Unwell

Hermione squinted her eyes as the sun shone brightly through her bedroom window. She yawned and stretched, then wearily forced herself to get out of bed. Today is the day, she thought. Another year at Hogwarts. Another year full of mischief with Harry and Ron. Another year for me to perfect my skills and get out and away from all these horrid Muggles. Then why aren't I excited? Hermione knew the answer to that question. It was because, for yet another year, her heart would have to be pushed aside due to the fact that she was a "know-it-all". Hermione sighed. She wished she could just lay back for one year, but that wasn't in her nature. She was always used to being the best, being the top one in the class, and would do anything to achieve that spot. Unfortunately, it meant placing her social and love life on hold.

"Hermione! We're leaving. NOW!" her mother called from downstairs. Hermione quickly got dressed, brushed her teeth, and tried to tame her wild mane the best way she could. Realizing that it was hopeless, she grabbed her things and ran down the stairs. Her father helped her load her trunk and other belongings into the car. Hermione looked out the window and remained silent the entire drive to the train station.

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"Hermione!!" Hermione turned her head to see an excited Ginny waving frantically at her. Ron and Harry were making their way towards her, too, trying to keep up with Ginny who was practically running towards Hermione. When the boys got there, they all gave each other hugs, asked how the summer went, along with the other usual greetings. The train whistle blew, so each picked up their things and boarded the train. As she boarded the train, Hermione saw Draco Malfoy out of the corner of her eye. Wow, he's grown up this year. Amazed at her thoughts, Hermione shook her head and followed Ron onto the train.

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"Hermione, is something wrong?" Harry has asked. But Hermione didn't hear him. She was off in her own little world, thinking and murmuring out loud to herself.

"I think she's gone mental," Ron commented. Hermione just stared at him then looked back at the window.

I'm not crazy, she thought. I'm just a little unwell, but right now, you can't tell. Of course they couldn't tell. Unbeknownst to Harry and Ron, Hermione's heart was breaking all over again. All she had to do was see him out of the corner of her eye, and Hermione was filled with love, hate, and anguish all in one. She would never let on, but deep inside Hermione knew it was true. She was in love with Draco Malfoy.

Just stay a while and maybe then you'll see a different side of me. How she wished she could explain to her friends how she felt, but Ron and Harry would never understand. Draco was their sworn enemy. They would really think she had gone mental. Maybe they would stop being her friends. Hermione valued their friendship too much to let a matter of the heart interfere with true friendship.

I'm not crazy; I'm just a little impaired. I know right now you don't care. No, Harry and Ron wouldn't care how she felt about Draco. She just needed to keep it hidden again this year, as she had all the previous years. Nothing was going to change between her and Draco. And it would remain that way. She wouldn't let anything happen. But soon enough you're gonna think of me, and how I used to be. Yes, she would remain the same, smart, and ever-helpful Hermione. The boys would forget about this little episode. They would think it was just some female thing and dismiss it as such. Hermione was so lost in her thoughts that she was surprised when the train stopped and Hogwarts castle was staring at her through the window.