Hogwarts Express
Time passed quite quickly, and before anyone noticed, September First was the next day. Harry lay in bed awake, petting Hedwig, the pet owl he got for his birthday from the Grangers. Normally owls enjoy a stroke occasionally, but not when it was continuous, it gets annoying. In addition, there are times when an owl just has enough, that's when Hedwig bit his finger rather hard. "Ouch, what was that for Hedwig?" He looked down at his faithful owl; its feathers were in a mess. "Sorry, I guess I am kinda nervous about school."
The next day Harry left the house early to go for a jog around the neighborhood. The Dursleys couldn't care less where he was; in fact, they were hoping he would be kidnapped. While he was going through the park, he noticed an unusual amount of owls flying in daylight. He turned around to get back to Privet Drive to find himself at the front door. He looked around and didn't see a single tree around him. He shrugged it off and took a shower.
As it was about time to leave, Harry gathered his supplies and left for the Granger house but not with a goodbye from the Dursleys, "Go and never come back!" Harry couldn't help but grin at the comment, oh how he wishes he could leave them forever. He entered the Granger house and was greeted by a cheerful Martha Granger, and a half awake Ethan and Hermione Granger, Ethan later helped with the luggage as Martha made extra roast beef sandwiches for them to eat on the train ride.
To Hermione's discomfort, she sat next to Harry and her nervousness grew. As Ethan drove on, he looked at the mirror to see how to kids were doing. He saw her daughter staring outside all stiff and in deep thought. "Hermione, remember the talk we had last night, you're too young." Hermione sighed, decided to change the subject, and tried to get into a conversation with Harry about Hogsmeade.
Time few on and while on the road, Ethan turned into the path to a forest. Once they were out of sight from public, he pushed the third red button from the right and a portal opened in front of the car. Ethan drove into it and in the next minute, they were right outside Platform 9 of King's Cross. "What just happened?" Harry blurted out without thinking.
"Warp Key," Hermione said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It is similar to a Port Key, but more complicated to conjure and easier to use."
"I am going to be very behind, aren't I?" Harry asked looking at the ground. Hermione suddenly felt a pang of guilt hit her. She made her best friend feel useless.
"Come on Harry, you're not going to be behind."
"I don't know anything about magic though," Harry said slumping down more than he did at first.
"Now that doesn't mean anything. I don't know." Hermione paused trying to think of a single spell she never heard about. It was hard because if she hasn't heard of it, then she wouldn't know the name of it. "Well, there are tons of muggle born witches and wizards that don't know a bit of magic, but they catch up quickly." She said when she gave up trying to think of a spell.
"So where is this barrier we are supposed to go to? I don't see any Platform Nine and Three-quarters." Harry asked when he didn't see any sign of a train within eyesight.
She pushed her cart in front of the dividing barrier, Harry did the same and they pushed their carts in together without anybody noticing. Just as they passed the barrier, something landed on Hermione's head and she let out a horrified shriek. "Trevor," The boy yelled when he saw Harry taking the toad off Hermione's head, he thanked them and went off to his grandmother.
"Its okay Hermione, the scary toad monster is gone now," Harry's tease earned him a playful hit on the chest.
"It's not funny, how would you like it if something slimy jumped on you?" Hermione said trying her best to keep her dignity.
"Well, I guess I would be more curious what that slimy thing is than to scream about it." Harry said with a smirk while they headed for a compartment.
"Oh shut up and lets find an empty compartment." They finally found an empty compartment and changed to their robes. Harry sat down and before he knew it, he fell asleep. Harry later woke up when the train hit a bump. Hermione was asleep and her head landed on Harry's shoulder as they hit another bump, *She seems so peaceful and cute when she is asleep*. He blushed as soon as he noticed what he just thought.
"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Cauldron Cakes, Chocolate Frogs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Licorice Wands, Pumpkin Pasties...would you like some snacks young man? Maybe some for your girlfriend when she wakes up," the snack lady added noticing their position.
"Ah, I'll buy some of each, and she's not my girlfriend, she is just a good friend." Harry said with a red face.
"I see, by the color of your skin, I am sure that you want her to be your girlfriend, aye?" The snack lady conversed while handing him his snacks. What they both didn't notice was that Hermione was eavesdropping. "Here you go, that will be eleven Sickles and seven Knuts, and by the way, you're 'good friend' is awake," and she left him to what Harry believed to be his doom.
"You, ah, weren't listening at first, right?" Harry asked rather shakily.
"No, I just woke up when you got us snacks." She lied quickly, "Ooo, Cauldron Cakes." She shoved some into Harry's mouth to keep him from catching on. Then, to her rescue, a redhead boy came into their compartment.
"Um, hello, my name is Ron Weasley, my brothers kicked my out of their compartment, and almost every other is full." No sooner had he finished, the compartment door opened again and there came a blond hair boy with two guards at his side.
"Get out of the way Weasel. You are blocking my path, you think you are so big now that your father is Minister of Magic." The blond boy said shoving him aside.
"Malfoy, like the dragon you are, get slain already."
"And who is gonna do that? Well, well, if it isn't Hermione, Ethan's kid." Malfoy ignored Ron, walked up to Hermione, "My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, and these two beside me are Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory (A/n: was it Gregory? I can't remember) Goyle. Now that I have properly introduced myself, I must warn you of some people. people like HIM." Malfoy said looking at Ron. "He, his father, and all the other Weasleys give us pureblooded a bad name." He gave a snarl of disgust. "You are better off without his sort, I can help you in that department." Malfoy held out his hand to shake and to Harry's relief, she didn't take it.
"He seemed quite polite if you ask me, and who are you to tell me who I am supposed to be with, I am fine on my own. Another thing, how dare you talk about the minister that way, he is twice the man the old Cornelius Fudge was. He even proved Sirius Black innocent from the murder he didn't commit." Malfoy and his goons were backing up in fear as Hermione towered over them until they left the compartment.
"Um, thanks you for defending my family." Ron said not wanting to get on her bad side.
"No problem," she said sweetly and pulled a book from her bag and started reading.
"And you're used to this mate?" Ron whispered to Harry's ear.
"Well, once you get to know her, she is really sweet and a really nice person to be with." Harry said a little too loud and Hermione who overheard blushed deeply. Once Hermione got bored of reading, she and Ron got into an argument of the next Quidditch World Cup while Harry listened in amusement. Thanks to the Quidditch talk, time passed rather quickly and the train finally reached its destination.
>->->->->Well, that's it for this chapter, sorry for not updating like I scheduled, but I really was sidetracked. I didn't expect this much work from High School. Well, I hope you review, cause without it, I probably won't post another chapter at all.<-<-<-<-<