Chapter 7
"Breakfast is ready! Everyone up! We have to get to platform 9 ¾ on time." Arthur Weasley announces.
The girls come bounding down the stairs, wide awake and already dressed. The boys on the other hand come down slowly, looking as though they were just waking up. All of the children take their seats at the table and begin filling their plates. Well, everyone except Cadence, does anyway. She takes her seat and puts only a very small amount of food on her plate.
"Are you feeling alright deary?" Molly asks.
"I am fine, just a little nervous, Ma'am." Cadence replies.
"There is nothing for you to worry about dear. The twins have done this many times and Ron, Harry, and Hermione did it last year. I am sure they will help you." Molly tells her.
"Do all the students ride the train?" Cadence asks shyly, hoping that Draco will be on the train so she can maybe talk to him again.
"Yes, Cadence, they do. Even purebloods like Lucious Malfoy's son Draco." Arthur replies.
Cadence is happy about this news and eats her food.
After breakfast, they all go and fetch their things. Once that is done, the group is off to platform 9 ¾. Cadence looks around nervously. She sees platforms 9 and 10 but no platform 9 ¾. Not understanding, Cadence whispers to Hermione.
"Where is our platform? I see platforms 9 and 10 but I don't see any platform 9 ¾."
Hermione smiles. "It's because we have to go through the column between platforms 9 and 10. It is a magical platform. Only withes and wizards can get on to it. That way muggles don't find out."
"Oh. But how do we get through the column?" Cadence asks confused.
"Watch the others dear. The Twins will go first then the rest of you will follow." Molly says.
"Thanks Mrs. Weasley." Cadence smiles and says politely.
"You are welcome deary. Fred, George go ahead now boys." Molly says.
Fred and George each run at the column pushing their carts in front of them. Cadence watches in awe as they disappear from sight. Next she watches Hermione do the same.
"Ok Cadence and Ginny, it is your turns and I will be right behind you. Ronald, Harry you boys follow after me." The matriarch of the Weasley family instructs them.
Ginny goes first, running nervously at the column and disappearing. Cadence is really nervous and looks at Molly. She gives Cadence a reassuring nod and the girl runs towards the column like the others had. She braces herself for impact but is in awe when she comes out the other side. She almost falls over but a blonde boy catches her.
"Woah. Are you ok?" the boy asks.
Cadence looks up and sees that the boy is Draco Malfoy. She blushes.
"Uh, yeah I'm ok. Thanks for catching me." She says.
"You do remember me don't you?" Draco asks.
"Yeah, you are Draco right?" she says.
Draco nods and helps her unto the train with her things.
"So Cadence, how would you like to sit with me?" Draco says looking at her with those amazing eyes of his.
"Sounds like fun." She says smiling at him. How could she say no when she is so captivated by those eyes?
Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have come through and are watching the conversation. They decide not to interfere and go about making sure the Weasley clan are boarded and settled. Everyone is so busy with the goodbyes and the excitement, that they do not notice that Harry and Ron have not come through onto the platform.
The train's whistle blows and the students all wave to their families. As the train pulls away, the students begin to chatter excitedly. Draco has already lead Cadence to his train car and is introducing her to Crabbe and Goyle.
"What is a first year doing here?" Goyle asks Draco.
"This is Cadence Whitaker and I invited her to join us. Dumbledore had her stuck with the Potter, Granger and the Weasley clan." Draco explains.
Crabbe looks at Draco dumbfounded. "We don't usually let first years sit with us." He says.
"Cadence, this is Crabbe and Goyle." Draco says while motioning for her to have a seat next to him.
The four students are busy chatting when Pansy Parkinson walks up. Draco doesn't look happy about it but says nothing.
"Well, there you are Draco. I have been searching for you." She says as she forces her way next to Draco on his other side. "Who's the new girl?" she asks snidely.
"This is Cadence, a first year. Cadence this is Pansy. She is a second year and a Slytherin like myself."
"Nice to meet you." Cadence says politely.
"What is she doing here?" Pansy sneers.
"She is here as my guest. Don't be rude Pansy or you may find yourself another car to sit in." Draco says with authority.
Pansy seems taken aback at his statement but says no more. She just sits there and pouts like a little girl. Cadence has to hide the giggle that is trying hard to escape at this. Soon the train is heading steadily down the tracks and Cadence is chatting happily with Draco and his friends. They are busy telling Cadence all about Slytherin house.
Hermione, Ginny and the Twins are busy searching the train for Harry and Ron. They are having no luck thus far and only have one compartment to check, the one that is occupied by Cadence, Draco, and his friends. When Hermione opens the compartment door, she is shocked.
"Cadence, is Draco and his group of morons giving you a hard time?" she asks.
"Not at all Hermione. We have been having a wonderful conversation. Is there something I can do for you?" Cadence says pleasantly.
"Have you seen Ron or Harry on the train? We can't find them anywhere."
"Nope haven't seen them since earlier."
"Ok well, if you do, please tell them we are looking for them."
"Ok I will Hermione." Cadence says.
With that the door is closed and Cadence turns back to her conversation with Draco. After a while, she yawns.
"We have a ways to go if you would like to sleep for a bit." Draco says sweetly putting an arm around Cadence and pulling her closer to him so that her head is resting on him.
"Thank you. That is very kind of you Draco." Cadence replies and closes her eyes. She is asleep within minutes and Draco sits there with a smile on his face. Pansy is not happy and sits there pouting again.