The 6th year had finally reared it's ugly head. Hermione heaved her trunk up the station platform as she looked around for Harry and Ron. It had been a hectic enough day as it was. She had been brought all the way from Herefordshire near the Welsh borders to the busy heart of Metropolitan England. What was more she was about to make an even bigger leap back into the Wizarding world. A thousand things to do flicked through her mind. She had the prefects meeting to attend almost as soon as she arrived, she had yet to study all of her new school books and then there was the matter of Viktor and the letters she had to write. Suddenly her cloak was pulled over her eyes and her prefects badge tingled as a charm bounced off it's shiny surface.

"Hey!" She whirled round looking for the culprit, there was no one to be seen. Muffled sniggers by her ear gave it away and an expression of eternal patience clouded her face.

"Alright, Harry , Ron it was very funny you can come out now.

Ron's flaming red hair emerged out of thin air followed by a pair of bright brown eyes.

"Hi Hermione, how's it going? Had a nice summer?"

"You're turning into another lot of Fred and George's" She reprimanded but she smiled nonetheless, it was good to be back.

A loud whistle announced the imminent departure of the Hogwarts Express. Mrs Weasley bustled over and gave them all hugs. Ron went pink and tried to squirm out of it.

"Now you three, no more heroics this year. I don't think I could take it."

She pecked Ron on the cheek just as they boarded the train. The doors slammed shut and they were once more on their way back to School. There was a definite tension in the air this year. Several Professors accompanied the students and more parents had been present than ever before.

"I bet Malfoy is loving all this," grumbled Harry, "he's probably spent the summer being initiated or something."

"My Dad said Lucius Malfoy's been acting really shadily over the last few weeks." Ron said thoughtfully.

Hermione remained silent. She had in fact seen Draco Malfoy last week in Diagon Alley. He had been in Gringotts and completely unaccompanied. He hadn't seen her and since she'd been with her parents she had preferred it like that.

"Malfoy's Dad is a Deatheater, I know that personally." Harry shuddered, he wore the same odd look of pain he always wore when he spoke about Cedric.

"Well, we'll see how things go this year. Dad reckons the ministry will've put him in Azkaban by Easter. It's completely secret though so hush hush."
From there the conversation wandered aimlessly through various topics. OWL grades were of paticular interest. Harry and Ron had passed well with seven good grades each. This was of great relief to both of them. They both wanted to become Aurors and planned on taking three NEWTS in Defence against the Dark Arts, Charms and Potions. The latter had caused great pain to them but it was absolutely necessary if they wanted to be Aurors.

Hermione had, as expected, swept the board with eleven grade As. She had no definite career in mind but was rather interested in becoming Sorceress. This didn't require any paticular subjects and so she had chosen those she loved most. Those being: Ancient Runes, Theology of Magic and Transfiguration. Harry snorted at Theology of Magic, neither he nor Ron could see the point. It was a brand new subject and reportedly very hard. What was more no one seemed to know about it. Still Hermione stuck with it. The teasing was just getting to much when the Refreshment cart wheeled by distracting them all.

The train rattled ever onward. It rattled into Hogsmeade just as dusk was falling. They all climbed into a carriage heaping their luggage into the extra seat.

"Potter, move your moth infested suitcase I was going to sit there."

Harry groaned at the sound of the languid drawl. Malfoy was standing outside the carriage, trunk in hand, about to mount the steps.

"Shove off, go and ride with your bodyguards."

Something flickered in Malfoy's grey eyes. "I'll sit where I want Potter now move it." He didn't sound so casual now. There was a hint of desperation in his voice. Harry moved the suitcase giving Malfoy a dirty look.

The Slytherin boy folded his long limbs inside the car and it rolled off on the short ride up to Hogwarts. It was a very awkward silence inside the confined space. Malfoy was doing his best brick wall impression and giving no indication of why he had chosen to ride with three Gryffindors, particularly these Gryffindors. He looked a little frazzled and his robes were dusty but he was as Malfoy as he'd ever been and sneered at them as they entered the great hall and sat down.

The Great Hall had been splendidly decked out with the banners of all four school houses. The sky was now a velvetly black with the stars sprinkled like silver hundreds and thousands across it. The house elves had outdone themselves providing huge portions of beef stew for the tired students. They all soon forgot all about Malfoy and his odd behaviour. It was drowned in a see of good cheer and hot food.