This was written for a competition run by the HPFC, the Wand Wood Challenge, and this is my submission for Maple. This has been a stop-start piece of writing for me for months now, as I had no idea where it was going at first, but I'm quite happy with the end production.
Enjoy!
The steam of the Hogwarts Express filled her lungs once again, making her cough and splutter. It had been so long, too long, since she had been on this train. Ginny covered her hand with her mouth and tried to compose herself during her coughing fit. She stood up straight, wiping her mouth across her face. All around her people were staring. But then again, they always were. She was 'The Chosen Ones Chosen One' as Rita Skeeter had so kindly put it; she just couldn't resist a good story. It took both herself, Ron and Harry to stop Hermione exposing Rita as a unregistered Animagus.
Ginny hadn't been on the train since going back to Hogwarts after Christmas in her 6th year, two years ago; in the midst of the War. Mr and Mrs. Weasley had pulled her out of Hogwarts just before Easter that year. She didn't travel to or from school by train last year, the year she repeated 6th year, as she went to and from school by floo, as she was travelling with Hermione, Ron and Harry. Since this year it was just her, she was able to convince everyone that I could get the train by herself.
No one was here to send her off this year, which felt slightly strange. Ginny told them she wanted no fuss, even though it was her final year and she was Quidditch Captain, and they only half-heartedly disagreed; the amount of publicity the Weasley's has gotten since the fall of Voldemort was unreal. The security around the Burrow had to be reinstalled, after many failed attempts to capture juicy secrets about the Weasley's by eager journalist's and photographers.
Ginny lugged her trunk to the scarlet train, heaving it up the steps and down the endless corridors until she finally found an empty compartment. No one, not even Luna, was returning to Hogwarts this year. They've all either graduated, or decided against returning for 7th year, meaning Ginny was all alone. Not that she minded; she might be able to get some studying done this year.
As the train blew its final whistle at King's Cross, the chugs and puffs of the engines filled the air, as it pulled out of the station. Many families are waving goodbye on the platform, smiling and crying with happiness, hugging each other and yelling. A few small children were running along the platform, attempting to keep up with the train, which would inevitably win; she remembers doing this every year before she went to Hogwarts, smiling and trying to keep eye contact with her older brothers, who were turning bright red from embarrassment. When she finally got to Hogwarts, it felt weird not to be running along that platform, frantically waving and shouting as loud as possible.
Families disappeared into the distance, becoming small vibrating dots. Their loud screams and shouts and reminders soon become unheard, as the scarlet train pushes on into the deserted distance.
All around her were bright colours. The hills were a million and one shades of green, all complementing each other. The cotton candy clouds drifted in the sky above, going everywhere and nowhere. All around her she could her hushed whispers, laughing, talking and yells. That was her once, not too long ago. She'd give anything to have it back, but here she is, alone.
"Ginny?" She heard an all too familiar voice say.
"What do you want?" Knowing who it was before she even turned around. Stood at the doorway was a tall, handsome young man, with pale skin and piercing blue eyes and hair almost as white as the clouds above.
"Just hear me out." Draco spoke, a tone of begging in his voice.
"No. Why should I hear you out? After everything you've done, I never want to look at you again." She snarled her top lip curling.
"You shouldn't. But I'm hoping you will." He said. She looked at him, taking notice of all the changes. He was taller, his shoulders broader. He wasn't wearing his normal robes, but instead a plain t-shirt and jeans, his face wearing a laid-back and pleading expression- much different to the pitying and dominating look that used to be plastered on his face. His eyes were the thing that struck her most; they were still the same colour, but so different. They portrayed pain and hurt and emotion beyond all belief. But most of all they portrayed loneliness.
She sighed, rubbing her temples, knowing what she had to next was going to be tough. But she had to.
"Sit down then."oHo