A/N: Look at her, uploading again! Wild

T/w- there is some bullying in this scene, and it will be a theme throughout this story, so if that's going to cause you harm I suggest you stop reading here now because I would hate for that to cause you any harm

Thanks for reading!

Neville had had enough of the two other boys' glances at his scar. It had already been an emotionally taxing day- it had started to sink in that he was really leaving home- and their vague attempts at holding conversation with him were clearly futile. He was in no mood to talk. So the two were talking it out, having a great time it seemed, when the food trolley came by.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" the kindly witch peered into the compartment. Neville, with his sandwiched in the box his grandmother had packed him, shook his head, and Ron mumbled something about corned beef and held up a rather quashed looking package, but Harry offered up a handful of coins and bought some of everything. He, Ron and Neville were soon feasting on a variety of sweets, pies and other treats, both packages of sandwiches forgotten. Neville had been hesitant at first, but Harry had insisted, forcing a pie into his hand- "It's just one pie, Neville, just try it, theyre really good-" while Ron made his way through a box of Bertie Bott's beans- "Try one, every flavour, they have, heard some terrible stories from Fred and George, something about earwax-"- it had been hard to resist those two when they were so determined.

Soon they were skimming over dimming fields, stuffed to their limits and exchanging chocolate frog cards, when a girl with bushy hair and slightly large front teeth opened the door, already in her school robes. She looked harried as she closed the door behind her, panting slightly, thenleaned her back against it, as though she was being chased by someone. She jumped a little when she saw there were occupants in the carriage. "Hello," she said in a small voice, like a squeaky imp.

"Hi," said Ron, "You alright there?" he nodded toward the door. "You can sit down, we don't bite."

She nodded shakily and slid into the seat opposite Neville, on the same bench as Ron. "Ran into some not-so-friendly other first years." She smiled, but it was tiny and forced and didn't reach her eyes. "Hermione Granger." She introduced herself.

"I'm Harry, this is Ron, and Neville." Harry gestured to himself, then Ron, then Neville, who shrank further into his top. Hermione did her small smile again, and glanced at the door, clearly paranoid about something.

Neville got up and pulled the door open a few inches, looking up and down the corridor. He saw three boys walking down the corridor. The first was a blond boy with a pinched face, flanked by two rather boulder-like boys. All three had mean expressions on their young faces.

They opened the door to their nearest compartment, said a few words to the occupants, then turned to leave. They must be looking for her.

Neville pulled his head back before the boys could see him and turned to Hermione. "Three boys? Blond one, two bigger sidekicks?"

She nodded, but before she could say anything, the door slid open again and the pinchy boy walked in, his two friends not able to squeeze into the now quite full carriage. "Ah, so this is where you got to," he said, then turned to take in the other occupants. His smirk got even wider when he saw Ron, and he barely glanced at Harry and Neville, which suited Neville perfectly.

Ron rolled his eyes at Harry and Neville. The blond boy smirked more.

"Quite cost in here, isn't it?" he said, and kicked the girl in the shin. She shrank backward in the seat next to Ron.

"What do you want?" said Ron, in an uncharacteristically rough voice. He stood up and faced the other boy. Who sneered, naturally.

"Oh look, boys," he said over his shoulder to the other two boys, "a Weasley."

All three snickered.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" he said, still in that harsh voice.

"I was just getting to know our friend here," he gestured at Hermione. "And now I get to make three more. Draco Malfoy," he nodded to Harry and Neville, who had now stood to join Ron. Hermione was still shrank into the seat.

"I know who you are," said Ron. "And we don't want you here. You need to leave."

"Well now, I didn't get your friend's names," Malfoy ignored Ron entirely and turned to Harry and Neville. His eyes glanced over Harry's small forehead scar, and Neville's, taking up half of his face. "You two might want to do something about your faces, they're hideous."

Neville shrank a little, but still stood his ground. Harry spoke up, "I think Ron's right, you need to leave."

Neville nodded in agreement.

The blond boy stared at the three of them, then smiled- but not in a nice way. In a very, very mean, scheming way that made Neville think he was up to no good. "Fine. But you'll see us again soon," he threatened. And like that, the three turned and left, the compartment door rattling shut after them on its frail looking rails.

The remaining boys turned back to Hermione. "Are you okay?" Ron asked with concern.

She nodded and gulped for air. "They… weren't very nice." She said quietly.

The boys sat down, and the rest of the journey passed more or less in silence.

A/N- Future chapters may have references to self-harm, suicide and depression. Please read on carefully if these are triggers.

Thank you for reading!