Platform Nine and Three Quarters
For the first time Scorpius Malfoy entered London King's Cross station at the muggle entrance instead of apparating. Many of his father's thoughts were heavily ingrained into him; that he should stick to his own house. That he should be wary of who he should make friends with, especially the Potters. If you were to look at the eleven year old boy then you would notice that he was a younger version of his father. Like many of the other witches and wizards as they had entered through from the barriers his mother, Astoria Malfoy, had noted the resemblance from the old. People who his father had gone to school with noticed the boy with the pointy chin and the sleek blonde hair. Scorpius Malfoy was indeed a Malfoy, a bystander could tell just in the way he stood.
"Be careful," Draco Malfoy warned his son. The years had been good to the middle-aged man. He had never wondered what his father had thought when he had gone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; every time he asked he was met by a stony silence. The blonde haired man watched his wife hug her son close.
"We'll write everyday if you want, darling," she held him tighter. The loss of Scorpius' twin brother when her children were smaller had weighed on her mind; Astoria knew that her living son was not as strong as his older sister had been at his age. But Ava had never depended on her family like Scorpius had. The untimely death of his brother had provoked his mother to be protective of her remaining children. She noted that her husband's attention was distracted, "What is it?"
"Oh it's just the Weasley girl, she looks a lot like her mother," he commented looking at the eleven year old girl with bushy brown hair; turning his attention back to his son, Draco Malfoy asserted, "Regardless of what people say you need to make your own choices, Scorpius." Patting his son gently on the back he helped him with his heavy, emerald dragon hide trunk onto the Hogwarts Express. All the time Draco's eyes lingered on Hermione and her children.
"Hugo! Rose!" she called adoringly across the bustle of the train station platform.
She was beautiful. And from what he heard she had indeed made a progressive leap from the person she had been at school. Promotion after promotion had followed; she herself had grown up to be amazing. He eyed her sleek straight brown hair that was pinned back. I should never have been so cruel to her, he thought helplessly.
"Rose!" he heard her cry.
"Rose whatever you do, you've got to beat that Malfoy kid in every single test!" Ron laughed. Hermione and Ginny scowled at him. "What?!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "What did I say?"
Meanwhile Scorpius was looking at the girl and her at him. A little smile was exchanged between the pair. Hermione hugged Hugo and Rose, she would miss her children but she knew they had so much to look forward to.
"The problem, Ronald, is that you're instilling the prejudices you had in you," Hermione snapped as Ron looked dumbfounded.
"Alright just don't bring him home as boyfriend, your grandpa wouldn't survive the shock," Ron laughed at Hermione's expression. Rose laughed hugging Lily promising to write to her all the time; a part of her was heartbroken because she was leaving her best friend behind her.
"Victoire and Teddy were kissing!" James looked as though he was about to throw up.
So, Teddy is dating that Weasley girl, Draco smiled. He liked his cousin, occasionally enjoying his company, though it was all too rare that he would come to the manor. He had complained too often that it was dark and dreary.
"See you later, dad," Scorpius waved goodbye hopping onto the train. He ran to the furthest end so that he could catch a glimpse of his family disappearing as the Hogwarts Express began its journey from the London train station. Out of the window he saw his father wrap an arm around the figure that was his mother. He had never seen her cry but for a moment he thought he saw her wipe something from her face. Sitting down in the compartment he beamed out at them. He was ready for the train to begin its journey.
Meanwhile, Rose laughed at her cousin's reaction to Teddy's news about wanting to date Vic. Both she and Lily had been wagering bets to see when it would finally happen. Grabbing both boys' hands she wrenched them onto the train. "I don't want to be left with the worst compartment," she ordered them both down the corridor. Reluctantly both boys followed exchanging looks of equal submitting.
Albus whispered to his cousin, "I'm glad she's your sister."
Hugo shrugged, "You wouldn't if you were her brother."
Both boys sniggered causing Rose to catch onto their joke. "Ha ha," she flicked her hair sarcastically making both boys laugh harder. They fought their way to the back of the train away from the rest of the crowd. Before the first years had been placed in a compartment at the front of the train but now they were at the back. Rose half-running kept a spare eye out for three empty seats. She was amazed at how fast they had been filled up.
"How much further?" Hugo complained as they reached the last carriage.
Rose's eyes fell on what looked like an empty compartment. Wrenching open the door she suddenly stopped, "Oh I am so sorry! I didn't see you," Scorpius looked back at her brown eyes with his grey ones.
"It's alright, you can sit in here if you want," he smiled weakly at her, "I was just reading a book." He lifted up the front cover. It read: Tales of the Old World. He grimaced, "Unfortunately, I struggle with the ancient ruins that it is written in but I think I've almost got it."
Rose giggled throwing herself into a seat beside him. Her rucksack fell neatly on the floor at her feet, "Show me...my mum's really good at translating them but I don't have the patience."
"Rose..." Albus called as he managed to make his way to the open door, "Oh I thought this was empty."
She giggled again. Scorpius smiled; he thought that it was a beautiful laugh. When a smile spread across her lips she was far prettier. "It's alright...I'm really sorry how rude of me," she blushed slightly, "I'm Rose Weasley, and this is Albus Potter, and...Where in Merlin's beard is Hugo?" Rose's eyes darted to her brother who miraculously appeared in the carriage, "And my brother... Hugo."
"Pleased to meet you," he offered her his hand. Willingly she took it smiling at him, "As I am your brother and friend. I am Scorpius Malfoy." He let his hand slip from her soft skin, holding it out to the two boys. Albus took it out of respect but Hugo only nodded, throwing himself into the corner of the compartment.
"Wake me up when we get there," Hugo grunted. Scorpius immediately sense the tension his presence was causing, but he returned to his reading, pretending that he was not aware of the resentment seething from Hugo/
"Come on Hugo," Rose kicked him hard, "Stop being a grumpy warlock."
Hugo ignored her still curling up on his side of the compartment. Albus however asked, "What are you reading?" He seemed impressed with the massive book that rested between Rose and Scorpius.
"Something from home," he showed the cover again, "Like you Rose, my father does not have to patience for it so my mother translates his work for him in the business."
"Do you like Quidditch?" Albus looked eagerly at the other boy.
"Who doesn't?" he laughed merrily.
A horn blew somewhere on the platform. A clock chimed eleven. With a roar of the engines the Hogwarts express began to move forward, all the children except Hugo looked for their parents waving enthusiastically. Once they were beyond the station the conversation resumed about Quidditch between Albus and Scorpius. Hugo all the time kept his eyes clenched shut and his teeth gritted. Rose on the other hand sat there watching her new friend and cousin having fun.