It's Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts and little does he know, but he's becoming more and more like his father every day.

Harry had been hanging around at platform 9 and ¾ for over 15 minutes waiting for Ron with Hermione who had gotten there over an hour early.

"You told him to come half an hour early didn't you?" Hermione asked impatiently.

This was the 5th time she had asked in the last 5 minutes.

"Yeah mione, I told him twice. He's just running late as usual." Harry sighed.

They had agreed that by getting their earlier, they would guarantee their own compartment, which had become a necessity after having to spend hours with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle the year before.

Hermione pulled a textbook out of her robes and opened up to her bookmark.

"What are you doing mione?" Harry asked baffled.

"Well," she paused "If he's running late I may as well use my time to get some reading in, I've been so busy these holidays I didn't finish reading this book again"

"Again?" Harry asked. "How many times do you read them?"

"About a dozen or so" Hermione said with her nose about 3 cm's away from the pages.

Harry looked back at his watch. It was one Ron had given him for the previous Christmas from Hogsmead. It was close to a Muggle watch except that every so often the hands would get tired of sticking to the correct time and decide to jump around and go backwards.

Harry looked at the Hogwarts train. Still the same old rusty red it had been since he started, although it seemed smaller now.

Finally, not a minute to late Ron came puffing through the barriers along with Ginny following steadily behind.

Ron was looking around for them, trying to catch his breath.

He finally spotted them and rushed over.

"Nice to show up Ron", Harry joked standing up.

"We almost didn't make it." Ginny squeaked.

"How come" Hermione's voice echoed up from behind the book.

"Hermione, almost didn't see you there" Ron and Harry laughed.

Hermione looked up at Ron to say 'hi' but burst into laughter when she saw his face.

His face was black and brown and looked like he'd come out of a musical singing 'chim chimeney, Chim Chimeney"

"Ron set his room on fire"

Hermione and Harry spun around to look at Ron who was looking redder than a Tomato.

Suddenly the singes on his robes and trunks were so much more evident and when they saw the burnt ends of Ron's eyebrows they cracked up laughing.

"HAHA how did you manage that?"

Harry was bent over holding his stomach and Hermione was supporting herself on Harry. Ron's burnt eyebrows had made her laugh so much she felt week

"It was an accident" Ron blushed. He didn't seem to find the hilarity in the situation.

"He tripped on his wand and it sent sparks onto his bedspread!" Ginny laughed.

Harry and Hermione started cracking up again when they heard the whistle blow.

"We better get on the train, there probably won't be any compartments left though" Hermione said packing up her things and heading for the train.

"You've got to tell me more about this!" Harry said to Ginny as they filled onto the train.

The four had been to all the other compartments except one. They stared at the door for a second.

"Come on boys" Hermione started.

"Hermione, let's just spend the trip in the corridor eh?" Ron asked.

"For the millionth time Ron, call me Mione and don't be such a wimp. She said sliding the doors open. Ron blushed again.

Inside Malfoy was spread out on a seat surrounded by food and Crabbe and Goyle were both stuffing their faces.

"Make some room", Ginny commanded as she waltzed in and sat down.

"Get out, find another compartment" Malfoy said with food spilling from his mouth.

"They're all full, make some room will ya" she said plucking a Canary Cream from Malfoy's pile.

"Get off" he snapped at her.

Hermione pushed Malfoy's pile of food onto the floor and sat next to him.

"Oi!" Malfoy yelled, scoping up his pile of food into his lap.

"Ron, Harry, sit down" Hermione said simply and they both sat down next to Ginny.

Malfoy emptied his loot into a backpack in the corner and winked at Hermione.

"Eyes of Malfoy" Ron warned.

Hermione blushed and Ginny giggled.

"She your property, is that it Weasly?" Malfoy sniggered.

"She's no one's property, least of all yours Malfoy" Ron said jumping to his feet, pulling out his wand, Harry too had his wand out, backing up Ron.

"When did you grow a spine Weasel" Malfoy rose to his feet.

Hermione stood up too. "Stop it, all of you, We're not even at school yet and your threatening to hex each other!"

"Who said anything about threatening?" Malfoy queried, before hitting Ron with a Confundous Charm.

As Ron slammed into the wall Harry hit Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle all with a Hurling Hex which forced them to go crashing through the window of the door.

"We'll be back Potter!" Malfoy threatened as they backed off.

"Repairo" Hermione commanded as the pane's of glass from the window of the door flew back and melted into place.

Malfoy's charm had worn of Ron who was now sitting next to Harry on a seat. Ginny clapped and squeal with delight.

"You got him good!" Harry High-Fived Ron who got extremely confused at the gesture.

"Oh must be a Muggle thing" Harry muttered

"I can't believe you two!" Hermione scolded.

"Mione, we were just sticking up for you, he was sliming all over you!" Harry protested.

"I would've expected better of you two, using magic so carelessly like that, someone could've gotten hurt!"

"yeah, hopefully Malfoy" Ron chuckled.

Hermione Glared at him. "Sorry Hermione" He said quickly.

"Ron, you've gotten so much better at magic, you really stood up to him" Harry said proudly.

"We'll I'm glad" Hermione said. "He's been walking all over you to long ron" Out of nowhere a Shrill sound started ringing. Ron started to scrounge around in his robes where the noise is coming from.

"What have you go there Ron?" Hermione asked.

Ron pulled out a rectangular device that was vibrating and ringing.

"I think it's called a mobble or something" Ron said opening it out.

"That's a Mobile!" Hermione realised.

He pressed a button and the ringing stop.

"H-H-Hello" Ron stuttered into the phone.

"Hey Ronnie Dear" Mrs Weasly's voice replied back.

Hermione stifled her laughter and Harry raised an eyebrow to him, mouthing "Ronnie?"

"Hi Mum"

"I just wanted to make sure you go there ok?" her worried voice asked.

"Yes mum" ron droned.

"Don't worry Ronnie, the fire in your room is completely out now"

Hermione laughed, "It wasn't out when you left!?"

"Thanks mum..." Ron signed.

"Did you pack extra underwear and socks?" Ron went scarlet.

"Mummm" he moaned.

"Sorry dear, just checking, have a fun year"

"Bye" Ron said turning of the mobile, cutting of his mums 'bye'

"Don't say anything" Ron said Blushing.

"Who me? I wasn't going to say a thing" Harry said with a huge grin on his face.

"I'll be back in a second, I want to go get Crookshanks" Hermione said getting up to leave, Ginny following her.

As soon as the door was slid shut Harry turned to Ron.

"Still have a crush on Hermione then?" Harry asked completely out of the blue.

Ron was taken by surpise. "What!? Huh? No!"

"That be a yes then" Harry said.

"When did you get that idea" Ron faked a laugh.

"Ron, I've been you friend for so long there are jus some things you pick up on"

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Hmm" Harry thought, "Let's see, you talk in your sleep, but for both our sakes were not going into that, I've seen you looking at her with that "your so dreamy" look on your face and your incredible protective of her.

"Your so off, you have no idea, and she's my friend, of course I'm protective of her! I'm no into Hermione" Ron protested.

"I reckon she likes you to"

"Really? You think?! I mean oh, no big deal" Ron blushed.

"Ron, you like her, she likes you, there is no fly in this ointment!?" Harry asked.

"It's not that simple, She's my friend, has been for ages, If something were to happen, and it didn't work, I wouldn't want to ruin what we have, not that we have anything...I mean, She's Hermione!"

"Yeah, she's Hermione, oh, and hey, why don't you call her mione?" Harry asked.

Ron blushed, he'd been doing that a lot today. "Well you know..."

"Is it because of getting closer to her, or because of mione sounds like 'my one'?"

Ron laughed, "Kinda both!"

Hermione slid open the door and came in with Crookshanks. She had taken her hair down and it was now straight.

"Hermione, you changed your hair?"

"Yep Ron, Cho did a hair straightening charm on it, should last about a week." Hermione said running her fingers through her glossy straight her.

Ron was staring at her and Harry grinned.

"Your doing that look again" Harry said.

"What?" Ron came out of daydream.

"What look?" Hermione asked.

"uh..."Ron mumbled.

"Oh it was something we were talking about before, I reckon when Ron raises his eyebrows, the one that's more singed goes higher." Harry said quickly

Hermione started at Ron for a bit. "I don't really see it."

"your probably not looking properly" Harry said, "Look harder"

"Harry!" Ron blushed.

Hermione looked closer at Ro, "Hmmm"

Ron was starting to get nervous.

"Oh well, maybe it's just me" Harry said

The train stopped and they all stood up.

"We're here"