Chapter 1

It was another ordinary morning at King's Cross station. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary; the stationmaster was blowing on his whistle, passengers were boarding and alighting, people were rushing to work, hurried goodbyes were said and chaste kisses placed on one another's cheeks in farewell.
It was rather ordinary, that is, until you notice a group of people carrying heavy trunks as well as owls, cats and even frogs. What was even weirder was that they seemed to vanish into thin air the moment you spotted them.

"Whoa. That was close!" Ron exclaimed.

"What was close?" Harry asked.

"That guy over there! He almost saw us!"

"Oh please, Ron." Hermione said with a slight shake of her head. "They most certainly can't see us. There's a Disillusionment Charm covering us." She added, rolling her eyes.

"I swear! I even had eye contact with him for a second there..." Ron argued.

"Ok, maybe he did see us but it was only for a second! Your dad cast the charm on us, remember? The minute they see us, we're gone." Hermione explained.

"Come on guys, stop arguing. We're going to miss our train!" Harry grinned and hustled the two of them along. Really, if you left the two of them alone they could literally argue for hours. Harry was actually 'privileged' enough to have firsthand experience seeing them go at each other and frankly, he was not up for another bout just yet.

Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were starting their 4th year at Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They had met up earlier as per tradition, officially though it's the first time, to travel to Hogwarts together. This would be the first year they left together without adult supervision. Ronald's, more affectionately known as Ron, parents were supposed to travel with them but due to some mischief caused by the twins, Fred and George, had sent the four of them ahead. Ginny, in her 3rd year, had traipsed over to her friends, keeping a distance between her and Harry, mainly due to the fact that she overheard some lovelorn girl saying, "Distance makes the heart grow fonder" and wanted to try it out. Hermione tried her best to convince her that it did not work that way but as we all know, Ginny can be rather stubborn some times.

As the three of them piled into their carriage, they finally got a good look at each other. Both Harry and Ron had shot up over the holidays as boys always do whereas Hermione had grown a few inches and filled out rather well. Harry got thicker glasses and his hair had become much shaggier while Ron had more freckles added to those that already decorated his face. His hair had also become a brighter red if that was even possible and shone like burnished gold under the sun. Hermione still had her bushy hair though she had tried to tame them somewhat. At least they felt like soft curls now. A loud 'toot' and a puff of steam later, they were on their way to Hogwarts.

"So what have you guys been doing?" Asked Harry.

"Nothing much, mostly playing Quidditch with Gin... For some reason she was really crazy over it this hols. Might have been 'cos the Harpies are having a match soon!" Ron replied.

"What about you 'mione?" Harry jerked his chin in her direction.

"Catching up on my studies and reading 'Hogwarts: A History' again," she beamed. Knowing better than to say anything Harry simply nodded. Alas the same could not be said for Ron.

"Seriously? You must have read it a hundred times by now!"

"Must you always exaggerate, Ronald? Honestly, it couldn't have been more than fifty times I'm sure but definitely more than twenty..." Hermione contemplated, placing a finger to her lips. Stunned, Ron was about to say more but a sharp pain below distracted him.

"OW, Harry! What did you do that for?" He rubbed his rapidly reddening thigh. Harry just rolled his eyes.

"And what's that supposed to mean anyway? I mean, it's just not nor-"

"Hey, Ron! The food trolley will be coming by soon, you hungry?" Harry suddenly said in a bid to distract him.

"What food trolley? Bloody hell, Harry. It's still a few hours before it comes by. AND would you care to explain why you pinched me?"

"Oh Ron, just drop it. By the way, have you seen the others? I was busy loading my stuff and must have missed them."

"I think Neville lost his toad again. I saw him going up to the front looking frantic, probably trying to get the train conductor to delay for a bit so he can search for it." Hermione replied.

At that moment, their compartment door open and Seamus Finnegan popped his head in. "Hey guys, mind if I join in? Neville has gone off looking for his toad again." "Of course, come in." The three replied in unison.

"So, what were you guys talking about earlier?"

"Oh, just sharing what we did over the break." Hermione supplied, "How was your summer?"

"Pretty much the usual, going over to my gram's and hanging out in Diagon Alley with my parents. What about you guys?"

"Well, Ron mostly played Quidditch while I read and Harry- Well, he didn't really share…"

"What else, I spent it locked in my room trying to read but failing miserably seeing how my uncle doesn't even allow me to turn on the lights past ten which happens to be the time I finish doing the dishes."

"That bad huh, mate? Well, at least school's starting now and you have us!" Seamus added cheerfully. "Hey have you guys heard? There's apparently going to be a ball of sorts this year. My ma said she received a letter from the school asking them to prepare dress robes for us. I mean, how cool is that? We'll even be having dancing lessons, I heard!"

"My mother didn't say anything." Ron said with a confused look on his face.

The compartment door slid open again.

"Of course she didn't, you nincompoop. It's supposed to be a surprise!" Fred or George said, leaning against the frame.

"Yeah, you weren't supposed to know until Dumbledore gave the opening speech. So…how did you know, Seamus?" his twin pried.

"I have my ways," was all Seamus said with a cheeky grin.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Ron asked, slightly defensive.

"Well, we passed by a certain friend of yours, holding his toad asking us if we had seen his buddy AND being the ever goodhearted people that we are," Fred held a hand to his heart while George beamed in an almost angelic way, "we decided to help him in his quest!" At that, Fred swinged his arm, "it just so happened that that which we seek," and pointed at Seamus before continuing, "is here."

With a smile, George said, " Well, you best get going. Neville looked as if he's going to burst a blood vessel. First the frog and now his buddy." "Let's give him a break, shall we?" Fred added with a wink.

"I'd best get back then. Was nice talking to you guys! See you in the hall?" Seamus stood up, waved and slipped out. The twins made to follow but just as they were closing the compartment door, Fred reopened it and said, "Almost forgot, pass this to Gin if you see her would you?" He passed Hermione a parcel while George added, "Mum said it was quite important to get it to her ASAP."

"Wha-? Then why didn't you?" Hermione asked.

"Eh, well, we were going to but we saw Neville and stuff and we got to go do some other stuff so yeah…do us a favour yea~" George scratched his head and said.

Hermione scowled and opened her mouth, preparing to rebuke the two of them. However, before she could say a word, the twins left as abruptly as they arrived with a "Tata, kiddies!" and grinning like there's no tomorrow.

Blinking, Harry broke the silence. "What just happened?"

Sighing, Hermione got up and made to get out of their compartment. "Hey 'mione, where are you going?" Turning back to look at Ron she shook the parcel, impatience radiating from her lithe form in waves. "I'm going to look for Ginny."
"Why?" Harry blinked. "Were you not listening at all, Harry?" She huffed. "Honestly." With that she left, muttering unintelligible under her breath while the two of them stared after her still a little confused.

No one would wish to be walking along the narrow footpath outside at then for Hermione was currently storming through, and peering into each compartment, looking for a certain red headed girl. A first-year actually saw her and quickly ducked his head back in to avoid the angry looking Hermione while some actually cowered under her probing gaze as she peered into the windows. By the time she finally found Ginny with a few other girls, Hermione was in quite a state. Barely remembering her manners, she knocked before opening the compartment door.

"Hello, Hermione," Ginny grinned. "What brings you here?"

"Hey Ginny," she replied dryly. "I'm the part-time courier girl delivering a parcel from your mother." At that, the girls burst out laughing. Grinning wryly, Hermione handed over the parcel and sat down while the others, recognizing their need for some alone time- little wonder, since Ginny was making all sorts of eye movements to convey that- excused themselves and went to the washroom.

When only the two of them were left, Hermione turned back to Ginny and unleashed her fury. "Why on earth did you decide to sit in the compartment furthest away from us, Ginny?" she growled. "Have you any idea how far I had to walk to get here?"

"Well, you know about that experiment I'm trying out," Ginny defended, putting the parcel away, "Distance makes the hea-"

"Oh, for Godric's sake, Ginny! It doesn't work that way!" Hermione said, clearly frustrated. "That only applies for people who are already together, not for you and Harry who haven't even started dating!"

"WHAT? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Ginny screeched. "Alright, we have got to go back now!" She moved to get up but Hermione held her back. "I'm not ready to trudge all the way back yet, can't I rest a while longer?" she pleaded.

"No you can't! We have got to leave now!" She pushed Hermione's hands off and walked the scant distance to the door. Before she could open it however, Hermione tugged her back. "Ginny, you were content to stay away a few moments ago. Get back here!"

"But that was before!" She whined. "What if some harpy got her hands on Harry? Or worse, some stunning veela decides to claim him?" Ginny gasped, eyes wide.

With that, she broke free and took off for the trio's compartment. "Hermione, please tell Georgia and the others where I've gone!" she called before turning back and stalked off to find a clueless green-eyed boy.

Sighing, Hermione sat down and grumbled about how it was impossible for a veela to show up out of nowhere as well as Ginny's obsession with love, which was pretty normal considering her age, but not so to Hermione. All that mattered to her right now was doing well in school and getting her Os. The previous year, the Dark Lord had suddenly vanished. No one could find a trace of him and some concluded that the Fates must have erased his pitiful existence. Death eaters went back to the life they were leading, some still hoping that the Dark Lord will rise again. Without having to worry about the lives of witches and wizards around the world resting on their shoulders, the trio could finally be normal, albeit magic-welding, teenagers and concentrate on their education.

Muttering darkly about girls and the inane amount of time they spend in the washroom, Hermione look out the window and began to think about the subjects she's taking this year. Besides her core classes, she had also taken several electives, namely the Study of Ancient Runes as well as Arithmancy and Muggle Studies. She had found out earlier that professors Bathsheda Babbling, Septima Vector and Charity Burbage would be taking those classes respectively and could hardly contain her excitement. Having taken Muggle Studies the previous year, she was quite familiar with it. Besides, she was muggle-born, naturally she excelled in that subject. As for the other two, she had flipped through her texts earlier and they had certainly piqued her curiosity. If only she had her books with her, she sighed. What a waste of time. At that, the door slid open signaling the girls' return.

Once done explaining Ginny's absence, leaving out the sordid details of course, Hermione slowly made her way back to their shared compartment, recapping what they had learned in transfiguration previously, preparing for their first lesson of the year. She was so lost in thoughts that she did not notice the door ahead sliding open and a blonde male striding out. Not a second later and she bumped into him.

"Ouch. Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry!" she squeaked in dismay, rubbing her head where she had bumped the person ahead. Looking up, she saw a pair of molten silver eyes staring back at her.

"Watch where you're going, Granger." Malfoy sneered, brushing at his robes. "You got your muggle germs on me now."

Staring coolly back at him, Hermione bit out. "There are no such things are muggle germs, Malfoy." Inwardly, she thought that there was only one type of germs to avoid, the Malfoy ones. Once infected, they'd become arrogant, proud and obnoxious AND assume a holier-than-thou attitude "Now are you going to get out of my way or what?"

Smirking in that arrogant way of his, he turned sideways, blocking her. "I don't think so, Granger. Where you come from and where I come from are different. You came from the muggle world so obviously you do have muggle germs."

Narrowing her eyes, Hermione said, "So you have pureblood germs, is that it? Get out of my way before I hex you. Unlike some people, I don't have the time for idle chitchat." Just then, Crabbe and Goyle walked out and stood behind Malfoy, arms crossed over their chest. Glaring now, Hermione shot them a murderous glance, "You don't scare me. Move so I can pass!"

Letting his eyes roam over her, Malfoy smirked and decided he had enough, "Come on, let's move out of the way. Let's be the gentlemen we are and let this decidedly female specimen pass. Wouldn't want to appear rude now, would we?" Mocking her, he turned and gestured, "Ladies first?"

Thoroughly disgusted, she hissed, "Female specimen? Well, you know what, you are a first-class Neanderthal if I ever saw one!" That said, she pushed past and stormed off, not noticing the cool gray eyes that tracked her.

"What happened, Malfoy?" Crabbe asked, gravel in his voice.

"Nothing much. I think I found a project for this year." He chuckled. You can do better than that, Granger. Neanderthal? A regressive male specimen seems more apt.