I'll See Through You, Your Pale Blue Eyes

I was sitting at a picnic table in front of a deserted store when Harry finally met me. I wasn't necessarily hiding from him, but I wasn't going to willingly look for him, and I wasn't expecting him to look for me. If he wanted to just leave me and go back to his friends, I would understand that, (and want that) and go back to meet Draco at Madame Malkins.
But, of course, Harry had shown up, sitting down right beside me after twenty minutes. We sat in silence for a few seconds when neither of us could speak.

"Adie," he finally said, "I'm sorry for what Ron said."

"I'm sorry for what I did," I responded, "I honestly didn't know that something like that would happen."

"You've never done something like that before?" he asked in disbelief.

"I haven't," I promised.

We both sat quietly as the wind blew old Daily Prophets around the little dining area. The day had gotten cooler, despite the fact it was still August.

After another few minutes of silence, Harry checked the watch on his wrist. "Well, I don't want to waste my time with you trying to figure you out when I obviously never will."

"Thank you," I said softly, running a hand across the table to his. "I appreciate it."

"So, come on Cinderella, I want you to meet some people."

I turned and faced him. "Cinderella?" I questioned. I knew the story of Cinderella, but I could tell how it related to me.

"You only have an hour. Cinderella had to be back at midnight," he said, standing up and walking down the alley.

I smiled and walked beside him. I accepted the hand he offered and followed him to a large joke shop. It had a large red headed man above the door, moving so it was taking a hat on and off its head, making a rabbit appear and disappear.

"This is the Weasley's –"

I made a face and cut him off. "As in the kid I just assaulted?"

He smirked, "No, his brother's. Don't worry, Adie. They're nice."

I nodded and followed him into the store. After opening the door, a pleasant smell of toffee and spices met us. "Wow," I mumbled, looking around. There were many stories, and each had rows and rows of merchandise.

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing. The owners are only eighteen, if you can believe it."

"Hmm. It looks nice."

"Yeah, pretty good for blood traitors," I heard from behind me. I turned and saw two men with identical features, down to the height and red fiery hair.

I blushed and bowed my head to look at my shoes. "It's not my fault it's what my people call you." I clasped a hand over my mouth, not realizing how bad it sounded. "I mean, I don't mean to call you that."

They both laughed identical laughs and shrugged. "So, you're living with Malfoy?" one said, a smirk on his face.

"I am," I said, "How do you know that?"

"Ron," the other said. "He was furious."

I shrugged. "So was I. He deserved it," I mumbled.

Both laughed again, and then showed us some of the magical creations they had made, like Peruvian Blackness Powder and Proof-reading Quills.

After touring the shop and meeting several of their friends from Hogwarts, (none of which were friends of Draco's) Harry checked his wristwatch and frowned. "That went fast."

"It's been an hour already? Wow."

"I know. We better head back or else Malfoy's gonna kill me."

I shook my head. "Either way, you'll at least get insulted."

"He's all talk."

"Not really. I know you're all awesome and mighty and such, but he throws a mean right hook when someone messes with his stuff."

He scoffed. "I'm not messing with his stuff though."

"What do you think I am?" I asked, looking at him as we turned down the block the robe shop was on. "I'm his and only his, Harry."

"You're serious?"

I nodded and saw Draco sitting on the curb in front of the store. "He's my best friend. I care about him more than anything. And no one can talk to me without his permission. He's more protective than my father," I said, not thinking about my last sentence.

He stopped. "Hang on; I thought you said your dad died."

I stopped walking as well and bit my lip. "I thought he did, but it was some weird thing. I have to go," I said, starting to walk to Draco.

"Why'd you lie?"

"I can tell you later, okay? Just not now."

He sighed and nodded. "I'll see you at school."

I smiled at him and gave him a hug. "I really will tell you the truth soon."

He nodded and started walking back, not looking at me as I waved goodbye. After he was out of sight, I turned to Draco and smiled. "Well there goes an hour of my life I'll never get back," I smiled, hugging Draco.

He smiled and nodded. "That git needs to learn his place."

"Yeah, yeah," I said. "So, you need to go to Borgin and Burkes, and then we can go home?"

"Yeah. I just have to look at the cabinet, and then I'll be done."

"What is the cabinet for? I know that there's one at Hogwarts and one here, but what happens?"

He sighed and said, "It's a vanishing cabinet. He wants to send death eaters into Hogwarts by the end of the year."

"After you kill Dumbledore?"

He made a face, thinking I meant the statement as a cold insult, but nodded tersely. "I just want to get it over with, and hopefully with no contact with him."

"Hogwarts can't know it was you."

"Figured that out on your own?" he asked sarcastically.

I pouted. "Well it's obvious I won't get into Ravenclaw."

He smiled. "Like you wonder what you'll be in."

"As long as it's not Hufflepuff." I said, noticing the sign for Borgin and Burkes. It was creepily dark, even more so than the Alley. Inside, there were bunches of weird items, like mummy sarcophaguses, Hands of Glory and cursed furniture.

One of the owners (I never could keep them straight.) came to the door as he heard us enter and smiled widely at me. "Miss Riddle, oh my dear," he said, practically bowing at my feet. The perks of being the daughter of such a powerful wizard were few, but the fame was definitely one of them. "Take anything your beautiful little heart desires."

I nodded graciously, but kept my distance from him. "I'm fine," I said, following Draco back to the back storage room.

Fenrir Greyback was sitting in the storage room, along with Bellatrix Lestrange, who were both arguing with each other. Narcissa was trying to ignore them, by the looks of it and was reading the Daily Prophet. As Draco walked in, the room stopped and looked at him. He shrugged his shoulders and walked to a large black cabinet and kneeled in front of it, examining the woodwork.

Everyone seemed to be watching his every move, as if the very existence of their lives depended on his actions. He continued looking, checking the inside, outside, and all around, looking for the reason it wasn't working.

After a few minutes, I grew bored of watching Draco and looked out the window into the eerie Alley. My eyes widened as I saw none other than the Golden Trio on a roof, peeking into the shop. I politely excused myself and walked out to confront them.