One Last Try [HP Jamione fanfic]

5. Never Grow Up

A/N: The scene on the train with Lily and Snape was lifted almost word for word from the scene in Deathly Hallows, though of course I did edit it slightly.

Her first few years at Hogwarts are going to have quite a few big time skips until we get to the juicier stuff of her 4th year onwards, so the next few chapters are probably going to be like one chapter per year (though there's a bit more for first year).

1st September 1971

When the day came to go to Hogwarts again Hermione couldn't decide whether she was excited, or dreading it. The weather seemed to be trying to do its best to imitate her feelings. By the time they arrived on Platform 9 ¾, it had chucked it down, been sunny, and was currently so windy that the wind was howling down the tunnel around the Hogwarts Express.

Iphemia and Geraint ushered their three children onto the train as quickly as possible with last minute advice (and reprimands for the twins), and tight hugs. They were hurrying to get out of the biting wind as soon as possible. When they were on the train, Hermione hung out the window briefly, shouting "I'll miss you!" without a care who heard her.

"And you, darling!" Her mother shouted back, before the elder Prewetts were hurrying off the platform, eager to get away from the wind.

Hermione trailed after her brothers down the corridor, navigating past students pulling their trunks onto the train all the way down. They finally came to a compartment like any other, and the boys entered, spreading themselves out across the seats indolently. Hermione hovered in the doorway for a second, unsure.

"You coming in, 'Mione?" Gideon finally asked. He was sprawled along the bench, lying in such a way that his head was now dangling off the end of the seat so he was looking at her upside down.

"I might go find my own compartment, get to know some other first years."

Fabian grinned, matching the smile already on his brother's face. Hermione, like with the Weasley twins, was always easily able to tell the difference between them. "Aww, she's bored of us already Gid. Doesn't wanna spend any time with her loving brothers."

"We see how it is, love. As soon as there's other options. Leave us for anyone else!" Gideon threw his hand over his forehead in a dramatic pose, and immediately lost the careful balance he'd had on the bench, tumbling to the floor with a loud "Fuck!"

Fabian lost it, cackling down at his brother, who flipped him two fingers, "Merlin! Wish I'd had a camera!"

Hermione tried to look stern, but obviously didn't achieve it as they both just grinned unrepentantly at her. She huffed, rolled her eyes and stomped out the room, ignoring the loud laughter behind her.

She wandered the train for a few minutes, before she came across the compartment at the back of the train where she, Harry, and Ron had always sat. She smiled nostalgically, and considering it was still empty, took a seat after stowing her trunk away in the overhead racks. She pulled out a large tome about dark magic that she'd found tucked in the back of the Prewett library, the cover disguised innocuously.

She didn't open it yet, settling it in her lap and staring out the window of the compartment as the train started to pull away from the station. She happily watched as the tall buildings of London sped by the windows, Canary Wharf - the tallest building by the 90s - conspicuously absent from the skyline.

"Hello?" She was so engrossed in her window-gazing that the sound of a voice startled her, causing her book to tumble to the floor when she jumped, "Oh crap! I'm sorry!"

Hermione quickly bent down to pick up her book. She didn't look at whoever was standing in the door yet, as she dusted the book off quickly, "It's quite alright, I was in my own world." She laughed quietly, turning to look at the person standing at the door. The laugh died in her throat as she locked eyes with James Potter. "Oh! Hello again!"