Chapter 1

"Bye Mum. Bye Dad. I'll miss you." Hermione told her parents before walking over to Harry and Ron.

She was going to miss her parents, but she would try and make it home for the holidays. She usually tries to anyway. Something would always happen with either the school or with Harry and Ron. Mostly Harry. She was going to try and go this Christmas. She only went home for Christmas in her first year, mostly because she didn't really have any friend at the time. Last Christmas, she stayed to help Harry and Ron with the DA. Everyone in the DA was her friend. But a small part of her mind was doubting it. She knew Harry and Ron were her true friends. She also knew Ginny, Fred and George, Neville, other fellow Gryffindors. But people like Lavender and Cho she wasn't to sure about. Lavender was too preppy for her and gossiped too much. Especially about Hermione. Cho, she felt, was using Harry. Cho once asked her, in private, if she had a crush on Harry. Hermione said no and Cho said okay, but Hermione could tell she didn't mean it. After all that, Cho told Professor Umbridge about the DA. There were some other people, but she didn't really care about them.

Harry and Ron came rushing at her. This made her lose her train of thought.

"Hi Harry. Hi Ron. It's so good to see you guys!" she said to them.

"Hi Hermione", Harry said warmly.

"Hi Hermione…" Ron said dreamily walking over to her.

Hermione, looking slightly confused, walked over to her set her stuff down on the ground.

Harry clasped a hand on Ron's shoulder. "Get a hold of yourself, mate. When I said you could ask her out sometime, I didn't mean the first moment you saw her again." Harry said sternly, but with care for his friend.

"What are you talking about Harry?" Ron asked, looking slightly flushed.

Before Harry could give a response, Hermione called them. "Are you two coming at all?" The same bossy Hermione they were all so comfortably used to.

Harry and Ron got their stuff and started heading to the platform with Hermione.

"This is going to be such a fun year! Can you believe in just one more year we are going to be graduating? I've already started studying. For this year of course. But I think I might get a start on my homework. It doesn't hurt to be ahead, you know. And since I passed all of my OWLs, my schedule is probably full…. Hopefully. Eeep! I can't wait to get my schedule!" Hermione said all of this very fast.

"Calm down Hermione. It's just school." Ron mumbled under his breath hoping she wasn't going to hear.

She heard.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ronald, I can't believe you. We are going to be in our sixth year this year, and you are being so negative about EVERYTHING! Even Harry is being a little enthusiastic."

"Yes. I am very, very excited... for this year." Harry said eyeing Ron for help.

Hermione sighed heavily, then laughed. "What I have to deal with."

0000

As Harry, Hermione, and Ron were looking for a compartment on the train, they came across Lavender Brown.

"Hi Ron." she said nervously, yet flirtatious at the same time.

Last time they saw her was at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. When they saw her, she was flirting with Ron big time, and got Hermione mad.

*Flashback*

"Fred, George. What's that?" Ron asked his red-headed brothers.

"Love potions." Fred said. "They actually work!" George continued.

"Looks like girls are already studying them." Harry said modestly looking over at Lavender, who, dressed in all pink blended very well with the love potions, was carefully reading the labels.

"Not the first one today." George said. "They are selling quite quickly, if you know what I mean little brother." Fred urged.

"Ha ha. Very funny Fred." Ron said, then was sonly shut up by Lavender walking over to them. To him, in particular.

"Hi Ron. I was just looking at these love potions. I wonder if they work. I'll make it a point in the year to find out I suppose…" Lavender said, dreamily looking at Ron. Perhaps like the way Ron always looked at Hermione. But that couldn't be possible. Ron actually liked Hermione. Like, a lot. Lavender couldn't like him more than a friend. Right?

"Well, good luck with that." Harry chirped in.

*End of flashback*

Ron answered, "Hi Lavender…" His ears turned almost as red as his hair.

"How was your summer, Ron?" she asked.

"Fine. Yours?…" Ron said.

"Good. Good… Um. Are you busy this weekend at all?" Ron made a face. "I mean, if you are, that's fine. I mean, if your'e not. Then…"

This made Hermione angry.

She has been having a crush on him since her second year at Hogwarts. She would have said her first year, except they hated each other until Halloween. Back then, the only person she hated more than Ron was Malfoy. That was one bloody ferret she hated with passion. But that wasn't the point. Seeing Lavender flirt with "her" Ron made her want to vomit. More than vomit. The only thing that made her feel better was that Ron was not flirting back with her. In fact, he looked like he wanted to vomit too.

"So, if your'e not busy this weekend, and you know, we don't have much homework. And maybe if it's a Hogsmade weekend. We could. you know," Lavender pressed lightly and nervously.

"Umh… yeah. That would be. That would be brilliant. I would, uh, really like to go. With you." Ron said flushing look around to see if anyone else but his two best friends were listening.

"Okay. Well. I'll see you later then."

"Yeah." Ron said, voice cracking.

Hermione felt like throwing something. And that something was Lavender. She couldn't believe that sneaky little bitch. She was so angry, she didn't know what to do. She wanted to do something, wanted to say something to her. Make her as mad as she was at the moment. Make her regret ever even looking at Ron. But nothing came out. She just stood there looking like an idiot.

"Bye." Lavender said, walking away in an excited jump.

"Com'n Ron," Harry urged, seeing the anger in Hermione's eyes, "We should go find a compartment."

Ron, walking ahead of them, was very much confused. He didn't know why Lavender has been acting like this lately. So, maybe it was only one other time, but still. He was never used to being flirted with, much less asked out, by girls. But he didn't really mind. A grin formed on his face.

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione found a compartment, they sat down.

"So, um. Hermione. How are you?" Harry asked awkwardly after a long silence.

"Spectacular. You?" Hermione asked, trying to hide her anger.

"Oh! Did you hear who Head Boy this year is?" Harry asked, with excitement getting the better of him.

"Oh crap! I'm Head Girl!" Hermione yelled, making Harry and Ron jump, "I need to get in the Head's compartment." She said getting up and sliding the door open.

Before Harry or Ron could respond, she was gone.

0000

"I can't believe I am late. I am now the Head freaking Girl. I need to be more responsible. Fuck. I can't believe I could ever do such a thing!" Hermione mumbled mostly to herself. She usually did this when she was mad at herself or at someone else. At the moment she was mad at herself and someone. This made her so "And I wonder who Head Boy is anyway-" She started. But she didn't have to finish.

She saw him sitting there.