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Chapter 2

Hermione dragged her trunk and her brand new cage (with a white and brown owl inside, fluttering about) on the train. She had just said good-bye to her parents and was now searching for her friends.

She looked into a compartment with its door open and saw that it was empty. She decided to sit there for a while before she continued looking for her friends. She was so tired; she didn't get much sleep the night before because she was worrying about how the year would turn out. There were so many things that could and would go wrong. Especially if she told Ron how she felt about him.

"There you are!"

Hermione looked up and saw Harry standing by the compartment door, "We were all going stark mad wondering where you were."

"I couldn't find any of you."

"Come along then. For a second there we were all getting scared that we would have to do our own homework for a change." Harry joked picking up Hermione's trunk.

Hermione didn't say anything. Is that what Ron thought too? She wondered.

"Um, Hermione. I was just kidding." Harry said gently putting down her trunk, "What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

Hermione looked into his eyes and wondered whether she should tell him. She thought against it, "It's nothing, Harry. I just didn't get enough sleep."

She brushed past Harry with the cage and then stopped in her tracks. She just realized she didn't know where to go.

Harry shook his head and smiled, "I think you better get some sleep on the way to Hogwarts."

They passed about three more compartments before Hermione heard a lot of noise coming from the compartment Harry was walking into.

Hermione quickly slipped in right after him and closed the door.

"Hermione!" Ron greeted smiling at her.

Hermione nodded at him, "Hi." She looked around the compartment and saw two new faces Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. Seated across from Ron, Lavender, and Parvati were Neville, Luna, and Ginny.

"So, Ron. Tell me something." Parvati said flirtatiously flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Like what?" Ron asked, obviously liking the attention.

"Like…" Parvati trailed off and then whispered something in Ron's ear.

Hermione felt her blood start to boil. She balled her hands into fists.

I am never going to tell him that I like him, Hermione vowed to herself. She quickly took a seat next to Ginny.

"When did those two start talking to Ron as if they were such good friends?" Hermione asked Ginny in a hushed whisper.

Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "I have no idea what's going on. This is mad weird. About five minutes before you came, they just invited themselves in here and starting talking with Ron and Harry."

"Well, doesn't look as if they're bothering much with Harry." Hermione pointed out.

Ginny turned her head and saw Harry gazing out of the window.

"Maybe you should have a go, he looks as if he needs someone to talk to." Hermione encouraged Ginny.

Ginny hesitated before agreeing. She got up and sat right across from Harry.

Hermione felt as if Ron was a magnet and her eyes kept being drawn to him. She felt her heart breaking just watching Parvati and Lavender flirt with him.

She felt her eyes closing. I'll just rest for a while, and when I wake up maybe, they'll be gone. She thought hopefully.

"Wake up…Herm…"

Hermione opened her eyes slowly. She hoped that it was Ron waking her up, but as her eyes focused she saw that it was just Harry.

"Everyone's getting out of the train." Harry said.

Hermione sat up and looked around the empty compartment, "Where's Ron?"

Harry shook his head and rolled his eyes, "He went already."

"With who?"

Like the day in Diagon Alley Harry hesitated again before answering, "Parvatiarti and Lavender."

Hermione couldn't hold back her emotions anymore; her eyes welled up with tears, "What's going on with Ron, Harry? Can't he tell that I like him?"

Harry looked surprised; "I really don't know what to say…" he trailed off regretfully.

"You're not telling me something! What is it?" Hermione asked with a pleading look in her eyes.

"We really have to go." Harry said picking up his trunk.

Hermione quickly wiped away her tears with the sleeves of her robes and followed Harry's lead out of the train and to the carriages that would take them to the Hogwarts castle.

That night in the Gyrffindor Common Room Hermione sat by herself in one of the armchairs, completely absorbed in her own thoughts.

She noticed that she got curious glances from Ron and Harry who were sitting across the room with a group of people, including Parvati and Lavender.

She heard someone dragging a chair next to hers; she turned her head and saw Ginny.

"Are you still thinking about what happened today on the train?" Ginny asked sympathetically.

Hermione nodded.

"He doesn't like them, you know." Ginny said.

Hermione straightened up in the chair, "How would you know?" she asked raising one of her eyebrows skeptically.

"I'm his sister and I know how he acts when he likes somebody." Ginny pointed out, "And that is not how he acts when he likes somebody." She pointed her chin at where Ron and the rest of them were sitting.

Hermione felt her spirits rising, "Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Trust me."