DISCLAIMER: oh, if only I owned Harry Potter…but I do not, and it is J.K Rowling's instead.

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As Hermione boarded the train for Hogwarts, she held the locket tight in her fist. Ron had sent it to her over the summer, and she was desperate to find him again. The look in his eyes when saw her was priceless – he loved her. She caught her reflection in the silver of the train and smiled. Her curly hair was as wild as ever, but for some reason, she didn't mind now. She had somebody who could see her feminine side, and knowing that had brought out the best in her.

Suddenly, another reflection appeared behind her, sneering at her. "Do you think you're pretty, you buck-tooth Mudblood?" Draco Malfoy sneered. Hermione felt her inner confidence shrink as Malfoy's eyes traveled over her body and he raised his lip in his trademark smirk. She whipped around, and with all the dignity she could muster she stalked into the train.

Immediately, she ran into somebody and nearly burst into tears at her clumsiness. However, strong arms wrapped around her, and she looked up into a face full of pure joy, joy at the concept of seeing her, and nothing more. She shouted, and laughed as Ron spun her in a circle and landed a kiss on her mouth. "Ron, you stupid prat, I was about to have a heart attack!"

Concern filled the boy's face and he clutched her tighter. "Are you alright, love?" Hermione giggled inwardly at the words, thinking about how just last year, Ron would have turned a red enough to match his hair at the simple thought of these words. She heard her laugh materialized behind her, and spun around to face Harry, who was looking at the couple with a happy expression. His two best friends had finally gotten together – a fate he had always known awaited them, but one he also knew would take them forever to figure out.

"How was your summer, Hermione?" Harry asked with a pleasant smile on his face. Hermione's face lit up with thoughts of her summer as she responded, "Great! I took some independent study courses when I had a moment, and…"

"Enough about studies! We're on our way back to school anyway!" Ron groaned. He had never been one for the academics that Hermione loved so much, but tried to put on a brave face for his girl anyway. Hermione simply laughed, and they found a compartment to sit in.

Suddenly, Hermione jumped up with a look of shock on her face. "I can't believe I forgot! I'm Head Girl this year! I have to sit in the Head department and get briefed on my duties! How could I have forgotten!" Ron and Harry only had time to mutter a quick congratulations before the petite girl was out the door and bounding up to the front of the train.

Hermione sat in the compartment, reading over the lists of duties she was expected to perform when she heard the door open. Before she even had a chance to look at the new Head Boy, she knew who it was. She felt his condescending glare in the small of her back, and could smell the faint cologne he wore. She felt her stomach drop as she slowly pivoted to find Malfoy behind her, wearing a look of utmost hatred. "So. My…associate…is the Mudblood." He let the words drip from his mouth as he inched closer and closer to her, allowing himself to get as near as possible without actually touching the girl.

Hermione braced herself and thought quickly about the year ahead of her. What she had hoped would be the best moment of her school career was slowly turning into a nightmare. She wanted to slap the pale flesh of his sneering face, but contained herself, and instead, coolly handed the list to him.

"Why would I want to touch something your filthy hands have been on?" At these words, Hermione let the papers drop to the ground, scattering them irreversibly.

"I don't know why the Headmaster would allow such a vile creature as yourself to take over this position, Malfoy, but I would just love to hear you explain why you have no competence dealing with what we are supposed to be doing this year just because you didn't want to dirty your tender little hands," Hermione snarled as she pushed past the boy in front of her. He looked shocked, but by that time, she had left the compartment and was marching furiously back to her friends.

As she walked back, she suddenly realized that Ron's locket was missing! She could only remember holding it outside of the train, before that prat Malfoy had taunted her. She felt tears well up, and almost started sobbing outright at the thought of what Ron might say before she collected herself and convinced her emotions that it must be somewhere inside of the train.