They All Love You

part four

"Anything off the trolley dears?" the trolley lady asked, peeping her head into compartment number seven. There before here was a quite complex situation. 

Firstly, you had Ron in the back right corner and Harry was opposite him, playing wizard's chess on the table set up infront of them. Hermione sat next to Ron and was reading Harry's birthday gift to her, noting the added notes and commentary in her book, quietly reading it to herself but to the others it sounded more like quiet muttering. Ginny sat next to Harry and was talking to Luna Lovegood, seated somewhat across from her and next to Hermione, showing Ginny the latest issues of the Quibbler and having an interesting conversation about pygmy puffs. Then, there was Neville Longbottom on the other side of Luna, cramped in and asleep, his head resting on Luna's shoulder. Finally, George Weasley sat next to Ginny who was writing something down in a brown leather journal only he could read.

"I'll take five chocolate frogs, let's say...three licorice wands and two pumpkin pasties for the lady!" Ron eagerly asked, winking at Hermione who only smiled and rolled her eyes at Ron. The trolley lady rummaged about her trolley for a moment and handed Ron the unusually large pile of sweets he asked for, and in exchange Ronald gave her the remaining sickles and knuts in his pocket.

"Just some Bertie Bott's Beans for me," George added, handing the old woman a coin.

"Make that two, I'll get one as well!" Luna said happily, and then the train ride moved forward. From King's Cross Station to Hogsmead Station, the train ride was excruciatingly long. Eight hours to be precise. With only two hours gone, compartment number seven was loosing its passengers to napping. With Neville still being asleep, Ron and Ginny quickly were napping soon afterwards. Ron had configured himself quite uniquely and had rested his head in Hermione's lap and awkwardly laid there, but Ron or Hermione didn't seem to mind.

George was still scribbling away in his journal, occasionally chuckling or smiling at whatever he was writing down. Hermione and closed her book for a while and stared out the window, taking in Britain's scenery. Harry was doing something similar, but was also playing with some sort of magical ball he configured and was making it move about the compartment. Luna was awake too, but she just flipped through pages of an old Quibbler magazine, her eyelids becoming heavier and heavier with each passing second.

"What are you thinking about, Hermione?" Harry questioned, noticing Hermione's unreadable facial expression.

"Just- it'll be weird going back. I love Hogwarts, but this is the first year we won't be having any..."

"Voldemort?" Harry asked.

"No, well I mean yeah no Voldemort obviously but this year we're just going to school. Regular old school, taking classes and exams. It's just...what if everything's different? So many people from Hogwarts are gone and-"

"Hermione, calm down. It'll be difficult at first, but instead of focusing on everyone who's not there we should be grateful for the one's still with us."

"I guess." Hermione said, letting out a heavy sigh. "What wise words, Chosen One," Hermione said, smirking at Harry who just smiled.

"I've had to do it for a while now so I'm sure it'll be fine," Harry said simply, giving a sad smile to nobody but himself. He would've kept conversing with Hermione but someone had knocked on the door.

"Yes?" George called out. The door very slowly opened to reveal a very nervous Draco Malfoy. Before he could even speak, George stood up immediately and looked angrier than ever before.

"Whoa, mate calm down there!" Draco said, trying to sound brave but his eyes were frightened at a very tall George, just slightly taller than Draco with his hands out infront of his chest in defense.