We Were Always A Losing Game

Chapter 3: I'm Home

The sound of children screaming and the train horn. Sounds I could never forget. They're two of my favourite sounds actually, because it means it's the first day back to school. I grab my bag off of the seat and stand up with Harry and Ron and walk off of the train onto the Hogwarts platform. "Hermione!" I hear from a distance. It was hard to make out who said my name but then Dean started running up to me. "Oh hi Dean" I say awkwardly. It was so awkward having to speak to him let alone see him, after all I haven't heard from him since he told me he loved me before the Christmas break. "Do you want to come in my carriage back to Hogwarts?" he says smiling and slightly blushing. I'm not sure what to do at this point. I turn around to see harry nod at me to tell me that it is okay if I go with dean. "Sure!" I say not knowing why he wanted to see me so desperately so soon.

As I step up into the carriage he grabs my hand to help me. He was silent the whole way to the gates he just smiled at me every so often. "What did you do over Christmas?" I asked trying to break the awkward silence. "Uh nothing really...." Dean replied. I knew he wasn't telling me something, we had been friends for years at the end of the day. "Tell me the truth!" I shouted at him, hoping he would reveal the truth. "Umm well... I actually spent most of my time thinking about you...." he said awkwardly. "Oh... i... umm don't know what to say Dean". "Don't say anything... I wasn't expecting you to anyway to be honest".

We finally arrive at Hogwarts gates. They were big black gates with a stone statue of lions on either side looking like they were standing with pride. But if you really pay attention to them throughout your years at Hogwarts, they move into different positions depending on what message they want to portray to guests. "Harry! Ron!" I shout from a distance. "There you are!" said Harry. "We were wondering where you were". "Sorry... I was talking to Dean in the carriage." I say unsure whether to tell them exactly what Dean had said to me. "What did he say?" Ron asked. "I'll tell you after, come on let's go before we are late for dinner!" I say.

We take our seats on the Gryffindor table in the great hall and I instantly feel happiness, which is something I haven't felt in a very long time. "so what did everyone get up to over Christmas?" I hear Neville say. Neville was one of the kindest people I knew at Hogwarts. he always knew how to put a smile on your face. "Not much to be honest, but Harry and Ron did surprise me with coming to my house a few days before Christmas break was over" I say excitedly. Then all of a sudden we hear Dumbledore trying to get everyones attention and finally the hall goes silent. "Good evening everyone, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas whether you were at home with your families or spending it with friends here at Hogwarts" says Dumbledore. Every year he says the same thing, however, tonight he sounded anxious. "I am aware that some of you may know that a dark wizard is now been spotted in several areas around Hogwarts following the events that occurred at diagon alley a few weeks ago, but we advise you to stay alert throughout your school year". I knew it was going to be bad but I didn't think it would be this bad. "Now off to bed, all of you" shouts Dumbledore after a long awkward silence. Me, Harry and Ron walked slowly up the staircase to the Gryffindor common room when Ron says "you don't think he'll find a way in do you?". Me and Harry look at each other but say nothing even though we know he's going to try.

As I'm walking up the staircase Cedric walks past and smiles at me. I smile back. "Oh my god! Was that a smile I saw you exchange with Cedric Diggory?" Ron says with disbelief in his voice. "No of course not!" I say knowing full well it was. They both just laugh at me while going separate ways into our dormitories.