What Does This Feeling Mean

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A/N: Sorry, can't help it! I like an aggressive Hermione!


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One - Shopping and a Meeting

The night went by in a blur, and before I knew it, the morning had arrived. I awoke, showered, and dressed in my favorite jeans, slim black gloves, and long sleeve low cut shirt. I separated my hair in three long braids, as usual, and tapped my hair with my wand. The braids danced and settled in a shape of a butterfly on the back of my head. Walking downstairs, I could smell waffles and bacon, and hear my mother laughing at my dad.

"Dad!" I screamed running to give him a hug. I rarely got to see him the entire summer with my extra work, and the ministry working him overtime with the strong return of the Dark Lord.

"Oh my goodness!" my dad laughed lifting me off my feet with his embrace. "It feels like I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Well, you haven't dad, we've both been so busy this passed year. How is everything at work?"

"Terrible," he replies rubbing his brow. "Death eaters are now coming out of the wood works, and we have everyone in a panic for answers. I help anywhere I can, but some of those demons don't let their minds known until it is too late. At least I can sense where most of the victim's final breaths were taken."

"Don't worry dad, as long as there is good in this world, it will end in the way it is supposed to. Love conquers all, right? Right." I smile, finishing my last bite. "Well, are you coming with me mom?"

My mother puts the last dish in the sink. "Yes sweety, go wait for me by the fireplace, I will be right there."

"Okay," I smile as I grab my coin purse and leave the kitchen.

***

"Jacob, have you felt him yet?"

"No dear, I check every minute of everyday. I haven't a clue if he's still around or not."

"Your grandmother took out his father in front of his eyes, and he has sworn revenge on our family. Jewel is not going to have anyone at Hogwarts to protect her the way we do. She looks just like.."

"Yes Julian I know. As long as she stays in Hogwarts, Dumbledore will not let anything happen to her. I'm scared that if she is anything like her great grandmother Cassie... it's not going to matter what anyone does."

***

"Mom!" I yell looking at the clock. "What's taking so long?" I asked as she finally rounded the corner from the kitchen.

"Just saying goodbye to your father dear, let's go."

I grabbed my floo powder and shortly arrived in the fireplace of my mother's store.

"Hello dear!" said a short lady who I instantly recognized. My mother's best friend Geraldine. They have both been working in this store since they were kids, and now run it together full time. "Where is your-" Poof "...mother."

My mom had finally came through the flames and quickly fixed her hair. "Hello Geri. Sorry I'm a little late."

"You're working today mom?" I asked knowing that she usually didn't work on the weekends.

"Just a little while dear," she responded, putting on a smock. "Make sure you stop by the Cauldron, your grandfather should be there to talk about Hogwarts. Bring everything you buy back here, and we'll take it home with us when your done."

"Okay mom. Bye Geri," I wave as I walk out of the fortune store.

This was the first time I actually could shop at Diagon Alley. The first time I ever came here was with my father to get my affects for my first year at the Divine. He raced me around the street grabbing everything I needed so quickly, that it still remains a blur to me. Why we were in such a hurry, I don't know, and if I ever came with my mom to help in her store, I wasn't allowed to leave. I never questioned it, but was now happy that I could finally do some shopping of my own.

Diagon Alley was full of witches and wizards shopping for this and that, and carrying on light conversations with each other between stops. I took a deep breath, concentrating my mind so I wouldn't hear the random thoughts of the wizard commune. I made my way to a small shop and bought some parchment in a variety of sizes, and started to make my way to Eeylops to find an owl. Halfway there, I was stopped by a girl followed by two boys close behind.

"You're Jewel Vablatsky right?" she asked shaking my hand frantically. She was a little shorter than myself, bushy brown hair, and a death grip on my hand.

"Yes, I am," I said with a light chuckle.

"Hermione Granger. Very nice to meet you," she smiled, finally letting go. She glanced at her side. "This is Ronald Weasley, and he is Harry Potter."

"Of course," I said, shaking both of their hands. "Ron, your mother comes into my families shop all the time. The Charm store down the street. My father calls them the gossip queens."

Ron laughed at that remark as I looked at Harry. "Yes, and you of course," I started looking into his brilliant green eyes. "I see the innocence in your heart and strength of your soul, the hope of the world."

He was taken aback by my comment when Hermione chimed in. "This is Professor Vablatsky's granddaughter, she's going to be teaching in his place for the first few months of school. She's in the family of Divination."

"Oh," Ron began, then whispered at Harry. "How the bloody hell does she know these things?"

Harry shrugged and smiled at me. "Are you already brown nosing the new professor Hermione?" he asked Hermione as seriously as he could muster.

"No," she hissed through clenched teeth, her hair swinging with her as she stares down Harry. She turns back to me. "Are you going to be staying at Hogwarts for the year?"

"Yes, I am, and I'm looking forward to it!" I replied feeling slight butterflies from my excitement.

"That's great!" she smiles and then suddenly looks at me seriously. "Your nothing like Professor Trelawney, are you?"

"Trelawney... Oh with the crystal balls and cross readings. No, I do more one on one self discovery teaching. She's a good friend of the family's, but no, I'm not as um... convinced that everybody has the sight like she does."

I saw a look of relief grow on her face, and I had to laugh at that. Before we got another word in, we were suddenly interrupted.

"Don't they clean the trash on these streets?"

I peered over Ron's shoulder as we all looked at a lightly pale young man with cold gray eyes and white blond hair. He wore an evil smirk on his face while approaching our group.

"Malfoy, I know you don't want a bloody nose. You need to shut up and mind your own business," Hermione growled as Ron jumped in front of her, reasoning that he wasn't worth it. All the while I stayed on his eyes. So cold.

"What are you looking at?" Malfoy snipped in a mean tone.

I continued to stare into his eyes, which began to make him twitch in nervousness.

"I'm looking at... Draco," I toned as I fed from what he was giving me. "A very handsome face, but... such a cold heart. Closed to everyone." I stopped myself, not wanting to dig any deeper. Draco continued to stand there slightly confused by the answer he had just gotten.

"Well, we're going to go Jewel, hope to see you on the train," Hermione smiles as she throws a smirk of her own at the silent blond still standing there. I hear Ron as they walk away saying, "He still hasn't said anything!"

Before I can turn back, another voice approached.

"Draco, what are you... oh, and who is this?" A taller version of Draco now came to stand before me. He had longer, whiter hair, but the same cold eyes. "Lucius Malfoy," he says while taking my hand. I see him study my face and stop at my eyes. "And you are?"

"Jewel Vablatsky," I reply studying him as well.

Lucius jumped slightly as I told him my name. "My, a Vablatsky. Are we going to Hogwarts?"

"Yes," I reply slowly, realizing that he had just closed his mind completely.

"Very good. Been some years since your family has attended. Do... enjoy yourself," he finishes with a kiss on my gloved hand that he had been holding. "Come Draco."

Lucius started to walk away, and Draco finally turned to join him. I took a few steps away when I felt him. I turned around to see Draco looking at me from the next shop they stopped at. Raising an eyebrow, I waved and continued walking the opposite way to get my owl.

The shop was full of beautiful owls of every type and color you could imagine. I grinned from ear to ear as I studied each bird starting from the door. Such magnificent creatures. One owl happened to catch my eye. A gorgeous bird with black feathers that shown colors of blue and green in the light. The owl had stopped cleaning itself to put its light green eyes on mine. Then it winked at me.

"Alrighty then." I said happily taking it and its cage to the counter to pay. He was a male bird, and was soon named Mystic.

I made my way to the fortune shop and dropped off all of my belongings before I made my way to the Leaky Cauldron. The streets were beginning to thin out as I arrived. I walked in and found my grandfather sitting, taking in a drink.

We sat, ate, and discussed lesson plans. He also took down a list of anything I thought I might like for the classroom. and gave me a letter from Hogwarts before I left to go get my mom. She helped me gather my things, and soon we were back at home.

"Doesn't sound like your father's here," my mom noticed as we walked into the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"No, grandpa and I ate at the Cauldron."

"Okay, well go get ready for tomorrow. You already packed the robes you need to take right?" she asked looking slightly concerned.

"Yes I did, thanks mom," I said kissing her cheek. I grabbed Mystic and everything else and retired up to my room.

I finished packing in no time. After changing, and feeding my owl, I opened the letter from Hogwarts. It was from Professor McGonagall. She had listed Dumbledore's rules for the new year, the point system, the four houses, and my schedule for teaching. She says she'll have a student schedule for me once she knows what house I am sorted in, and tells me if I needed anything, even when I am there, to let her know.

I packed the letter with the rest of my things, said goodnight to Mystic, and laid my head down to sleep.

"Those three were nice." I said to myself, finally taking in my day. "I hope I see them on the train." I closed my eyes, and saw those cold, yet beautiful eyes of Draco's. The hell? I asked myself as I tried to close them again. Lucius' eyes now came into my Sight, and I sat up. He's a follower. Lucius is a death eater. My mind shifted from my discovery. I paused for a moment. I guess I needed to know that. I yawned and laid back down. I resisted thinking about the Malfoy's until I finally drifted to sleep.


TBC...