Hi peeps my names Hollie and this is my first story up here and my first harry Potter fanfic..so i hope you enjoy, tell me what you think!!
Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Jk Rowling...don't sue me...please bats eyelids (not that you'd get much if you did!!)
Chapter 1
Harry, Ron and Hermione passed through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and walked onto the familiar platform. The red gleaming body of the Hogwarts Express waited patiently in the station while the students clambered into the carriages desperately trying to find an unoccupied compartment.
"We'd better hurry if we want a compartment to ourselves!" Hermione called to them as she dragged her trunk towards the nearest carriage.
"Bossy as ever!" Ron muttered giving Harry a wink and following after her. Harry grinned, took a deep breath and prepared himself for another journey without his two best friends. He climbed into the carriage after Ron and fought his way through the excited mass of students, looking for the flaming red hair of his best friend. When Harry finally got to the compartment, Ginny had joined them and was helping Ron with the trunks. Hermione was making sure her prefect badge was straight on her robes.
"Bit keen aren't you, changing into your robes already?"
"Nah, mate we have to wear them to the prefect carriage now! Set an example for the new prefects" Ron answered as he changed into his own robes, not taking nearly so much care of his own red and gold prefect badge.
"I hate being a prefect. "Ron murmured sitting down opposite Harry who had slumped next to the window. "I'd much rather spend the journey in here with you."
"Me too." Hermione agreed, smiling sympathetically at Harry, revealing her newly reduced teeth.
"Honestly mate." Ron repeated, seeing Harry's feeble attempt at a smile, "You beat half an hour with Malfoy any time. Plus this could be my last journey in that carriage, as it's unlikely I'll become head boy."
This made Harry smile, at least he wasn't stuck with Malfoy, maybe the journey wouldn't be that bad after all. No sooner had he thought this, than there was a knock at the window. Startled they all turned to see Luna waving manically at them, her eyes wide with excitement at seeing her friends. '
"Great" Harry whispered, making everyone but Ginny giggle.
"She really isn't that bad really, you shouldn't be so mean." The others looked at her sceptically but said nothing. "And anyway, she helped us loads in the Ministry of Magic last year." Ginny pointed out, making the others feel incredibly guilty. If it hadn't been for Luna, Ginny, Ron or Hermione probably wouldn't have survived their last encounter with Voldermort. Luna entered the compartment, her nose buried in the latest issue of the Quibbler, and completely ignoring the people that a moment ago she had been so excited to see.
"Hi Luna." Ginny said as she watched Luna sit herself in one of the remaining spaces.
Luna looked up briefly, her wide eyes glazed with disinterest, "Hello." Her voice was distant and after looking briefly around the room, returned to the article she was reading titled ' Can Gnomes be trained to tidy our gardens?'
Hermione and Ron gave Harry a sympathetic look and began to leave for the Prefect carriage.
"See you later mate." Ron grumbled, unwilling to leave Harry.
"Yeah, later." Harry answered just as melancholy.
Hermione and Ron left the compartment and began to push their way through the hordes of students and the masses of trunks blocking the narrow corridors of the train.
"God, Midgets!" Ron complained as he struggled to get through a particularly big group of nervous looking first years.
"RON, I told you last year they can't help being small, and you shouldn't talk about them like that you're..."
"A prefect, I know." He interrupted.
"And don't roll your eyes at me either."
Ron looked at the back of her head, and raised his eyebrow, "How...how did you know?"
"Ron you always roll your eyes."
"I so do not."
"Ahhh are the love birds fighting"
Ron and Hermione whirled round to see Draco Malfoy, his well-known smirk plastered on his now filled out face. Hermione noticed that his platinum blond hair was no longer slicked back magically but hung loosely over his face. He had filled out over the last year, due to qudditch, he was no longer the thin pale-faced boy they had met their first year of Hogwarts. However, Hermione reasoned, he still had the cruel glint to his cold grey eyes and was as much as a dickhead as he had always been, judging from Pansy Parkinson draped over him.
"Leave off Malfoy." Ron said through gritted teeth.
"Touch a nerve Weasley?" Draco retorted in his usual cold drawl.
"Just leave us alone Malfoy." Hermione spat back at him.
"I'd love to Granger but, unfortunately I have to spend the next half an hour with a sorry excuse for a wizard and a filthy mudblood."
Ron's whole body tensed, and his hands balled into fists. He lurched forward towards Malfoy, knocking over a small first year on the way. He pushed Malfoy against the wall and found that it was not as easy as it had once been. Pansies screams drowned the pained noise that escaped Draco as Ron punched him in the stomach. He went to strike again but stopped when he felt Hermione's hand on his shoulder.
"Ron please, leave it, he's not worth getting detention over. Let's just go to the carriage and get this over and done with."
Ron dropped Draco and turned to leave with Hermione. His ears were still red in anger but his breathing had gone back to normal.
"Are you alright Drakey Darling?" Pansy cooed into Draco's ear as they made there way to the Prefect carriage,
"Of course I'm alright, it was only Weasley and Granger." He replied shrugging her off his shoulder. Her constant attention, for some reason, was no longer as appealing as it had been in the last 5 years.
Slightly taken aback by Draco's obvious displeasure Pansy turned to insulting Hermione.
"You know, I think that mudblood bitch has tried to reduce the size of her teeth again!"
Draco smirked at the memory of the last time Hermione had tried to reduce the size of her teeth.
"That's better Drakey, your even sexier when you smile." She said as she pushed open the wooden door to the prefect carriage.
The prefect carriage had wooden panels all the way around the walls. There were no windows in the carriage but candles had been charmed to float around the edges of the room, casting their light on the many portraits of Hogwarts prefects; most of which were looking proudly down at the new arrivals and wondering which of the old prefects would be swapping their badge for that of Head boy or girl.
The younger group of prefects sat on a large green sofa that was straining under the weight. A few were looking around at the portraits seeing whom they recognized. There was one in particular that the Gryffindors remembered. It was that of Percy Weasley who was polishing his badge and smiling over at the portrait of Penelope Clearwater. Ron was scowling at the picture, he still had not forgiven Percy for deserting his family and nor was he ever likely to.
When Draco and Pansy finally entered all the Prefects had arrived and Hermione felt it was best to get started.
"I think it's best to tell the instructions to the prefects altogether, that way we can get out of here as quickly as possible." Hermione instructed.
"Yeah and then you can get back to Wonderboy Potter and save him from Loony Luna." Draco whispered loudly, making sure all in the group could hear.
Hermione ignored the comment and carried on "Who would like to speak first...no one volunteering? Fine."
She promptly turned to face the group of new prefects and began her speech.
"Ahem...thank you, I would like to start by congratulating you on becoming prefects. It is a very honorable position and I trust you will respect that."
She paused to let the portraits finish their applause of approval and carried on.
"Thank you. Anyway the first thing I should tell you is that prefects are not allowed to take points from any house."
All eyes turned to Draco, who was well known for abusing the position he gained last year. Draco promptly bowed causing Pansy and the other Slytherin prefects to snigger and for Hermione to roll her eyes in annoyance.
"Also although detentions are allowed to be given, it would be wise to first check with the heads of your house or the Head boy or girl; the positions of which will be announced in the Great Hall tonight. There will be another meeting when the rest of the rules will be explained so at the moment I will just stick to the rules of the journey. Your main duties will be to patrol the corridors and the stop any misbehavior as best you can. If there are any problems seek out one of us and we will come and help. We'll split into groups quickly so you can get acquainted with them and receive their input and then we can leave and get back to our friends which I'm sure would be better than being in here." She smiled warmly and allowed the others to separate off.
"Hi Colin." Ron said as he sat next to the Gryffindor prefects.
"Hi Ron, where's Harry? I can't believe he wasn't made a prefect last year I mean he is excellent. Brilliant Qudditch player too! "Colin rambled and then added, "Your not bad either mind you!"
"Thanks, I think." Ron said frowning slightly.
Hermione giggled and turned to the girl next to her and held out her hand. "Hermione Granger."
"Oriana Spinnet, Alicia's sister." She said with a smile.
"Nice to meet you."
"I'll tell you the rules this time, to save the lecture." Ron grinned " Basically you'll only get problems from Slytherin students and most likely the prefects so just bash their heads in and you'll be fine!"
"Ron." Hermione gasped shocked.
"I was only kidding Hermione. Just come and find us if you run into any trouble, I'll bash their heads in for you...ok, ok Hermione, just come and find us and we'll help. That's about it really. You can go."
Colin and Oriana nodded and looked around the room once more and left. Hermione and Ron stood up and went over to talk to Justin Finch-Flechtley and Hannah Abbott who had also finished instructing their prefects.
"What are yours called?" Ron asked the couple after the other Hufflepuff prefects had left.
"Eleanor Branstone and Owen Couldwell. Both good students they should be..."
Justin was interrupted by a loud outburst from the four Slytherin prefects who were situated next to the fireplace.
"Wonder what they're laughing at?" Hermione asked.
"Probably the best ways to get the other houses into trouble or the best ways to kill a... well you know what I mean." Ron voiced.
When Pansy realized the attention that she now had she began to talk in a loud whisper, allowing everyone to hear what she was saying.
"I bet she thought the teeth being shorter would improve her looks, but I mean, there's not really much chance improving her when she has hair like a Niffler."
Again the Slytherins burst into fits of laughter. When Pansy had recovered from her witty comment she carried on.
"Who does she think she is anyway...giving instructions to us, the filthy mudblood."
The Slytherins sniggered but not nearly as long or hard as before, but when they saw that their comments had affected Hermione in the way they wanted they fell into another fit of hysterics, Pansy and Morag Mcdougal had to hold their stomachs in an effort to stop them splitting.
Hermione had run out of the carriage, holding back the tears and had swiftly been followed by Ron, Justin and Hannah. The Slytherins and the Ravenclaws were left alone in the carriage. The Ravenclaws looked around for a second and then deciding that they didn't want to be with the Slytherins for longer then they needed said their goodbyes and left.
"Well anyone would think we smell." Draco said as he stood up from his armchair. "I'll catch up with you later, I've got to go find Crabbe and Goyle"
"Don't you want me to come with you Drakey?" Pansy asked as he reached the door.
"No it's fine Pansy, I'm sure I can find them on my own, I'll cope without your protection." And with that he turned and left.
Ron bolted down the corridor after Hermione, "Herm!"
Hermione ignored him and continued down the corridor, but Ron's long legs meant he was much faster then her and easily managed to catch up with her.
"Hermione" He said softly, as he grabbed his arms.
"What." She snapped as she whirled round.
"Hermione their jerks, and that's great coming from pug-faced Pansy."
Hermione giggled slightly, though tears were still flowing down her cheeks.
"You're more then looks anyway, you have brains and you're brave." He added and gave her a shy hug.
"Thanks Ron!"
Ron smiled down at her and they turned and carried on walking towards the compartment.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked as they reached the room but Hermione had kept walking.
"I'm off to find Lavender and Parvarti. I'll be back soon."
She smiled briefly and then disappeared in the crowd of students milling around the snack trolley.