Authors Note: Hey, so this is my first Draco/Harry story and its set at Hogwarts. It is an Eight Year fic! If enough people review and enjoy it I shall continue=D If there is any spelling or grammar mistakes they are my own and not my wonderful Beta's fault! So hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K Rowling.
Prolong: Returning
Platform nine and three quarters looked exactly as it always had despite the war. Harry couldn't help feeling happy and a little odd at this. It was a nice feeling that something's could still be as wonderful and untouched by the horrible atrocities that had taken place before the summer but there were so many people who weren't here to enjoy it too.
Shaking his head from his dark thoughts he focused on the milling crowd around him of anxious parents sending their children off for the first time and for the thousandth time to Hogwarts one of the best schools for witchcraft and wizardry.
He had gotten separated from Hermione and Ron but quickly spotted the bright red hair of his adoptive family saying goodbye to the new couple. Fred and George were still taunting Ron about how Hermione was way out of his league but she quickly put an end to it with one of her famous glares that could probably rival Professor McGonagall's.
Harry smiled to himself as he walked over getting a tight hug for the millionth time from a teary eyed Molly Weasley and a hand shake from Arthur Weasley who also looked concerned.
Everyone had enjoyed the summer and the death of Voldermort had certainly made for a happier existence but people still had the battle at the back of their minds and were still trying to move forward with their lives.
Harry quickly said his goodbyes and went looking for a compartment when he saw a few reporters hovering nearby and he started to get sick of some of the gaping and awe struck looks that some students and parents continued giving him.
He had hoped some of his "boy saviour" status would have faded over the summer but it was still going strong thanks to the agreement for last year's seventh years to return to Hogwarts as eighth years.
The students who were at the school last year barely learned anything and most were coming back with the students like Harry and his friends who were not able to attend at all because of the war.
Harry snagged an empty compartment and waited for his friends to join him. Just as he had lain his head back against the chair the door slid open and in walked Draco Malfoy.
The blonde looked a little shocked but also determined and grey eyes flashed at Harry before he slid the door shut.
"Hello Potter" said Draco
"What is it Malfoy?" asked Harry suspicion colouring his voice as he made sure to keep a hand on his wand that was tucked inside his sleeve.
There was a long pause where neither boy said anything and Harry made the decision to be patient. It wasn't like Malfoy had his trade mark sneer and it made him curious.
"I wanted to say thank you for returning my wand over the summer" said Malfoy now not looking at Harry and instead focusing on his shoes.
Harry couldn't say anything for a few moments but when Malfoy was about to exit looking now extremely uncomfortable at the stretched silence that had welcomed his words, his brain suddenly started working again.
"No problem Malfoy" he said remembering the day at the beginning of the summer after the trials had taken place clearly in his mind.
He had spoken up in defence of Malfoy and his mother who were hoping to avoid the same faith as Lucius Malfoy who was to be sent back to Azkaban for at least twelve years.
After their court hearing Harry had approached mother and son with a sincerer thank you for their help during the war and for saving his life, he had then given a flushed and shocked Malfoy heir back his wand before saying a quick goodbye as he disappeared back into the trial chambers for further questioning.
Malfoy was obviously thinking about that day to for he said;
"Well you left so quickly I didn't get the chance and I wasn't sure where you were staying over the holidays so I couldn't owl you and..., well like I said thank you."
And with that little mumble which was so un-Malfoy like it shocked Harry even further, he left the carriage quickly.
Harry was left sitting staring at the closed carriage door with a frown in the middle of his forehead. Malfoy was always so articulate and well frankly a huge git so it made sense for Harry to feel surprised but what he couldn't understand was why he felt happy about that little exchange.
After trying to figure it out without much success he put it down to the fact that he was looking forward to a peaceful, trouble free year and if Malfoy had decided to play nice it would definitely ensure that.
Before he could contemplate it further Ron and Hermione entered the compartment bickering over something or other but their fond looks told Harry they weren't really going at it so it was safe for him to join in.
They spent the rest of the journey talking and laughing and eating sweets from the trolley just like their past trips returning to Hogwarts but still; at the back of all their minds they wondered what it would be like to return again and if it would be the same or completely different. Most importantly would those changes be for the best or for the worst?
Draco had no idea why he had decided to slide out of his compartment and leave the relative safety of his Slytherin companions in favour of searching for the compartment Potter was in. He just knew that once he had seen him separate from the Weasley clan and get on the train alone that this was the best opportunity he would have of talking to the boy saviour by himself.
Draco had nearly driven himself crazy over the summer with his decision on whether to return to Hogwarts or not. Even if the fact that his mother and Draco had changed sides before the war ended people still hated them and considered them nothing but death eaters.
Draco had always cared about what people thought of him and over the summer he determined that were he to really make an attempt to reclaim some of the Malfoy good name that had been tarnished then he would have to change that.
Of course that was easier said than done and he had been conflicted during the entire summer holidays trying to plan out each and every option but in the end it came down to the fact that if he didn't try and overcome the abuse he was bound to receive he could kiss any chance of ever having any sort of career goodbye. Especially without having taken his NEWTS.
That accompanied with the desire to be away from the manor for more than walks around the grounds finally helped him to make his decision.
It had absolutely nothing to do with seeing the boy who lived or the excuse he would have of talking to him.
Draco hadn't been surprised when Potter had vouched for himself and his mother during the war, after all, the boy had a huge thing for saving people, a hero complex. He had too, why else would he have saved Draco that awful day from the fire in the Room of Requirement? He shivered at that memory and quickly moved on from that train of thought as he searched compartments for which one Potter was in.
What had shocked him was that he had willingly approached them after the trials and had thanked them. Nobody was around so it wasn't to look even more like a hero or anything like that. From what Draco could see he didn't have anything to benefit from that little exchange.
This also added to Draco's troubled summer. Why would Potter his enemy thank him? Did he want to make peace? Was he setting Draco up? It frustrated him to no end that he could not understand why Potter did what he did and he wanted to know why.
Luckily he had the perfect excuse for approaching him. He would thank him for returning his wand and get some answers. He knew he was risking getting cursed at or being subject to Potter's obvious hatred and anger for him but he couldn't help himself.
However, when he did finally locate Potter all the things he wanted to say went out of his head and like he always did around Potter he had no idea what to say. And now he couldn't resort to insults or else his goal to just get through this year without any trouble would go out the window.
He felt very out of sorts and even more so when Potter made no move to hex him or showed no trace of anger towards him. The stupid scar head had been even more confusing than ever.
He left quickly before the train became crowded with students and made it back to his own carriage without any encounters with anyway much to his relief.
Blaise was reading a Quidditch Magazine and Pansy was painting her nails a horrifically bright green when he slipped in.
"And where did you sneak off to?" asked Pansy in a bored voice not looking up from her task.
"Wanted to look for the food trolley" replied Draco looking out the window and not seeing the look Blaise and Pansy shared. His mind was already gone replaying his encounter with Potter and what would be awaiting them for the coming year.
Draco could tell Pansy and Blaise were both concerned about their positions on returning as well. Pansy had even more of a reason to fear then even Draco; what with her ill attempted sacrifice Potter plan failing spectacularly and all. Draco couldn't help grin a little at that thought trying to hide it from his friends as they travelled through the countryside to Hogwarts.
A/N: Ok hope you enjoyed and please any thoughts or feelings would be a huge help! =D
