Another update, not sure what to say other than thank you for reading if you still are. Anyway, here's:


Chapter 28 - Worry

Draco Malfoy made his way past a group of first years and into a compartment with Crabbe, Goyle, and Parkinson with a large grin on his face. Meanwhile, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were walking into their own compartment. Inside, Luna and Neville were sitting opposite each other. Luna had a copy of the Quibbler in her hand. Hermione scooted herself into the compartment and sat next to Luna. Ginny sat next to her while Ron sat down next to Harry who was seated next to Neville.

"Hello," Luna's voice was drawn out in a sing song tone. Her eyes didn't leave the pages of the Quibbler. Hermione stared at her for a moment before greeting her, "good morning Luna."

"Hello Luna! Neville!" Ginny greeted sweetly.

Neville smiled nervously. His eyes darted to Harry who was twitching nervously. His eyes were wandering towards Malfoy's compartment. "I bet you Draco is in there right now talking about whatever it is he got at that store," Harry told them.

"What are you talking about Harry?" Neville asked.

"He secretly took something out of Borgin and Burkes," Harry filled in Luna and Neville.

"Sounds suspicious," Luna said her blue eyes still glued to the magazine. Harry's eyes shifted to Luna's face. He felt a slight kinship with her at that moment and he couldn't control the slight blush that over came his cheeks.

"Right," Harry beamed, "see? Luna agrees with me."

Right, Hermione thought bitterly, the girl who believes in nargels. Honestly, is that the best you have Harry.

Ginny chuckled which caused Luna to look at her. Luna's expression had not changed. Her face still looked as if it were fixed on reading, yet she looked as if she was looking into the sky. Ginny looked at her and smiled, "I think I might have to agree with you and Harry. It is a little weird that he took something out of that shop and he wanted something fixed but not there."

Ginny, not you too. What's next? Are you going to believe in nargels too? Hermione bit her lower lip and sighed. "He bought something for his father most likely, and as for what needs to be fixed, I'm sure it's something in his father's possession."

"And you think that's good?" Harry glared at her.

Hermione shook her head, bushy brown hair bouncing from left to right. "I'm not saying it's good Harry. I'm just saying that perhaps you are overreacting," she told him.

Ginny started to pretend she was cutting the air in the compartment. Hermione shot a glare at her. "What?" she laughed, "I'm cutting the tension with a knife."

Luna, who was back to her reading, laughed so hard that everyone turned to look at her. Without looking up she said, "Wow! That was really funny Ginny. Cutting the tension and then making a movement like that. Clever."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Luna. Neville chuckled a bit while Harry sighed. Ron, who was eating the entire time, looked up for the first time. "It wasn't that funny Luna," he said shaking his head. "Harry, what are you doing?"

Harry had gotten up and pulled his trunk out. He was looking through his belongings until he pulled out his invisibility cloak. "I'm going to go spy on Malfoy," he said sharply. Hermione was about to protest when Harry cut her off, "I need to prove it to you so just let me."

Harry walked into the hallway carefully. He was making the lightest steps he could. Ron leaned his body to the door and after a while he couldn't hear Harry anymore. "Has he lost his mind?" Ron asked everyone else. Ginny's eyes scanned everyone's reaction. Hermione was sitting with an angry expression fixed on her face, Luna was still reading but didn't really look like the words were sinking into her head, Neville was looking out the window nervously and Ron had a confused look on his freckled face.

"He might have," Luna said, "but I don't think he has. I think he has a point. He needs to see what's going on because Malfoy may be a threat."

"Draco Malfoy?" Hermione laughed, "how could he possibly be one?"

"Did you forget the ministry already?" Neville shot at her. "His father… is a death eater and-"

Neville couldn't finish because Hermione interrupted him with, "his father isn't a great one if you remember. I think we need to be worrying more about Bellatrix who escaped!"

"Yes, I guess so," Neville slumped into his seat and looked sick at the mention of Bellatrix Lestrange, "but I don't think you should rule out the Malfoy family. I think it's odd too. We'll have to see what Harry uncovers."

"Draco loves to show off, I'm sure he's bragging to his mates right now," Ron stated.

"I thought you didn't think he was a death eater Ronald," Hermione snapped at him.

"Well," Ron gulped, "I don't think he is, you see, but I know his father is so…" Ron looked out the door to see if maybe Harry was coming back but he wasn't. He turned back to Hermione, "…You know what if there's something that is going to happen at Hogwarts now. You know that wasn't the last of You-Know-Who."

"I know," Hermione sighed, "But do you honestly think Voldermort is that stupid? Oh Ron stop it!" Ron cringed at the sound of Voldermort's spoken name. Hermione arched her eyebrows down and glared deep into Ron. "Anyway, as I was saying, I don't think he would be that stupid. We know he fears Dumbledore."

"I know that," Ron said defensively. He crossed his arms over his chest and slumped into his seat along with Neville. Ginny was now on the edge of her seat taking in everything that was being said.

"Is it ok for me to say that I am on the fence about all of this?" she interjected. "I mean, ok, so we know Malfoy's dad is a death eater. But do we really know what's going on with You-Know-Who?"

"No," Ron answered, "but we should be careful you know?"

"I agree with Ron," Neville spoke up.

"So do I," Hermione said, "but I don't think Malfoy is a death eater like Harry believes."

"But what if he's in the process of following in his father's foot steps?" Ginny asked her.

"Draco may be a jerk and he may be rude," Hermione took in a deep breath, "But he's not evil."

The train rolled down the tracks and stopped at the school and Harry still was not back. Hermione and Ron were both looking into the hallway to see if maybe he was coming out. They saw and heard nothing. "Where the hell is Harry?" Ron asked as he got up. He grabbed his trunk and Harry's. Hermione took Crookshanks and her trunk out into the hallway. There was a large group of students.

"Come on," Hermione urged them, "Let's see if he's outside already. I don't see Draco yet."

The five of them walked out to the carriages looking franticly for Harry but just saw no sign of him. Hermione caught a glance of Draco walking with his Slytherin friends. She tugged on Ron and Ginny who turned to see him walk into a carriage. Before Hermione, Ginny or Ron could even go back to the train, the doors shut.

"Shit," Ginny stomped her foot on the ground, "the train is leaving already!"

"I didn't see Harry come out," Ron said nervously.

"Me either," Neville agreed with a worried look etched on his face.

Luna had her wand tucked behind her ear, her copy of the Quibbler under her arm and a trunk in her hand. She was looking over the crowd in her usual dazed demeanor. "I think he's still on the train," she nearly whispered to the others. "Draco must have heard Harry and done something to him. Hmm, that's bad isn't it?"

"Yes!" Hermione snapped, "that's really bad! That train is going back towards London!"

Ron and Neville exchanged looks of complete worry and frustration. "We can't just bloody stand out here, we have to get to the Great Hall or else," Ginny nearly yelled out of her own frustration, "come on!"

They shuffled into the Great Hall. They parted ways with Luna who had to seat herself at the Ravenclaw table. The others made haste to the Gryffindor table. "Bloody hell," Ron dropped his head onto the wooden table. "This is so utterly bad," he continued even though his voice was slightly muffed by the position, "Snape already has it out for Harry you know? He's going to be late!"

"That's not the least of Harry's problems at the moment Ronald," Hermione sighed, "if Luna is right, then Harry is heading back in the opposite direction and it's going to take him a long while to get back here."

Ginny frowned, Harry… where are you?