Chapter 1: Home
It was 8:50, the two men stood side by side, the way they did every year. They were strikingly similar, there faces pale their hair the color of the full moon. The slightly shorter and undoubtedly younger man quickly stole a glance at his companion. A faint glimmer of hope flashed in his young blue eyes. Slowly the older man looked down, his eyes cold and his face set in a scowl, he looked at the younger boy and sharply demanded
"Well, what are you waiting for? The train leaves in 10 minutes! I'm not going to hold your hand and walk you, like your mother would have" The boy faltered trying to find something to say before giving up, all hope quickly vanished from his face, and the hard and cold look the older man wore replaced it.
"Yeah, of course not" he mumbled reaching for his things
"Son," his father's voice boomed "remember listen to Professor Snape this year" He looked up at his father, he always listened to Snape, why was his father suggesting that he didn't, or wouldn't this year? He shrugged but nodded in agreement.
"I mean it!" He replied sharply "I don't want to hear that you are talking back or disrespecting him! And I don't want you talking to any mudbloods, and if that retched creature Doby gets near you… feel free to do whatever you want" the last sentence was filled with so much hate that the boy froze, looking up from where he was picking up his luggage. He was visibly trying to hide his anger, though he was not quite sure what caused him to feel so angry. He sighed and stood, bags collected and turned
"Father I-"
"I mean it Draco, go!" he commanded before turning on his heel and stomping away. "Filthy muggles" he heard his father spit out as the young couple that walked past him accidentally bumped him with their luggage.
Draco watched his father disappear into the crowd of people, then he turned and carrying his luggage started walking into Kings Cross.
She stood with her parents next to platform 9, it was hard for them to say goodbye after they had spent a fun filled summer together. She looked down at her feet and felt silly, this was not like her.
She loved school, everything about it, her friends, the classes, and the quiet moments in-between. She realized with a sinking feeling that it wasn't school she was feeling a bit apprehensive about, but rather it was about seeing someone in particular. She looked back up at her parents who were smiling though they had tears in their eyes. It was never easy for them to say goodbye to their daughter, the only person in the family that possessed magical abilities.
Her father stepped up to her first and gathered her in a bear hug.
"I'm going to miss you 'mione" he said kissing the top of her head.
"I'll miss you too daddy" she said hugging him tightly. He stepped back and handed her a small package, it was something her parents always did, a small gift for her to take with her to school.
"Open it when you get to Hogwarts" he said with a smile. She nodded and put the small red package in her bag. Her mom stepped up next, tears overflowing and running down her fair skin.
"Oh my baby girl" she said hugging her daughter tightly. She felt tears spring into her own eyes and her mother stroked her hair. "I got something special for you" she said sniffling. She produced a book; it was a hardcover blue velvet book with gold lined pages. Young in Love was written across the front and the spine in beautiful silver letters. She looked up at her mother surprised that her mother bought her a romance novel. She was never a big fan of mushy stories; after all they weren't anything like real life. She smiled at her daughter and squeezed her shoulders,
"It will make sense when you read it" she said answering the unspoken question. Nodding she hugged the book to her chest. She smiled at her parents and picked up her bag, she turned towards the wall and walked forward, she turned to smile at her parents standing side by side waving as their only child disappeared threw the solid brick wall.
It didn't bother him anymore, not like it had in the past. After all his father never walked with him to the train, and him mother only walked with him until they reached platform 9. This year she didn't even bother to come with them.
Draco was used to his father, cold and unapproachable, traits that he himself possessed. Traits he used to flaunt, but if this summer was any indication, things were about to change, and he doubted that the same behavior would be tolerated. He knew that his parents were also keeping something from him, they had been walking on eggshells around him the whole summer, as if he was unstable, as if they might give away some huge secret.
His mother had become increasingly withdrawn, depressed even. He thought about his mother and felt a wave of sadness, it wasn't that he was missing her per say, it was more that he was worried about her. She had almost broken down when, in an attempt to cheer her, Draco promised to write her from school. Instead of being happy she grabbed her son in a fierce hug, and kissed the top of his head. She held him close, running her fingers threw his unruly blond hair, something she hadn't done since he was small. She kept telling him how much she loved him, and on the morning he was to leave for school she wept the entire time he packed his trunk.
Meanwhile his fathers behavior became increasingly difficult. He was harder on Draco and had him studying spells and books of potions everyday. But his father was, to say the least, a man with no compassion.
Walking through the throng of passengers Draco realized smirking, that he was actually looking forward to being at Hogwarts. He found himself longing for the quiet corners of the castle, places no one bothered going to. Somewhere where he could just get away. Hell he even thought about going to the library, just for some peace and quiet. He laughed at the thought; he didn't go to the library. He stopped walking for a minute, an idea striking him, the library! Lost in rows of books, tucked away into a far corner where no one would walk past, where he wouldn't be noticed. As he started walking again the thought became more appealing. As he was approaching the markings for platform 9 he decided he would give the library a shot, he had nothing to loose! He stood in front of the wall between platforms 9 and 10 and ran straight at it. When he opened his eyes he was standing on platform 9 and ¾ and he was overwhelmed by a calm feeling that he hadn't had all summer, a feeling of finally coming home.
The train was filling up as the last of the students said goodbye to their parents on the platform. Hermione settled into her usual seat and glanced out the window. She turned her attention to the unopened book that lay on her lap she could feel her dad's gift threw her bag, she smiled, she loved her parents, but was looking forward to another year at Hogwarts.
She looked down at the book and turned it in her hands, it was beautiful, deep blue velvet with sparkling silver words, and it was then that she noticed there was no name written on the cover to say who the author was. Intrigued she opened the book and found her mothers small neat cursive on the inside flap. She was about to read it when her compartment door burst open, closing the book she looked up to see Ron and Harry laughing looking a bit out of breath.
"Harry! Ron!" she smiled as she stood up
"Hermione! It's good to see you" Harry said, his smile widening as he pulled her in for a tight hug. She smiled up at her best friend,
"It'd great to see you too!" She replied as he took released his grip and took a step back. She turned expectantly towards Ron.
"Hi" he mumbled and gave her a quick awkward hug
"Uh, hi" she said feeling her cheeks flush at the uncomfortable greeting. She looked at Harry who was smiling a knowing smile, which caused her cheeks to turn an even deeper shade of red.
"So how was your summer?" she asked as they settled into the car.
"It was alright," Harry replied "Dudder's was at some summer camp most of the time, and I got to spend the last two weeks at the Weasleys! It was great-
"RONALD!" a voice screeched from down the corridor. Harry burst out laughing, while Ron turned an odd shade of white. Hermione looked back and forth between them when suddenly Ginny burst threw the door, her face red and her hair wild.
"G-Ginny" Ron stuttered "what's -"
"What is this doing in my bag!" She yelled over Ron, pulling out what could only be described as a very, very ugly doll. Harry laughed until Ginny glared at him
"You are such jerks!" she said looking furiously at the two boys.
"But you liked it so-" a loud smack silenced Ron as Ginny hit him with the doll thing.
"This is yours to take care of now" she said dropping the doll onto Ron's lap. He groaned rubbing the side of his face where he was hit. Hermione looked at the doll and realized with a start that it was in fact a garden gnome. He had been petrified and painted neon green and dressed in the most ridiculous combination of plaid and polka dots clothes. Hermione looked at Harry who was staring at Ginny, his face apologetic; Hermione had to stifle a laugh. Harry turned to look at her, and she gave him the same look he gave her when Ron had walked in, saying that she understood what was really happening. Harry blushed and turned back to Ginny
"Sorry Ginny, Ron thought it would be funny" he mumbled looking down
"Well Ron's a git." She replied before slamming the door and walking back the way she came. Setting the gnome on the floor Ron kicked it under his seat.
"What on earth…" Hermione began, biting her lip to keep from laughing at the pout on Ron's face.
"Ron and I practiced petrifying gnomes," Harry replied "they moved from the garden into the attic and were wreaking havoc on the house"
"And Ginny's hair" Ron added absent-mindedly, Harry laughed at the memory
"She woke up one morning to find a gnome sitting on her pillow happily knotting her hair" Harry explained, Hermione touched her own brown hair and cringed at the thought.
"Yeah," Harry nodded "Wasn't a good morning, if it wasn't for Mr. Weasley hearing about that spell at work she would have had to have her hair cut short"
"Don't tell me…" Hermione groaned looking at the tip of the gnomes hat poking out from under Ron's seat "It wasn't this one was it?" she asked now understanding Ginny's anger. Harry looked down at his hands
"Maybe?" he replied not looking at Hermione. She laughed "You are gits aren't you?" she teased. Harry smiled at her, relieved she wasn't going to yell at him too. Feeling better he turned towards Ron,
"Ron, Ron tell Hermione about the one that you dressed up for Percy" Hermione turned expectantly to look at Ron
"Huh? Wha?" he responded turning back to look at them. He had been staring out the window as the last passengers boarded the train. Hermione rolled her eyes; Harry looked at Ron and repeated
"I said, tell Hermione about the other gnomes we petrified."
"Oh!" he replied his attention now on his friends "It was bloody brilliant". As he continued to tell them about the gnome he dressed in one of Ginny's dolls old tutu's and left in Percy's bed, Hermione glanced out the window and noticed Lavender Brown waving to her parents as she walked onto the train. A strange feeling rose in Hermione, she couldn't quite put a name to it, but it wasn't pleasant. She turned her head back to Ron who was laughing as he described the gnome, dressed in a ballet tutu with bright red lipstick on and a hot pink wig, and Percy sputtering and trying to tell his other brothers that he didn't know how it got there.
Hermione smiled at the two boys, her closest friends. They all laughed and talked over one another about the various things they had done that summer. Her hand touched the edge of the velvet book; she felt the soft cover and couldn't help but wonder what lay in store when she finally got the chance to open it.
The train groaned as it started and pulled away from the station. Soon the train was filled with shouts and laughter as the students, excited to see their friends, talked about their summers. Outside the sky grew dark, and thunder rumbled in the distance, the students settled in with their friends, taking little notice of the sound of the storm that was steadily building outside.
A/N Boys and gnomes, always mean trouble. Want to know more? PM me, or follow me on twitter: flutteralways. If you still haven't seen the video that inspired the story check it out here .com/watch?v=SvQ_zfE_3es
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