Chapter Nine - " Malfoys Meet on the Hogwarts Express!"
The morning arrived and with it, a horrible rain. Harry remembered the rain that had soaked them last year when
they arrived back at school, but usually the departure from King's Cross had been in nice weather, instead of this
torrent. It wasn't going to be fun, getting all of their trunks loaded, not to mention the assorted animals.
He grinned when he remembered the looks on everyone's faces as the new animals had appeared. Fred and George had
returned to the Leaky Cauldron with an owl, saying they really needed one, with the business they had in Paris
and in Diagon Alley. Ginny had returned with a cat, well, something between a cat and kitten. At least this one
hadn't jumped on anyone's head yet, and appeared to be more of a teenager than the full grown cat Crookshanks had
been when Hermione purchased her. Still, it was a good thing none of them were returning with a rat.
Adrian had brought, surprisingly, a toad, but one unlike any they had seen before since instead of green it was
a solid, deep red He had looked a bit embarrassed when he brought it out, but told them it was part of a family
of Tomato Toads the French Malfoys had kept for years. They had all assured him it was fine, privately hoping this
one would stay put better than Neville's Trevor.
Harry had always enjoyed staying at the Leaky Cauldron, but he hadn't spent such an enjoyable evening there before.
Tom had provided the usual eight course meal and itwas easy to see Mrs. Weasley was enjoying a break from cooking,
though she did give Tom a few suggestions on the gravy and dessert.
"I know I can't use them when we get back to Hogwarts, so we may as well enjoy them now." she said sheepishly,
looking at Ron as if she expected him to make a sarcastic comment about her bringing something so un - schoolwork
related back to Hogwarts. He didn't though. In fact, he said, hopefully, "Maybe we can take them out to the
lake sometime, like after supper, before it begins to get cold."
They'd had a really nice time upstairs, talking about the music and even dancing, before each couple had inevitably
drifted off to a dark corner. He and Hermione had more than made up for being shooed off to their separate rooms
by Mrs. Weasley the night before. She had felt so wonderful in his arms, and they had spent enough time kissing
so that he felt either of them could have given a class in the finer points. He remembered their agreement to go
slowly, but things had definitely heated up, and he wondered which of them would bring up redefining "slowly"
first.
It was probably a good thing Fred and George had discovered them, and filled the room with some new fireworks that
were not only no heat, but no sound. It hadn't felt like it though, and even though the girls had been all admiration
for the bursts of color that changed from reds to oranges, all through the spectrum of colors, Hermione had whispered
"Damn! I thought we were really going to be left alone this time!" They had been teased about their reluctance
to come out of their dark corner, until Hermione had threatened, with a giggle, to hex them all, and everyone trooped
downstairs, laughing.
When they arrived downstairs for breakfast, Mr. Weasley and Danielle's dad were discussing how to get to King's
Cross most efficiently. Arthur had apparated to the Ministry of Magic already and returned with a car and driver
from the Ministry. Gregg and Marielle had rented a car, and it was decided that all of the girls would ride with
them, and since the ministry car was easily expandable, the boys and the excess luggage would go with Molly and
Arthur.
Privately, Harry felt it was Mrs. Weasley's determination to have a last lecture time with all of them about staying
out of mischief and danger, that made the traveling decisions! Even though Ron, Gred and Forge groaned, Harry thought
he'd miss her lecture, since no one before had bothered to tell him to be careful. (In fact, the Dursleys would
be more likely to urge him to go into the Forbidden Forest, if they had known of its existence!) He realized he'd
never met Adrian's parents so Mrs. Weasley's farewell talk might seem a bit strong.
The trip to King's Cross went smoothly, so smoothly, Harry was beginning to worry. Things just didn't go smoothly
for this group! Something was bound to go wrong, at any moment! As they unloaded, and Mr. Weasley and Gregg ran
back and forth with huge black umbrellas, the hulking forms of Crabbe and Goyle, on either side of Draco Malfoy
could be seen going through the barrier to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. It was amazing that even from the
back, Crabbe and Goyle managed to look stupid and threatening.
Danielle and Adrian knew all about the Hogwarts Express, and the barrier to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, but
they had nervous looks as they approached it. Harry, remembering his first time, whispered, "Just go up and
sort of lean into it, but be ready to stand up quickly, as you go through! There goes George, watch him!"
George, having now done this for most of his life, including the years he'd gone with Percy, Bill and Charlie before
he'd actually boarded the train himself, was certainly an expert. He walked up casually, looking around as if awaiting
the arrival of a friend, looking appreciatively at some of the girls walking by, then leaned against the wall and
disappeared!
" Looks easy enough," Adrian exclaimed. "Come with me, Danielle." The others watched as the
two new students walked casually up, Danielle pretended to be pointing to something and they stepped through. Everyone
else walked through quickly and easily enough, but there was a hitch when it was time for the train to leave, and
Danielle's dad suddenly decided it was time to deliver a few more warnings about wearing warm clothes, staying
dry in the colder, damp English climate, and was Danielle sure she didn't want him to ask permission for their
house elf to accompany her.
Danielle's face was quite pink with embarrassment, and Hermione and Ginny were unsuccessfully smothering their
giggles, before Marielle had persuaded Gregg to let Ron and Harry close the windows to their compartment. She settled
back on the cushions, looking as if she'd like to disappear into them, but since everyone quickly became busy,
playing Exploding Snap, and guessing about Gryffindor's chances for the quidditch cup this year. Harry saw Hermione
and Ginny telling her how bad it had been for them, their first year trip, and realized he'd never much thought
about that. Ginny had been the last of the Weasleys to go off to school, and Hermione's parents, as far as she
knew at the time, had no idea what sort of world their daughter was entering
"Well, my folks didn't laugh!" put in Ginny. "They didn't get a chance to, since they came out of
the station to find a missing car. Then dad's having an inquiry at work, about the car flying and Mum's sending
a howler. Oh yes, it was marvelous, being the younger sister of that boy who not only flew a car into the Whomping
Willow, but brought on our Mum's screeching all over the Great Hall at breakfast." she grinned at Ron and
Harry who were pinker than Danielle by then.
"Er, sorry, Gin, I guess we didn't exactly make your first year easy. But I really did hate missing your Sorting!
And Hermione, you've got to admit, you weren't exactly a fun person to be around then. And you sneered at my spell!"
Ron looked sheepishly at the girls, and added, "But never mind, Harry and I have completely matured now. Besides,
remember it was Dobby's fault we had to do that!"
Ginny pretended to fall to the floor in a faint, saying dramatically, "They- have- matured!" and after
Adrian helped her to the seat again, they began to play a game. Ron was telling Danielle about the teachers, and
Hermione seemed to have reverted to her old self. She had gone into a corner of the compartment and was immersed
in her Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5. Harry sat down close to her, and yawned. "Don't suppose you have
time for me now? All that new stuff to learn....."
"Sure, just let me finish this.... oh sorry, Harry, you look tired, come put your head in my lap, I won't
read too long."
'Not if I have anything to say about it,' he thought, as he rested his head on her legs, and after a moment let
one arm drop and began rubbing her leg. She moved her book to look questioningly at him, but didn't tell him to
stop, and soon he felt her fingers caressing his neck and ear, and she bent over to kiss him lightly, then a little
more deeply, then they both jumped as something soft hit them!
"What the....?" Harry said, looking around, and saw Ron had thrown one of his robes at them and was grinning.
Then he noticed everyone else had left the compartment.
"What happened to the others?" Hermione asked, attempting to tidy her hair. "We aren't there yet,
I know."
"I could tell you they got embarrassed and left, but... the cart lady's out there, if you two can come up
for air long enough. Danielle's going crazy, buying everything. She said they don't have the sweets we have here,
and she's never even heard of chocolate frogs. Why didn't you ever send her any of this stuff, Hermione?"
Before Hermione could answer, they heard a scuffle in the hall and a crash. When they dashed out, it was hard to
know how to react. Adrian was glaring at Draco, who was standing there with his fists clenched, and Crabbe and
Goyle were on their hands and knees, grabbing sweets from the overturned cart. Danielle and Ginny were also glaring
at Draco, while trying to help the plump witch who brought around the cart to her feet. Hermione raised her wand
and shouted "Accio, food!" and all of the things Crabbe and Goyle were grabbing flew to her, and landed
neatly in a box she had grabbed from the cart.
Harry also raised his wand with a quick "Stupefy!" and Draco's goons lay there, arms and legs in the
air. " What's going on here?" he asked. "Had to send your little friends to get sweets for you,
Malfoy? What's wrong, Mummy and Daddy forget to send you with your usual thousand galleons?"
"How's he gonna buy his friends then?" Ron asked innocently, as if asking whether they'd be arriving
at Hogwarts soon, or whether the rain had stopped.
There were snickers from the group, but Draco seemed to have recovered his composure, and drawled. "Ah, so
that's why you wound up with this pathetic excuse for a group of friends? Dad couldn't send you off with more than
two knuts?"
He then turned to Adrian, and with his usual delightful sneer, remarked,"You're a disgrace to the name Malfoy,
and everyone will know it even sooner since you're taken up with that red headed beggar Weasley girl! I should
have expected this, we haven't mixed with your parents in years. Father said he knew your father shouldn't have
married that-"
There was another crash, this time from Adrian's fist sending Draco through a door, and landing him on top of a
pile of cages of angry owls. He rose to his feet in an amazingly short time, but not before he'd been clawed by
several owls, and feathers were scattered through his hair.
"I'll....." he said menacingly to Adrian, but Harry interrupted.
"You'll what Malfoy? Maybe you oughta learn how to walk before you start wandering around on a moving train.
All I saw was you falling through the door, and onto that pile of poor, unsuspecting owls. " He looked around
the group, and everyone nodded, except Crabbe and Goyle, who seemed to be planning to lie there the rest of the
trip to Hogwarts.
"I'll be contacting your fathers, when this trip is over," the witch with the cart said firmly to Draco,
Crabbe and Goyle. "This cart's going to need repair, and some of the food has been ruined. Everything was
going along peacefully, these children were just buying their sweets until you three came along!"
After glaring forcefully, and a few mutters of "You wait." the Slytherins disappeared back down the corridor,
leaving the witch to thank Harry and the rest for their help.
"You must be quite a champion at the Summoning Charm, to be able to take food from those piggy boys!' she
told Hermione, and insisted she take several extra packs of chocolate frogs. Hermione thanked her and passed them
on to Danielle. The remainder of the trip passed fairly quickly, as they discussed what Draco and his goons might
decide to do next.
" I just hope that hat doesn't put me in the house he's in, just because I'm a Malfoy. Draco will eventually
manage to injure me, one way or another, or get me expelled." Adrian looked a little worried, now that the
moment of confrontation had passed. Then he brightened up. " I have always been taught that it was their branch
of Malfoys that disgraced the name. I see no reason to change that opinion now."
Ginny patted his arm and told him he would surely be in Gryffindor, and they heard the train begin to slow. Looking
out, they saw the castle coming into view and finally, they were back at Hogwarts!
Disclaimer: