Wandering the cramped aisles of the store, some of the anxiety that pestered Hermione on a daily basis began to lessen. Maybe seeing the happy, smiling faces outside helped her to feel the tiniest bit of optimism about the future. Wouldn't it be nice to feel like a normal person without so many worries and concerns for once? It was almost enough of an incentive to seek out her favorite potion in a dark shop in Knockturn Alley. Almost. She knew that would only be a false serenity, over as soon as the potion wore off to be replaced only by self-loathing.