Hermione sat moodily at the kitchen table pushing her cornflakes around her bowl. Her parents had given up asking her what was wrong; Hermione guessed that they assumed she was simply going through that phase of adolescence, and she was more than happy for them to believe that. Hermione felt ashamed that she couldn't tell her parents that the real reason she was miserable was because she missed Hogwarts. In the first week of the summer, Hermione had talked incessantly about it; her parents had had a hard job getting her to discuss anything else. But as the summer wore on and the magic slowly began to die away, so had her happiness. She had re-read all of her books countless times, but it wasn't the same as being able to practice new spells.

She also felt guilty. She had promised Harry that she would send regular letters to him, but it was only when she sat down to write that Hermione realised that she had no way of sending it to him. Harry hadn't given her an address, and although she had looked him up in the phonebook, Hermione didn't dare deliver it; what if she got Harry in trouble?

While Harry had told her that he probably wouldn't have been able to write to her, Hermione was upset that she hadn't heard from Ron; after all, he had access to an owl, knew perfectly well that she loved everything about the wizarding world, and that she had no way to keep up with its goings on back in the Muggle world.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang on the window, and they all jumped in surprise. Hermione's dad leapt to his feet, walked quickly over to the kitchen window and pushed it open. Looking around, he let out a yell of surprise, reached down into the bushes, and pulled out what looked like a grey feather duster.

"What the-?" as he walked back to them, Hermione saw that it was in fact a very old, bedraggled-looking owl. A rush of emotions rushed through her as she read the letter attached to its leg. She had been so cut off from the wizarding world that if she didn't have her textbooks, Hermione might have thought that she had dreamed it all.

"It's from Ron!" she exclaimed ecstatically.

"What does he say?" her mother asked.

"Errm…" Hermione paused. Ron had said that he was planning to "rescue" Harry from the Dursleys, whatever that meant. Her parents had approved of Harry and Ron…or at least about everything she had told them; and somehow Hermione thought that their opinion may change if they found out about Ron's irresponsible rescue plan. "Oh…he's just asking how I am, wondering if we want to meet up in Diagon Alley…"

"Well I'm sure we can arrange that, why don't you write back and let them know that we can go next Wednesday."

xxx

"Mum? Dad? Do you think you'll be OK getting my money? I want to go and look out for Harry and Ron." Hermione stepped out onto the sunlit marble steps outside Gringotts Wizarding bank, and surveyed the cobbled street of Diagon Alley. Her face broke out into a huge smile as she saw two of her favourite people standing a short distance away.

"Harry! Hagrid! Over her!" She ran down towards them, and threw her arms around Harry. They had only been apart for two months, but there so much Hermione wanted to say to Harry, and she couldn't stop herself from expelling about a million questions at once. "What happened to you glasses? Oh it's wonderful to see you both! How have you been? What happened with you and the Dursleys? Are you coming into Gringotts, Harry?"

"Woah, slow down Hermione!" Harry laughed. "Yeah, I will be, just as soon as I find the Weasleys."

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said with a grin. Harry and Hermione looked round, and saw Ron, Fred, George and Percy sprinting towards them; followed by who Hermione assumed were Ron's parents and his younger sister.

"Oh, Harry, oh my dear," Mrs. Weasley fussed, "you could have been anywhere-"

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.

"Knockturn Alley," Hagrid replied grimly. "Well, gotta be off," he finished, having his hand rung by Ron's mum. Hermione joined they others as they all walked back the way she had come. She led them over to her parents, who were standing nervously by the counter, waiting to be introduced.

"But you're Muggles!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed in delight. "What's that you've got there? Oh, you're exchanging Muggle money. Molly, look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten-pound notes in Hermione's dad's hand.

Once they, Harry and the Weasleys had emerged from their respective vaults, their party went their separate ways; Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to a secondhand book shop, Fred and George were meeting up with their friend Lee Jordan, while Mr. Weasley was taking Hermione's parents for a drink in the Leaky Cauldron. Harry, Hermione and Ron, meanwhile, strolled off along the cobbled street, enjoying strawberry ice creams while examining the varied and fascinating shop window displays.

An hour later, they headed to Flourish and Blotts were they were surprised to find a large group of people congregated outside the entrance. Hermione squealed with delight when she read a large banner that had been stretched across the upper windows:

GILDEROY LOCKHART

Will be signing copies of his autograph

MAGICAL ME

Today 12:30pm to 4:30pm

"We can actually meet him! I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!" They managed to push their way inside, and saw a long queue snaking all the way to the back of the shop, were Gilderoy Lockhart sat. The three of them sneaked up the line to where the Weasleys were standing, and Lockhart slowly came into view. He was every bit as magnificent as Hermione had hoped. His forget-me-not blue robes perfectly matched his eyes and his hat, which was perched on top of his blonde, flyaway hair. As they reached the front of the queue, Lockhart looked up and saw Harry; leaping to his feet, he dived forward, seized Harry's arm, and shouted, "It can't be Harry Potter?" A reporter from the Daily Prophet was busy taking pictures, and Harry was becoming redder and redder. Eventually, Lockhart straitened up and cleared his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is! When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted a copy of my autobiography, Magical Me. But he will very soon be getting more than just that. He and his classmates will very soon be receiving the real magical me. It is my great pleasure in announcing that this September, I will be taking the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

Hermione couldn't believe what was happening. One of the bravest, daring and most attractive wizards of recent times would be coming to teach he about one of the most exciting subjects that she studied. Professor Quirrell had been somewhat of a disappointment (even before he tried killing herself and Harry), but surely Lockhart would know his stuff. After all, Hermione had read about the dangerous adventures Lockhart had had around the world, and the sheer number of towns and villages he had saved from vampires, werewolves, and a whole number of other terrifying creatures. Hermione couldn't help but feel jealous of Harry; he had got to meet the great man up close.

When Hermione had purchased her own books and had fought her way back to the others, she found Harry and Draco Malfoy face-to-face, shooting daggers at each other.

"Famous Harry Potter, can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."

"Oh, shut up, Malfoy," Hermione fired back. "I thought you'd have been up there; you never shy away from an opportunity to smarm up to people like Lockhart." Draco's pale face flushed with colour, and his face filled with anger as Hermione pushed past him, leading them out of the shop.

"Wow, Hermione, where did that come from?" Harry laughed, an impressed look upon his face.

"Well, I thought it was about time that somebody pulled him down from that high horse of his." As they entered the Leaky Cauldron, and the Weasleys prepared for the trip back to the Burrow via Floo powder, Hermione pulled Harry aside. "It was really great to catch up today. I know I'm being silly, it's only been two months, but I've really missed you." Harry took her by the shoulders and smiled sympathetically down at her.

"Oh, Hermione," he smiled at her, "you're not being silly! I've been so miserable, cooped up at the Dursleys with no-one to talk to. And just think, in we'll see each other again in two week's time, and then we'll have a whole year together!"

Hermione smiled weakly. What she really wanted was to have some time alone together with him, but she didn't know if they'd have a chance.

xxx

Hermione sat alone in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. She was trying to read one of her new Lockhart books, but she was too anxious to really concentrate on the words in front of her.

She had stood on Platform 9¾ right up until 11 o'clock, looking round desperately for Harry and Ron. The platform had been packed with people, and being only 12 years old she couldn't see over everyone's heads; but she knew that they hadn't been there. Harry would have come and found her. What on Earth had happened to them?

Hermione realised at that moment how much she had come to rely on Harry and Ron. She had forgotten how the previous year had started; how she had spent all her free time in the library, too afraid to talk to anyone, feeling that she didn't belong to any of the social circles. With Harry and Ron, she had always had friends, always had someone to confide in. Now that they weren't here, it dawned on her that she hadn't made any other proper friends.

Hermione spent nearly the full journey in her compartment, only venturing outside to use the toilet. At about 3 o'clock, her door slid open, and the only people who could possibly make her more miserable were stood there: Draco Malfoy, flanked as usual by Crabbe and Goyle.

"So Granger, where are Potter and Weasley? Have they seen sense and stopped hanging round with you anymore?"

"Go away," Hermione mumbled, not looking up. Malfoy moved further into the room, so that he was stood directly in front of her, glowering down at her. Hermione became uncomfortably aware that her bare legs were visible under her skirt.

"I asked you a question. Don't you know that it's rude to ignore someone?" Still Hermione remained silent, determinedly not looking up at him. But next second, she was lifted to her feet and shoved hard against the window. "I think we need to teach you some manners." He pressed one hand onto her chest, feeling her developing breasts through the material of her robes, while his other hand landed on her thigh and began to snake its way up her skirt.

"Malfoy! What the hell?! Get off me!" She tried to push him away, but he was too strong. Hermione's eyes started to fill with tears, but before Malfoy could do anything else, there was a loud bang, and he seemed to fall off her. Completely bewildered, Hermione saw Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle staggering from the compartment; the Weasley twins had their wands out, having just jinxed the three Slytherins moments before.

"Hermione, are you OK?" Fred asked her, walking over and looking concerned. Hermione, who was still breathing quickly, readjusted her skirt and replied: "Ye-yeah, thanks…" The other twin was looking around the compartment.

"Are you all on your own in here?" said George, "where are your friends?"

"I don't know! Harry and Ron aren't here…and…well…" she couldn't finish her sentence, but the twins seemed to understand.

"Do you want to come and hang with us? Don't worry, we don't bite!" Fred joked. Hermione's spirits soared, and her face broke out into a huge smile.

"I'd love to, thank you so much!" And knowing she was in for a much more enjoyable second half of the journey, she followed Fred and George back to their compartment.