Title: Reading
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: Hermione explains what she did on the train to Hogwarts second year.
Pairing: (If relevant) D/Hr, H/P, R/L

Prompt: What was Hermione doing while Harry and Ron were flying to school?
Word Count: 499

ooo

Reading

"You read?" cried Ron incredulously.

Draco, Pansy, Luna and Hermione laughed; Harry and Ron did not laugh.

"Yes, of course, Ron," said Hermione. "What did you expect I would do?"

"Well… look for us at least," said Harry, looking slightly cross.

"Oh, I did, a bit. But news quickly spread that you two weren't on the train. I figured there was a good reason and didn't bother worrying."

Ron's jaw dropped. "You? Didn't worry?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "If I had known, Ron, that in a few short years Voldemort would be after Harry once again, I might have worried. As it was, I was more concerned with getting through all of Lockhart's ridiculous books before classes started."

Ron looked at Draco, sitting beside Hermione with a possessive arm around her chair. "She fancied him, you know."

"Oh, shut up!" Hermione cried, grabbing a handful of nuts and throwing them at him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, covering his head.

"Well, Ron fancied Rosmerta," Hermione said to Luna.

"Yes, I know," she replied loftily. "Ronald and I share everything."

Ron reddened and stuck his tongue out at Hermione.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Ooh, very mature, Weasley."

Harry was anxious to return to the topic at hand. "So what did people say?" he asked. "When we weren't there?"

"Uhm, well…" Hermione started.

"I was elated, Potter," said Draco with a smirk. "Thought maybe Christmas had come early and I wouldn't have to look at with your ugly face ever again."

"You were just hoping for a chance at the Snitch," Harry returned.

Draco quirked an eyebrow. "Touche."

Hermione continued. "People were…concerned, Harry, but no one panicked."

Pansy squeezed Harry's hand. "I didn't even notice, love."

Hermione giggled.

"But…you just read?" Ron asked, still frowning. "In your compartment?"

"Yes, Ron."

"What about the feast? Didn't anyone wonder where we were?" Harry asked.

"Sure," said Hermione. "But Ron's parents had already Owled Dumbledore, so all the teachers knew, and they weren't worried. I trusted the teachers."

"But…still. You weren't worried? At all?" Ron said.

Hermione considered the question. "Yes, a bit, I suppose. But truly, at the time, it was hard to imagine all the things that could have gone wrong. I mean, think about it. We were twelve. We had no idea the dangers ahead of us. I thought my exams were the scariest thing I'd have to face second year. Now, I know so much more…" She chuckled. "The older we get, it seems the more we know and the more we have to be afraid of."

Draco gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Everyone was silent.

"We're lucky," said Luna finally.

Then Ron started talking about the Quidditch playoffs. Hermione relaxed into Draco's arms and watched her friends. They really were lucky. They could sit in a restaurant, in Diagon Alley, and laugh about the hard times they'd been through.

Pansy quickly moved the conversation away from Quidditch to the upcoming reopening of Hogwarts and Hermione leaned in to join it.

ooo