~Chapter 1*
Finally, I get the honor of serving my last year at Hogwarts. No one can look down to me for I am a 7th year. This year I'll shine and prosper. Ugh, why do I sound so conceited? This isn't me. I may be smart but I am no show off. Just because I stand above the rest in academics is no reason for people to call me a brown-noser, a know-it-all, or teacher's pet. I am just being myself and people need to realize that. Of coarse, I'm not being myself. Maybe they all see through my "I'm smart" cover up. Well this year I'll change and be the real me. "Hermione dear, are you ready yet. You don't want to be late arriving at the Weasley's now do you." My mother called to me. "I'm almost ready Mum, just need to brush my hair." I replied. Like I was saying, this is my last year at Hogwarts. I've made some improvements on myself sort of when I let my teeth shrink to a normal size in my 4th year, but that was to just impress a boy. This time, I did it to impress myself. I finally convinced my mother to let me straighten my hair. It may take an hour to do every morning but it's worth it. I've also discovered something called make-up, it seems to me that girls have worn it since a young age. I told that to my mother but she still refuses. "You have wonderful complexion, don't cover it it up with make-up" she'd always say. yet what she doesn't know won't kill her. I bought some and have been saving it until I arrive at Hogwarts to wear. I finished brushing my long brown hair and took a last look at my room, spotless and tidy. I didn't even need magic to do that, I mean I can't anyway. I had my trunk packed with clothes to change into and some wizard money. I was going to stay at the Weasley's for a week. They were taking my to Diagon Alley and then to Kings Cross on the 1st. I don't know if I can stand staying a week with Ron, he's been trying to get me to like him as 'more than a friend' for a year now. Hopefully Ginny and I can spend time together. I sure hope that Harry goes, just so Ron has something to do and so he doesn't think that I'm ignoring him. "Hermione, let's go." Mum said a bit testy. "All done," I said looking at myself in my dresser mirror. Beautiful, like always. Okay, now I do sound conceited. I scurried down the stairs and into the kitchen where my mom was merrily drinkinh a glass of water. What do you expect? Of coarse she wouldn't drink coffee, she's a dentist. My trunk was still in my room and since my dad is at a dentist convention he's not here to bring it down for me. I just levitated it to the car. That surely can't be enough to get a letter from the ministry. If so, it's only my first offence. "Are you ready now?" She asked. "Sure am, Mum." I said as I ran to give her a hug, "I'm going to miss you so much. Now you understand how the owl post works, right?." She nodded, "Good, please tell dad that I said bye." "I'll miss you too Hermione. Now let's go so we're not late in meeting the Weasley's at the Leaky Cauldron." "we left to the Leaky Cauldron and arrived after about 20 minutes. When I walked in I spotted four redheads towards the back. "Hermione," Ginny and Ron both yelled through the crowd. "Hey. It's great to see you." I replied once I reached them. "Harry, I'm glad to see you too. How were your summers?" There I go again, being my old self. I guess that some thing never change. "Hermione, you look so beautiful, what's your secret?" Ginny questioned. "Have you heard of what they call, make-up?" I joked. "Oh, Hermione dear, Arthur and I will take your trunk to the Burrow. I'd trust that you four will be alright on your own. Do you have your Gringotts keys?" Mrs. Weasley explained. "Yes," we all chorused. "So." I began after Mr. and Mrs. Weasley left, "are we ready to go?" We exited the bar and walked through the enchanted portal into part of the wizardry world called Diagon Alley. "Hermione and I shall go off by ourselves. Ron, you and Harry do whatever and we can meet in an hour at Flourish and Blotts." Ginny said knowing the tension between Ron and I. "Great idea." Harry supported. We went our separate ways and I was finally able to talk to a girl, other than my mum. "Thank you." I said with relief. "No problem. Do you know how much he talks about you? Hermione this, Hermione that. The only time he doesn't talk about you is when he is talking about Quidditch." Ginny grieved. "Pathetic isn't it?" "Oh it is far from pathetic, wait til we get to the Burrow and see all the love letters he's written for you." "Do I want to see them?" "You need to see them." "How can I get it through his thick head that we are just friends?" "Get a boyfriend who will beat Ron up for writing love letters to you. Then he'll stop." While we were talking I couldn't help to notice a boy, or should I say a young man, in the crowd around us. Ginny must've noticed my gaze because she then, too, stood in awe. He had gorgeous locks of blonde hair and the most stunning grey eyes. "Who, is that?" Ginny whispered in my ear. He then put on a non forgettable smirk that was oh so familiar. "That," I began, "is Draco Malfoy."
Finally, I get the honor of serving my last year at Hogwarts. No one can look down to me for I am a 7th year. This year I'll shine and prosper. Ugh, why do I sound so conceited? This isn't me. I may be smart but I am no show off. Just because I stand above the rest in academics is no reason for people to call me a brown-noser, a know-it-all, or teacher's pet. I am just being myself and people need to realize that. Of coarse, I'm not being myself. Maybe they all see through my "I'm smart" cover up. Well this year I'll change and be the real me. "Hermione dear, are you ready yet. You don't want to be late arriving at the Weasley's now do you." My mother called to me. "I'm almost ready Mum, just need to brush my hair." I replied. Like I was saying, this is my last year at Hogwarts. I've made some improvements on myself sort of when I let my teeth shrink to a normal size in my 4th year, but that was to just impress a boy. This time, I did it to impress myself. I finally convinced my mother to let me straighten my hair. It may take an hour to do every morning but it's worth it. I've also discovered something called make-up, it seems to me that girls have worn it since a young age. I told that to my mother but she still refuses. "You have wonderful complexion, don't cover it it up with make-up" she'd always say. yet what she doesn't know won't kill her. I bought some and have been saving it until I arrive at Hogwarts to wear. I finished brushing my long brown hair and took a last look at my room, spotless and tidy. I didn't even need magic to do that, I mean I can't anyway. I had my trunk packed with clothes to change into and some wizard money. I was going to stay at the Weasley's for a week. They were taking my to Diagon Alley and then to Kings Cross on the 1st. I don't know if I can stand staying a week with Ron, he's been trying to get me to like him as 'more than a friend' for a year now. Hopefully Ginny and I can spend time together. I sure hope that Harry goes, just so Ron has something to do and so he doesn't think that I'm ignoring him. "Hermione, let's go." Mum said a bit testy. "All done," I said looking at myself in my dresser mirror. Beautiful, like always. Okay, now I do sound conceited. I scurried down the stairs and into the kitchen where my mom was merrily drinkinh a glass of water. What do you expect? Of coarse she wouldn't drink coffee, she's a dentist. My trunk was still in my room and since my dad is at a dentist convention he's not here to bring it down for me. I just levitated it to the car. That surely can't be enough to get a letter from the ministry. If so, it's only my first offence. "Are you ready now?" She asked. "Sure am, Mum." I said as I ran to give her a hug, "I'm going to miss you so much. Now you understand how the owl post works, right?." She nodded, "Good, please tell dad that I said bye." "I'll miss you too Hermione. Now let's go so we're not late in meeting the Weasley's at the Leaky Cauldron." "we left to the Leaky Cauldron and arrived after about 20 minutes. When I walked in I spotted four redheads towards the back. "Hermione," Ginny and Ron both yelled through the crowd. "Hey. It's great to see you." I replied once I reached them. "Harry, I'm glad to see you too. How were your summers?" There I go again, being my old self. I guess that some thing never change. "Hermione, you look so beautiful, what's your secret?" Ginny questioned. "Have you heard of what they call, make-up?" I joked. "Oh, Hermione dear, Arthur and I will take your trunk to the Burrow. I'd trust that you four will be alright on your own. Do you have your Gringotts keys?" Mrs. Weasley explained. "Yes," we all chorused. "So." I began after Mr. and Mrs. Weasley left, "are we ready to go?" We exited the bar and walked through the enchanted portal into part of the wizardry world called Diagon Alley. "Hermione and I shall go off by ourselves. Ron, you and Harry do whatever and we can meet in an hour at Flourish and Blotts." Ginny said knowing the tension between Ron and I. "Great idea." Harry supported. We went our separate ways and I was finally able to talk to a girl, other than my mum. "Thank you." I said with relief. "No problem. Do you know how much he talks about you? Hermione this, Hermione that. The only time he doesn't talk about you is when he is talking about Quidditch." Ginny grieved. "Pathetic isn't it?" "Oh it is far from pathetic, wait til we get to the Burrow and see all the love letters he's written for you." "Do I want to see them?" "You need to see them." "How can I get it through his thick head that we are just friends?" "Get a boyfriend who will beat Ron up for writing love letters to you. Then he'll stop." While we were talking I couldn't help to notice a boy, or should I say a young man, in the crowd around us. Ginny must've noticed my gaze because she then, too, stood in awe. He had gorgeous locks of blonde hair and the most stunning grey eyes. "Who, is that?" Ginny whispered in my ear. He then put on a non forgettable smirk that was oh so familiar. "That," I began, "is Draco Malfoy."