When they got to King's Cross Station, Remus and Sirius left Harry and Hermione to find their friends, and went on to supervise the loading of the luggage and to make sure all the kids got on board.
Harry and Hermione were walking hand in hand to the train when they heard a voice yell out, "What the blood hell?" and they both froze, instantly recognizing the voice.
They turned to see Ron Weasley standing behind them, his face even redder than his hair. "I thought we had something here, Hermione. And I find you standing here holding hands with some bloke I've never seen before?"
"Ronald Weasley! If you 'thought we had something' then maybe you should have spoken up years ago! You treat me like an encyclopedia when you need homework help, then ignore me when you don't, and poke fun at me behind my back when you're in a foul mood! How is that having 'something'?" Hermione fumed.
"Well...that's just..." Ron stammered.
"Exactly! We have NOTHING but friendship, if even that!" Hermione stormed.
Harry and Hermione turned back to continue on to the train when Hermione stopped and looked at Harry. "Can I?" she asked?
After a moment Harry realized what she wanted to do, and grinned. "Go for it. He's been a right prat and I don't much care."
"Ronald," Hermione called to the ginger wizard who was staring after them. "This is someone you've met before. Tell me you recognize him. He's only been sharing a dorm with you since you were eleven. It's Harry Black."
With that, the couple boarded the train and left Ron standing on the platform, dumbfounded and his jaw hanging open.
Seamus, Dean, Ginny, Luna and Neville all walked past Ron, slight smiles on their faces and boarded the train behind Harry and Hermione.
Harry and Hermione settled into a compartment and Harry said, "Well I guess that was one way to let everyone else know who I am."
"Aye mate, it was." Seamus said from the doorway of the compartment.
"Mine if we join you?" Ginny asked from behind him.
Harry and Hermione urged their friends to join them in the compartment and they all managed to squeeze in. "How were your summers?" Hermione asked.
As the group recounted their summers to one another, Ginny had them all roaring with laughter at Ron's less than pleasant encounter with his itchy underpants. Apparently when he put the first pair on and began to itch, he quickly ran to the shower to wash away the itch, only to put on a fresh pair of underwear that also had the itching powder in them. This went on for at least a half a dozen showers before Ron got wise and dumped her entire lot of underpants into the wash and went without them for a day while they all laundered.
The entire compartment was having a good laugh at Ron's expense when Remus slid open the door to the compartment and, with a smile, asked, "Mine sharing what's so funny? I could use a good laugh."
Ginny once again told the tale of Ron's underpants and had Remus laughing as well. "I'll be sure to tell your father the results of the twins' little experiment," he told Harry with a smile. "We've got about an hour before we get to Hogsmeade so you guys should get changed into your uniforms and robes."
Ginny, Luna and Hermione went to the girl's lavatory to change while Harry and the other boys pulled the shades on the compartment and quickly changed into their uniforms. They were straightening their robes when the girls knocked on the door. "Are you decent?" Hermione called out.
Harry slid the door open and pulled his girlfriend into the compartment, kissing her on the cheek. "As decent as a room full of teenage boys can get, I think." He said with a grin.
A chorus of oohs came from around the compartment when Hermione kissed Harry back, right on the lips and cheekily said "Then you're not very decent at all, are you?"
The group continued to laugh and joke until they felt the train start to slow down, and finally stop and they could see the lights from the castle in the distance, and Hagrid standing on the platform waiting to greet them. "I wonder what Hagrid will think?" Harry absently thought out loud.
"Hagrid will think the same thing that everyone else who has a bit of sense in their head thinks. It's wonderful that you've got parents, and you don't have to worry about being abused or starved anymore." Hermione said, prodding Harry out the door of the compartment and to the door of the train car.
" 'ello 'ermione!" Hagrid called out. "Saw Ron stomp off a minute ago, mutterin' somethin' and stormin' about."
"Yeah, that'd be about me." Harry said, before Hermione had a chance to answer the half-giant.
"And who'd you...Harry?" Hagrid asked, a bit confused.
"Harry found out over the summer that he was blood-adopted, Hagrid. His real parents are Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, and they've removed the blood adoption and Harry lives at home with his parents how. His name is Harry David Black now." Hermione explained rather quickly, to the stunned game-keeper.
After the store had a chance to process through Hagrid's head, he looked down and Harry and beamed. "Your new name and your new looks'll take some gettin' used to, but I'm glad for ya'. Glad we won't have to worry after you all summer anymore. You look a right bit healthier than you usually do coming off that train."
"Yeah it's probably all the food my dads are constantly sticking in front of me," Harry said with a laugh.
Harry and Hermione made their way to the carriages, catching up with the rest of their group from the train and squeezing into a carriage with them, before riding up the bumpy road that would lead them to the castle.