Another chapter, hope you're enjoying it so far.
Hermione Granger swung her purple scarf around her neck and pulled it back over her shoulder to wrap around her neck. She then tugged on a matching pair of gloved to accompany her scarf. She opened her wardrobe door to reveal a full length mirror; she stared into it smiling, happy with the way she looked. She smoothed down her coat and shut the door again. Quickly, she glanced around the room her eyes searching for her bag.
"Ah, there we go." She said, as she saw the edge of it poking out from the side of her bed. Hermione picked up the hold-all and placed it on top of her bed, she looked around the room to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything, then left the girls dormitory without a word. As she made her way down to the Gryffindor common room the sound of chattering and laughing travelled up the stairs towards her. Hermione walked into the room to see that all the Gryffindors that had stayed behind this Christmas were all ready down waiting for her. There were three second years, four third years, a fifth year, a sixth year and there she was the only seventh year. Ron and Harry had gone to the burrow the day before along Ginny. Hermione had of course been invited but her parents at the last minute had told her she couldn't go because she was already staying at theirs for the summer. Of course, this had upset her quite a bit seeing as she would be without her best friends for two weeks but all the same, she got along with mostly everyone at Hogwarts, she was sure she'd manage.
"Let's get going! Come on, don't dawdle now." Hermione said as she herded the younger students out of the room.
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The forty-six people in total were all stood together, huddled close for warmth on the platform of the Hogwarts Express. The snow was now falling more heavily than yesterday and the flakes were getting larger too. The snow was about twenty centimetres off the ground, so it had collected up quite a bit overnight. The ground was also quite icy so the students and teachers alike had to take care not to slip when walking around. The sky, although it was morning was a dark charcoal colour, the sun was hidden behind three very large black storm clouds.
"Let me explain how this will work," Professor Dumbledore's voice boomed, "I will call out your assigned partner and the two of you will then go find a compartment to sit in for the journey. Considering there are not many of us, it should only be the two of you in there. This will give you a chance to get to know each other. Your luggage will be loaded on the train for you. Now first years first…" He unrolled a long piece of worn-out yellowish parchment and began to read from it.
Soon enough many of the students had gotten onto the train, found seats etc. and there had been no complaints as of yet. That was until Dumbledore came to the part of the parchment that listed on it, were the seventh year partners.
"Ah, the only two seventh years that were going to be staying at Hogwarts over the holidays, how lovely. It's funny how things work out isn't it?" the old man chuckled to himself. The other teachers looked at each other too, smirking. Hermione's head shot up, not realising she was one of the last people to be left on the platform. "Granger, Hermione and Malfoy, Draco," Dumbledore smiled at the two and motioned with his hand towards the waiting train that was puffing out thick smoke, before they could cry out in despair or complaint. "On the train with you both now if you wouldn't mind."