"Bye, Mum," Draco Malfoy droned, letting his mother squeeze him. "Bye, Dad." His father patted his shoulder as he wheeled his trolley around, waved, and boarded the Hogwarts Express.

He managed to dodge Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. The two, though useful at times, got on his nerves. The dimwits. He found a compartment to himself and shoved his trunk onto the seat across from him. His eagle owl, Sarah, went up above. Draco leaned forward and retrieved a book from his trunk, then leaned back and began to read. What an amazing beginning to his sixth year.

"Can I sit here?" It was a girl's voice, American. Californian, with a hint of New York. Draco looked up, and stared.

The train began to move, and he managed to say, "Sure."

The girl looked to be his own age. She had violet eyes, light skin, and night- black hair falling to her lower back. A black kitten twined around her ankles.

"Thanks." She set her trunk next to his, and sat next to him. Draco ducked his head and pretended to read, but his eyes slid sideways and he found himself watching her. Her cat leaped onto the seat and gently butted his elbow with its head.

"She likes you," the girl said with a smile. "Her name is Darkling."
Draco reached over without thinking to stroke Darkling, who lay down and

started to purr. An awkward silence ensued. Draco kept his head down.

"I'm Charlotte Turner," she said finally.

"Draco Malfoy."

"Nice to meet you, Draco Malfoy."

"So, where in America are you from?" Draco asked, looking up.

"How did you know I was American?" Charlotte asked, smiling.

"Your accent."

"Oh." She paused, then continued. "I'm originally from San Francisco, but my family- Mom, Dad, my sister Claire and I- moved to New York when I was nine. I'm an exchange student, from Merlin Academy of the Magical Arts and Sciences. I think the person I'm switching with is Padma Patil, from Ravenclaw."

"Ah."

They lapsed back into silence. Charlotte leaned forward and flipped open her trunk, withdrawing a clipboard, sketchbook, and large pencil bag. She unzipped the bag, bent over the book, and began to draw. About twenty minutes later she put back her pencil, and began withdrawing a variety of colored pencils. Draco heard them stop and looked up.

"Christ, that's good," he admired, seeing the picture. It was of a Chinese Fireball dragon, rearing up with wings spread, preparing for flight.

"You think so?" Charlotte asked, blushing slightly.

"Yes," Draco nodded. "It's brilliant." Charlotte smiled shyly.

"I can't do backgrounds that well," she said, motioning to the solid black surrounding the dragon.

"It works with the picture, though," Draco reassured her as the food trolley came by.

"Care for some sweets, dears?" the plump, smiling woman asked. Draco bought a bag of chocolate frogs, which Charlotte had never seen before. Draco immediately launched into an explanation and story about the frogs and collectible cards, which had Charlotte laughing for the rest of the trip.

"I like you," she said bluntly, when he had finished. "You're funny."

Draco blushed- something that had not happened in years. He was not often called funny, as he was not the type to make jokes. But there was something about Charlotte that made him relax, and just be himself.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Charlotte looked up, straight into his grey eyes. There was obviously something hidden there- some secret past that would not be shared easily. But there was also something there that could be brought out, for everyone's benefit. An inner kindness that Charlotte had a feeling was not shared with many.