Running Year 2

Chapter Two

Harry and Hermione arrived at platform 9 3/4 with plenty of time to spare. Despite knowing Dobby wouldn't be locking the barrier again, being early couldn't hurt. As Harry came in for one last hug, Sirius assured him that they did in fact want him back for Christmas and he absolutely did not have to stay at Hogwarts and of course, Hermione was invited if her parents said yes. The two children boarded the train and entered an empty compartment, waving goodbye to their guardians on the platform below with a bittersweet smile.

The more time that passed, the bigger the bubble of children's chatter became. Friends reuniting, laughter and squealing filling the train, "This",  Harry thought to himself, "This is what Hogwarts is supposed to be about." After some time, Neville came and sat in their compartment; after the initial "Hellos" and "How were your summers", Neville couldn't help but stare at the metal sitting in Hermione's mouth. She laughed and explained. Despite knowing her braces would look out of place in the Wizarding World, they were temporary, and she already found herself smiling with the confidence she knew she'd have after they were removed.

"...and then most other days was just me and Nana having tea," Neville said with a smile as the chiming of the clock at the platform struck 11. 

"Finally," Harry sighed. Coming at 9:30 was definitely overcompensating, it felt like they'd been waiting in this little cabin forever. The sound of a couple of latecomers boarding the train at the last minute could be heard as the train began to depart. As the three Gryffindors were finally settling in for the journey, the compartment door slid open revealing two young red-heads.

"Room for us," Ron swung his trunk in as the seated Gryffindors sighed and recoiled. He threw himself down on the seat next to Neville. Ginny sat by Hermione who refused to look anywhere but out of the window at the moving platform. Harry nudged her leg slightly with his. She nodded a little. She'd be fine, she knew that, but a few hours in a compartment with the Weasleys wasn't exactly her dream. 

Harry wasn't particularly comfortable either. Ginny was staring daggers into him. Dead quiet and staring him down - Harry had to admit, while adult Ginny was cruel, child Ginny was downright creepy. After a while, she pulled out a notebook and began scribbling away in it, looking up at Harry every few words. Whether she was drawing him or writing an encyclopedia about this never-ending train ride, Harry could not tell. Either way, the compartment was stiflingly uncomfortable. Neville could not stand being sat in the middle of all this. Ron had never tried to talk to him, and if he even attempted to interact with Harry, Ron tried to bulldoze his way into the conversation. No one could tell if it was worse to sit in silence or try to conversate with the Weasleys in the cabin. Harry was trying to work out whether this, or crashing into the Whomping Willow in a Ford Anglia was a worse fate. Either way, he ended up stuck with Ronald, they both felt like a punishment. 

After what felt like an eternity, the Hogwarts Express finally slowed to a stop and the three non-Weasleys very quickly ran out of the train. Neville borderline ran towards Dean and Seamus, trying to get out of the very awkward air that still suffocated them. "Are you ok, Hermione?" she looked as though she had barely breathed on the whole ride over. 

"Yeah," she sighed, "that was just not how I wanted to start the year." She let out a slight laugh. 

Harry ran his fingers through his hair, "Yeah that could not have been more awkward. I don't know if Ron's chattering or Ginny's silence was worse." They began heading up towards the castle, the faint sound of Hagrid calling out for the first years fading out behind them. "You saw her book though, right?"

"Yep, I looked over at it and definitely saw ink appearing where she wasn't writing," Hermione smiled a little, "You wouldn't believe how she talks about The Great Harry Potter to her bestie Tom."