Chapter 1

The journey from 9 ¾ to Hogwarts was always one that filled me with anticipation, but the recent events of last year had dampened our spirits. A foggy depression hung about our carriage, and though me and Ron chatted easily, Harry had a distant far off look in his eyes. The disciplinary hearing not only confirmed to him the ignorance of the wizarding community, but also the distance Professor Dumbledore had put between them. "Harry, I know it's been hard these past few weeks, but I really think tha-"

"Hermione, honestly I'm fine. Would you quit fretting."

"I know, but…"

"Seriously." He said in a verging on an aggressive tone. Only a minute before several third year Hufflepuffs had walked past the open carriage door muttering 'liar'. Ron was quick to close the door, but it was too late, already Harry had seized up, his entire body turning out to face the window, his lips pressed together in an angry line.

"Hermione maybe he's right, leave it for once alright." Ron spoke after several minutes.

I sighed heavily, turning also to face the window. There was so much else I wanted to say then, but I knew I'd probably make matters worse. I don't think it was ever really the comments people made in themselves, but the constant reminder of Diggory's death, after all each harsh word was tainting his memory. Harry and Cedric had not necessarily called themselves friends, but he'd shown Harry loyalty, and I don't think Harry will ever forget. After an hour I'd almost entirely forgotten about the ordeal, and the journey was slowly drawing to an end. Ron had fallen asleep, leaving me and Harry silent in in the carriage. I was the first to break the silence: "We should probably get changed into our robes, last time we left it late you and Ron were late out of the carriage because the line to the loo was so long." I tried to appear casual, but my laugh came out rather strained. He caught on that I was trying to make an effort though.

"Ahah yeah," he said, again he sounded quite forced too.

"Bloody nuisance that was!" Ron suddenly exclaimed. He sat up, looking at the pair of us through eyes half open. "Barely got out on time eh mate, though I s'pose I was wishing that the train was going to close up and we'd be taken back to London, maybe miss the first years choosing ceremony. That thing goes on for ages."

"Such a cop out Ron Weasley!" I said half joking, half serious. After all, the choosing ceremony was an important occurrence, and reminded us of the reasons behind our houses, not that I am condoning house prejudices. To be honest I was glad Ron had spoken no matter what it was, it calmed the hostility in the carriage. Though I didn't want to upset Harry, or continue whatever tension there was between us before, I really didn't see how he could get so defensive to quickly, I'm sure deep down he knew that all I wanted was to improve the situation and not be another person to remind him of last year. I just thought that if he talked about it… well, I don't know… maybe it would allow him to understand his own feelings a bit better.

Once we changed into our robes we were ten minutes away; I took my wand out of my jacket pocket and placed it inside my robes, and lifted my trunk down from the overhead shelf. I sat back down on the seat. Harry and Ron started playing this game, something about who they would marry if they had to out of Professor Snape, Sprout or Flitwick. I answered in my head: Flitwick. The guy just seems so nice.

As we made our way off the train I heard him before I saw him. "Potter!" I spat in our general direction, him and his cronies moving closer. "Been spouting any more lies during the journey?"

"Leave it out Malfoy." I said without raising my voice, but I was nowhere near to being calm.

"Oh sorry, didn't have enough time to come up with anything good?" he said again to Harry. Harry finally met his gaze, his eyes flashed with anger.

"Come on Harry, he's not worth it." I said to him quietly.

"Yeah mate, Hermione's right, he's not." said Ron in disgust.

"Alright Weasley no need to defend him, sure he can defend himself. After all, didn't he take on the Dark Lord not last year?"

"I did." Said Harry icily.

"Hm, wouldn't be needing any advice from your little friends here, now would we? Especially not from you Weasley, even the sight of spiders sends your sorry little arse running." He laughed, and so did the other little gathering of Slytherins.

"Harry, lets go." I said.

"And you, mudblood? Well… need I say anymore?" Malfoy turned to the crowd as if expecting to hear cheering. I say 'as if expecting' but I mean of course there was. Before Ron could move I grabbed his arm. "Ron, no." I said soothingly "It doesn't matter, I don't even care." I lied. "Lets just go, please." I said. We did.

The feast was magnificent, I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. Plates filled with food, the candles hanging high above us. Harry sat next to me, Ron right opposite; honestly, I loved Hogwarts, though I don't consider it akin to my home- like Harry- it's a close second, and I feel safe here. Dumbledore rose from the top table, he said his usual speech, and it was calming to hear. After the traumas of last year, and the unusual circumstances of Grimmauld place, normality was welcomed. Only there was a change. Dumbledore announced our new defence against the dark arts teacher: Dolores Umbridge. I watched fascinated as this woman entirely dressed in pink took to the floor. She had an air about her, cold, deceiving. Her words were short and clipped, but her voice was high pitched and screeching. Harry turned to me "That woman, she was at my hearing.". Brilliant. Ministry spies. I'd had no doubt that this year would be seriously restricted to the terms of the ministry, but sending someone to our school? This meant Fudge was really paranoid.

After Dinner we made it back up to the common room. "I cant believe Fudge has sent Ministry spies! This is stupid, and it's like he can't even see it!" I exclaimed.

"Of course he can't Hermione, you heard what Sirius said, he's too paranoid to act on anything." Ron said.

"Yeah, you should have heard how definitive he was in the hearing about Voldemort." Harry said.

We spoke for half an hour more before going to bed. It had been a long day.