What's sad is that I only received ONE review (but thanks medieval warrior, that meant a lot!). Even if you think I shouldn't continue with the story, tell me! I accept any reviews, even flames.

Alright, so here's the second chapter! Enjoy!!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you have read or seen in the Harry Potter books/movies.

Chapter 2: To each, their own

Right as Hermione was walking down the path to Mr. Weasley's newest car that the twins had bought him-- with just a small fraction of what they were earning monthly from their joke shop-- she suddenly remembered that Fred still had her locket with the pictures of Harry and Ron that she had took from her digital camera that her aunt had bought her for her birthday. As she was explaining the fact for what seemed like the hundredth time that muggle photographs do not move, he shook his head refusing to believe her, determined to prove her wrong.

"Hold on, I forgot something. It won't take but a minute," she yelled out to everyone piling in the enchanted car. She ran up quite a bit of sets of stairs until she reached Fred and George's room. She knocked on the door to avoid barging in on them getting dressed. A giggle escaped her as she thought of their reactions, not to mention what she would see.

Because no one seemed to be up, she decided just to go in. The door was locked. 'Perfect, I'm in a fucking hurry and their door is locked,' she thought, greatly annoyed with the problem.

Hermione quickly whispered an, "Alohamora," and the door swung open. Despite how softly she hoped the door would open, it hit loudly against the wall. Hermione cringed, waiting for the twins and Lee, who was staying the night, to yell at her. When she realized there was no yelling going on, let alone any movement whatsoever, she looked around the room more closely.

They were still asleep! The door didn't even shake them! 'Insane,' she thought, amazed at how deeply one could sleep.

As she moved into the room further, searching for her locket, she was disappointed to find it carelessly tossed on the floor. When she bent over to pick it up, she spotted, "a pipe." She breathed the words out as she stepped back.

"Bloody hell," a voice yelled out in pain. Hermione quickly looked down and as soon as she realized she was stepping on Fred's hand, she jumped to the side.

"I'm sorry," she managed to choke out, still in shock from her earlier discoveries. She looked back over the the pipe.

Following Hermione's eyes, Fred sighed. "Hermione, please. Owning your own business at such a young age can be so stressful and this just--," he stopped explaining himself as he realized the unusual quietness and the thoughtful look on her face. "To each, their own. Right Hermione?" Fred asked her, looking into her eyes for just a bit of acceptance.

Hermione thought a bit. Normally, she would've immediately lectured him and even would've considered going to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to fill them in on their sons hobbies. But something seemed to have changed in her. It didn't bother her as much as it would've.

"I guess so," she replied, still eyeing the pipe. She broke out of her reverie only a moment later when Fred laughed in relief and pulled her down to the ground into a hug. "I like the way you've grown up," he said, winking at her.

She smiled at him, and when she felt her watch digging into her wrist she quickly got up and gasped, "Oh no! I'm keeping the rest waiting. I just came in to get my locket."

"Oh," Fred replied, sporting a playful pout. "So you didn't come to say goodbye to me, then? It's OK, I suppose. I guess I understand."

"Fred, Fred," was all Hermione could say. She shook her head, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and proceeded to walk out the door.

"And about that locket of yours," Fred called out as she was closing the door, "take a look at it and try to tell me again that you can't make muggle pictures move!" She opened it and was surprised to see that the pictures were indeed moving. In disbelief, she looked at it closer. "How did you... impossible... how...," she stammered out as he just stared at her, obviously proud of himself. But then she noticed that the pictures were different, Ron and Harry both were wearing different clothes.

"Fred," Hermione said in a voice that let him know that she figured it out.

"How the hell did you figure that out?" This time it was his turn to be in disbelief.

"Different clothes, Fred, different clothes," she said smiling.

As she began walking down the stairs, she heard him say more to himself than her, "Only a girl would notice that." Hermione chuckled and remembering where she was supposed to be, ran the rest of the way to the car.

'And how could they so carelessly leave that kind of stuff laying around? Mrs. Weasley could come in at any moment!' The thought entered Hermione's head as soon as she saw Mrs. Weasley motioning her to hurry up.

"We're running five minutes late, dear," Mrs. Weasley let her know. "I'm so sorry," Hermione replied, hurrying into the car next to-- Ron. Hermione sighed as he immediately put his arm around her, and when she looked up into his beaming face, she smiled one of those weak smiles back at him.

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Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny were sitting in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. The train left Platform 9 3/4 about five minutes ago, and during those five minutes that particular compartment had been dead silent.

Ron broke the silence saying, "Sad, isn't it? This is the last time leaving our parents behind while we board the Hogwarts Express."

"Yeah. And just think, everything we do from now on is pretty much going to be our last: last time we arrive there, last time we have our first meal of the year there, last time for that particular date there..." Harry added in sadly. "Ginny, you have to promise me to make your last two years the best they can possibly be. No regrets, you hear me?"

Ginny nodded her head, already being saddened by the depressed mood everyone else felt.

Hermione all of the sudden jumped up. "Oh, you guys. I really wish that I could spend our last travels to Hogwarts with you but being Head Girl, it's mandatory for me to sit in the Head compartment," Hermione let them know, with regret apparent in her voice.

As she was leaving, she got pulled back into the arms of Ron. "'Mione, can't I come with you? After all," he whispered nuzzling into her neck, "we are a bit, you know, attached."

Hermione gave him a look of utter shock. 'Attached? Me and him? No, no. This isn't good.'

Ron, mistaking the look on her face as thinking about it, smiled and pressed on, "Do you think?"

"Ron," she began slowly, trying to figure out something she could say that wouldn't sound suspicious, "you know the rules. Ah, I'm running late! I can't have them think that I'm not even capable of showing up on time. On the first day, even!" With that, she hastily ran out of the compartment.

His words kept running through her head. Attached... Attached... Attached...

When she reached the Head compartment, she shook her head to compose herself before she stepped in. When she stepped into the slightly larger compartment, she was greeted immediately by Professor McGonagle. "There's our new Head Girl," she said proudly. "I hope your summer holiday went well." She threw a quick glance at her watch. "Our Head Boy still isn't here. Hermione, could you go find Mr. Malfoy and bring him back here."

At Hermione's shocked expression, the professor went on saying, "Yes, yes. He's the Head Boy." Hermione swallowed and nodded, setting of to find Malfoy.

'Why did this come as a shock? Of course it would be Malfoy. It's not like I didn't know the only one I was competing with grade-wise throughout my years at Hogwarts was Malfoy. Pull yourself together! Now where would that arrogant ass be?'

Hermione walked down the length of the train, checking each compartment quickly. She heard some loud music playing from one, and was about to go in to not only check for Malfoy, but tell them to turn it down. As she put her hand out to open the compartment, she heard a voice drawl, "Mudblood, don't even think about stepping in there."

Hermione recognized the voice as Malfoy's and her eyes narrowed at his order. She immediately opened the compartment door and walked in, just to spite him.

It took her almost a minute for her mind to register what she saw. She was so astonished that they actually were doing that kind of stuff on the train-- the school train.

There was a group of students, mostly from older classes, from all four houses sitting around. There was a bottle of what looked like Vodka being handed between people and some students were smoking pipes while others were in possession of bongs. Hermione recognized some were handing out cigarettes and others passed around joints.

Malfoy cleared his throat. Everyone turned to him and were as shocked to see Hermione as she was to see them. Everyone was speechless, wondering, and scared of, what the teacher's pet was going to do.

The same thing that passed through Hermione's mind earlier in the day when she walked into Fred and George's room ran through her mind again. But then, like in Fred's situation, she didn't seem to care as much. 'I don't even care for these people half as much as I do Fred so... whatever, I guess.'

She shrugged her shoulders, accompanied by a look that showed that she was indifferent about the situation. Suddenly, she recognized the music being played. "Hey, This Providence," she exclaimed, excited about other people listening to her favorite band.

Everyone let out a huge sigh of relief. "Aye, Granger! That's the spirit," Seamus called out from the back corner of the compartment. Hermione smiled at him, "Hi Seamus, good holiday?" He nodded.

Everyone picked up on where they left off but a boy with black, shaggy hair that covered his eyes stepped up to Hermione. He was wearing a tight This Providence band tee along with girl pants accompanied by a studded belt. Blushing, she looked down and noticed that on his feet were black, beat up Chucks. "You like This Providence," the boy asked. "Definitely," Hermione responded, still unable to look at him eye to-- uhh, hair.

"Good taste, Granger."

Hermione jerked her head up. 'How could he possibly know my name? I've never even met him before!'

Seeing the confusion in her eyes, the boy laughed. "You don't remember me. Didn't expect as much."

"Sorry..." Hermione said, trying desperately to remember him. After all, she wouldn't forget a boy like him. That's for sure.

"Blaise Zambini," he informed her. She shook her head and he continued, "I went to Hogwarts my first year. I was in Slytherin and for my second year I then transferred to Durmstrang and well, after the recent events my parents decided I should come back to Hogwarts. Here I am."

Hermione searched her memory. "Oh, yes! Blaise Zambini, I remember now. But you looked much different then..."

Blaise smiled at her. She liked his smile. A lot. She could've stared at it all day, but Malfoy broke her away from her reverie.

"Granger, was there something you needed," he sneered.

"Huh? OH, yes. Since your Head Boy, you need to be in the Head compartment," she said, reminded of her duties also. "How irresponsible can you get, Malfoy? Not even showing up on time for your first day of duties!"

With that said, the people in the compartment suddenly panicked. Seamus was the first to speak, "Uhh.. Hermione? You're not, you know, going to mention this to anyone. Are you?"

She noticed the shakiness in his voice. She inwardly smiled at the power she had over them, but shook the thought out of her head almost as soon as it entered. She winked at Seamus and walked out, dragging Malfoy along with her.

Blaise called out after her, "You're alright, Granger. I'll be seeing you around, then?"

Hermione flashed him a bright smile, letting him know that he definitely would be seeing her around.

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'The nerve of him. The nerve of HER. Blaise showed interest in the mudblood and I clearly detected her showing interest back. Standing there, smiling at each other like a couple of house elves,' Draco thought angrily, or was it jealously?

"What the hell has gotten into you, Granger," Draco asked the mudblood he had known for so many years, yet never really knew her.

Hermione shrugged. "What," she asked, "Would you rather have me ratted them all out?"

Draco just stared back at her.

"Thought so," Hermione said, finishing the little discussion.

Draco followed her to the Head compartment, staring at her back the whole time thinking, 'She's changed. Still a know-it-all mudblood, but now she's a feisty one at that. She likes This Providence, so that adds to the coolness factor, and the biggest change of all: she didn't seem to bothered by the compartment she walked into. I thought she was going to freak and automatically tell, but I was wrong...'

All of the sudden, Draco stopped moving. He spotted Pansy in one of the compartments, talking with Millicent. Hermione must've noticed the lack of steps behind her, because she stopped also and turned around. "Draco, come on! We're late as it is," she called out to him, very much annoyed.

He didn't seem to hear her so she walked over to him and was about to pull him back into motion when she realized that he was staring at someone in an un-Malfoy-like manner. Following his gaze, her eyes landed on Pansy Parkinson.

'I can't believe it, she doesn't even look phased,' Draco thought sorrowfully. 'Well, that proves it. She never really did care for me.'

Draco jumped when he felt a hand on his arm. It was Hermione. He quickly got rid of any facial expressions that he was showing.

It was too late; she had already seen his gaze. "She is so- so bloody snobby, ignorant, uncaring, bitchy, daft-- trust me, i could go on for days-- but whatever. To each their own."

She quickly turned around and continued towards the Head compartment. Draco hurried after her, watching her disappear into the room.

'She's right, she IS all those things. Granger isn't though. Definitely not.' He stopped in his tracks and frowned deeply. 'Snap out of it Draco! No more of that! No more,' he thought, shaking his head as he walked into the Head compartment to get assigned his responsibilities for the year.

A/N: Yeah... hope you liked it. Review, please, telling me anything: that you liked it, hated it, ideas you have, anything. I just want to know if people actually read this...

also

This Providence is an awesome band and everyone should check them out at Purevolume dot com SLASH thisprovidence (for some reason, it wasn't letting me insert the link..)

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