MONDAY MORNING

Come on, just say it

You need me like a bad habit

One that leaves you

Defenseless

Dependent

And alone

Taking Back Sunday

Hermione awoke that morning with a new determination to not only be the best prefect in the entire Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry but also become Head Girl. Love was sentimental, stupid, and unnecessary. People needed love, yes, but no one really needed to be in love. It just proved how weak-willed people are.

Today was September 1st. She went downstairs and greeted her mother and father as usual and they continued to praise her about her new prefect position. She nodded absent-mindedly and grinned at appropriate moments but her mind was elsewhere. There were on making sure that she had completed that last chapter in her Care of Magical Creatures : Ailments Illnesses and other Treatments and making sure she had all of the parchment quills and ink that she needed.

Her father heaved her trunk into the back seat of their car and they drove her to the train station. Since they could not see Platform 9 3/4 this is as far as they could take her and they both hugged her tightly and wished her goodbye and told her to write often and that they were looking forward to seeing her during Winter Break.

When she arrived she saw a long line of red-heads and ran towards them dragging her trunk along with her very excited to see wrong. She was about to jump on him with joy when she saw him turn around holding hands with Lavender Brown. "Oh Hey Hermione!" He exclaimed but did not move away from Lavender's grasp, which was probably for the best knowing about Lavender's jealousy issues.

"It is fantastic to see you Ron." Hermione beamed and searched for Harry but he was not very far behind holding hands with Ginny.

"Make sure you keep an eye on them." Ron muttered protectively. "He is my best mate but all the same..." He trailed off.

"I understand, don't worry about it Ron, Harry is a good bloke your sister is in good hands."

"It's those hands that I am worried about." Ron murmured

And they both laughed.

"Hermione!" Ginny squealed unwinding herself from hers and Harry's laced fingers to come and give her own. She was glad that Harry wasn't the jealous type and wrapped her arms around them both.

"It is great to see you guys!" Hermione said but felt slightly empty watching them return to their "couple ways" she was then run into by someone.

"Watch it Granger you are taking up to much space."

Hermione wiped her hair out of her face and glared at him. "YOU were the one who ran into me."

"Sorry I don't recall."

"Bad memory is a Malfoy trait?"

"Bad looks are a Granger one?"

"Shut your mouth Malfoy." Harry interjected. "Come on Hermione, we are going to be late."

Hermione rolled her eyes and glared at Malfoy and boarded the train. She asked the conductor where the prefect's compartment was and was directed to the very back of the train and knocked on the compartment. She opened the door and heard a very annoying voice spat at her. She looked up in astonishment.

"YOU!" Draco and Hermione exclaimed at the same time.

They were shoved into the compartment by the trolley lady.

The train ride there was NOT going to be pretty.