Chapter 11: Back on the Hogwarts Express
Summary: Hermione comes out of St. Mungos with some information on Draco, yet another encounter with Draco Malfoy, but in Diagon Alley instead, more of the freaky vision, the crew gets back on the Knight Bus, and then the Hogwarts express, which breaks down, and...And now I am telling you too much! Read to find out what happens!
...And she led all of them outside to a starry, moonless night...
The next couple of days went by like the wind. The hospital released Hermione the next day and she came with some very interesting Malfoy news.
"She WHAT?" Ginny was dumbfounded.
"Yep! I saw them arguing threw the window to the hallway. She took off her ring, threw it at Draco, said something like, 'I didn't like him very much your father. But you seemed more attached to him than I was...Keep it...Oh yeah, and I will be signing the papers later on today', and she walked out." Hermione said with an unreadable face.
"Jeez, she might as well just have spit in Draco's face, the way she just...I would have been so mad at her." Ginny said, sadly.
"Draco? Since when did you start calling him Draco?" Ron asked, not nicely.
"Oh puh-leeze, Ron!" Ginny said, while getting up and following Hermione up to their room.
After that day, there wasn't any more time to talk about the Malfoy's because there was a lot of packing and school supply buying to do. The next day, they all went to Diagon Alley and got their school supplies, and surprisingly, there was Draco with his mother looking at some new dress robes for this year's Coming Of Age Ball.
"How about a blue one Draco? Hmmm? That would look nice, and it will really bring out the color in your eyes."
"Blue? Mum, blue? Are you...You don't know what I like Mum! That's why...That's why I wish Dad was here instead of you...He would get me the green and black robes that I wanted, and...We wouldn't even be here shopping! We would be in France right now! Getting the most finest robes and school supplies in the world. Instead, I'm here...In this...This shitty excuse for a school supply place, getting BLUE dress robes! You know what? I'm tired of this! And I'm tired of you! I-"
SMACK!
"No Draco...I'm tired you. Now go in there and get whatever the fuck you want...NOW!"
Draco's hand went up to his swollen right cheek. He looked around and saw Harry and the Wealsey's staring at him in pity. He turned around again and walked up the steps to Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions. But before he went in, he turned around, looked Harry straight in the eyes, and stuck up his middle finger at him.
Harry was surprised Draco did that. As he watched Draco walk into the store, he was also surprised how sorry he felt for him. Then he heard Ron's voice in the distance telling him that they were leaving. He turned away from the store and followed Ron to the nearest fireplace.
That night, Harry fell asleep with what happened earlier on his mind.
"Remus! What are you-?"
"Lily! Lily, oh my God! Your okay! I'm so happy! I-" The man's sentence was silenced when warm, tender lips covered his own. He thought his heart fell to his stomach. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her in closer, making the kiss deeper. Their tongues played tag each other's mouth. The young man traced small circles on the woman's back, through the thin, white cotton shirt she had on. He inhaled her scent of soap, expensive perfume, dirt, and blood, and almost gagged into the hollow of her neck. He pushed her away.
"What is it Remus?" She asked with wide eyes that were not hers.
"What has he done to you Lily? Whom has he made you kill?" He answered her with a question, which was one of the things she hated about him.
She started crying.
"What? What is it? Who is it? Who is it that you killed? Was he close to you? Tell me...Please!" And with that, he hugged her. He hugged her for what seemed like eternity. Then he let go of her, for he felt something crawling towards him. He had good reflexes and that was one of his best abilities. He took the young lady by the waist, and picked her up. She was feather light, like she hadn't been eating right since she left Hogwarts. He turned around, with his wand in the hand that wasn't holding the woman. As he turned around, he learned that his thoughts were right. There was a humungous snake coming towards them with amazing speed.
"Remus, go! He's going to attack if you don't move! GO!!!" The young lady screamed. At that moment, the snake decided to attack. The young man thought that, that was it. He was going to be dead in a few seconds. He closed his eyes and waited for the attack. His mind drifted towards the kiss. At least he would die after kissing Lily Evans. The girl he loved. But seconds turned into minutes and nothing happened. So the young man decided to open his eyes, and he jumped as he saw the face of one of his best friends frowning in front of him. He jumped back and nearly dropped the girl.
"Sirius? What the...What happened with the snake?"
"What? Didn't you here me do the Rictusempra spell? Look." He pointed at the snake on the ground. And there it was, on it's back, shaking all over, and letting out high wheezing noises.
"Is it..."
"Yeap...It's laughing all right. Looks like it's having a seizure instead though...Doesn't it?" He paused for a moment, "Did you here something?"
"Yeah...I did...We better go..." The young mad said while walking towards the broken down door with the girl in his arms. Before they walked out, the snake on the floor disappeared and a piercing voice said menacingly," You will pay Evans and Lupin! And so will you Black! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"Harry! Harry, wake up!"
"Hmmmph? Hermione...izzatu?" Harry asked sleepily.
"Yes it's me, but you have to get up now or we're going to be late!"
Harry sat up.
"Late for what?" He asked, as he rubbed his eyes with his fists.
"For school, Harry! Now get up and hurry!" And with that, she yanked the sheets covering Harry off of the bed, threw some muggle clothing at him, walked out and closed the door.
When Harry walked downstairs after getting dressed and brushing his teeth, he almost got toppled over by Ginny, who was looking for her jumper.
"Smphy Hmphry," was what Harry got as an apology, for she had a piece of toast in her mouth, but he didn't sweat it. He was going back to his home at Hogwarts. His thoughts about Hogwarts were interrupted as Mrs. Wealsey stuffed a piece of toast in his mouth.
"No time for a regular breakfast, dear. We have to go now. Why don't you just go and wait by the bus?"
Bus? Did she just say bus?
He walked outside to the stuffy outdoors and took off the light sweater he had on over his t-shirt and wrapped it around his waist. He turned the curb and couldn't believe what he saw.
There was the Knight Bus. All purple and everything. He walked over the front of the bus and saw the girl named Katie, Hermione, Ron, Fred and George talking to a guy who looked to be in his early twenties, with a full head of sandy hair, and when Harry heard him talk, it was in an Irish accent. He walked over to them and saw, to his surprise, that the new bus driver had a striking resemblance to his fellow Gryffindor, Seamus Finnegan. When the young man introduced himself to Harry, Harry figured out that he was related to Seamus. He was his older brother in fact, and his name was Jonathan, Johnny for short.
"And you must be Harry Potter? My brother's told me a lot about you. Your a Chudley Cannons fan aren't you?"
And that's what the boys, Katie and Hermione stood talking about until Moody, Lupin, Charlie, Ginny and Mrs. Wealsey packed up all their things in the bus, and told them to get in the bus before they missed the train. Even though the bus had a new driver, it still went dangerously fast. By the time they got to King's Cross Station, Hermione, Katie, Ginny and Mrs. Wealsey felt like gagging. Ron came out, mumbling, "Never again...never. Why did I even think I could stand it a second time? Never." Fred and George came out laughing and smiling, but feeling quite a bit nauseous. But Moody, Charlie, Lupin and Harry came out looking and feeling fine. Harry figured out the best thing to do when you're on the Knight bus was to sit down and hold on tight.
The kids got all of their belongings and before going through the barrier to Platform 3/4, said a hurried goodbye to Mrs. Wealsey, Lupin, Moody, Charlie, Fred and George.
"You sure you guys can make it through a year of school without us?" Fred asked.
"Hopefully, yeah. Have fun with the Joke shop guys!" Hermione said, and she kissed both of them on the cheek.
"Awwww...Hermione...Stop making us feel bad!" George joked around.
"Try to make as much malice as we do you guys. Yes Hermione, even you and ickle Ronniekins...So what if you guys are Prefects?"
Hermione sighed and then smiled.
"Oh yeah, and don't forget to make a mental note in your heads to tell us next summer, who took our places as the school's troublemakers, Okay?"
"Sure! Goodbye you guys!" They all yelled in unison, and they all went through the barrier, and into the train just as the clock struck eleven.
"Whew! That-was-close!" Ron panted as they looked for an empty compartment.
"Over here you guys!" A familiar voice called from the end of the aisle.
They walked over and said hello to their fellow Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom. They walked into the compartment and sat down. A few minutes later, Seamus and Dean walked in and started talking about this years Ball.
"I here they're going to serve wine! Can you imagine that?" Seamus said smiling.
"Yeah, I can imagine everyone drinking too much and we all end up dancing in our underwear, if that's what you mean." Dean said, laughing.
"You guys are such clowns! Besides, I'm sure Dumbledore's told the house elves to limit the amount of wine each person drinks." Hermione said matter-of-factly.
"Hermione! Can you just for once, not use your brain, and have fun? Please?" Ron asked.
"Alright then. But I still stand by what I said. And I don't think any of you will be seeing my knickers anytime soon." Hermione said, smiling.
"Awwww man!" Ron was the only one to say that, which made everyone look at him. He blushed and excused himself to the train's bathroom.
"Okay then. Anyway...I wonder why they're calling it a Coming Of Age Ball? I mean...Don't we come of age when we're seventeen or something?" Dean asked to no one in particular.
"What they mean by that is that they think we're of age to start drinking and getting drunk!" Seamus said, with a wicked smile on his face.
"Shut up about the wine, Seamus!" Everyone in the compartment said to Seamus.
"Okay. Hehe." Then they shut up about the Ball, and started talking about their O.W.L. scores. In the conversation, Ron came back in and sat next to Neville, instead of the seat he had next to Hermione earlier.
"I passed seven O.W.L.s. How many did you pass Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Six." Harry simply answered.
"Six? I only passed five." Neville said, sadly.
"That's okay Neville. At least you didn't get Snape!" Harry said.
"Who said I didn't get him?" Neville said to the floor.
"It's okay Neville. It was all for the bet...What!? How...how is that possible?" Hermione shrieked.
"I dunno...He probably still wants to torture me until the day I graduate. If I graduate." Neville said with frown.
"Don't say that Neville! You have to stop downing yourself! This year, think of it as your turning point. I'll help you in and out of class, and hopefully you can graduate next year with a frown on Snape's face, and a big smile on your face. Okay?" Hermione put her hand on Neville's shoulder.
Neville's face lit up.
"Really, Hermione?"
"Yes Neville. I'll be sure to-" Hermione's sentence was cut off as the train gave an enormous lurch, then stopped.
"What the-" Ron stopped as the lights shut off.
"What's happening?" Seamus said with a little fear in his voice.
They heard the engine slowly die out. Then there was silence.
"Why isn't anyone moving around? What's happened?" Hermione asked tensely.
There was a sudden shriek that made everyone jump.
Who better to walk in at that moment, than Draco Malfoy. But this time it was different. This time, he was alone and scratched up.
"Oh my God. It's bad. It's really bad." He wiped away at his bleeding lip and practically sat on Hermione.
"OUCH!" Hermione yelped.
"Shut up!" Draco put a hand over her mouth and put a finger from his other hand to his mouth to tell all of them to be quiet.
Harry felt a familiar sensation in his lower stomach.
Please no. Not again. Not in front of Malfoy this time. Please. Harry pleaded.
The compartment door opened slowly. The hand that was sliding the door open was slimy and ugly. The door opened all the way, and before Harry fainted, the last thing he heard and saw was a hand going towards Draco, and shrieking.
Then everything turned black.
A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay! I know I suck! But, my Microsoft word was acting up again, and I had to re-load it...so yeah. But I hope you guys liked this chapter, a little more cursing in this one, but next chapter is pretty a non-cursing chapter. Lol. Well, please R&R and I'll see ya next time! Until next time...CIAO!
Krystina