Chapter 1: Hermione's Point of View
"Oi! Hermione, come on, the train is leaving, hurry up!" Ron yells from somewhere in the crowd at King's Cross Station.
"Coming!" Hermione replies as loud as she can. She tries to make her way through the parade of students boarding the Hogwart's Express.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Hermione says, after accidentally stepping on someone's foot.
"Excuse me,please-"
She scans the platform for Ron or Harry. Neither of them are in sight. They had probably boarded the train already. She finally reaches the train, and gets pushed aside by a burly seventh-year.
"Well I never-" She starts furiously, but spots a hand reaching towards her, probably to pull her onto the train. Unhesitantly, she grabs it, and it pulls her on,with her bags behind her.
"Thank you," she says, and as she looks around for the person, she realizes the person is gone.
"Odd," she mutters, and searches through the compartments for Harry and Ron.
She spots Rons unmistakable red hair, and immediately pulls the compartment door open. "Hermione! We've been searching everywhere for you," Harry exclaims as she slides in.
"Oh yeah? Well I've been looking everywhere for you," Hermione says. She sits down beside Harry.
"Oh come off it, Hermione. We all know you can make your way through a platform alone," Ron bites into his chocolate frog.
She shoots him murderous glare.
He grins innocently. "Anything new on You-Know-Who?"
Hermione shakes her head. "He's been keeping quiet these days,"she remembers all the long nights searching through every single newspaper. "No unusual deaths, no reports by muggles, nothing."
"Well, we shouldn't be so hopeful," Harry says.
Ron munches on his jellybeans. "Besides, Dumbledore's still here, so-" He gets cut off by the compartment door sliding open again. All three of them look up, expecting to see Ginny appear, but she doesn't.
A tall,blonde figure is standing at the doorway, flanked with two boys beside him. Hermione glares at them.
"Go away, Malfoy. No one remembers inviting you here."
Malfoy turns his icy cold gaze on her. "I don't remember asking a piece of filth like you to talk."
Hermione winces at the insult. Ron gives him a murderous look. "Shut up."
Malfoy smirks. "What? Nervous I'll give away your big secret?"
Ron's face reddens instantly. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy."
Malfoy smirks again. "You bet you know what I'm talking about,Weasel."
Hermione stands up and pushes Malfoy out the compartment. "I said, go away," she grits her teeth.
"You dare touch me, Mudblood?"
She ignores him and kicks him in the shin. He turns for his wand, but Hermione is quicker.
"Expelliarmus!"
His wand flies into her hand, and she pushes her forearm against his neck, pinning him on the wall. She points his own wand at his throat.
"You know, I'm a bit tired of your nosiness, Malfoy. If you come even a foot near us, I swear, your own wand will slit your throat," she says quietly.
"You're threatening me with my own wand, Granger?"
"Yes, I'm pretty sure I am."
He gives a hoarse, nervous laugh.
She releases him, and he gives one last knowing smirk and strides away.
She turns back into the compartment, to see Harry and Ron with rather shocked faces.
"What?" She says irritably.
They both shake their heads. "Erm, Nothing," Harry says. "We'd better get changed for Hogwarts," he brings out his robes. Hermione nods reluctantly and backs out of the compartment. "I'll go find Ginny."
She walks towards Ginny's compartment, but is stopped by a flash of someone making their way to the bathroom in the dark, trying to pass unseen. Curious, Hermione follows it.
She reaches the corner of the end of the hall, and the train jerks forward, pushing her into the wall. She slaps a hand over her mouth to keep her from cursing as her head hits the opposite wall, hard.
Hermione spots the figure again. She catches a glimpse of the blonde head disappear into the boy's bathroom, a hand clutching his head, as if in pain.
Malfoy? She thinks, surprised.
She returns to her spot in behind the wall. What is wrong with him? Is he hurt? She thinks.
She slaps herself. Why would I be worried for him? I hate him, don't I? He's just a prissy little Slytherin.
She forces herself to turn back, towards Ginny's compartment.
She slides the door open, and looks up to see Ginny and Dean locked in a tight embrace, snogging ferociously. Hermione steps back apologizing and closes the door as silent as possible. She turns back to Ron and Harry, who ought to have been changed by now.
They are talking in hushed voices, arguing quietly. She catches a couple of 'She'll find outs' and some 'She'll go bonkers' .
"What are you two bickering about?"
They jump at the sight of her. "Hermione, you're here. We've changed and all," Ron says, trying to hide his nervousness, but Hermione notices it instantly. She eyes him, suspicious.
"Malfoy said, something about your 'big secret'. What did he mean?" She asks.
"I said I didn't know what he was talking about."
"Really?"
He nods. "I honestly had no clue what crap he was going on about."
Harry bites the inside of his mouth. "Ron's telling the truth, Hermione."
The corners of Hermione's mouth wilt. "Whatever. We're at Hogwarts 's go."