Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, except the plot and some ocs later on. All belongs to the wonderful JK Rowling.
Rose Weasley pulled her head back into the compartment she was sharing with Al, her cousin. She couldn't believe it. After years of waiting, she was going to Hogwarts at last! Al didn't seem to share her excitement. He kept glancing out the window, looking rather gloomy, while muttering "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin, oh, please, not Slytherin," under his breath as if it were some kind of spell. She glanced down at the book in her lap—Growing Gardens is Magical!—which she had brought along for a light read.
"Cheer up, Al! You'll be fine," she said to him brightly. "We're going to Hogwarts! Oh, this will be such an exciting year!"
"Maybe," Al muttered, not paying any attention to her. The door opened to reveal a boy with blond hair and a smirk on his face. Rose winced, knowing right then who he was. Scorpius Malfoy. What was he doing here?
Malfoy's son skimmed his eyes around. "Oh. Well, if it isn't Potter and—"
"If you're going to say 'Weasel' you might as well shut up," Rose snapped coldly.
He looked slightly taken back. "I wasn't going to say that," he said.
Al still wasn't paying attention. Rose shot him a worried glance before adding, "If you have no business here, please go and leave my cousin and I alone, thank you very much."
"The rest of the train's full," he admitted finally. "There's no where to sit."
Rose raised her eyebrow. "Ahh. But don't you have all those Slytherin wanna-bes who would die to have you sit with them?" His eyes met hers. They were cold. Though something deep within their depths captivated her. Were her cheeks heating up, just slightly?
At the mention of Slytherin, Albus jumped and began chanting even louder, "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin!"
"There's nothing wrong with Slytherin," Malfoy pointed out dryly. With a glare from Rose, he closed his mouth.
"Well, I guess you could sit here," Rose answered, "Besides, it's not like we own the train or anything." Jabbing Al in the side, she hissed, "Honestly, Al!" Malfoy nodded curtly at her before sitting down next to her cousin.
The three sat in awkward silence, with the occasional "Not Slytherin," from Al. It wasn't until the cart lady came by did Al break off from his trance and bought some of everything from the cart. Rose sighed with relief. He returned a few moments later and dumped everything he carried onto the empty space beside Rose. "Pumkin pasty, Rose? Have something too, Scorpius." He asked her as he took one for himself, gesturing to Malfoy as he took a bite.
Rose shook her head. Her stomach was feeling slightly queasy, until she realized Malfoy was staring at her. "Not hungry," she muttered. "I'll take a Chocolate Frog, though." She reached over to take one, and so did Malfoy. Their hands accidentally brushed, and she instantly pulled hers back, feeling lightheaded. Merlin, what was wrong with her? Malfoy refused to meet her eye. Rose glanced down at the card she was now holding. "Al! Look, it's your dad!" She waved the card in his face.
Al laughed. He was back. The old Al. And she somewhat missed him. "I've already got five of him."
"Really?" Rose asked, surprised.
He nodded. "I've memorized the description by heart—the first wizard to survive the Killing Curse, earning the title 'The Boy Who Lived.' Most famously, for the defeat of the most dangerous dark wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort in 1998 and his work and revolutionisation of the Ministry of Magic."
Rose stared at him, her mouth dropping open and her earlier embarrassment with Malfoy forgotten. She glanced down at the card, and sure enough. "Impressive," she remarked. For the remainder of the trip, they chatted about Quidditch teams, what they possibly might do in the future, ("Dad wants me to be an Auror, but I dunno myself," Rose explained), and Hogsmeade. She avoided asking about school houses, for fear that Albus might freak out again. Scorpius wasn't too bad once you got to know him, she decided.
"Grandad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood," her father's voice echoed in her mind. Why was she thinking about that, now?
All too soon, it was time to change into their robes. Of course, Rose had already done so before getting on the train, so she waited in the aisle while Al and Scorpius changed. A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." Rose felt her heart skip a beat as she reentered their compartment. They were almost there! They packed the rest of the sweets in their pockets. As the train slowed and finally came to a stop, they had to squeeze by people to get onto the platform. By then, Scorpius was no longer with them. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! Al, Rosie! Good to see yeh!" Hagrid beamed at them above the other students. "All right there, you two?"
Albus grinned back at him. "Hagrid! We're both fine, thanks! And you?"
"Same as always. Yer parents doing well?"
"Very well," Rose replied.
The rest of the first years had gathered, so there was no more time to talk. "C'mon, follow me—any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Hagrid's booming voice echoed. Stumbling and slipping, they followed Hagrid down a steep, narrow path. It was rather quiet. Rose felt herself trip. She let out a startled shriek, but before she could collide with the ground a strong arm caught hers and pulled her back up. She spun around to face her savior, expecting it to be Al, but it wasn't. "Scorpius!"
He gazed back at her evenly. "You should be more careful," he warned.
"Er, thanks," she muttered as she watched him leave, almost bumping into Al.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid announced to the silent first years, breaking Rose out of her daze. "Jus' round this bend here."
Then…"Ooooooh!"
Rose looked with the others. A sparkling starry sky. A vast castle. It was amazing. "Quite a look, isn't it?"
"Yes," she breathed, turning to find Scorpius again. He seemed to be around her all the time. Weird.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called as they arrived at the shore. Rose, Albus and Scorpius got into one boat with another girl. "Everyone in?" Asked Hagrid, sitting in a boat all to himself. "Right then—FORWARD!"
The boats began to glide across the lake. Rose's eyes widened with surprise as she stared at the view. It wasn't long before they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles in what looked to be an underground harbor. "Everyone here?" Hagrid asked as they all gathered around him by the castle door.
Rose knew what would come next. The sorting. It made her slightly nervous, but barely. She just hoped that Al would be all right. She found herself holding her breath as the large doors creaked open in front of them.