AN: Well, here's the next chapter. And as always I ask everyone to R/R.

Chapter II

Harry groaned as he felt a hand pulling at him gently. A familiar voice quietly telling him to wake up. He shivered but forced himself to sit up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked up into the pale face of his Aunt Petunia with curious eyes. She backed up a step and motioned for him to get out of the car.

"Come, Harry. We're here."

Harry nodded, picking up Hedwig's cage from the seat beside him. Getting out he saw that his cousin had already pulled over a cart and had started to load his things on it. The green-eyed boy cocked his head in surprise. He felt as if he wanted to say something but he just couldn't bring himself to break the uneasy silence as he set the cage on top of his luggage. His skinny aunt motioned for Dudley to follow them and escorted Harry into the busy train station. The wizardling insisted on pushing the his own luggage, looking around at the semi-familiar station.

As the trio weaved their path between the other people around them, Harry was reflecting on what he would be doing now. He hoped that this year he could just be as normal as possible, but a slight sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that this wasn't to be so.

Because after all, I'm just a freak, he thought scoldingly. I'll only ever be a freak. Worth nothing and a criminal waste of space and time, just like Uncle Vernon always said.

At the thought of his uncle, Harry shivered. His Uncle Vernon had been far too injured to come along with them to the train station this year, his leg, a couple of ribs, and his nose were all broken. Petunia hadn't said anything when he had asked her what had happened to his over-large relation. And it hadn't come back up.

"Harry, oh come here lad! It's so good to see you again." The slim teen smiled as he was enveloped into the fleshy arms of a certain red-headed witch. He returned the embrace tightly much to Mrs. Weasley's delight and his Aunt Petunia's surprise. Dudley only took a stumbling step back as more red-heads appeared around Harry along with a rather pretty brunette girl.

"Harry! How have you been mate?" Ron smiled down at him, his arm slung casually around Hermione's slim shoulders. The brunette smiled brightly at Harry and slipped away from Ron to also give him a warm hug.

"I. . .um-" Harry paled and shook his head. Harry glanced around, just then noticing that his Aunt Petunia and Dudley had left him already. "Well, I guess it was the same as any summer with my family."

Ginny stepped forward to embrace Harry warmly, "Aww, that's too bad. Next summer maybe you'll get to come and stay with us the whole time."

Harry chuckled, "I'd sure like to."

"Yes, Harry, maybe you will. After I finished my homework and reading all our textbooks for this year, Ron and I started to research that protection spell Dumbledore did on your Aunt's. I may be able to find an equally strong one to cast at the Burrow next summer." Ron smiled down at Hermione as she spoke.

"Yeah, mate. Then you won't ever have to go back to those awful muggles." Ron broke out into a broad grin and Hermione just rolled her eyes. Harry smiled softly at their good intentions. Arthur and Molly Weasley suddenly started shooing them towards the magical platform, in a hurry to make sure that they caught the train.

"Well, I certainly hope you find something." Then he added softly to himself. "I'm not sure if I can ever bring myself to go back there again."

The red-haired witch watched as all four teens loaded their trunks in the baggage car and then got onto the train. All the while calling out last minute things that she thought needed to be said. Along with a couple of reminders so they didn't forget things. "Oh, and Harry dear! Your supplies are with Ron's at the bottom of his trunk. Ron! Remember to write me when you get there. And if I hear anything about you not being a complete gentleman towards Hermione. . ." she left the threat hanging in the air. Ron gulped, "Ginny be a dear and make so Ronald remembers to stay out of fights this year."

Harry felt the corner of his mouth lift slightly at that. Last year Ron had gotten into no fewer than sixteen fights, had almost been permanently banned from Quidditch, and almost been expelled from Hogwarts altogether. Hermione had finally had to start sneaking mild sedatives into his drinks at the end of last year. Ron still didn't know that.

The four Gryffindors found an empty cabin and went into sit, waiting for the train to leave the station. Harry excluded himself from their discussion and stared out the window, thinking. Ginny seemed to be the only one of the other three to notice how quiet Harry was during the trip, withdrawing into himself to think about something that obviously bothered him if the look on his face was any indication. The fifth year Gryffindor continued her conversation with Ron and Hermione, all the while watching the boy-who-lived.

About halfway to Hogsmeade the door of the small cabin slid open. The three talking, paused and looked up to see a slim figure with silver-white blonde hair and steely gray eyes. A confident smirk slid onto the teen's pale lips as he took in the contents of the small room.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Dumbledore's Golden Boy, the Mudblood and not one, but two Weasels!" Draco Malfoy smirked haughtly down at the quartet within. Ron got to his feet with Hermione right behind him, trying to make him sit back down. "Now, Weasel. Settle down. Wouldn't want Mommy to be angry, now would we?"

"Sod off Malfoy!" Ginny was now helping to hold Ron back even as Draco was smirking at him snidely.

"Oh, yes. I shall go and run off to do anything and everything that you tell me to do." Draco rolled his eyes and crossed his arms before leaning against the door frame. "Come now, Weasley. Even as dense as you are surely you can see that the idea of a Malfoy ever doing something the a Weasel said to do is ridiculous."

Hermione sighed and drew back to pull her wand out. Her eyes sparked in concentration as she stunned Ron and had Ginny help her place him back on the bench. Draco burst out laughing. Ginny silently raged at him, but knew better than to say anything. The blond boy turned to start in on Harry then paused with wide eyes.

"Is little Potty trying to ignore me?" Draco cooed much to the girls' disgust.

"Go away, Malfoy. Before I start testing out all the new curses I learned over the summer." Hermione hissed. Ginny stood beside her with a frown. Both of their wands were trained on his chest. He wasn't looking at them though, but behind them.

Harry slowly turned to look Draco in the eyes, his face unusually blank, emotionless and his eyes hollow, empty. Draco self-consciously took a step back, shivering as Harry seemed to stare straight through him. Draco's face hardened into a mask and drew himself up, every inch the untouchable Malfoy heir. The dark-haired wizardling didn't acknowledge anyone or anything before he then turned back around to gaze out the window again.

"Bloody gits," Draco muttered as he quietly withdrew from the cabin and closed the door to leave two very stunned girls looking at the door. Neither of them having seen the haunted look of Harry's dead green eyes.

TBC. . .