The Hogwarts express, a train that glowed under the blazing sun, were already station at the tracks, with smokes oozing out of its chimney. The rumbling noises that the trains made were unable to hear due to the voices of the many students. Normally when we say many, it means a lot. In this case, it means more than a lot. There was hardly any space to walk at the platform. Everybody was saying their good byes and sending hugs and kisses, making the place looking messier than ever.
"Hermione!" someone screamed into her ear, causing a piercing effect on her eardrums.
Hermione turned around, her hair managing to smash into the callers face. "Harry! What was that for?"
"Look. Can we start going? The noise is about to burst my eardrums!" Harry yelled into her ear once more.
Hermione looked around, and frowned. "Harry is right; this place is in a mess! Wonder what the head boy and girl is doing...they are certainly not helping the situation a lot…" Hermione thought. Looking back at Harry, she then nodded her head, indicating him to lead the way.
By the time they found a room, the train was already moving and everybody was in their rooms already. Dragging their feet into the room, they dump their bags messily onto the room, unbothered. Throwing themselves on the cushioned seats, they heaved a sigh in unison.
"Is it just me or there is really a huge number of first years this year? There were hardly any rooms available, unlike the past years. In addition, the first years are not… not like the normal first years… they seem very different. Previous years, the year ones are always shy and all, but this year…-sigh- what should I say. They are just too different to be first years." Ron commented hastily, breaking the 5 minutes silent they previously had. He then recalled the almost-fight he had with a first year over a room.
As though reading his mind, Hermione reprimand, "Seriously Ronald, you should be ashamed fighting with a first year! Imagine what others would say if Harry and I was not there to stop you!"
Immediately, both her best friend looked at her. Obviously, they did not expect her to outburst like that.
"Hermione…" Ron said, cautiously, trying his best not to provoke her further. Hermione just kept quiet, her eyes seems to be searching the ground for gold. Taking that as a positive response, he continued, "I'm sorry. I guess I should not have hexed him that hard…" He looked back up at Hermione again, seeing that she has not response, he knew that he was beyond hope. He then looked pleadingly at Harry.
Harry looked back at Ron, then at Hermione, then back at Ron. "I'll try." He mouthed to Ron. Carefully, he sat next to Hermione and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hermione, we all know what Ron is like. He is always so impulsive and never once he thought of the consequences before doing it," He paused and looked at Ron, who gave him a devil glare. Harry chuckled a little, before continuing, "Hermione, I know Ron is in fault, like he always is (he said this a little louder for effect), but he is still Ron right? You cannot be angry with him just because he bullied a first year. Not that I mean you don't have the right to be angry wit him, it is just-"
"Quiet Harry!" Hermione snapped.
Harry shocked, went back to sit beside Ron. "It is your entire fault! Now she is angry with me too!" Harry mouthed to Ron.
Ron gave him a bewilder look. "For goodness sake, it is NOT MY FAULT. It is yours! You should have said something else, definitely not that speech! Look! Now she is bloody angry with us!" Ron mouthed back to Harry.
"What? It is my fault? I was trying to help you! How could you say that that was my fault? You –"
"Stop it you guys!" Hermione said. Clearly, she had been watching them all the way. "I am not angry at you, in actual fact I was just thinking about something and both of you kept trying to talk to me!" She let out a huge sigh. "Anyway, did you guys see the cap on top of the boy's luggage? The boy whom RONALD WEASLEY (she said this, glaring at Ron with really huge eyes) hexed?"
"Sorry 'moine. did not observe. I was too busy… you know..."Ron replied.
Hermione looked back at him and sighed. 'When is he ever going to grow up?' she thought to herself.
The rest of the trip went on smoothly. Harry and Ron were busy talking about their part time job they had during the holidays and how fun was it. Occasionally, the trio would laugh at the memories Harry mentioned. The memories of which, is mostly about Ron, the newborn muggle-crazy.
"Once, He picked up a speaker and started yelling "HELLLLOOOOOOO" into it. You should have seen it! Everybody who knew that it was a speaker, and definitely not a phone, was staring at him like as though he is some lunatic!" Harry exclaimed, before imitating Ron's "HELLLLLOOOO" once more. He continued to imitate repeatedly, exaggerating it more than the previous time. Everybody, including Ron, cracked up.
"I- giggle -am so not- giggle -surprised you did- giggle -that! It is so typical you –giggle- Ron!" Hermione said, while hugging her stomach that is hurting quite bad from the laughing.
"See, see, Isn't this the pathetic group namely the mudblood, pothead and weasel," Draco sneered, together with his two ball-shaped bodyguards.
Looking up at the sound of the voice, their lively laughing faces changed into a cold glare within seconds.
"Shut up Malfoy. What the bloody hell do you want?" Ron said, standing up in front of Malfoy, as though protecting Harry and Hermione from a monster.
"Nothing much. Probably to tell your so-called-top-student mudblood girlfriend that it is now her turn for prefect duty?"
Hermione's face turned scarlet. 'How could I forget that' she thought to herself. Meanwhile the boys continued bickering.
"Shut up Malfoy. That does not give you the right to call her mudblood. You may be a pureblood, but you are still stupider (there is such a word! It is old English though…) than a muggle-born. Shan't you be ashamed of yourself since Malfoy's are supposed to be the "greatest" and "smartest"?" Ron said in one breath. Smirking slightly, he looked up to meet Draco's eyes.
Draco looked shocked. In fact, he was gasping at Ron like a fish. For the first time in his life, Draco thought he could not find anything to mock back. Nevertheless, his brain didn't disappoint him. "For one, unlike Granger, I do not hide myself behind books all the time. I have looks to show, unlike some fat bushy-head mudbloods. Besides, I do not study. I am the top second in Hogwarts due to pure smartness, unlike Granger, who memorizes all the books she read. That is probably why her hair is so bushy and thick! Anyway, just for your information, I have the total right to call her a mudblood. If you haven noticed, SHE IS ONE." Draco paused to look at the effect of his words. If good means a wide opened mouth Ron, a stunned Harry and a scarlet Hermione, then I guess the effect is beyond good. He smirked broadly, "By the way weasel, you had scolded me for everything I've said except the part about me mentioning Hermione as your girlfriend. So… I guess it's true huh?"
The once open-mouthed expression has turned into a red fuming face. Together with the red hair and the oh-so-many freckles, he looks ALMOST like a tomato. If it were not for the fact that the atmosphere is so tense right now, all of them would definitely be laughing at the sight of Ron's face.
Satisfied at their expressions, Draco continued, "Seriously, I don't know who to pity more. The weasel, who has a girlfriend that is ugly, fat, bushy-headed or a mudblood who has a poor, beggar-soon-to-be boyfriend." With that, Draco turned to walk out of the room but stopped halfway at the sound of a soft yet confident voice.
"Shut up Malfoy. Please do keep your sympathy to yourself. We do not need it. Besides, you might need it when you finally come to terms that I will always be the top student. If you have not noticed Malfoy, professors do not care if you are smart or whether you are hard working. They only happen to care about the marks and since I have the marks and you do not, I guess you can just shut up and stop your cockiness. Anyway, even if Ron and I are dating, it is completely none of your business, so do please keep your huge nose out of other people's business." Hermione said. Her nose flared up the highest it could as she spoke. Walking through the sliding door, she said to Harry and Ron, "Don't worry. I will be back soon." Giving Draco a backward glace, she went to meet the other prefects for patrolling.