The Express

"Katie!" Hermione yelled as she saw her best friend walking at the train station.

"Hermione!" She called back, once she found her. They met mid-way and hugged tight. "How was your Christmas?"

"Crowded." She chuckled. "I'll tell you on the train."

"Lee and Angelina already found us a compartment." She said pointing at one of the windows of the train.

"Great." She turned back to her parents. "Mum, dad, I'll write soon." She hugged them both. "I love you."

"We love you too, sweetheart." Her father whispered. "Now go, before the train leaves."

"Bye!" She called over her shoulder as they walked to the train and tried to heave their trunks on.

"Always in the same predicament, aren't you?" Cedric's voice came above her.

"Seems so." She chuckled. "And you always seem to be my knight in shining armour."

"I try to." He grinned as he pulled both trunks up the train in one go. "Do you need help to find a compartment?"

"No, Angelina and Lee already have one. Thanks Cedric. Again."

"I'll see you around." He waved and walked in the other direction.

Hermione followed Katie through the train, pulling their trunks behind them. Katie pulled open a compartment door and stuck her head in, Hermione doing the same. Lee and Angelina didn't notice them walk in as they were laughing at something on the platform. Katie let go of her trunk and tiptoed behind them.

"What's so funny?" She asked behind Angelina. Lee and Angelina both jumped back from the sudden intrusion.

"Merlin, Katie!" Angelina said, taking in shallow breaths, before pointing outside the window. "Poor Alicia has been stuck talking to Astrix for ten minutes, probably about quidditch tips."

"Poor Alicia." She smiled as she went to grab her trunk.

"Let me help, ladies." Lee grinned as he pulled the trunks one by one up on the rack.

"Thanks, Lee." Hermione and Katie said together. Katie dropped down next to Angelina and Hermione sat down next to Lee.

"It seems Alicia made a break for it." Hermione pointed out the window. Alicia had distracted Astrix to a classmate of his before she disappeared on the train, only to emerge at their door a couple of seconds later.

"Hi, all. I really could've used one of the twins bats right now." She sighed as she sat down next to Katie.

"We saw." The rest grinned.

"Where are the twins anyway?" Katie asked looking out the window.

"They always come at the last second." Lee chuckled as he gazed at the clock on the platform. "The train leaves in exact six minutes, so they'll probably arrive in about four minutes."

"Guess again." Two identical voices came from the door. Everyone turned away from the window and gazed at the smirking twins in the doorway.

"Once in 5 years-"

"A Weasley can arrive in time." George finished, pushing his trunk in the rack above her. Fred doing the same on the other side, only with a little more force. "Scoot over, Granger."

Hermione shuffled a bit closer to Lee, so George could take the seat next to her. Fred looked between the two seats, seeing they were full. He considered his options before he flung himself on his twin, sitting on his lap with his back against the wall. Once George stopped shoving him, he made himself comfortable and placed his legs on Hermione's lap. Hermione looked at him with a quirked eyebrow, the red head's grin already in place. She shook her head as Alicia asked her a question.

"So, Hermione. How was your break?"

"Yeah, you said something about 'crowded'?" Katie asked. The twins snickered and the group looked at them.

"My parents surprised me with Christmas at the Weasleys. They didn't know either."

"Christmas at the Weasleys? I would've used another word then crowded." Angelina laughed.

"Well, it's not the only word I would use for it." Hermione grinned at the twins, before turning back to the others. "How was your break?"

One for one they talked about their Christmas break. Hermione talked a bit about France before the twins cut her off and told them about their surprised visit. When the twins started playing with some of the prank items, she shoved Fred's legs of her and stood up.

"Hey, where are you going?" Fred asked as he shuffled off his brothers lap and sat down next to him. Hermione had just pulled out her book from her backpack and walked to the door.

"I just want a bit of peace and quiet." She said looking over her shoulder. "I need a break from the famous Weasley racket. I'll be back in an hour, two tops, relax Rusty" She grinned before walking out the door. She heard the others laugh at the nickname she had for Fred.

"Rusty?" Lee chocked out between laughs. Hermione just saw Fred's proud grin before the door closed.

HG

After walking through the train for about ten minutes she found an empty compartment. She took off her shoes and made herself comfortable on the seat, stretching her legs in front of her. She opened her book and started reading, glad to have a moment to herself. When she was halfway through the book, the door slid open, showing a certain red head.

"Hermione?" Charlie asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, hey Charlie. It got a bit crowded with seven in one compartment, including the twins." She grinned as she placed the book on her lap. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, my rounds. This was my last check-up." He smiled. "Can I join you? I have a book of my own, I'd like to start reading, as I couldn't do it at home." He winked as he pulled out the book she had gotten him for Christmas.

"Da, desigur. Yes, of course." She grinned as Charlie walked in. "I may have peaked inside when I bought it."

Charlie took the seat across from her and took the same position, kicking off his shoes and placing his legs stretched out in front of him. He opened his book and started reading, she looked at him for a moment before picking up her book again and dived in. Another hour passed in comfortable silence as they read on their own.

HG

"Cedric!" Charlie yelled out of nowhere. Hermione dropped her book in shock as she looked wide-eyed around her. Charlie waved at the boy, and he strode in.

"Found yourself a little book club, I see." He smiled, looking between them.

"We just wanted a break." Charlie shrugged, placing his feet on the ground and his book next to him on the seat. "Want to join us for a bit?"

"Why not." He shrugged as Hermione took the same position as Charlie, her book still in her lap. Cedric sat down next to her. "What are you reading?"

"Hermione got me this book, Romanian for dummies. It's a muggle book." He chuckled, holding out the yellow book. "I had to ask her after, what kind of book it was."

"Romanian?"

"I'm going to Romania after graduation to work at the dragon reserve."

"That's great, Cha-"

"Something from the trolley, dears?" The trolley lady interrupted, waving her hand over her cart.

"Hey, Mrs. Dale." Charlie smiled friendly at the older witch. "I'm good."

"Flavour beans, chocolate frogs." Cedric started excitingly as he jumped up and walked over to the trolley, while he searched his pockets for money. Hermione stood up and walked up next to Cedric, who was still choosing his favourites, looking over at the candy.

"For me, pumpkin pasties and do you have sugar quills?" Hermione asked expectantly as she looked over to Mrs. Dale.

"Uhm yes, I think I have some left." The witch said as she moved around some boxes underneath her trolley. She came back up smiling holding a pack of sugar quills. "Here you go dear."

"Thank you!" She accepted them smiling and looked over her shoulder to Charlie and back to the trolley. "Just some jelly slugs and a couple of acid pops." She said as she started to count her money. Mrs. Dale packed everything up in a brown paper bag before handing it over. Cedric already sat back down on his spot when she walked over. Cedric smiled before tossing each one a chocolate frog.

"Dig in." He smiled and pulled his frog box open. Hermione rummaged in her bag and tossed Charlie the jelly slugs.

"Here Charlie. I know they're your favourite."

"You two didn't need to get me anything."

"I know, I got some things for the twins and Katie too." She shrugged as she opened her chocolate frog, reading the card that came with it.

"Just eat." Cedric grinned.

They ate, talked and laughed until it started to get dark out. Empty boxes of candy scattered around the room. Hermione and Charlie's book long lay forgotten on the seat next to them.

"I swear! My dad had an imp hidden in his office. It took him over a week before he caught it." Cedric laughed, the others joining. No one noticed when the door slides open, and the twins were looking at the trio.

"So... not dead." George said as he crossed his arms over his chest. The three of them snapped their heads to the boys in the doorway. Charlie had a piece of red liquorish wand sticking out of his mouth. Hermione was nibbling on her sugar quill, while Cedric had just popped in a pepper flavoured bean in his mouth. His eyes watering as the candy slid down his throat.

"Just here having the time of her life." Fred said, crossing his arms like is brother. "I thought you wanted to read in silence, missy?"

"I did, for about an hour or two. Then these two joined."

"I think my brothers don't want to share you, Hermione." Charlie snickered.

"We just feel -"

"Abandoned." They said with a pouting lip, which made Hermione roll her eyes before grabbing the acid pops out of the bag and tossing it to them.

"Happy now?"

"Very!" They grinned as they put the pops in their mouths.

"We should probably go change; we should be arriving in an hour." Charlie said as he picked up the candy wrappers and empty boxes.

"I didn't even notice it getting dark." Cedric said surprised looking out the window, before helping Charlie clean up. "Matt and Gavin are probably wondering where I am, was supposed to just go to the restroom."

Hermione and Charlie chuckled as they walked out the room with Cedric. The twins wrapped their arms around Hermione's shoulder, leading her back to their compartment.

"See you later boys!" Hermione smiled over her shoulder, the other two going in the other direction.

HG

"Thanks for the pops, little Granger." Fred grinned, popping the candy out of his mouth.

"I got some for the others to, don't feel to special, Rusty." Hermione smiled between the two lanky boys.

"What do you have for us?" Katie asked as they had reached the compartment.

"Just these." Hermione tossed the bag over to Katie as she walked in. Angelina leaned close as she looked with Katie in the bag.

"Lee, let's let the girls change here. We'll go to the restroom." George beckoned him over as he reached for their robes.

"But..." He said looking between Fred and Katie. "But I want one." He said pointing at Angelina, who was already sucking an acid pop with a smile.

"Don't worry, I'll save you one." Hermione chuckled, shaking her head.

"Thanks, Hermione." Lee grinned as he grabbed his robes and almost ran out the door.

"Boys and their candy." Alicia said laughing, as the door closed behind the boys. Hermione looked at the three girls in front of her, who were all sucking on their acid pops."

"Yeah, just the boys." She grinned at them as she stood on her toes to grab her robes out of her trunk, the other girls doing the same behind her.