Author's Note - - I know I haven't updated this story in ages but I haven't felt too inspired. Hope this story does a little better.

Arwen silently walked next to Harry. Behind them were Ron and Hermione, all four of them trailing behind Mrs. Weasley (Mr. Weasley was already at work and couldn't come), Ginny, and Remus Lupin. The Hogwarts express gleamed as the young wizards and witches waved goodbye to their families and boarded to begin a new school year. Arwen looked at the train almost starry-eyed.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked. Maybe it was all too much for her. Since her arrival she hadn't said much and mostly kept to herself. She talked with Harry but only briefly.

Arwen smiled, "I've never been on a train before."

"You've never been on a train before," Ron blurted out, looking at her incredulously. Hermione jabbed him in the ribs. "OW! What was that for!" She only answered with a glare.

Arwen laughed. "It's ok Hermione, I suppose I seem a bit strange because I haven't really done or seen a lot of the things that you have."

"No! Don't pay any attention to Ron, there's loads of people muggle or magic who haven't been on a train before."

"Come on! The train's about to leave!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. She gave them all a hug and a kiss and watched them get on the train, each holding a package with sandwiches. Lupin said goodbye and shook Harry's hand. "Be careful Harry," he smiled.

"Thanks, I will," Harry replied.

"Have a good term!" Mrs. Weasley waved and watched as the train pulled away from platform nine and three-quarters.

"Shall we get a compartment then?" Harry asked.

"Love to Harry, but me and Ron have to go with the rest of the prefects," Hermione said.

"Oh, right." Harry had forgotten that Ron and Hermione were made prefects this year. Ron was the most surprised; he hadn't thought he had a shot with Harry around. Harry hadn't really thought about himself being a prefect but was happy for Ron.

"We'll catch up with you later," Ron said gloomily as Hermione dragged him off towards the front of the train.

Harry and Arwen were left to find a compartment themselves; Ginny had already met up with some girlfriends and went to sit with them.

"Right then," Harry smiled at Arwen. She followed behind him as he looked for two seats. A few compartments down they saw one with only Neville Longbottom in it.

"Hiya Harry!"

"Hey Neville, how was your summer?" Harry asked.

"It was ok, my grandmother was disappointed that I didn't make prefect but I managed not to get into trouble with her almost all summer," Neville sighed. His grandmother loved him but she was always pushing the poor boy, and unfortunately for Neville he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but still a good kid. Of course it didn't help that Neville was painfully shy and scared of almost everything.

After Harry had sat down, it was then that Neville noticed the girl beside him. She was very pretty but there was something odd about her. She looked only a moment at him and Neville noticed her stunningly clear blue eyes. He was so intent on her eyes that when she looked away Neville dropped the book he had been reading. He stammered an apology, blushing like mad, and picked the book off the floor.

"Neville, this is my friend Arwen, she's new to the school," Harry said, noticing how Neville became nervous and fidgety as he always was when around anyone.

"Hello," Arwen smiled. "It's nice to meet you Neville."

Neville mumbled a hello and tried to regain his composure by staring at his hands.

They spend most of the train ride talking about Hogwarts, the two boys telling Arwen about all the teachers, who gives the most homework, who is easy-going, who's strict. Neville gave a warning about Professor Snape who he feared even more than his grandmother.

Later, Ron and Hermione found them. Ron plopped next to Neville, boredom marching over his face. "Were we as annoying as some of the twits here when we were first years?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "you were the biggest twit of them all." Harry laughed.

"Oh shut-up Hermione, Ms. I-know-everything-bookworm!"

"I don't know everything!" Hermione's eyes narrowed. "At least I try to do my work! You're the laziest person I've ever seen!"

"Well, you're not so perfect either! You are a…"

"Guys! Stop it! You two are being ridiculous! School hasn't even started and already you're at each other's throats," Harry sighed. Some things never changed.

"She started it!" Ron cried.

"Oh honestly Ron, why don't you grow up!" Hermione cried back.

The continued to fight and Harry gave up, trying to distract himself with something else. Then they stopped talking altogether. Slowly, it started to get darker and Hermione and Arwen left the boys to change into their robes.

"Sometimes I can't stand her!" Ron fumed.

"Why because most of the time she's right," Harry pointed out. "You have to have a little more patients Ron."

"Or maybe she needs to just lay off! I swear she is such a pain in the…" the compartment door opened and Arwen stepped inside.

"We have to go back and help the first years," Hermione said, not looking at Ron. "See you in the Great Hall." She turned and didn't wait for Ron to walk with her.

Arwen laughed quietly as Ron left.

"What's so funny," Harry asked.

"They love each other and they don't want to admit it," she said.

"Are you out of your mind? Ron and Hermione in love! They can't even be in the room with each other for five minutes without disagreeing on something," Harry laughed. There was no way his best friends loved each other. He wasn't quite sure they even liked each other that much.

Arwen simply shrugged her shoulders. "You'll see."

Ok not the greatest chapter in the world but there's always those exposition chapters that are always boring. Please any comments, suggestions or whatever would be appreciated; I promise it'll get better!