A Turn For The Better (Completed)

Part 3

I found the other three looking at brooms in the window of The Broom Shop. The Weasley family had been awarded a few thousand galleons due to the trauma they had gone through, so this allowed each of them to buy all new school supplies and a new broom each. Ron had never had a brand new broom before, and he was asking Harry's opinion on what brand or model was best. Ginny and I left them to it and decided to go and get some ice cream. I hadn't had much of a chance to talk to Ginny all summer, owl mail was slow and my parents and I had travelled ourselves to New York.

"How have you been Ginny?" I asked her. "I haven't been too bad really," she replied, "I'm holding up alright. But poor George is lost without him. They literally done everything together. Mum and Dad are coping, Dad's gone back to work today, Mum's trying to find a course to keep her occupied." "Oh poor George, I felt so terrible going off on holidays with Mum and Dad while you were all going through such a hard time." "Don't be feeling bad Hermione, we are mostly doing fine plus we were out in Romania too, George will come round. He is already talking about re opening Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes." "I know, but I just wish I could have been there for you all." "Hermione you needed that time with your parents, they matter just as much as we do. In fact Mum and Dad would like it if you and your parents could join us for dinner this week? I know you are spending the rest of the holidays with us, but do you think your parents would come?" "Oh I'm sure they would be delighted, I'll give them a call later and inform them" I replied with a smile.

Ginny and I decided to sit outside the ice cream parlour as it was a beautiful sunny afternoon. Diagon Alley was packed full of students with their worried looking parents buying their new school supplies. Every now and then a student would come up and offer Ginny their condolences over Fred, which although was a kind gesture, bothered Ginny. I could see that she felt uncomfortable having this said to her, she would probably never get used to it.

Harry and Ron joined us just then, both carrying identical packages. "We both got new brooms", Ron said. "Identical too", said Harry. "Well are you going to show us or make us guess?", Ginny laughed. The boys unwrapped the packaging to display their new purchases. They had both gotten the new Firebolt, which was apparently the fastest broom on the planet. They were both extremely eager to get back to The Burrow to test them out. But we still hadn't gotten all of our school supplies yet.

We all needed new robes, so next we hit Madam Malkins Robe Shop. Ron had grown a further five inches since he last purchased robes as did Harry, Ginny by three inches and I hadn't stretched at all, so while the three of them were being measured up, I decided to visit the pet store. I really wanted to surprise Harry with his new school pet. I knew he wasn't feeling up to going and picking one himself after what had happened to Hedwig. But he still needed an owl. I entered Eeylops and started looking at the owls. I was only there about five minutes when I felt someone tapping my shoulder. I turned and saw Malfoy, standing there smiling at me.

I felt confused. Why was Malfoy smiling at me? Why was he in the same place as me? Was he following me? And why was I feeling odd around him? He moved closer to me, and I felt my pulse race faster. I was usually repulsed by this boy. But at that moment I didn't feel repulsed.  He moved closer still. Did he feel this way too? I didn't have time to think about that anymore as the next thing I knew he had kissed me.