Hermione Granger, seventeen years old, walked quickly through Platform 9 3/4 and emerged in front of the scarlet steam engine. Steam billowed from the train as Hermione eyed her surroundings. This was her last year, seventh year, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was sad and yet also excited in anticipation. This year was going to be her best.

She smoothed out her maroon skirt, her silver bracelets jangling as she did so. She looked down at herself, checking her appearance for the twentieth time that morning. She pulled her white T-shirt down over the top of her skirt and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

Her two best friends: the boy who lived, Harry Potter and red haired, freckled Ron Weasley were waiting for her a few feet away. They were saying good-bye to Ron's family. Harry and Ron were fresh from vacationing in America. Harry was very tan and Ron was more freckly than ever, they both looked very happy. Harry's green eyes sparkled as he said hello to Hermione. Ron gave his friend a big hug which she returned gratefully.

Hermione then turned to the other red heads in the group and smiled. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley said hello as did Percy (Checking his watch every second. He was already late for work) and Ginny.

"How was your holiday?" Hermione asked them, pushing her cart to the side so people could get past their large group to the train.

"Brilliant!!" Ginny Weasley, sixth year and Ron's younger sister, squealed. She, too, gave Hermione a big hug. Over the past years Ginny and Hermione had become like sisters.

"Wicked," said Ron, his voice wispy and quiet.

"Ron met a girl," said Harry, chuckling.

Hermione swallowed, "Really?"

Ron nodded a bit. "Her name was Grace."

"Muggle," said Fred Weasley, one half of the Weasley twins. "Won't be seeing her again, I suspect." He scooped Hermione up in a big hug soon after. When he set her down he said, "You've grown quite a bit this summer."

"I'll say," chorused George, the other twin. He gave her a short hug.

It was true that Hermione Granger was no longer bushy haired and bucktoothed. She'd grown into a very pretty girl indeed. She'd always been pretty, but the growth somehow showed on her face. She'd become more confident in her appearance over the summer and you could tell just by looking at the way she carried herself.

Her hair was now very long and curled out at the ends. It had turned light brown with a few blonde highlights from the sun. She had only a few wispy bangs covering her forehead. Her freckles had vanished (lots and lots of sun tan lotion had helped keep them down) and her face had a now creamy complexion.

"How was your summer?" Ron asked her.

"Fine," said Hermione a little too quickly. She received odd looks from everyone. "Nothing eventful."

"Meet anybody interesting?" asked Ron.

"Not really," said Hermione, glancing around the crowed train station. Many families bearing large trunks were bustling past them.

"No?" prompted Ginny. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," answered Hermione. "Was at home most of the time." She shrugged. These were her friends...her second family. Why are you keeping everything from them? Why are you being so vague? You're building the walls up again, Hermione. You said you weren't going to keep everyone out this year.

"Sounds boring," said Ginny, breaking into Hermione's thoughts.

Hermione nodded quickly, "Yes. It was."

Mrs. Weasley then hugged Hermione, tears streaming down her face.

"I can't believe it's your last year," she cried.

"I know," answered Hermione, her voice very quiet. She glanced at Harry who smiled at her and winked. He knew what had gone on with her in the summer. Ron didn't, however, Hermione hadn't been ready to tell him. It had been tough enough to tell Harry, but she'd needed someone to confide in. Harry had been there whenever she needed him, even though he was millions of miles away.

But if Ron had met someone, maybe he'd be more understanding.....

The steam engine emitted a loud, booming squeal with signaled it time to board. Ginny, completely shining with happiness, hugged her parents and got on the train.

Hermione sat in the train compartment, wringing her hands and playing with her bracelets. Ron and Harry entered after her, talking about Quidditch with Seamus Finnigan. They all sat across from her.

Seamus whistled which jousted Hermione's thoughts back to the present. She looked at him with surprise evident on her face.

"Wow," was all he could say for himself.

"What?" Hermione asked nervously, tucking hair behind her ear and looking down at herself.

"It's just---you look----wow."

Hermione giggled a little. "Thanks, I guess."

"You look great, Hermione," Ron said quietly.

Hermione looked at him and smiled. "Thanks. You do too."

Hermione was not the only one who had grown. Ron was no longer gangly. He was tall, but his hands and feet were no longer too long or big for his body. He'd grown into himself nicely. Harry, too, had grown. About a foot taller and was no longer extremely skinny. Nor was he wearing clothes 5 sizes too big. He wasn't living with the Dursleys anymore. Sirius had been cleared last year and so Harry was now living with his godfather. Harry was happier than ever. Hermione could tell he no longer had the haunting nightmares since there weren't any bags under his eyes. Voldemort was gone...hopefully for good and Hermione knew that Harry felt the best he's felt in maybe 16 years.

Seamus stared at Hermione most of the trip. She tried to ignore it but she still wasn't used to the way guys acted around her now. Finally, Harry hit him and told him to leave if he didn't stop. Seamus had acted like his normal self after that. Joking and laughing and blowing things up with spells gone wrong.

Halfway through the trip across the English countryside, Draco Malfoy and his two goons showed up. Crabbe and Goyle were both 2 feet taller and 3 feet wider. Apparently, they'd just eaten over the holidays. When Hermione saw Draco she gasped.

He was about a foot taller, making him as tall as Ron now. His blonde hair was not slicked back, but flying free. It wasn't that long anymore either. He also seemed to have been doing a lot of sit ups over the holiday because his chest was very defined under his white T-shirt. His eyes were the only thing that hadn't changed. They were still cold and gray...and he carried his usual sneer in place.

Draco looked at Hermione with great interest. Then he looked at Harry.

"Is this a new girl, Potter? Aren't you going to introduce us? Where are your manors?"

Ron gaped at him like a bumbling fool.

"I believe you've met Hermione," said Harry snickering.

Draco peered closer to Hermione, looking her up and down. "No way."

Hermione's cheeks reddened.

"Granger?" Draco asked her.

She nodded. "Hello Malfoy."

"What happened to you? You turned into a----girl!"

"A hot one," pointed out Seamus, blushing.

"For once I agree with a Gryffindor." Draco said, in surprise. "Wow, Granger. I'm impressed."

"I can assure you I didn't do this to impress you." Hermione said hastily.

"Did you have a boob job or something?" Draco asked, looking at her chest. Hermione crossed her arms in an attempt to avert his eyes.

Harry stood up, putting a hand on Draco's chest. "Leave her alone."

"Are you and Potter an item now?" Draco asked her, ignoring Harry.

Hermione shook her head...unable to contain her surprise at his absurd question. "No, of course not."

"Good," Draco winked. "You got a boyfriend, then?"

Hermione stared at him like he'd grown 2 more heads and turned into Fluffy right before their eyes. "Er---not really, no."

"Good," replied Draco, grinning at her. His grin wasn't a sneer either, it was quite genuine for him. "I'll see you around." He beckoned to Crabbe and Goyle and they left.

"What's gotten into him?" Hermione asked, sitting back in her seat and breathing a sigh of relief.

"What's gotten into him?" Ron repeated, finally regaining his voice. "What's gotten into him is that you've turned into a very good looking girl. He used to just think of you as a brainy mud---you know, but now....."

"Now you're a hot witch," supplied Seamus, grinning at her.

Hermione looked at Harry hopefully. "Why do guys go completely crazy when a girl suddenly looks like a girl?"

Harry shrugged. "Hormones, I suppose."

"Well, it's disgusting the way you behave." Hermione said, shaking her head.

"Can you blame us?" Ron asked her seriously. "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?"

"Unlike you, RON WEASLEY, I don't care about looks! It's what's inside that counts! If I hadn't grown...boobs...over the summer, Malfoy wouldn't look at me twice. He didn't even insult me...well, not in his normal way....It's horrible! I hate being judged on my looks alone. That's all anyone did all summer!" Tears were threatening to break from her brown eyes. She tossed her hair over her shoulder in anger.

"I'm sorry, Hermione." Ron said quietly. "I didn't mean...."

"It's okay," snapped Hermione. "Forget it. It's not your fault, you're just a guy." She sighed heavily and looked at all three boys square in the face. "I haven't changed on the inside, you know. I'm still the same girl. I just look different. I'd appreciate it if you didn't treat me differently because of my new appearance."

The trolley witch strolled in that second, quieting everyone. They bought a few things and she went on her way.

"I won't treat you differently, Hermione. I'm sorry," said Ron, looking at his lap.

"Thank you, Ron."

"I'm sorry too," said Seamus sounding very apologetic. "I'm going to go find Dean. See you later." He got up and left, shutting the compartment door afterwards.

There was an awkward silence after Seamus' departure which was only broken about 20 minutes later when Ginny Weasley slid their compartment door open.

"Guess what?" She asked, sitting beside Hermione.

"What?" Hermione obliged. Harry and Ron were staring out the window, watching everything pass by.

"There's a new Professor this year."

"But---Professor Lupin was supposed to come back this year for DADA!" Harry yelled, angry that someone had driven the werewolf out of his job.

"Not Lupin," said Ginny. "Madame Hooch retired."

"Oh," said Ron.

"Anyway, they needed a new referee and flying instructor." Ginny said.

"Get on with it, Gin," said Harry, clearly tired of all the sidestepping.

Ginny rolled her eyes at Harry and turned to Hermione. "You know how last year the Chudley Cannons lost a player because he got hit hard with a bludger one too many times? And that player had to spend a lot of time in the hospital? Well, that player was urged to take a break from Quidditch, much to his dismay....."

"GINNY!" Ron cried. "You're not saying what I think you're saying are you?"

Hermione and Harry gave each other a confused look. Neither of them had been keeping up on the Quidditch news over the holidays.

"YES!" Ginny yelled. "He's going to be the flying instructor!"

"WICKED!" exclaimed Ron, jumping out of his seat. "He must be doing a lot better."

"Well, I guess so. Lavender Brown said she talked to Angelina Johnson over the summer and Angelina said that he was very depressed about quitting Quidditch for a year....but...decided to for Dumbledore's sake and for his love of this school. Plus, he'll still be involved in Quidditch, just not directly."

"Wicked!" Ron reiterated.

"Who are you two nutters talking about?" Harry burst out, angrily. The train was beginning to slow down. They must be nearly there.

"Oliver Wood!" Ron and Ginny yelled together.

"Oliver's coming back! Cool!" Harry cried, just as happily as the two Weasleys.

"Oliver was in the Chudley Cannons?" Hermione asked, while Ron, Ginny and Harry did 'happy dances'.

"Yes!" Harry, Ron and Ginny cried out.

"Why are we so excited?" Hermione asked, breaking up their happy dances.

"He is SO hot, Herm!" Ginny yelled. "Haven't you seen his picture? Oh, you wouldn't have. You were in the Muggle world all summer. Well, he's SO hot!"

Hermione stopped smiling. Here they go again, judging people by their appearances. "I don't care what he looks like! He was a nice person!"

Ginny gave Hermione a 'you're crazy' look before leaving the compartment to go change into her robes.

"Are you two excited because he's hot?" Hermione snapped at the two boys.

"NO!" Yelled Harry and Ron together.

"We like Oliver, Hermione. He's a nice guy," said Ron.

"He taught me about Quidditch," reminisced Harry.

"Well, good," affirmed Hermione. "I'm glad it's not because he's hot. Otherwise, I'd have to worry about you two." She winked at them and left so they could change.

As Ron was putting his robe on, he finally said something. "What's gotten into her?"

"Who?" asked Harry nonchalantly.

"Hermione," stated Ron. "She's acting odd. Isn't she?"

"No," said Harry, a little too quickly.

"You know something, don't you?" Ron looked his friend in the eyes and knew that Harry wouldn't lie to him. Not now.

"Yes, but I'm not saying anything. She's had a really hard summer, Ron. Give her some time...she'll tell you when she's ready."

"Why hasn't she told me? She told you."

"Because of your history, Ron. You know how bad things got last year. You've just started rebuilding the friendship....it's going to take some time for her to trust you again."

"I didn't do anything to make her not trust me!" Ron cried, clearly at his wit's end.

Harry sighed, "I know. Just give her time."

Tears fell silently down Hermione's face as she listened to the conversation going on in the compartment. She pulled her ear away from the door and wiped her tears.

She'll tell him....when she's ready.

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