From Dreams to Reality

Chapter 6_______________________________________________________________

The rest of the summer holidays passed by uneventfully and soon Draco and Hermione found themselves sitting in the backseat of Hermione's parents car as they drove to London so Draco and Hermione could catch the Hogwarts Express from platform nine and three-quarters. The trip was rather quiet. Draco and Hermione had been less civil since their trip to Diagon Alley, though neither understood why. They had, however, decided, that once they were safely on the Hogwarts Express, everything would go back to normal. Hermione would no longer use Draco's first name when addressing him and he would go back to being the heartless person he usually was around her.

The car pulled into a car park outside the entrance to Kings Cross station and they all got out. Hermione's father got them each a trolley for their trunks (Draco had had to buy a new one at Diagon Alley) and, after they had given their good-byes, Draco and Hermione set off together towards the apparently solid barrier between platforms nine and ten. It was really quite simple getting through to platform nine and three-quarters. All you needed to do was head through the barrier dividing platforms they were now standing between, with the exception that you don't cause too much attention from the Muggles passing by.

Once through, Hermione and Draco found them standing on the extremely crowded and noisy platform with the gleaming scarlet Hogwarts Express train in front of them. Surrounding them, students were talking animatedly with family, or meeting up with friends and classmates. Owls were hooting at each other and cats were meowing. It all gave Hermione an air of happiness, as she and Draco headed over to the train with their trunks and got on to find their friends. Hermione found Harry and Ron quickly and joined them in their compartment, as they said their good-byes to the Weasleys who were assembled on the platform.

Draco wearily turned to go find Crabbe, Goyle and his other friends, only to be stopped by Hermione, who put out her hand and grabbed his arm.

"I think it would be wise if you stayed here until the train is moving, Draco," she said quietly. "This would be the perfect chance for your father to hurt you, you know. He would've suspected that you would be here if you were in a shape like you are now."

Draco gave her a sneer and sighed heavily, realising that she was right, and sat down in one of the chairs in their apartment, away from Harry and Ron, who were casting him with looks of great hatred.

"The moment this train is moving, though -" he hissed, being interrupted by Hermione.

"Everything will go back to how it used to be," Hermione said. "I hate you, you hate me."

Draco ignored her and after several minutes, he was glad to hear the whistle blow and feel the train slowly start moving. He waited until the platform was out of sight and the train had officially stared it journey north before standing up.

"Thanks for the summer, Granger," he said, giving her a very small, appreciative smile, before heading out of the compartment and down the train with his trunk, trying to find Crabbe, Goyle or any other friend of his.

The moment he had left, Harry and Ron turned and looked at Hermione with odd looks on their faces. "What?" she asked.

"Well ... how much torture did he put you through?" asked Ron. "We know it had to be hard on you - having Draco Malfoy staying in your house."

"To be honest, Ron, it was actually OK," Hermione said with a shrug. "He didn't call me Mudblood once - in fact, he didn't really insult me at all. He made a few mean comments about my hair, but that's - that's all."

"But you didn't have fun, did you, Hermione?" Harry asked quickly.

Hermione frowned. "No, not really. The only real fun we had was when we played Monopoly together."

"What's Monopoly?" Ron asked, only to be ignored.

"You played Monopoly with Malfoy?" Harry burst out unbelievingly. "Why the hell would you want to do that?"

"Harry, you've got to understand," Hermione said. "We were bored and that was the way we decided to cure our boredom. I don't have Playstations or Nintendoes at my house, Harry. The thing is, it was only Monopoly - not spin-the-bottle or anything."

"What's a Playstation?" Ron asked, curious. He was again ignored.

"Hermione, Malfoy is our enemy, you don't play Monopoly or any other sort of game like that with the enemy!" Harry wasn't taking this very well.

"Honestly, Harry!" Hermione said, throwing her hands up in the air. "It was Monopoly for heavens sake - nothing for you to get all edgy about! You're accusing me as if he and I had played some adult-rated sex game!" Harry's eyes widened. Hermione relaxed and added calmly, with finality in her voice. "It was Monopoly. All that we did was argue about who owned Piccadilly and him steeling money from the bank."

Harry opened his mind to argue, but changed his mind and shut it again. "Sorry," he said. "I just ... I don't know why I reacted that way."

Hermione gave him a mocking smile. "It was only Monopoly," she said amusedly. Harry gave her a slightly dark look, but it didn't stay that way for long. "There's no need worrying - either of you. Malfoy and I are still enemies and that's not about to change. He'll probably come striding in here lazily, sneering comments in my direction."

The words had barely left her lips when the door of their compartment slide open, revealing Draco, with his bolder-sized cronies Crabbe and Goyle right behind him. "Well, well, well," Draco drawled, entering the compartment. "If it isn't Potter and Weasley and yes, of course, the Mudblood Granger."

Ron abruptly stood up and a smirk came to Draco's lips. Hermione, who took note of this, stood up as well and stood between the two of them. Draco watched her carefully for a moment and took out his wand. "I don't see why you're stopping him, Granger," he said softly. "I can easily just cast a little hex or something on you and then I'll have easy access to him."

"I don't think you want to do that, Malfoy," Hermione said, in a voice just as soft as his. "I have a feeling I know a few more than you, after all."

A small, rather unwanted smile came to Draco's lips as she looked at him with the expression she was - both awkward and desirable. It strangely reminded him of their little moment on the train when they had been heading to Diagon Alley. He lowered his wand and looked away, causing a suspicious frown to come over each of the Gryffindors faces. Slowly, he backed out of the compartment and retreated, without a look back at Hermione.

"What was all that about?" Harry and Ron asked in unison, looking at Hermione for the answer.

Hermione swallowed thickly, her mind suddenly confused. "I don't know," she said blankly, staring at the spot in which Draco had been standing. She turned and faced the two of them. Harry had an odd, yet unreadable expression printed on his face and Hermione wished she had some idea as to what it was. Sitting back down in her seat, she muttered (again), "I don't know."

*

The train continued to make it's way north. Hermione was buried in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Seven, while Harry and Ron were talking about their favourite subject: Quidditch. Around lunchtime, the plump woman who pushed the food trolley came around. They each bought a large amount of sweets to share between them. When Ron became bored and decided to go and find their friends and fellow Gryffindors Dean, Seamus and Neville, Harry, who had been studying Hermione for quite a while, finally decided to bring her attention to him.

"Hermione?" he asked, feeling his insides swirl a little inside of him. Hermione looked up at him and smiled. "Can you come sit here next to me? It'll be a little easier."

Hermione, who frowned, had a feeling that she knew what was going to happen, but she stood up nonetheless and took the seat next to him.

"Hermione," Harry said - his voice very quiet. Hermione swallowed thickly and slowly and absently licked her lips. "I know that you are aware of how I feel, but to be truthful, I don't have all that much of an idea as to how you -" He suddenly stopped as he noticed the way Hermione was staring at him; the way she was still licking her lips and staring at his own. He knew what she was waiting for.

Taking a deep breath, Harry closed the gap between them and allowed his lips to brush across hers. No sooner had she wrapped her arms around his neck and was leaning in for more, when the door of the compartment slid open and they, in reflex, sprung apart. Looking over to see who it was, Hermione saw Draco standing there, alone, staring at Harry with even more hatred than she had ever seen.

"Can I have a private word with you, Granger?" he asked, still glaring at Harry. Hermione looked down at Harry, who shrugged.

"I'll be back in a moment," she told him, before following Draco out into the narrow passageway. Draco turned to her, his facial expression unreadable.

"What was going on in there with you and Potter?" he asked roughly, not understanding why he cared.

Hermione went slightly red in the cheeks. "I don't see how that's any of your business, Malfoy," she replied.

Draco stood there for moment. Hermione waited patiently for what else he had to say. "I saw what I saw, Hermione," he said quietly. "You're going out with him, aren't you?"

Hermione frowned, wondering why he truly cared. "Draco, you know I like him -"

"If you do like him, then why the hell did you say you'd 'think about it' when he asked you out in Flourish and Blotts?" Draco asked rather loudly. Hermione raised her eyebrows. "If you like him so much, than why didn't you just come out and say yes? ... Friendship ruined or not."

The truth hit Hermione rather hard. She bit her lower lip and frowned. Why didn't she say yes? The question had been haunting her ever since they'd left Flourish and Blotts that day ... but why did Draco suddenly care. It wasn't as though he was her friend. He wasn't Ron or anyone ...

Suddenly, her heart did an awkward sort of leap. She was brought back to the image of her and Draco in the train that day on the way to London. The way they had been so close after she had fallen into him, the way it had felt to have him holding her...

Swallowing hard, Hermione backed away from Draco, her eyes wide with realisation and slight fear. She left without a word, biting on her lip and headed back into the compartment. She sat down and picked up The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Seven, ignoring the quizzical look Harry was giving her and continued to read.

*

It was rather dark when the Hogwarts Express came to a halt at Hogsmeade Station. Silently, Harry and Hermione got off to join Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville on the platform. Together, after greeting Hagrid, who was directing the first years towards the boats for the traditional sailing across the lake, they headed over to one of the horse-less carriages that was awaiting them and climbed in. The long line of carriages led the way up the long windy road, through the Hogwarts gates and stopped in front of the entrance of the magnificent castle that Hogwarts was.

They hurried up the stone steps and into the large, brilliantly lit Entrance Hall, with its magnificent marble staircase. The Hall was already crowded with students, all moving into the Great Hall, from which much noise was already heard. Hermione and the boys, however, entered rather quickly and made their way over to the Gryffindor table. Looking up at the ceiling, which was enchanted to look like sky outside, Hermione saw the many stars twinkling down at the Hall as the students made their way to their house tables.

Taking a seat between Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table, Hermione allowed a smile to come to her lips as she imagined the year ahead. She was Head Girl, Harry was Head Boy; Harry liked her, she liked him - Her eyes had suddenly rested on the Slytherin table, where Draco was talking to Crabbe and Goyle - At least, she thought she liked Harry...

Her thoughts didn't move from that single thought all through the Sorting Ceremony or the feast and it was still there when she climbed into her warm, scarlet-laid four-poster bed, ready to get some sleep...