Chapter 5-Many meetings
The awkward silence in the car was well.awkward. Silence hung in the air as Uncle Vernon drove through the town, missing a few red lights and almost knocking over an old lady carrying her groceries, causing her dentures to drop off and chattering all over the place. She chased him all the way to the U-bend, waving her walking stick at him angrily.
"Ok, Harry, you're here. Now get out of my car and I don't want to see your face again for the rest of the year- if possible, for the rest of my freakin life!!!"screamed Uncle Vernon as they reached the train station just in time.
"Alright, alright, Uncle V,"said Harry, startled at the sudden outburst, holding his hands out in front of him to shield himself. "I'm gone, for the rest of the year! Yahoo! See ya, don't ever wanna be ya!!"sung Harry whole- heartedly.
"AND DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME UNCLE V AGAIN, MR P!!!!!!!!!!!"barked Uncle Vernon, pointing a finger at Harry.
Harry just smiled and got out of the car. He opened the boot and heaved out his trunk. As he closed the boot, Uncle Vernon drove off, and the smoke from the car exhaust left Harry choking in a cloud of dust and the smoke made it impossible to see around him. Harry stumbled around blindly and accidentally knocked into someone.
"Opps! I'm so sorry; I can't see anything right now-"apologized Harry, as another voice cut him short.
"Well, well, what have we here? A little itty-bitty Potter lost his way to the train station? Can you be any more stupid? Oh, right, I forgot, you don't have any brains!!!"came a cold, drawling voice belonging to Harry's archenemy, Draco Malfoy.
The smoke finally cleared off, and Harry saw Malfoy standing just a few feet away from him, with a big smirk on his face. Malfoy's sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle, were standing beside him, laughing stupidly at Malfoy's lame joke. Harry would bet his broomstick that Crabbe and Goyle had no idea what they were laughing at; it might take them at least a week to figure it out.
"Hey, grease-ball! Leave Harry alone!" Someone said loudly. It was Ron, Harry's best friend. He walked up to Harry, and stood beside him.
Harry beamed at his friend and dropped his trunk. They both hugged each other and smiled.
"It's been a while since I've seen you, Ron! How's everything goin'?"
"Oh, everythin's cool, Harry. How'r you?"
"Fine, man, it's so good to see you-"
"Alright, you two little love birds, break it off before you make me sick to my stomach." drawled Malfoy, as he pretended to barf.
"Shut up, Malfoy, you're just jealous you don't have a gay partner, since Crabbe and Goyle are one!" shot Hermione, as she walked up to her two best friends and smiling at them.
Harry and Ron goggled at her, wide-eyed. Even Malfoy and his sidekicks stared at her, not believing what they were seeing.
Standing in front of them was Hermione.just not the same old Hermione they had seen for the past 5 years. It was a totally changed Hermione. She had gotten rid of her bushy brown hair, and it had been straightened and tied back into a neat ponytail. She was wearing a sleeveless tank top with a bell-bottom jeans, and a little of her mid-drift could be seen. Her two front teeth had somehow been shrunk, and when she smiled, her teeth were all perfectly in line. She looked really amazing.
"Uh. Hermione? Is that really you?" asked Ron, squinting at her, and rubbing his eyes. "I really must be dreaming! Good, now I can dream about Captain Oreo again!"
"Yeow!"yelped Ron, as Harry pinched him hard to show that he wasn't dreaming. "What? I like Captain Oreo!" muttered Ron, rubbing his bruise.
Malfoy raised an eyebrow at Ron and Harry. "Captain Oreo?!" he repeated. "How lame can you get, Weasley?" He then turned to Hermione, and being unusually polite, he said, "Hey, Granger, looking pretty fine, I should say. Come on, Crabbe, Goyle."he said to his sidekicks, waving a hand.
"Mmmmmm."teased Ron, as they looked at Malfoy walking away. "Looks like SOMEONE's got a new admirer!"
Hermione started to blush and was about to say something when she stopped. The three turned around and saw Hagrid, the Hogwarts's gamekeeper. He was wearing a coat, which looked a lot like a blanket, and had kept his hair long, tying it back into a ponytail, looking similarly like Bill's hairstyle.
"Ey, 'arry, Ron.'ermione?! Izzat really the 'ermione I know?" beamed Hagrid, looking at three of his friends.
Hermione giggled and ran over to Hagrid, hugging him and he scooped three of them up into his arms, giving them a bone-crushing bear hug. Hagrid was so happy he had tears in his eyes. Hagrid put them down and Harry rubbed his head, which had collided with Ron's elbow as Hagrid hugged them just now.
"Yes, Hagrid, it's me. I just changed my image, that's all, I'm still the same old Hermione." Hermione told Hagrid.
"Yer wanna watch yerself dis year, 'ermione,"said Hagrid, "Lots of guys are gonna chase afta yer."
"Oh, Hagrid, that's a little too late. Malfoy already fancies her!" teased Harry, laughing together with Ron.
"Really, 'ermione? Dat scumbag ain't good stuff, don't let im get too close to yer."warned Hagrid. "Well, gotta go now, see yerselves into da train now, would cha?"
"Yeah, sure, Hagrid. See you later!" replied Harry as Hagrid walked away, causing a few Muggles to stare at him.
The three friends walked over to the barrier separating Platform 9 and 10 and one by one, without attracting any attention, ran into the barrier and emerged at Platform 9 and ¾. The Hogwarts train was filled with many excited students, all who couldn't wait to return to Hogwarts. Many guys stared at Hermione as she walked past them, and others whistled at her.
Harry and Ron exchanged looks, and boarded the train. They passed many compartments and they also passed Ginny's. She looked up and as Harry met her eye, she turned into crimson red, matching her hair, and turned away, continuing to talk to her friends. Her friends looked up at Harry and gave him a playful smile. He raised his eyebrow and continued down the corridor with the others. At last, they found a compartment all to themselves, and the next one was Malfoy and his gang.
Harry put his trunk under the seat and plopped down on his seat, breathing a huge sigh. Ron plopped next to him, and Hermione sat opposite them. They all started talking at once, discussing about the plans for this year, the events that happened to them during the school holidays and all. They were all laughing at the 'Dudley's spell' thing when the compartment door slid open. Harry, Ron and Hermione all turned to look who it was and standing there was a girl of about their age.
She was fairly attractive, with smooth skin and glossed thin lips. Her eyelashes were curled up and she was wearing a small shirt that exposed her mid-drift with low-cut jeans. Her hair was tied up stylishly with her blond bangs hanging beside her face and she was holding a glittery purse. She looked at the three of them with a look that matched Malfoy's bored look.
"Excuse me," she said with a slight American accent. "Would you mind if I sit with you people? All the other compartments are full. I wouldn't want to sit here if all the compartments weren't filled up." She waved a perfectly manicured hand at them.
"Well.. yeah.I guess." said Ron uncertainly, casting a look at Harry and Hermione, who were looking pretty annoyed at the girl.
"Why, thank you.I guess." She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes and taking a seat next to Hermione. She opened up her purse and started rummaging around for something. She took out her make-up kit and started fixing her make-up.
"Do any of you happen to have a mirror with you?" she asked looking up at them.
"Err.hold on.I think I have one somewhere."said Hermione, opening her trunk and out popped loads and loads of books. She looked around and flashed an embarrassed smile, stuffing it all back in. The girl looked on disapprovingly. "There you go." said Hermione, handing her a small mirror.
"It's about time," The girl replied, taking the mirror from Hermione. She looked at the mirror and screwed up her nose." Err.do you have a bigger and nicer one?" she asked, looking back at Hermione. Hermione looked like she was about to give the girl a good slap. Ron pulled her back and quietly asked her to calm down.
"No, Miss Prim and Proper. I do not happen to have a NICER nor BIGGER one." Hermione replied through clenched teeth, balling up her fists.
"Oh well," said the girl dramatically, "I guess I'll HAVE to make do with this." She held it up on front of her and continued fixing her make-up.
"What's her problem?" mouthed Harry to Ron. Ron just shrugged.
The awkward silence in the car was well.awkward. Silence hung in the air as Uncle Vernon drove through the town, missing a few red lights and almost knocking over an old lady carrying her groceries, causing her dentures to drop off and chattering all over the place. She chased him all the way to the U-bend, waving her walking stick at him angrily.
"Ok, Harry, you're here. Now get out of my car and I don't want to see your face again for the rest of the year- if possible, for the rest of my freakin life!!!"screamed Uncle Vernon as they reached the train station just in time.
"Alright, alright, Uncle V,"said Harry, startled at the sudden outburst, holding his hands out in front of him to shield himself. "I'm gone, for the rest of the year! Yahoo! See ya, don't ever wanna be ya!!"sung Harry whole- heartedly.
"AND DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME UNCLE V AGAIN, MR P!!!!!!!!!!!"barked Uncle Vernon, pointing a finger at Harry.
Harry just smiled and got out of the car. He opened the boot and heaved out his trunk. As he closed the boot, Uncle Vernon drove off, and the smoke from the car exhaust left Harry choking in a cloud of dust and the smoke made it impossible to see around him. Harry stumbled around blindly and accidentally knocked into someone.
"Opps! I'm so sorry; I can't see anything right now-"apologized Harry, as another voice cut him short.
"Well, well, what have we here? A little itty-bitty Potter lost his way to the train station? Can you be any more stupid? Oh, right, I forgot, you don't have any brains!!!"came a cold, drawling voice belonging to Harry's archenemy, Draco Malfoy.
The smoke finally cleared off, and Harry saw Malfoy standing just a few feet away from him, with a big smirk on his face. Malfoy's sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle, were standing beside him, laughing stupidly at Malfoy's lame joke. Harry would bet his broomstick that Crabbe and Goyle had no idea what they were laughing at; it might take them at least a week to figure it out.
"Hey, grease-ball! Leave Harry alone!" Someone said loudly. It was Ron, Harry's best friend. He walked up to Harry, and stood beside him.
Harry beamed at his friend and dropped his trunk. They both hugged each other and smiled.
"It's been a while since I've seen you, Ron! How's everything goin'?"
"Oh, everythin's cool, Harry. How'r you?"
"Fine, man, it's so good to see you-"
"Alright, you two little love birds, break it off before you make me sick to my stomach." drawled Malfoy, as he pretended to barf.
"Shut up, Malfoy, you're just jealous you don't have a gay partner, since Crabbe and Goyle are one!" shot Hermione, as she walked up to her two best friends and smiling at them.
Harry and Ron goggled at her, wide-eyed. Even Malfoy and his sidekicks stared at her, not believing what they were seeing.
Standing in front of them was Hermione.just not the same old Hermione they had seen for the past 5 years. It was a totally changed Hermione. She had gotten rid of her bushy brown hair, and it had been straightened and tied back into a neat ponytail. She was wearing a sleeveless tank top with a bell-bottom jeans, and a little of her mid-drift could be seen. Her two front teeth had somehow been shrunk, and when she smiled, her teeth were all perfectly in line. She looked really amazing.
"Uh. Hermione? Is that really you?" asked Ron, squinting at her, and rubbing his eyes. "I really must be dreaming! Good, now I can dream about Captain Oreo again!"
"Yeow!"yelped Ron, as Harry pinched him hard to show that he wasn't dreaming. "What? I like Captain Oreo!" muttered Ron, rubbing his bruise.
Malfoy raised an eyebrow at Ron and Harry. "Captain Oreo?!" he repeated. "How lame can you get, Weasley?" He then turned to Hermione, and being unusually polite, he said, "Hey, Granger, looking pretty fine, I should say. Come on, Crabbe, Goyle."he said to his sidekicks, waving a hand.
"Mmmmmm."teased Ron, as they looked at Malfoy walking away. "Looks like SOMEONE's got a new admirer!"
Hermione started to blush and was about to say something when she stopped. The three turned around and saw Hagrid, the Hogwarts's gamekeeper. He was wearing a coat, which looked a lot like a blanket, and had kept his hair long, tying it back into a ponytail, looking similarly like Bill's hairstyle.
"Ey, 'arry, Ron.'ermione?! Izzat really the 'ermione I know?" beamed Hagrid, looking at three of his friends.
Hermione giggled and ran over to Hagrid, hugging him and he scooped three of them up into his arms, giving them a bone-crushing bear hug. Hagrid was so happy he had tears in his eyes. Hagrid put them down and Harry rubbed his head, which had collided with Ron's elbow as Hagrid hugged them just now.
"Yes, Hagrid, it's me. I just changed my image, that's all, I'm still the same old Hermione." Hermione told Hagrid.
"Yer wanna watch yerself dis year, 'ermione,"said Hagrid, "Lots of guys are gonna chase afta yer."
"Oh, Hagrid, that's a little too late. Malfoy already fancies her!" teased Harry, laughing together with Ron.
"Really, 'ermione? Dat scumbag ain't good stuff, don't let im get too close to yer."warned Hagrid. "Well, gotta go now, see yerselves into da train now, would cha?"
"Yeah, sure, Hagrid. See you later!" replied Harry as Hagrid walked away, causing a few Muggles to stare at him.
The three friends walked over to the barrier separating Platform 9 and 10 and one by one, without attracting any attention, ran into the barrier and emerged at Platform 9 and ¾. The Hogwarts train was filled with many excited students, all who couldn't wait to return to Hogwarts. Many guys stared at Hermione as she walked past them, and others whistled at her.
Harry and Ron exchanged looks, and boarded the train. They passed many compartments and they also passed Ginny's. She looked up and as Harry met her eye, she turned into crimson red, matching her hair, and turned away, continuing to talk to her friends. Her friends looked up at Harry and gave him a playful smile. He raised his eyebrow and continued down the corridor with the others. At last, they found a compartment all to themselves, and the next one was Malfoy and his gang.
Harry put his trunk under the seat and plopped down on his seat, breathing a huge sigh. Ron plopped next to him, and Hermione sat opposite them. They all started talking at once, discussing about the plans for this year, the events that happened to them during the school holidays and all. They were all laughing at the 'Dudley's spell' thing when the compartment door slid open. Harry, Ron and Hermione all turned to look who it was and standing there was a girl of about their age.
She was fairly attractive, with smooth skin and glossed thin lips. Her eyelashes were curled up and she was wearing a small shirt that exposed her mid-drift with low-cut jeans. Her hair was tied up stylishly with her blond bangs hanging beside her face and she was holding a glittery purse. She looked at the three of them with a look that matched Malfoy's bored look.
"Excuse me," she said with a slight American accent. "Would you mind if I sit with you people? All the other compartments are full. I wouldn't want to sit here if all the compartments weren't filled up." She waved a perfectly manicured hand at them.
"Well.. yeah.I guess." said Ron uncertainly, casting a look at Harry and Hermione, who were looking pretty annoyed at the girl.
"Why, thank you.I guess." She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes and taking a seat next to Hermione. She opened up her purse and started rummaging around for something. She took out her make-up kit and started fixing her make-up.
"Do any of you happen to have a mirror with you?" she asked looking up at them.
"Err.hold on.I think I have one somewhere."said Hermione, opening her trunk and out popped loads and loads of books. She looked around and flashed an embarrassed smile, stuffing it all back in. The girl looked on disapprovingly. "There you go." said Hermione, handing her a small mirror.
"It's about time," The girl replied, taking the mirror from Hermione. She looked at the mirror and screwed up her nose." Err.do you have a bigger and nicer one?" she asked, looking back at Hermione. Hermione looked like she was about to give the girl a good slap. Ron pulled her back and quietly asked her to calm down.
"No, Miss Prim and Proper. I do not happen to have a NICER nor BIGGER one." Hermione replied through clenched teeth, balling up her fists.
"Oh well," said the girl dramatically, "I guess I'll HAVE to make do with this." She held it up on front of her and continued fixing her make-up.
"What's her problem?" mouthed Harry to Ron. Ron just shrugged.