Hermione took a deep breath as she stepped inside the brightly store. Pharmacies had once been a familiar staple in her life, and now the place felt as distant as an alien world. The shelves were filled with items that at one time had seemed very important and life- sustaining were oddly obselete, and this category included anything that ran off batteries or electricity.

With great purpose she strode foward to the aisle marked "cold medicine" and began to peruse the shelves.

"Can I help you miss?" A friendly voice asked.

"No thanks, I'm alright." She straightened and gave a small smile to the muggle teen who had greeted her.

His brow furrowed slight, "You look familiar..." He said, studying her closely. Hermione's hand inched toward her wand. She knew it was wrong to use her magic against a muggle but... "Did you go to Halls Secondary School?" He asked brightly.

Hermione relaxed, "No, sorry, I'm not from around here." She moved a few steps away from the boy and he seemed to decide to leave well enough alone.

She made several selections off the shelf, grinning to herself slightly as she thought about what Ron's reaction might be to these strange devices and potions.

**********************************

Harry coughed again and wiped at the sheen of sweat on his forehead, "Is she here yet?" He asked.

"No mate, not yet." Ron was pacing anxiously in front of the tent's entrance.

"Right..." Harry sank back into the saggy pillows and coughed again.

"How are you feeling mate?"

"Lousy," Harry said and sniffed, then he coughed again.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?" Ron offered.

"I'm fine," Harry said. He knew Ron resented having to take care of him like this. As if it wasn't bad enough that he was out here in the woods with Harry, aimlessly searching for... Well, they weren't even sure what they were searching for, but now Harry had to go and get sick on top of it all.

Harry was also quite certain that Ron himself had never been seriously ill with something like a muggle flu and so he didn't quite understand the symptoms that Harry was experiencing. Like the aches in every muscle, the headache that pounded at his temples every time he so much as blinked, and the fever that had him sweating with heat one moment, and then shivering with cold the next. Add that to the fact that he couldn't even sit up without the room going into a dangerous spin...

"When's Hermione getting back?" Ron asked.

"I don't know..." Harry said, wishing Ron, if he couldn't be helpful, at least be quiet.

"Do you think she's okay?"

"I don't know..."

"Considering it's your silly muggle illness that has her out there, I'd think you'd show a little more concern for her!" Ron said.

"Of course I'm concerned!" Harry said, as loudly as he could and sitting bolt upright in bed, which of course brought on a fresh fit of coughing.

"Easy mate... Sorry..." Ron backed off, as he watched Harry's body convulse and his shoulders heave. When the coughing subsided, Harry fell backwards into the blankets and gently massaged his temples as if there was any hope of getting rid of the pain that had lodged itself there. He groaned slightly in discomfort and discontent.

*****************************

"Is that all?" The cashier asked, she was young, maybe the same age as Hermione, but her face was care free.

"Yes," Hermione said curtly. She was starting to feel a little anxious. A small old man wearing baggy blue trousers and an oversized bright green trench coat was looking at her curiously and kept glancing down at the paper he held in his hand. Hermione glanced over, and was certain for a moment that one of the pictures moved. It's just your imagination, it's making you jumpy she muttered to herself.

"I beg your pardon?" The cashier asked.

"Uh... Nothing..." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man was still peering at her, then he slowly unfolded the newspaper, and Hermione stared in horror as Rita Skeeter winked at her. She didn't wait a moment longer, she threw some cash onto the counter and grabbed the bags and raced out.

"Miss your change!" She heard the girl yell out behind her. She didn't wait. She ran as fast as she could, her heart racing then she ducked into an alleyway and apparated.