/A.N/ I know what you're thinking; where's the Drarry? Well, my good sir/ma'am, that is coming up soon. I needed these first chapters to set the basis for the story, and give it a better beginning. Hope you're enjoying so far!/


The Hogwarts express is an important part of seeing what is to come in the school year. New cliques, and enemies can be spotted just from where you sit on the train.

As I walk past with Ron and Hermione, I can see people making room, and beckoning us to join them, to make them popular by saying that they sat with The Chosen One and his friends on the train.

As usual, we just ignored them until we found an empty compartment. As soon as I closed the door, Hermione has started spouting off questions at me.

"Harry, have the dreams been getting worse?" She asks me.

"Uhh..." I answer with.

"I knew it. Harry, you should talk to someone! Maybe a healer, or..."

"Look, Hermione," I say, and she looks at me, her train of thought forgotten. I run my hand through my already disastrous black hair. "These dreams are a part of me now. They don't even bother me..." Which is a total lie. "I know I toss and turn a little-" Ron snorts "but I just have to put the muffliato charm over my bed, and I'm fine. Nothing to worry about." I explain.

"But Harry-" Hermione starts saying, and the feeling comes back stronger than ever.

"God will you just give it a rest!" I yell at her. I have the strong urge to take out my wand and- and just say... 'Avada K-"

I look down to see I have my wand drawn, pointing directly at her heart. Ron stands petrified on the other side of the compartment. Hermione is shaking. I drop my wand at my feet, and it clinks on the ground. The feeling subsides.

"I...I..." I start saying, but just sit down, my head in my hands, and stare at my feet.

'What I was that?' I think to myself.

"H-Harry..." Ron says, and swallows harshly.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to do that, honestly. I'm just on edge... God Hermione I'm so sorry." I exclaim. She nods.

"It's okay..." She says quietly, though I can tell she's still a bit scared. Let's just say, the subject of my nightmares doesn't come up for the rest of the ride.

-t.s-

"First years, this way!" The loud voice of Hagrid yells out. I grin in spite of myself. The oaf nearly got himself killed last year by going with the spiders... of course I actually DID get killed by Voldemort, so I digress.

"Hagrid!" Hermione yells as she sees him. My lapse forgotten, she pulls Ron and I over to our half-giant friend.

"Ron, Hermione!" He says jovially, scooping the two of them up into a hug, and setting them down, both laughing hysterically. He looks at me, and his smile widens, though his voice softens. "Harry." He hugs me gently, carefully... as though he's afraid that if he handles me too roughly, I'll die again. I can see that Voldemort making him carry my seemingly dead body really left a mark on poor Hagrid. I pat his arm lovingly after he releases me from the hug.

"It's great to see you Hagrid." I say, a genuine smile taking up my entire face. He smiles back, before taking the large group of new first years to the boats, while Ron, Hermione and I go to the carriages, manned by thestrals that we can all see, now.

While we're about to find a carriage, I accidentally bump into someone.

"S-sorry!" I stutter, looking up into the face of... "Draco?" I say, surprised. I have no reason to be surprised; he's a student here as well. I just didn't expect to see him hanging out near a group of Gryffindors. He looks slightly taken back by the use of his first name, but quickly composes himself in classic Malfoy manner; by putting on the most self assured and haughty smirk he can produce. I can see through it though. His eyes aren't with the act.

"Watch where you're going, Potter." He says, trying to sound hateful, but his voice cracks when saying my name. He walks away, his black and green robes flowing behind him.

I stand still dumbly for a few seconds, just thinking about him, and that strange encounter, before Ron calls me back from my thoughts, and I climb into the carriage with him, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna. We all exchange greetings, and while the rest make animated conversation on the bumpy ride, I keep quiet, and think about Malfoy.

"He would be handsome if he didn't always have that bloody smirk on his face." I grumble quietly to myself.

"What was that, Harry?" Luna asks me, and all heads turn. My face turns crimson.

"Oh, nothing." I say, and they shrug it off, and start their conversation again. Jeez, when did I start thinking of Malfoy as 'handsome'?

I scratch my chest, in the exact place where the locket horcrux attached itself to my skin last year, and left a heart-shaped scar to add to my countless others.

The moment my nails put pressure on the spot, my forehead sears with a sudden pain, along with a throb over the heart-shaped mark. My hand flies to my forehead before I can stop it. I pull it away quickly, but the damage has already been done. Everyone in the carriage has silenced, and are all looking at me with expressions of fear on their faces.

"Harry..." Neville starts saying.

"What?" I ask casually, pretending that I don't notice anything wrong.

"Harry, is it-" Ginny starts, but I cut her off harshly.

"It's nothing, just a little pinprick. It happens from time to time." I say harshly.

"There's no need to get mad, man!" Ron says, putting a hand on my arm. My scar is still pained, though less so, and the throbbing in the the mark has lessened as well. A now familiar feeling finds it's way into my chest, right where the mark is, but I try to fight it. I breathe deeply, trying to relax until the feeling passes. Hermione takes it upon herself to say something.

"Something's wrong. Between the dreams, the... uh..." I can tell that she's referring to the incident on the train. "well, you know, and now your scar hurting. I think it's time-" I get angry. We have just arrived at the entrance, and I throw the door open and jump out.

"I asked you to drop it, Hermione. I'm fine." I say, trying to keep my voice calm and strong. She must have seen the look on my face, because she doesn't go any further.

'What's happening to me?' I ask myself. I look up to see the familiar platinum blonde hair I've been seeing so much lately. I don't know what it is about him now, but Draco seems to be one of the only things I can use to calm these new angers. I lose sight of him, however, when I walk through the massive front door into a new year.

Soon enough, we are sitting at our house tables in the newly repaired mess hall, which looks largely the same as the old one.

"Hello, and welcome to another year at Hogwarts." Professor McGonnagall exclaims happily. "Now, after the events of last year," her eyes connect with mine. "we have decided for last year's seventh year students have the option to come back for an eighth to make up for missed time. I can see that many have taken up on that offer." She says, fondly looking around the room. "Now, it's time for MY favorite part of the first day back; the sorting." She says, and pulls out the old sorting hat and puts it out on the stool in front of fifty or so nervous looking first years. The seam opens at the rim, and the much awaited song is about to be sung.

Before it starts, I steal a glance to the Slytherin table, which is less crowded than usual. My eyes rest, once again, on Malfoy though, and I find him looking right back at me.

I turn away after that one second of eye contact, and adjust my glasses, looking, embarrassed, back to the dais.

"This year it's me you see

Not a pile of rags all ripped and dirty

For the war has been won and evil defeated

It's time for fun now the He has been beaten

Though study hard

Ladies and gents

These teachers here make sure your time is well spent

Dumbledore's wish shall be fulfilled

And your minds broadened with strength and free-will

Do you reside in Gryffindor

Where you'll find the strong and courageous

Though they have a softer side when they aren't faced with something dangerous

Perhaps you prefer Ravenclaw

Where the strong of mind seek their smarts

Where magic burns with science and knowledge is treated like a subtle art

Maybe Hufflepuff is best for you

Where good things are what you do

Where kindness and empathy are the key

To making the world powerful yet happy

Could you belong in Slytherin

Where live the sly and slick

if you find yourself here

Your friends will truly stick

But watch your back you could be stabbed

Though remember that not everyone there ends up bad

I am the sorting hat

And now you've heard my song

Heed lessons from the past

And don't do the same things wrong

For friendships could be tested

And bonds must stay strong

For challenges lie ahead

And peacefulness won't last long."

The hat finishes, and the hall bursts into enthusiastic applause. The sorting begins with

"Corona, Elena" who is put into Hufflepuff. Then

"Sean, Delainey" who is put into Ravenclaw

"Marken, Jacob" to Slytherin

"Smathers, Pierre" to Hufflepuff

"Gray, Thalia" to Gryffindor

And so on. But all I can think about through the din of clapping and shouting is the sorting hat's words;

"And peacefulness won't last long"

/

DID YOU LIKE MY SORTING SONG?! It's all original. I know the Ravenclaw part is pretty trash, but I thought it could have been worse. XD next chapter soon!

-V