Hermione Granger and the Time of her Life

Soon, it was time to return to Hogwarts. Hermione packed her trunk, said goodbye to her parents and, before she knew it, she was at Platform 9 ¾ waiting for the Hogwarts Express. Dressed in black jeans and a burgundy colored blouse, her straight hair combed into a pony tail, she proceeded to load her heavy trunk.

Once inside, she hugged Ron, who had gotten taller over the summer and was dressed in regular jeans and a black T-shirt. Neville was there as well, only this time his toad hadn't gotten lost.

"Hermione! You look different! You grew! And what did you do to your hair? It looks so much straighter!" Ron couldn't stop praising his friend. It had obviously been a really long summer.

"You really like it?" asked an excited Hermione, " It was a potion that Fleur gave me for my birthday. All I had to do was leave it in my hair for ten minutes and..."

"Fleur? As in Fleur Delacour?" Ron couldn't ignore that detail, "Why would she do that? You never liked her, and I think the feeling was mutual."

"Oh, it's a long story. She got transferred to Hogwarts, so she asked me to help her..."

"Fleur? She's here?" Ron interrupted again. Much to Hermione's annoyance, his face began to emit reddish shine.

"Ron, stop behaving like an idiot. That won't make a really good impression."

"What...?"

Ron didn't have time to finish his question, for the next thing he knew, Fleur Delacour was standing right beside him.

"Bonjour 'Ermione," she smiled, " Some boy, Baybille or somezing told me you were 'ere," she said.

"You mean Neville, Fleur," Hermione corrected her friend.

"Whazever. So, anyway, I 'zought I could sit wiz you, if you don't mind," Fleur stated.

"Suit yourself," replied a more than welcoming Hermione as Fleur took the seat right next to her, " I see your English is improving."

"Oui, 'zanks to you," Fleur smiled. It was then that Hermione noticed, with a roll of her eyes, that Ron hadn't taken his eyes of the blond part-veela.

"You remember Ron," Hermione introduced them. Fleur raised her eyebrows and proceeded to answer as politely as possible.

"Certainly. It iz good to see you."

"Err, you too," was all that Ron could reply, for his face turned red again and he had to lower it.

At that moment Hermione noticed that she was one friend short.

"Wait a minute! Where's Harry?" she asked anxiously, for the train was due to start moving any minute.

"Don't worry. He told me he wouldn't be on the train," Ron answered, remembering the< day he and Harry had gone to buy their school supplies in Diagon Alley, "Sirius is going to take him all the way to Hogwarts on his motorcycle. He was going to tell you, but he couldn't reach you, 'cause you were busy all holidays. I don't know why..."

Hermione laughed. She had certainly been busy with Fleur during the second half of the holidays, but that didn't mean she was any less eager to see Harry. She simply couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts.

"Show off," she snapped, at the thought of Harry arriving in Sirius's motorcycle instead of joining them on the train.

Her friends laughed, and the rest of the journey went unnoticed as they spent it catching up and eating pumpkin biscuits.