You Gotta Love Her (Harry Potter Love Story)

The Leaky Cauldron

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up my aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"

Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"Excellent! What about you, Lyra?" Harry asked, hope rising in his chest.

"My godfather is letting me stay with the Weasley's before we go. He says that he'll see me tomorrow, but he wouldn't say why." Lyra said.

"Fantastic!" said Harry happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this," Ron said, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books-" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted three. And Lyra's tried to murder her, naturally."

Lyra shrugged and smiled. "I'm a lucky girl."

"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked. pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies-"

"So, in all, you're taking the 'Just a Few Reasons Why Hermione Has Gone Mad' class?" Lyra asked innocently. Hermione glared at her.

"What are you taking Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know everything about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the Wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Lyra, while Ron and Harry sniggered. Hermione ignored them.

"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice book?" Ron asked innocently.

"No, I don't think so," Hermione said composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig, Lyra's got Ophelia, and you've got Errol-"

"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."

Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry, who knew Diagon Alley very well by now. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

"Yeah....I suppose....Lyra, you wanna come?" Ron asked, picking Scabbers back up and placing him into his pocket again.

"Nah, I think I'll look around, maybe stop at the Quidditch Shop." Lyra said.

Lyra, who had been made a Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team in second year, was almost as obsessed with the sport as their Captain, Oliver Wood.

"I'll come." Harry said immediately.