"Cedric, I can get my own trunk." Hermione said as she tried to persuade her boyfriend into giving her back, her trunk.

"Mimi, this is what boyfriends are for. Don't you know?" Ian winked at her.

Cedric elbowed him. "Oh shut it Ian."

"I wish I had a boyfriend." Ginny said sighing behind them.

"Not if I have a say in it." Ron yelled.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Like you can stop me." She snorted.

Ron's mouth fell open.

"Hey Cedric, Ian!" Someone yelled from ahead.

Everybody looked ahead. It was Robby and his girlfriend.

Cedric, Ian, and Robby did their fist pumps and greetings.

"Mate, where were you all summer?" Robby asked.

Cedric smiled as he looked down at Hermione. As if on cue, Hermione blushed.

"Ah, so you stole him away." Robby teased. "You my friend..." Robby put a hand on Cedric's shoulder.

"Are so horse whipped." He finished. Then ducked just in time as Cedric was going to hit him.

"We have a cabin. It on the third train. You'll know which one it is when you hear an obnoxious voice. It'll be Brice's. Don't be strangers you two." He said to Ian and Cedric. " Oh and congrats on Head boy Ced, didn't see that coming at all." Robbie said beginning to leave. But then turned around. "Ian, a certain Ravenclaw is looking for you."

Ian physically paled.

They searched for a cabin everywhere. They had stumbled upon Neville along the way. They ended up in the same cabin as Luna Lovegood. To say that with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Hermione, Luna, Ian, and Cedric in one compartment was overcrowded, was an understatement.

"I can't feel my arm." Ian joked, as Hermione was sitting so close.

"This is really way too crowded." Harry agreed, smooched on either side by Ron and Ginny.

"Well I'll have to go to the Head's Compartment soon." Cedric said pulling Hermione closer to him much to Ron's discomfort.

"You two should hang out with your friends." Hermione said. She looked pointedly at Cedric. "They probably miss you. You guys didn't get to hang out at all."

"Nah they're fine." Ian said scooting over. Since he finally had room to. "Ced and I will be stuck rooming with them for the next many months. We can use the space between us for a little while longer."

Hermione shook her head. Then looked around. What an odd bunch they made.

An awkward silence fell on the compartment as Neville looked nervously at Luna Lovegood whom was reading the Quibbler upside down.

"Are you reading that upside down?" Ian asked when he peered at last, at the other occupant of the compartment.

"Oh yes." Luna answered looking up from her magazine.

Ian blinked, and then blinked again. "Cool, I tried to perfect that skill but it never went very far." He smiled as he leaned back.

Hermione looked to her left at him then at Cedric.

Cedric had his palm to his forehead as he just shook his head incredulous at his best friend. "Ian, you're a goofus." He said plainly.

Hermione gave a slight giggle. Then another as did Ginny. Harry smiled not sure what else to do. Luna even gave a smile.

The mood in the compartment lifted.

Hermione felt horrible when they had to leave Harry. Cedric leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"He'll be fine Meems."

Hermione smiled half heartedly up at him.

"You two, tone down the honeymoon moments please." Ian said.

Hermione blushed as Cedric just laughed.

Ron grunted the whole time he was behind them.

They made it into the compartment just in time before Professor McGonagall entered the compartment.

"I would like to congratulate you all on being exceptional students. Many of you were handpicked by the Staff. But the privileges that you have, you must not abuse. It can and will be taken away faster than you can say chocolate frog." She said. "Your duties as Prefects are..."

Hermione looked around at the other prefects and to her astonishment and horror; she found that Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson were the Slytherin Prefects. Pansy caught her eye and gave her a smirk as she wrapped herself closer to Malfoy, whom acted like as if she wasn't even there.

Cedric wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist and pulled her closer to him, not even looking away from McGonagall.

Hermione smiled into Cedric's arm.

She didn't notice the jealous look that Pansy Parkinson threw her. Or the look of malice that soon replaced it.

But then she looked at the Hufflepuff prefects. She was relieved to find that it was Hannah and Ernie. She smiled at them. Ernie lifted his brow at his Head Boy's arm wrapped around her. A smile tugged on his lips. He nodded his head at her. Hannah smiled at her.

The Ravenclaws had Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil.

Hermione looked up to find that Anthony had been looking at her. She smiled at him. He turned a shade of red. Hermione cocked her head to the side as she peered at him curiously.

Ian also noticed that Goldstein had been staring at Meems.

"And now, I'll hand you over to our Heads. Head Girl, Alexi Illium." The slytherins parted to show their Head Girl.

Hermione was shocked. The Head girl was beautiful. She had long wavy blonde hair, the color of the sun. Her eyes were a piercing blue and in contrast to the pale skin around her, she had a radiant sun kissed tan. She felt Ian stiffen beside her.

Cedric's eyes widened at the sound of the Head Girl's name. Oh Merlin Lexi was the Head Girl? Of all the seventh year girls... they had to pick the one girl whom he had dated for almost a year. But then had a really horrible break up with. And he meant horrible.

"And the Head Boy, Cedric Diggory." Professor McGonagall looked at the group of Hufflepuffs for a sign of the Head Boy.

"Professor, he's over there with Hermione, Ian, and the Gryffindors." Ernie pointed out.

Everyone stared at the Gryffindors. The seventh year Gryffindor prefects parted and behind them was Cedric with his arm still wrapped around Hermione. And Ian standing beside them.

Professor McGonagall didn't quite know what to say.

"So how about that speech folks?" Ian said as he clapped for Professor McGonagall. The Gryffindors immediately joined and so did the Hufflepuffs. Ravenclaws joined and then some of the Slytherins.

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "I'll leave you all to the capable hands of the Heads."

"Hello everyone. As you heard, my name is Alexi Illium. Please call me Lexi." She looked at everyone there. Some of the boys straightened up as she passed them. They landed at last at Cedric. And lingered there. Then did the same to Ian.

Hermione looked up at Cedric.

Cedric looked down at her avoiding the Head Girl's gaze.

"First before we start, everyone sit in groups according to your grade. But Ced, come up here with me."

Everyone did as they were told. Even Cedric. But he stood as far from Lexi as he could. And well Ian...

"Ian, you're not a 5th year." Lexi said spotting Ian sitting next to Hermione.

"Oh really," Ian said sounding genuinely shocked. "That's just... how did these years fly by so fast?"

Everyone in the compartment laughed. Even Lexi and Cedric.

Lexi sighed. "Fine just stay there."

Ian gave a triumphant smile.

"What was that about?" Hermione asked her boyfriend when they got away from the Head's compartment.

Ian and Cedric shared a look.

"It's your story if you want to share it." Ian gave a gesture of raising his hands in the air.

"No Ian, it's as much mine as yours."

"Well that's fine. I tell stories better anyway."

Hermione gave a small laugh.

"Well Meems. Long story short. She was Cedric's girlfriend a couple of years ago."

Hermione stopped in mid step. She turned around to look at them. "What?"

"But she... Lexi's also the only girl that both Ced and I ever liked at the same time. And she knew it too. But when it came to the end she picked Cedric." Ian shrugged.

Hermione stared at the two of them.

"But she wasn't quite satisfied with just me." Cedric said.

"No it wasn't that." Ian sighed. "She wanted it to be like it was before when Cedric and I were competing for her. She loved it when we tried everything for her in hopes of winning her. When she picked Cedric, I gave up and she wasn't happy."

"What'd she do though that makes you two cautious?" Hermione asked.

"She played the two of us Mimi." Cedric said.

"She told me how she wished she had picked me." Ian said.

"And she told me how glad she was that she picked me."

"We almost broke our friendship because of her." The two said together.

Hermione opened her mouth then closed it again.

"How about you two catch up with your friends? I'll head back to the compartment with Ron."

"Meems." Cedric said looking at her.

"Go guys, it'll be fun. I don't want you guys to ignore your friends because of me." Hermione smiled softly.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked when she caught up to him.

"Cedric and Ian are going to hang out with their friends."

"Oh," Ron said. "Well that's good." He said pleased.

"So Ron, what'd you think of Lexi Illium?" Hermione asked.

Ron almost choked. "I'm sorry?"

Hermione looked up at him. "The Head Girl Ron."

"Um well," Ron scratched his head."She's like really bloody hot."

Hermione wanted to groan. He was not helping at all.

"What's wrong with Hermione?" Harry whispered to Ron after they had gotten back.

Ron shrugged as he chewed on his sandwich.

Hermione wished she hadn't found out that Cedric had dated Lexi Illium. Now she couldn't help but compare herself to the gorgeous Head girl. And so far she was losing.

Cedric left the compartment, after saying bye to Robby and Brice. Ian had wondered off to talk to some other friends of his.

Cedric was too busy thinking about how Hermione had reacted to finding out that Lexi was his ex that he didn't notice that two Ravenclaws were headed towards him.

"Cedric?"

Cedric looked up when he heard his name. Standing a few feet away was Cho and Marietta. He put a smile on his face. "Hey girls."

They both smiled back.

"I see you got Head Boy. Congrats." Marietta said looking at his badge.

"Thanks Marietta."

"Congrats." Cho said smiling softly at him. "How was your summer?"

Cedric smiled widely. "It was great. Meems and I got to go to spend the majority of the summer together." He said genuinely happy.

Cho's smile faltered but Cedric missed it in his excitement.

"How were yours?"

"It was fun. My dad and I spent a lot of time going to the Tornadoes games." Cho said recovering.

"Mine was great until your best friend broke up with me out of the blue." Marietta said simply.

Cedric winced.

"When you see him, tell him that she better be damn good to him." Marietta said.

Cedric looked at Marietta confused. "Sure?" He looked at Cho questioningly.

"Marietta thinks that there's a girl." Cho said.

"I know there's another girl." Marietta imputed.

"And you're okay with this?"

"Well yeah, it's better than him breaking up with me for no reason."

Cedric nodded but found no logic in it at all.

"Well I guess we should head off. See you at the feast." Cho smiled warmly.

"Okay, see you girls later."

Cedric was about to open the compartment door when it slammed open and he was face to face with his girlfriend.

"Cedric!"

"Meems."

Hermione smiled unsure. "I'm just going to change to my robes." She tried to get past him but Cedric grabbed her before she could.

"Mimi, she may seem like everything but she'd not. She's not real. You are the real thing and nothing she can do can compare to that." Cedric pulled her to him. "I love you, I never loved her. You beat her hands down when it comes to my heart."

"I'm going to barf." Ron said looking at them through the windows.

"Cedric's so sweet. Why can't I find a guy like him?" Ginny said wistfully-.

"Don't you guys think we're intruding?' Neville asked, feeling uncomfortable gaping at the couple from the windows.

"No." Both Ginny and Ron said at the same time.

Hermione laughed as Ian struggled with both his and her things. Cedric though wasn't struggling at all. "I don't get you guys all the time. You know competing to see who can carry more of my bags is quite stupid."

"No," Ian huffed as he pulled his arm up to switch the positions of the bags to give his hand a rest. "It isn't."

"I told you that you need to at least practice with the team for the exercise if nothing else."

"I have two more things than you just so you know."

"Yeah but that's because you packed two more things than me."

"Yeah well, I'm not crazy enough to come to a practice with you."

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Because Cedric's almost as much of a slave driver as Oliver Wood was rumored to be."

"I am not." Cedric said the same time Hermione and Harry said, "Really?"

"Yes." Ian answered, earning a glare from his best friend.

"Oh look there's a carriage!" Hermione exclaimed finding an empty one.

Harry and Cedric followed but quickly stopped, Cedric almost dropped one of the bags.

"What the bloody hell is that?" They asked staring at the horse like creatures pulling the carriages.

"What is what?" Ron asked.

"That there." Harry pointed.

Ron looked and so did Hermione and Ian.

"I don't see anything." Ian said.

"But..." Harry trailed off.

"It's alright. You're not going mad or anything. I can see them too."

"You can?" Cedric turned to look at their newest companion.

"Oh yes," Luna nodded. "I've been able to see them ever since my first day here. They've always pulled the carriages. Don't worry. You're just as sane as I am."

Cedric paled a little and looked at Harry.

He was looking at him too. The two shared a look.