"Harry, mate, I don't understand…" Ron tried for the hundredth time, as he kept nudging on his friend's shoulder, their feet tracking their way outside of the train. Harry didn't budge though, and kept a confident stride as he tried to figure out where Draco Malfoy would be. It was a bit odd, this epiphany he had, but it excited him.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Hermione finally quipped, again, for the hundredth time. Harry didn't have to look back to know that Ron was giving the bookworm a mixed looked of astonishment and confusion, and in his mind he counted the seconds that it would take for her to give his best mate an eye roll. This then earned a sort of grumble from Ron, and a smirk to Harry's face.
"I've never been more so." Harry muttered as he looked back and offered a sort of a sheepish look, as if that'd smooth out any worry or thoughts from her mind, but they both knew it wouldn't. Still, he did it all the same.
"I can do this alone, honest, I appreciate it but…" Harry began as he slowly came to a stop, and turned back to his friends. Ron of course running into Hermione, but somehow the woman always knew the moves Ron would make and braced herself. For some reason, a thought Harry wouldn't mewl over, Ron's sheepish look seemed to melt Hermione bit by bit in apology. "Please." Harry affirmed, startling the accidental moment. These things seemed to happen often and thus Harry was now use to breaking them.
"Ronald and I will be down a few compartments with Neville, Luna and Ginny." Hermione sighed, as if she was defeated, but Harry knew he'd be drilled with questions. Hermione always managed to ask the right questions, so indirect, that Harry would spill more then he'd actually need too; in direct questions with horrible confessions. This is what brought the realization that him and Ginny wouldn't work, and the pressure from Hermione for 'honesty'. Though honestly, Harry was never good with talking and before he knew it Hermione had intruded in doing it herself.
Harry watched the two go, but was startled by the sound of a whistle. All aboard. As Harry boarded the train, and quickly went into the nearest compartment, he was met with quite the surprised.
Looking evidently uninterested, Draco Malfoy stared at Harry Potter with a potion's textbook in hand. Although that wasn't exactly the surprise that Harry felt. Yes the pure coincidence of finding one Draco Malfoy so fast was shocking, it was actually Malfoy's entire demeanour though. Draco, having been let off in his trials, seemed to look considerably brilliant. Draco's normally pale skin had a tint of peach to it, making him look rather well and alive. His grey eyes had just the tiniest of blue to them, as if some sort of relaxation had finally found its place. His hair was almost a vibrant white instead of the blond, and the tension held in his shoulders was one of purpose and not of discomfort.
Draco arched a brow at Harry, and Harry realized he'd been gaping: Which he was entitled too, because Harry had expected Draco to be living a miserable life. Not that Harry wanted Malfoy to be entitled to misery, that'd serve no purpose in his previous savings of the Slytherin boy, but he was still confused. Would the boy be depressed? Slightly shaken? Did he have nightmares? Was Draco Malfoy suddenly prone to only being sodding perfect? Was he even human? Why couldn't he make sense of this Draco Malfoy!
"Charms do wonders." Draco drawled, as he broke his gaze, and returned to his book. This brought a gross face to Harry, because Draco sounded more bored with him then annoyed. Harry was not comfortable with that tone. So, Harry did the thing he knew best when it came to his rival, challenge the bloke. He sat down.
Draco looked up again and arched a brow, and Harry studied Draco intently. Draco didn't need to say anything, his gaze screamed – Really? Harry then looked concerned almost, then saddened, then a bit like he forgot something as he grabbed into his jacket. "Here."
Draco looked down to notice his wand, and then returned his gaze back to Harry.
"Just take it wo –"he began but was caught off by Draco.
"Things go alright then?" Hermione asked as she sorted a pile of books, which seemed odd, but then the notion came that they were Ron's and not Hermione's. It was sickening how perfect they seemed.
"Draco took the wand." Harry shrugged off far to easily.
"Draco?" Neville and Ginny repeated which earned an eye roll from Hermione.
"What's happened?" Ron asked, returning with Luna, as he returned to the compartment in time to see Hermione's eye roll. The Looney girl looked to Harry and at everyone else and sighed happily.
"Harry's found love." Luna decided as she began to read her father's newspaper upside down.
"That's not possible, he was just with Malfoy, returning his wand."
"I don't think returning is the right word for it." Luna said rather softly, as she looked up at the ceiling. Everyone in the room besides her and Ron flushed a very bright red, Harry the post. "You look like Christmas Harry." Luna noted as she stared at the boy now.
"Wait, hold on a minute." Ron finally began - his hands out in almost odd fathoming way.
"I've finished sorting your books." Hermione interrupted, causing Ron to turn to his girlfriend.
"But 'Mione I don't…"
"MALFOY!" Draco heard distantly as he looked up from his wand, an arch in his eyebrow, with a look that read – Really?
