Hermione Granger stood with her parents waiting for the train to arrive. She felt excited about this year. The NEWTs was yet to come and on top of that she had been selected as Head Girl. This year couldn’t go wrong. This was her year.

“Hermione, is that you?” She turned around and saw her best friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley stand there.

“Ah, I’ve missed you all summer!” She screamed and hugged them both.

“Where’s Ginny?” Hermione asked when she let go of them.

“She’s somewhere around. I don’t know really.” Ron said shrugging his shoulders.

“Well, let’s find her then.” Hermione said goodbye to her parents before dragging Ron and Harry after her, searching for her best girlfriend, Ginny Weasley.

She saw her a few feet away and ran to her and hugged her.

“Ginny!”                                              

“My god Hermione, are you trying to kill me or something?” Ginny laughed and hugged her back.

“How was your summer?” Hermione asked, while they took their trunks and carried them inside the train.

“Well… I hooked up with Harry and… Well. That’s about it.” Ginny smirked at Harry, who waved at her.

“Oh my god! Are you and Harry together now? That’s great Gin!” Hermione said excited.

“What about you? Has something special happened?”

“No, not really. I spent all of my time with my parents, since they think I’ve been away too much.” Hermione smiled. She was so happy to be back again.

“Well, your year here at Hogwarts will be amazing. I’m just saying that some quite great things have been planned.” Ginny said, with a devilish smile playing on her lips.

“Ginny Weasley, your not going to break any rules, are you?” Hermione said, trying to sound stern, but couldn’t help smiling.

“No, Ms. Head Girl, I’m going to behave exemplary this year. Don’t you worry!” Both girls laughed while they seated them self in an empty compartment.

Short after Ron and Harry came, with Neville and Luna after them. Both of them were holding hands, and it was obvious that the two of them were a couple.

They all seated and Ron and Harry started playing Wizard chess, and Hermione and Ginny talked with Neville and Luna about their summers. They had gotten together about a week ago, so it was all new to the both of them.

Suddenly the door swung open, and three boys stepped in. Hermione immediately recognized them.

Draco Malfoy and his two friends Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe.

“Well well, isn’t it the famous Potter with her dumb friends.” Malfoy said, and smirked. “You finally found a girlfriend Longbottom?”

“Shut up Malfoy.” Hermione said, and pointed a wand on his throat.

“Don’t you dare touch me, Mudblood.”

“Take that back.” Ron jumped up from the seat, but Hermione raised one hand to calm him down. “Ron, I can handle this by myself. I don’t need anyone to protect me.”

“Of course you don’t need anyone to protect you. Your blood keeps everyone away from you, ‘cause no one wants to get dirty.” Malfoy smirked, and Hermione felt tears filling her eyes and she quickly looked away, not wanting Malfoy to know he found her weak spot.

“You take that back!” Harry said, and now his wand was also pointing at Malfoy.

“Why would I? I just wanted to say that since your Head Girl, you need to go to the Head’s compartment.”

“And why were you sent to tell her?” Ginny said, and stood up.

“’Cause I’m the Head Boy.”

“You got to be kidding me.” Ron said, his ears starting to get read. Hermione knew that if Malfoy would be here a few seconds more, Ron wouldn’t get a hold on his temper, and that meant that he could get hurt.

“Fine, I’m coming. Go ahead.” She said, and waved Malfoy and his friends away. She turned to her friends, and tried to smile, but failed.

“I guess I have to go then.”

“Be careful. If he hurts you in anyway, tell us, and we’ll kick his ass.” Harry said as he smirked.

“I will. But I better get going, if we don’t want him to return.” Hermione said, and walked out.

She walked to the front, where the Head’s compartment is. Malfoy was already seated and he smirked when she entered.

“Don’t say anything, unless you want me to hex you.” Hermione warned him, while she took her book and started to read. She loved reading Muggle books, but she hadn’t told anyone about it.

“What are you reading?” Malfoy asked, and Hermione looked up at him. He had his usual smirk placed on his lips and Hermione stared at him for a few seconds.

“None of your business.” She said, and returned to her book. Even if she didn’t feel ashamed of being a Muggleborn, she didn’t want Malfoy to always think of her as a Mudblood. God she how she hated that word.

“Fine, I was just trying to be polite.” He said with a bored voice before turning his head to the window again. The rest of the trip they sat in silence, and as soon as they arrived both of them hurried out of the compartment, trying to get away from each other as fast as possible. But they both got stuck in the door.

“Move Malfoy.” Hermione said angrily, as she wanted to get to her friends as soon as possible.

“No, you move Mudblood.” He said with a voice that sent shivers down her spine. She moved and he walked out, not looking back once. She hurried out of the train, and her eyes caught on her friends immediately.

“Hi guys! Here I am, alive and safe.” She said and laughed as she started walking with them to the carriages.

“Oh good! I thought he might hex you or something.” Ron said, and Hermione sent him an evil look. Like she couldn’t take care of herself. They sat in silence throughout the journey to Hogwarts. But that didn’t matter to her, since she got time to herself. She loves to get lost in her thoughts, but that not always so good. Especially not in class, but that didn’t happen so often. It felt like forever before they were in front of the gates that led to Hogwarts, and Hermione couldn’t wait until she got to go to her precious library again. She had missed the smell of the books, the silence. And she had also missed the classes. Everyone thought she was crazy when she said that, but they knew her to well to even bother to think about it anymore. Hermione was known for her intelligence. And that didn’t bother her at all, but secretly she wondered if anyone would even bother to get to know her. She knows she isn’t that pretty, like so many other girls in the school are, but she still hopped that someone found her worth loving. After all, every girls dreams were to be loved, whether they want to admit it or not.

Hermione waited for her friends and they all hurried inside, not wanting to get wet. Hermione dried them with magic before they entered the Great Hall, were all students were gathered talking and laughing.

Hermione was smiling as she stepped in and walked to the Gryffindor table. God she had missed this place. She was now… Home.