Age Old Similarities

Hi everyone! I would like to thank SiriusBlackFan2 for being my first and (at the moment that I'm writing this) only reviewer! I know everyone asks for reviews, but I literally only just came up with this beginning. I've had the actual plot in my head for a few months, but I couldn't think of a start.

I will (hopefully) always update at least once a week, but forewarning of times I won't update will be on my bio. Last thing, I am aware I haven't put in a disclaimer, but since I put it in the description, I figure that it can apply to the whole story without me having to type it each time. Also, I would have updated ages ago, but this chapter was ridiculously hard to write, don't ask me why. I'll probably update again before next week because I already know exactly what's going to happen. … Wow, I just realised how long this AN is. THEY WILL NOT USUALLY BE THIS LONG! So, this chapter is dedicated to SiriusBlackFan2 for reviewing first. Thank you so much! RT xx

TWO: Where's Harry?

Draco sat up with a gasp, air rushing into his lungs as he startled awake. Once he calmed down though, he let out a sigh. That was the third time this week he'd dreamt of that day. The day that was the best in his life, and also the same day he couldn't stop thinking about since his eleventh birthday nearly three months ago. Even though it had happened over five years ago, he could still remember it like it was yesterday. The results of it were … both good and bad. On one hand, he was now living with Severus Snape, and called him 'dad' just as Harry had promised all that time ago.

On the other hand, Harry could be dead.

Just that thought made him want to curl up and die on his bed. Thankfully, you couldn't just will that to happen, so he was still alive. The idea that someone as nice as Harry, as … whatever it was that made him stick in Draco's head five years later, could have been treated as cruelly as he said was frankly terrifying. What happened to people who were bad, if the world could do that to Harry?

Sitting there, curled up in his sheets, he glanced over at the clock on the bedside table. 7:30 am. Oh well, he would have had to get up in about half an hour anyway, it wasn't really a hardship. If he had woken up at 3:00 like last time though.

Though he could have stayed like that for the remaining half hour before the alarm 'woke him up', he knew that after that dream it was better to be active. Especially today.

The first of September.

The start of his first year at Hogwarts.

The day he found out who 'Harry' was.

The day he found out if Harry was dead.

With a deep, calming breath in and out, Draco stood and turned to the average sized wardrobe in his room in Prince Manor. He tried to calm his racing heart as he thought about what to do if Harry wasn't there.

Ever since that day, Draco and Severus had been trying to find Harry. At first, Severus was reluctant, but he became more energetic as he understood the severity of the situation. Meaning when Draco told him about Harry's not-so-vague hints about extreme abuse.

At that point, they had searched everywhere, the muggle way unfortunately, as they didn't know his surname. Shortly after Harry had left, Severus and Draco had collapsed, only to find themselves in Severus' quarters at Hogwarts. Needless to say, Severus was suitably shocked after the experience, but, rather than curious, he seemed far more inclined to back off from Harry like he was a sleeping dragon.

Though Draco never let on to Severus, he still had dreams, nightmares, of his parents. They had never hurt him per se, apart from a slap every so often. He wondered how bad it had to be for Harry, if his guardians' actions hurt him that much inside, how was Harry so open and alive at that meeting?

Mentally begging he'd have the opportunity to ask these questions face to face, Draco took another step towards his wardrobe, getting ready to face the day and whatever it would bring.

Staring out the window at the hills rolling by, Draco decided that he couldn't put it off any more. They were probably already about half way to the school, and he hadn't yet tried to find Harry. He was terrified. Honest to Merlin terrified of what he might find (or not find in this case).

Standing and donning a completely neutral expression, he quickly strode to one end of the train, intending on passing through and looking into each compartment. As he continued further and further through the train, his heart started to pound uncomfortably. What if Harry wasn't there? The only thing that partially reassured Draco was that regardless of whether or not Harry was there, as they would be able to find him once they knew his last name.

Once he reached the end of the train, Draco nearly burst into tears. In fact, he was contemplating going back to the compartment, covering it in some of those privacy wards Severus had shown him and doing just that. At least he was contemplating it, until he heard it. Those six words that completely stunned him.

"Harry Potter's not on the train!"