre remembered her name. “Four compartments total; an expanded standard compartment, an expanded library compartment, an expanded wardrobe compartment, and an expanded potions compartment - each with their own standard enchantments, of course. For the entire trunk itself, you want added durability, featherweight, shrinking and unshrinking, and password protection, with a basilisk exterior and gold-plated stainless steel detailing. Anything else?”
“No, thank you. Do you know how long it will take? And how much it’ll cost?”
“Let me see… what’s the time now? Quarter past 10? It’ll be done by midday. As for the cost… your standard trunk with permanent featherweight and a temporary shrinking charm with dragon-hide and stainless steel was 150G… the expanded standard trunk with permanent feather-weight, shrinking/unshrinking, password protection, basilisk hide and gold plated steel will be 300. Each basic additional compartment is 50G, and expansions cost an additional 25G, which brings your total to..."
Hermione watched Mr. W do the mental calculations. Why does it look so painful? 300 for the expanded standard compartment. 150 for the three added compartments. That’s 450, plus the 25 each for the three expansions is another 75 bringing my total to...
“It’ll be 525 Galleons total.”
Nodding, Hermione concentrated on the correct amount of gold. She felt the coin purse fill up and then dumped it onto the counter.
“I’ll come back after lunch, Mr. W.”
“I’ll be expecting you.”
Hermione strode out onto the cobbled street, debating on what she’d go for first.
I need more books… more ink, quills, and parchment… my uniform… my wand, and maybe a pet. Robes will probably take the longest… might as well start there. Now, where’s that shop…
Hermione spent more time than necessary trying to find the robe shop. The reason? The sign with the shop name was blocked by a man who was definitely too big to be only human. Hermione gently pushed open the door to Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions after manoeuvring around said man. The bell at the top of the door tinkled.
A boy turned to look at the front of the store and when he locked eyes with Hermione for only a moment, it felt like time had slowed. His eyes were grey, like the sky before a storm, sharp and intelligent and the kind you could get lost in, not that Hermione did. His perfectly gelled back hair was so blond it was almost white, and he smirked at her with all the arrogance of a young prince who knew exactly what he was, and that he’d eventually rule a kingdom.
I'd bet my new trunk that he's Draco Malfoy*
The boy glanced behind Hermione, the moment between them breaking when he spotted the extremely tall man who stood outside.
“I say, look at that man!” He shouted, motioning energetically towards the window next to the door, eyes widening a fraction.
“That’s Hagrid,” The other boy replied. This one had a mop of messy, somewhat curly, raven-black hair, and the brightest green eyes Hermione had ever seen staring out from behind broken glasses, with cheekbones and jaw that were too sharp for any normal child, and too-large clothes that drowned his small frame.
“He works at Hogwarts.”
Hermione walked towards the two, having seen a woman taking measurements of the raven-haired boy, and waited patiently for one of them to be finished. The woman looked up and saw Hermione waiting and offered a gentle smile, which Hermione returned.
“Hogwarts, dear?” asked the woman. Hermione nodded, then noticed the blond boy watching her.
The darker-haired boy took no further notice of Hermione.
“Yes ma’am,” Hermione verbalised. Hermione speaking seemed to break the blond boy’s trance.
“Oh, I’ve heard of him.” The blond boy said, turning his head to face the dark-haired boy. “He’s a sort of… servant, isn’t he?”
“He’s the gamekeeper,” the second boy sounded increasingly irritated with every statement the blonde boy made about the giant of a man outside.
“Yes, exactly, he’s a sort of savage beast. Lives in a hut in the Forbidden Forest and gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed,” the blond boy said.
Hermione snorted, quickly turning it into a cough, which drew the attention of both boys. Blushing, Hermione decided to voice her own opinion.
“Wouldn’t it be quite difficult to control magic while drunk? I’m sure that isn’t completely his fault. Although he shouldn’t be getting drunk around children anyways…” she commented. The blond boy nodded seriously and motioned towards her.
“Yes, see. Exactly. What sort of person with any sort of responsibility gets drunk around children?”
“Well I think he’s brilliant,” said the dark-haired boy in a tight voice.
“Do you?” the blond boy sneered slightly, “Why is he with you then? Where are your parents?”
“They’re dead.” The dark-haired boy’s tone was clipped. Hermione felt embarrassed for the blond boy - which was good, seeing as he didn’t seem to regret his comment.
“Oh. Sorry. But they were our kind weren’t they?” the blond boy apologised unapologetically.
“They were a witch and wizard if that’s what you mean.”
“I really don’t think they should let the other sort in, do you? They’re just not the same, they’ve never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get their letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in old wizarding families. What’s your family name anyway?” The blond boy asked, but before the dark-haired boy could respond, Madam Malkin told him she was finished and that he could leave. Hermione took the darker-haired boy’s place on the platform.
‘The other sort’ what a load of rot. I’m one of the ‘other sort’ but I’ve made friends with Theodore Nott and I’m trying to learn the magical culture. Although… I definitely need to get those books that Nott recommended. And go to that third-hand bookshop he mentioned that sold rarer books than Flourish and Blotts.
Hermione, being lost in thought regarding her status in the magical world, didn’t notice the long side-glance look the blond boy gave her.
“What about you? What’s your surname?” He snapped, pulling Hermione from her thoughts.
“Granger,” Hermione replied automatically.
Her answer was met with silence. After a far too prolonged silence, however, Hermione turned and looked at the boy. He was staring intently at her, eyebrows furrowed slightly in concentration.
“Are you related to that famous Dagworth-Granger bloke?”
“Hector Dagworth-Granger?”
The blond boy nodded exactly once.
“I dunno. Theodore Nott asked me the same thing when I met him the first time.”
That made the boy react far more outwardly than he had before.
“You’ve met Theo?!”
“Yeah, I ran into him in Flourish and Blotts when Professor McGonagall brought me here last September after I got my acceptance letter. Are you Draco Malfoy?”
Before he could answer, the door opened to reveal a man who was clearly this boy’s father. He had the same white-blonde hair that was pulled back the same as his son’s, but instead of it being gelled, it was tied by a strip of leather at the base of his neck. The man’s eyes were bluer than his son’s however, and he had a sharpness in his expression that scared Hermione.
“Draco! Haven’t you finished yet?”
“Not yet, Father. And yes, I am.” The boy, whom Hermione had previously, correctly, guessed to be Draco Malfoy, had turned to face her when he replied.
“Nott's mentioned you loads of times in the letters we’ve exchanged since September. And I have a list of books he recommends I buy so I don’t enter Hogwarts completely clueless.”
“Nott? As in Theodore Nott Sr and Jr?” Draco Malfoy’s father inquired, crossing his hands on top of the cane Hermione hadn’t noticed until that exact moment.
“Yes, sir. Are you familiar with them?” Hermione answered politely.
“My grandfather went to school with Theo’s father, Lord Nott, and Theo is one of my best mates,” Draco butted in, earning himself a stern look from his father.
“Don’t interrupt, Draco. It’s unbecoming.”
Draco looked sullen, and withdrew into himself a tad before replying with a soft, “Yes, Father.”
Hermione stayed silent, feeling slightly uncomfortable witnessing the interaction between father and son.
“What is your name, child?” inquired Mr Malfoy, turning to face Hermione.
“Hermione Granger, sir.”
“Granger… Granger… Where do I recall that name… ah yes. Are you descended from Hector Dagworth-Granger by any chance?”
“As far as I know both of my parents are non-magical, but Nott said that his father told him that Gringotts Bank can do an inheritance test for a small fee. I was thinking I might ask them to accompany me so I make sure to ask for the right thing and don’t get overcharged. I’m supposed to be meeting Nott and his father at the Third-Hand Book Emporium around midday.”
“Father, isn’t that in Knocturn? She can’t go alone, it isn’t safe.” Draco looked up at his father, head cocked ever so slightly in question.
“Yes, you’re right, Draco. Terrible things could happen and we can’t have that. Very well, Miss Granger. If you would like, my family and I can escort you around Diagon while we do our shopping, and then to your meeting with Lord Nott and his son.” Mr Malfoy turned to Madam Malkin with a sneer. “Now then, aren’t they finished being measured yet? We do have other places to be, after all.”
“Yes sir, just finished now. Standard Hogwarts set for both?”
“Madam, we are Malfoys. We can do better than Standard.”
“Very well sir, two Premium Hogwarts sets. They’ll be ready for pick-up around midday.”
“Hold them until we pick them up, it won’t be until well after midday.”
“Yes sir.”
Hermione was impressed with how Lord Malfoy controlled the conversation and got exactly what he wanted without actually asking for it.
“Draco, your mother is waiting for us at Ollivander’s. After we get your wands, I will escort you to the Third-Hand Book Emporium while your mother gathers your required texts from Flourish and Blotts. Miss Granger, would you care to join us for luncheon after our business is finished?”
“Oh! Yes sir, if it isn’t a bother.” Hermione replied, taken aback by the invitation.
“If it were a bother I wouldn’t have asked, do well to remember that Miss Granger.”
“Yes, sir.”
Lord Malfoy led the two children through the Alley down towards the renowned wand shop Ollivander’s.
"Lucius, Draco. Who is this?" A soft voice spoke as the trio approached the run-down shop. She was quite tall and slender with long blonde hair, a few shades darker than her husband and son's white blonde, pulled into a bun and away from her regal face, and striking grey eyes.
Draco's mum
"Narcissa, love, it seems we have identified Young Theodore's newest pen-pal." Lord Malfoy answered just as softly. It was almost tender, if not for the iciness in both of their tones.
The woman focused her gaze on Hermione, who felt suddenly as if her worthiness was being called into question.
Now or never, I suppose
"Lady Malfoy, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Hermione Granger." Hermione said, curtseying slightly. Surprise entered the eyes of the Lord and Lady, which Hermione took as a success.
"Aren't you just darling, Hermione." The iciness had melted slightly in Lady Malfoy's demeanour. Lord Malfoy took the moment to open the door to the shop and held it open while Draco, Hermione, and Lady Malfoy entered, with Lord Malfoy drawing the rear.
If one based their expectations of Ollivander's solely on the exterior of the shop, they would be pleasantly surprised upon entering. Despite the lack of room for manoeuvrability, the walls were lined with shelves filled to the brim with small rectangular boxes. More boxes lay around the room, whether scattered on the counter or in stacks lining the floor. A singular chair sat near the door, which Lady Malfoy took command of, while Lord Malfoy stood between the chair and the door.
Hermione took a few cautious steps forward, looking to Draco for support.
"Hello?" She called.
"Hello!" Came the loud reply, making the children jump.
An elderly man emerged from the back room, looking as eccentric as you would expect a magic wand crafter to be.
"Aha! I've been wondering when you would come to my shop Young Master Malfoy." Mr Ollivander turned his gaze to Hermione. "You, however, have an unfamiliar air about you. Fresh blood, entering our world for the first time?"
"Yes sir. My name is Hermione Granger." Hermione replied politely.
"Granger, you say? I have just the wand for you!" He said excitedly, abandoning the counter in search of the wand.
That statement surprised Hermione.
I really need to get that inheritance test done. Everyone seems to know something I don't.
Mr Ollivander returned to the counter with three boxes. Placing them in a row, he removed the lid from each box and gestured to Hermione to take hold of the first one.
"Apple and dragon heartstring, 12 and a quarter inches, unyielding. Give it a wave." He instructed.
Hermione glanced at the Malfoys, suddenly nervous. Unsure what else to do, she flicked her wrist, only for a vase of flowers placed behind the counter to explode.
"No! No, all wrong. That's alright, try the next one." Mr Ollivander said with a flick of his own wand, instantly repairing the vase.
Hermione placed the apple wood wand back into its box and picked up the next one.
"Fir and unicorn tail-hair, 11 and a half inches, somewhat flexible." Mr Ollivander explained, again gesturing for Hermione to wave it.
She flicked her wrist again, only for the three wand boxes on the counter to fly off of it, and a fourth wand box to come flying from one of the top shelves lining the walls.
"How curious. Very well. I'll take that wand back if you try this new wand. I daresay this one might just be yours."
"Y-yes sir," Hermione said, handing the wand back to the wand-maker. She removed the lid from the new box, revealing a wand made from a light-coloured wood with vine carvings decorating it from base to tip.
"Vinewood, Dragon heart-string, 10 and three-quarter inches, unyielding."
Hermione felt a rush of energy course through her when she picked up this wand and grinned at Draco. Waving it, a flock of small yellow birds erupted from the tip of the wand.
"Excellent! Well done indeed!" Mr Ollivander cheered, while the Malfoys clapped politely. "You have a grand future ahead of you, Miss Granger."
"My turn!" Draco said, somewhat impatiently, as he stepped up to the counter.
"Oh yes, Young Malfoy, we can't forget about you. Now, your mother favours a holly, while your father favours elm, both with dragon heart-string. Let's start with the last wand Miss Granger didn't try, and we'll move on from there." Mr Ollivander said, retrieving the wand Hermione didn't try, then placing the box in front of Draco. He picked it up gingerly in his right hand and gave it a wave. The same vase of flowers exploded instantly, and more violently than when Hermione broke it.
"Elm and dragon heart-string, 12 and three-quarter inches, moderately flexible. Not quite right, not quite right." Ollivander placed the wand back into its box, and reshelved the three wands he had pulled for Hermione, muttering to himself the entire time.
The wand-maker returned with two more boxes, placing them on the counter and removing the lids, gesturing for Draco to try the next one.
"Rowan and unicorn hair, 11 and a half inches, unyielding." He said while Draco once again flicked his wrist, only for the wand to jet itself from his grasp, clattering to the floor.
"Hmmm. Very tricky, Young Malfoy, very tricky indeed. Try the last wand."
Looking somewhat dejected, Draco placed the rowan wand back in its box and picked up the last one. His face split into a wide grin, looking at Hermione and his parents excitedly.
"Hawthorn, unicorn hair, 10 inches, moderately flexible." Mr Ollivander said while a jet of green and silver sparks appeared in the air around Draco.
"Lots of talent in your son, Lord and Lady Malfoy. He'll make you proud, he will." Mr. Ollivander said.
"Indeed." Lord Malfoy replied with a smirk. "How much for the wands, did you say?"
"The wands are 7 Galleons each, Lord Malfoy."
"Excellent. They'll have an arm holster each as well."
"As expected, of course. Your total will be 24 Galleons today."
Lord Malfoy deposited the amount onto the countertop, while Mr Ollivander retrieved two more boxes from beneath, placing both on the counter and taking the money.
"Pleasure doing business, Ollivander. Come, children." Lord Malfoy said, holding out a hand for his wife to take while he helped her stand, before holding the door open for them all to leave the shop.
Lord Malfoy pulled out a pocket watch from inside his robes.
"Just in time for our meeting with the Notts." Turning to Lady Malfoy, he spoke softly, "Cissa, love, would you be a dear and purchase the children's potion supplies and stationery while I escort them to the Book Emporium? We'll return for our mid-day meal."
"Of course, dear." Lady Malfoy replied just as softly before kissing his cheek and turning to speak to Draco. "Draco, remember your manners, you're escorting a young lady today."
"Yes, Mother," Draco replied, immediately offering Hermione his arm. Hermione accepted it, blushing slightly.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"There's nothing to thank me for, Granger," Draco replied with a cheeky smirk.
"Very well. Come, children." Lord Malfoy stated, leading the way to the Third-Hand Book Emporium, in Knockturn Alley.
The contrast between the light, cheerful, bustling Diagon Alley and the grimy, run-down, dark Knockturn Alley was astounding. A shiver ran its way up Hermione's spine, causing her to tighten her hold on Draco's arm. The children exchanged an uncertain look with one another and hurried their pace to stay as close to the Malfoy patriarch as possible. They strolled past numerous shops and a handful of what looked to be pubs until Hermione caught sight of two familiar figures standing outside what must have been the bookshop.
"Lucius Malfoy, what a surprise." Theo's father said once the trio stopped.
"Theodoros. Shall we?"
The men grasped each other's forearms briefly in greeting before Theo's father held the door open for the rest of the group to enter the shop.
Hermione breathed in deeply upon entering. As much as she enjoyed the smell of new books, there was something tantalizing about the scent of old books that she loved just that much more. Theo pulled out three sheets of folded-up parchment from his pockets. Handing one to Lucius and another to his father, Theo looked to Hermione and Draco.
"Our dads will probably find most of these books before we do, but if we stick together we'll be fine. They can take care of themselves." He said in explanation. "If that's acceptable with you Father, and you, Lucius."
"That is acceptable, under one condition. Do not under any circumstances leave this shop without the both of us." Lord Malfoy replied, with Theo's father nodding in agreement.
"Seconded." The older of the two gentlemen said, before glancing at the parchment in his hand. "Do we all have the same list, or did you divide it between the three parchments?"
"The books on our list are on both of yours, but I split up the books I imagine will be hard for us to find between the both of you."
"Excellent. We shall meet at the tills with our spoils."
"That is a well-thought-out plan of action, Theo. Well done." Lord Malfoy said, giving Theo a nod of approval.
"Theo, come on, let's go look for these books." Draco piped up, clearly impatient.
"Right you are, Drake. Follow me!" Theo led the way through the shelves towards the very centre of the shop. "I've been here often enough with Father that I have the general layout memorised, so most of the books we need to find are in the middle sections, while my father will be on the western side of the shop, and Draco's father will be on the eastern."
Hermione spent more time wandering the shelves and grabbing books that caught her interest than she did following the list that Nott had made. That was fine, of course, because Draco and Theo were more than capable of grabbing the books on the list. Occasionally, some of the random books Hermione grabbed were actually on the list already. Their book search took the better part of half an hour, and the three children met up with the two patriarchs at the tills. Hermione spent nearly 400 galleons on all of the books.
The noon-time meal followed soon after the books were purchased. The two men led the three children back into Diagon Alley, to a somewhat hidden restaurant where Narcissa was waiting, already sitting at the circular table loaded with afternoon tea.
"Cissy." Lord Malfoy greeted, kissing the back of his wife's hand, and then her cheek, and taking a seat to her right.
"Narcissa, how lovely to see you again." Lord Nott said, kissing Narcissa on the cheek briefly, before taking his seat next to Lord Malfoy.
"Lucius, Theodoros. I hope the children behaved themselves." She replied, glancing over Hermione, Draco, and Theo discerningly.
"Of course, Mother," Draco answered, kissing his mother on both cheeks before taking the empty seat next to her. Theo answered similarly, also kissing Narcissa on the cheek. Hermione, feeling slightly awkward and out of place, simply curtseyed before answering,
"Nott had a very good plan of action and we were able to gather all the books I could ever need quite quickly, Lady Malfoy."
She then sat in the only empty chair remaining, between Theo and Draco, across from Lucius. Between the adults asking Hermione questions about her life in the muggle world, what her parents do, if she's travelled anywhere outside of London and speculating what Hogwarts is going to be like with Draco and Theo, the group luncheon passed very quickly. Lord Malfoy paid for the entire group's meal, and the two families went their separate ways. Lucius led the way back to Madam Malkin's robe shop to pick up Hermione and Draco's uniforms, and then the Malfoy family accompanied Hermione to Mr. Wiseacre's shop for her to retrieve the custom trunk she ordered.
Hermione resolved to properly organise her trunk once she returned home, and the Malfoys said their goodbyes in the Leaky Cauldron.
"You're not as bad as I was expecting, Granger," Draco said, offering his hand to Hermione.
"Neither are you, Malfoy. Will you send me any letters between now and Hogwarts?" Hermione replied, taking his hand in her own, thinking he wanted a handshake. To her surprise, Draco turned her hand and kissed the back of it, smirking.
"I suppose you'll have to wait and see."
"I suppose I will. I'll keep an eye out for you on the train, regardless."
"Should be easy, I'm hard to miss."
With that exchange, the Malfoys walked towards the massive stone fireplace, and Hermione turned to walk to the only separating the muggle world from the magic they only dream about. It was only when Hermione was about to fall asleep for the night, that she forgot to ask any of the adults to accompany her to Gringotts for the inheritance test.