The Hogwarts Express
Draco lay wide awake at two in the morning, staring at his ceiling. He was waiting until his mother would come to wake him but the minutes were ticking by too slowly. His usual attempts at distractions were not helping get his mind off Granger. He tried to ignore his memories from earlier that day, but they kept haunting him. The way her soft brown hair cascaded down her back, her muggle-style clothing, her perfectly smooth skin. He managed to persuade himself that he found the way she looked attractive, not her personally. His mother at dinner didn't help either. She kept glancing at him and smirking, as if she now had a secret she knew she couldn't keep. His father seemed oblivious as usual. Whatever he did earlier that day was still drawing on his mind. Suddenly he looked up and decided he was interested in Narcissa and Malfoy's discussion.
"You bought what book for Care of Magical Creatures? Who is teaching that class? That book should never be allowed on school grounds. What was Dumbledore thinking? I voted against that oaf teaching any classes! If that Hagrid does anything wrong, boy, if he steps one toe out of line you contact me immediately. He will be gone before November, I tell you. Dumbledore has no control of that school. First the dementors and now this? If I was head master..."
At this point Draco was no longer paying attention to his father. His eyes fell on his mother who suddenly looked even paler than normal. Yes, it did take a while for the manager to get the book out of the cage but did it really terrify her that much? Even if Hagrid was the professor he would teach them how to manage the book. But then it dawned on him, the dementors. He was just as terrified as she was about them. He could see the tears begin swell in her eyes. She was fighting back so many reasons to let them fall. She already felt like she was losing her husband to the fight for purity. Now she had to worry about losing her son too. He was supposed to be safe at Hogwarts. When she felt his gaze she gained her composure quickly and began continued their discussion about their visit to Diagon Alley. The closer it came to talk about their break from shopping the more nervous he became. As she was sharing the story with Lucius she seemed to skip over Florean Fortescue's. They began discussing different necklaces she spotted at one of the shops. His mother and father kept discussing her findings as he excused himself to leave. As he walked past his mother her motives were only obvious to Draco.
"That simple emerald and pearl necklace would be perfect for someone who matched its beauty, don't you agree?"
And yet, it was still too early to get up and get ready. His alarm clock read a quarter past three. He allowed himself to fall asleep thinking about the necklace his mother mentioned and what it would look like on different girls he knew, both Slytherins and a particular Gryffindor.
6:29.
He was completely content waiting for his mother to come and wake him but after ten minutes had passed he gave up and decided he would get up on his own. He slowly pulled himself up to sit at the edge of his luxurious bed. He knew the bed at Hogwarts would feel like rocks compared this. He soaked in a few more moments and groaned as he rubbed his face with his palms. He slowly rose to his feet and attempted to see through the darkness. He strained his eyes and reached out using his hands to help guide him towards the bathroom. He was just thinking about how he was going to miss his mother waking him up at precisely-
"Mum! Why is it always so bloody bright; and why are you late!?" He quickly covered his eyes with his forearms as his mother charmed the curtains back. He lost his balance and stumbled backwards over his trunk. "Oof, ouch!" His mother let out a slight chuckle and looked out his window to the garden. "It is time to get ready, my Draco." she stated before he was even to his feet. "We can go to the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast before heading to King's Cross. I also want to make a quick stop in Diagon Alley." She began to giggle and blush at this last statement. She glided out of the room letting him know he had ten minutes. He dragged his feet toward his bathroom taking everything in one more time. His large room with emerald walls, the white marble in his bathroom, the black dresser that was covered in random items he's been collecting since he started at Hogwarts, and the mahogany wood panels that covered his floor. He washed his face and dressed into jeans and a black shirt. He quickly threw an extra set of his emerald towels into his trunk before heading towards the door. With one final glance over everything he shut his door behind him and headed for the large oak doors.
Narcissa was already by the fire place when Draco made his way down the stairs. They would travel by floo powder to Diagon Alley. They were walking down the almost empty streets when his mother started looking in the windows. "Ah, here we are. Draco, I will meet you at the Leaky Cauldron. I need to stop here very quickly." Draco was hesitant but he did as his mother asked. He entered the pub and immediately regretted his choice. He quickly turned around as he heard a thump towards his feet. He shot around to see her big brown eyes staring at him. He attempted to fix what had happened but he kept making it worse.
"I'm, uh, sorry about that. Here let me help-" he was struggling to find words to make a complete thought. He picked up her small frame and helped her pick up the books that scattered the floor. She never removed her eyes from him. She seemed confused and was unsure how to react to his new behaviors. They both stood up and stared at each other. After a few more moments of silence he couldn't take it anymore. "Granger, just because I'm a Slytherin doesn't mean I don't have manners. Just watch where you're going next time, alright?" He knew he was staring too long again. He broke their gaze first and slipped outside. His heart was beating fast, unsure what to do. He saw his mother walking with a little black bag towards him. He met her halfway trying to ignore what had just happened.
"We can't eat there. It's too crowded. Let's go get scones from that muggle bakery near the station. I have some muggle money that you gave me a while back. I could really go for one of those scones..." He was hoping he wasn't sounding too desperate. His mother's expressions proved he failed. He could tell she saw straight through his attempts to avoid embarrassment. He stood up taller trying to gain confidence. Narcissa shook her head softly and placed her hand on her son's shoulder. He exhaled loudly as they walked away from the pub. At least his mother understood how he was feeling. His father would disown him if he discovered he had found anything about a mud blood attractive.
He just realized he didn't know where his father was; he didn't miss his other two departures to Hogwarts. They approached the Papillon Rose and he could smell the bakery's delicious goods. They sat at a small wooden table and he couldn't help but ask, "So where is father? He was here the other years." He felt relief when his mother's expressions did not change. "He decided to have a meeting with the governors. He is very concerned about your safety and a new professor. If you wish, he can come to the platform-"
"No," he interrupted abruptly. "I mean, it's okay. He doesn't care for muggle food anyways." The topic was dropped quickly and they began talking about what classes he was hoping to take this year. Of course he loved his potions class but he was more interested in who would join them for the class. The past two years was with Gryffindors and he secretly hoped it stayed the same this year. After thirty minutes they decided it was time to go to the station. Narcissa made her way towards the door and Draco noticed the little black bag by her chair. He picked it up for her and as they walked outside he tried to give it back to her. "Draco, this is for you. I want you to open it when there is no one else around. It is very important to read how it works. You are welcome, dear." She finished with a soft smile and he already could tell she was up to something. He shoved the two small boxes in his pockets and threw the bag away.
They arrived to the platform with just enough time to say goodbye. He was not ready to leave her but he knew it was inevitable. He gave his mother one final hug and kiss on the cheek and promised to write. He found an empty compartment and lifted his trunk over his head in storage. He sat down and closed his eyes. He felt a slight shift of the train and they were off. He began rubbing a small, black velvet box between his fingers. His deep thoughts were interrupted by his two cronies. "'Ey, Crabbe, I found him!" Goyle was shouting at the top of his lungs. He quickly rose to his feet and let the boxes fall deep into his pockets. "Alright now, Goyle. No need to shout. You found me, congratulations." Crabbe and Goyle lacked the ability to sense sarcasm as both showed up grinning ear to ear. "I knew we'd find you sooner or later!" Crabbe shouted a few feet away from Draco. "Alright, alright you two. Hush it down. Just get in here so we can figure out what we can do to annoy Potter and Weasel before we get to Hogwarts. I want to start off on the right foot." He smirked as they closed the compartment door and began plotting how to piss off the Trio before arriving at school.
A/N: Thanks in advance for leaving a review!
-Rae
