The plan was perfect – there was no situation he hadn't accounted for. The summer break had given him more than enough time to rework every conceivable possibility that could derail the plan as well as the ones that could work in his favor and move it along. All those weeks he had been consumed with nothing else but this idea and what he needed to do to see it through. To succeed… Oh to succeed, what doors would be opened! Everything he ever dreamed of would be at his feet – the wealth, the prestige, the power, the women… There would be nothing denied to him. And he was confident he could make this work. The only thing he needed to do was manipulate a few people and really, hadn't that been what he had been doing all his life? At that thought, a slow smile spread across his face as he closed the last trunk for Hogwarts.

At Kings Cross Station, Hermione Granger had already boarded the Hogwarts Express and made herself comfortable in the carriage she had shared every year with her friends. In her hand she clutched a copy of the Daily Prophet, whose headline for the past few weeks had been speculation about the disappearance of Albus Dumbledore. The charismatic Headmaster of Hogwarts had not shown up for his meeting with Minerva McGonagall after the students had departed at the end of the last term and after fruitless searches, word had gotten out that he was missing. The latest copy, however, announced that McGonagall would be temporarily assuming the role of Headmistress alongside other changes, but the other changes were kept secretive and even the Prophet hadn't found out what they were. As the time for departure drew to only minutes, Hermione was surprised when Ginny showed up with only Luna and Neville in tow.

"Where are Ron and Harry?" Hermione asked as the three sat down and began pulling out snacks and knickknacks for the ride.

Neville shrugged his shoulders but Ginny reached over and pulled the compartment door closed tightly. "They aren't coming."

Hermione and Neville looked between each other as Luna raised her hand. "Did they miss the train like the stories from their second year?"

"Those were actu-,"

"Not the point Neville. But no, they didn't miss the train. They aren't returning for this year." Ginny said calmly. "Or rather, they weren't supposed to be returning. I'm not sure anymore."

The whistle signaling the Hogwarts Express was leaving the station blew shrilly as the four looked around at each other. A few moments passed before Hermione found her voice. "What does that even mean Ginny?"

Ginny sighed. "I'm not supposed to know – inone/i of us are supposed to know – but I got it out of Ron at the beginning of summer by threatening to hex him into oblivion. He said… Well, it wasn't even his idea because well, you know how dim he can be, but…"

"Did something happen?"

Ginny wrung her hands together, which was unusual for the feisty redhead. "Ron said that he and Harry were told by Dumbledore to go on some sort of… I don't know, not really a mission of sorts, but not really a quest either? But that they had to track something down, something important. Something vital. He said it was of the utmost secrecy and couldn't even tell me where they were going but that they wouldn't be going back to school. Didn't they tell iyou/i Hermione?"

Hermione's brows furrowed. "No, they didn't… But I guess that explains why I hadn't heard from them all summer…"

Luna looked at Hermione. "What did you do this summer then?"

Hermione felt her cheeks redden. "Uh, well, you know, just this and that and things of that nature," she chuckled. "I'm actually going to go and see if I can track down the snack trolley, does anyone want anything? No?"

Ginny watched as Hermione clumsily exited the compartment before turning her attention to Luna who was engaging Neville in a conversation about the new species of plants her father had started growing in their garden.

After closing the door, Hermione hurried down the carriage towards the back of the train where the lavatories were, her mind racing with thoughts and feeling the need to splash cold water on her face. Not watching where she was going, she ran straight into someone and nearly toppled over save for the hands that reached out to grab her.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going, are you alright?" As she looked up she met eyes with Blaise Zabini.

"No harm done," he replied as he helped her straighten up.

Hermione smiled awkwardly. "I, um, hi."

Blaise chuckled. "I didn't think we'd be running in to each other so soon."

Over the summer Hermione had taken a job at a library in the town next to hers to keep herself busy instead of worrying about Dumbledore and her lack of communication with her two best friends. Only a week into the job she found Blaise buried in a stack of books in the back and before she could ask what he was doing he informed her his mother donated to the library to keep up their appearances with the Muggles. Hermione had never really interacted with him before but as the weeks passed he spent many evenings in the library while she worked her shifts and towards the end they had begun meeting for lunch before she clocked in.

Hermione bit her lip. "I'm not really sure what to say…"

Blaise looked down the length of the carriage before taking a few steps closer as Hermione stepped backwards until her back was against the wall. "You could start with 'I missed you'."

A blush rose in her cheeks as his fingertips brushed hers. "I don't have to say it if we both know it's true."

Her mind flashed back to a few nights prior, the last time they had seen each other. They had flirting back and forth for a few weeks and had met to discuss what to do when they saw each at school. Neither could deny that Hermione had grown into quite the woman, shedding her awkward stage and filling out in ways that made heads turn when she walked down the street. How would their peers react to such a transformation? And it wasn't as if a Gryffindor and Slytherin could show up and all of a sudden have a good repertoire between them either.

"Why try to hide behind unflattering clothes and robes two sizes too big?" Blaise asked.

Hermione just shrugged. "What good what it do to change now? Everyone knows me as a know-it-all but they respect me because of that intelligence."

"Dressing for your figure doesn't mean you become less intelligent."

"But it means they'll focus more on body than on my brain."

Blaise reached out and stroked her cheek. "You don't want people to appreciate your body?"

Her cheeks blushed scarlet. "I told you I'm still new to this," she whispered.

"It's never too late to change," he whispered back.