Disclaimer, I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters and this is not a way for me to criticize the books. It's just how I believe the characters would react if they read JK Rowling's brilliant work.

In this chapter: Harry makes his first friend, Ron Weasley, and they talk about their lives before Hogwarts, and Harry learns more about the Hogwarts houses. Harry also meets a few other students, gets his wand, and officially makes his first enemy at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy.

Chapter 6

Hermione sighed, the book in her lap feeling oddly heavy. She sat in the clock tower courtyard on the edge of the fountain facing her other group members, opposite the pear tree. She wondered how Harry and Ron were doing. She'd seen them leave with Umbridge and she really hoped that they had enough sense to ignore whatever Malfoy said to irritate them. Sometimes Ron and Harry riled each other up, and she felt like she often stopped them from doing anything too bad. They really did have a bad group, although hers wasn't great either.

Dean was much closer to Harry and Ron than he was to her, but he was nice enough, so he wasn't bad. Padma was Parvati's sister, and while Hermione and Parvati never really got along, Padma seemed nice and they seemed to agree often. Susan was also very nice and she talked with her sometimes in Herbology. However, she was also stuck with Theodore Nott, who, she now knew, was like a quieter version of Malfoy. He had the same stupid ideologies, he just didn't make a fuss over them in public. She was also with Zacharias Smith, who was irritating and rude and entitled and nearly as annoying as Malfoy to her. Nearly. And then there was Pansy, who decided to spend all of the chapter finding ways to insult her.

Hermione did notice, however, Pansy seemed to be growing a soft spot for Harry. She got in an argument with Nott about why Malfoy had been an 'idiot' last chapter, which ended in her dropping a pear on him by using the cutting spell. He moved from under the pear tree after that.

"What are you waiting for?" Smith sneered at her. "Don't you want to be finished, get on reading the next chapter!"

Hermione felt like her patience was really being tested here.

While they were reading, Smith would shot out the occasional ignorant comment. He'd been told to shut it by everyone else at least once while they were reading, if for no other reason than because it was making the reading take longer. Hermione, though she had a bit to say, managed to keep her mouth shut. Well, until one part. They had just gotten to the part where Ron asks about Harry's scar when Hermione commented before she could stop herself.

"He shouldn't have asked about Harry's scar," Hermione blurted out.

"Oh so you get to call out, but I don't?" Smith sneered.

"No, she shouldn't be interrupting herself either." Nott said.

"Yes, you're right sorry." Hermione admitted sheepishly. "But honestly, his mum told him not to ask about it."

"Actually, she told Fred and George not to," came another voice from the doorway. They all turned surprised to see Ginny Weasley standing there. "'Ello!"

"What are you doing here, Weasley?" Pansy sneered. Ginny narrowed her eyes at her as she came farther into the courtyard.

"Are you making a face at me, I can't often tell, it's so horrible either way." she said simply and then turned to Hermione. "D'you know where Harry's group is? I've been looking up and down the castle for them."

Both of them were keeping their eye on Pansy, who looked likely to hex the moment she could. Hermione kept her hand on her wand. "I don't know for sure but they left with Umbridge, so you could check her office."

Ginny groaned. "Harry has the worst luck in the world."

"Have a question for Harry? Or Ron?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Just wanted to speak with Michael for a moment."

"Do you mind leaving?" Nott spat. "We're trying to finish this chapter."

Peaking over Hermione's shoulder she said, "My group already finished that chapter."

"Who are you reading with?" Hermione asked, she heard Nott groan.

"Officially I'm the lone Gryffindor in a group with a load of prats, including this girl Prissy whom I despise. We all agreed to go our separate ways and just say we read together, my brilliant idea, of course." Ginny was grinning and Hermione chuckled. "Honestly Umbridge doesn't really care about my class anyway. She wouldn't notice if I were reading with my group or Merlin's left nut."

"Ginny!" Hermione scolded while Dean laughed.

"So I decided to read with Luna and Colin." she finished.

"How come your mum asked where the platform was?" Smith asked. "Doesn't she have enough kids to know?"

Ginny sighed, looking as though she'd been asked this many times. If she had gone from reading group to reading group looking for Michael, she probably had. "Yes, that's how she knows there's always a family looking for it, she asks it every year. It's how Percy-" she paused and frowned. "It's how he met Penelope Clearwater in his first year. Don't you wonder why there are no instructions on how to get onto the platform for muggleborns? It's a wonderful icebreaker."

She sighed. "Anyway, I'll be going." she waved at Hermione, and also at Dean, who she didn't know as well but was friendly with nonetheless. He waved back a little too eagerly than Hermione thought he meant to.

Pansy never ended up firing a shot, likely knowing it wasn't the time or place. Hermione sighed and brought the book up to finish reading.

"How did Neville's toad get in the boat?" Susan asked.

"Draco stole it to experiment spells on it." Pansy said. Hermione's jaw dropped.

"He took another student's pet and tried spells on it?" Hermione seethed.

"He didn't know enough to do any damage." Pansy rolled her eyes. "Are we nearly finished yet?"

Still angry, Hermione spat, "We are finished."

"Thank Merlin, this is the longest Saturday of my life." Pansy groaned.

Hermione bookmarked the page and closed the book. "We still need to discuss what we read, and we have another chapter to read."

"What's there to discuss?" Smith asked. "It was just the train ride, nothing really happened."

"We saw how the Gryffindor trio met." Dean said. "That's cool."

Hermione gave him a strange look at such a title, but didn't comment on it.

"Alright fine, we'll talk about it." Pansy rolled her eyes. "We can talk about how Draco was still an idiot."

Nott threw his hands up in indignation. "What was wrong with what he did? He just offered to be friends and even to help him navigate through the wizarding world."

"That was fine, he was being political." Pansy said. "Although I wasn't surprised Potter didn't take his hand. He didn't grow up like us."

Being in the pureblood society meant finding the person who'd take you higher in life, and sticking with them if offered. Harry, and many others actually, didn't know this. He went for loyalty, which Pansy didn't actually think was very smart, all things considered. Afterall, he'd only known Weasley for a few hours, and he knew absolutely nothing about the wizarding world.

"It's what he did after Potter refused his friendship that I have a problem with. Instead of trying to earn his friendship through time, he insulted Harry's parents. In doing so, he ruined any chance for any future type of mutually beneficial relationship."

"Potter made it perfectly clear his feelings about it." Nott argued.

"Oh yes, but I don't think the door was completely closed. Draco could have charmed him throughout the year, Malfoys are quite good at that, and slowly work up to being friends. But I suppose he was young, he made a mistake. Either way, being enemies with the Boy-Who-Lived, not his greatest move."

"I suppose your chummy with him, are you?" Nott challenged.

"I'm not his enemy." Pansy answered. When Nott didn't respond, Hermione continued to read, while putting it back in her mind to do research on the culture of old pureblood families. She was happy to have something new to look up.

Truthfully, if they weren't stressing her best friend out, she would love the books. It was a fascinating read. Like how Hermione learned that Harry and Malfoy met before school, that was something she had not known. And Harry and Ron being quiet together in their first meeting when they were only ever quiet together when they'd gotten in that fight last year. And of course, she knew she wouldn't get along with them until later in their first year. These relationships were all unrecognizable now.

Susan must have thought similarly. "I love that we get to see how they became friends! It's so nice!"

"Yes it is," Hermione agreed.

"It makes sense that Potter's friends with you." Nott said to Hermione. "He only had books for friends as well."

Pansy spoke up saying, "It didn't do him any good. He's still an idiot in class."

Hermione felt like Pansy was saying this just so that no one thought she was warming up to Harry. It didn't have as much of a bite as when she's thrown insults in the past. Nevertheless, Hermione felt the need to stick up for her friend since he wasn't here to do so himself. Especially since she had a feeling either in this chapter or the next, she would make an appearance and he'd likely be doing the same for her with whatever insults Malfoy had for her.

"The class I'm sure you're referring to is potions, where he's taught by Professor Snape who is biased and obviously dislikes Harry. He's fine in his other classes." She raised an eyebrow at Pansy. "How are you in Defense?"

Hermione knew quite well that defense did not come naturally to Pansy, and she felt some satisfaction when Pansy just curled her lips as if she were tasting something sour.

"Well our proof of his intelligence came early in the chapter." Smith began. "When the Weasley twins were asking him who he was, he was acting like he forgot!"

"Or," Padma interjected. "He feels so removed from those stories and the legend that is Harry Potter he doesn't even really associate himself with it."

"Fine." Smith conceded. "But why did he wait until the day before the morning he's supposed to go to ask his uncle for a ride to the station?"

"Maybe he put off having to speak to his awful relatives." Hermione bit out. "For example, if I had to speak to you about something, I'd likely put it off just like Harry did."

Hermione closed her eyes and caught herself, she really shouldn't be snapping like that, but he could be so irritating. Either way, what she said seemed to amuse Dean and Susan.

"Some of the things Potter and Weasley revealed to each other in their first meeting, I'd never admit." Nott cut in after a moment of silence. "Like how fast Weasley was to tell Potter how poor he is, for example."

"I was embarrassed reading about that. Can't their mother see what this is doing to him, having all of these children?" Pansy groaned. "She can't even afford to get new robes for her other kids. Maybe they should have thought of that and stopped after their first one."

Hermione realized Pansy might be getting a soft spot for both of her friends.

This didn't stop her from saying, "That's really their decision, isn't it? At least they're all decent human beings. And anyway, what do you want her to do? Unbirth her children?"

"Well I'm sure she could accomplish exactly that if she was truly dedicated." Nott answered with a menacing smile. "There's a spell for everything, you know."

"That's disturbing." Susan said.

"And anyway, sharing such personal things with each other probably made their friendship stronger." Hermione said. She thought about how close they seemed when she'd met them for the first time. They already looked like they were really good friends. Her eleven year old self wouldn't have been surprised if they'd known each other for years.

"I thought it was really sad when Ron was talking about never being able to live up to his brothers' legacies." Padma said. She wondered if maybe she could speak to Ron about this sometime. Parvati was always the more outgoing twin, the funny one, even the pretty one despite them having very close to the same face. She knew quite well what it was like to be compared.

"We're straying from the point, I would never admit to being treated like Potter's treated by his relatives." Nott said.

"His horrible relatives." Susan insisted. "At least they didn't bother him in the beginning of the chapter."

Hermione said nothing to this. While she was grateful they were too afraid to abuse him more, neglection wasn't much better, and he wondered if they bothered to feed him at all or if he had to go about doing so himself. And being alone like that was likely not good for his disposition. She felt herself get emotional and shook her head to herself as her eyes stung with the threat of tears. She'd been crying practically since they read chapter two, but she managed to keep it together the last two chapters. Though she did have a close call when Mrs. Weasley made her appearance in the chapter. It had been the first time, in a long time anyway, Harry got a bit of motherly love. Harry was such a good person, he deserved to be treated as such.

"I hate them. I hate the lot of them. The way they left Harry to his own devices, he's eleven for crying out loud!" Dean ranted.

"Not to mention the aunt likely knew exactly how to get onto the platform since her sister had gone." Susan spat.

"Oh just wait," Padma huffed. "If Harry never gets back at them, I will. Just wait."

"But why wait, Patil?" Pansy began. "You have their address, it's right here in the book, and there are some creative things you can do with a letter."

Hermione bit her lip. She felt like she needed to say how much that was a bad idea, how it wasn't actually allowed. How the Dursleys didn't have someone who could reverse whatever was done to them, and they'd be stuck with whatever they got. But she wanted to tell them both to do it. She wanted to help, she wanted to give them ideas of her own. She knew quite a handful of deformity spells and she didn't care nearly as much about the rules anymore. ...If she just gave some tips, it couldn't be traced back to her, could it?

"But more importantly," Pansy began. "When Potter revealed how he lived, why didn't Weasley report any of this to a professor?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Don't be so shocked, Granger." Pansy muttered. "I'm not a monster and Potter was still a child."

"Well," Hermione began. "If I know Harry, he downplayed his mistreatment immensely. Besides, Ron was really young."

"Everyone in this is." Dean said. "Especially Ginny. She was really cute."

"She was an annoying addition to the story." Smith said. "Crying for no reason."

"Not no reason, she was crying because all her brothers were gone!" Susan said.

"Honestly she should've been happy." Pansy said. "It's probably the first time she gets the house to herself, personally I'd love it."

"It's probably scary for her." Padma frowned. "She always had Ron, and now she doesn't. I'd be the same way if Parvati was older than me."

Hermione knew because she was friends with Ginny that Padma hit it right on the head. Ron and Ginny were actually very close when they were young, they even shared a room and were together almost as much as Fred and George, though Fred and George seemed to share a mind. When Ron left, she was alone for the first time, and by the time she got to Hogwarts, he had already found a new best friend.

"And honestly," Ginny told her last year. "Who wants to compete with Harry bloody Potter?"

"Well I think this story is very informative." Pansy smiled in a sinister way. I mean how interesting is it that the blood traitors don't talk to their non magic cousin? Sort of hypocritical, isn't it? Well I'll be sure to remember that the next time they act better than everyone because they like to frolic with muggles."

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for why they don't talk about him." Hermione said. Pansy didn't seem to pay attention to what Hermione said at all.

"I think this story is supposed to be a comedy." Nott snickered. "I mean, Potter thinking the Weasleys were one of the families Draco had been talking about?"

Parkinson and Nott broke into hysterics, but Hermione was not amused. "It's not a story, it's Harry's life." They ignored Hermione, and she was getting quite angry. "Why aren't the Weasleys considered to be one of the stories Malfoy was talking about? I mean, they're on the Sacred Twenty-eight list, aren't they?" Hermione said loudly. "Didn't your grandfather write that, Nott?"

They stopped laughing and Nott frowned. "And where did you hear that?"

"I read it." she said simply. It had been hardly a footnote in a book she was reading, but she remembered it.

"What's the Sacred twenty-eight?" Dean asked.

"The only true pureblood families." Susan answered. "Published in like the thirties."

"Oh," Dean said thoughtfully. "So your family would be on it?"

"No." Nott answered. "You cannot trace the Bones family back far enough."

"But the Weasleys are on there." Dean raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Nott said, looking quite unhappy to say so.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Padma said to Dean.

"Yes," Nott drawled sarcastically, looking quite unamused. "Quite."

Hermione looked around. "Anyone else have anything to add?"

Dean simply shrugged. "I enjoyed the chapter, I'm glad we're away from his aunt and uncle."

"Agreed." Padma said. "It should be a much better read."

"Except you're forgetting," Dean said. "Harry's one of the unluckiest people out there."

Most of them chuckled, even the Slytherins. But Smith, who seemed to be unable to express any emotion except skepticism, was frowning.

"That's not entirely accurate." he said. "I mean, sure he claims he fought You Know Who-"

"He did fight him!" Hermione snapped.

"And if he did, and lived, again, well I'd say that's pretty lucky. Being the only person in the whole world in the history of time to survive the killing curse, also pretty lucky." he continued. "Anyone else goes against You-Know-Who and they die, and he says he-"

"He did fight him!" Hermione yelled, finally having enough. She was on her feet, her wand pointed towards his mouth. "I'm not known for my patience, Smith, stop testing it."

Dean whistled. "I would just listen to her."

Hermione kept an eye on him, then slowly went back to her seat, being sure to keep her wand out. Something she's learned about herself is that keeping Harry and Ron's tempers in check, something that was quite hard at times, often helped to keep her own temper in check as well. Without them here, she thought it was very possible that Smith would leave out of here looking more like a large flubberworm than a human.

"Are we done discussing the chapter yet?" Pansy asked.

"We can be." Hermione said. "Should we take a break? Stretch our legs or something?"

"No." Nott said. "The Weasley girl said she was already finished with this chapter when we were hardly halfway done. It's taking us far too long, and I'd like to be done soon."

It was lucky Hermione was used to reading and sitting for long amounts of time, because she was tired enough that she wouldn't have minded a break. That being said, she agreed she wanted to be done. With a sigh, she summoned a pear from the tree, took a bite, and turned to the next page.