"Come on, they're unloading the train!" Hermione was wrapping a scarf around her neck that sported the Gryffindor colors. She picked up Whisper's cage and her small carry on bag, and then walked out of the cabin.
Fred and George were busily packing their extra sweets into their bags for later, and Emalyn was checking that she hadn't forgotten anything.
"All set, Ginny?" Harry said, helping her get the last of her things packed into her bag. Ron was buttoning up his Gryffindor robes. Ron, Harry, and Ginny finished up packing and headed out the door after Hermione.
They joined the crowded halls of the train on their way outside, pushing along with the current of Hogwarts Students. As Hermione slowly made her way to the front of the train, she brushed past Draco. Knowing that Harry and Ron were nearby, she just smiled at him. He smiled back and winked at her. They finally reached the door and hopped out onto the curb one by one.
"First years come this way!" Hagrid boomed. He was standing by the lake and towered over all of the students.
All of the wizards filed out of Hogsmeade station and into Hogwarts School. As they entered the castle, Professor McGonacall was standing at the top of the stairs and the doorway to the great hall was wide open, calling the students in for their first feast of the school year.
"You may go to your dorms quickly to drop off your things, but return to the Great Hall quickly please, or the Sorting Ceremony will go on without you." She said, tipping the brim of her very tall witch hat.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny quickly climbed up seven floors in the Grand Staircase, and ran down the hallway to a wall where a large painting hung. In the portrait was a rather fat lady wearing a pink dress and a cross expression.
"Password," she said in a rather unenthusiastic tone.
"Moldwarp," Hermione said, reading off of a piece of paper that McGonacall had handed to her. The whole painting swung open like a door, revealing a small hole which they each crawled through. Inside was the familiar and warm Gryffindor common room. Once they'd entered the common room, they walked through the doorway to the dorm stairs. They all started on their way up.
"Ginny!" Harry called up to the red-haired girl who was a few steps ahead of him. She turned around, smiling, and stopped hopping up the steps. Harry kept walking until he was two steps below her. Ginny looked down a bit, and he smiled up at her, adjusting his round, black glasses.
"Yes, Harry?" she smiled sweetly at him and gazed into his emerald green eyes.
"The party tonight," Harry looked at her hand, which was resting on the railing, then took it in his, "Would you be my date?"
She smiled and nodded," I thought you'd never ask," she stepped down one step so they were eye-to-eye and had no more steps separating them.
Harry found himself looking into her eyes, and Ginny smiled a little more, not daring to break the lock. 'Come on, Harry! Come on!' she thought.
Harry cupped her face in his hands, and moved in closer. She felt herself overcome with happiness and slowly closed her blue eyes, waiting to feel his lips on hers at last. At the last second, Harry moved up and kissed her forehead.
He smiled at her, and then ran up to his dorm. Ginny opened her eyes and groaned once he'd left. She went up the stairs the opposite way, into the dorm which she shared with Hermione.
Hermione was in the dorm, placing Whisper's cage up on the window ledge. She glanced out the window and smiled when she saw Slytherin tower, which was in plain view. She was broken from her trance and looked up when Ginny walked into the room.
"Harry asked me to the party!" Ginny said, sitting down on her bed.
"I'm meeting Draco tonight. He said that he'd let me know where when we go down to the Great Hall, so we should hurry up and get down there!!" Hermione was busily shutting her carry-on bag and scarf into her trunk that sat at the foot of her red canopy bed. The two of them fled from the dorm rooms and down the curling stairway.
They crawled out of the portrait hole, not waiting for Ron and Harry to come down as well. Running down the halls, Hermione turned a quick corner and standing around a sharp corner was Draco. He was leaning up against the wall and smiling, as if he knew that Hermione was coming.
"I missed you," Draco said, smiling at Hermione. Ginny giggled to herself and kept walking slowly so she could watch.
"So where are we meeting tonight?" Hermione asked. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, gazing into her eyes.
"Dumbledore's announcing the time at the Sorting Ceremony, so I'll let you know afterwards." He said.
"Okay," Hermione smiled. Draco closed his eyes, slid her closer to him with his arms, and kissed her for a few seconds.
Just as their lips met, Hermione smiled against his lips and Ron turned the corner. He stopped, stared, and his mouth dropped open as he felt his face burn. Harry soon followed and reacted similarly.
Ron just couldn't watch any longer, realizing that he'd have to leave. He pushed through everyone, walking over to Ginny.
"Come on, we'll miss the ceremony," he whispered in Ginny's ear and pulled her downstairs by her arm. Harry stood alone, watching Draco and Hermione.
After what seemed like hours, the silence exploding through the hall, Draco released her lips with one final flick of his tongue.
He smiled at her genuinely and she smiled back, licking the last of his taste from her lips. Draco kissed her forehead, brushing her thick, brown hair back.
He turned to face Harry, who was still staring in disbelief. Expecting to hear an insult, Harry squinted when Draco walked over to him.
Draco nodded, no expression on his face, "Potter," he said. Harry raised an eyebrow as Draco walked off, winking at Hermione.
Harry approached Hermione, who was blinking furiously with a giddy, childish smile across her lips.
"Okay, let me get this straight; before today you wanted to kill each other, but now you're publicly displaying affection?" Harry said, rather scared by the visuals.
"Draco is a sweetheart," Hermione said.
Harry just shook his head, not knowing what to say. They quickly walked down to the Great Hall, just in time for Dumbledore's announcements.
They sat at one end of the Gryffindor table with their fellow house members and peered up at the tall wizard who stood at the head of four long tables packed with students.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I'm pleased to begin what looks like another eventful year. In celebration of a Hogwarts victory at the Triwizard Tournament last year," Dumbledore significantly hushed his hoarse voice, "And in memory of the late Cedric Diggory, I'm pleased to announce that we will be having a party tonight for all students. Professor McGonacall?" Dumbledore turned the floor to another older witch with a tall, crooked pointy hat.
"The party will begin at 6'o clock tonight and end at 11 pm. Listen carefully to find out where you should go for your party. First, second, and third years will go to the fourth floor ballroom and fourth years and older will go to the eighth floor ballroom. We will serve dinner and music, but every student must be back in their dorms by midnight, or they must deal with me," McGonacall said, sitting back down at the staff table behind Dumbledore.
Dumbledore took his stand once again, "Let the feast begin!" Many hungry students marveled as platefuls of roast beef and potatoes appeared in front of them. Throughout the whole meal however, Hermione wasn't herself.
"My first class tomorrow is History of Quidditch!" Harry said, looking at his new schedule.
"I heard it was only for upperclassmen, but they made an excuse for you, Harry. It must be hard!" Seamus Finnigan said, shoveling potatoes into his mouth. He was another fifth year Gryffindor.
"I bet Hermione knows!" Ron said, tapping her on the shoulder.
She babbled for a little while, staring over at the Slytherin table. She kept saying "Is it 6:00 yet?"
Harry checked his watch for the tenth time, "No, Hermione!"
"He's turning you into a complete zombie! I miss the old Hermione who wouldn't shut up." Ron said, as everyone turned to stare at him. He lowered his head in his hands and said quietly, "I can't believe I just said that."
"You're just jealous," Hermione muttered.
Ron was speechless. He was jealous…
Fred and George were busily packing their extra sweets into their bags for later, and Emalyn was checking that she hadn't forgotten anything.
"All set, Ginny?" Harry said, helping her get the last of her things packed into her bag. Ron was buttoning up his Gryffindor robes. Ron, Harry, and Ginny finished up packing and headed out the door after Hermione.
They joined the crowded halls of the train on their way outside, pushing along with the current of Hogwarts Students. As Hermione slowly made her way to the front of the train, she brushed past Draco. Knowing that Harry and Ron were nearby, she just smiled at him. He smiled back and winked at her. They finally reached the door and hopped out onto the curb one by one.
"First years come this way!" Hagrid boomed. He was standing by the lake and towered over all of the students.
All of the wizards filed out of Hogsmeade station and into Hogwarts School. As they entered the castle, Professor McGonacall was standing at the top of the stairs and the doorway to the great hall was wide open, calling the students in for their first feast of the school year.
"You may go to your dorms quickly to drop off your things, but return to the Great Hall quickly please, or the Sorting Ceremony will go on without you." She said, tipping the brim of her very tall witch hat.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny quickly climbed up seven floors in the Grand Staircase, and ran down the hallway to a wall where a large painting hung. In the portrait was a rather fat lady wearing a pink dress and a cross expression.
"Password," she said in a rather unenthusiastic tone.
"Moldwarp," Hermione said, reading off of a piece of paper that McGonacall had handed to her. The whole painting swung open like a door, revealing a small hole which they each crawled through. Inside was the familiar and warm Gryffindor common room. Once they'd entered the common room, they walked through the doorway to the dorm stairs. They all started on their way up.
"Ginny!" Harry called up to the red-haired girl who was a few steps ahead of him. She turned around, smiling, and stopped hopping up the steps. Harry kept walking until he was two steps below her. Ginny looked down a bit, and he smiled up at her, adjusting his round, black glasses.
"Yes, Harry?" she smiled sweetly at him and gazed into his emerald green eyes.
"The party tonight," Harry looked at her hand, which was resting on the railing, then took it in his, "Would you be my date?"
She smiled and nodded," I thought you'd never ask," she stepped down one step so they were eye-to-eye and had no more steps separating them.
Harry found himself looking into her eyes, and Ginny smiled a little more, not daring to break the lock. 'Come on, Harry! Come on!' she thought.
Harry cupped her face in his hands, and moved in closer. She felt herself overcome with happiness and slowly closed her blue eyes, waiting to feel his lips on hers at last. At the last second, Harry moved up and kissed her forehead.
He smiled at her, and then ran up to his dorm. Ginny opened her eyes and groaned once he'd left. She went up the stairs the opposite way, into the dorm which she shared with Hermione.
Hermione was in the dorm, placing Whisper's cage up on the window ledge. She glanced out the window and smiled when she saw Slytherin tower, which was in plain view. She was broken from her trance and looked up when Ginny walked into the room.
"Harry asked me to the party!" Ginny said, sitting down on her bed.
"I'm meeting Draco tonight. He said that he'd let me know where when we go down to the Great Hall, so we should hurry up and get down there!!" Hermione was busily shutting her carry-on bag and scarf into her trunk that sat at the foot of her red canopy bed. The two of them fled from the dorm rooms and down the curling stairway.
They crawled out of the portrait hole, not waiting for Ron and Harry to come down as well. Running down the halls, Hermione turned a quick corner and standing around a sharp corner was Draco. He was leaning up against the wall and smiling, as if he knew that Hermione was coming.
"I missed you," Draco said, smiling at Hermione. Ginny giggled to herself and kept walking slowly so she could watch.
"So where are we meeting tonight?" Hermione asked. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, gazing into her eyes.
"Dumbledore's announcing the time at the Sorting Ceremony, so I'll let you know afterwards." He said.
"Okay," Hermione smiled. Draco closed his eyes, slid her closer to him with his arms, and kissed her for a few seconds.
Just as their lips met, Hermione smiled against his lips and Ron turned the corner. He stopped, stared, and his mouth dropped open as he felt his face burn. Harry soon followed and reacted similarly.
Ron just couldn't watch any longer, realizing that he'd have to leave. He pushed through everyone, walking over to Ginny.
"Come on, we'll miss the ceremony," he whispered in Ginny's ear and pulled her downstairs by her arm. Harry stood alone, watching Draco and Hermione.
After what seemed like hours, the silence exploding through the hall, Draco released her lips with one final flick of his tongue.
He smiled at her genuinely and she smiled back, licking the last of his taste from her lips. Draco kissed her forehead, brushing her thick, brown hair back.
He turned to face Harry, who was still staring in disbelief. Expecting to hear an insult, Harry squinted when Draco walked over to him.
Draco nodded, no expression on his face, "Potter," he said. Harry raised an eyebrow as Draco walked off, winking at Hermione.
Harry approached Hermione, who was blinking furiously with a giddy, childish smile across her lips.
"Okay, let me get this straight; before today you wanted to kill each other, but now you're publicly displaying affection?" Harry said, rather scared by the visuals.
"Draco is a sweetheart," Hermione said.
Harry just shook his head, not knowing what to say. They quickly walked down to the Great Hall, just in time for Dumbledore's announcements.
They sat at one end of the Gryffindor table with their fellow house members and peered up at the tall wizard who stood at the head of four long tables packed with students.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I'm pleased to begin what looks like another eventful year. In celebration of a Hogwarts victory at the Triwizard Tournament last year," Dumbledore significantly hushed his hoarse voice, "And in memory of the late Cedric Diggory, I'm pleased to announce that we will be having a party tonight for all students. Professor McGonacall?" Dumbledore turned the floor to another older witch with a tall, crooked pointy hat.
"The party will begin at 6'o clock tonight and end at 11 pm. Listen carefully to find out where you should go for your party. First, second, and third years will go to the fourth floor ballroom and fourth years and older will go to the eighth floor ballroom. We will serve dinner and music, but every student must be back in their dorms by midnight, or they must deal with me," McGonacall said, sitting back down at the staff table behind Dumbledore.
Dumbledore took his stand once again, "Let the feast begin!" Many hungry students marveled as platefuls of roast beef and potatoes appeared in front of them. Throughout the whole meal however, Hermione wasn't herself.
"My first class tomorrow is History of Quidditch!" Harry said, looking at his new schedule.
"I heard it was only for upperclassmen, but they made an excuse for you, Harry. It must be hard!" Seamus Finnigan said, shoveling potatoes into his mouth. He was another fifth year Gryffindor.
"I bet Hermione knows!" Ron said, tapping her on the shoulder.
She babbled for a little while, staring over at the Slytherin table. She kept saying "Is it 6:00 yet?"
Harry checked his watch for the tenth time, "No, Hermione!"
"He's turning you into a complete zombie! I miss the old Hermione who wouldn't shut up." Ron said, as everyone turned to stare at him. He lowered his head in his hands and said quietly, "I can't believe I just said that."
"You're just jealous," Hermione muttered.
Ron was speechless. He was jealous…
