A/N: Here is the newest chapter. I was really surprised at the amount of reviews I got on the first chapter so I want to thank everyone for reviewing. It made me a bit nervous to make this chapter just as good as the first. I don't really know how successful I was so please tell me. I would greatly appreciate it!

Disclaimer: I will only say this once since I don't typically put in a disclaimer, but these characters are not mine. They belong to all those related to the Harry Potter world. The quotes do not belong to me either, unless otherwise noted. I will put next to each quote who said it if I know.

Enjoy! Review please!

Chapter 2

When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid. (Audre Lorde)

On the morning of September 1st Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley's arrived at Platform 9 and ¾ at exactly 10:50 am. The earliest they've probably ever been there. Typically they got there within a few minutes of the train departing. They didn't have to rush through goodbyes this time.

"Alright Harry, let us go first so we can scope things out and make sure that there's no one waiting to ambush you on the other side," Ron suggested.

Harry lifted an eyebrow and smirked at him. "You're not worried about anyone ambushing me, you just want me to make an entrance so I can be your bait," Harry teased.

Ron blushed and smiled sheepishly. "Of course I'm worried that someone might ambush you. Well a little anyway. Alright, yeah I want you to make an entrance. You caught me," Ron replied.

Harry and Hermione laughed loudly at him. Harry nodded and gestured toward the barrier. Ron and Hermione pushed their trolleys through and Harry waited a moment to see if they came back with any issues. Neither one came back through so Harry found it to be safe. He glanced at Ginny who reached out and took his hand in support and they walked right on through together.

When they got through Harry looked around and noticed several people stopping to stare at him. Ginny had dropped his hand shortly after they came through and stepped away from him. Neville had walked over to talk to Ron and Hermione and when he turned to look at Harry his eyes widened considerably.

"Harry? What the hell happened to you?" He asked looking him up and down and at everyone else.

"I turned 17?" Harry said in a questioning tone.

"Wow, that didn't happen to me. That's great though. Hi Ginny," He responded.

"Hi Neville," Ginny said back timidly. They smiled at each other and she gave her mum and dad a quick hug and kiss and walked away with Neville. Harry grinned as they walked away.

"Well, if everyone reacts that way I think I'll be just-" Harry stopped as a high pitched squeal emitted from across the platform and two girls were walking quickly towards him. Harry froze, but quickly reached out and pulled Ron in front of him

"Oh my gosh Harry?! You look absolutely gorgeous!" Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil trilled together. Harry clutched Ron's arms and smiled uncomfortably at them. They reached around Ron and began grabbing his arms and complimenting every part of him and touching any place that their hands could reach. Hermione watched the exchange between the three and narrowed her gaze. Ron looked on trying to get their attention.

"Girls, please. Harry isn't that much different than he was at the end of last year. Give the man some breathing room," Hermione scolded trying to reach out for Harry.

Lavender and Parvati glared at her and smiled maliciously. "Are you blind Hermione? Have you not looked at him lately? Are you jealous?" Lavender asked.

Hermione glared at them and clenched her teeth together. "Of course I've looked at him. And no I am not jealous. What could possibly make me jealous?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, I don't know because you're going to have some competition now," Parvati said with a saucy smile at Harry.

Harry's eyes widened and he took an unconscious step back. Hermione burst out in shaking fits of laughter. Lavender and Parvati looked at her strangely. They glanced back at Harry who was looking utterly terrified. Hermione reached out and tugged on Harry and Ron's arms as she pulled them towards the train still laughing hysterically. Ron glanced back at the girls and gave them a slight wave. They walked by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and said their goodbyes earning confused looks from them. They climbed onto the train and began their walk down the train to find an available compartment. As they walked down the aisles Harry received several looks from people. He smiled tentatively at everyone who met his eyes, but didn't stop to chat.

"Hey Potter!" Someone called.

Harry turned around and Hermione and Ron stopped as well. It was Draco.

"Would you like to come join us in here?" He asked with a slightly nervous tone.

Harry stared at him and glanced back and Ron and Hermione who shrugged. He glanced back to the hopeful look on Draco's face and smiled.

"Thanks. That would be great. Uh, are Hermione and Ron welcome?" Harry asked.

Draco glanced past him to see them both looking back unsurely, but not threatening. He looked back into his compartment deliberating for a moment. "Yeah, of course. The more the merrier," Draco replied sincerely.

Harry glanced back at Hermione who smiled and slipped past him and Ron's shocked expression. He glanced back at Harry looking dumbfounded, but slipped past Harry anyway.

"Thanks, this is great," Harry commented following behind Ron. Draco smiled at him when he slid into the compartment. His hand brushed against Draco's own hand as he came through. Both of their heads shot up as they looked at each other. Both blushed. Someone in the compartment cleared their throat which snapped them out of the moment. Harry walked the rest of the way in and took a spot opposite of Hermione and Ron. Draco sat down next to him.

"Well, I think a lot of people are going to go into shock if they peek into this compartment," Draco commented with a chuckle. Sitting next to him was Pansy Parkinson and across the aisle next to Hermione was Blaise Zabini.

Everyone laughed uncomfortably at his comment. "I think it's wonderful. We should have done this a long time ago, but um… well, there's no time like the present," Hermione said nervously.

"Definitely. I mean if the two of us can put our differences aside, why not the rest of us?" Harry said gesturing between him and Draco.

"No kidding. When Draco told me what happened the other day, I couldn't believe it, but here in front of my very eyes I see it," Pansy said with a laugh.

Draco blushed a deep pink and Harry stared after him a moment. "I think that's probably the first time you've ever talked about me kindly," He said with a laugh.

Pansy scoffed. "Yeah, no, that's not the first time," She said with a smile. Draco shot her a glare and tried to let her know with his eyes that she should keep her mouth shut. This only made her laugh harder. Hermione stared between the two and joined her laughter. The boys watched the two very different girls in shock.

"Pansy, I think you and I should talk," Hermione said through her giggles. Harry's mouth dropped open and he glared at Hermione. Blaise and Ron exchanged looks, completely out of the loop. They shrugged and went back to looking uncomfortable.

Draco cleared his throat and the girls immediately stopped. He smiled a bit triumphantly. "So I noticed that you drew quite a lot of attention before getting on the train," He commented glancing over to Harry

Harry blushed and shook his head. "Yeah, well it's not like I want it. Especially from them," He said tersely.

Draco lifted an eyebrow at him. "You mean to tell me that the Golden Boy doesn't like attention? Wow, never would have guessed," Draco commented.

Harry turned his gaze on him and glared at him.

"I'll have you know Draco dear that Harry has never been an attention seeker," Pansy chimed in to aid in Harry's defense.

Both Draco and Harry looked at her in surprise. "Uh…thanks Pansy," Harry responded quietly. She waved him off with a smile. Hermione glanced down at her timepiece and squeaked.

"Oh shoot, Blaise, we've got our head duties and Ronald you need to go to the prefect meeting and you too Pansy," Hermione said jumping up quickly. Ron rolled his eyes and stood as well. Blaise stood up and checked his Head Boy badge to make sure it was in place as was Hermione with her Head Girl badge. Harry looked between the two with his eyebrows raised. They walked out followed by two not so enthusiastic prefects. Harry and Draco watched them leave and then looked anywhere, but at each other.

"Well, this is interesting. Never would have thought that we would be in a compartment together without trying to hex each other. So can I ask you how your summer was now?" Harry commented after a few minutes. He grinned at Draco who was blushing a bit.

"Thanks for bringing that up. My summer was great. My parents and I spent the most time together this summer than we had in years. It was really great. We even went on a trip together and we spent all our time together. It's amazing," Draco said wistfully.

Harry smiled at him. "I'm glad to hear that. I have been quite surprised at everything that your parents have been doing since the end of term. Even before Voldemort keeled over they were getting out of that. It's great. I'm happy for you," Harry said sincerely.

"Thank you. Um, how was your summer?" Draco asked.

"It was nice. My relatives were a lot more tolerable. We actually got along and everything," Harry replied.

"Haven't you always gotten along with your relatives?" Draco asked.

Harry scoffed. "No. Believe me we have never gotten along. My relatives are muggles and to them I was a freak because I was a wizard. I spent the majority of my life living in a cupboard under the stairs. It wasn't until I was accepted here that they gave me my cousin's second room. Even then it was like a prison cell. Bars on the window, a cat flap for my food to go through, and my cousin's discarded toys. I was let out to do all the chores and cook for them and anything else they wanted me to do. That was it. The rest of the time I was left in my room. So no we did not get along," Harry explained.

Draco's eyes widened as he listened to Harry's childhood. "Wow, I had no idea," He responded quietly.

"Most people don't. I haven't led a charmed life in the least. This whole Golden Boy persona that people have given me is completely absurd. I have never nor will I ever be a Golden Boy," Harry muttered.

Draco looked out the window not wanting to look into Harry's glowing green eyes. He didn't want to see the anger in his eyes at the nickname that he, himself had ingrained in everyone's mind. "Sorry about that. It's my fault that everyone has thought that about you. I added to the fuel with my own issues with you," Draco said in an apologetic tone.

Harry waved him off. "I know that. I knew you were responsible for the name sticking, but that's in the past. You'll have plenty of time to find out that I truly am not the Golden Boy," Harry replied.

Draco looked at him in surprise. "Plenty of time?" He asked quietly.

"Well yeah, I mean, we are going to be friends, right? You'll learn plenty about me. Besides I'm hoping to find that you aren't the insufferable git that I've always seen you as, the Slytherin Ice Prince," Harry said with a wink.

Draco glared at him, but smiled. "Well, I am the Slytherin Ice Prince. No question about that," He replied with a cocky smile.

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head. He glanced out the window and then stood up and walked over to it looking suddenly anxious. He looked down at his timepiece and back out the window. Draco suddenly felt uneasy and stood up as well standing behind him.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"We are slowing down. We aren't even halfway to Hogwarts," Harry muttered. He walked past Draco and looked out of the compartment. No one else seemed to notice that the train was slowing down. There were several people who were talking animatedly out in the aisles or talking to those who were inside other compartments. He turned back into the compartment and looked at Draco's confused expression.

"What?" He asked stepping back in.

"How can you tell we are slowing down? It looks like we are going at the same speed as always," Draco asked.

Harry looked past him again and noticed that the train had slowed down even more. "Look out there, can't you see it? We are going half the speed that we were before," Harry said pointing out the window.

Draco turned and looked out, but couldn't tell the difference. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Harry let out an exasperated sigh and stalked over to the window staring out again. Am I just imagining things? He probably thinks I'm crazy. Ah so what else is new? Harry pressed his forehead against the glass and looked out further as they took a curve slowly. Then he saw it. Several meters ahead he saw several dragons flying or walking near the bridge that they were about to pass. His eyes widened in fear. Draco watched his body tense and he moved to the window to see what made Harry react the way he was. He still couldn't see anything. He glanced over to Harry and gave him another confused look.

Harry stormed out of the compartment heading towards the front of the train Draco trailing behind him. Harry was going a lot faster than Draco expected and he nearly had to run to keep up. He also managed to get around people with ease as if they weren't even there where as Draco was constantly running into people. They responded angrily until they saw who it was that ran into them and then they immediately stopped as they watched Draco follow behind Harry looking concerned not spiteful. Draco ran into Hermione and Blaise as they came out of the head compartment. Hermione looked at his concerned expression and followed his gaze to see him following behind Harry.

"Malfoy, what the hell is going on?!" She cried.

"Something's wrong with Potter. He saw something. He says the train is slowing down and I can't tell a difference so I don't know what is going on," Draco said as he continued following him. Hermione and Blaise exchanged looks. "He seems pretty worried so I think you guys need to get everyone into their compartments. I'm feeling pretty uneasy about this," Draco said absently. Hermione and Blaise nodded masking their nervousness and allowing their leading qualities take over as they turned around to start ushering people inside.

"Potter! Stop! Harry, wait up!" Draco called. Harry looked over his shoulder at the sound of his first name coming from Draco, but didn't stop. He finally reached the head of the train and opened the engine door. He leapt across into the opening and looked out the front windows of the train. The dragons were getting closer and the train was slowing down even more. Draco stood behind him looking past him seeing nothing still.

"Harry, you're freaking me out here. What in the hell is going on?" Draco demanded.

"We need to stop the train before we get to the bridge," Harry said pointing ahead. Draco looked out again and then back at him.

"The bridge won't be coming for another ten minutes at least. You can see that far?" Draco asked.

Harry looked at him and then back at the window looking nervous. "It's going to be on top of us in no time. How can we stop this train?" Harry demanded.

Draco looked at him fearfully and took an unconscious step back. "You can't stop this train. It is on a set course. It only stops or slows down when it comes to a particular turn in the path or when we get to Hogsmeade. Even then we never notice it. Why are you so scared?" Draco asked.

Harry ran his hand through his hair quickly and looked back out the window. The train was beginning to speed up quickly, much too quick. Harry looked around trying to figure out a way to stop the train. Suddenly the train was going so fast that it was rocking rapidly back and forth. Draco looked over at Harry in horror. That's when he saw them in the distance; their giant bodies flying through the air or swimming through the water. Draco took several steps back into the wall.

"Harry… there are d-r-r-agons out there," Draco muttered in a shaky voice pointing with an equally shaking finger.

"I know that Draco! That's what I've been talking about and the train is speeding us towards them! Get back to the compartment!" Harry ordered looking back out the window at the quickly approaching dragons.

"What?! No! I'm not going to leave you up here by yourself," Draco exclaimed looking utterly frightened.

"You don't have a choice. Get back to the compartment," Harry commanded. Draco looked at him again wanting to protest, but found himself at a loss of words. He turned around and quickly left the engine room.

Harry turned back around to look around the engine room. I've got to stop this train. Those dragons will not ignore us going by. What are they doing down here anyway? Suddenly the train jolted to a stop right in the middle of the large group of dragons. Harry heard screams coming from the inside of the train. He ran from the engine room and up the aisle ways. He sent a silence spell around the whole train without thinking as well as a cloaking spell to hide the occupants of the compartments to the dragons outside. The train rocked sideways hard as a dragon bumped into it angrily. He looked up and saw an escape hatch. He flicked his wand opening the hatch and leaping up in ease. He peeked out from the hatch looking out towards the swarm of dragons. That's when he felt the change in pressure and noticed that a particularly large dragon landed on top of the train stalking towards him.

XXXX

Draco ran from the engine room and all the way to the compartment. He burst through the door. Everyone in his compartment looked up in alarm taking in his frightened expression. Suddenly the train jolted to a stop sending Draco toppling over and crashing into the windows. Pansy and Hermione shrieked loudly.

"Draco what the hell is going on?" Blaise demanded. Draco sat up looking around slightly dazed. Hermione screamed loudly and everyone jerked their head to the window and saw just what had caused her to scream and caused Draco to look so afraid. Screams erupted in their compartment along with the rest of the train and then the only screaming that was heard was within their own compartment. They all stopped and looked up.

"Why isn't anyone else screaming anymore?" Hermione questioned in a small voice.

"Oh no, they've all been eaten!" Ron exclaimed looking slightly sick. Draco glanced out the compartment window to the one across the way and noticed they were still screaming. A dragon was peering into their window. The same dragon slammed its body into the train rocking it hard. Everyone, but Draco let out a shriek.

"The dragons can't see us in here. There's a powerful silencing and cloaking spell or something covering the whole train. I wonder if that's part of the train's defenses," Draco pondered.

"The train doesn't have any defense except repelling dark magic spells. Someone on the train would have had to cast that spell," Hermione replied.

Draco walked back over to the window and watched the dragons bump the train left and right shaking it in several spots. They were on a curve just before the bridge. He watched as the dragons stopped and all looked at the same spot. Towards the front of the train someone was standing on top of the train. Draco watched wide eyed as the dragon's all turned their focus to said person and closed in on them.

"Oh my gods, where is Harry?!" Hermione demanded. Draco stared at the person knowing exactly who it was. Is he barking mad? What the hell is he doing?

"He's right there," Draco said quietly. Hermione leapt up and followed his gaze as did everyone else.

"What in the bloody hell is he doing?!" Ron demanded.

XXXX

Harry slipped out and faced the dragon that was stalking towards him. He took a deep breath expecting to feel a hefty dose of fear enveloping him, but all he felt was confidence. He stared at the dragon before him and watched out of his peripheral the other dragons turning their focus on him. He stared at the approaching dragon. It had its mouth opened baring his extremely large and sharp teeth. Smoke was wafting from its nostrils and its tail was swishing dangerously. This may not be such a good idea. Harry thought as he felt a bit of nervousness seeping in. 'Just go with it. You know what to do,' a disembodied voice said. Harry nearly broke his gaze from the approaching dragon to seek out the voice, but stopped himself.

He stretched out his arms in front of him, palms out. Suddenly a bright green aura of magic emitted from his open palms. He watched in amazement as the magic expanded and the dragons retreated, shaking their heads in confusion and bowing low to Harry as if they were in pain. Harry smiled triumphantly and pushed the magic out further. Then the train started to move picking up pace rather quickly. Harry stood his ground with ease on the top of the train holding the green aura around him keeping the dragons at bay. As soon as they were several meters away from the swarm of very confused dragons he dropped his shield and slipped back into the train closing the latch and dropping the spells that he had cast. He made his way back to the compartment smiling confidently with a bit of a swagger in his step.

XXXX

Draco watched horrified as the dragon stalked closer and closer to Harry. Hermione stood next to him staring wide eyed with her hand covering her mouth. Everyone else had similar expressions as they watched the stalking dragon. Then they watched in amazement as the green aura appeared from Harry's hands and the dragon started to cower at the aura. They watched as Harry pushed it out further sending the dragon further and further away soon to be flying off and then the train began to move again. Harry didn't move and then they lost sight of him as the train straightened out.

They stepped back from the windows and sat back down each lost in their thoughts about what they had just seen.

"Granger, what happened to him?" Draco asked looking up at her.

"I…I…don't know. He-" Hermione began trying to explain. She hadn't quite processed everything that she had just seen. All of them went back to being quiet not sure what to say or do. Then they noticed the silencing spell had been lifted and the whole train was buzzing about what had just happened. The compartment door slid open and Harry stood before them practically glowing, his eyes a brilliant green. Draco felt his heart constrict and his body suddenly felt rather warm. He gulped loudly his mouth suddenly dry.

Hermione leapt up from the bench and threw her arms around Harry's neck. He returned her embrace. Draco felt his gut clench as a wave of jealousy hit him hard. Hermione stepped back and held Harry's face in her hands checking him over. When she focused on his eyes she suddenly felt rather entranced. Harry quirked an eyebrow and shook her shoulder a bit. The trance broke and she shook her head.

"Oh Harry! You're alright! What happened out there?" She asked happily.

"I'm not really sure. I just stuck my palms out and bam that green aura type thing was there. Whatever it was it got the dragons to back off," He said as he took a seat looking utterly spent. His eyes turned back to their normal shade of green and his body stopped glowing.

"But Harry, you knew before any of us did that we were in trouble. How?" Hermione questioned.

"I don't really now that either. I just had this feeling come over me that there was something wrong or that we were in danger and it was like instinct or something. I don't know," Harry said with a shrug. He closed his eyes nearly drifting off to sleep.

"What happened to you Potter?" Draco demanded.

Harry opened one eye and looked at him. Draco was giving him an expectant look. "Another time Draco," Harry said quietly. Before he closed his eye he saw Draco's mouth fall open in shock and Harry merely smiled before drifting off to sleep.

A/N: Any guesses on what is going on with Harry????