A/N: Hello so technically this is only half of what this chapter was meant to be but between exams, work and NaNo I just won't have time to edit the full 6000 words this chapter was meant to be. Rather than make you wait another week I decided to cut it I'm half and have an update like I promised :)
I'll try and get part 2 up by Wednesday.
Enjoy!
Lexi.
Draco yawned. He really needed a better sleep, preferably one without Blaise crashing in his bed. Stuffing his trunk onto its shelf he hoped Tonky has remembered to pack the books he had asked her to buy.
Looking out the window of the Hogwarts Express Draco looked around for Blaise, he had mentioned wanting to speak to someone while Draco put his trunk away. Looking near the train door he spotted Blaise and frowned darkly.
His friend was talking to that fuzzy haired witch, Granger. What on earth could Blaise possibly be playing at, he wondered. Perhaps he should go and find out, he could tell the witch to fix her hair while he was at it.
Stepping into the hall of the train Draco came face to face with another Gryffindor.
"Malfoy." Came the surprised bark from Gryffindors newest,most unlikely hero- Neville Longbottom. "What are you doing here?"
Draco gave the boy a dark look "Presumably the same as you, Longbottom."
Draco couldn't help but grimace at the ludicrous purple sweater the boy was wearing and was about to ask if his Grandmother had knitted it for his when he was caught of guard.
"Oh" said Neville "Ok, then. Well I guess I'll be seeing you around then."
Draco had been expecting some kind of complaint or at least shock. He himself was still shocked McGonagall had really seen fit to appoint him, a known death-eater, a position of power at the school.
"What?" he said, then admonished himself, he sounded ridiculous.
"I said I'll see you around, Malfoy." Longbottom repeated, and then floated the two trunks he was carrying past Draco and walked by the boy as if they hadn't been fighting on opposite ends of the war only a few months ago.
"That's it?" Draco scoffed. He wasn't sure why but being dismissed like that, by Longbottom no less, infuriated him. "They let a Death-eater back into Hogwarts, let them take a position of power and what? You don't care. I knew you were a pathetic coward Longbottom, but this is a new low even for you. What? Are you scared? Not too brave without your friends here to back you up?"
Why on earth was he trying to pick a fight with Longbottom? All he wanted was to be left alone, especially by the Gryffindors and yet here was one doing exactly that and he was trying to piss them off. Longbottom's back stiffened and he turned to face Draco. He expected Longbottom to be angry, to try and hex him but instead the Gryffindor just looked at Draco pityingly.
"I've met plenty of Death eaters, Draco Malfoy. Trust me, you're not one of them despite what is on your arm."
Before Draco could say anything, Neville turned and continued down the hall. Draco opened his mouth to yell something at the boy. He wanted to tell him he was wrong, that he had no idea what Draco was capable of, to tell him he had done things that would make the boys skin crawl. Yet, nothing came out.
Draco turned, confused and angry. He stormed down the carriage towards the doorway and flung himself out of it. Only instead of landing firmly on the platform, he collided with another body.
Draco steadied himself on the side of the train but the red-head he had run into wasn't so lucky. Sprawled on the platform floor was Ronald Weasley, who's face had turned bright red and was now glaring up at Draco as if this had been some intentional attack. The bushy hair witch standing only a few feet away gave a squeak
"Are you alright, Ron?"
Hermione too swung an accusatory glance at Draco, before stepping forward and trying to help the Weasel back to his feet who only brushed her off.
"What the devil are you playing at, Malfoy." Weasley spat, as he heaved himself ungracefully back to his feet.
Draco glared back at the boy
"Perhaps you shouldn't stand in doorways, Weasel. I know there isn't much space in that hovel you call a home but generally in public it's considered poor form to block entrances."
If it was even possible Weasley's face turned even redder, and Draco saw him reach for his wand pocket. Despite how much of a prat the Weasel was he should probably remove himself for this situation before it got any worse. Draco did not fancy facing off here when the entire Weasel clan and Saint Potter's personal army were around.
"Shut your mouth you pathetic ferret!" Ron yelled at him, a fleck of spit flew out of his mouth and landed only millimeters from Draco's shoe, who sneered foully
"Temper, temper Ronald." Silently Draco summed his own wand from inside his cloak. He had mastered the move long ago, he didn't trust the Weasel as far as he could throw him and although he didn't want to start an altercation on the platform he would not be caught unawares by a Weasley of all people.
"That's enough, Ronald." Hermione said, stepping into Ron's line of sight.
She looked at him pleadingly, starting a fight with Malfoy wasn't going to fix anything. They weren't even at Hogwarts yet and already the two boys were clashing. Hermione couldn't help but dread the rest of the year if it was going to be like this. Unfortunately Ron wasn't paying attention to her, instead staring directly over her shoulder glaring at Draco.
"Stay out of this Hermione." Ron snapped at her. "That slimy bastard should be in Azkaban with the rest of his kind."
Draco wondered if the redhead had conveniently forgotten that his girlfriend and his best friend had been the main reason he wasn't currently occupying a cell in the wizard prison.
"Ron." Hermione said sternly, stepping directly in front of him so he would have to look at her when she spoke "The war is over. We can't keep fighting like this."
Hermione could tell Ron was still furious but he was beginning to listen to her.
"You should listen to your witch, Weasel. Wouldn't want to get anyone else killed would you? Which brother was it again?"
That was the last straw for Ron, who roared loud enough to draw the attention of the entire platform. Pulling his wand out he shoved Hermione to the side and sent a stinging hex directly at Draco.
The Malfoy was to fast for him, casting a silent shield before Weasley had even raised his wand fully and then disarming the wizard within seconds.
Ron's wand flew out of his hand landing on the platform, now useless to the wizard. But Ron wasn't done just yet. Forgoing his wand he charged at Draco, tackling him to the ground and punching him in the face.
Draco was momentarily shocked by the physical attack that he didn't protect himself from that first punch. It was a clean hit to his nose which he felt break instantly. Blood poured into his eyes and in his blindness he didn't see the second punch coming. This time Ronald had gone for the ribs and Draco felt at least one crack as the wind was knocked out of him.
Ron was able to get one final punch to the face before a spark of light from Draco's wand sent him flying into the air to crash face first on the hard ground. Unfortunately Draco had thrown Ron directly in the way of the wizard wand, which he snatched up and pointed at Draco.
"STOP!"
Ron and Draco both turned, momentarily distracted from their fight by the loud yell from Hermione Granger. Hermione and Blaise were standing next to each other staring at their friends, Blaise looked disappointed while Hermione looked furious.
Her hair was even more frizzed than normal while her clothes were now dirty and she had a rip in the knee of her jeans. She couldn't believe Ron had pushed her out of the way like that, she doubted he had actually meant to hurt her but the shove had knocked her onto the ground. She could feel the sting of the gravel rash on her hands and she knew one of her knees was bleeding.
She had been surprised when a hand had touched her elbow and Blaise Zabini appeared at her side, helping her stand up and asking, with genuine concern in his voice
"Are you alright, Granger?
Hermione had thanked him and dusted herself off before turning and furiously yelling at the two wizards who were now staring at her.
Ron made another move to lift his wand towards Malfoy but Hermione's own wand shot up, pointing it at both the idiotic wizards standing in front of her.
"Stop this right now you idiots." Hermione said, she was no longer yelling but the fury in her voice was just as present.
"Hermione, he started it." Ron said, pathetically.
Draco scoffed loudly and opened his mouth but shut it again when Hermione glared at him.
"Bullshit, Ron."
Draco raised his eyebrows at her and she heard Blaise chuckle behind her, obviously amused by her language.
Hermione was about to open her mouth and start lecturing the both of them, something she thought they definitely deserved, when Neville Longbottom poked his head out of the train and called
"Malfoy. Hermione. The driver says we need to leave now, you should get on board."
Hermione looked up at Neville and frowned. Did he say Malfoy? Why would Malfoy be coming. Hermione glanced back at Blaise and then to Malfoy again. Wasn't Zabini the Slytherin captain?
Neville, seeing none of them move, sighed
"The rest of the Captains are already on board, we're just waiting for you two. You should hurry, I don't think McGonagall will be very happy if we're late on our first day."
Malfoy snorted and without speaking to any of the others he climbed onto the train and pushed past Neville with a grumbled
"Out of my way, Longbottom."
Neville ignored the wizard and raised an eyebrow at Hermione
"Coming Hermione?"
Hermione was still standing on the platform, staring aghast at Malfoy's retreating form. Draco Malfoy was the Slytherin Captain? For the first time Hermione was questioning the sanity of her favorite teacher, how could McGonagall possibly think that Malfoy would be a good candidate.
Reasling that Neville was still waiting for her, Hermione shoved her wand into her pocket. No good would come from standing on the platform with her mouth hanging open. She walked towards the train, trying to ignore her Boyfriend who was standing there with his mouth open in shock and whom she was still very much annoyed at. But at she passed him, Ron snatched her wrist, stopping her
"He's a captain too?"
Hermione snatched her hand back, she was still furious at Ronald.
"Yes, I suppose so Ronald."
Ron's ears were bright red still and he looked furious.
"What McGonagall playing at, giving it to some Death Eater scum like Malfoy."
If she was being honest Hermione was questioning the decision too but she didn't have time to argue the point with Ron right now. Instead she just ignored him and stepped onto the train with Neville.
A/N: Hoped you enjoyed this little chapter, the next half will be entirely Draco/ Hermione interactions so I'll try and have it up soon.In the meantime let me know what you think in the reviews!Lexi
