This is a love story(run away!). A very complicated, long, love story - but a love story none the less. It began on my first day of 6th year at Hogwarts, a beautiful, sunny day. It began with Ron and Harry, arguing over the days news.

"He'll be sacked! Trust me!"

"But - if he didn't - "

"Oh, shut up! The lot of you!" I interrupted sourly, though I was far from not enjoying myself. A summer at home with my parents had been quite dull.

Ron stopped arguing his point to Harry immediately, giving me a long look, then finally smiling. "Are you sure you wouldn't like help with your bags, Hermione?" he asked. I gave a start. This was too unexpected. Before I could even contemplate what he was saying he was hoisting my luggage onto the train. I shot an amazed look at Harry. He looked just as perturbed.

"C'mon, now. We'd better catch him before he does something courteous." Harry guffawed. I laughed, stopping short when I saw Ron's look at Harry.

"I don't believe this - Jealousy!" I breathed to Harry as we hurried onto the train. He shrugged wildly, looked over my shoulder, and turned bright red. "What - " I turned around to see what he was looking at.

"'Lo Hermione," Ginny greeted brightly, not at all looking in Harry's direction. I was about to return the greeting when someone grabbed my arm and I felt myself being steered down the corridor. I glanced over my shoulder; Ginny was standing with her head down, looking at her knees, as was Harry.

"Ron!" I hissed. "What are you doing!" He stopped herding me into a compartment and smiled sheepishly, "I guess we should wait for Harry, shouldn't we."

This was the first time I realized that my 6th year at Hogwarts would not be so normal. Well - not that it was ever normal - but you get my point. What was wrong with Ron? With Harry? With Ginny! I would find out later, but at the time I had no clue.

We all sat in the compartment - Harry, Ron, Ginny and I - fiddling awkwardly and not meeting each others eyes.

"So, Harry." I began cheerfully, trying to loosen the air of the room. "How was your summer?" Harry grunted something in reply. I looked at Ginny hopelessly. She looked away. Ron was staring out the window at the flashing landscape.

The trolley came around noon, and our silence was put on hold to buy Chocolate Frogs. I nudged Ron, "Prefect duty, remember?" He gaped at me stupidly. We had given up staying in the Prefect Compartment, not that it really mattered - we had never really made good Prefects.

Outside the compartment, I cornered Ron. He looked down at his shoes for a moment then smiled up at me. I started to say something. "Guess we should hurry, huh?" he said quickly, slipping away. I sighed and leaned my forehead against the wall.

"What's wrong, Granger? Weasley give you the slip?" a cold voice smirked from behind me. I turned to face Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy. How pleasant. I trust your summer was fun? Visiting your father in Azkaban? Meet any good Death Eaters?" Malfoy's smirk faded. His wand was out before I could reach the folds of my robes, and I backed up a little.

"Don't. You. Ever - "

"Draco?"

There was a moment's silence, Malfoy glowering at me with unmasked hate. Ginny stood a few feet away, her mouth open and her eyes wide. Draco put his wand away slowly. Now I gaped, my eyes narrowed.

"Hermione - I think you'd better - hurry." Ginny finished lamely, biting her lip. I looked at them both suspiciously and walked off reluctantly.

I didn't tell Harry or Ron about the incident on the train - though I don't think Ron would've actually heard me - during the rest of the trip. We took the horseless(ha) carriages up to the castle and took our places in the Great Hall.

The sorting was interesting; the hat's song was once again about unity, but it was more hesitant when sorting this time. Once, it took five minutes to sort 'Gage Langester', changing it's mind in mid-sentence from Slytherin to Hufflepuff. If that wasn't shock enough, Dumbledore did not give his end-of-the-feast speech.

We left the Great hall at 10:10, proceeding to the Gryffindor Tower without incident. As I began to climb the stairs to my dorm, Ginny grabbed hold of my arm.

"Ginny?" I asked when she failed to say anything.

"Hermione? You - you won't tell anyone, will you?"

I quirked an eyebrow,

"Tell anyone what, Ginny?"

She looked disappointed and sped off up the stairs, leaving me alone in the deserted common room to ponder on her words.