Family Planning

Chapter Thirty-Six

“Draco! Are you ready to go?” Hermione asked Draco.

The couple was getting ready to go Christmas shopping together, since Christmas was fast approaching, and they wanted to get the shopping over with.  Hermione absolutely hated Christmas shopping when she was a child, but now that she was an adult; she enjoyed going out and figuring the perfect gift for someone.

Hermione already knew what she was going to get everyone, even Draco, who Pansy had said was the most difficult to shop for. One of the most difficult gifts to get was for Harry; she had collected and copied some pictures from Narcissa, Mrs. Parkinson, and Mrs. Weasley that featured his parents, along with Sirius and Remus. She knew that he had been flipping through the album Hagrid had given him a lot more recently, and she thought that he might want some new pictures. She had been surprised when Narcissa said she had a few pictures of Lily and herself, it turned out that they had been on good terms with each other, before the incident with Snape in Lily’s fourth year.

“I’m ready.” Draco replied, walking into the Manor’s front hall.

“Okay.” Hermione said.

The couple walked out the front door, and into the chilly English winter. Hand in hand, they glided to the Apparation point, and quickly apparated into Diagon Alley.

The Alley was crowded with last minute Christmas shoppers. They ran in and out of shops, pulling their children, or in some cases, husbands or wives, along with them. She saw a young boy pulling his parents towards Quality Quidditch Supplies, and she saw a middle aged man practically drooling at the new Nimbus broom.

“Do you want to do your separate shopping first, and then meet back here, in say, two hours?” Draco asked.

“Sure.” Hermione said, before smiling to him, and walking off.

She quickly made her purchases for the Weasley’s. For Ron, A new broom servicing kit, along with a gift card for Honeydukes.  She was giving Ginny a book on Deadly Potions, and a muggle make-up set. Fred and George would be receiving two day passes to Disneyland, since the two had been dying to see the muggle amusement park. For Percy, she got a gift card to Flourish and Blotts. Charlie would be getting a snow globe that had dragons flying around in it. The cool thing about it was that the dragon type changed whenever you shook the globe. If you tapped the centre of the globe with a wand, it would give information on the dragon. She got Bill and Fleur a set of Home Design magazines, since the family had just moved out of the cottage they were in, and into a larger house. She was sending a stuffed dragon along for Victoire. She got Molly a picture frame that had something that represented each member of her family on it. For example, there was a muggle television, for Arthur; a book, for Percy; and many brooms, and a miniature prank set. She had placed a picture of a young Molly with her family in it, the twins Gideon and Fabien were in the photo. Arthur was very simple to shop for, she went to a muggle electronics store, and bought him different coloured wires, along with a small CD player, with a few CD’s. It would keep Arthur’s appetite for muggle things satisfied for weeks.

She met Draco back at the beginning of the Alley after she finished buying a book on magical plants for Narcissa, and a small, delicate looking, silver watch for her too. She had gotten a few gift cards for the people on her list she wasn’t so sure about.

“Do you want to go shopping for the twins now?” Hermione asked, after pecking him on the cheek.

“Okay.” Draco replied, and enveloped her cold hand in his warm one.

  The couple walked hand in hand toward the Quidditch store. Hermione knew that there was absolutely no way that she could dissuade Draco from getting their children something from there. Draco walked to the Seekers section, and picked out a set of Snitches, a pair of dragonhide gloves, and a book on helpful charms for seekers, that were completely legal for use during a game, all for Lea. Hermione followed him as he went to the Chaser’s section, for Jake. He picked up an identical book to the one he got for Lea, except for Chasers, a set of waterproof, non slippery gloves, and two of the new mini, magical, WizTech Television for Quidditch. It looked much like a muggle iPad, but could be turned onto a holographic mode. There would be no new brooms, since they already had the newest ones.

After paying for the items, they walked to Flourish and Blotts, where Hermione bought a book called, The Beginners Guide to Poisons, and another book called, The Basic Healers’ Handbook. Hermione had noted it when Lea had asked her about poisons and their cures. They walked out with their purchases moments later.

“Is that all?” Draco asked after they stepped out of the store.

“I think that’s it,” Hermione said. “I didn’t finish all my shopping; you can go back to the Manor without me.”

“Are you sure?” Draco asked.

“Yes.” Hermione said slowly.

“I’ll see you later then.” Draco said, before walking away.

Once he was completely out of sight, Hermione apparated away, and landed in the American Magical equivalent to Diagon Alley. She stumbled, since she had just used her International Apparation Licence and Apparated overseas.

She walked into a small shop, with an unreadable sign.

“Hello.” Hermione said, walking to the counter, “My name is Hermione Granger, and I would like to speak to the owner. I have an appointment.”

The teenage witch behind the counter looked annoyed, but still called her boss.

“Ahh... I have your package waiting for you in the back.” The pudgy man said, before walking to the back room.

He returned a few moments later with a long, thin package in one hand and a smaller box in the other.

“It’ll be thirty nine galleons.” The man said, thrusting the packages at her.

Hermione handed him a pouch with the galleons in it, and shrunk the packages, then stuffed them in her pocket.  “Thank You.”

She disapparated as soon as she reached outside the store, back to Malfoy Manor, back to the Pre-Christmas festivities, back to her family.