Disclaimer: I don't own them, J.K Rowling does.
Authors Note: This is my first Harry Potter fic. It's a bit rushed, cause I just wanted to get it out ASAP, second chapter will come soon. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this yet, but I assure you there will be lots of Hr/R and maybe a little Hr/D, you never know I'll see where the mood (And hopefully the reviews) take me. Xxx
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Chapter 1 - New Beginnings
Large puffs of steam billowed out from the Hogwarts express as it lay in wait at platform 93/4. Within minutes it would be inundated with students preparing for their next year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The platform was filled with trunks and animal cages and strangely dressed people; all in a hurry to get a good seat.
On such young Wizard; Harry potter, was waiting eagerly for the arrival of his two best friends; Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger both of whom were in his year and house at Hogwarts. It seemed that all the other students had parents and family members fussing over them and saying tearful goodbyes but no-one had come to see Harry off. His family were the people at his school, not the people at his home, and one of such persons was heading straight for him.
"Harry! Harry over here!" Harry recognised the voice moments before he saw a mop of red hair heading towards him.
"Ron, you took your time, I've been here for ten minutes." Harry smiled broadly as Ron pulled him into a one armed hug. Ron was taller than Harry by a few inches, and quite a bit broader across the shoulders. His flaming red hair was messily dishevelled and looked like it hadn't seen a comb in a few weeks (Though of course the impression was that he had just gotten off a broomstick Harry thought with a bitter smile) and his bright blue eyes seemed to be shining along with his smile.
Though best friends they were, they were very different, Ron grew up in a very large wizarding family whereas Harry had been raised by his anti-wizard aunt and uncle in the Muggle world. They were also very different in looks; Harry was lean and regular height, and had jet black hair that made him seem a little pale. He wore round black glasses that muted his intense green eyes, but all in all was a pretty good looking guy.
"Did you have a good summer?" Harry asked, but Ron was distracted, looking eagerly over Harry's shoulder, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging open "Ron….Ron are you okay?" He waved his hand in front of his best friends eyes but Ron didn't move an inch and just made a noise that sounded halfway between a gurgle and a cough.
Harry turned around to see what Ron was so interested in but understood when he saw Hermione (His other best friend) walking down the platform with a large ginger cat following her at her feet.
"Surely that's not…." Harry said in disbelief. When he had last seen Hermione she was just a plain girl, but it seemed that over the summer she had blossomed into a pretty young lady. She was wearing a prim tartan skirt with a crisp white blouse, a combination she often favoured, but beneath it she had developed curves and long slender legs that Harry and Ron were sure had not been there before. Her wild curly hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail, which made her pretty face seem much more mature, but her smile had not changed at all and she practically skipped towards them when she caught sight of Harry through the crowd.
"Gosh, I looked everywhere for you, and you were right here all along," She said hugging Harry tightly "I had such an amazing summer, I cant wait to tell you all about it; we went to Normandy again and oh-" It seemed she had only just noticed Ron, who was still staring at her appreciatively "Ron…."
"Hermione…." He said, still staring at her "Have you…..shrunk over the summer?"
"No silly," She purred as Crookshanks rubbed against Ron's legs "not all of us feel the need to be quite so tall." Ron laughed and put his arms around her.
"It's good to have you back, 'Mione."
"It's good to be back….." Hermione returned the embrace and appreciated the feel of his muscular shoulders.
"It looks like the train's about to leave," Harry said, and they broke apart, "We'd better get on. Ron give me a hand with Hermione's luggage,"
"Ever the gentlemen," she giggled as they heaved her heavy trunk onto the train along with their own "I'll go find us some seats."
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She walked along the carriages, holding Crookshanks awkwardly under one arm until she found an empty compartment and sat down. She knew Ron and Harry would be a few minutes putting the trunks away safely, so she pulled a book out of her bag and turned to an earmarked page. It was only when she glanced up to see if they were moving that she noticed that she was not quite alone.
Draco Malfoy was sitting opposite her, his steely grey eyes bearing into her. He too looked quite a bit different; his slicked back hair now hung freely around his face and he didn't seem quite so scrawny, but quite built. The one big difference however was that he wasn't been flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, his henchmen, but was sitting alone.
"Oh….I'm sorry I didn't see you, I'll move." Hermione said quickly putting her book down and trying to pick Crookshanks up.
"It's okay Granger, you can sit there," He said "I had to talk to you anyway."
"No, really Malfoy. It's fine I'll move," She made another grab for Crookshanks who was now perched next to Malfoy looking up at him expectantly. Hermione reached out to her cat but wasn't quick enough again and he leapt onto Malfoy's lap. She expected him to brush him off, but to her surprise Malfoy stroked the cat idly "Hmph, Crookshanks, come here." She said bossily.
"Look, why wont you just sit down?" Malfoy said scratching behind Crookshanks' ears. "You're bloody cat's already made itself comfortable." He was right, Crookshanks had become a big ball of ginger hair and was purring happily.
She sat back down in her seat, uncomfortable with his presence and wanting Ron and Harry to hurry up desperately.
"Things are different now," He said in a voice softer than she had ever heard him speak before "It's not safe for mud-" He cut himself of quickly "Muggle-born, keep an eye out Granger…this year people are really going to show their allegiance. I've chosen my side-"
"I bet you have!" She said sharply standing upand grabbing Crookshanks from him, holding her pet defensively over her chest "Swanning around with Deatheaters? How many innocent Muggles have you attacked this summer? I'm surprised Dumbledore's even let you back into the school after what you're father did!"
Before she even had time to pause for breath Malfoy had dived at her, grabbing her wrists and pinning them above her head, effectively immobilising her. He leaned close to her ear "Don't you dare speak to me of Him," he spat the word out as though it were a foul taste against his tongue.
She wriggled beneath his grasp, but couldn't free herself "What? Can't deal with the fact that Daddy's in prison? You'll be there next you foul little-"
He slammed her against the wall shutting her up "I hope he rots in there." He said bitterly "The sooner the better." he leaned in closer so that she could feel his cold breath against her neck "because the last thing he said before they took him away was that he's coming after you."
"Why are you telling me this? I thought you were-" realization dawned on her "That's why Crabbe and Goyle aren't here. You're not working for him anymore are you?"
"For someone so supposedly clever you're a bit slow on the uptake….I never was." He sneered, and released her arms "Be careful Granger…." He picked up his stuff and walked to the door of the compartment "I'll be watching you."
"Oh bloody hell, "She heard Ron's exasperated voice and turned to face him "Get lost Malfoy, go find dumb and dumber and terrorize some defenceless children, isn't that you're favourite hobby?"
Malfoy just shot Ron an evil look and disappeared down the carriage. Ron and Harry came into the Carriage looking very manly with their sleeves rolled up, like they'd just done a hard days work.
"What do you two look so happy about?" Hermione asked as Ron flopped down in the seat next to her, trying to act as though nothing had happened.
"The first years." He said pausing to emphasise his point "Think we." He pointed at himself and Harry "Are hot." He looked very pleased with himself and Harry seemed to be grinning a lot more too.
"Well, there's no accounting for taste when you're that young…." She said smirking, her encounter with Malfoy almost immediately forgotten when she was in the presence of her boys "Besides, they're so tiny that it would just be wrong." She said shaking her head.
"Also," Said Ron a little disappointed "They may be cute but they sure are annoying…….But they think I'm hot." He said with bravado.
"Quick here they come," Harry said, pulling a masculine looking pose that reminded Hermione of Gildroy Lockheart, making her giggle.
Ron immediately put his arm around Hermione's shoulders, earning him a strange look from her, and began playing with her hair "Play along," He whispered "I want to see Harry squirm…."
"Look, there they are…." Swooned one of the young girls, a blonde with massive green eyes "Harry, Ron, can we come and talk to you some more?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him and her two equally small friends pouted and flicked their hair.
"Please tell me I've never been like that." Hermione whispered into Ron's ear, shifting towards him so that she was closer to him.
Ron was taken back by her sudden closeness. He had put his arms around her to impress (Or perhaps ward off) their new fan club, but he hadn't expected Hermione to press herself against him like she was. He could smell her sweet scent, though couldn't quite place what it was and could feel her breath on his cheek.
"One word 'Mione…." He said grinning "…..Lockheart." She cast him a filthy look and reverted her attention back to the three girls who were all in turn doing the same to her.
"You didn't tell us you had a girlfriend, Ron." Said the smallest one in a tiny high-pitched voice as she fiddles with the end of her blouse.
"Well what can I say ladies?" He said trying to be charming "I'm afraid you're going to have to fight over Harry," He sighed dramatically as though it were killing him to tell them he was taken.
Harry glared at Ron, but didn't really mind the attention. He could do with a confidence boost after the disaster that was Cho.
"What's your name?" the blonde girl asked eyeing Hermione up.
"This is Hermione," Ron said before she could answer for herself "She's the smartest girl in school…and the prettiest" Ron said adoringly giving her puppy dog eyes,
"I can't be the smartest girl in school Ronnykins," She said in a completely fawning over the top voice "Or I wouldn't have fallen for a dunce like you." She flashed him an adoring smile, but her eyes were dancing with fire, as though warning him to continue using her like this.
"Oh that's a sweet little joke you have there Hermy," Her eyes were telling him that if he went one step further then she would gut him "You can see why I love her can't you girls." He gave her shoulders a little squeeze that secretly made her tingle all over.
The girls looked a little dejected but instantly began fawning over Harry, telling him how much they admired him, and how they were looking forward to meeting him from the moment they got their letters. Harry appreciated the attention but began giving Ron and Hermione pleading looks after a few too many exaggerated sighs and requests for him to regale them with stories.
Hermione finally took pity on Harry and shooed the girls away telling them that they were nearly at Hogwarts and they should change into their robes. The girls went away, waving frantically at Harry (And Ron when they though Hermione wasn't looking) until they were out of sight.
"Come on we'd better get ready." Ron said, removing his arm from around her shoulder and standing up, the train was coming to a stop.
"I can tell this years going to be very different…." Harry said shaking his head.
"Yes," Hermione replied, thinking back to what Draco had said "I think it is…"