Secrets

Secrets

Chapter One: The Train Ride

'He's so handsome,' Hermione thought dreamily as she let out a heavy sigh.

"Hey Hermione," Harry called from across the platform as he walked towards her.

"How was your summer?" Harry was getting closer; afraid Harry might see who she was looking at she quickly turned to answer.

"Oh, hi Harry. It was ok, yours?" Hermione quickly replied. She was afraid that Harry had seen who she was looking at.

"Horrible, as usual," Harry said with a grin. A smile spread across Hermione's face as well.

"Come on, let's go find Ron and get a compartment before they're all taken."

"Ok," Harry replied as he followed Hermione towards the train. It wasn't hard to find Ron, or any of the other Weasley's, for that matter. "Hey, Ron."

"Hey, Harry," Ron said. "Hey, Hermione," he added with a dreamy look on his face. He quickly wiped this look from his face when he noticed Harry staring at him.

"Uh, Ron are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" Ron said as innocently as he could.

"You just looked a little weird for a second," Harry replied a grin forming on his face.

"What are you laughing at?" Ron said turning to stare at Harry.

"Nothing, nothing," Harry said as he tried to stifle his laugh with little luck.

"Sure!" Ron replied. Harry could sense the sarcasm in Ron's voice. He knew the look he had seen on Ron's face, he liked Hermione, he was sure of it. "Come on, the compartments are all gonna be full if we don't hurry," Ron said, breaking the silence, and promptly began walking off toward the train.

"Yea, alright," Harry agreed a grin still on his face.

"What are you smiling at?" Hermione said confused.

"Oh, nothing," Harry replied walking fast to catch up to Ron, Hermione was directly behind him. They climbed onto the train and found a compartment. Hermione walked in and sat down; Ron followed and sat next to Hermione. Harry, whose grin was growing bigger, sat down across from the two.

The train ride passed quickly until Draco put in his appearance, like usual.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?!" Ron shouted with a look of disgust.

"Yeah, get lost!" Harry said standing up.

"Calm down, Potter!" Malfoy sneered, "You too Weasley, I don't think your parents could afford it if you had a heart attack." This completely ticked Ron off; it took both Harry and Hermione to hold him back. Draco stood there laughing. Ron wrenched himself from their grasp and lunged at Draco, sending him toppling backward into the side of the compartment. Draco's head smacked into the wood paneling causing him to be dazed long enough for Ron to throw a solid punch at his nose. Swinging wildly, Malfoy hit Ron in the stomach, causing the redhead to double over, setting himself up for the next assault. Quickly, Malfoy raised his knees and smacked him in his face.

"I'll make you pay for that!" Ron shouted, blood pouring out his nose.

"Good, because your parents can't," Malfoy taunted as he dodge another lunge, "My, my, who taught you to fight? That oaf Hagrid?" With that, Malfoy threw a solid punch and knocked Ron backward into Harry, who pinned him down.

"Right, I'll do you for that!" Ron shouted trying to get up.

"You'll what?" Malfoy replied, slightly surprised.

"Come on!" Ron called getting his second wind and ready for round two.

"What are you going to do Weasley?" Malfoy laughed. "Bleed on me?"

"I'm invincible!" Ron cried.

"You're a loony!" Draco shouted. "Come on, Crabbe, Goyle. Lets get out of here before Weasley hurts himself."

"Oh, I see, runnin' away are ya?" Ron called after them.

"Ron!" Harry and Hermione hissed. Ron didn't listen.

"You yellow bastard! Come back and take what's coming to ya!" Ron yelled as Harry and Hermione wrestled him back into the compartment.

"Ron! What do you think your doing?" Hermione shouted, irritated.

"He insulted my family, he deserved it!" Hermione just stood there and rolled her eyes.

She grabbed her bag and walked towards the door. "I'm gonna go change into my robes, we should be there soon. I suggest you do the same." With that she turned around and left.

"Yea, Hermione's right." Harry grabbed his robes and began putting them on. Ron was about to do the same but then he realized he was covered in blood. Harry noticed Ron's disgusted face. "What's wrong, Ron?"

"Oh, nothing, 'cept for the fact that I'm covered in blood," Ron replied sarcastically.

"Oh, right, here let me help." With that he pointed his wand and said "Scourgify" and most of the blood disappeared. "Hermione could do it better and stop that nose bleed of yours."

"Thanks, Harry," Ron said smiling. Ron had just finished changing when Hermione walked back in. Looking at Ron she noticed his bloody nose and muttered "Laureola." Ron felt his nose and was relieved to not feel blood. "Thanks, Hermione," Ron said turning slightly pink.

"No problem, Ron." A few minuets later the train pulled into the Hogsmeade Station and the students scurried to get out. Harry, Hermione and Ron followed the rest of the students. They heard Hagrid's familiar voice clear above all the other voices as they hurried to find a carriage. As they walked around looking for a carriage they noticed all of them had people in them so Hermione randomly picked one for them and knocked on the door.

"What do you want?" someone said opening the door. Hermione looked up to see who it was and tried to look as shocked as possible to see Draco Malfoy standing there.

"Granger, what are you doing here!" Malfoy said with disgust.

"Uh, sorry, I didn't realize this was your carriage," Hermione replied, then turned around and walked down the carriage steps. Hermione turned around for a second when she reached the ground just as Draco shut the door.

"Great choice, Hermione," Ron said sarcastically. Hermione looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"It's not like I knew that Malfoy and his goons had chosen that carriage," Hermione replied defensively.

"Actually, you did, we saw them go in there," Harry pointed out matter-of-factly. Hermione blushed her cheeks were turning as red as the shirt she had on under her robes.

"I, uh..." Hermione said trying to come up with an excuse. "I forgot." Ron and Harry looked at her suspiciously. "What! I did. I'm not very observant. Now come on, we need to find a carriage." Hermione said seeing their looks. Ron walked ahead and picked a carriage. He climbed up the steps and rapped on the door. Cho opened the door.

"Yes?" Cho asked when she saw them.

"Uh, we, uh," Ron stuttered when he noticed Cho standing there, "we were, uh, wondering if you had room for us in you carriage, we, uh, can't find an empty one."

Cho looked back into the carriage and then replied, "Yes, we have room." She stepped aside to let the three in. In a few minuets the carriage lurched forward. Hermione sat down next to Cho.

"Where did you go over the holiday, Hermione?" Cho asked, glaring at Harry, daring him to respond.

"Well," she replied, "My family and I went to Australia over the break. It was actually quite fascinating. We took this educational tour about the aboriginal witches and wizards. I loved it..."

Ron turned to Harry. "Have you heard about the Cannons recently? Turns out there're making a comeback believe or not."

"Or not," Harry replied, laughing. "What do you think?" he asked turning to Hermione and Cho. The latter glared at him and continued to talk, not letting Hermione answer. "Worth a try," he muttered. "Why do you think there're making a comeback?" he asked Ron, attempting to break the awkward silence between them.

When the carriage finally slowed to a stop in front of the castle Harry jumped up to leave, Ron right behind him. Hermione followed a few seconds later still in a deep conversation talking about Australia with Cho. The two of them talked all the way up to the castle doors. As they approached the door they heard people screaming.

"Why don't you go in first, Harry," Ron suggested, when he heard the screams. Harry turned and glared at him but then walked ahead and opened the door. Immediately he was pelted with raw eggs. Harry looked in the direction that the eggs came from and saw Peeves. Ron, Hermione, and Cho followed not knowing what had happened to Harry. When they came in Peeves pelted them with eggs too. Harry looked at them and laughed they had yolk dripping from their hair and robes and it covered their faces. Dodging eggs they found their way out of the entrance hall.

"Here let me help clean you up." Hermione said when they had gotten out of Peeves' way. She pointed her wand at each person in turn and shouted "Scourgify". Immediately they were clean. "Come on, we're going to be late for the feast." Hermione turned around and walked towards the entrance to the Great Hall. Harry, Ron and Cho followed. Cho walked towards the Ravenclaw table and Harry and Ron sat next o Hermione at the Gryffindor table. After a few minuets the sorting ceremony began. When it was over Gryffindor had 10 new students, Hufflepuff had 9, Ravenclaw had received 12 and Slytherin had 8.

Dumbledore stood up to say his start of term speech and everyone became silent quickly. "Welcome back to another exciting year at Hogwarts to all the older students, and welcome to Hogwarts all of our new students," he began, "As a reminder the forest on the edge of the grounds is off-limits to all students. As you'll notice we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," He said pointing to a new teacher to his left, "This is Professor Gareth." He sat down and the tables were instantly filled with food. The students began eating and talking. One hour later the students rose, full and tired.

"Harry, Ron and I have to lead the first years back to the tower, you don't mind waiting for us do you?" Hermione asked.

"No, not at all," Harry replied. He didn't mind not being a Prefect now. After Dumbledore told him his reasoning, Harry understood.

"Gryffindors this way!" Ron called above the rest of the voices. Hermione told a few students, who asked, the password. Then the three of them led the 10 Gryffindor First Years towards the tower, telling them important things about Hogwarts on the way.

"Password," the Fat Lady asked when they reached the entrance.

"Puffskein," Hermione answered. The portrait swung open and they all walked inside. "The boy's dorms are up the stairs and to the left, and the girl's dorms are up the stairs to the right. You'll see that your things have already been put in your dorms." She turned to Harry and Ron and said, "Well, I'm going up to bed, see you in the morning."

"Good night, see you in the morning," Ron replied.

"Yea, see you in the morning," Harry said after Ron. Harry turned to go up the stairs to the boy's dorm. "Good night, Ron."

"G'night Harry," Ron replied. He sat by the fire thinking about Hermione. An hour later he went up stairs and drifted off to sleep.

*******

Harry lay in his bed awake for a few minuets. As he lay there, thinking about that day, he couldn't help but laugh to himself. His friends were falling in love, but, unfortunately, with different people. He could tell Ron liked Hermione, but her object of affection was more elusive. Harry had seen the dreamy look on Hermione's face earlier, the one she had tried to hide when he, Harry, had come near her. And Hermione claiming that she had forgotten that Malfoy was in that carriage, it just wasn't like her. Horror spread across Harry, what if Hermione was falling in love with Malfoy! 'It's not possible' Harry told himself 'Hermione's not like that, she wouldn't love the enemy.' As much as he tried to convince himself of this, a little voice kept nagging him. 'Are you so sure?'