Secrets of a Previous Life

The time was 11:02a.m. Just two minutes after the train departed from Platform 9 ¾. It was the day young witches and wizards across Britain were to return to the school of witchcraft and wizardry, known as Hogwarts. It was when Hermione Granger, the new seventh year head girl had been late arriving at the platform, and as a result had been ditched by her two best friends. They were the famous Harry Potter and the redheaded Ronald Weasley.

~*~*~

Draco Malfoy, the arrogant, rich, mysterious wizard from the time-honored Malfoy family looked at his brand new watch. It read 11:02a.m. Identical to what the watch of a certain intelligent mudblood girl read. The young Malfoy arrived at Platform 9 ¾ late, desperately searching for his hair gel at home not long ago.

Finally, Draco found an empty cabin. In fact, it was the only empty cabin throughout the whole train! Pansy Parkinson had offered him a seat next to herself. Everyone knew Pansy the pug-faced girl was mad for Draco. It all started in their fourth year when Draco took Pansy to the ball. It was all just a publicity stunt for the Slytherin wizard. Of course, he had to keep up with his reputation by bringing a date!

"Er, I've already had someone save me a seat in a cabin down the other end of the train. Maybe next time?" was Draco's response.

Brilliant. I have one school year to find someone to sit with on the return journey. He settled into his lonely part of the train, staring out the window to relax himself. Once again, he had to deal with loneliness. He had to deal with Pansy. He had to deal with the ditzy sluts that wou do anything to be known as "Draco's girl." And, he had to deal with the Gryffindor trio - Potty, Weasel and the mudblood.

~*~*~

"Harry! I thought you and Ron were going to save me a seat! How could you?" was how sixteen-year-old Hermione greeted her best friends.

"We're all awfully sorry, Herm, but there weren't anymore seats elsewhere for Seamus and Neville! Perhaps you would like to sit on my lap?" suggested a cheeky Harry.

Annoyed by Harry's immaturity, Hermione stormed out of the cabin, away from her friends to search for a place of her own.

Towards the end of the train, she found a cabin. There was no noise coming from inside so she thought it was empty. She stepped inside to find herself face to face with...

~*~*~

"What do you think you are doing in my cabin, Granger? Go find your own with Scarhead!" Draco exploded. It wasn't bad enough that he had a horrible father, ugly admirers, and a famous goody-two-shoes rival, oh no. He was going to be stuck with brainy mudblood Hermione Granger for the rest of his journey to school!

"Well I'm sorry this train doesn't have at least a hundred seats for every rich pureblooded wizard attending Hogwarts! Geez, it's not like I had a choice. Honestly, did you really think I chose to come sit with you? I don't think so, Malfoy..."

As Hermione kept babbling on about how much she hated the sight of him and how she would rather stand then sit across or next to him, Draco noticed the new Hermione Granger image.

Over the summer, she finally decided to take control of looks and show the boys the definition of babe. She still had the same hair color - cinnamon brown, but she got her hair straightened which was now almost down to her tiny waist. Hermione had grown to five foot nine, with legs that went on for what seemed like miles, and new curves set in perfect places. Her eyes have become much like Professor Dumbledore's, with a twinkle that indicated that that she knew more than you thought she did. To the guilty, it was threatening. To the good and innocent, it was reassuring. Hermione's skin was bronzed, thanks to a wonderful vacation in Hawaii.

Since when did Hermione become such a supermodel? She looks quite different. Not to mention fine. That girl really isn't too bad looking after all... Damn, what is happening to me? Draco, you stupid git, stop thinking dirty thoughts about mudblood girls! Wake up!

"What are you staring at? Have you been listening?" snapped Hermione who was already sitting across from Draco. Draco suddenly shot up straight in his seat, embarrassed by the fact that he had been so busy checking out the girl in front of him that he paid zero attention to the words flooding out of her mouth. "Forget it. You're hopeless. Should have remembered that before - you're a Slytherin, and a Malfoy."

Just then, the witch looked up at her long time enemy and saw him in a different light. She'd never seen him like that before.

Wow. Malfoy's changed. He must have been practicing Quidditch the whole summer. With his buff body, silver eyes, platinum hair... Oh shut up, Hermione! This is nasty Malfoy you're thinking of! You know you shouldn't think about him! Think Harry. Think Ron. Think Harry. Think Ron. Think Harry. Think Ron...