Author's Note : Don't worry! I didn't forget about this! This is my favorite piece to write and I wouldn't want to leave it hanging! Sorry, but I was busy with school and stuff... so here's another chapter to satisfy you!

Chapter Two
Train Ride

"Platform nine and three-quarters… platform nine and three quarters…" I muttered to myself, looking around King Cross's. I sighed, thinking that today was going to be a long day. First, her alarm clock didn't go off so her mom woke her up ten minutes later (she was going to try to fix her hair---which was physically impossible), she couldn't find her train ticket, which took about thirty minutes; she forgot her luggage of clothes back in the house, so they had to drive all the way back there, and now, she couldn't find the stupid platform.

Fed up, she decided that she would ask for help.

"Excuse me, sir. Do you know where Platform nine and three-quarters is?" I asked the man politely. He turned around and I absently held my breath. The man was extremely large. He had a thick mustache and you can barely see his neck at all. He oddly resembled a large hairless monkey that ate too much.

"Platform nine and three-quarters? Are you trying to pull my leg? I'm a very busy man, very busy, indeed. So would you stop asking me such childish questions?" I stepped back, scared at his tone of voice, which sounded like he was shouting.

"Uhm… t-thank you…sir…" I turned around and walked as fast as I could without being too obvious.

"Did you hear that, boy? Do you know where Platform nine and three-quarters is?" He imitated me in a sing-song girlish voice. "Bah! But you know what? You and that silly little girl have something in common. You both are extremely embarrassing." I turned around, and I saw the fat man dragging a poor boy by the ear. My hand instinctively went to my bushy hair, wondering if that was what he was talking about.

In the excitement of it all, I wasn't looking where I was going; until I bumped into someone and fell flat on my bottom on the floor next to my luggage.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." I looked up and saw the same grey eyes that I saw at Flourish and Blotts. I blushed. How excruciatingly embarrassing! Well, at least I have another thing to add on my list of my most perfect day ever. When he offered his hand, all thoughts of having the most "perfect" day ever vanished from my hand. I shyly put my small hand on his, and he pulled me up. Subconsciously, I patted and smoothed my skirt as if there had been dirt or dust on it. Draco snorted, although he tried to hide it with a cough. I looked at him weirdly, wondering why and what he was laughing at.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said, although I suspected that he didn't really mean it, "it's just… an inside joke between Father, Mother, our friends, and I. You see…" His wand (a least I thought it was) was shooting out green sparks from his pocket, cutting Draco off in mid-sentence. Draco widened his eyes.

"Salazar Slytherin! It's almost eleven o'clock! We only have five minutes! We're going to be late for the train!" Draco and I grabbed our luggages and ran off. I didn't know where we were going, so I let him lead the way. As we were running, Draco seemed to be muttering something about "servants work" or something like that. Do all wizards have servants? Am I supposed to have one? Did the Headmaster forget to include it in the supply list? No… I've already checked the supply list one hundred and fifty-six times.

We finally reached platforms nine and ten. Excitement exploded in my chest. But where was bloody nine and three-quarters? Soon, Draco stopped, and I followed suit. I rose one eyebrow when Draco seemed to be concentrating on the wall between platforms nine and ten. What is he doing? Doesn't he realize that we're going to be late!

Suddenly, Draco started to run towards the wall. Is he mad? My mouth was wide open. He's going to crash! I closed my eyes, waiting for the crash… then there was silence. I opened my eyes… he was gone! Thinking logically that they had to enter between the platforms, I closed my eyes and ran towards the wall.

I must be going crazy! I held my breath and I smelled… smoke? I bravely opened my eyes and I saw the biggest and reddest (and shiniest) train that I have ever seen. Before I even had the chance to even take in my surroundings, Draco yelled "Hermione! Come on! We have to get a compartment!" So I ran towards platform nine and three-quarters and went inside the train. Draco and I found and empty compartment, placed our luggage in, and settled ourselves on the seats.

Subconsciously, I looked out the window. Parents were waving and crying, younger siblings were crying, older siblings were laughing at how their siblings have to go to school early, and all that other stuff. The train was moving slowly now, and the people outside were starting to run along with the train, as if wanting to catch up to it to say one last goodbye to their children. I heard a big sigh of relief right across from me.

"Finally," Draco said, making me turn my gaze towards his, "away from home at last. I thought that summer would never end. It's dreadfully boring at the manor. Making fun of house-elves for the past eleven years of my life was starting to bore me. But thank God that I'm going to Hogwarts early…" Draco paused.

"…even though it's run by a complete loony." He added as an after-thought. I snorted and rolled my eyes.

"So, Draco, why do you want to go to Hogwarts early?" I asked, although mentally slapping myself, because he just explained why. He gave me a crooked smile, while I looked down stupidly.

"Why do you want to go to Hogwarts early?" Draco asked me. I expected this question, but I didn't know how to respond to him. I mean… he's the one who invited me… and I've never had any real friends before…and if I said "you," then he must think that I fancy him or something! I was about to say something in response, when the compartment door slid open.

"Would you like anything off the trolley, dears?" A fat lady asked nicely.

"No, thank you," I said, blushing (again). "I haven't any money… well, I do. But what I meant to say… I mean… uhm… I didn't think that I needed any… so I didn't bring any money…" I stuttered. Note to self: talk to self in mirror to not make a complete fool of self in front of people.

Draco made a noise between a snort and a laugh. He held out a couple of galleons and bought jellybeans, chocolate frogs (I hope that they aren't real ones), and loads more. I looked at all of the treats he bought. My stomach started to grumble, since I didn't have breakfast or lunch today. I clutched my stomach as if to silence it. He seemed to notice, and he handed me a chocolate frog and a box of jellybeans.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans… they really do have every flavor… I think it's bloody wicked, don't you, Hermione?" He said, opening the box. He picked a pink one, and made a sound of satisfaction that he liked what he was eating. I opened the box that he gave me and put my hand into it. I groped for a jellybean from the bottom of the box. Everything on the bottom is always the best ones.

Without even looking to see what color it is, I popped it into my mouth and chewed on it. Draco looked at me, waiting to see my reaction. At first, I couldn't understand what the flavor was. I chewed on it more, looking up thoughtfully. Then all of a sudden, my tongue and my mouth felt like it was on fire! I swallowed the jellybean, which wasn't a good choice because my throat felt like it was on fire. I started to inhale and exhale quickly, trying to rid of the hot spiciness in my mouth. I started to fan myself as my cheeks got red and my face felt hot.

Draco started to laugh at me, but I didn't care. I needed water, and quick! Draco seemed to sense this because I was looking wildly around for help. Draco, still laughing but not as much, shakily took out his wand and said a spell. A small jet of water shot out of his wand, and went readily into my mouth; although it didn't go directly into my mouth the whole time because his hand was shaking, wetting my entire face.

I looked at him, torn between whether I should scream at him for getting my face wet or laugh. So I just sat there with my eyes closed and a small smile crept up to my face.

"I th-think that y-you got h-hot sssssauce, Her-mio-ne," Draco gasped, "with e-extra f-f-lavorrr." I frowned.

"Want to have another go?" He asked me.

"No, I think that I'll just have a frog." I reached out, hoping that it was actual chocolate and not actual frog.

I opened it, and I when I reached out to get the frog, it jumped away! Furious and determined to eat something, I chased it all over the compartment, with Draco watching me try to grab it. It leaped onto Draco's shoe---missed---on my backpack---missed again… It jumped out and into the hall. She gave an irritated sigh. Oh, well.

"Doesn't matter, Hermione," Draco said reassuringly, "it's the card; that's the best part. I wonder who you have." I took out the card and gave it to him, not really caring anymore. Everything that she seemed to touch has turned out horribly wrong. Maybe, whoever's on the card would come to life and eat her whole.

Draco frowned. "Dumbledore… pshh." Draco tore up the card and threw the pieces on the floor.

"You know what, Hermione? I'm surprised," he paused. He looked like he was talking more to himself than her. "I'm surprised that there isn't a Harry Potter card yet." I looked at his eyes, and I saw them twinkle.

"By gods, Harry Potter is so cool! I mean… if he went to Hogwarts… with us, and he would be our classmate, that would be wicked! I've always looked up to him, Harry Potter." I looked out the window. He seemed to be blushing.

"Father told me that Harry Potter is complete rubbish," he said sadly. "Maybe it's because he's a…" He stopped, and didn't say anything. I didn't want to push it. Although one side of me wanted to know more about this Harry Potter, and more about Draco's family. But to keep your friends, you should not invade his business.

"What do you think Hogwarts would be like?" He asked me. Taken aback by this question, I paused to think. Knowing that I can't lie to him, I told him the truth.

"Honestly… I don't think that I would fit in." He put his elbows on his knees and leaned closer, and if to listen better. I sighed. "I mean… look at me! I look un-fit for a witch!" Draco muttered something about weasels, but I just went on ranting. "I mean… I think that everything will just be too much to take in. I mean… magic, spells, potions… I have a feeling that everything will be…hard. I mean, I don't know any spells, I don't know where Hogwarts is, I don't know how to ride a broom, nevertheless play Quibblish, or whatever it is and---"

"Wait, wait, wait… you don't know how to play Quidditch? Or even ride a broom?" He asked me with wide eyes, as I shook my head. "Crazy! You lot don't really go out do you?" I shook my head again. I really have never been a technology person, besides using the phone and reading the news on the telly and stuff. I just like sticking to books and escaping into my own world.

"Well, whatever the case is, I'm going to teach you," I smiled at him, flattered.

"…unless you're really bad, no matter how many times we try to get it right, and you get on my patience and I leave you to figure it out for yourself." I stopped smiling, not sure whether he was kidding or not. An awkward silence came (for me at least). Draco was happily eating his treats.

"So…treacle fudge?" Draco said before filling his mouth full of fudge.

Author's Note : Oh come, on... I know you love it! LOL Well, please review then I would be SOOO happy!

Noticed anything familiar?

1. the "fat" man is Vernon Dursley
2. the "boy" is Harry Potter
3. the Harry Potter is sooo cool part---ha ha before-he-just-got-dissed Draco met I-would-rather-be-with-Weasley Harry
4. ah, yes. Hermione's nervous. She thinks that she's going to fail everything (HBP spoiler)