Devorah Appleman and Elizabeth Hughes have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Devorah has always been beautiful, her brunette hair full of curls and her golden-brown eyes full of life and laughter. Elizabeth, a shining beauty with waist length red hair and emerald green eyes, full of mischief and love. They completed each other as only soul friends could. They lived across the street from each other as kids and became fast friends when they both accidently set fire to Ellie's family shed. They became friends with the Golden Trio when they were 11 after they ran into Harry trying to hide from Filtch.
Hermione Granger was as funny as she was smart, and her years in the Wizarding World had been kind to her. Once a buck-toothed, bushy haired know it all, she was now a fantastically attractive 17-year-old, hair tamed into loose curls and buck teeth shortened and straightened, with the help of her parents, of course.
Harry Potter, besides being the Boy Who Lived, had become quite the looker and no one was surprised in the slightest. Everyone who'd heard of James and Lily Potter knew that they were one of those good-looking couples who happened to have a good-looking baby.
Ron Weasley hadn't changed much at all over the years, much to his dismay. It wasn't easy being the youngest son, but having spent time with Harry and Hermione, his features had softened slightly, making his face look kinder.
"Hey, Dev! Ellie, we're over here!" Hermione called through the compartment door. "Come on, you two! We're about to leave."
Dev and Ellie rushed onto the train and put their bags into the luggage holders on the train. "Coming!" Devorah called down the small hallway. "Ellie's bag is too big, again, and it won't fit in its spot."
"It's not my fault!" Ellie added. "My mom packed me a crap ton of stuff again."
"Why is your mother still packing your bags for you?" Pansy Parkinson asked as she and Draco entered the train. "Can't you do anything for yourself? I've never been more disappointed in a Slytherin." She sneered, as they walked past. "Keep your Gryffindors on a leash, will you? I mean, it is the least you can do. Especially Granger."
"Shut up, Pansy. Go fuck off somewhere else, yeah? And take your snake with you…" Ellie said, looking at Draco.
"I'd watch my mouth if I were you, Hughes." Draco said, eyes narrowed. "We wouldn't want Professor Dumbledore hearing about how you were threatening the Head Boy would we?"
"I'm not scared of you, Malfoy. Get lost."
Pansy and Draco walked down the hall to where Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise were waiting. Blaise smiled at Ellie and she blushed but smiled back. Dev and Ellie entered the majority Gryffindor compartment and sat down.
"There you are, what took so long?" Harry asked as Dev sat between him and Ron and Ellie sat across from them next to Hermione.
"Fucking Slytherins, that's what took so long," Devorah sighed. "No offence, Ellie." She added, looking at her best friend. "I just hate Malfoy and his little bitch."
"She's not that bad…" Ron started. "You just have to get to know her."
"Know her?" Harry asked, incredulously. "What do you mean know her? And when would she ever give you the time of day to know her?"
"I mean, I was just saying." Ron said, his ears turning pink. "I just don't think you should call her names like that."
The girls looked at Ron and then at each other, silently rolling their eyes. They'd seen Ron have a crush on tons of girls over the years. His previous crush had been Hermione, and it was a very awkward 6th year as he tried his best to impress her and nothing worked. She thought of him more as a brother and told him such every time he tried to ask her out. The girls were thankful he moved on but were disappointed when they figured his gazes at Pansy became a little too long.
"Anyway," Dev said. "Slytherin's suck and I can't wait to kick their asses at Quidditch this year."
"Ugh, rude!" Ellie said, playfully smacking Dev's hand. "Just because you weren't good enough to make the Gryffindor team, doesn't mean you need to take it out on me!" Ellie glanced at Harry, who's turn it was to blush.
"No, listen Dev, it's not that you weren't good enough," Harry started.
Devorah burst out laughing, "No, it's fine. I'm really quite awful at Quidditch."
The train ride to Hogwarts was full of laughter and smiling from the group, Ron trying to leave the compartment every 20 minutes to wander down and catch a glimpse of Pansy through the door. The friends spent the entirety of the ride playing games and eating.
Ellie and Blaise met in the Hallway near the door and the compartment door got left open, but only snippets of a conversation were heard.
"Hey, Hughes!" Blaise called, walking towards Ellie.
"Oh, hey Blaise." Ellie said, blushing. "I do have a first name, you know."
"Yeah, I know Ellie. I'm sorry." He took her hands in his and leaned against the wall. "I missed you this last week."
"I know, I missed you, too. I'm sorry I wasn't able to stay. I was looking forward to finally solving that murder mystery with you."
"Is that all you were looking forward too?" Blaise asked, running his right thumb over her lips.
"Blaise, not here. Please. They don't know." Ellie whispered, looking at the compartment door and noticing it open.
"Okay, later then, my love. I'll see you soon." He kissed her finger tips and went back to the Slytherin compartment further down. Ellie composed herself before she went back to her friends.
Hermione and Dev gave her a knowing glance as she sat down again, but they were smart enough not to mention it. Hermione filed it away to ask about later when the boys weren't around. Yeah, Ellie might have been in Slytherin, but when they were first years, the rest of the house had pretty much disowned her when they discovered how much time she'd been spending with the Gryffindor's.
Finally, they felt the train lurch to a halt. "Geez, I swear this ride gets longer every bloody year." Ron said as they filed out. Harry chuckled and allowed the girls to walk in front of them.
When Hermione was sure they were out of earshot, she leaned over and quietly asked "Ellie, what's going on between you and Blaise?"
"Well, I had wanted to wait and tell you guys later, but I guess now seems as good as any." She smiled and pulled a ring out of her pocket. "We're engaged."
"I'm sorry, you're WHAT?" Dev said. "And you're JUST now telling me? What the fuck?"
"I know, I'm sorry." Ellie said, slipping the ring back into her pocket. "We're not telling anyone because it's an arranged thing. Our parent's thought it would be a good idea, getting us settled in school. My mom especially thought it would be prudent in the social circles she travels in."
"Ellie, that's… harsh, to say the least." Hermione said. "But you like him?"
"Yes. We were able to spend a couple weeks alone, getting to know each other. He's much different than the rumors would have you believe. He's incredibly smart! We were reading a murder mystery novel together and talking about who we thought the murderer was and why. It was, honestly the best two weeks of my life."
"Wow, Ellie, that's amazing. I'm so happy for you!" Dev said, side hugging her best friend. "Do we get to help you plan it? The wedding ceremony?"
Ellie laughed as the boys finally caught up to them. "We'll see. Let's hurry and get in line, the carriages are filling up." The five friends fell into step with one another as they hurried to get in line before Malfoy and his friends could.