CHAPTER ONE-
A small chill briefly ran down my spine as the brisk autumn wind kissed my bare neck and caused my hairs to stand on edge.
The rest of me was bundled up in multiple thick layers that my mother had, unfortunately, persuaded me into wearing. The most unfortunate part about it was that the fuzzy texture of the sweater that was on top of it all rubbed unpleasantly against my skin.
"Mum. I look like an idiot." It was the first thing I had said in a while since we had first arrived at the train station. I had tried my very best not to start up too many conversations whilst sitting in the backseat of my family's old, rusty Volkswagen Beetle, for my thoughts were traveling elsewhere at the time and I could not afford to give my mum a reason to babble nonsensically as she always did.
"Oh, quit that nonsense. That sweater was at a very high price. Would I ever let my daughter leave my house looking like a- a… whatever it is you said… an'idiot?' No. Of course not. Just ask your father!"
Of course, my father was hardly paying any attention, as he was too preoccupied with carrying my trunks that were heavy with what he liked to joke was my own private library.
I glanced down at my sweater and felt a frown form upon my lips.
Thanks to my mum, I was going to start my first day back at Hogwarts looking like my bloody grandmother in these awful clothes for Merlin's sake.
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say," I mumbled.
At last, after a tedious amount of walking beside my mother, which realistically was not very long at all, we arrived at platform 9 ¾.
My escape at last.
I could already feel that familiar, anxious excitement sprouting inside of me.
Hogwarts was what I missed and looked forward to every year.
To me, it was my real home.
London was hardly anything special, in my opinion. The more time I spent there, the more I felt like a muggle.
My mum looked as if she were about to tear up, as she did every year. She fumbled hastily around in her pockets and swiped out a handkerchief, blotting untidily at her eyes. "Oh, Clara" she sniffled, "Your father and I will miss you so much."
By now I was quite used to the fact that my mother was overly dramatic.
I gave her a smile and hopped over to wrap my arms around her in a tight embrace. "I will miss you too mum."
As soon as I pulled away, my eyes flickered over to my father.
My father was the only part of my home that I would miss. I had always been able to maintain a close relationship with my father. He was like a friend to me, someone who actually understood me.
I suppose you could say my family was a bit of a… odd bunch.
Both my parents were muggles which meant that I was a muggle born.
To be honest, I wasn't pleased with the idea of being a muggle born.
Being a witch was my greatest pleasure in life and I resented with all my heart that some people out there believed muggle-borns were to be any lower than the rest of the wizarding world.
For this reason I didn't dare tell anyone that I was a muggle born. The only ones that knew were two of my closest friends.
Other than that, however…it was something that I did not want everyone to know about. It felt like it should be personal to me.
I looked over at my father and beamed. "I will miss you!" I grinned, flinging myself at him.
Warm, tight arms lifted me off my feet and a familiar voice whispered against my ear.
"I love you pumpkin. Always."
I could sense the soft smile in his tone as he spoke to me, allowing my face to immediately brighten. That familiar, musky scent of his engulfed me and I knew it would linger on my clothes as a reminder of him for the rest of the day.
"I won't," I replied, taking one last look into his bright blue eyes before I stepped back and waved to my parents.
"Bye, Clara! Have a great year sixth year at Hogwarts!" My mother beamed, waving with one hand and still blotting hastily at her eyes with the other.
"I will! Thanks mum," I smiled.
Those were the last words I uttered to my parents before I grabbed my belongings and entered the platform.
Finally.
After I had entered the platform, I'd boarded the train and had loaded my suitcases and bags. Students bustled through the aisle of the train and I mumbled small apologies as I had to adjust to make room for them.
My fingers lightly brushed a stray chestnut brown curl away from my eyes, and I began to make my way down the train- my gaze wandering loosely about as I searched for a familiar face.
It was strange to see all the new, younger faces that boarded the train. First years always looked so excited, as if they were about to fly to the moon. And of course, there were the some of them who looked incredibly nervous and lost, without yet having made any friends. I could remember being one of those.
For whatever reason, I was starting to feel a bit like a first year again as I bustled my way through the aisle, eyes more focused on the floor than in front of me, when suddenly a hard force slammed into me and sent me sailing onto the floor. I let out a protest of pain as my arse was met with a sharp pain and my tailbone began to burn.
"Ow, that really hur-" my words caught in my throat as I turned my head up to see what was before me.
Standing before me was a tall and lean young man with platinum blonde hair and a look of utter disgust lying flat on his face.
Draco Malfoy.
Yes.
Sadly, it happened.
I fell on my bloody ass in front of Draco Malfoy, and there was no hiding the hideous look of pain that lay on my face as I mustered through the burning of my aching arse.
"Watch where you're going," he sneered, his pale eyes shooting angry daggers as he gazed down at me.
"Sorry," I mumbled, hastily scrambling to get up from the ground. As soon as I was steady on my feet again, he gave me no more than a mere glance before simply shoving past me, a bit too harshly, and stormed away, leaving me to stand there alone.
I felt heat rapidly crawl up my cheeks in pure humiliation. "What an idiot," I muttered hotly, turning sharply on my heel and stomping away in frustration.
As much as I hated it, I couldn't get rid of the burning in my cheeks.
Draco Malfoy was a bastard. That was certain.
Hadn't anyone ever bothered to teach him some decent manners? Probably not. The whole lot of those Malfoys were disgraceful.
My thoughts were shattered suddenly as I heard my name being called out from a compartment.
"Clara! Over here!" Two familiar voices called out in unison.
I turned to my right and felt my face light up, my earlier incident momentarily forgotten as I saw Agnes and Lottie, my two closest friends, sitting in a compartment together. They were beaming, waving at me and gesturing for me to come and join them.
I melted into a ridiculous grin and was inside in an instant, lurching forward to embrace my two friends.
"I missed you two!"
Agnes snorted, "You missed methe most," she stated with that same tone of superiority she always used.
Lottie, awkward as ever, wrinkled her face in what was obviously disagreement, "Don't listen to her Clara. We all know who you love the most," she frowned.
For the most part neither of them seemed to have changed that much in appearance. Agnes was still tall, her legs ridiculously long, with the same freckled face and auburn hair that ran down her back in one single braid.
Lottie was plump and pretty, with dark blonde hair and big brown eyes. She was a little bit taller than I was, which was still short, since apparently I was considered really short. I had my own objections to this matter, however.
In a matter of minutes the three of us were already laughing to the point that our stomachs hurts over silly and ridiculous jokes. I was already feeling at home as we started talking excitedly talking about our new, upcoming year at Hogwarts.
We arrived at Hogwarts after what had seemed like ages had passed by, and the air seemed to be vibrating with excitement.
I beamed as we were led into the Great Hall.
It looked absolutely splendid.
The room was lit up with hundreds of candles, and the tables were decorated wonderfully with big, golden goblets, and large, golden platters holding foods of all sorts.
The tables were already filled with students, and the room was full with the sound of loud chattering and laughter. The sound was familiar and filled you up with that warm feeling in your stomach that was so welcoming. Everyone was so happy and excited.
Lottie practically stuffed food down her throat as my two friends and I sat at our table.
The Ravenclaw table.
I raised a brow at her, then rolled my eyes after a moment, shaking my head.
"Lottie you hideous pig, will you stop stuffing your face with all that food?" Agnes sighed.
"But it's sooo good!" she protested, frowning down at her plate with eyes full of longing.
I was about to say something to them both, when I was interrupted by Agnes's sudden intake of breath, "Oh dear. Don't look now, but the beautiful boy just glanced over in our direction."
"Beautiful bo-" I began, but Lottie immediately cut me off.
"Oh!" she gasped, dropping her fork. "Oh, um… oh my. Uh… is he really looking over here?" she brushed her blonde strands away form her face nervously, wiping away some bits of crumbs that had strayed on her lips.
"No," Agnes sighed, clearly disappointed. "I swear he was though!"
I groaned, "Who are you two even talking about?"
Lottie giggled, a high-pitched, smug sound. She leaned forward closer to me with a little grin, "It's Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince. I know he's a bit of… you know, trouble… but he is just so… well…
"Lovely," Agnes finished for her, gazing off into the distance.
I wrinkled my nose in distaste. "That's ridiculous. Have you ever even had a real conversation with him, much less said helloto him? In my opinion, he doesn't seem like a very pleasant person to be around," I muttered.
Agnes and Lottie both glared at me.
Agnes rolled her eyes and looked away while Lottie frowned and bit down hard on a piece of bread.
I almost laughed.
Were they actually not speaking to me because I had belittled their idea of Draco Malfoy?
What is it that made him unique in their eyes?
Nothing,I thought.
He was just a normal person.
In fact, he wasn't even normal, he was worse.
He was simply cruel.
"I don't like him," I suddenly stated, not bothering to glance in either Agnes's or Lottie's direction, for I already knew what their reactions would be.
I didn't have to agree with what anyone else thought.
Idid not like Draco Malfoy and I knew for a fact that I bloody hell wasn't the only one in this school who would agree with that statement.