Hermione Granger took one last look at her parents before running into Platform 9 ¾.
"Damn. I'd better get my luggage on!" she said quickly to herself looking at the clock. It was already five to eleven. She quickly rushed to where the other luggage was and added hers to the pile.
Unfortunately, being in such a rush, Hermione accidentally bumped into someone familiar. He had brown hair with hints of grey in it, amber eyes and a very sexy figure. He noticed her too. She had gorgeous, chocolate brown eyes, brown hair which had gone down from being bushy, to being quite sleek and slender, with some waves and natural highlights in. She also had an amazing figure and her body showed where her curves had grown into place, so much that many male students were drooling at the magnificent sight.
They stood there staring at each other for a moment when Hermione flung her arms around her former DADA professor.
"Professor Lupin! Its so good to see you!" she exclaimed after letting him go.
"Its great to see you to Hermione. How are you? Did you have a good summer?" Remus Lupin replied with a warm smile.
"Yes thank you. I'm fine and what about you prof…" she broke off awkwardly as his smile vanished and was replaced with a sad look at the mention of his summer. She clapped her hand over her mouth, looking horrified at what she had just said.
"I'm so sorry Remus! I have to go!"
Before Remus even had a chance to answer back, she had already disappeared into the train.
(Why can't I keep my big mouth shut once in a while?) She thought angrily to herself. She sat down in the nearest compartment. She was in deep thought before she was interrupted by three familiar faces.
"Hey Mione." said Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.
"Hiya Mione." Ron Weasley smiled.
"Hey guys! How are you? Did you have a good summer?" she asked, hoping to get a better answer than she did with Remus.
"It was alright. Not much happened because of the war so I can't really say whether it was good or not." Harry replied.
"Same here." Ron and Ginny said in unison.
Hermione on the other hand went into deep conversation on how she thought that Remus Lupin was going to take the part of DADA again. At this change of subject, Harry, Ginny and Ron joined in the conversation as well. Halfway through the journey they saw someone knock on the door.
It was Remus.
"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked politely, trying to avoid the gaze coming from Hermione's gorgeous, chocolate brown eyes.
"Sure." She said moving up one and repeating to herself in her head that she was not going to blush. She decided that to keep Remus off her mind she would read Hogwarts: A History instead.
"So Lupin, are you coming back to take the post of DADA teacher again?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Yes, I am Harry. I must say I'm especially looking forward to teaching you this year."
He carefully glanced at Hermione, who was still paying no attention to the conversation.
(Why does he look at me like that? Its not like he likes me, is it?) She thought.
Hermione Granger had a small crush on Lupin ever since the first day she met him as her DADA professor in third year and instead of going away, it gradually grew bigger through the last few years. She smiled back to him and returned to her book. Harry, however, saw this and got annoyed but brushed it off thinking that it was a normal everyday smile that she would give to anyone, so he returned to his conversation with Ginny and Ron about Quidditch.
"So Hermione, are you looking forward to your final year at Hogwarts?" Remus asked politely.
"I suppose so, but once I've left, I'm hoping to come back and teach. I've always thought of either teaching or being an apprentice. It seems right up my alley for me" she replied smiling.
Before Remus could reply back, the train stopped so abruptly that everyone fell on the floor with a crash and Hermione's book went flying into the corridor, but Hermione didn't see this.
"We'd, first, best get up off the floor and second get off this train before we find out where it goes after Hogwarts." Remus said laughing.
Everyone scrambled out while Hermione panicked, not being able to find her book. Lupin found it while he was rummaging for his wand and carefully picked it up and went back to the compartment where Hermione was still looking for it. He came up behind her and tapped her carefully on the back.
"Here you are. It was in the corridor so I rescued it before it got trampled on." Lupin said, handing her book to her.
"Oh, thank you so much Remus!" she exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're such a good friend to me. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you around." She joked.
"I'm sure you would manage fine with or without me. I'm not really that greater loss." He replied, as they got out of the train.
"Don't ever say that Remus!" Hermione said shocked. "Lots of people care for you, Harry sees you as a second father to him, Ron sees you as another best friend and I see you more than both of them. I really care for you Remus and you mean a lot to me, just so you know. Oh, and…um, thank you for finding my book." She said in a shy voice.
With that, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before rushing into the crowds to find the others. Remus followed but going along with the teachers, in deep thought and shock of what had just happened. He sat down at the teachers table waiting for Dumbledore to make his famous 'start of term' speech. Although, he was completely unaware of the pair of eyes that were following his every move.
"Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Before we consume our delicious meal, may I please introduce an old friend who has returned for the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Please welcome Professor Lupin!" Dumbledore said clapping along with the other students.
As Remus stood up he could see that the Gryffindor table were full of excitement at having their former teacher back with them. he also noticed how Hermione was constantly clapping and whistling for him along with her fellow class mates.
'She must still have that crush on me that she had in her third year. Oh well, I suppose its alright to have a small crush on a student. No! You're not going to let yourself have a crush!' he thought angrily before sitting back down next to Severus Snape, the greasy Potions Master. Dumbledore held up his hand and the Hall gradually fell silent.
"Two words. Tuck in."
With that, everyone began to eat as much as they could, all except one person, Hermione. For some reason she didn't feel like eating, instead she just watched her friends eat while she just drank her goblet of pumpkin juice. At the end of the feast, the Headmaster declared that it was time for bed. At this, everyone got up at once and scrambled to their dormitories in desperate need of some rest.