Chapter Three: The Feast and the New Girl

     Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed up the path towards the horseless carriages. Climbing in one they were soon joined by two of their fellow Gryffindors, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. Seamus looked at Hermione and grinned, "Wow, Herms, looking good." Hermione giggled and thanked him.

Seamus was the only one that ever called her Herms. He and Hermione had become closer during fifth year. Seamus was a good friend and listener if Hermione needed time away from Harry and Ron or just someone else to talk to. As they rode to Hogwarts they talked about what they had done over the summer. While Ron and Dean were in a heated debate about Quidditch vs. Soccer, Hermione turned to Seamus, "So Seamus, what did you do this summer?"

"Nothing much," he said looking up at her, "the usual, sleep in, hang out with friends, go to the mall. That sort of thing." Hermione and Seamus both lived in the muggle world and it was nice to have someone besides Harry to talk to about muggle lifestyles. "Oh yeah," he added, "I also practiced some Quidditch. I was thinking of going out for the team this year, since all the Chasers and Beaters graduated last year."

Hermione smiled, "That's cool," she said. Seamus was a good flyer and she was sure he would get a spot on the team. She also knew that Seamus wasn't totally obsessed with Quidditch, but he did enjoy it quite a bit. "What about you," he asked, turning the conversation around, "What did you do this summer?"

"Pretty much the same as you. I did a lot of reading too. Me and my mom spent a lot of time together too. Between her and my friends I must have been dragged to the mall at least a hundred times this summer." Seamus smiled at her just as the carriage came to a halt.

Hermione climbed down first, followed by the boys. They entered the front hall where Professor McGonagall was waiting for the first years. When she spotted Hermione she smiled and winked. Hermione waved back and then followed Seamus into the hall.

It was decorated as it always was for the Welcome Feast. The sky outside was clear and filled with stars, thousands of lit candles floated above the four tables, which were all covered in strong silver material. Around the entrance to the hall hung what looked like thousands of tiny purple lights, which were actually fire pixies. The hall was decorated with the house colors. Each of the walls was dedicated to two of the four founders. On one stone walls hung the gold and scarlet banner of Gryffindor alongside the green and silver banner of Slytherin. On the wall parallel to it hung the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw banners. Behind the staff table hung a banner with the Hogwarts crest on it.

Hermione headed to the Gryffindor table and seated herself across from Seamus, between Ron and Harry. "I'm starving," Ron grumbled, "I hope the sorting goes fast."  Hermione rolled her eyes. "What?" he cried defensively, "I'm hungry." Harry couldn't help but laugh at the two. For awhile everyone had thought that these arguments were love quarrels. Harry was the only one that saw them as arguments between two people closer than siblings. Everyone thought that Hermione and Ron were meant to be together until Hermione had set everyone strait the previous year. Harry laughed as he remembered her little outburst.

* Harry's Flashback*

     Hermione and Ron sat on either side of him arguing over his head. It had started because Ron had given Mione a hard time about doing her transfiguration project at lunch. "We still have a whole week, Hermione! Chill out." Hermione fixed one of her most deadly glares on Ron, "Only a week?!?!? Are you kidding? This is worth half our grade."

Ron shrugged in defeat, accidentally knocking over his pumpkin juice. The orange liquid flowed across the table and seeped into Hermione's paper. "RON!" she screamed, "my paper." "Oops," Ron wavered under Hermione's fury, "Knowing you, your bound to have another copy lying around, Mione." This made Hermione even angrier, "It doesn't matter if I do, that is not the point Ronald Weasley! You did that on purpose."

Lavender Brown smirked and turned to Parvati Patil. "I sense another lover's spat coming on," she mumbled under her breath. Hermione's anger at Ron was forgotten as she turned on her fellow fifth years.

"Lavender Miranda Brown!" Hermione yelled, standing to her full height and using Lavender's middle name which only she and Parvati knew, "Ron and I have never and will never be in love with each other! If this school can't get it through their thick Stereotypical heads that he and I are just friends, than I will hex you all into next month! You air headed, flaky DUNDERHEADS!" By the time she finished she was out of breath and her cheeks were flushed. The whole hall was staring at her, including the staff table.

Lavender and Parvati tripped over their own tongues trying to get there apologies out, "um.. gee, I…" "Herm.." "We didn't"

*End of Flashback*

Harry returned his thoughts to the present and saw that Ron was watching the entrance, waiting for the first years. As soon as he saw them file in he sighed, "It's about time. This better be fast." Harry turned his attention to the first years filing inside. They looked just as nervous as he had felt when he had been sorted.

He scanned the line of first years again, but one person stood out. She was tall and had wavy black hair, with blue streaks in it. It fell to her waist. Her eyes were teal and she looked about fifteen at least. Harry wondered why a girl his age came in with the first years.

Harry pointed her out to Hermione. "Look," he said, "see the girl in the back of the line? She looks our age." Hermione saw who he was talking about. "She must be a transfer student. I mean, if she is, she will need to be sorted."

This made sense to Harry so he turned back to see the first years sorted. The older girl had stopped at the back of the hall and stood against the wall, waiting to be sorted. She really is beautiful Harry thought to himself, I wonder what house she will be in.

After all the first years had been sorted, the girl was still standing by the back wall. Dumbledore stood at the front of the room, "Welcome back!" he said cheerily, "As always there are a few announcements before the feast begins. First, the forbidden forest is still off limits to all students. Second, there will be two balls this year. The Halloween ball will be a costume ball and there shall also be a Christmas ball. Third, I'd like you to welcome the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," he motioned towards the door behind the staff table, "Bill Weasley." Sure enough, there was Ron's older brother was standing there, Fang earring and all. As soon as they had gotten over the shock of it, Harry, Ron and Hermione joined the deafening applause coming from the Gryffindor table.

"Lastly," Dumbledore interrupted, "We have a new student joining sixth year. You may be wondering why I am announcing this, and it is because we don't often accept transfer students. Our new student comes to us from a wizarding school in America. Please welcome Thayet Miller." There was some scattered applause as the girl stepped up to the sorting hat. When she put it on her head there was total silence. The hat seemed to be pondering where to put the girl. The silence was broken when the hat made its decision. "GRYFFINDOR," it screamed.

Thayet looked relieved and headed over to the Gryffindor table, sitting next to Seamus. "Now," Dumbledore cried out, "Time for the feast." "About time," Ron murmured as the sparkling plates were filled with food. He began shoveling it onto his plate and into his mouth.

Hermione looked slightly grossed out, but she turned to Thayet and smiled. "Hello," she welcomed the new girl, "I'm Hermione." Thayet smiled back at her and answered in a shy voice, "I'm Thayet, it's nice to meet you." Hermione continued

with the introductions. "This is Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, Neville, Parvati, and Lavender," she said pointing to her fellow sixth years.

Thayet smiled at all of them and shook their hands. Wow, she really is gorgeous Harry thought as she smiled at him. "So, why did you transfer, Thayet?" Seamus asked, starting the conversation. "Well, I didn't really like my American school and my cousin graduated from here. She said I would like it much better." Seamus nodded and turned back to his food.

As the students started to leave, full and sleepy, Hermione offered to show Thayet to her dorm. Hermione and her other Gryffindor friends left towards the tower. Hermione was talking animatedly to Thayet about the moving staircases and walls that she didn't realize where she was going. As she left the great hall, she ran into someone's back. "Oops I'm Sorry," Hermione looked up to see who she had run into. It was none other than Draco Malfoy. "Watch where your going, Granger," he sneered. "Well So-o-orrym" she said sarcastically. "Just be more careful next time you filthy little half breed."

Well, at least he hadn't called her mudblood. She was slightly put out by the fact that Draco wasn't being as civil as he had been on the train. Then she realized that he must have been extremely bored to have talked to her on the train and he hadn't changed after all.

Hermione's thoughts were interrupted. "Mione," Harry said, waving a hand in front of her face, "you still in there?" "Oh, yeah, I'm sorry." They reached the portrait of the fat lady and climbed through. "Come on Thayet," Hermione said, "I'll show you your bed."

They said good night to the guys and climbed the stairwell to the girls' dormitory. A fourth bed had been added between Hermione's and Lavender. It had Thayet's trunk at the end. Hermione said goodnight and climbed into bed exhausted.

She couldn't help thinking about Draco's odd behavior lately as she drifted off to sleep. She wished he had changed.

A/N: Ok, there is the third chapter. I hope ya like. Please review. Thx