Chapter 6: Hogwarts express.

Hermione was more than excited about going back to Hogwarts for her second year. She knew that the last year there had been hectic but she hoped to have a much quieter year ahead of her.

When Hermione and her parents entered Flourish and Blotts, she was instantly captivated in the magic of it all. It felt like it had been years since she'd last felt this at home. Hermione watched as her parents walked in the direction of the front desks, hoping to receive some assistance with their daughter's school list; but they were soon met by Arthur Weasley; Ron's muggle crazed father.

As Hermione stood there, watching her parents mingle with wizards, she smiled. Her parents were very interested in her world; they had even exchanged a large sum of their own money for various forms of wizard currency.

As Hermione let her eyes rake over the rest of the room she almost immediately found something she liked. Draco and his mother, Narcissa, were standing to her left in one of the research rooms. Research rooms were a recent addition to the store, and they functioned much like the rooms at a public library. If one wished to read a book, or research a specific topic without purchasing the book, one could simply borrow the information for a few hours; thereafter returning the book to a shelf.

"Drake," Hermione shrieked, her eyes shining, as she darted in the room. Both Draco and his mother looked up from their conversation with alarm; neither of them having heard her enter the room.

"Mia," Draco's face noticeably lit up as his eyes landed on her, "you're here!" Hermione wouldn't have missed it for the world. She threw her arms around him tightly, not wanting to ever let him go. Narcissa couldn't help but beam as she watched the two with an inquiring look.

"Of course I'm here," she laughed after a moment, finally relinquishing him from the tight grip she held on him. Hermione took a step back to examine him. Over the summer Draco had changed, even if it had been in the subtlest of ways. Hermione knew from looking at him that he had at least gained an inch on her, and that his face had grown more defined. He had begun to look a lot more like a male version of his mother. "I can't exactly go bookless now can I?" Both children laughed as Narcissa continued to watch.

"Hermia, dear," Narcissa spoke up as she moved to stand beside her son, a smile on her face. "It's so wonderful to see you again," she pulled Hermione into a hug of her own, before standing back to examine her.

Hermione was very unaware of the changes she had made over the last few years, let alone the past summer. In her opinion she hadn't changed at all. Unaware to the fact, she too had grown in height, though she hadn't shot up in the way Draco had. Over the summer Hermione's hair had begun to tame its, and it no longer looked as if it had never seen a comb. Another change had been that she had begun to dabble in the make-up department; even if all she had discovered was lip gloss. It wasn't anything too fancy.

"My, oh my you've grown into such a beautiful young lady." Hermione's cheeked burned at the words. "Before long you're gonna be fighting off the boy." Narcissa winked, Hermione was now looking down at her feet.

"Narcissa?" A loud masculine voice rang out, and all three of them cringed.

"Draco, darling, you stay here and catch up with Hermia, and I'll go take care of your father." Narcissa told him before disappearing before their eyes.

"So, how have you been, Herms?" Draco asked as he took a seat at the table, Hermione soon following.

"I have been really good actually," excitement flooded through her as she spoke, "I think my dad might have finally given up on me being a dentist." Her eyes continued to light up. "He didn't say one thing all summer!" Draco's smile had begun to match her own. "Maybe now I can be an Unspeakable." She folded her arms on the table in front of her.

"That sounds like you," Draco laughed as he played with the edge of an old leather bound book. "I think you'd enjoy the mystery of it all," he said looking back up at Hermione with a smile. Being an Unspeakable was a tricky, but noble job that involved the Department of Mysteries. Nobody, and I mean nobody, knows what the hell they do in there all day. Upon accepting the job, you take a vow of silence, and never once will you talk of your job. "Don't tell my dad this, but I think I'd like to help people." Draco murmured, looking down uncomfortably at the table, "maybe be an Auror, or Healer."

"Draco, those are both wonderful jobs, why wouldn't your father ever disapprove?" Hermione asked, her heart pounding in sorrow. Both of the professions he suggested were more than noble, they were the jobs that made changes to the world and brought wellness and justice into society. To know that anyone would not approve of them simply broke Hermione's heart.

"If you knew my dad, you'd not question it." Draco said suddenly, shaking all thoughts of remorse. "Dad wants me to be one of the dark lords followers." Hermione's heart sank as she threw him a pleading look. "I don't have any plans of being one," he stared Hermione down, knowing that the thought had crossed her mind.

"Oh,"

"Hermione, it's time to go." Laura Granger's head popped into sight as she rounded a corner, her arms were laden with several sacks full of books. "Your father wants to go by the apothecary; Mr. Weasley mentioned them having some kind of herb that serves as magic floss." Hermione let out a loud sigh as she stood up, not wanting to leave; Draco stood as well.

"I guess I'll see you at school, Drake" Hermione hugging him briefly; she hated that she had to leave him.

"Bye Mione, Remember you can't tell anyone." He grinned widely.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Hermione laughed, walking towards her mother. Draco watched the pair carefully as they left. Hermione looked nothing like her mother, Draco realized. She didn't have the same dark hair or pointed features.

"Voldemort killed my parents." Having reached the front entrance, Hermione froze. Her parents had continued onward without her. "Voldemort took everything from me," there it was again. Hermione turned around quickly. Hermione could see Harry standing next to the stair leading up to the Potions section. He was talking to Draco and a tall man, a man who could be no one other than Draco's father.

"You must be brave, or foolish, to speak such a name." Mr. Malfoy drawled as he glowered down at Harry.

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing its self." Hermione hadn't even realized she moved to stand beside Harry, she hadn't even meant to speak.

"Ah and you must be… Miss Granger." Hermione's heart sank as she watched the man look down at her in disgust, "Draco has told me all about you." Hermione braved a glance at Draco, her heart sinking even farther; he wore the same sour look as his father. "Such filth," Lucius whispered.

"So, he's told you how much better I am then him." Hermione replied angrily; her eyes burning with unfamiliar fire. "How I best him at everything." A smug smile had taken up residence on her face. Lucius looked affronted by Hermione's words, rage nearly spilled from his ears. Luckily Arthur Weasley had appeared to save the day.

"Well, as lovely as this chats been, I really must be going." Lucius sneered as he tossed Ginny's books back into her cauldron. "I'll see you at work, Weasley." He turned to leave, Draco flanking close behind.

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Hermione sighed as she looked out of the window and waved to her parents for the last time; feeling the train lurch into motion. Yes, she would definitely miss them while at school, but she was more than glad to be escaping her dads grip. He'd started in on the dentist talk once more.

She felt like a new person as she all but skipped through the train's corridor; she was so excited to be going back, she'd really missed all of her friends.

When she reached the end of the corridor she stopped, realizing she hadn't seen Harry or Ron all day. She doubled back, hoping she'd only passed them; she hadn't though. On her way back through the train, she ran into the small red headed girl she'd seen chasing the train the previous year, Ginny Weasley. She was sitting all alone in a compartment; Hermione slid open the door to join her.

"Hello Ginny, may I sit with you?" Hermione asked as she closed the compartment door, she turned around to face Ginny once more.

"Yeah, sure of course you can, Hermione." Ginny smiled, she was more than relieved that someone finally wanted to sit with her.

"Have you seen Harry or Ron?" Hermione glanced out of the window, "I've been looking all over for them." She watched Ginny from the corner of her eye; Ginny had begun to play with the hem of her skirt.

"No, last I saw them was back before we entered the platform, Fred, George, Percy, Dad, Mum and I entered before them, they should have been behind me." She told Hermione quietly.

"That's weird." Hermione murmured, "I hope they made…" Hermione froze having looked back out the window once more.

"Oh no," Ginny gasped, she'd seen it as well. Just beyond the window, flying haphazardly in the sky, was an old blue wavering ford. "I think I found them, Hermione." Ginny said staring horrified out the window as Harry's door flew open and he slid from his seat; both girls screamed.

"HARRY!" Ginny was mortified her fingers tore at the glass.

"I for one hope he falls," the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy rang out from behind them, Hermione turned to face him furiously.

"I don't care what you think! Grow a heart!" Hermione, Ginny was still behind her yelling out Harry's name in panic.

"I have a heart, It's just been corrupted by my hate for you." A smirk covered his face. Hermione would have been mad, hell she would have been more than mad; but somewhere deep in his eyes, she could see the playful look.

"You have to care to hate, and honestly I don't believe you care about anyone but yourself." She lied, turning her attention back to the window. Ron had managed to pull Harry back into the car.

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"I can't wait to see what mum does to him!" Fred exclaimed as he, George, Hermione and Neville clambered into a carriage. George nodded excitedly as he sat down across from his brother, a wild grin spread across his face.

"I will be there whatever she does, I refuse to miss it!" George informed his twin as the carriage slipped into motion.

"What are you two talking about?" Neville inquired from beside them, he'd missed the entire scene with the car.

"Our brother stealing that old charmed ford dad's been restoring." Fred explained, his grin still wide, "Mums gonna be royally pissed at them; flying that car to school!" He grinned mischievously.

"Well pissed at Ron at least, she loves Harry; you would think he was her own flesh and blood." The twins said in unison, both shaking their red heads.

"She loves him more than she loves Ginny!" The boys said after a few seconds.

"I bet you a galleon she takes him out of Hogwarts!" Fred exclaimed.

"No I bet he gets a Howler." George rebutted mischievously

"You're on!" both twins said at once.

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A/N: Please Review!

~Taylor