I'm back sorry it took so flippin' long. Got back from Ireland a while ago and have the urge to write. Also check me out at -same name, different stories.

Thanks to The Cat That Killed Curiosity who reviewed last winter, hopes they get to read this.

And to Ron and Hermione. Ron I know won't read this (well maybe now she will) but Hermione might and be pretty damn surprised (no she won't)

Disclaimer: None of this is mine.. I'm just borrowing the much-loved characters that belong to J.K. Rowling.

AND THIS WILL BE SLASH.. Don't like don't read. Reviews are welcomed and appreciated greatly.

Chapter 3

On the Platform: Things are different

Harry made his way though the hoards of Muggles that swarmed the station. As he pushed his cart along, he noticed the organized chaos that ensued. The wizarding world was nothing like this. The Muggle world was so rushed never slowing its pace, never giving room for people to catch up. This world lacked rhythm that the wizarding world had. What Harry called home had the pace of a slow waltz, beautiful in its simplicity.

Harry pushed his way though the barrier at 9 ¾, he flinched a bit. No matter how many times he had done it, walking though a wall would always be a bit foreign to him. As soon as he had crossed, Harry had the wind knocked out of him.

"Harry! It's so good to see you! Why haven't you written? Oh well, I forgive you." The muffled voice belonged to none other than Hermione Granger. Harry seemed to get lost in her embrace, she was like the only family that he had left. Hermione had grown into her looks over the holiday, she was no longer the wild haired girl that had fixed his glasses the first year. She had become a rather attractive looking woman, but she would never admit that much.

"Hermione, where's Ron?" Harry asked as she released him from the hug.

Her expression changed from immense joy to disgust. She pointed her finger as she looked away, as if what she saw what more horrid then a dementor. "Over there. Snogging some Hufflepuff girl." Harry who was rather flabbergasted by Hermione's words, turned to see Ron with his hands groping a big chested blond.

"Come on Harry let's get on the train, so we can get a good seat. Don't want to interrupt Ron and his fun." With that she turned away and disappeared into the crowd of students.

"Wait!" Harry called after her, as he ran a few steps behind her into the sea of people. 'When did everyone get so young?', Harry thought to himself, as he flew by little first years. Maybe the more appropriate question was when did he get so old. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the Slytherins, all standing in a bunch looking like they controlled the world. In their mind Voldemort soon would and therefore they would rule by his side. Crabbe and Goyle stood like great stone statues that guarded something precious and unattainable.

Draco stood behind the two brutes, the few people that he would ever call his friends. His summer had been hellish to say the least. His mother, Narcissa, had spend all if it in Paris, to escape the embarrassment of her husband's capture. Draco had visited her once or twice, as to say that he was a good son, but it was utterly dull. Home was no better, but at least he had the unlimited resource of his father's study. Since there was no one there but the house elves that scurried about in the shadows, Draco had truly enjoyed himself.

The first book he had pulled off the shelf, after over coming his fear of his father, was called the Origin of the Death Eaters, and was very enthralling. After he was a good half way though the library, Draco was reading a book on mind linking and was muttering the words under his breath. It was a nasty habit that father hated and had drilled him on it as a child. His father would cast a small shocking spell every time Draco read aloud. The thought of that gave Draco chills, some one treating a Malfoy like Muggle scientists treated lab rats was atrocious. But without his father's damning eyes on him, Draco did what he pleased, including walking around in his silk boxers.

Draco was very interested in mental linking, and had found out a great deal on the subject. Unlike most spells linking was like throwing a dart in the dark. One could cast a very non-specific spell and receive results. For example, one could easily set up the spell to link with someone named Mary J. Willing, but then end up linked to a Marina Will. So by making the spell specific, the results are distorted. Therefore by making the spell vague you have a better chance of getting the proper results, but it would still be off. The occurrence of getting the result you wanted was something similar to the chance of Dudley become anorexic. Therefore very few people had the power to cast and sustain this type of spell did. So it made perfect sense for the Ministry to limited use, unless the caster could meet specific requirements.

He was going over the list of ingredients for this spell, it needed a potion and then an incantation. "Eye newt, tail of cat, petals of rose, drop of blood... Con questo vedrete che cosa il vostro cuore desidera." And suddenly another bookshelf appeared, with Mr. Malfoy's "private" collection, mostly books on sex and a few on the dark, Dark Arts. Draco now was very excited that his parents were not around. So with his newfound books, hidden deep in his trunk, Draco was ready for a new year.

Harry had finally caught up with Hermione, she was just about to board the train. He was a bit out of breath, which wouldn't be good for the up coming quidditch season. Hermione slowed her step as she made her way through the train. Little children darted in and out of the cars, and familiars ran loose. Harry wondered what these children's life would turn out like, and whether or not they had a destiny. But what really was destiny? How could the stars control so much?

"Here we are." Hermione said with relief and she side open the doors to one of the compartments. There sat two giggling girls, one who had hair that kept flashing different colours, it was Luna Lovegrove. "Luna, that is.. umm ..different." Hermione said attempting to not seem taken aback, but the colours were just so bright.

"Yes, I thought it would bring out the colour of my eyes." Luna replied as her hair flashed a rather putrid green. Before Hermione could comment and ask 'which one?' Ron came bustling through the door.

"HARRY!" he shouted joyfully. "Where in bloody hell have you been all summer?" He paused and he threw some of his bags on the empty seat. "Loo-loo, we're over here, in this car." He shouted out into the corridor. Seconds later Elizabeth Shefter, the floozy of Hufflepuff, popped her head in the car.

"Ronny!" She said as her nasal voice hung in the air, the car fell silent, and Hermione began to turn a shade of red that could only be rivaled by Luna's tomato coloured hair. Then taking a breath, Elizabeth tried to make a failed attempt at covering the tension, she continued on, "Harry... Harry Potter. You're so hot. I mean like I've like seen you in school, but like I've never been this close. Oh wait till I owl my parents... my little sister is gonna be so jealous... umm... Ronny... I'm gonna go and umm find my friends." With that she grabbed at Ron and kissed him in such a way that it only can be described as dry sex. One of her hands ran through his fire red hair, and the other made its way towards the fly on his pants. Then pulling away, heavy in her Yorkshire accent, "Why Hermione, why are you that shade of red? I didn't even that colour was possible! Well, umm bye." She slipped away into the mess of students.

There was a downbeat that was followed by Ron saying "Isn't she great Harry!? We bumped into each other at school shopping. You would have never thought a 5th yearer could be so mature."

Harry tried to say something to hold Hermione back, but all words would have been in vein. The fire in her eyes caught up with the colour of her cheeks. "Mature? MARTURE? Ron, I would have thought that you might have some common sense when picking a girl! At least one with whom could form a proper English sentence. The only reason she LOOKS mature is because she must have had a visit to Doctor Von Zann. Let's be realistic she didn't have that much cleavage at the end of last term, and I doubt she grew that fast. Ron, you're not even ready, you're supposed to be a perfect. Where is your badge and robes?! I feel so sorry for your poor mother!" And with that Hermione turned and stormed out, with the tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"Merlyn, you think she is having 'women problems', Harry?"

Luna gave a dishearten sigh, "Men, do they know nothing?" as Ginny followed after Hermione hoping to find comfort her.

Ron began to change into his robes as he continued on about the Canons and what an incredible team they had this year. As he went on and on, Harry just looked out the window and put in an occasional word of agreement now and again. In all truth, it just didn't feel quite right, even now as he was headed home, there was just something that was missing in his heart of heart, something that may be lost forever. Quidditch and such just didn't seem to hold any meaning any more.

Luna got up and left the card to see if she could find where Ginny and Hermione had gone to, she left a copy of Witch Weekly on the seat. Ron had been going on about "Loo-loo" for a good 15 minutes when he realized that Harry hadn't heard a word he had said.

Finally Ron took a long enough breath to notice that Harry wasn't paying any attention. "Mate, what's the problem?" But Harry still wasn't listening. "It seems to me that you could use a girl." The redhead said picking up the magazine and pointing at the cover. Harry looked out at what Ron was pointing at, it read "Love Potions: Find everything you are looking for with half the work."

"Ron, you're kidding right?"

"Why would I be? I mean it would do you a world of good." Ron said flipping to the page. He muttered under his breath "Tail of cat... eye newt, petals of rose... bring to a slow boil. Harry this isn't all that hard." With that Harry took it a read it himself.

"Ron. It called for blood."
"Yah, your blood, for it to work."
"Any spell that uses blood is strong magic." Harry said having a Hermione moment.

"How else do you suppose it works? It's not a love spell, so I'm sure it's not illegal. And the ministry is in such a state these days anyway it's not like they would find out. Dad says that..." Harry began to get lost out the window again. May be Ron had a point, a bit of romance wouldn't hurt.