A/N: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, so if you recognize the names, they're not mine. If I could find myself a Fred or a George I would! Please leave reviews, I don't mind criticism but please make it constructive. Cheers.
Chapter 1: Missing
Platform 9 ¾ was quickly filling up with wizards and witches alike. Parents were waiting to see their children off for another year of school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Departure time always seemed to go by so quickly to the parents; they never felt as thought they had enough time to give one final hug good bye. For the students it couldn't go any slower. The Weasley family especially never had enough time, having to say goodbye to both their own children and the extra stragglers. There was of course Ron and Ginny, Harry and Hermione to say good-bye too, but this year the Weasleys were also saying good-bye to Fred and George. The twins were returning to Hogwarts now that Umbridge was gone and due to some strenuous convincing on their parents part. For them, going back to school meant that they could test out some of their latest products, not to mention learn a few extra potions to add to their list of experimentation.
This send off was particularly sad for the Weasleys because it was the last time that they were to send off their three sons, and the boy and girl that they viewed as more of their own, Harry and Hermione.
The Weasleys found that this year they were getting a few extra minutes to say their farewells. It was five minutes until noon and the Hogwarts Express was nowhere to be seen.
"You don't suppose we missed it, do you?" Ron asked.
"Of course not Ron, you don't think that it's possible that all of these people would have missed the train as well? Not to mention, I arrived here a whole hour before everyone else did; being Head Girl means I have a few extra responsibilities." Hermione said as she looked around the platform to see many of the students trying to get their parents to stop hugging them so much. "It is kind of odd though, never in History has the Hogwarts Express ever been late to bring the students to school. At least that is what it says in Hogwarts, A History in Chapter ten, An Explanation of Student Transportation."
"There is always a first time for everything," George said. The twins were almost 20 and they looked much different from the other students in seventh year. They were both now standing a soaring 6'4, and their bodies were no longer gangly, but lean and muscular and their green eyes glowed. They were identical in every way, even down to their cowlicks that poked through in their newly shaved heads. The only way that one was able to tell the twins apart was that George had a small wooden beaded necklace with a small, carved bludger hanging off of it. Their brother Ron was growing up much like them, only a little shorter. Hermione was shocked to find herself surrounded by four good-looking young men.
Harry's old cowlicks actually worked with his hair now, as he currently wore it in what was called the fauxhawk. He wasn't shy about his lightning bolt scar showing through anymore. Everybody already knew about it, so he figured why not have a nice hair cut. It didn't hurt that Ginny had mentioned to him over the summer that his shaggy hair kept falling into his eyes.
He had figured out over the summer that he liked Ginny, but had decided not to make any moves on her because she was his best friend's little sister.
She caught him looking at her at that moment and blushed. She turned away from him. "Hermione, do you know how we can find out where the train is? I'm actually looking forward to sitting down for that long ride."
Hermione headed off to go see if she could get some answers.
* * *
Hermione turned the corner of the platform to head to the office, her long wavy brown hair flowing down her back, and the golden highlights in her hair shimmering from the station lights. She was no longer the small scrawny Granger that everyone knew. She had worked at a summer camp and had built a little muscle, and she had grown a full inch, now standing at 5'4. She had been too busy that morning to get herself properly primped, but still had enough time to put on some light eye shadow and some lip gloss. She thought she looked awful, but she was on a mission. Her feeling like she looked awful was quite the contrary to the thoughts of the person she crashed into when she turned the corner.
"Geeze Granger, watch where you're going. Some people happen to like their space and they watch where they're going. If you wanted to touch me so badly you could have just asked instead of jumping me." Draco Malfoy could not believe how much someone could change over one summer. The girl who he would never have thought of as beautiful was defiantly one of the most gorgeous things he had ever seen in his life. He wasn't quite sure what to think at that moment, so chose to snap back her like he always did. Just because she was now beautiful did not make her blood any cleaner or her personality any less snobbish.
"Yes, Granger, what are you gawking at?" Draco stood there in his school robes, 6 feet tall. Hermione was staring at his hair and how much it had changed the way he looked. His hair was still blond but it was no longer slicked back as it had been for the six years she had known him. His hair was now free and contrary to what everyone thought his hair was actually wavy. His blue eyes burned into her brown eyes waiting for her answer. He took her by the shoulders and moved her back. Hermione noticed the Head Boy badge on his chest.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go wash my hands now."
"Actually Malfoy, I was hoping you'd…" Hermione did not want to be asking him for an answer, but he was the only one who appeared to be around to answer. "I was hoping that you might know where the train is."
At that moment they both heard the train whistle blow. They turned to take a look at the platform to see . . .nothing. They could hear the train, but they could not see it. Students were gathering at the edge of the platform to take a look down the tracks to see if they could spot the train, and Malfoy was the first one to bang his head. Bangs were echoing down the platform as students and parents alike leaned over to see if the train was coming. People were rebounding off of thin air. Malfoy looked confused as he rubbed his head.
"What the . . .? It's not funny!" he said as two students who were behind him stood laughing. In fact, laughter was being heard through out the tunnel along with the dying sound of heads hitting something hard. Hermione decided to leave Malfoy at that moment before he blamed her for the goose egg on his head.
Hermione returned to where the Weasleys and Harry were standing. "I couldn't find out what was taking the train so long, but I think I have idea where it might be now." She took out her wand and pointed it towards where people were banging their heads. "Conspicio." And before everyone's eyes, the Hogwarts Express appeared and just about ready to take off without any of the students on it. Hermione quickly ran on to the train and told the conductor to wait.
Hermione had to explain the situation to the conductor because he had no idea that everyone was unable to see the train.
As she exited the train to make sure that everyone was getting on safely, she passed Fred and George who were still laughing. "Nice one boys, you almost made everyone miss the train, not to mention you handed out a few good goose eggs while you were at it."
"We know, it was a great prank, although for once we weren't the ones who pulled it." They then boarded the train, "So it appears that you'll have more than two pranksters to look after this year Hermione,' George called over his shoulder, as him and Fred entered a cabin. Hermione just stood there contemplating how many headaches she may get this year if the twins weren't the only ones she had to look out for. She shook her head trying not to worry about pranks just yet and went to join the twins, Harry, Ron and Ginny in their cabin.
The Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station and headed towards the school for another year to begin, one that would definitely be memorable.