THE TIES THAT BIND

By Dragonmage

Rating: R (eventually)

Characters featured: Mostly an original character and Draco. Although Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville are key players.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowlings owns Harry Potter and all things tied up therein. Me? I'm borrowing her world and people and having a wee bit of fun with them. No profit bein' made, so don't sue me... I ain't got anything worth takin' anyway. That said...

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The red steam engine that was the Hogwarts Express sat huffing and puffing along side Platform 9 & 3/4 on a sunny September morning at King's Cross Station in London. A reasonably controlled, if loud, group of students (with a few adults mixed in) stood around watching their baggage being loaded onto the train while chatting with their fellow classmates about their various adventures and mishaps over the summer break from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. One rather orderly group of teens stood slightly apart from the throng: except for two boys quietly haggling over a trade of Famous Witches and Wizards cards, the others were listening to a bushy brown-haired girl relating one of her adventures.

"Then Mum got her dress caught in the lift doors and if Dad hadn't have-" a soft tap on Hermione's shoulder stopped her mid-sentence.

"Sorry, um... I'm new here and... could you tell me if this is the Hogwarts Express?" The group, en masse, turned to eye the stranger. A raven-haired girl with emerald green eyes stood behind them holding onto a cart full of baggage looking for all the world like she would have preferred to be anywhere but there at that moment.

"Yes, it is the Hogwarts Express. I'm Hermione Granger... and you are?" Hermione asked with that annoying edge to her voice that she only adopted when she felt she was addressing a complete idiot. The girl looked both relieved and startled by Hermione's reply.

"Er... Conners... Lillith Christine Conners. I tend to go by Chrissy. It's nice to meet you... Her-my-o-knee? Hermione, got it. Sorry, first time hearing that name," the girl blushed as she continued talking. "I'm a transfer... in from the States... Eaglewing, actually..." she gave a nervous laugh.

Hermione eyed the new girl for a moment, sizing her up. 'American. Reasonably attractive... I suppose... seems friendly enough.' Before she could say a word, Harry Potter, a dark-haired boy with glasses, pocketed his Wizard cards and offered the new girl his hand. "I'm Harry, welcome to Hogwarts. This is Ron, Ron Weasley." A tall boy with copper hair and freckles standing next to him waved sheepishly. As Chrissy shook Harry's hand a tingle both hot and cold at the same time raced through a lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead. Thankfully, it passed so quickly he barely had time to wince. 'Strange,' he thought as he continued the introductions.

"That's Ginny, Ron's little sister. She's a Fourth Year". Harry said nodding to a red-haired girl standing next to Hermione. "Hermione introduced herself, but don't fret; she's usually much friendlier. And this is Neville Longbottom." He motioned to a round-faced boy standing between Ron and Ginny. Ginny was grinning at her older brother who was still waving awkwardly at Chrissy, a stupid look on his face. Neville smiled shyly and murmured a greeting that was mostly lost in the background noise of the other students on the platform.

"Pleased to meet you all. I'm heading into my fifth year. Who's a Fifth Year?" Everyone's hands went up save Ginny's, who began visibly pouting. Chrissy stepped over to her and gave her a friendly hug, "It's alright, Ginny. I had lots of friends in different years than I was."

"All aboard! All aboard! Train'll be leavin' soon!" The conductor shouted as the whistle blew. He began making his rounds, ushering the reluctant youths onto the train.

"Well, come on," Ginny said excitedly dragging Chrissy towards the train. "We'll help you with your things and you can tell us all about yourself onboard. You'll love Hogwarts. I hope you get into Gryffindor, be a shame if you went into another house after making friends with us. Gryffindor is the best house at all of Hogwarts!." Chrissy laughed as young Miss Weasley led her into a car. The rest of the group followed, smiling.

"Psst...Harry. I think she likes me," Ron said in a hushed voice as they hefted Chrissy's trunk onto the train, Harry grinned at his best friend while Hermione grimaced and muttered something about castrating Ron for the good of the Wizarding World as she elbowed past.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I can't believe she's standing there talking to Potter and his little group of Muggle-lovers!" Draco announced incredulously as he slammed into the car with his cronies Crabb and Goyle on is heels, each looking equally uncomfortable, stupid and dangerous - their natural state. Frowning at him from one of the seats sat Pansy Parkinson, a fellow Slytherin House student, along with a few of her girlfriends. She obviously didn't appreciate Draco's interest in the new mystery girl. Draco growled and strode past, hearing Pansy say "As if I should care, but really... an American of all things. I heard her horrid accent earlier...' The sound of her friends rushing to agree with her was a quickly fading buzz as he continued to the far end of the car. Settling down on one of the plush cushioned seats, Draco went over his brief meeting with the girl trying to understand why she was still on his mind.

He'd been walking, servant in tow, towards the stone barrier entrance to Platform nine & 3/4 at the Muggle train station. As usual, it was bustling with the pathetic creatures going about their meaningless lives. A dark-haired girl stood blocking his path, holding onto a cart heavily-laden with a trunk, chests and a draped cage of some sort. Looking about wide-eyed, she held onto the cart as if it contained her only earthly possessions. Normally, he would have snarled and shoved such a person aside, but she turned around and caught him with a pair of emerald green eyes - a shade too dark to be anything but stunning. They sparkled briefly as she offered him a smile. 'Well, of course she smiled.' he thought.' I'm bloody gorgeous.'

"Pardon? Are you trying to get past?" The girl asked. "I... I can move. But I'm a bit lost, you see," she said tugging the cart a bit closer.

"Really? How surprising. I'm busy, can't help. Sorry," he sneered and started to move past her. But those eyes held him, looking shocked... a little hurt... and a lot lost. He sighed, "Alright, alright. Where exactly are you trying to go, miss?"

"Um... sounds silly, I know... but... Platform 9 & 3/4?" She quickly rushed on. "You see, that's where my parents told me to go before they were off, they couldn't stay to help me .. um, ..find my train. Afraid I might have misheard. I can see platforms nine and ten, but..." she looked around perplexed..

Draco chuckled to himself, 'new bird at Hogwarts. This holds promise.' He cleared his throat before speaking. "I see. Well, I just happen to be headed there myself... Miss?"

"Oh, sorry. Conners, Lillith Christine Conners. Um... you're really going there? To the... um... Express?"

'Adorable, in a peasant sort of way. Hinting at it rather than risk blurting out about the Hogwarts Express to a Muggle. Muggle? Wait one minute! She thinks I'm a Muggle!' His eyes narrowed for a second. "If you mean the Hogwarts Express, then yes. Any other sort. No! " He snapped indignantly.

She blinked at Draco for a moment and then spoke carefully. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... offend. I didn't think you were a... not really... I was just being careful. Please, could I follow you to the train? I'm... really sorry we got off on the wrong foot. Um..." She glanced around the bustling station and then back at him. "I'd really like to go into my new school with a friend or two. Could I... maybe... um... buy you a drink or something once we're on the train? You know... chat... make nice?"

'Make nice? By Merlin's beard, she's an innocent little thing. All the more fun to educate,' he thought smiling lecherously. "Of course, I can understand. New school, strange Muggle station... clearly you were just... confused. This way, Miss Conners."

"Chrissy, my friends call me Chrissy," she offered pushing her cart after his retreating form.

"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," he replied in a distracted tone. The entrance was a few feet ahead when he stopped.

"Draco? That means dragon, right? Cool... I mean, interesting. Malfoy? Does that mean anything?"

"'Bad faith' in French."

"Weird." She said, looking embarrassed.

"Yes, it is." He smiled at her. " So... ready?"

"Um... yes." She glanced around, curiosity plainly written across her exotic features. Draco nodded at his servant who strode right through the stone barrier dividing platforms nine and ten, much to Chrissy's shocked expression

"You next." Draco purred and motioned graciously for her to go first. She hesitated, eyeing the barrier suspiciously. Draco slipped behind her as she stared at the wall, enjoying the little jump and squeak his proximity garnered, and gripped the cart around her, his hands resting nonchalantly over hers. "I see, bit scared, eh? I think I can help."

He pushed the cart a tiny bit, just enough to make her step forward and then quickly built up speed and hurried them through the entrance.

"See? Not that scary, was it? Chrissy? I do hope you are placed in Slytherin House. I'm sure you'd be... an excellent... addition to the house. Ta." Chrissy shifted uncomfortably as Draco hovered for a moment before drifting away.

Draco strolled towards the train to supervise the servant already loading his baggage, hoping the lovely girl would linger.

She didn't.

When he glanced back a few minutes later, the little twit had already been surrounded by Harry Potter's bunch of mongrels and being herded onto the train. Malfoy's sneer reached epic proportions and his chain of thoughts shifted from the pleasures of 'educating' sweet Chrissy to murdering his arch-enemy Potter.

So here he was, sitting on the train with his usual company while a charming little treat was being fawned over by Harry and his motley gaggle of hanger-ons. He smashed a fist into the cushioned seat and glared out the window while Crabb and Goyle waited impatiently for the sweets trolley to roll by.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So... I was standing there lost and close to tears when this boy just walks up and shows me how to get in. I was sure I'd miss the train, but here I am. All safe and sound," Chrissy chuckled and flipped her hair out of her face. A few strands kept sinking down the side of her face blocking her view. "I really have to get a haircut, soon..."

"I don't know. I think your hair looks fine," Ginny said reaching out pushing the wayward strands back into place.

"Then you can have it," Chrissy sighed as her hair fell right in her eyes again. "Damn." The teens around her started snickering as she started digging through her bag. "Brush, brush. Damn, my kingdom for a br- Oh! Here is it. I owe myself one kingdom," she chuckled and pulled her hairbrush out to try and fix her hair. "Here give me that," Ginny said as she grabbed the brush from her hand and began to brush and braid Chrissy's hair.

Neville was staring at Chrissy, clearly wanting to talk but not seeming to have the courage to open his mouth. Harry was about to elbow him when Chrissy turned and simply started talking to him. "So... Neville? What advice do you have for the new girl?"

"Er..." he blushed, "never be late to Potions class. Never get cheeky with Professor Snape. Try not to even breathe too loudly around him or he'll deduct points from your house. Um... Food's good. Harry's the best Seeker in the whole school. And... never willingly work with Seamus Finnegan. He's not very good. Not that I can talk, I'm just as bad."

"Ha! You probably worry too much." Chrissy chided. "If I'm in your class, I'll be your partner, Neville." Chrissy smiled at him and the whole group watched Neville turn beet red and nearly faint.

"I... I'll botch it for sure!" Neville moaned.

"Nope. You wouldn't want to bring down my grades, would you?" Chrissy patted his hand reassuringly. "We'll make a great team, Neville."

Harry and Ron exchanged doubtful glances while Hermione chuckled and continued to read a thick book spread across her lap. Ginny paid no attention to the conversation and continued to happily braid her new friend's hair.

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Review, please. Flames will be ignored... or used to toast marshmallows and warm Malfoy's heart... if I can find it, that is.

~DragonMage