Harry, Ron and Hermione all piled into an empty compartment and stored away their trunks. They all took turns talking about their summer Holidays, Harry didn't have much to say, he mainly talked about Dudley and his issues. They all laughed and talked to each other for a very long time. They felt warm inside again, they loved being together, then the trolley lady came down the corridor so Harry stepped out of their compartment to grab something to eat. Hermione and Ron were sitting across from each other; they made eye contact and smiled. Then Ron asked the one question Hermione was sure would come.

"How is, uh, Krum?" asked Ron.

"Viktor? Oh he, uh, I don't really know actually."

This took Ron by surprise; he stared at her for a minute trying to understand what she had meant.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"Well, I wrote a couple times at the beginning of the Holidays, but then I told him I just wanted to be friends and he never wrote me back." Ron's face lit up at what Hermione had said, he wore a huge grin and colour flooded into his face! Hermione noticed the sudden illumination in Ron, and she smiled back.

"A bit happy about that are we?" She asked.

"Well he was a jerk, overachiever and a show off."

Hermione nodded, laughing a bit too.

Harry walked back in with his arms full of treats that they had missed so much! He had bought Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Liquorish wands, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes and more. They all ate and shared what Chocolate Frog Cards they had received. Afterwards Hermione excused herself and went to visit Ginny who had parted from them when they had got onboard to train.

Hermione strolled down the hall until someone bumped into her. She apologized as the person turned around. It was none other than Draco Malfoy. He glared at her in the most evil way.

"Watch your step you filthy little mudblood!"

"Oh, your one to talk. Why don't you just shut up and go see if your Death Eater of a father is still worshipping You Know Who! Or do you want me to punch you again like I did in our third year?"

With this he slapped her straight across the face leaving a red mark, and glared at her still more intensely. She was in awe, and she started to cry. He slammed his compartment door and she turned around and ran towards her compartment. Her cheek stung and was as red as a tomato.

Harry and Ron looked up when she entered the compartment only to see her crying. Ron looked as angry as Voldemort had been when Harry had escaped him last year.

"What happened?" He asked sympathetically yet sternly.

She was sobbing and choked up the word "Ma-Ma-Malfoy!"

Ron stormed out of the corridor slamming the door behind him Harry followed him, their wands clutched in their hands. Hermione ran after them and stopped Ron as he put his wand to Malfoy's throat. She cried and begged him to stop, screaming that he wasn't worth it. Ron slowly lowered his arm.

"If you ever hurt her again Malfoy!" Ron threatened.

"Ron, come on!" Hermione choked.

He gave in and walked back to their compartment with his arm around her. He gave her a tight squeeze and she stopped crying. He kept his arm around her for the rest of the ride. As they sat together, she fell asleep and her head fell on his shoulder. He beamed and rested his cheek on her head. When they arrived at Hogwarts they woke up. She thanked Ron for sticking up for her and gave him a big hug. Then they got off the train and walked into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.