After thinking and brooding over the news of betrothed, I never realized it was already the 1st of September. So I picked my luggage, bid farewell to my grandfather and apparated to Kings Cross Stations. The station is crowded as ever and the overdramatic good-byes really don't have an appeal to me. While I revert back to my iconic Ice queen demeanor, my father has dawned his Lord Greengrass mask. After all moments of weakness are not meant to be displayed for the public eye. Well that however doesn't stop my mother and sister to say their dramatic good-byes.

So while Astoria and my mother finish their family soap opera, my father helps me load our trunks in our compartments. By the time we get back my mother has composed herself while Astoria is nowhere to be found. I won't be surprised if she has run away to find Potter, my betrothed. As its time for my parents to leave I hug them goodbye and wait in the compartment for my friends.

I really don't understand why there is so much tears while going to Hogwarts. With the amount of tears that people shed you would think it the parents will never see their children again. I mean really its just till the Yule festivities or the summer break. Its not like the kids are going to face certain death. Then there are the students themselves. One moment they are crying to their mothers and the other they have forgotten what home really means. Talk about being fickle.

Like clockwork at 10 o'clock the train jerks and starts its journey to Hogsmade station. While I wait for my friends many of the students greet me and I greet them back as is custom in pureblood families. Its not friendly but neither is it cold. It's a simple acknowledgment of alliance and respect we show to other families. The ones in the lesser families generally sort out their superior but my family is one of those that others come to pay respect to. After all we do own one of the oldest and largest Apothecary chain in the wizarding world.

It took a whole hour when Tracy finally made her way to the compartment. "oh my god, Daphne how have you been. Its so good to finally see you. I mean whey haven't you written for the past week. Nobody knows what happened to you after the quidditch world cup. Speaking of quidditch, did you saw the finals. Ireland was awesome their chasers and the keeper never gave Bulgaria a chance. And it was such a close match with 170-160. Then there was Krum, Oh Krum. I told you he would be awesome especially with the firebolt. For someone so young he has such a long career ahead of him. Speaking of his career, did you know Puddlemere are trying to get Krum and even the Arrows are joining the race. However dad said that Vratsa Vultures (Bulgarian team) has already signed him on a 5 year contract. They are however planning to sell him after the next world cup so that they can make a hefty profit."

"Breath Tracy, breath" Oh I have missed my dear friend Tracy and her rambling. I don't know how she does it but she can talk a lot without stopping to catch her breath. I think its hereditary though cause I have seen moments where her father rambles on about quidditch the same way.

"To answer your question, I spent the last week of summer with my grandfather. The Healer says he has about 6 months to a year left. I ay be able to meet him during the Yule but you know how it is. Now that he can't attend the ministry function there are many that come and pay their respect to him at the manor." I explain to her. While I spent most of the time thinking about a boy named Harry Potter, its not exactly a lie cause most of the time I was with my grandfather and Astoria where she was doing most of the talking.

"Sorry about that Daphne, its just that you never replied about our shopping for school supplies I got worried if you were leaving Hogwarts, especially with the death eater attach in the quidditch world cup. And it wont be hard for you to join Beauxbaton with your perfect French and all." She replied sheepishly. Now where did that come from.

"Is that how little you think of me. I wont let you rot in the snake pit alone. I mean who will I tease or make fun of out there, or who will I complain to when Astoria pranks me or tell all my girly secrets when I get a boyfriend" before I make more analogies I have an emotional Tracy giving me a bone crushing hug. Call me a hypocrite but I like my emotional Tracy. The emotions she shows is so sincere that its hard not to like her.

As Tracy gets back to her usual self Pansy and Millicent enter the compartment and the four of us start disusing our summer break. While exchanging stories I don't tell anyone about my betrothed. I decide to hold off on it till I tell Potter first. I really don't want him to know about the contract through the rumor mill. While I really do care about my dorm-mates I know that they cant hold a secret even if their life dependent on it.

I have decided to tell Potter about the contract once I know if Potter and me can work out. Thank god the contract was not iron clad. It was actually more simple than I expected it to be. The contract in itself was more of a declaration of an alliance between the two houses. There were no bridal price or dowry to be paid just a promise in the hand of marriage. Even the escape clause were not complicated. While the average marriage clause ensured that two parties got what it wanted. A simple marriage contract held the highest esteem in the wizarding world as it showed the degree of trust between two allies. I could have said no to the marriage during the summer itself but decided to honor my grandfather's last wish.

Halfway through the journey as our conversations die down, I excuse Tracy and myself to meet our friends from other houses. While making our way through the train I pay my respect to some of the important students I have not met from earlier and political allies of my family. I stop by the raven and puff's girls compartment to make small talk too but its mostly Tracy who does the talking. I do have an image to maintain.

Now that the formalities were complete it's time to get down to business. I need to go find Astoria to make sure she is alright and if I know her then she's going to be with Potter. Being honest to myself I want to go back to my own compartment. In the inside I'm really nervous. What will he think of me? Am I looking good enough? Should I wear the mask or not? Do I smell bad? Is there anything on my face or clothes? Will he like me or not? Can I make him fall in love with me? What if he already likes Astoria? What if the reason he hasn't talked to me yet is because Astoria has said just bad things about her?

"Don't go there Daphne. What's done is done all you can home for now is that you make a good impression." I reprimand myself. I really shouldn't over think about this first meeting but what can I do. The girly side of me can't help it. I really hope our story doesn't become like those sappy romance novels. Tracey wont let me hear the end of it, especially with how much she can ramble on.

I use the point me to charm to locate Astoria and stand infront of her compartment. While I let my nerves cool down I hear a few gasps from the compartment while some girls shout NO! Now I'm worried about Astoria what's happening in the compartment. So hurriedly I open the door and there I find Astoria on the floor fainted while Potter is holding her. That sight in itself stops my heart beat.

"NO, Astoria" I whisper and without a second thought I'm next to her with my wand out and chanting enervate over and over again but nothing is happening. I look over to Potter to ask for help but that bastard was trying to control his laughter. At that moment I really wanted to hex him. I was half way there too. My wand was already trained on him and the spell was on the tip of my tongue. Then it happened. I don't know who started it, but one person let out a soft giggle followed by a snort and then the whole compartment was laughing. These first years were laughing at me. How dare they?

"Oh Daphy looks like you got pranked" said a voice that I recognize so well that I really wanted to strangle that bitch for this. I made a fool out of myself. I made a fool out of myself in front of Potter, MY BETROTHED. "You know Daphne we were just acting. Harry here was telling us the tale of Neville Longbottom and the Chamber of secrets. I was only playing the girl who was dragged into the chamber. You don't have to be that dramatic."

I was so embarrassed. How dare she make fun of me. How dare she make fun of me in front of Potter. I return to my ice-queen demeanor. I give a cold look to everyone in the compartment which shuts up everyone. In the compartment barring Astoria. "Well, now that you have had fun at my expense, I'll be taking my leave." I don't even let Astoria try to stop me. I just got out of the compartment. I lock myself in one of the empty compartments and zone out to the passing scenery trying to hold back my tears. The rain was not helping my case.

"Cookie." Now that scared me out of my wits. I was sure I was alone in the compartment and had locked the door. I didn't even hear the door open. I look over to the person sitting next to me and it's the last person I expect to be here. His green eyes and the smug loop side grin really made me want to slap him really hard for the joke he played on me. For a few minutes I just kept on staring at him thinking it was an illusion.

"If you are wondering how I got in here then the answer is through that door. You did some nice work on those locking charms. I didn't expect some of the charms that you used. Well anyways I came here to see how you were doing." He starts shoving his cookie jar in front of me and I am forced to take one.

"You know these are Astoria's favourite. White chocolate and resins" I tell him. He just smiles at me with a knowing look. "yah I know and you like the traditional chocolate chips. I'm sorry I don't have those."

"How do you know what I like?"

"Your mother. I do have to make a jar a week for her during the summer you know."

"Figures and thank you. For the cookies you know"

"You are welcome."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure"

"How can you bake so well? Are you like a chef prodigy or something?"

For a moment I thought he was not going to answer. The look in his eyes showed me that the answer was not something he wanted to reminisce about. "No its just I have had a lot of practice" he replied getting back to his usual self.

"Considering that I have been eating these cookies since Christmas 91, I guess you are right."

"Oh I have been making these cookies since I was 6 actually" He said it in such a casual way it seemed as if everyone started baking at 6.

"Your family must have been so proud if you could make such delicious cookies at 6."

"Thank-you for the flattery Ms. Greengrass. You know if you like them so much I could make them for you at school." And he was right. I was already on my way to finish my 3rd cookie. I blushed at that comment.

"I would really love that. Thank you."

"Now that you seem to have sobered up I think we should take our leave. Its time to change into our uniform and I don't want Snape taking points off me before the term starts. And you can take that cookie jar if you want."

With that we part our ways and head to our respective compartments.