Disclamer: I don't own harry potter. (duh)

It had taken a while, but the two new students, Rose and Albus, finally made their way onto the Hogwarts express. They were both obviously nervous but it certainly helped to have each other. What didn't help was that the moment they were separated from their parents and loaded onto the train, their siblings and cousins wandered off to seek out their friends. This left Rose and Albus alone in a suddenly deserted section of the train.

They wandered around for a bit, searching for an empty compartment. Full…full…full…

"Here! I found an empty one over here, Rosie!" shouted Al from a few yard away from Rose. She wandered over and froze, looking in at the unmistakable platinum blond head of a Malfoy.

"It's not empty, Al," she said, and continued looking into the other compartments.

"Yeah, but we can still fit in there, can't we?"

'Don't get to friendly with him, Rosie.' That's what her dad had told her. And to be perfectly honest, she had heard enough about that Malfoy lot to know that she wanted nothing to do with them.

Still, she really didn't fancy having to wander around the entire train before they found a seat. Reluctantly, she followed Albus into the compartment.

He didn't look up when they entered because he was immersed in a book. She let out a snort on seeing this just because she never pictured reading as a Malfoy-ish hobby.

"Something funny," he glanced up "Weasley?" He glared at her and she was just about to snap back when Albus stepped in.

"No. we were just wondering if we could sit here. Everywhere else is full."

At this, Scorpius merely shrugged and opened up the book again, hiding his face from view.

The train ride stayed like this, with Scorpius reading and the other two sitting across from him, for several minutes before Albus got bored and took a nap on Roses shoulder. She groaned and grabbed a book from her bag. It was only then that she realized that Scorpius's book was identical to the one she had just pulled out. It was "Hogwarts: a History."

Upon realizing this, anger flashed in her eyes. That was supposed to be HER THING! She was, being Hermione Weasley's daughter, supposed to be the know-it-all book worm! 'Oh, whatever,' she thought, 'I'm still gonna do like Dad said and beat him in every class! Who cares if he's done his homework! With his genetics, he's still gonna be a moron.' She gloated inwardly, remembering how her own mum had beaten Malfoy's dad in every class when they were

The thought of a Malfoy being her competitor for "know-it-all of the year"

disturbed her, but she was glad for the competition; for a rival. Being a member of such a large, pushy family meant she was always competing with her relatives over something or another. The idea of having someone to beat was familiar in a new place, and she relished in it.

'Hm. She's reading. Typical. She is so her mothers daughter. No matter. I'll still be able to do what Father couldn't. I swear I'll beat the little halfblood in everything they throw at us.' He returned to his reading, thinking 'look out Hogwarts here I come.

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