Author's note: Thanks to those two reviewers that shared their thoughts on
the first chapter! And now.. onto chapter number two. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its affiliates do not belong to me.
Chapter Two: Locomotive Disappearing Act?
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I wasn't thinking," Ron had said in his defense, "I didn't know what to say." He brushed his hair down in an attempt to tame it. More so though, it was to cover his face to hide any emotions her might be showing and didn't want to be. If only he had noticed how she was almost trying to do the same thing when he apologized. But that quickly faded when she remember that this was Ron she was standing in front of, not some dreamboat guy she thought about.
"Didn't know what to say? You couldn't just pick up a quill and write, 'Hey Harry or Hermione, Can't wait to see you. All things are well here and the family is great. Hope you are enjoying your summer!' You are such a prat, Ronald Weasley!" she yelled, throwing her arms up and punching him lightly in the shoulder.
She was waiting for him now to return the insult. 'Well, you're a nosy bookworm who need to get a life! At least I had something fun to do over the summer!' Hermione imagined him saying. After all, in the past five years of their lives all they've done was argue with each other. It was something that Hermione almost looked forward to now.
But Ron just nodded, muttering something about "trying harder next time." Hermione nodded her head in triumph, though a part of her -- a very small part, mind you -- wished he would have been more aggressive, more hotheaded, more.. Ron. But another familiar voice called out their names.
"Ron! Hermione! I've been looking everywhere for you! I thought we were meeting in Diagon Alley and coming here together!" Harry shouted, approaching the two with his own belongings. The famous wizard joined his friends, taking a few breaths. Ron was the first to chime in.
"Sorry, mate. Didn't mean to leave you hanging there. Hermione.. uh..," he paused, looking over to the brunette who was slightly blushing as she remembered her request of Ron. She didn't think he'd actually come though! It was just a whim! "Hermione said she wanted to get here early, so I came too so she wouldn't be standing here alone," Ron finished, nodding in acceptance of his own explanation. Harry seemed to accept it as well.
"Ron, didn't know you became so.. suave and a ladies man," Harry joked, having a suspicion that there was more to it when seeing his friend's ear become a deep shade of red. Ron groaned and punched Harry's shoulder playfully, who had to take a step back to recover his balance. Ron had grown, while Harry was still the small boy he had always been, not just a hair taller than Hermione.
Hermione, luckily for Ron's sake, hadn't heard a word of what Harry said and was busy collecting her things. "It's eleven o'clock, the train is going to be arriving soon." And no sooner than she had spoken had the Hogwarts Express train whistle been sounded and pulled up into the station. By that time, the platform was quite crowded, the hustle and bustle of students pouring in causing more and more chaos. The trio hadn't even noticed the crowd that swarmed them until the time was mentioned.
"Ron, Harry! Let's go!" she called as she dragged her stuff to be boarded. The boys shrugged and followed. It was time for another great year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding.
On board, Hermione found a nice compartment for the three to sit in for the trip, and she carefully sat her extra book on the seat next to her and smiled contentedly. Ron came in after her first and sat down across from her; then followed Harry. Without knowing it, Ron kept his eyes locked on Hermione, just.. watching her every move.
Hermione, noticing this prickly feeling on her forehead, rose her head to meet Ron's stare. Tilting her head to the side, she asked, "What? Is there something on my face?
"Don't tell me you're filling your schedule to the breaking point again this year," Ron covered for himself, pointing at the stack of too-thick books. It wasn't the best he could have thought of, but Ron was quite proud of his quick-thinking job -- probably something he had learned from Hermione -- and would congratulate himself later.
"No, it's just some extra reading I brought for the trip!" she stated proudly, picking up the stack and placing it in her lap. "Let's see.. I've got Wizardry Though the Ages, How to Tell a Flibbertigibb From a Waggitywick ( something Hagrid recommended ), and here's.. CosmoWitch?! How did this get in here!" Hermione dropped the magazine on the floor, disgusted at the fact that someone would actually have the nerve to put something like that in her books!
But as it hit the floor, a small, pressed leaf fell out and landed right next to it.
"What's that?" "I'll get it." "Why would anyone want to put a dirty leaf in a book?"
The three said almost simultaneously as they all reached for the leaf at the same time and upon touching it...
"Harry."
"Yes, Ron?"
"Where did the train go?"
"I don't know Ron."
Ron and Harry stood in an open plain in only what they could assume was the English countryside. The cool breeze washed over them as the grass swayed in a rhythm. The leaf was a portkey. The boys looked at in each in disbelief as Hermione made some soft noise from behind them.
Ron rushed to the collapsed witch's side and propped her up with his arms and patted her cheek. "Hermione. Wake up Hermione."
"Uhh.. Ron.."
"Not now Harry! I'm trying to wake Hermione!" The redhead shook her a little more, whispering things in her ear trying to somehow get her to regain full consciousness.
"Ron.. Ron.. now might not be a good time to say this.. but I think we should go."
"Harry! Can't you see I'm trying to help her! Are you that insensitive--" but Ron broke off his sentence halfway when he turned to face his friend. The biggest troll he had ever seen was standing only a few feet away.
With a giant club to match.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its affiliates do not belong to me.
Chapter Two: Locomotive Disappearing Act?
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I wasn't thinking," Ron had said in his defense, "I didn't know what to say." He brushed his hair down in an attempt to tame it. More so though, it was to cover his face to hide any emotions her might be showing and didn't want to be. If only he had noticed how she was almost trying to do the same thing when he apologized. But that quickly faded when she remember that this was Ron she was standing in front of, not some dreamboat guy she thought about.
"Didn't know what to say? You couldn't just pick up a quill and write, 'Hey Harry or Hermione, Can't wait to see you. All things are well here and the family is great. Hope you are enjoying your summer!' You are such a prat, Ronald Weasley!" she yelled, throwing her arms up and punching him lightly in the shoulder.
She was waiting for him now to return the insult. 'Well, you're a nosy bookworm who need to get a life! At least I had something fun to do over the summer!' Hermione imagined him saying. After all, in the past five years of their lives all they've done was argue with each other. It was something that Hermione almost looked forward to now.
But Ron just nodded, muttering something about "trying harder next time." Hermione nodded her head in triumph, though a part of her -- a very small part, mind you -- wished he would have been more aggressive, more hotheaded, more.. Ron. But another familiar voice called out their names.
"Ron! Hermione! I've been looking everywhere for you! I thought we were meeting in Diagon Alley and coming here together!" Harry shouted, approaching the two with his own belongings. The famous wizard joined his friends, taking a few breaths. Ron was the first to chime in.
"Sorry, mate. Didn't mean to leave you hanging there. Hermione.. uh..," he paused, looking over to the brunette who was slightly blushing as she remembered her request of Ron. She didn't think he'd actually come though! It was just a whim! "Hermione said she wanted to get here early, so I came too so she wouldn't be standing here alone," Ron finished, nodding in acceptance of his own explanation. Harry seemed to accept it as well.
"Ron, didn't know you became so.. suave and a ladies man," Harry joked, having a suspicion that there was more to it when seeing his friend's ear become a deep shade of red. Ron groaned and punched Harry's shoulder playfully, who had to take a step back to recover his balance. Ron had grown, while Harry was still the small boy he had always been, not just a hair taller than Hermione.
Hermione, luckily for Ron's sake, hadn't heard a word of what Harry said and was busy collecting her things. "It's eleven o'clock, the train is going to be arriving soon." And no sooner than she had spoken had the Hogwarts Express train whistle been sounded and pulled up into the station. By that time, the platform was quite crowded, the hustle and bustle of students pouring in causing more and more chaos. The trio hadn't even noticed the crowd that swarmed them until the time was mentioned.
"Ron, Harry! Let's go!" she called as she dragged her stuff to be boarded. The boys shrugged and followed. It was time for another great year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding.
On board, Hermione found a nice compartment for the three to sit in for the trip, and she carefully sat her extra book on the seat next to her and smiled contentedly. Ron came in after her first and sat down across from her; then followed Harry. Without knowing it, Ron kept his eyes locked on Hermione, just.. watching her every move.
Hermione, noticing this prickly feeling on her forehead, rose her head to meet Ron's stare. Tilting her head to the side, she asked, "What? Is there something on my face?
"Don't tell me you're filling your schedule to the breaking point again this year," Ron covered for himself, pointing at the stack of too-thick books. It wasn't the best he could have thought of, but Ron was quite proud of his quick-thinking job -- probably something he had learned from Hermione -- and would congratulate himself later.
"No, it's just some extra reading I brought for the trip!" she stated proudly, picking up the stack and placing it in her lap. "Let's see.. I've got Wizardry Though the Ages, How to Tell a Flibbertigibb From a Waggitywick ( something Hagrid recommended ), and here's.. CosmoWitch?! How did this get in here!" Hermione dropped the magazine on the floor, disgusted at the fact that someone would actually have the nerve to put something like that in her books!
But as it hit the floor, a small, pressed leaf fell out and landed right next to it.
"What's that?" "I'll get it." "Why would anyone want to put a dirty leaf in a book?"
The three said almost simultaneously as they all reached for the leaf at the same time and upon touching it...
"Harry."
"Yes, Ron?"
"Where did the train go?"
"I don't know Ron."
Ron and Harry stood in an open plain in only what they could assume was the English countryside. The cool breeze washed over them as the grass swayed in a rhythm. The leaf was a portkey. The boys looked at in each in disbelief as Hermione made some soft noise from behind them.
Ron rushed to the collapsed witch's side and propped her up with his arms and patted her cheek. "Hermione. Wake up Hermione."
"Uhh.. Ron.."
"Not now Harry! I'm trying to wake Hermione!" The redhead shook her a little more, whispering things in her ear trying to somehow get her to regain full consciousness.
"Ron.. Ron.. now might not be a good time to say this.. but I think we should go."
"Harry! Can't you see I'm trying to help her! Are you that insensitive--" but Ron broke off his sentence halfway when he turned to face his friend. The biggest troll he had ever seen was standing only a few feet away.
With a giant club to match.