Chapter one

A beautiful, black haired, brown eyed, tall, curvy girl walked a long the platform swishing her hair and swaying her hips. She loved the way people were staring at her as if they vaguely recognized the face but couldn't quite place it. She smiled a half-smile like she knew a secret and they didn't.

But there was some truth in that. She knew she was Hermione Granger and they didn't. Well except one person…

"Hermione! Oh my god Hermione!" A young redheaded girl was screaming at her. " I'm not being rude but when you said black I thought no way but now, I mean wow!"

"Ginny what in Merlin's name are you talking about?" Hermione answered feeling slightly confused and dizzy as Ginny started to walk round her in circles.

"And those clothes! Seriously they are… What's that muggle word? Oh yer, cool."

Hermione laughed and shook out her hair. As she did several boys around her stopped and stared. There was no denying that the summer had done Hermione Granger good. She had not only mentally but also physically grown-up and she had started to get an attitude. Not a big one. Just enough to see her through a year of school.

"Oh Gin I understand you now. God I've missed you! Yer well I s'pose it was risky but hey, I love it!" Laughed Hermione. "Now lets go find a compartment shall we?"

"Best thing you've said so far. I've been looking for you everywhere and my feet are tired. But don't worry I've already sent Harry and Ron onto the train to get us some seats. Clever huh?" Smiled Ginny.

"You're catching up babe!" Hermione laughed again.

The two girls rushed off to the nearest train door and bent to lift their heavy trunks. They each helped each other to heave the over-flowing trunks onto the train and then Ginny closed the door behind them.

"Merlin Hermione what have you put in here?" Ginny questioned.

Hermione shook her head and said,

"Where are your folks Gin?"

"Huh? Folks? What?" Ginny looked puzzled.

"Sorry I meant your parents…" Hermione said.

"Oh well they dropped us off but they've been quite busy with you know," Ginny lowered her voice. "The Order and stuff."

"Oh I understand. Well come on we should get going to the compartment before the train starts or we'll end up falling over everywhere."

"Yer we should but, err, you go ahead I've got something I need to do. Meh I mean I've got to go to the toilet. So, um, yer meet you at he compartment ok?" Stammered Ginny.

"Well if you're sure? I could come with you if you want?" Asked Hermione.

"No, no it's fine! Really!" Ginny said hurriedly. "I'll make it back just fine. See you there!"

And with that suspicious speech Ginny made a run in the other direction. Hermione pondered on it for half a minute then decided to leave it. If anything were really bothering Ginny she was sure that she'd tell her. She bent down to get out her holiday presents out of her trunk so she could give them to the boys when someone stepped on her hand. She looked up but she already knew who that brightly polished shoe belonged to.

"Well look what the cat dragged in." Drawled Draco.

"Hey Drakie-poo," Draco flinched at the use of pansy's nickname. "I have a novel idea. Why don't you go fuck yourself?" Hermione said, pulling herself up to her full height and staring Draco in the eyes.

"My my aren't we feisty this year? Don't worry mud-blood we'll soon stomp that out of you. Like the bug that you are." Draco's grey eyes burnt with anger.

"Maybe you didn't hear me correctly but I said, FUCK OFF. Go and piss someone else off. I have other things on my mind then the likes of a stupid, immature, ferret-boy. Now move or I may have to re-enact our little meeting in third year. Remember? I punched you in the face. A lot has changed this summer bitch and I'm not taking ANY shit from the likes of you scumbags. Now fucking move. You hear me?" And with that Hermione barged past Draco and a sniggering Crabbe and Goyle.

"You'll pay for that mud-blood!" A livid Draco shouted after her. "You two shut up and get inside."

And with that Draco, Crabbe and Goyle disappeared into a compartment and the train set off.

Chapter two

By the time Hermione found the compartment that Ron and Harry had saved she was furious. She had huffed and puffed her way all down the train snapping at anyone who got in her way. So when she flung the door open with great velocity Harry and Ron's heads snapped round with a good deal of speed.

"Geez Hermione! Any harder and you'll knock it out the frame!" Harry said.

"Or worse you could get expelled for breaking a door!" Sniggered Ron.

"Shut-up Ron you moron. I've just had a fucking brilliant encountered with Malfoy for your information and I'm trying not to let the pig-headed ferret get to me!" Hermione said angrily and heavy with sarcasm.

"Looks like it already has." Harry whispered to Ron who silently cracked up.

Hermione sat in the corner of the compartment trying to compose herself. Suddenly she heard a gasp and looked up.

"Hermione I didn't notice before but your hair! Wow it looks amazing! And your clothes! They are slammin'." Harry gasped. And your body looks pretty damn hot too! He thought silently.

"Slammin'? What the hell Harry?" Hermione laughed.

"Oh sorry. It's some new word that Dudley used all summer. Guess it got stuck in my head. But seriously though herms you look so… Good!" Harry explained.

"Yer well..." Hermione looked down at her clothes, taking in her full appearance as much as she could. She was wearing plain clothes but together they looked good. A black shirt with a white tank top, mini denim skirt and black knee high converses that folded over to reveal the white lining. She wasn't sure when she had put it on that morning but she knew she wanted to be different and now two people had said how good she looked so, she was happy.

"So…" Harry said.

"So what?" Hermione looked confused.

"So are you going to tell us what happened? Why you look like this and not like… Well old Hermione." Ron explained.

"Oh!" Hermione nodded. "I understand now. Well I'm not sure. I guess when a friend of mine told me I should change and I decided it was a good idea."

"Really Hermione? That doesn't seem like something our over opinionated best friend would willingly do!" Said Harry.

"Okay okay fine. You seriously want to know the truth?" The two boys nodded their heads. "Okay then… I found a spell book. One of the spells in it, if you cast it, would show you what was wrong with you." Hermione blushed.

"What do you mean Hermione? You're perfect!" Hermione blushed again at Ron's comment.

"Well err… The spell showed you, I mean me, why err…" Hermione mumbled.

"Come on girl. Spit it out will you?" Harry laughed.

"Fine!" Hermione screamed. "It shows you why boys don't like you!"

"Nonsense Mione. We like you. You're our best friend!" Ron told her.

"No Ron. Not like that. I mean fancy." Hermione tried to make her face blank and stared out of the window.

The occupants of the compartment were all silent for a while contemplating the meaning of what Hermione had just said. Both of the boys found that they understood why she wanted to change. But that didn't make her lass or more perfect in their eyes. Ron decided to voice this opinion.

"Well Hermione. You'll always be perfect in our eyes. No matter what you look or act like!"

Hermione stood up and jumped on Harry and Ron enveloping them in a huge bear hug.

"Thanks guys. I knew you would understand! I love you both. You are my very best friends! Speaking of best friends where they hell has Ginny got too? She said she'd be right back twenty minutes ago!"

"I don't want to talk about her at the moment. We had an argument and she called me ugly and said I'd never get a girlfriend! Like she would!" Ron blushed. "Get a boyfriend I mean!"

Hermione ruffled Ron's hair and said,

"Ron darling you are pathetic. Now I'm off to find your missing sister as you obviously don't care!" And with that Hermione flounced out leaving Ron with a very hurt look on his face and with a chuckle on hers.