I looked out the window, looking but not really focusing on the rolling trees and landscape rushing past. My best friend Robert Crowe was sitting in the seat opposite me, in a less-than-quiet dose, snoring his heart out while his hand slackened on the grip of the Daily Prophet he was recently clutching. Good old Robert- an awkward Scottish brunette who was just as charming as I was with a bit more logic; and perhaps less talent on the Quidditch pitch as well.
My summer was average, really; it rolled by yet again without a girlfriend and nothing to do but merely sit around and watch Lord Voldemort & company play hide and go seek with the ministry via the Prophet and safety pamphlets. But I honestly didn't care about that, let's go back to the first part- another summer without a girlfriend.
I've always had a way with girls, in a sense so powerful they seemed to be a bit overwhelmed with it. I guess I couldn't help my animal magnetism, but I just sort of wished girls wouldn't back away so easily. My past girlfriends/crushes consisted of-
-Angelina Johnson, 4th year. We went out for maybe two weeks before she switched over to the Weasley twins.
-Fleur Delacour in my 5th year. WHAT GUY CAN RESIST. I asked her to the Yule Ball and she spit on my shoes. Not even phased.
-Really any girl with a pleasant face.
-But last and not least, one girl in particular.
Hermione Granger.
I've always sort of fancied her- I really began to notice her at the Yule Ball two years previous, she was absolutely gorgeous there, and every guy in the room knew that. Yeah she was a nerdy little goody-two-shoes, but she had that kind of 'hot-librarian' thing to her. Plus she was super brave obviously by all that crazy rubbish she is alongside Scarhead and Gingery Wonder, and just-is it weird to say she had a sort of grace about her?
She always had perfect posture and spoke with perfect ettiquitte and.. I dunno. She was lovely.
I'd kind of began flirting with her and such since I saw her in Diagon Alley this year. This was my final year at Hogwarts, and I got to let it go out with a bang, don't I?
Becoming rather bored of watching an adolescent sleep in front of me I prodded him impatiently with my wand, poking him hard in the ribs.
With a final resounding snore he jerked awake, rubbing his ribs with an annoyed glare directed at me.
"Bloody hell Cormac, a simple 'Wake Up' would've sufficed," said Robert, hitting me with his Daily Prophet. I snickered as a timid-looking third year entered the compartment.
"I have an invitation for a Cormac McLaggen?" she called. I stretched across the seat to grab the parchment from her, and she left without another word.
"Invitation?" I questioned, opening the wax-sealed letter lazily. It read:
Dear Mr. McLaggen,

I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C.

Sincerely,
Professor H. E. F. Slughorn

"Slughorn? Is he the new Defense teacher this year?" said Robert, grabbing the letter from me and reading it.
"Suppose so," I said, getting up to go. "I'll go, maybe if I get into his good books I can bribe him to get some better grades than what I had last year." I smirked slightly and left.
As I began my journey to compartment C, I thought to myself- wouldn't this be an opportune moment to have an excuse to walk by Granger and her gang?
I blew a solid quarter of a hour searching for her compartment, finding it conveniently one down from my designated lunch spot. There she was, sitting next to Weasley, reading a book intently. Not even realizing that he was staring at her like a lost puppy. I almost felt bad for the guy before I realized he was competition-my competition. Why was she so perfect? Her bushy hair parted ever-so neatly as it fell down is slightly frizzy ringlets, her way-too indie/folksy sort of clothing, her perfect posture.
I moved away from the door for a second, fixed my v-neck and ruffled my hair ever so slightly. Alright, even Fleur couldn't deny this.
I strolled what was supposed to be non-chalantly past her compartment, clearing my throat loudly and looking up casually to see if he was looking for the source of the noise.
Thankfully she did, and I smirked at her charmingly as I would always do.
She looked at me curiously with an eyebrow raised, with a ghost of a smile on her face, as if she was slightly amused.
Weasley looked from me to her defensively, and gave me a protective glare.
Well this may have been a very mild start, but I was going to get Hermione Granger this year, Weasley in the way or not.