From Dreams to Reality

Chapter 5_______________________________________________________________

Over the next week, Draco became a lot better. He no longer needed to take any of the Pain-easing Potion and most of his bruises were beginning to fade. He and Hermione were being quite "civil" during their long hours together. Though, they still argued quite a lot over the smallest of things. They had received their Hogwarts letters and Dumbledore (to their great relief) had granted them permission to visit Diagon Alley to get all their needed supplies with the exception that they were careful. Hermione, to her great delight, had also received a note informing of her of being the new Head Girl - Harry being Head Boy (which also brought a smile to her face).

So, after a heated argument about her fireplace not being hooked up to the Floo Network, Hermione and Draco were sitting silently on a train as it made its way towards London. Draco kept casting her annoyed glances and kept muttering snide comments under his breath.

"Draco, what is your problem?" Hermione asked irritably, finally having enough.

"If you have to know, Granger," Draco replied with a sneer. "I don't like trains. They're way to bumpy for my liking and I hate it when they lurch."

"Well I'm so sorry, Malfoy, for putting you through this misery," Hermione said spitefully, throwing him a dark look.

Draco looked up at her and fixed her with a glare, which she returned. They sat there like this for several moments, before Hermione gave up and looked away out the window, allowing her features to relax. She stood up to get her bag, which sat under an empty chair about a metre to her left, only to have the train give a great lurch and she went falling into Draco, who, in instinct, caught her around the middle.

Hermione stared into his grey eyes and found herself transfixed by them. The colour seemed to swirl around them and they looked so deep, so endless as they stared into her own. She was aware of how close they were, as his hands absently rested on her hips to steady her. Draco felt an odd sensation run through his whole body at the feel of her and he strangely wanted her to stay there, even if he didn't understand why...

The movement of the train pulling into King Cross station caused them both to come back to rational senses. Hermione's cheeks went a bright shade of red and abruptly pulled away, both confused and embarrassed by their little "moment".

Together, they got off the train, avoiding each other's eye, and looked around. About two minutes of awkward silence passed as they just stood there, until Hermione decided to speak. "I told you it wouldn't take long to get here," she said to Draco, casting him a small sideways glance.

Draco ignored her comment and started to lead the way out into the busy Muggle street and towards the Leaky Cauldron pub. His thoughts hadn't left the train yet, however. His mind was transfixed on the odd feelings he had felt when she had been as close as she was. When he thought of it, he scowled at himself. In normal circumstances, she would've been out of his grip in a second, and yet, he had held on and she had stayed there! It didn't seem right, or even possible.

His thoughts came to halt when he reached the entrance of the grim-looking pub and entered its stuffy attire. The bar man Tom gave him a small wave, before turning back to a surly-looking man nearby. Hermione stood behind him in the shadows, waiting for him to lead the way to the courtyard and enter Diagon Alley.

Draco cautiously looked around the dark pub, before heading though, out into the small, square courtyard outside, Hermione close behind him. He took out his wand and started tapping the required bricks with it, before stepping back to watch the bricks magically move to the side, revealing the entrance to the brilliant-looking alley. They stepped through and Hermione absolutely beamed. She loved every little part of Diagon Alley, from its cobble-stoned path to its many shops.

Together, Hermione and Draco headed through the groups of many people towards Gringotts bank, where they were to be collecting their money for their shopping ahead. Hermione looked happily around at the shops surrounding them, while Draco cast careful glances at the people, who pleasantly shopped or excitedly shared their buys with friends.

Reaching the towering, white marble building of Gringotts, they headed through the door, into the cavernous and brightly-lit room, filled with its many goblins sitting behind the high counters. They headed over to an unoccupied goblin.

Hermione took a stack of pound notes out of her pocket and placed it on the counter. "I'd like to get this exchanged in wizard money, please," she said nervously, cowering slightly under the goblin's stare.

"We also need to be taken down to Mr. Draco Malfoy's vault," Draco added, placing his tiny vault key on the counter beside the money.

The goblin nodded and set to work. Several minutes later, Hermione had been given a large amount of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts to fill her bag and they were being led down into the deep, underground vaults by an extremely short goblin. They worked their way deeper and deeper underground by a mine cart that was very much like a roller coaster ride, until they reached Draco's vault. Hermione let out a shocked gasp as the door of the vault creaked open, to reveal hundreds upon thousands of gold, silver and bronze coins. She knew the Malfoys were rich, but she had never believed that Draco would have this amount of money in only his possession.

A bumpy cart ride later, Hermione and Draco found themselves heading out onto the front steps of Gringotts, their bags heavy with money. They were about to head off to get their required books when a voice rang out over the crowd of people.

"Hermione!" called the familiar voice of Ron Weasley as he ran towards her with Harry close behind. "Hermione, why didn't you tell us you were coming today? We would've met up with you earlier." He, along with Harry, suddenly became aware of Draco standing beside her.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" they asked at the same time, each with a sneer on their faces.

"That is none of your business, Potter - Weasley," Draco sneered in reply.

Both Harry and Ron looked at Hermione quizzically, who sighed. "It's a long story," she said. "Perhaps we should go and get a sundae and I'll tell you." Harry and Ron cast Draco with dark look. "Yes, he is coming. He has to come." She glanced at Draco, who looked slightly sulky.

"I don't see why they have to know," he muttered to himself as they headed off to Florean Fortescues Ice-cream Parlour, where they each bought a sundae and sat down outside at a shady table. Harry and Ron kept looking at Draco and Hermione with suspicious looks on their faces, causing Hermione to sigh agitatedly.

"I've got a fair idea as to what you two are thinking and you're wrong," Hermione said. "Malfoy turned up near my house a little over a week ago and was extremely injured and hurt. He looked terrible and I had reasons to take him in and help him. Reasons I don't really want to go into because you'd think I were crazy..."

"Hermione, we won't think you're crazy," Harry assured her.

Hermione looked back and forward from Harry to Ron several times before replying in a low voice. "Before he turned up, I had a - I had a dream. I know it sounds crazy, but I saw him getting punished terribly by his father. You might think it was a coincidence, but it was exactly the same and a couple of days after it, I had another dream. Have either of you heard about Narcissa Malfoy - Draco's mother - being killed?"

Both Harry and Ron nodded and cast Draco a look unlike their previous. "We heard," Ron said. "Stories about it all have been in the Daily Prophet since the night it happened."

Hermione nodded. "I saw her getting killed, Ron. I saw everything Lucius Malfoy did to her."

"How is this possible, Hermione?" asked Harry. "How can you have this sort of power? You don't believe in anything to do with Divination and yet, you're having ... visions."

"I don't understand it either, Harry," Hermione replied. "All I do truly know is that it's happening, but it's no help because it doesn't give me any time to do anything about it."

"Have you informed Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

"Of course she has, Potter," Draco said bitingly. "She had to inform him of me being there at her house for one."

"He didn't say much about it," Hermione said honestly. "He was more concerned about Draco's well-being."

Each of them had finished their sundaes and, after Hermione informed Harry and Ron that she and Draco had to go get their books, they set off for Flourish and Blotts - the book store. Harry walked along beside Hermione, leaving Ron and Draco to an insult-throwing session as they walked slightly ahead of them.

"Hermione," Harry said nervously. "Malfoy hasn't done anything to you has he? I mean, you can't just suddenly trust him..."

"Harry, to be honest, he's been OK," Hermione said, shrugging. "Sure, we still bicker a lot, as usual, but that event in the forest and me helping him like I have been seems to have changed the way he is around me. He seemed to have developed a bit of respect for me."

"He was looking at you in a way that meant something more than just respect before, Hermione," Harry said, throwing her a sideways glance.

"Harry, I promise you that there is definitely nothing like that, going on. This is Malfoy we're talking about!" Hermione said in a tone that showed she felt that very idea was absurd. Her mind, however, had turned back to the train and how they had been staring into each other's eyes and she wasn't sure if she was telling the total truth.

"So there's nothing -" Harry said, breaking her train of thought.

"No," Hermione assured firmly.

They had reached Flourish and Blotts now and they went silent. Draco and Hermione approached the man at the counter and handed him their lists of needed books. The man silently headed off to get the books and Harry pulled Hermione to the side. Draco cast each of them with a suspicious look.

"Hermione," Harry said quietly. "I've been wanting to talk to you for a while now and -" He took a deep, yet nervous breath. "I was wondering if you would -"

"Hey, Harry!" called Ron from the other side the room. "It's the new version of Quidditch Through the Ages!"

Harry turned and gave him a cold look, causing him to go quiet. "I'll have a look in a minute, Ron," he said, before turning back to Hermione, who was waiting patiently for what he had to say. "Hermione," he said, his voice going quiet once more. "I was wondering if you would go out with me, like, be my girlfriend?" His cheeks went slightly pink and he looked away.

It took a moment for the question to penetrate fully into her mind, but when it had, she was suddenly unsure. For months she had wanted him to ask her that question, but now he had she wasn't all that certain about it.

"Harry," she said after a moment, "I like you a lot, don't get me wrong, but I think I need a little time to think about it. I'm just not sure if it would be right - you're my best friend. I honestly don't want to ruin that."

Harry nodded in understanding, but Hermione suddenly wished she'd actually accepted. Who was she kidding? She liked Harry so much. She wanted to be his girlfriend and have him as a boyfriend and yet, she had just said she "needed time"?

"Harry," she said, grabbing his arm as he went to turn away. "Can you perhaps ask me again once school starts. I need time to think over the idea. I do like you a lot, Harry," she assured him seriously.

Harry nodded. He truly did understand. She had said the same thing to Ron when he'd asked her out and she'd ended up accepting in the end. He just hoped she would say yes to him as well ... even if it did take a little time.

The man had returned with their books and was handing them to Draco in two separate bags. Hermione headed over and took the bag Draco was holding out to her, before leading the way to the door and outside.

"Where do you two need to go next, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"I need new robes. My other ones are slightly short now," Hermione replied. "Then I have to go to the Apothecary to refill my Potions ingredients kit."

"I have to get new robes, too," said Harry, as they started towards Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions.

After going through the process of having robes fitted to their size, the four of them, with Draco looking both very bored and annoyed, headed off to the Apothecary for their Potions equipment. After refilling their kits, they went off to look in the other shops along the alleyway. Hermione, being the book addict she is, bought a couple of extra books, while Harry bought everyone but Draco a butterbeer at the Leaky Cauldron, before they all decided it was time to head on home.

The train ride back to Hermione's house was a silent one. Hermione kept apologising to Draco about basically ditching him on their little shopping trip, but Draco said nothing until they reached the house and had entered the living room.

"What did Potter ask you in Flourish and Blotts?" he asked roughly.

Hermione looked at him strangely. "I don't see how that's any of your business, Malfoy," she replied, heading into the kitchen.

Draco followed. "He asked you out, didn't he?"

"As a matter of fact, he did, but I didn't say yes," Hermione answered, not looking at him.

"You said no?" Draco said, having slight trouble believing it.

"No," Hermione said, "I told him I needed to think about it."

"I thought you liked him?"

"I do, I just don't know if it would be right of me to say yes. What about our friendship? I mean, I don't want to ruin that," Hermione said.

Draco just walked away. He didn't know why he was questioning her like that. Maybe it was because he had been feeling strange around her since the train ride to London - something that occurred as strange in Draco's mind.