Chamber of Secrets-Book 1 (Hermione X Male Reader)

All Abroad The Hogwarts Express

It had now been a while since my last trip to Diagon Alley and between then and now, I had managed to spend more time with both Harry and Ron, gradually getting to know them. From what they had said, their first year was chaotic and yet they never went into enough detail about what had happened and with who. Through our conversations, I had also learned of the burden brought by the scar on Harry's head and the story behind it. Never would I have thought that such a story could exist in real life and for me to part of it was completely insane. However, I knew my boundaries and kept my curiosity at bay and found myself nervous for my first trip to Hogwarts, a wizarding school of which I would be attending as a new breed of wizard. Today was that day and as I held onto the back of the trolley, I wheeled myself to what looked like a perfectly normal King's Cross.

"I thought this place was meant to be a secret from the normal muggle world?" I asked Ron as we walked side by side above the platforms. "Do we just hop on any normal train and go through some rift or something?"

"It is a secret from the normal world and that means we can't go onto any normal train. You see that platform there? There's a gateway between both it and Platform 9 and 3/4. It's quite hard to explain actually so how about we all show you."

Heading down to the platform, I watched in eager anticipation as both the twins lined up to run straight into a wall. Wait am I going crazy or is that just a wall? Before I knew it they had already begun to accelerate and built their speed up leading to their transportation through the brick structure. I mean this is only an entrance to another platform and I'm already amazed. I have a funny feeling this is going to be like something way beyond anything my imagination could muster. Lining up after Ginny, I gulped feeling the heat come across my face as I thought of the embarrassment if I ran straight into the wall and rebounded onto the floor. Feeling a hand on my shoulder once more, I turned to face Arthur smiling at me.

"The first time is always the worst. Nerves are natural so just do your best to be yourself. That's all anyone could ask for right? Now let's do this. Together?"

"Together," I said once again looking towards the entrance. Taking my first few steps forward, Arthur also began to accelerate and before I knew it I was hit with the hustle and bustle of a rush-hour platform and my eardrums were pierced with the high-pitched whistle of a train. Nearly losing myself amidst the craziness again, both Arthur and Molly looked at me with parental love reassuring me that I was going to be fine and that should anything happen, they were only a letter away. Noticing the absence of my two closest friends, I was once again reassured that both myself and themselves would be alright and that magic had a funny way of making things work. Clambering onto the train, I looked amongst the carriages for anyone I could remember from the brief descriptions I had been told by my now lost mates. After what had must've been near enough 10 minutes, I noticed the girl...Hermione wasn't it?...and another boy sitting rather solemnly in a compartment by themselves. Knocking on the door politely, I let myself in taking a seat next to the boy and his pet frog.

"I don't think we've met. You must be Neville," I say performing my best smile. "Both Harry and Ron speak very highly of you."

"R-really? That surprises me but then again they are nice. Sorry if I can't remember you from last year but who are you?" he said still holding onto the frog in his two hands.

"I'm Y/N and don't worry, I wasn't here last year actually. This is going to be my first experience of a magic world. And I'm sure you don't remember me Hermione but we met briefly at the book shop. I hope to get to know you much better during the year."

Looking up from her book, her stare once again pierced me, staring deep into my soul and mind as if to probe it for any kind of inside information. "Of course I remember you," she said as if I had just said something extremely rude. Judging from her action prior to killing me with her viscious glare and her answer, one would understand that she was what you could refer to a "nerd"...not that there was anything wrong with that. Actually, that would be my ideal type of girl back in the real world.

"Sorry I didn't mean to offend you. I just thought you wouldn't remember me amongst the craziness of the bookshop as well as the shortness of our conversation," I say sincerely trying to get on her better side. I was pleased to find that her shoulders relaxed a tad more upon my apology. "I completely understand if you don't feel comfortable around me just yet but I do hope we can find a way to get along. I guess I can go find another compartment to sit in but it was nice seeing you again and nice meeting you Nevil-"

"No, maybe I was...a tad harsher than I should have been," she said looking down towards my feet with a slight sobriety. "I have no problem with you staying in here for the journey it's just...wait have you seen Harry and Ronald?" she questioned noticing the absence of the two boys.

"I'm afraid not. They didn't make it past the entrance to the platform but Molly and Arthur reassured me that they would be fine so I wouldn't worry," I say telling my side of the story. "Sorry I only just noticed you were reading. I must have disturbed you from before so please, carry on. Besides, I'd like to find out a bit more about things and I'm sure Neville would be willing to help," I say looking to Neville for any sign of support with leaving this conversation. I just know that before you could guess it, she'd begin to question my past and although I had come up with a suitable back story with both Molly and Arthur over the past few nights, I still didn't want to have to delve into it without telling the boys first. So the first proportion of the journey was just as I had planned with a nice lengthy conversation about Hogwarts and Neville's family before he left in chase of his escapee frog leaving only me and the girl who had snuck glances every now and then. Whether this had been in order to study me or find out my reactions to things, they didn't go unnoticed as she had planned.

"So whatcha reading?" I asked her trying my best to start a conversation. "Must be interesting considering you've been completely occupied by it throughout the journey."

Breathing a sigh of relief at her belief of me being oblivious to her glances, she looked once again towards me proclaiming "It's the textbook about herbology. I'm sure Harry and Ron have made fun about my bookworm habits, haven't they?" she answered with a pang of sadness in her voice.

"They...may have mentioned a thing or two about your studious style but I can only commend you on that. Knowledge gets you much more than just grades on a piece of parchment or a place in a school and it takes a pretty special person to achieve such good grades whilst studying way beyond the syllabus," I say from older experience having gone through plenty of exams back in my 16-year-old self's world.

"That's exactly what I've been telling them since the start of last year. They're just too reckless and careless to understand just how important classes are, even if you are the chosen one or not. And don't get me started on Ronald. I like to expand my horizons and I find enjoyment in the understanding of all this magic," she said getting carried away in her speech. "Sorry. I get into it and-"

"Don't be sorry at all. If you're passionate about something, be expressive about it. Is that the One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi book?" I say finally finding a spark of happiness in her.

"Ah yes, it is. Do you plan to start learning before we arrive?" She says with a kindling of hope that I might join her.

"If it can keep the mighty Hermione entertained I might have to give it a shot...not that I could get anyway as far as you have into it...jheezusssssss," I laugh noticing the small proportion left for her to read before she'd be finished.

Looking down at my own book, I once again feel her look towards me but this time I notice her mouth forming into a small smile.

A/N: Sorry for not updating in a long long time. I understand this is the most frustrating thing but I promise to try my best to get back into it. Once again leave me with your thoughts on this proper introduction to Hermione and I'll catch all of you in a bizzle.