Hi, so this is my first fanfic on here. I really hope you like it... :D I don't really know what to say...

I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANY OF THE HOGWARTS UNIVERSE! ALL THAT BELONGS TO MS ROWLING, BLESS HER HEART.

The whistle of the steam engine resonated loudly over the voices of people anxiously boarding the Hogwarts Express. It was five minutes until eleven o'clock. The last-minute stragglers hastily boarded the train, their friends helping them.

Harry Potter was back for his seventh year of Hogwarts. He didn't particularly want to go back, but Hermione had persisted. She said she would be lonely without him and Ron by her side. They had argued back that she wouldn't be the only student in their year to return, but she had remained adamant. So there they were. Sitting on the train bound for Hogwarts.

As Harry looked out the window to see which of his other mates would be joining them for their final year, he spotted Malfoy putting his trunk carefully so as not to attract any attention. His parents had been caught. His father was now in Azkaban, but Harry had testified on his mother's behalf. She had saved his life, so he did the same for her.

It seemed he was also back for the elusive eighth year.

"Hey, Hermione, do you have any idea who else will be back this year?" Harry asked tentatively.

"I heard Dean wanted to go look for his father. He thinks he might be a wizard, but his mother is unsure. Seamus is returning, as are Neville and Pavarti. From Ravenclaw, I think it's only Terry Boot and Mandy Brockhurst. The Hufflepuffs returning are Susan, Justin and Hannah and from Slytherin, it seems only Malfoy, Parkinson and Zabini are returning." She turned back to her book 'Moste Difficult and Ancient Runes.', and began copying down runes.

"Hermione, term has barely started and you're already studying. Relax." Ron had a pained look on his face as if he wanted to throw the book out the window.

"Ronald. I have to study if I want to pass my NEWTs. And this subject happens to be particularly interesting. Did you know –" she got cut off by the sound of the compartment door opening.

Harry looked up at the door. A slightly embarrassed looking Malfoy had entered. He cast his eyes around the compartment.

"Oh. Sorry." Malfoy stuttered. "I didn't notice this one was occupied... I guess I'll just find somewhere else." Malfoy turned to leave.

"A Malfoy apologising? That's definitely new." Ron said snidely looking towards Malfoy, hoping to get a rise out of him.

"Ron, stop. Narcissa saved my life." Harry turned to Malfoy. "You can sit in here if you want. We have the space. Just don't mind Ron. He's always tetchy when he's hungry; and he's always hungry."

Malfoy blushed deeper and thanked Harry. As the only space to sit was next to Harry, Malfoy walked past him and put his trunk on the rack above the seat. Harry couldn't help but notice Malfoys' shirt slide up a little as he reached up to the rack. He glimpsed a well-toned body beneath the muggle t-shirt that he was wearing. He quickly looked away so no one noticed.

Malfoy sat down, glanced at Harry then turned to look out the window at the now moving landscape. He stayed this way for the rest of the journey only moving to use the bathroom or get food from the Trolley Witch.

When they finally reached Hogsmeade, Harry let out an internal sigh of relief. He, Ron and Hermione had tried to act as normal as possible, but the tension in the compartment was growing and Ron was getting crabbier the hungrier he got.

"Potter," Malfoy's voice came from behind him. "Thank you for letting me sit with you today... Only, my friends were – occupied."

Harry blushed and nodded to Malfoy then walked over to the Thestral drawn carriages to ride to the castle.

~DRARRY~

Draco had shown up to the station alone today. He had bid his mother farewell and left. When he got to the train station, he had quickly found Blaise and Pansy in a tongue wrestling competition in the compartment they usually use. He had walked away before they started on each other's clothes. They had certainly been getting close to that. So he had set out to find a different compartment. Unfortunately, all the other compartments had been full. Then he had spotted Potter's and he went to ask if he could join them. When he had opened the door, he froze. As Harry looked at him, he had tinged pink and made a lame excuse about not seeing anyone in the compartment.

'Lies, lies, lies.' He had told himself. 'The year has barely started and you're already lying to Harry Potter.'

Then Weasley had made that remark on his family and he had flushed, a little angrily at what the weasel had said. Potter had scolded Weasel-bee before Draco could come up with a snide comment back, which just made him even more embarrassed.

Then to further his embarrassment, he had to sit next to Potter, almost shoving his arse into Potters face when he tried to put his trunk into the rack. They day couldn't have started off worse, so he sat and stared out the window, but not until after glancing at the other occupants, only to find a set of bright emerald eyes staring back at him.

Draco had sat staring unseeingly at the passing landscape thinking of the green sincerity in Potter's eyes. In Harrys' eyes. He saw a truth there with a prominent look of interest. Draco smiled to himself.