Sorry I haven't updated in a bit! I've been meaning to get this chapter up but I've been working on school and whatnot. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to anything featured in this story that affiliates with the Harry Potter universe.

Harry sat in the booth of the train once again on his way to Hogwarts. Ron, his best friend, sat across from him, indulging himself in the candy he received from the trolley that passed by. Still, his mind wandered to the whereabouts of their dear companion, Hermione. Curiosity got the better of him and he left to find the booth of none other than Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. He hoped that they would have an idea to where Hermione could be hiding.

"I haven't seen her," the Ravenclaw started, "I don't think she even got on the train! She didn't owl me all summer either. I hope she's all right." Worry overwhelmed the young boy as he continued his search for the last part of The Golden Trio. Unfortunately, she was not in any of the apartments. No one had even seen her get on the train.

He reached the final apartment; the same one he had purposely avoided due to a particular jerk sitting inside. He eventually sucked it up, remembering his mission: find Hermione. Opening the door, he was met with snobbish laughter quieting down and way too much perfume. "Potter."

"Malfoy." He retorted. These were the usual greetings other than 'slob,' 'half-wit,' 'jerk,' and 'snob.'

"What are you looking for? Because I can assure you, I don't have it." The blonde stuck up his nose as if he had been wrongfully accused of stealing something.

"Not what. Who. I can't find Hermione."

"And you expect me to care?"

"No, I was just wondering if you had seen her at the station or on the train at all. I asked everyone else and nobody has seen her."

"The Mudblood is probably already at the school. You know how she is. She's probably already got her nose in a book that she has read before." Harry scoffed at the insult to his friend. It's been almost six years since they met and Malfoy still insists on calling his friend this insulting term. However obnoxious Malfoy may be, he may also be right. She probably was already at the school or took a different mode of transportation like he and Ron did back in their second year.

Hours later and the Great Hall was Hermione-free. The seat that the curly brunette used to sit in was empty and people were starting to notice. The library was closed for the first day back so that room could be marked off the list of places that she could possibly be. Harry took it upon himself to go visit Hagrid with Ron to see if he had any ideas.

"I'm just as ignorant about it as you are." The giant man said.

"I hope she's all right. She didn't write back to any of my letters over the summer and I didn't see her getting her school supplies." Ron added.

"I'm going to go ask Professor Dumbledore if he knows. Maybe Hermione is on holiday and would have missed the first day of school. She would have probably informed him of her absence and to send any make up work she would miss." Harry spoke with determination in his voice. He scurried to the Headmaster's office and stopped to listen to a conversation between the Headmaster and what sounded like Professor Snape.

"Mr. Malfoy has informed me that Mrs. Granger was not present at the Great Hall. He believes she may not have even gotten on the train as she was not seen at King's Cross." Professor Snape informed his superior.

"That is rather interesting. I didn't receive any notifications that Mrs. Granger would be missing today and everyone who wanted to, had gotten through at King's Cross." Harry remembered the man near the platform. Professor Dumbledore hired a man to make sure there would be no students to miss the train in regard to the mishap from a few years ago involving Ron and himself. "It is rather peculiar that someone so keen about learning would miss class. I will send a letter to her home."

With that, Harry had all of the information he needed. He knew that Hermione would never miss school, even if she was dead. There was something terribly wrong.