Chapter 3

After spending the next week anxious about starting her new school, Hermione was glad that September the first was upon her. As her parents travelled to Kings Cross station her mother looked at the train ticket

"Platform 9 ¾, what's that supposed to mean? There's no such thing"

"You have to walk through a barrier between platforms 9 and 10" said Hermione, fidgeting with the gloves that she wore.

"Look honey, you have nothing to worry about. The other students at Hogwarts are going to love you" said Mr Granger is a convincing tone.

"I hope so" thought Hermione. She couldn't get the memory of last week out of her head. "Why had that man looked at her as if she was dirt?" The man that Hermione had met in Flourish and Blotts had been on Hermione's mind all week and she hadn't been able to think why he had spoken the way he had about her and her parents. "He must not like the school then" she thought. It was the only reason why she could think of someone speaking with so much disdain about someone else.

"Well sweety we're here" Hermione's mum said, breaking her train of thoughts.

After much hustle and fuss about wether she had everything, Mr and Mrs Granger finally bid Hermione goodbye on the train and left her compartment. She looked out of the window and saw a large number of red heads flowing past, accompanied by a jet black one.

"Hi, excuse me but is this seat taken?" asked a nervous and timid looking boy. "No it's free. Hi I'm Hermione Granger" she introduced herself.

"I'm Neville Longbottom, and this is my toad Trevor ... Trevor? I no I've lost him again, my Uncle Alge is gonna hit me with an engorgement charm if I don't find Trevor" Neville said as he frantically began to sort through his robes and the compartment. The next thing a girl with red hair came in. She didn't look like one of the group that had passed earlier.

"Hi I'm Susan Bones, the trolley lady said that the train was gonna leave any minute now." she stopped as she saw Neville on his hands and knees looking under the seats. "What on earth are you doing?"

"He's looking for his toad, Trevor, by the way, I'm Hermione Granger and this is Neville Longbottom."

"Hi ya" came Neville's muffled voice as half of his body was twisted under the seat. "Well I'll help you guys look for it then."

"Why don't we look in the hallway and in other compartments?" suggested Hermione.

"Sounds good, let's go" said Susan. Hermione went down the end of her carriage looking on the floor for a toad. She came to the last carriage and opened it.

"Has anyone seen a toad? A boy called Neville has lost it." The occupants of the carriage, one of the red haired boys whom she had seen on the platform and the boy with jet black hair that was with them sat there looking at her. The red haired boy had a rat in one hand and was holding his wand in the other. "Are you doing a spell? Come on then let's see." After saying an incantation the first boy tapped the rat. A puff of smoke rose and the rat was still its usual brown self. "That's not a spell, and it didn't even work, my name's Hermione Granger" she said looking at the dark haired boy.

"I'm Harry Potter" he said "H... Harry Potter?" she stumbled the words out. "Yeah" he said and tried to cover the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. "Sorry but I've just read so much about you and the way you defeated you- know-who at such a young age."

"Who, Voldermort?" Hermione and the other boy shuddered. "Sorry, forgot we're not supposed to say his name." Hermione now faced the other boy "and you are...?"

"I'm Ron Weasley" he said through half a mouth of Cauldron Cake.

"Pleased I'm sure." "Anyway must be off and help find Neville's toad. See you when we get to Hogwarts."

"Yeah see you then" replied Harry. On her way back to their compartment, Hermione passed another compartment in which a young white haired boy sat alone. "Hi" said Hermione, stopping to see what he was like. "My name is Hermione Granger, what's yours?"

"Granger? That's a muggle name. Father said that muggles are going to be the downfall of Hogwarts. Malfoys never interact civilly with muggles." and with that he turned and looked out the window. Shocked, Hermione backed out the doorway.

"What a rude bastard" she thought to herself and stormed back to her original compartment.

"What's wrong?" Susan asked her as Hermione slammed the door shut behind her, shattering the glass.

"Aaaaarghh, repairo" she said angrily as shards of glass flew back into place, repairing the once broken window. "I just met the most irritatingly annoying person on the planet"

"So you've met Draco Malfoy then?" said Susan with a small nod. "Yeah the whole Malfoy family thinks that they're the cream of the wizarding world, all because they come from a line of pure blooded wizards and witches. I mean look at Neville, he's a pureblood but he doesn't think of himself as any better." And with this Hermione noticed Neville again, still toad less.

"Don't let him get to you Hermione, I mean I can't even do a simple spell let alone what you just did with the glass." he replied.

With this Hermione brightened considerably, little did she know that over the next five years that Draco Malfoy would be a thorn in the side to her and her friends.