Author's Note: Hi everyone! Just to let you know, Sirius isn't dead in this fic. He doesn't really have a big role, either. Anyways, enjoy! UPDATE 5/21: Hi Peoples! Lol, I decided to update this fic. And I will be adding a few more chapters. This is a short story! Wow! Also, I have a new story, if you want to read it. It's like a Krum/Hermione/Ron triangle thing.
Chapter one: The Train Ride
Hermione was in her seventh year at Hogwarts School. She was Headgirl now. She had grown a lot in the past year. Her hair was longer and darker. She managed to control the bushiness and was able to make it soft and wavy. She was taller and slimmer. Even as she searched compartment after compartment, she saw the boys eyeing her and the girls giving her envious looks. But everywhere she looked, she couldn't seem to find Ron or Harry anywhere.
After almost a half hour of searching, she found them in the last compartment. Neither boys were talking; Ron was reading the Daily Prophet with what looked like no interest at all and Harry was watching an old Quidditch match in Quidditch Through The Ages. Hermione looked from Harry to Ron, who were oblivious to the fact the she had just walked in.
"Hello Harry, hello Ron. Did you to have nice summers?" Hermione said, making them jump. She slid into the seat next to Harry.
"Hello Hermione," said Harry, not looking up.
"Hello. We had a great summer. Harry stayed with us at the Burrow. We were going to ask you to come as well, but we got the owl telling us you were in Scotland first. So, how was it over there?" Ron asked, laying the paper on his lap. He looked at her and stared. She was gorgeous! He looked away, remembering his manners.
But Hermione stared back. He had changed over the summer, she knew they all would, but Ron was handsome! She realized she was staring and looked away.
"Well, it was okay, if you like spending time with your annoying muggle relatives," Hermione said.
"Lucky you, at least you have a choice. I have to live with my terrible relatives," Harry said, still not looking up from the book.
"Well, that might be the last time you go there, mate! I suppose Dumbledore'll finally let you live with Sirius," Ron said, in attempt to cheer him up.
Harry stood up. "I'm going to go see how Ginny's doing. I'll be back later." And he picked up his book and left.
"So Harry and Ginny finally got together? That's wonderful! Ginny must be so happy! Did they get together over the summer?" Hermione asked excitedly.
"Yep. I'm happy for them too, though if he hurts her, I swear I'll punch him in the nose. Though, I don't think he will," he said. Hermione laughed. He was always so protective.
Minutes passed in silence, both waiting for the other to speak.
Hermione grabbed the paper off of Ron's lap and began to look through it. Ron sat next to her and began to explain the articles to her.
"It's pretty dull today, the paper. Same stuff as last year like Voldemort and Sirius. They're still questioning Fudge as Minister of Magic! They say he's finally cracked," Ron said, trying to make conversation.
"They say Dumbledore would be a front runner if Fudge steps down," Hermione said, pointing to the article. She handed the paper back and moved to the other seat. He had been sitting a bit too close to her.
"Would you like a chocolate frog?" he asked, dumping out a bag of candies and sweets onto the seat she had just abandoned.
"Oh, no thanks, I think I'm going to read a bit," she said, pulling out a book and showing off her new book Hogwarts: A History, Revised Edition.
"Good idea," he said and picking up the Daily Prophet and opening to the middle page, which contained the comic and Quidditch sections.
They continued in reading in silence until the train stopped and they arrived at the station, ready for their seventh year to begin.
