A/N - AU.

Set in the fifth year. Everything that takes place in the first 4 books happens except for the fact Hermione was sorted into Ravenclaw and Padma Patil is in Gryffndor alongside her twin. I am not sure whether I will stick entirely to the cannon but the most of the plot should be cannon. The story will follow the growing relationship between Ron and Hermione who has no real friends in the school.

This will be my first fanfic so any advice, criticism or any kind of review is most welcome. Although I speak fairly fluent English it's not my first language so there could be small grammatical errors.

I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does.

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"Bye mum, bye dad"

I hug both my parents tightly as I realise it would be another 3 months a bit before I see them again. There were times when I felt a bit guilty for leaving them for months at a time but they understood and never stood in my even if I was 'different' to them. Ever since Professor McGonagall first came to see me with my Hogwarts letter there are fewer things we can talk about, fewer things we have in common and I realise sadly that the gap will only get bigger as time goes on.

I didn't tell them anything about the events of the past year, my 4th year at Hogwarts lest they start to worry too much or worse try to withdraw me from Hogwarts which would be quite unbearable. The event I refer to in of course the accidental death or murder of Cedric Diggory depending on whether you believe the Ministry of Magic or Professor Dumbledore. The death of a student in the school grounds would push any parent over the edge.

I give them one last wave before I head of to the heads compartment suddenly feeling very excited. I had been made the Ravenclaw prefect, something which in my opinion I very much deserved having worked so hard over the past 4 years. We also have the OWL's this year which is obviously a very important landmark in my magical education and I was determined to do them very well so I could chose the subjects I wanted for my NEWT's. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do after Hogwarts but doing well in everything would give me plenty of options at least.

By the tie I reached there the Head boy and Head girl were already there and were waiting for the rest of house prefects to turn up. I idly wondered who the Ravenclaw prefect would be, if I was the betting type my money would be on Micheal Corner. Mike was smart (he was a Ravenclaw after all) but overall was way too full of himself and seemed to have a new girlfriend every other weak.

Micheal entered the compartment at that very movement looking smug as usual and I was pleased with myself for getting my guess right. Soon all the house prefects were packed in and I noticed Gryffindor only had one prefect, the gossip queen Parvati Patil herself. I turned my attention back to the heads listening raptly while they were going through the Patrolling areas and the schedules for the coming year when flash of red hair suddenly burst into the compartment.

"Sorry, the meeting slipped my mind," the voice Ronald Weasley said looking breathless.

"Well, you need to change your ways if you want to set an example to the younger ones or McGonagall won't be too pleased," snapped the head boy Arnold.

"Sorry," he replied meekly and sat down although he didn't remotely look sorry as far as I could tell.

"Parvati has the schedules, make sure you get them and stick to them." Arnold said looking sternly at Ron who nodded.

I find it hard to believe Professor Dumbledore chose Ronald Weasley of all people as a prefect. Only Harry Potter and his brothers, the twins have probably broken more rules than him in the last 4 years. In fact he has probably broken more School rules in the last 4 years than the whole of Ravenclaw put together. And while I don't know anyone at all from Gryffyndor too well I would've thought someone like Neville Longbottom or Dean Thomas would be more likely to uphold the school rules and set a good example. I seriously wonder if the Daily Prophet is right after all and that Dumbledore is really losing his touch. I shake my head, and head back to the Ravenclaw compartment with Micheal.

I enter to see my 2 roommates Lisa Turpin and Sarah Turner poring over the latest issue of the Witch Weekely whilst simultaneously engaging in an animated discussion about boys. They barely acknowledge my arrival before going back to their conversation.

I sigh to myself and all of my excitement wears off as I realise it's going to be another 10 months of having no real friends, having no one to confide my secrets into (not that I have any), having no one to comfort me when I'm upset which is a lot of the time. This is not entirely new to me seeing as I had no friends before I went to Hogwarts and having to endure years of teasing for being 'bookworm Granger'. Back then I had mum to support me, to comfort me but now I have no one. I just thought I had put all that behind me especially after getting sorted into Ravenclaw but I guess I was wrong and some things never change. I've tried hard to be nice and civil to the two of them despite their taunts in the hope that they might start being nicer to me but in the end I just gave up. I can only guess they are jealous of my academic success and the fact that most of the staff seem to like me and trust me much more than them.

As we get closer I change into my Hogwarts robes with the the shiny prefects badge neatly pinned to my robes. By the time I change we've reached the station I get off the train and the first thing I notice is that Professor Hagrid is not here and instead there's a small yet determined looking women ushering the scared and rather excitable first years into the waiting boats. I get into a boat with fellow Ravenclaw's Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein both discussing the OWL's this year. Terry is probably the nicest to me of all the students in my year and never insults me and often tells people to lay off for which I am grateful.

"Hey, Hermione had a good summer?" he asks.

"All right I suppose, I went through most of the portions for the OWL's this year so I guess I am well prepared for the exams. Wonder who our new Defense against Dark Arts teacher teacher is this time?"

"You aren't the only one. The last teacher might have been a death eater but he wasn't too bad, better than Lockhart at any rate." He replies before adding "Say Hermione who do you believe?"

"Believe who? What?" I ask quite puzzled.

"Well you know all this mess with Fudge and Dumbledore in the Daily Prophet. Do you believe You-Know-Who is back," as he whispers the last part.

"I don't know who to believe, why would Dumbledore lie though?"

"Yeah I am quite confused as well, I suppose if he really is back then there are bound to be strange killings all over the country," Terry answers rather ominously

I simply nod and stare at the approaching castle with a mixture of fear, excitement and a feeling of extreme loneliness.