Harry and Hermione received a lot of stares as they walked off the Hogwarts Express. Perhaps it was due to Hermione's arms being wrapped around Harry's left, showing their newly flourishing intimate connection, or maybe it was just because Harry Potter walked off the train. In either case, Harry sauntered onto the platform with a big goofy smile, hardly believing his luck that the extraordinary girl currently attached to him had taken such a liking to the freak from the cupboard under the stairs. For years he was told that he was unlovable, that no one would ever care for him, that he would spend the rest of his miserable life being belittled and unwelcome. Then Harry met Hermione, who in only a few minutes shattered the lie that Harry had come to believe. There was someone who could love him, who could care for him, who would sincerely praise and accept him. Today was so perfect. It was just like magic.
"Firs' years, over here! Firs' years- Oi! Watch where yer going you clumsy git! I'm not 'ard to miss!" A gruff voice echoed around the station platform, one that Harry instantly recognised; the voice of his rescuer and very first friend. His day just kept on getting better and better.
"Oh, Hermione! It's Hagrid! You have to meet Hagrid, he's so amazing and kind and friendly and-" Harry stopped his monologue before he could properly start when he saw the cautious look Hermione was giving him, with a small frown occupying the space where a dazzling smile had usually been.
"Hermione? Is everything ok?" Harry asked as he returned her cautious look, with just a pinch of confusion.
"It's just… what did Hagrid do to get such a glowing review from you?" Her caution transformed into a look of nervousness.
"He introduced me to magic. I-I didn't even know I was a wizard until Hagrid told me! And he was so so helpful when he took me around Diagon Alley, I would've been so lost and confused without him." Harry gave a brief smile before it quickly faded, "He… well, he was my first friend."
Hermione nodded as her features softened but there was still a hint of nervousness about her. After a moment Harry suddenly realised what was bothering her.
"But you're my best friend, Hermione. There's no one but you that occupies that spot." And with that Hermione gave Harry a beautiful smile that he reflected, before he continued. "We've only known each other for a few hours Hermione, and you're already the most important person in the world to me. I don't expect that to ever change." Harry finished with a hug of his own for Hermione.
"You are to me, too, Harry. Now come on, let's go meet Hagrid!" Hermione said excitedly and once again wrapped her arms around Harry's and dragged him over to where Hagrid was calling for the first years.
"Firs' years, quickly now! We haven't got too much longer- Harry!" Hagrid bellowed cheerfully, and the other first years who had arrived turned to look at him, and his scar, "It's so good to see yer arrived, I realised I forgot to tell you how to get on the platform but yer here now, and that's all that matters! And who's this yer got growing off yer arm!"
"Hagrid, meet Hermione Granger, my very best friend!" Harry proudly introduced the two, his only two friends meeting each other was just another thing to add to the Perfect Day list.
"Hello, Hermione! I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. I trust little Harry here has been a pleasure!"
"Oh, absolutely! Harry's been really fantastic!" Hermione was nodding furiously, her bushy hair flying around as if it had a mind of its own. Harry certainly wasn't complaining, as more wafts of vanilla flooded his senses.
"Between you and me, Hermione," Though Hagrid's voice was still carrying around the station so it certainly wasn't between just Hagrid and Hermione, "Yer found yourself a good little lad."
Hermione beamed at Hagrid and then at Harry, squeezing his arm even tighter.
"Oh, I know! Harry's just so amazing and kind and friendly and-" Hermione stopped her monologue before she could properly start when she saw the dazzling look Harry was giving her, with a big, shy grin occupying the space on his face that it deserved to be in. Hermione gave a big grin back and rested her head against Harry's shoulder with a purr.
Hagrid gave the two a knowing smirk before once again addressing and calling for the first years.
"Four to a boat, come on now, quickly!" Hagrid's booming command got the excited first-years moving, some already in groups of four whilst others straggled behind, looking for a group to join. Harry saw Ron begin to walk over to him, only to notice Hermione and dash off to the furthest boat away from her and Harry. Ron cut in front of a blonde boy and sat down in a boat with two troll-looking figures and a dark brown-haired girl, starting a commotion between the blonde boy and the red-head that only ended when Hagrid sent the blonde boy to find another boat.
Hermione scooted up as close as possible to Harry and leaned into him when they sat down in a boat. Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione's back and began to absentmindedly rub circles into her shoulder, to which Hermione gave a satisfied hum and burrowed her head further into Harry's body. The wooden seats certainly weren't comfortable, but having Hermione tight against him made up for that. Harry felt the boat wobble as two boys sat down opposite the cuddling pair just as the boat set off into the lake. He briefly glanced at them; one was slightly chubby with a very nervous air about him, the other was the blonde boy from earlier, with a nasty sneer on his face and his arms crossed. Harry turned back to Hermione and gazed at her. Her eyes were closed and a smile had a home on her face, seemingly unaware of anything apart from Harry's comfort. As with all smiles Hermione gave, Harry couldn't help but reciprocate them.
"Um… H-Her-Hermione?" Harry looked up at the chubby boy, who looked pale and stricken. Hermione either didn't hear the boy or chose to ignore him, as her smile was fixed on her face.
"Her-Hermione?" The boy said a little louder. Hermione's eyes snapped open and her head moved like a viper, stopping within inches of the boy's face.
"WHAT, NEVILLE?"
Harry thought it'd be impossible for the boy, apparently called Neville, to get any paler, but he somehow managed it.
"D-did y-y-you f-find m-my t-t-toad?" Neville's stuttering caused the blonde boy to give a light snort.
Much to Harry's surprise, Hermione didn't instantly push Neville off the boat and into the lake, but instead leaned back into Harry.
"No." Her curt response preceded a beaming, toothy smile as she turned to Harry. "But I found Harry."
Harry's stomach performed some impressive acrobatics at that moment and Harry thought how her two slightly large front teeth made her smile even brighter. He was stunned at how pretty and amazing Hermione was and decided that she deserved to take up every space on the Perfect Day list. Or maybe she can occupy all the spaces on the Perfect Life list, Harry thought.
All of a sudden, Harry heard gasps from the students in the other boats and reluctantly looked away from Hermione to see what caused the commotion. In front of the boats was the third most stunning sight Harry had seen that day (the first being Hermione, and the second was Hermione just a moment ago, obviously). The spires and towers of Hogwarts Castle seemed to break open the clouds and the lights from the windows illuminated the dark yet starry night sky. Harry was completely astounded that this was where he'd be staying until the end of the year. If there was one word to describe Hogwarts, it'd be: Magical.
The boats began to approach an outpost by the lake that Harry assumed was the boathouse.
"Wait… did you say Harry? Harry Potter?" The blonde boy had finally spoken up and snapped Harry out of his mesmerised gaze and Harry instantly wished he hadn't to endure the boy's irritating haughty tone. Suddenly, Harry realised he had met the boy once before, in Madam Malkin's clothes shop in Diagon Alley. The blonde noticed Harry's scar and his eyes widened. "Draco Malfoy, it's a pleasure. I can help you… settle in, and introduce you to the right sort of people, if you like?" Draco stuck out his hand but Harry noticed him giving Hermione a brief glare of disdain before looking back at Harry.
"The right sort?" Harry asked, confused.
"Well, this… wart you've got growing off your arm certainly isn't the right sort. I saw her with her muggle parents in Diagon Alley, and I doubt I'd forget a mudblood like that with her ghastly hair." Draco explained with a scornful sneer.
Hermione seemed to shrink in on herself from Malfoy's comments, and an anger Harry hadn't felt in a long time built up inside him.
"If Hermione Granger isn't the 'right sort', then I dread to think about the types you hang around with. Do you expect people to bend over backwards just to be in your presence? Does a vile git like you expect everyone to kiss your feet and beg for your grace? I know your type. I may not know you, but I know people just like you, and it doesn't take a genius to figure you out."
Malfoy chuckled, brushing off Harry's comments. "Granger? This is the girl that Weasel boy was talking about? I expected her to be the second-coming of Medusa from what he was muttering about, not this pathetic little mudblood cowering behind the 'great' Harry Potter. I was hoping someone of your notoriety would be a bit more sensible with their friend choices, but it appears your mudblood mother's ways have somehow rotted your mind from beyond the grave."
At these insults towards Harry, Hermione straightened up and started to breathe heavily. The boats began to dock themselves by the boathouse pier and the first-years started to disembark their vessels.
"And anyways," Malfoy began as he stood up and brushed himself as though there was dirt on his robes, "It's probably for the best that someone worthless like you doesn't stain my reputation by thinking they deserve to be in my presence."
The next thing Harry felt was Hermione detaching from his arm, the next thing Harry saw was a bullet of brown surge towards the blonde ponce, and the next thing Harry heard was a loud splash of something, or someone, falling in the lake. Harry looked at Hermione whose shoulders were heaving from her heavy breaths, before she quickly wrapped herself around Harry in another bone-crushing hug, as though being detached from him was a deadly curse.
"Alrigh', what's gone on here, then?" Hagrid came striding over to their boat, reacting to the disturbance.
"He slipped." Hermione said simply, her voice muffled in Harry's chest.
Hagrid grabbed Malfoy by the collar and pulled him out of the lake one-handed.
"She pushed me, she pushed me! That mud- that girl pushed me into the lake!" Malfoy whined whilst hanging in the air in Hagrid's grip. The group of first-years had surrounded the ruckus and started laughing at Malfoy's predicament.
"Eh, don't blame other people for you being a clumsy git. Now, we'll be meeting up with Professor McGonagall in a mo', and she'll dry you up nice and quick" Hagrid said, dismissing Malfoy's complaints as the group of first-years continued to laugh.
Harry watched as the first-years began to follow Hagrid up the staircase towards the castle. He grew concerned when the girl in his arms began to shudder.
"Oh, Harry! He was saying such rude things towards you, I had to do something. No one can talk to you like that. No one." Hermione sobbed, and Harry rubbed circles into her back as he comforted her.
"It's alright Hermione, thank you for doing that. I mean it. Now, let's head on up, we're falling behind the others."
Hermione nodded and wrapped her arms around Harry's before they followed the others towards the castle.
A/N: Second chapter done! A little different tonally from the first chapter, I think, but I felt that this was necessary to move the story onwards. Next chapter: The Sorting! And I have some ideas for it which I'm excited to write. This chapter was beta'd by myself, so all mistakes are mine.
