A/N: I'm back! And, I must say it feels great to have re-entered the realm of fanfiction! This is hopefully the start of something good. I don't know- y'all will have to decide that. But nevertheless, I am quite proud of this little snippet and I hope to turn it into a longer fic. Enjoy and I hope I don't disappoint you!

Disclaimer: If I wrote the Harry Potter series, I would a) be insanely rich and famous, b) not be posting on this site, and c) have had Ron and Hermione would be together by now. But, sadly, none of those things are so. Thus, I do not own Harry Potter.

No matter how many times I did it, passing through the barrier to Platform 9¾ was always somewhat unnerving. I remember when I was 11 years old and thought that it was utterly absurd that I had to run at a wall in King's Cross station and somehow arrive at my destination. I guess I had grown accustomed to it by now, though.

Some people would consider it silly I suppose. Well, of course they would- I was staring at a wall in the middle of a busy train station. It's just that nostalgia was getting the better of me. I was about to pass through that barrier one last time and then I would be done with Hogwarts forever. I would no longer have to worry about my school work or classes or things like that. No, I would have to face something a whole lot scarier- the real world. Our adventures of adolescence would seem like a walk in the park compared to what lay ahead of me.

"Uh, excuse me, Miss. Are you alright?" asked a nearby attendant.

I cleared my throat. "Oh, um, yeah. I'm fine. I was just, uh, admiring this fine architecture."

He gave me a funny look- I had been getting a lot of those since I started at Hogwarts. "Huh. Well, as long as you're sure…" he said before he rushed away to assist a woman who was trying to herd what I guess were children onto a nearby train.

I took a deep breath before glancing around. The coast was clear. I pushed the trolley forward and gained momentum before melting into the stone wall and coming out onto Platform 9¾.

I barely had any time to take in the sight of the beautiful scarlet engine that would transport me to my beloved school before I was swallowed by a sea of red hair.

"Mione!" bellowed the man that had pulled me into a smothering embrace.

I breathed in his scent- I knew it anywhere. "Hey, Ron."

He held me a little tighter before releasing me. "I've missed you!" he said, beaming.

"I've missed you, too!" I said before being pulled another squeeze.

"Will you get off of my brother and give me hug?" asked Ginny.

I smiled and tried to push away the pinkness filling my cheeks. "Hey!"

"Oh my gosh- you look great!" said Ginny excitedly.

"Oh, hardly." She rolled her eyes and I looked past her. "Harry, quit being stubborn and get over here."

Harry walked over, hands in pockets, and gave me a quick hug. "Hey, Mione."

Mrs. Weasley pushed through the crowd. "Oh, Hermione, you're here! Good to see you, dear!" she said as she pulled me to her and kissed me on the cheek. "Alright, you lot, lets get you on the train. Hurry!"

"It's disgusting, isn't it?" asked Ron, bringing me out of my textbook-induced stupor.

I laughed and glanced towards the other side of the compartment. "You don't think that it's cute?"

"Well, I don't particularly like the idea of my sister and my best mate sucking face in the first place, much less witnessing it. So, no, I don't find it cute," he said as he gestured towards Harry and Ginny in the opposite seat.

"I don't see the problem. They're obviously crazy about each other."

"Crazy, maybe…"

I giggled before returning to my book.

"Oh, come on, Mione. Don't read."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm bored." Ron brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"Oh, and that's my problem?" Of course it's my problem. I've liked him since second year, for heavens sake.

"Yes. As my best friend, it is your job to entertain me. Now, go on- juggle or something."

I rolled my eyes. "I can't juggle."

"Can you sing?"

"Nope."

"Dance?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Make rude noises with your armpit?"

"Can't say that I can."

Ron folded his arms across his chest and leaned back. "Aw, you're no fun," he said teasingly.

"Well, what do you want to do, then?" I asked as I impatiently set down my book and lifted Crookshanks into my lap. It was a miracle that cat was still alive. He still looks like a ball of matted fur, no matter how many times I take him to a professional groomer. Bless him.

"Let's go for a walk."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Where to? We're on a train."

"Hermione, I really don't care, I just need to get away from these two or I am going to be sick."

I sighed. One would think that a seventeen year old man would be able to entertain himself by now, or at least have some stomach. "Okay, let's go."

Ron grinned. "Excellent," he said as he helped me out of my seat.

I was about to walk out the compartment door before I turned and looked at Harry and Ginny, still snogging as enthusiastically as they had been thirty minutes ago. "Do you think we should tell them that we're leaving?"

"Nah, they'll be fine. They probably won't even notice we're gone," he said, waving them off.

"Oh, so you're sure you want to leave them alone like that?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

Ron stared at me, disgusted. "Why did you even say that? Ew!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me through the door. "Come on, I can feel my lunch coming back up."

We stepped out into the corridor and were greeted by none other than Draco Malfoy and his thugs, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. "Well, well, well. Look who it is- Weaselby and Mudblood Granger."

"Cute, Malfoy. Come up with that one yourself?" asked Ron, defensively.

Malfoy stuck his hands in his pockets. "Why, yes, Weaselby- I think I did."

"Well, now that we have that cleared up…" said Ron as picked up Hermione's hand again and made to walk by Malfoy.

But, Goyle stuck his arm out, blocking the way. "Where do you think you're going, Weasel? I'm not through with you yet."

"Yes, well I'm through with you. Now, if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you would tell your goons to stand aside."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll have to smash your face in," said Ron, clutching his fists.

Malfoy chuckled and crossed his arms across his chest. "Save yourself the trouble. If you want to see a distorted face, just take a look at Granger."

And that is when Ron's fist connected with Malfoy's nose. "Don't you ever talk about Hermione like that!" I couldn't help but grin at that.

Malfoy looked up at him in disbelief. "You bastard! How dare you touch me, you filthy, muggle-loving peasant!"

Ron lifted Malfoy off of his feet and pressed him against the wall. "It may be true that you have more money than I do, but I am bigger and stronger than you. Don't forget that," said Ron. He released Malfoy and let him slip to the floor.

"My father will hear about this!" said Malfoy, cupping his bleeding nose.

"Oh, go on- tell 'Daddy'. But then again, what could he do about it? From what I recall, he's busy rotting in Azkaban!"

Malfoy struggled to his feet and charged at Ron. But, Ron was quicker than him and his fist landed soundly in his stomach, causing him to keel over again.

"Move," Ron barked at Crabbe and Goyle, who instantly parted, fear glistening in their eyes.

I let Ron pull me by the hand through the buckling train cars to the back of the train, where we walked out the back door and onto the small enclosed platform there. He leaned his elbows against the railing.

I fiddled with my fingers nervously. "You didn't have to do that, you know," I said, breaking the silence.

He combed his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, well, what are friends for, Right?"

I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

"No problem, Mione." He grinned that grin that never fails to make my knees buckle. He threw an arm around my shoulder and I leaned against him. "But, uh, just remember, you owe me," he said, cockily.

I turned and smacked him. "Ugh! Ron! And here I thought you had become a gentleman!" I said, giggling.

He just smiled. "You know you love me."

I leaned against his shoulder again. Yeah, I do know.

A/N: So, what do you think? Continue or not? Please, please, please review!