Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and never will.

Chapter 1

The majestic Hogwarts stood against the inky, star-studded sky; towering over the surrounding forest. The harvest moon shone and eerie, pale light down upon the gardens that surrounded the castle, where the plants had been disturbed. Something had been digging and pawing through the foliage.

Outwards, towards the Dark Forest, a pair of big, brown eyes looked towards the castle, longingly. The lone figure turned heel and headed deeper into the ominous forest, but not before one final, fleeting glace back towards Hogwarts.

:X:0:X:

Steam billowed from the smoke stack of the scarlet engine, the Hogwarts Express. The train rumbled down the track that cut through the lush country side. Inside, three friends sat talking about the final year at Hogwarts.

Harry, Ron and Hermione, the Golden Trio, the Dream Team. The three of them had grown up together; from mere young, inexperienced, eleven year-olds, to smarter, keener, seventeen-year olds. They had been inseparable since they had defeated the mountain troll in their first year, but something had been pulling them apart. "So, Harry, how was your holiday?...Harry?" Hermione asked breaking the odd silence that had settled in after they had changed into their school robes.

Hermione Granger had proved that the ugly little duckling can indeed change into a swan. She had defied the odds and transformed from the mousy little bookworm, to an unparallel beauty. She, however, refused to enhance any of her natural beauty; she wore clothes which were too big for her, giving her a boxy appearance instead of the curvy, womanly figure which she possessed.

Anyway, Harry had been staring absent-mindedly out the window for the past 15 minuets. "Harry!" Ron shouted when his friend failed to answer Hermione for a third time. "Huh?" Harry's elbow slipped from the pane and he bumped his head against the glass. "Ow, damnit." Harry mumbled and looked back at his companions. Both he and Ron had grown very tall. Ron was quite gangly with long arms and legs, while Harry was just the opposite. He was well proportioned for his height which helped him land his spot in the Hogwarts paper as the number two bachelor.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked. "Yeah, I'm fine." He replied now staring at the ceiling, but not really seeing it. "Harry, you seem kind of….distracted." Hermione prodded gently. She had tried to subtly to find out what was troubling Harry's mind, but Ron had no such social skills.

"Agh, just come right out and say it, Harry! You're thinking about that dumb Slytherin girl again!" The redhead shouted.

"Ron!" Hermione piped.

"Well he is, and you know it! That little vixen is controlling him!"

"Ron, that's enough!" Harry shouted in anger.

"Just because you can't get a girl, doesn't mean you have to run down mine! I mean, get a life, Ron!" Harry spat and ran from the compartment, seething. He stomped down the hallway until he reached the end and gave an exasperated sigh as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes in and irritated way.

Harry replaced his glasses on the brim of his nose and looked around. He was in front of a dark compartment with no window. After reigning his temper, he was about to go back and apologize to his friends for lashing out at them when suddenly, a pair of hands covered his mouth and eyes. "Guess who." A female voice said and pulled him into the compartment and shut the door.

:X:0:X:

"Ron! How could you have said that!" Hermione asked. "He's the one who freaked out on us! Besides, you were thinking it too!" Ron said defensively. Hermione glared at him, "So what if I was? He's been under a lot of stress. Besides he has a right to be with who ever he wants!" Hermione cried, hot, angry tears filled her brown eyes.

She had liked Harry for the longest time, but ever since that Slytherin came into their lives, her chances with him had been blown out of the water. Least to say, she did not like Harry's decision to be with a Slytherin over herself. "Well, someone has to get through to him. I mean, open your eyes Hermione! He's drifting away from us because of her!" Ron said desperately trying to get his point across.

Hermione was so angry and hurt by this point that she just gave way and let the tears fall down her cheeks as she ran from the compartment. "You just don't get it, do you!" She threw over her shoulder. Hermione ran down the hallway and stopped at the end. "Get a hold of yourself. He's gone, and there's nothing you can do about it." She told herself firmly.

Are you sure? Come on you're Hermione Granger, you can figure anything out. There just has to be something you can do. 'Oh, sod off.' Hermione dried what tears were left and spotted Harry's glasses on the floor in front of her. She bent down and picked up the glasses. "If these are out here, then where is he?" She asked out loud.

Hermione looked around and then she heard a bump; a really loud bump. "What was that?" Hermione walked up to the shut compartment from whence the noise had come from. She peered through the window, but it was too dark to see. Not to be deterred, she leaned against the door so she could listen.

"Come on, Harry, we should go. We'll be there soon." A female voice whispered. "Alright. Come on." Harry's voice said and the compartment door slid open, knocking the unsuspecting Hermione to the ground. Harry looked down and saw Hermione on the ground. "Hermione? What are you doing here?" He asked suspiciously. "Oh, I…eh…found your glasses." She said and held them out.

"Oh, thanks." He said and pulled Hermione to her feet. A tiny blush ran across her cheeks when Harry's hands graced her waist. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything." A slender girl with pale skin and long, dark, curly black hair was leaning against the door frame of the carriage that Harry had just emerged from.

Harry's arm was still around Hermione. "Not at all. You know Hermione, don't you?" He asked and let his hand slip from Hermione. "Charmed." The Slytherin girl said sarcastically. "I had better be going, I'll see you around." She said and winked her electric violet eyes at Harry and walked off.

Hermione was burning with jealousy, it was obvious from their ruffled clothes and muzzled hair, exactly what they had been doing. Hermione Granger was, for once, at a lose for words. "If you don't mind, Hermione, I'm gonna go too." Harry said and walked off as well. Hermione gathered her wits and headed to the only place where she could get the gossip of the day; to Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil.

:X:0:X:

Ron, who had reverted to throwing his wand up in the air catching it again out of sheer boredom, had decide to go find Harry and Hermione to apologize, even though he felt that they should say sorry as well. Ron got up from his seat and stepped through the threshold when Draco Malfoy appeared, accompanied by Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Draco had also grown quite tall, in fact he managed to stand taller then Harry by at least 2 inches. His platinum blonde hair had grown out so that his bangs covered his silver eyes slightly. His temper and disposition, however, had remained the same; short and ill tempered.

"Alright, Weasle, where is she?" The blonde Slytherin asked angrily. "I know she's here with Potter somewhere." He continued. "Who? Hermione?" Ron asked confused. "Honestly, Weasly, why would I be looking for that mudblood? You know who I'm talking about. Pansy that said she was fucking around with Gryffindors. Now where is she!" Draco demanded.

Ron, after hearing Hermione referred to as 'that mudblood', was boiling with anger and realizing exactly who Draco was looking for replied, "How the hell should I know where that bitch is? As for Hermione, don't you ever call her that name again!" Draco smirked at Ron's reaction to his statement.

"Well, well. It seems that the little weasel is in love." The three Slytherins burst into laughter. Ron's ears burned with embarrassment. Draco held his hand up and the laughter ceased. "Anyway, Crabbe. Goyle. I think we need to teach Weasly here a lesson." Crabbe and Goyle, who had remained rather short still, maintained an intimidating stature due to their impeccable muscle structure and well aimed punches, stepped into the carriage and slid the door behind them. "Mummy."

:X:0:X:

Draco walked down the hallway with a contented smirk as the sound of punches and shouts of pain echo out of the compartment. "Looking for me?" Draco turned around and saw a pale girl with long, dark, curly black hair leaning against the wall. She sauntered over to him. "Where were you? I've been looking everywhere for you." Draco said and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Well, you've found me." The whispered dangerously close to his ear. "But I should go." She added quickly before Draco could respond to her bold advances. She twisted out of his reach, "Catch ya later." and she disappeared. "Same old tricks." Draco said to himself and walked back to his compartment where Pansy inevitably waited for him. The girl needed to get a life, really. He had lost count of the number of times he had told her off, but no matter what he did; the stupid bitch kept coming back for more.

"Please make sure you have changed into your school robes and that your luggage is secured. We will be arriving at Hogsmead station shortly." A voice over the intercom said and the whistle sounded.

:X:0:X:

The pale girl looked in the cosmetic mirror that she held in her hand. She glared at her own image, "I hate you." She said then snapped the mirror shut as the train came to a halt. They had arrived.

A/N: That was the first chapter, please read and review. If you didn't like it for some reason, let me know. Reviews, even flames can be helpful. I hope you enjoyed it.

J ' Tiame,

Cinnabon