Harry was the last person to leave the compartment, carrying a bright grin on his face. He loved catching up with his friends after summer. The boy spent part of his summer at the Weasleys house just like Hermione did. But after Ginnys birthday in August he went back to the Dursleys to get some homework and learning done. Harry was in no way anywhere near as efficient as Hermione was when it came to preparing for school but everyone gave him a heads up on how Potions and Defence against the dark Arts were going to be increasing in difficulty.
The Dursleys ignored him for the most part and he was more than okay with that. Dudley was causing them enough troubles and that muggle boy managed to kick them off their high hippogriff. At the end of the day there was simply no time or energy left to be spent on coming up with spiteful words or disapproving looks.
The fresh evening air took the boy by surprise and he now regretted not stuffing his gloves into his pockets. The same applied for his Gryffindor scarf. The pair of woollen gloves, that Mrs Weasley had knitted for him last winter when she found out he had none, and the house scarf both were packed away safe and sound in his suitcase.
His jaw immediately started to vibrate and he tightened his grip around his worn off suitcase.
Blimey, was it cold!
His green eyes started to search for his friends and he quickly spotted Ginnys long, vibrant hair. His thoughts wandered back to her birthday party but he was quickly yanked back into reality as he felt a small hand wrapping around his left, free arm. Harry looked down to the girl, who was smart enough to dress seasonally appropriate, and gave her a half hearted smile.
Cho Chang was a very pretty, some even dare to say beautiful, young woman. Her dark hair fell effortlessly over her chest. A beanie protected her ears from becoming uncomfortably cold and she wore white gloves that were colour coordinated with her scarf and a navy coat. Although she was wearing a skirt Cho wasn't cold because thick tights protected her skinny, short legs.
Together they darted towards a carriage and Harry helped her with her suitcase and offered her a hand to help her into the vehicle. She let out a quiet snigger before she shook her head.
"No thank you, Mr. Potter. This, I can do myself!"
Harry responded with a grin as she climbed up into the wooden carriage, facing the castle. Quickly he climbed in after her and plonked down next to ... - what was she?
His girlfriend? His friend? Or something in between?
Over the last summer Harry and Cho had been owling a few times about what was now going on between them. They met up twice but not much had happened. They kissed each other a few times but she broke it off via a letter that stated that she just did not feel ready for something new after all those things that had happened in the last few years. Cedrics death affected her more than people had thought and she still struggled with guilt when she met up with other boys.
At least that was what she wrote him. After Harry responded with an owl he never heard back from her. When he entered the train Cho grabbed him by the hand and wanted to talk so that was what they did. She apologised about her letter and that she should not have gotten his hopes up just to let them down via owling.
But then she said that she was in the wrong and something about herself changing. They were kissing for a good ten minutes before she told him she had to go back to her compartment but that they'd talk later.
And now there they were.
Harrys body was slightly thrown back by the sudden movement of the carriage but he quickly recovered and looked over to the smaller asian girl.
"Would you like to talk now?"
Awkwardness lingered in Harrys voice but there was nothing much less awkward to say. Cho lifted her head and looked up to him, a little smile on her lips.
She was not the kind of girl that wore a lot of makeup. Cho reminded him of Hermione - well, at least of how Hermione used to be. She was smart and clever but much less outspoken than his best friend. But because she was such a gorgeous girl it baffled him that she looked so incredibly beautiful without the help of makeup. No lipstick, no ... whatever the other things are called. There were days when she wore a little bit of colour on her face but even then she managed to look incredibly natural.
"What is there to talk about? I think I made my position quite clear, don't you think?"
Merlin, why were girls so difficult to read? Harry had learnt over the years that what girls say and what girls do, do not always have to go hand in hand. Apparently just because a girl tells you you can have some chocolate does not mean that you can actually take some without them getting quite upset.
After repeating the same mistake of thinking what they is what they mean, Harry came to the conclusion that he should probably let them set up an agreement or contract of some sort just to make absolutely sure he is allowed to do something.
Hesitantly Harry opened his mouth.
"T-That means you are officially wanting to go out with me, right?"
"Yes, Harry. I think it is about time that I move on and I've been wanting this since we first kissed in the room of requirement but it never felt just quite right. But I figured out that...-"
Cho looked down to her hands that were intertwined, her voice quivering ever so slightly.
"...-it was probably just me, y'know? It was me that stopped all this from happening. Not Cedric, not my feelings for you. It was me that always pulled back every time I got closer to you. I kept telling myself that this is not fair towards him. That I should feel bad. But it's been two years! Two damn years and I am allowed to move on! And I now have."
Her chocolate eyes were glazed by tears when she reached for Harrys hand. His freezing cold fingers intertwined with hers and he moved his thumb over the back of the warm fabric of her gloves.
"I'm glad to hear this, Cho."
With a gentle smile the boy watched her and when the girl responded with a smile he leaned down to seal this moment, this important realisation with a soft kiss.
With a loud "uhmpf" sound Hermione collapsed onto her bed. With her face buried in several cushions she let out a delighted noise.
Oh, how she had missed Hogwarts.
The scent of the room was almost just as she left it, the bed felt just the same. For a few moments she managed to block out the voices and noises coming from her roommates to reminisce but that only lasted so long. With a sigh the girl pushed herself up to greet Lavender with a simple "Hey, how were your holidays?" and received a "Not too shabby, how about yours?" in return.
A few more words of politeness and meaningless small talk were exchanged before Hermione noticed her stomach rumbling. She only had a piece of toast for breakfast and now was longing for a good sized meal. She felt Lavender and Parvati watching her as she walked up to the mirror and seeing them exchanging odd looks through the reflection.
Hermione almost forgot. She looked a little different. With her bad habit to anxiously chew on her bottom lip or to grind her lips in general, all the lipgloss had worn off. She didn't even want to think about her hair. Quickly she took out the hair-tie and walked back to her neatly packed suitcase so she could take out her hairbrush. Now her eye makeup was still in tact so all she had to do was brush through the masses of hair and curls before she tied it up into a messy bun. Surprised by how well the outcome looked Hermione fished for her gloss but deemed it unnecessary because she was going to have a big dinner and it wouldn't last very long.
"It looks good, y'know? Your new look. Good choice."
Lavenders comment surprised the witch to say the least. Even though she had spent many years with Lavender Brown as a dorm mate they never really hit it off. They exchanged meaningless conversations and said goodnight to each other but their relationship never made it to a friendship. The same applied to Hermiones relationship to Parvati and the other two girls she shared her room with. The furthest their friendliness went was that one time one of them was in need of a hair tie in Potions and Hermione had a spare one to give.
"Thank you."
She responded truthfully, picking out a few loose strands of hair that now framed her face. Lavender is not a bad person. Annoying? Yes, sometimes. But overall she was always polite - always friendly. Is a change of looks really all it took for her to notice her a little more?
Hermione didn't care anymore but when she just arrived in Hogwarts and didn't know anyone she would have killed for a friendship like Browns and Patils. They did everything together and even after the witch befriended Harry and Ron she still longed for a female best friend who she could discuss female problems with.
Her lip twitched lightly to the memory of that one time she casually mentioned her period when she was twelve and Ron absolutely lost it and simply wouldn't understand how Hermione didn't die due to blood loss and how she could be so casual about bleeding out of her private parts.
But now she had Ginny and the Weasley girl really is the best friend she could ever have asked for.
"I'll see you guys later, I'm off for dinner!"
With these words Hermione left her dorm and walked down the staircase only to find Ginny downstairs in the common room. She just waved a girl, whose name she didn't remember, goodbye.
"Hungry?"
"Starving."
Both girls chuckled quietly before wandering down the hallway.
"I decided that this year will be the year, Mione. I don't want to wait any longer."
Ginnys casual but also slightly excited voice made her frown. What was this girl on about?
"Wait for what?"
"I'll be losing my virginity. I don't know to who or when. But I know it will be before summer!"
Hermione stopped in her movements, staring at her best friend in disbelief.
"A-Are you sure? You don't even have a boyfriend! Don't you think it should be more special with someone special?"
Her voice went up a note or two towards the end of her question and now her friend stopped walking too.
"Mione, please! I am old enough to make my own decisions!"
"Yes, of course but..."
"No buts. I will do it. And I hope you will still be my best friend who I will be able to talk to when I did it."
Hermione sighed, walking towards the redhead.
"Now don't be silly. Of course you'll still be my best friend. I am simply surprised, that's all. And you're sure there is no way of talking you out if it?"
"Positive."