Post by Alexa Raven on Jul 22, 2011 9:25:20 GMT -5
Kings Cross Station
Platform 9 3/4ths
September 1st 1999
A cloud of smoke and steam surrounded platform 9 3/4ths as a young woman made her way exiting the magical barrier that separated the magical from the muggle world. For a moment the woman took in the sight before her. Her brown hazel eyes were drawn to the splendor of the Scarlet steam engine that was the cause of the steam and smoke surrounding her and the other passengers on the platform. Around her the platform was alive with motion as families bustled to and tho. The sounds of Owls hooting in their cages came to her notice as she waved her wand a moment and levitated it behind her as she made her way to stand now before the Hogwarts Express.
The Hogwarts express or better known to Hermione Granger more fondly as her Scarlet Train of Dreams. It was to her that in fact, a train of dreams as it had carried her to her school,Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For a moment as she looked at the train with it's black and crimson paint she felt a sadness as she knew this would be the last time. Seven years ago she had first set off on this train for a journey that had changed her life and now it would soon come to an end. 
“This is the last time,I will surely miss you my beloved train of dreams.”
Hermione whispered this as she walked to the porter who was checking in the trunks and placing them on the train. As Hermione stopped she smiled at the man and he handed her a ticket of claim for her trunk. 
“It seems that congratulations are in order Miss Granger. “
These words of congratulations came from a pleasantly plump older gentleman who removed his bowler hat as she had approached and he now smiled. Bert was known to Hermione as he always took her trunk and those of the other students and she had begun to like him the first time she met him. He was a jolly man who was around her own Grandfather's age and he had a twinkle in his green eyes. He for a moment removed his spectacles and then cleaned his glasses on his shirt sleeve and then he looked again at the badge on her lapel with delight. “Hello Bert, thank you I am pleased myself with the appointment. How has your day been so far?”
Hermione asked this as she tightened the straps of the beaded handbag she attached to her wrist as carry on. Bert looked around a moment before telling her and asking her. “It's been alright miss, where is Crookshanks? I brought him a fish for his journey but you have not brought him? “
Bert asked as he pulled a rather large mackeral out of a bag he had on the side of his stand and Hermione shook her head.
“Sad to say he won't be coming to school with me this year, he was hit by an auto and died two weeks ago. But thank you for thinking of Crooks Bert. He really liked you and I am happy that you were friendly with him. Thank you it means a lot to me.”
Hermione could feel the tears in her eyes but she bid them away as Burt looked sad at her a moment and nodded. “You were a good Missy to him and I liked him a lot. I am sorry he left you to board Merlin's train and you'll see him again someday. Alright you run along and cheer up a bit and I will have Magda bring you some chocolate as I don't have any in my pocket at the moment. Again, I'm sorry Miss. “
Hermione nodded knowing that she didn't want to hurt his feelings but she wasn't in need of chocolate. She was in need of however solitude and she just nodded and she told Bert quietly.“Thank you but I’m fine. He had a good life and I will see him again in heaven. Take care Bert and it's Hermione you know.” “Yes Hermione I know.. Thank you for what you and Harry Potter did for the wizardry world. Mr Potter and Mr Weasley have already boarded go run along and see your friends.”
Hermione just smiled and didn't reply as she made her way to the entrance and for a moment placed a hand on the railing and smiled. Despite the sadness that nostalgia had brought her for the moment, she was excited to be going to school. Hermione usually wasn't one to allow sentimentality to get the better of her emotions but this would be the end, the end of her journey at least to Hogwarts.
Her life would change of course after this.
She stopped in front of the doorway to the Head students car and for a moment took a calming breath to compose herself. Her shiny gold badge with the initial HG for Head Girl,was pinned neatly to her jacket lapel as she took the handle and opened the door and was surprised that the car seemed a bit more roomy than the usual she sat in with her friends. She for the moment just rummaged inside her small bag and then pulled out a book in black leather binding with golden trim and took a quill out of her bag as well as she began to write her thoughts.
Hermione had decided to keep a journal this last year and as she began to write she just for a moment stretched her legs out before her and was glad for the leg room. True she wasn't very tall at five feet of height but it always seemed to her that her legs were always cramped a bit by the time she always arrived at school when she sat in the other compartments.
Hermione began to write her thoughts as she had boarded the train and the details of the private Heads Car. She for a moment stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth as she was thinking and was so caught up in her thoughts and writing she did not hear the door open or notice the man who stepped into the car with her.
Her head was bent over her work and her wand was sitting on the seat next to her. Had she seen the man enter she'd be holding that said wand in her hand as finally a chuckle broke her of her reverie and she looked up to see a smirking Draco Malfoy looking down at her.