"Mrs. Weasley, I found Harry!"
Leaving Knockturn Alley, Hermione and Harry entered Diagon Alley and immediately spotted the Weasley family stopping passersby to ask questions. Hermione called out to them.
"Oh, thank goodness! I thought little Hermione had ended up in the wrong place too."
Molly patted her chest, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
"Where did you go?" Ron asked Harry.
"Knockturn Alley," Harry said.
Hermione had already told him about the place.
At Harry's answer, Molly gasped. "You went into Knockturn Alley all by yourself to find Harry?"
Before Hermione could reply, Molly pulled her into a hug and gently stroked her back.
"Good heavens, you went to a place like that without even waiting for us! What if a little girl like you had gotten hurt? My poor little sweetheart, you must have been terrified."
Harry and Ron: "..."
Hermione, terrified... Neither of them could picture it.
And a little sweetheart? Did that description fit her in any way whatsoever?
Borgin and Burkes might have a slightly different opinion on that... thought Harry, who had watched Hermione rob the crooks from start to finish.
But Molly seemed to see Hermione's cute face through some sort of rose-colored filter. No matter how impressive her magic or how spectacular her victories, Molly always thought of her as a harmless little girl.
After fussing over Hermione for quite a while, Molly finally released her, and they headed to Flourish and Blotts.
On the way, Hermione noticed that Floo Powder had left Ginny's little face covered in soot, so she took out a handkerchief.
"Aguamenti!"
Water flowed from the tip of her wand. After wetting the handkerchief, Hermione began wiping Ginny's face.
Ginny jumped, but obediently let her do it. Soon, her face was clean again.
"Much better. You looked like