A/N: None of these characters are mine, with the exception of some first years. Enjoy!

It was the same as it always was every other year.

Hermione, with her bushy brown hair and her chocolate brown eyes, dragged her trunk along the ground to platform 9 ¾. Crookshanks was wedged between her arm and her left side and desperately attempted to escape her grasp, scarring her arm as he did so, but the nonetheless, his attempts were futile. He continued to wriggle under her arm as she stopped in front of the platform.

She glanced once to her right and once to her left and once to behind her to make sure no one was watching what she was about to do. She began to walk forward, gaining momentum with each step she proceeded to take when she heard her name behind her.

"Hermione!"

Hermione whipped around and Crookshanks jumped out from under her arm. Hermione sighed heavily as she ran to catch him. As she ran by the two familiar voices that called her name, she shouted, "Help me catch Crookshanks, will you?!"

Harry dropped his things quickly, causing Hedwig to be extremely startled and the owl flittered around the cage frantically. The loud thud accompanied by his trunk dropping to the floor startled Ron and he fell backwards.

"Oof!"

Ron looked around quizzically and stood up. He picked his things up and dragged his and Harry's things over to where Hermione had dropped hers. When he had heaved everything over there, he waited patiently for Harry and Hermione to come back.

"That damned cat never liked me anyhow. I hope he gets lost..." he muttered to himself, trailing off.

Harry was close on Hermione's heels. Damn. That girl can move, he thought to himself. The two of them were running as fast as their legs were carrying them and they could distinctly see the outline of Crookshanks as he sped away.

Hermione could feel her heart pounding against the inside of her rib cage and she could feel the blood rushing to her face, making it glow with a beautiful rose color. She glanced quickly to her rightly and saw a glimpse of Harry along side of her. As she turned her head forward again, she stopped dead when she collided head-on with someone else.

She fell backwards as well as knocking the other person over. Harry stopped. He glanced quickly in the direction of Crookshanks then back at the unfolding situation.

"Oh my! I'm so sorry!" Hermione said as she stood up. Her eyes immediately glanced to the person whom she had knocked over. The back of his head was a platinum blonde and his shoulders were extremely broad.

The boy muttered something to him self and turned around as he stood up. His face went immediately from acceptance to disgust.

"Oh! It's just you Malfoy. Then, I'm afraid I'm not sorry."

"Nor would I accept your apologies if you were, so get out of my face, Mudblood."

Hermion's face remained rosy, but not from the running anymore. Now it was from extreme anger.

"Get out of my way you arrogant prick!"

"Gladly. Hope you're late!"

Hermione shoved past him and he stuck a foot out to trip her. She fell right into the trap and Crabbe, Goyly, and Draco fell to laughing histerically.

Hermione was utterly enraged by this point, but Harry helped her up, put his arm around her, and led her away from the situation. Hermions could hear sniggers and stupid comments being made as she walked away.

"Forget them, 'Mione."

"You're right. Let's hurry up and catch Crookshanks before we're late."

Harry nodded and Hermione took off, with Harry not far behind her. He watched her graceful movements as she sped off to catch her beloved cat. Crookchanks had finally stopped as Hermione sprung up on him.

The cat spat at her as she swept him up in her arms and she and Harry took off once again to get back to their things and to Ron.

Ron was still waiting patiently when he saw the both of them hurrying back.

"Damn, they caught it. Now I'll never make it through the train ride without some sort of scar." He averted his speaking from himself to the two and screamed, "Hurry up!"

They acknowledged his comment and with a last burst of speed, made it to Ron.

"Sorry Ron. We got...diverted by some unwanted filth."

"He's such a stupid git," he commented without even needing a name mentioned. "Let's go before all the compartments are gone."

"I have to sit in the head compartment anyhow," said Hermione.

Harry's faced dropped in disappointment, but he hid it when she called his name.

"C'mon Harry! Pick up your things! Let's go!"

He did as he was told and they ran through the platform, only to find that the train had left.

"Great. Just fucking great," Hermione said, he voice dripping with sarcasm. Ron and Harry both sighed as they stood next to her.

"We're going to have to fly I guess then. We remember how to get there from our second year and the incident with the Whomping Willow. That's something we're not likely to ever forget, now are we Ron?"

Ron forced a weak smile.

"Something wrong Ron?" asked Hermione.

"No. Not at all.

"Good then. If it's that Whomping Willow you're afraid of, don't be. We'll avoid it.

"Sounds good then. Let's go! Ride with me Hermione?"

"No!" said Harry.

"What is it Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Well, I-I just thought..."

"Spit it out will you? We haven't got all day!"

"I just thought you'd come with me...that's all."

"It doesn't even matter! Fine, I'll go with you. It's settled."

Ron dug out his broom from his trunk and Harry did the same. Hermione waved her wand over all of their belongings and shrunk them. She put them in her pocket and hopped on Harry's broom with him.

"Do both of you know how bad this is going to look? Head Girl is missing on the train and breaking rules to get to Hogwarts. This is so pathetic. Let's go."

"Ron, you ready?

"Affirmative!"

"Alright, let's go then."

Ron kicked off first and Harry remained behind him for a few seconds.

Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and whispered in her ear.

"Ready?"

Hermione nodded and Harry kicked off the ground lightly. She gasped slightly, closed her eyes and Harry could feel her muscles tense up.

They ascended to where Ron was and caught up to him. Harry glanced at him as Hermione's hair flew in his face, not that he minded because he liked how it always smelled, but nonetheless, it was impairing his vision. He saw that Ron was doing ok so far and he turned his head forward again.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?" she said with here eyes still clasped shut.

"You can open your eyes now."

Hermione opened her eyes slowly and gasped at the amazing view. She could feel the cold night air sting her cheeks as the moved forward, but she didn't mind it.

"Wow, this is amazing!"

Hermione leaned back into Harry's chest and relaxed as the wind blew through her hair. She remained calm until she saw the outline of Hogwarts and the thought of what everyone would think of the Head Girl being late and what they would think of her flooded back into her mind. She anxiously began to squirm.

"Hermione. Relax. We're almost there."

"I know. I'm just worried what everyone will think about me being late and not to mention, I have pee really, really bad."

Harry laughed a little in her ear.

"Just relax."

"I'm trying to!"

Harry pulled her back closer to his chest. She resisted the temptation to wiggle and they soon arrived. The landed smoothly on the Quidditch pitch and Harry, Hermione, and Ron all hopped off their brooms.

Hermione began walking quickly and Ron and Harry followed closely behind. The golden trio finally arrived at the big oak doors which welcomed them. The slipped in quietly and tip toed into the Great Hall.

There they found all the students gossiping and chirping about, talking about their summers and things of that sort. The Hall buzzed with excitement and the trio slid into their seats at the Gryffindor table. They had made it just before the Sorting ceremony was about to begin.

As if on cue to Hermione's relief of the situation, with the exception of her bladder, the first year's walked into the Hall, led by Hagrid. His warm smile greeted the returning students.

Professor McGonagall stood up at the faculty table and the Hall quieted down significantly.

"The Sorting Ceremony will now begin!"

She left her place at the faculty table and brought the attention to the middle of the Hall when she placed a stool and the Sorting Hat on top of it. Silence dominated the Hall for a few brief moments when the brim of the hat opened.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty, But don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can find A smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, You top hats sleek and tall, For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap them all. There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see, So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be. You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid to toil; Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, If you're a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind; Or perhaps in Slytherin You'll make your real friends, Those cunning folk use any means To achieve their ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none) For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The first years stared in awe at the unfolding event. Professor McGonagall had resumed her place at the faculty table and stood up once the hat was through reciting its rhyme.

Hermione was wiggling around in her seat still, hoping the ceremony would not last too much longer, but her gut told her, "Don't hold your breath."

Hermione sighed as Professor McGonagall called the first name off the long list of first years.

"Milani Galeo!"

Milani stepped forward just as calmly as Hermione had in her first year. She took the hat rather thoughtlessly and placed it atop her head while sitting down. The Hat examined her and shortly after shouted, "Gryffindor!"

Hermione saw herself in Milani and cheered along with the rest of her table for their first recruit. Her attention drifted to the events that had previously happened. Soon the sound of the Sorting Hat and Professor McGonagall disappeared.

She remembered how safe she felt when Harry had her in his arms on the broom and how he took her in his arms when that stupid prick, Malfoy, had called her, not that she had expected anything different, a Mudblood.

Then again, she had looked into his eyes that split second before his expression changed to disgust, and she saw something never expected to see in him, emotion. It made part of her want to get to know him better, but the rest of her was still completely satisfied with the fact that he will always hate her and she will always hate him.

Soon Hermione was pulled back into reality with the last name being called.

"Dmitriy Yermolayev!"

A young Russian boy stepped forward and took a seat on the stool. The hat paused briefly and shouted, "Slytherin!"

Hermione was relieved to hear the last name. She went to get up but Harry pulled her back down.

"Hermione, stay a few minutes, will you?"

Hermione looked at his emerald green orbs and contemplated his request.

"I really have to pee, seriously."

"Just for a few minutes 'Mione?"

Somehow she just couldn't say no so she gave in and decided to endure this torture for a few more minutes.

"Just a few minutes then, or my fucking bladder's going to explode."

She heard Dumbledore yell, "Let the feast begin!"

She looked around her to see all the first year's gaping at the amazingly beautiful Hall and staring in awe at the amounts of food present on the table. They started to dig in not too long after however because hunger overtook their awe.

Hermione seriously couldn't hold still as she ate. She placed some food on her plate and deciding it probably wouldn't be such a good idea to drink anything at the moment, she left her goblet alone. She picked up her fork and quickly began to eat when she felt a pari of eyes locking on here movements. She looked up to find Malfoy staring at her squirming around on her chair.

As soon as he realized she had seen him looking at her, he turned away and began talking to Crabbe and Goyle. Hermione looked intently at him as Pansy Parkinson hung all over him, much to his dismay.

She looked away as Harry said her name.

"Hermione? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. Fine."

It finally got to the point where she couldn't take it anymore and she got up and walked quickly to the faculty table. Harry opened his mouth to object but decided it wasn't fair to make her suffer that way, though it was funny watching her squirm as she did. He found it cute. She talked quietly to Dumbledore as the other teacher continued talking and asked him for the password to the Head common room so she could use the restroom.

She nodded as he told her and she ran quickly out of the Hall. She felt a pair of eyes follow her to the door and they stopped there. She ran to the Head common room, feeling like someone was lurking behind her, but she ignored it, all the while keeping her hand on her wand.

She finally got there. She did what she came to do and washed her hands before she left. She made her way back to the Great Hall unscathed, but the feeling that she was being watched or followed never left her.

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A/N: Please review! I need some feedback! The more feedback I get, the faster I'll write and post! I would like some constructive criticism please also! Please correct my mistakes!