The overcrowded station freaked her out, to say the least. With children from every age running through small spaces between strangers and parents huddled around their own child, orbs glistening against the light that was above. It's not as if she dislikes the idea of affection and fun, she's just claustrophobic... and she may or may not be frowning in slight disgust of all the germs scurrying from one witch or wizard to another.
A hand was gently placed on Aurum's shoulder, her head looking up to see that it was her mother, smiling kindly at her, her almost black eyes shed a tear, a big contrast to her daughter's big golden eyes. The dark blonde haired girl smiled back at her mother, turning around to wrap her arms around her waist, a pair of arms returning the gesture.
"I'm going to miss you mum." Aurum murmured against her mother's black robes, a chuckle responded.
"I'm going to miss you too darling." Her mother leaned forward to give a soft kiss on Aurum's forehead, warmth radiating all over her body. As much as Aurum hates to admit, she truly would miss her family.
Her grasp on her mother went loose as she turns to her father, looking through the same eyes that she inherited, and the same powers they possess. She hugged her father quickly, still reluctant to due to the situation she was dragged into because of him, but still hugged him nevertheless.
Aurum let go after a few seconds, large hands on her shoulders and her eyes avoiding contact. A sigh escaped her father's lips.
"I'm sorry." Only two words were let out in a whisper, and Aurum wouldn't have caught onto them if she wasn't paying attention to her father. She only replied with a nod before walking to her nine year old brother, Wolfram.
The blond-brunet boy was upset, he wasn't crying (he heard from his grandfather that no man should let out pathetic emotions such as shedding a tear) although he felt like it, but he had to stay strong, even if there were reasons to. In response, Aurum had only just giggles and ruffled her brother's mop of a mess ("HEY! This took me a while, you know!") before giving him a kiss on the forehead and saying goodbye to Wolfram, already missing his sunshiny demeanor.
She walked towards the entrance of the Hogwarts Express, waving with a crooked smile towards her family before stepping into the train, already being greeted by a platinum haired boy.
"Draco." She slightly nodded towards him, her eyes bearing no emotions to the encounter beforehand. The latter only chuckled at Aurum's antics.
"Doing well, aren't you Goldy?" A slap on the shoulder was the response he got, before both of them laughing and smiling at each other.
They continued talking after that, walking around the train to find a compartment that was empty and suitable for Draco's liking. Their conversation went from small talk about the weather, to opinions on what house they might be sorted into, to the slight disgust on their parents' arrangement for both of their futures.
"I just can't believe father would do that!" Aurum whined when they finally found an empty compartment, Draco closing the door immediately. He nodded in agreement.
"To say that we're best friends, sure, because we are, but to be forced to betrothe someone who I only think of as a sister to me is utterly disgusting-"
"Are you saying that I'm disgusting, Malfoy?" The blonde girl said with a raised eyebrow and an amused grin plastered on her face.
"Wha-? No! I didn't mean that!" The blond snapped back, glaring at her with irritation and a hint of playfullness. "I just meant that I would rather find someone more suitable - Don't take offence on this Rosenthal - instead of having to kiss someone who I think of as a family of mine, because, for one, the idea of marrying someone within the family is just downright wrong."
Aurum snorted at his rant, "You know we're technically not related, right?"
A groan, "Yes I know, but that's not the point! The point is-"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it." She waved her hand nonchalantly, not wanting to hear the same rant for the one-hundredth time this week.
After their conversation, both Aurum and Draco started reading a book they brought with them into the compartment, enjoying the comforting silence surrounding them. That is, until Draco's stomach started growling loudly, making both of them laugh and the boy merely flicking at Aurum's shoulder.
"Oh be quiet Blondy, it's worse when it's coming from you." The blonde laughed at this, shaking her head.
"Well I'm not denying it aren't I?" They chuckled, slowly getting quieter after being able to control their breathing.
After a few seconds, Aurum stood up, taking out a few galleons and counting them to check if she's got the right amount, before excusing herself so that she could find the trolley to buy both of them some food (and maybe even some chocolates).
She didn't realise that the train was moving until she got out of the compartment, nearly tripping over her own two feet, but in the process caught herself from embarrassment. The blonde breathed in, closing her golden eyes before opening them, a different colour was replaced and she started walking steadily around the train.
While walking around the corridors, Aurum saw a girl looking around in each compartment, her brown curls bopping up and whenever she moved. Curious as ever, Aurum tilted her head and examined the girl for just half a minute, taking in what the hell is going on; she seemed confident, the prideness on her face shows it, and she seemed quite witty although the stance and the movements of her lips could mean something else.
Then suddenly, the girl turned around and looked at Aurum with wide eyes, surprise to see someone standing there, giving her a good fright.
"Do you have to stand there and not speak a word?" The curly-haired girl exclaimed, a hand on her heart as if she needed to keep her oxygen-pumping organ in check. Aurum just shrugged.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to." She meant it sincerely, she really did, but growing up in a household full of cold purebloods, habits come into play and it's hard to shake it off.
The brunette shook her head, her curls bouncing and moving wildly as if it had a mind of its own. "That's alright, just did not expect to see anyone out here..." She then proceeded to take a one over of the blonde before her brown eyes locked with the now blue ones.
And to say that Aurum was surprised was an understatement. She was fascinated. For a colour so common and dull and lack of any uniqueness, the blonde found it was such an interesting colour; it was dark brown, but not too dark to be considered black, and there was a lighter outline, almost chocolate-like. She didn't know what to expect, but she just found them just so nice to look at.
A gasp broke Aurum out of her thoughts, and she realised that the brunette was looking both shocked and excited. The girl was confused, frowning slightly.
"What? Is there something on my face?" Aurum went to touch her face to feel if there were anything on it, such as saliva. The brunette simply shook her head.
"No, it's just- your eyes- they're-they're my colour." And with that Aurum's eyes widened, making them change back to its original gold colour.
"I-I'm Sorry, i didn't mean to scare yo-"
Flailing arms were then in her view, "No, no! You didn't! It's just..." The brunette fidgeted, looking nervous as ever. "I've never met a metamorphagus before." The last few words descended into a whisper, and Aurum was thankful for having such good hearings.
She chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her neck, "Uh, yeah, it's pretty rare, but it runs in the family so..." The other girl just smiled in return, nodding her head rapidly, looking ready to listen to more about it.
But, for some reason, she jumped and a finger was pointing up at the ceiling, the hand just above her head. "Oh! I almost forgot!" She then pushed her hand towards Aurum, smiling slightly, "My name's Hermione. Hermione Granger. And you are...?"
Aurum looked at the hand first, going through all the pureblood surnames thst might have the name 'Granger' in It before brushing the thought aside and shook the hand in return. "Aurum. Aurum Rosenthal."
Hermione smiles widely, "Pleasure."