AT FLOURISH AND BLOTTS
presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering
slightly under their weight, he managed to make his way out of the
limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next
to her new cauldron.
“You have these,” Harry mumbled to her, tipping the books into
the cauldron. “I’ll buy my own —”
“Bet you loved that, didn’t you, Potter?” said a voice Harry had
no trouble recognizing. He straightened up and found himself
face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, who was wearing his usual sneer.
“Famous Harry Potter,” said Malfoy. “Can’t even go into a book-
shop without making the front page.”
“Leave him alone, he didn’t want all that!” said Ginny. It was the
first time she had spoken in front of Harry. She was glaring at Mal-
foy.
“Potter, you’ve got yourself a girlfriend !” drawled Malfoy. Ginny
went scarlet as Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both
clutching stacks of Lockhart’s books.
“Oh, it’s you,” said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were some-
thing unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. “Bet you’re surprised to see
Harry here, eh?”
“Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley,” retorted
Malfoy. “I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay
for all those.”
Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into the caul-
dron, too, and started toward Malfoy, but Harry and Hermione
grabbed the back of his jacket.
“Ron!” said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George.
“What are you doing? It’s too crowded in here, let’s go outside.”
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