Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, no I do not, though I wish I did.
Author's Note: Please know that I'm from America, and will probably be using some American terms (curse/cuss words particularly although I may use British spellings if I know them, like organise or colour (if I remember) or arse instead of ass.
Summary: Harry and Draco have been enemies since Day 1. After the fiasco at the Ministry, Harry returns for the summer before his sixth year thankful for the Orders' support at Kings Cross, but overexposure to his family causes him to be quite bitter with the world. A trip to Diagon Alley changes everything, more than anyone of them would know…
The Mind of Tom Riddle
The Train Ride
Tedjn
The Writer of Odd Fics
The train pulled into Hogsmeade Station, shielded by a fog of billowing smoke coming from its front chimney. It was a grand and majestic train, a solid, dark red hue disturbed only by the occasional black stripes and the windows, perfectly clear from the inside, but black paint to the outside observer, a perfect privacy pane no doubt achieved by magic. Swarms of students surrounded the stopping locomotive and pushed and shoved to reach the front to grab an empty compartment while they were still empty, and to save room for their friends.
Blaise Zabini stood among the swarm of black cloaks—almost as black as the train windows—and sighed. She had already been pushed and jostled by many people and was not in a good mood.
"You alright there, honey?" Draco Malfoy pushed through the throng to reach his cousin. He was wearing the standard Hogwarts uniform: black cloak with silver fastenings, and his surreal platinum hair sleek and shiny as usual. He was also holding a bouquet of flowers. "For you, my dear."
Blaise rolled her eyes. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Language, Blaise dear," Draco replied smugly. "Aren't you going to take the flowers? I bought them special for you. They flew over by eagle this morning. Cost me a plenty penny."
"Of course, Draco," Blaise replied evenly. "Wow, these flowers are holy now that they've traveled with Lucifer. They would've been the joy of my life if I the flowers here at Hogwarts are five times lovelier. I'm sure Pansy will enjoy them immensely, given to her by her Dracie poo."
"You wound me, Blaise. Imagine what Lucifer would say if she heard you. Eagles have immense prides, you know?"
"And egos," Blaise muttered under her breath but loud enough for Draco to hear, however Draco continued as if he hadn't heard.
"Ok, ok, Blaise, I'll stop kidding around. What, do you think I'm some kind of pervert? I'm not going to go for relatives, Blaise, although I know you want me to," Draco winked, and before Blaise could retort, added, "Besides, I don't go for bitchy girls, Blaise, no I don't. You can try Potter."
"Potter?" Blaise wrinkled her nose in distaste, but then an evil smile spread across her face. "Maybe I will, Dracie poo. It's too bad that I guess I can't be your friend anymore since I'll be with Pot-Harry, now, eh? Oh, my hero, Potter, how I love you. Your eyes are as green as the lake and as clear as mud—" but she couldn't continue anymore and broke off in hysterics. Draco was holding his stomach in laughter. "We'd better get on the train," he managed to croak out, and indeed, they were the only ones left on the station, and the teachers were looking at them strangely. Only Dumbledore was off to the side. He smiled, and his eyes twinkled as if they held some forbidden knowledge.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Harry Potter watched Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy from the window of his empty compartment. He had told his friends to leave him alone, and they understood that he needed the silence to mourn for Sirius and hopefully, move on. But Harry had no intention of moving on. Almost everything reminded him of Sirius—the name Padfoot, his Firebolt that had been returned to him, even any random dog on the street. And, although Harry had trouble admitting it, he was jealous of Malfoy and Zabini—they reminded him of Sirius and himself and what could've been. Sirius had always been a fun person to have around, being the crazy one of the Marauders, and a great sense of humor to boot, plus the necessary immense dislike of Snape.
Harry watched silently as the two stragglers boarded the train and sighed to himself. As much as he hated being jealous of his school rival, he couldn't help it. Malfoy had everything: money, a great friend, parents… Sure, he was a bit cold and a bastard, but he was living the good life, and Harry wished that he was Malfoy. Even being in Slytherin would be a good tradeoff. "What the hell am I thinking?" Harry berated himself. How could he ever have imagined himself as Malfoy, the jerk, the bastard, the cold-hearted snake, and the arrogant Snape-pet of Slytherin? "Must be the sleep, or lack thereof," Harry reassured himself, and with that, settled back and went to sleep.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Ron Weasley had stopped pondering the mystery that was his best friend. For long, he had tried to understand him, and to help him along like any best friend would. Harry sure understood him. Every birthday, he would give what Ron would crave. Every time Ron was down, he'd cheer him up and offer advice or condolences. Ron was sure that if he was as an accomplished Occlumens as Snape was and was thinking of suicide, Harry would be the one to notice and give him a reason to live. In fact, Ron now realized that Harry was always the better friend. He was never let jealousy overpower him. He didn't care about his money. He didn't care about his fame. Every time Ron or Hermione needed something, Harry would be there for them, never wavering. And Harry had always subtly helped them. "He probably had a hand in making me Keeper for Gryffindor," Ron thought.
Ron knew that no matter how hard he could try to equal Harry, he would never reach that level of thoughtfulness. And now that Harry had suffered yet another loss in his young life, Ron had no way to help him through. "I hope," he thought. "I hope that leaving Harry alone is the right thing to do. He's been through so much, yes, this is the right thing. And besides, I have something else to do. Thanks, Harry, for helping me realize..."
Ron turned in his seat and looked out the window, then turned again to face Hermione. She was fidgeting in her seat, staring out the window at the landscape rushing by, the customary book with her was nowhere to be found. "She's worried about Harry," Ron realized, and he had to fight to keep his jealously in check. He studied Hermione's face, her eyes, her nose, her red, luscious lips that looked so kissable…
"Ron?" Hermione whispered. Ron immediately jerked his head up, blushing because he was caught, but Hermione didn't look like she had realized what he was thinking just a moment ago. "Ron?" she asked again.
"What?" Ron asked abruptly, and then berated himself for being so harsh at the look of hurt that flashed past Hermione's face. "What is it?" he added softly this time.
"Do you think Harry'll be alright?"
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Mione. He always comes through for us, and we'll come through for him. We'll leave him alone, see how he does, and we'll listen when he decides to tell us everything, ok? We're best friends, Hermione. You know that they call us the Golden Trio right?" Ron smiled when he saw Hermione start to grin. "And Hermione—" he began, suddenly nervous. "Hermione…"
"What, Ron?" she had her smile back again, and it didn't look forced. She tilted her head in silent question.
"Hermione," he started but then couldn't continue. Suddenly, he remembered Harry's last words to him on the night before Sirius died.
"Jeez, Ron. Get a grip of yourself. It's only Hermione, our best friend you know? How bad could it be? Remember, Ron, you'll never know unless you try. If she says no, then it's no. Our friendships won't change, it's been so deep already. You know that they call us the inseparable Golden Trio right? Dumbledore once told me that our choices are what makes us. Choose wisely, Ron."
Ron smiled then, and began confidently, silently thanking Harry Potter, his best friend, "Hermione, I have something to tell you…"
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
"Cheater!"
"How did I cheat? You stinkin liar. I've never cheated before in my life!"
"So? You're a Slytherin!"
"So are you!"
Draco and Blaise were in the middle of an intense game of Exploding Snap. Draco, as always, was winning by a huge margin. "I tell you," Blaise began angrily. "That was an illegal move. Give me the damn rulebook."
Draco rolled over and fumbled under the compartment seat before sitting back up again, triumphantly waving the rulebook in the air. Blaise snatched it out of his hands and started flipping through wildly. "Whoa, calm down, woman," Draco teased.
Blaise paid no attention and continued flipping. The Exploding Snap rulebook was as big as Hogwarts A History, but the game was such a big hit that no one minded the length. After awhile, Draco got bored. He yawned, covered his mouth from manners learned in his Mannerisms Class at home, and went to sleep. Seconds later, Blaise yelled in victory. "See?" she said, gesturing wildly at the rule book. "On page 473, you may only Steal if and only if your opponent has Stolen before! Wait… that doesn't make sense. How can you Steal then?"
Draco, who had been woken by Blaise's yelling, grumbled grumpily and then smirked. "But, dear Blaise. On page 512, it says clearly, and I quote, 'A Copycat card can be played by an opponent, but as a part of checks and balances (Pg 12), after exactly 12 moves, your opponent may use Copycat for your side to choose any move in the game.' I chose Steal on yours but because Steal is a silent move, I did not have to announce it."
"Then how come I got no extra cards then?" Blaise challenged haughtily.
"Blaise, do you read the rulebook at all? It says clearly on page 210 that a Steal may only be done on a normal card. My 'Explode' card is not a normal card when it is combined with the Merlin Edition 2, which has the special effect of affecting all Earth cards in your hand and turning them into Stage 1 cards. I merely made you use Steal on my 'Explode' card and the effect was cancelled." Draco laughed.
Disgruntled, Blaise checked the rulebook, and sure enough, there were the rules in fine print. "Damn you, you have no life, Draco. Memorizing the rulebook. You might as well memorize Hogwarts A History."
"And be like Granger?" Draco laughed. Suddenly, both were cracking up on the ground, rolling around in laughter. They were still laughing when the compartment door slammed open. Immediately, Blaise and Draco stopped laughing at sat up. In the doorway stood Marcus Flint, and by experience, Blaise and Draco knew that not only did the Slytherins play unfairly against the other houses, they showed no mercy to their own house. Flint was graduating this year, and he was sure to be nasty.
"Get outta this compartment," he growled menacingly. "I'm graduating this year, and I get my own compartment with my friend Higgs here. He's still sore at you for taking his place as Slytherin Seeker, Malfoy, so you'd better move it. I'm not sticking up for ya either, losing to Potter all the time. Well, what are you waiting for? MOVE YOUR BUMS!"
Draco jumped and quickly pulled Blaise away. The compartment door slammed behind them as they left, and they could hear maniacal laughter begin behind them. "Now what?" Blaise complained.
"Stop whining, baby sister," Draco was still his humorous self. Although blatantly cold and arrogant with most others, he was surprisingly warm to his favorite and only cousin.
"Who you calling a baby?" Blaise laughed. The two Slytherins started walking down the train checking in compartments here and there. Both gagged when they opened up a compartment only to see Granger and Weasley going at it. It was, Blaise muttered, "a truly horrific moment for our poor eyes. It's not everyday you see Granger and Weasley snogging, and that's a good thing."
"Godammit!" Draco yelled as they neared the last compartment on the train. "There's no room anywhere, godammit!"
"Language, dear Draco" Blaise teased. "And no whining," she added on afterthought. Then she laughed her musical laugh which served to irritate Draco even more.
"Well, Blaise," Draco sighed resigned. "This is the last compartment. We go in here no matter what. I mean, there just has to be room somewhere on this train." Blaise nodded. "Ready?" Draco asked. "On three. One. Two. Three!"
Both barged into the compartment and stopped dead. "What the hell?" Blaise was the first to react. Draco was so shocked that he didn't even tease Blaise about language.
"Of all the friggin compartments…" he began. In that compartment, the last compartment on the train, was a sleeping student occupying a whole side of the compartment—a sleeping Harry Potter to be exact. "Oh damn…"
Fini
I was going to make this chapter longer, but I'm supposed to be asleep right now. I promise the next chapter will be really long though, so keep reviewing and it'll be out in no time.