RP: Buying Books

[rar_hermione]

Date: Wednesday, September 11, 1999
Characters: Hermione Granger, Anyone Else
Location: Flourish & Blotts
Status: Public
Summary: Hermione browses the bookshop
Completion: InComplete

Comments

[rar_shelby]

Shelby was excited. Smiling, even. She had gotten the letter asking her to join the staff at Daily Prophet. As the Junior Copy Editor. She'd immediately gone to the landlord in Hogsmeade and reserved her flat. Her very own flat

[rar_hermione]

She was browsing a new-to-her book on wizarding England during the Victorian times when someone bumped into her. She glanced up and recognized the girl who had apologized, but she couldn't think of a name. Ravenclaw. Luna's year, if she remembered correctly. It had been too many years since she had been a prefect, obviously, because she could longer place names to faces quickly.

"It's fine. I should have been paying more attention," she said with a smile. At the question, she considered it. "Perhaps. I've never seen the book before, so it might turn out to be fascinating. I'm debating whether or not I want to buy it to find out." Sheila? Shelly? No. "Shelby, isn't it?"

[rar_shelby]

Shelby was a little taken aback by how friendly she seemed. Maybe it was just the divisions at Hogwarts that made it difficult to see people as anything other than their house, though Hermione had always been the one who never quite fit the mental mold of what Shelby perceived of Gryffindors. "Yes. Shelby Fawcett." She held out her hand to shake, manners ingrained from years of tea parties. "And you're Hermione Granger."

She looked around. "Is there anything you would recommend?" It had been so long since she'd bought a book new, she didn't know where to start.

[rar_hermione]

Fawcett. That was it. Hermione nodded and stored the name to go with the face, just in case she ran into Shelby some other time. "Yes, I am," she said, reaching out to shake the offered hand.

"What are you looking for?" she asked. "I've been looking at the section on magical history, but it might not be appealing to everyone. I could possibly make some suggestions if I knew what topics interested you, though." She held up the one she had been browsing. "This is one I'm considering buying, but I've read some interesting new texts in Charms and Ancient Runes recently, for instance."

[rar_shelby]

Shelby considered for a moment. "Well, it's not unappealing, but I was thinking more along the lines of Muggle Studies. What all have you read in Charms?" She was curious, it being more practical to study up on Charms than Ancient Runes, as much as she loved the coursework.

[rar_hermione]

"Muggle Studies?" She pursed her looks and considered. In all honesty, she didn't read very many Muggle Studies texts. Growing up Muggle meant that she already knew most of the material covered. She had scanned several to determine what the magical world was being told about Muggles, of course, but that was about it.

"Honestly, the best way to learn about Muggles is to go into the Muggle world," she said. "The books they have in their shops are better than the majority of things I've skimmed in our world. Many of the Muggle Studies texts are outdated or treat Muggles as if they're wild animals, which isn't appropriate. There might be one or two general books that aren't so bad, though, if you'd like me to find them."

She smiled. "I've read a lot in Charms. I could go through the section and find a couple of favorites for you to browse, if you'd like. I'm finished with work, so I'm just killing time in the bookshop before I go home."

[rar_shelby]

Shelby considered. She wasn't terribly adventurous, especially when she'd had to work hard to get past the notion of how odd muggles were, but she would try going into their world. Maybe. She would prefer to go with someone who knew what they were doing, but other than maybe Wayne, she didn't know anyone who would be willing to go with her and make sure she didn't make too big a fool of herself. She nodded at Hermione's words, and said, "It's alright. They're probably the same texts as we used in Muggle Studies."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude." She backpedalled, years of forced polite behavior becoming habit as she tried to extricate herself. "I just know you're probably the most avid reader outside of Ravenclaw I know of, and probably the only person here who would have some good suggestions based on logic, rather than personal opinion."

[rar_hermione]

"Did you take a NEWT for Muggle Studies?" she asked curiously. "If you're interested in Muggles, my advice would be to just walk out the door of the Leaky Cauldron and experience London. You can observe if you're not confident yet to interact, and you'll be able to see many things that might interest you for further research."

She shook her head. "You're not intruding. If I were on a schedule, I'd have already let you know. I don't mind discussing books or trying to help someone find something to read." She didn't mind providing suggestions based on logic, since she did usually analyze non-fiction based on that more than personal enjoyment. Fiction, on the other hand, was more difficult because she often either liked something or didn't, even if it wasn't a logical reason.

[rar_shelby]

Shelby nodded. It was as much to annoy her parents as genuine interest, but she'd done well on it. "Is it really that easy to blend in with them? I mean..." She fumbled. "My upbringing was a bit strict and, well, limited where Muggles are concerned."

"Thank you." Shelby gave a small smile. "I was just hired at The Daily Prophet, so I was thinking some charms both of a household nature, and some that are of particular use in the office would be worth studying." She didn't know if Hermione knew of anything along those lines, but it didn't hurt to ask.