AN: This is my first Harry Potter FanFic. Hope you like it. Please read and respond. I don't mind flames, as long as there isn't drastic swearing. Thanks a lot! And please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Nor did I make it, or any of it's wonderful characters.

~Who is this girl?~

Harry and Ron sat in boredom on the Hogwarts Express as they waited for their bushy haired friend to come find them.

"Well, if Hermione doesn't get here soon, I'm going to start searching for her." Ron sighed, looking around the car.

"Let's go." Harry said standing up, "I can't stand sitting here any longer, and I am becoming really worried."

Harry and Ron went from car to car, searching for Hermione Granger. They asked the other students if they had seen her, but none of them had. Once they were in one of the last cars, they saw a crowd around one girl.

"Wow, who's the new girl?" Ron grinned as he looked upon a beautiful 16- year-old girl with shoulder length straight brown hair, with blonde highlights, and beautiful brown eyes.

"Ron, brace yourself," Harry gasped in shock, "That's no new girl, that's Hermione!"

Ron swallowed hard, "Hermione?? But it. can't be! No, that's not 'Mione, that's some new girl. It has to be!"

Harry saw that most of the crowd around this girl was guys, and hardly any from Gryffindor. He tapped Oliver Wood on the shoulder, who was actually, the only Gryffindor, "Hey Wood, who's this new girl?"

Wood grinned, "This isn't any new girl, this our very own Hermione." After answering Harry's question he turned back to the girl and gazed at her in awe, he appeared to hang onto her every word.

Ron looked as if he were ready to faint. "Hermione?!" He said loudly. "What the -?" But before he could finish his sentence, he was passed on the ground.

Hermione looked up, "Harry!" she cried excitedly, running to her friend and giving him a hug. "It seems like just yesterday that we were on the train heading home from Hogwarts." She smiled and let go of her friend.

"Her-Her-Hermione!" Harry stuttered, "Your hair, it's. amazing!" He just stood there staring at this girl who appeared to have the same story as Cinderella.

"Granger looks pretty hot, doesn't she, Potter?" Malfoy sneered with a smile.

Hermione giggled at Malfoy's comment, "He is so cute!" She smiled at Harry and bouncily grabbed his hand and made him sit and talk with the rest of the group that was around her. "Oh, and have you seen Ron? I'm kind of afraid that he might flip when he sees me like this."

"Oh. yeah, Ron is around here somewhere, and he has seen you. He fainted when Wood said that was you sitting there." Harry said calmly still in awe of this beautiful friend.

"That silly boy!" Hermione laughed shaking her head, "I haven't changed THAT much! Have I?"

"Hermione, we have to talk. now!" Harry panicked as he drug his friend out of the car. By now Ron was awake and he just followed the two in shock. Once the trio was into an empty car, Harry freaked, "What the heck happened to you 'Mione?!"

"What're you talking about?" Hermione asked seriously, "Do you not like it?"

"No, I love it, it is wonderful, but you, have. changed, a lot! I just wanted to know what made you want to change so drastically." Harry sighed, putting an arm around Hermione.

"Well, I was kind of tired of everyone teasing me about my hair, and I got bored one day, so I decided to straighten it. Then my mum said how cute it would be to get it highlighted, so of course I took the opportunity!" Hermione explained, "And once I had my new look, my self esteem took a total turn on me, and I feel so. free! It feels like I don't have a care in the world, and for once, I am happy with myself." She gave a half smile, afraid that her friends wouldn't understand.

"Oh, Hermione!" Ron cried and he hugged his friend, "You were so beautiful before, though!" Ron buried his face in her soft hair, "Ooh, you smell good!"

Hermione laughed at Ron's comment, but then took a serious toll, "Ron, I am flattered that you think that, but I wasn't happy with myself. I felt ugly, and not beautiful, no matter what anyone told me."

Harry nodded, "I understand 'Mione, but you called Malfoy. cute!" He shuddered when he said Malfoy and cute in the same sentence.

Ron almost cried at this, "Hermione! That is not you! Malfoy hates you! We all know that! How can you call him cute?!"

"Ron," Hermione shook her head, "Malfoy finally notices me as a human being, and not just a muggle born witch, and he was quite flattering too. How could I help it?"

"HE'S MALFOY!!!!!!!!!!" Ron screamed, turning redder every second.

Hermione blushed, "Well, I am sorry, it is done now, and I can't take it back. For once I feel wanted other than by kids in Gryffindor. If you can't understand that, then I guess I am evidently not wanted." Tears began streaming down her cheeks and she stormed out of the car flipping her hair behind her.