Rain cascaded down the train windows, droplets racing and merging hypnotically. Draco watched them absently, noticing how they cast a surreal, grey reflection across the compartment. The weather perfectly matched his disposition; bored and oppressive. But not soppy Draco thought. He smiled (well, more grimaced actually) at the thought of people viewing him as soppy.
Draco's stature and manner were all solid ice, even his face looked as though it had been chipped from stone. Rarely, if ever, did he show any emotion other than contempt. Inside though he was not so different from any other teenage youth, he wondered about the world, he has aspirations, dreams, dislikes and distrust, but had long since learnt that to survive in the environment he was moulded for he must appear to be objective and uncaring at all times.
His focus shifted away from the window to the door, noticing how curls of paint had flaked off, defining intricate patterns on the surface. He often wished that someone, anyone, would have the courage to walk through that door, but Draco knew that his reputation preceded him. The word had already been spread by the younger years and his own minions that Draco Malfoy was a Very Bad Person, and was mean to first years, so he was left in peace.
He wondered briefly what it would be like to be seen and treated differently, like an equal, like a… friend. But quickly dismissed the idea as inane and ridiculous. Malfoys were not for equality, they didn't just believe in purity of the blood; they LIVED it. Long ago, the belief in the superiority of blood purity stemmed not from arrogance but instead from the simple fact that those bred from muggles were perceived to be weaker witches and wizards than those who were 'pure'.
In the modern order of things, however, the majority of the magical folk accepted that those of muggle heritage had as much (and occasionally even more!) magical talent as those who are pureblood. Or at least the majority did until Voldemort publicised his grudge and poisoned people's minds. Draco eyed the swiftly changing scenery outside the window again, absently noting that they would be arriving at Hogwarts in the not-too-distant future.
Without prior warning the door burst open, and a mini red-haired whirlwind blew in, slamming the door unceremoniously behind her. The girl – who he recognised as the diminutive Weasley herself – flung herself at the other end of the compartment, muttering fervently. Draco managed to catch a few audible words and felt his cheeks become slightly warm. She was very… colourful.
The thing that surprised him most though was that she wasn't even pretending to ignore him; she genuinely had no idea he was there. Obviously just because she's so irritated he assured his ego. Fixing his face to its normal warmth (i.e. making the arctic seem semi-tropical) he glared at her. Where normal people would become a dithering wreck he was bewildered to find she STILL hadn't passed so much as a glance in his direction. Draco watched the smallest Weasley curiously, remembering their brush with each other on Retorick Alley, and once again felt the surprise that she hadn't dissolved into mass hysteria right in front of him.
Draco had very few experiences of the mini weasel on her own, though whilst facing off against Potter and co. she was easily overlooked, even so far as to say she blended into the background. But she certainly didn't sound like any shrinking violet right now – wishing every manner of violent and painful death on someone who had obviously annoyed her.
In one glance he took in the shabby robe, stained, second-hand tie and the scuffed shoes. But on a second perusal, more became evident than just the glaringly obvious. In many ways, Ginny Weasley appeared to be bursting with life and spirit. Well at least she is when she thinks nobody's watching Draco observed.
Unexpectedly Draco found himself glaring into unlimited green-rimmed depths. The sudden contact with her startled him, and her, apparently. Almost visibly the slight girl pulled into herself, the previously almost crackling anger seemingly absorbed by her small frame. Draco watched, fascinated. Before him now sat an average, timid girl, with none of the tangible energy she had a second ago.
# # #
Ginny watched Draco nervously, waiting for him to say something. How much had he heard? Would he tell her brother? She bit her lip anxiously, unsure of what to say herself or how to act. After making such a spectacle of herself, Ginny personally considered running away to be a good option. However her pride wouldn't let her, instead she sat stiffly back in the seat and tried very hard to ignore his impassive glare.
Her jaw set again as she remembered back to what had just happened. Ginny had been sitting with the Trio, Neville, Colin and Dennis in a compartment further down the train. She had been ignored, as usual, but had been fine with it because she was reading her book and didn't want to be disturbed anyway.
Ron had then abruptly told her that he'd seen 'that pervy Ravenclaw Croft leering at you, I don't want you to ever go near him.' And had just expected to be obeyed. Like she was a dog or something. Ginny snorted contemptuously, of course being the muted person she was, Ginny hadn't spoken out.
She'd just run away.
She ran away. To be honest that what was annoying her the most; that she couldn't even tell her brother to mind his own business! She glared at her book (Little Women – a muggle book) and on some subconscious level observed it was upside-down. How dare he just tell her off like that, in front of his and her friends! And why couldn't she just find the courage to tell him to sod off?! Ginny very much doubted that Peter Croft had so much as glanced at her, and if he had it couldn't have been anything more than curiosity. Could it?
"Sometimes it's harder to stand up to friends than it is enemies" Draco's affected tone cut through her reverie like a knife. Ginny's eyes flickered to look at him and found that he wasn't even watching her.
"Piss off Malfoy" he was right! It was definitely easier to tell him where to get off than it was my brother. Ginny watched him smirk, as though he guessed her thoughts. Not stopping to ponder theimplication of this though, she instead turned her attention to her book, finally noticing that it was not the right way up.
Without warning the train screeched to a sudden halt. Along the train Ginny heard trunks tumbling from where they had been stowed and familiars squawking, screeching and mewing in indignance. Ginny herself was thrown to the other side of the compartment, coming to rest next to Draco's fashionably-clad left elbow. She lifted her gaze to his face but found his features were inscrutable as he stared past her at the door.
# # #
Ron glanced around the carriage, making a mental inventory that everyone was ok and unhurt. He wondered again to where Ginny had vanished. Although he was generally held as a good-hearted guy but with very little academic intelligence, he knew his little sister well enough to recognize that he had pissed her off. He hadn't meant to, he just wanted to make her aware of the world around her. He regretted being blunt, but it was just how he was.
"What do you think has happened?" Hermione asked the room at large.
Dennis, Colin and Neville simply shrugged and returned to their rather noisy game of exploding snap.
So noisy in fact, that they all missed the first scream.
"No idea - " Harry started, but was cut-off midway by the second blood-curdling scream. It lasted longer than the first, seeming to ricochet along the train. When the scream had faded complete silence reigned, even the animals were deceptively stunned into silence.
Then things became chilling.
More screams reverberated through the train, as if chorused together, and became increasingly painful to listen to. Ron clamped his hands firmly over his ears and glanced around the compartment seeing everyone else in similar positions. Where WAS Ginny? And what on earth was happening?!
Hermione mouthed something at him. He frowned in confusion, and she mouthed it again.
Banshees.
# # #
Ginny moaned in pain.
There were voices. Voices in her head. The cheek of it she thought, irritated. She couldn't make any sense of them anyway; they were just causing massively painful confusion.
After what seemed an eon, one voice eventually stood out from the others. In Ginny's conscious it sounded almost like hissing, but for some reason not malevolent.
Come, my child, we are here to collect you. You are ours.
# # #
Draco watched the youngest Weasley moan and spasm in her seat, completely at a loss as what to do.
Without warning, her eyes snapped open, and for the second time in one day he found himself directly looking into overwhelming emotion.
She was terrified.
"They're coming for me." She whispered to no one in particular, her eyes darting around the compartment as though expecting an attack at any moment.
At least the screaming has stopped he thought. But somehow the echoing silence seemed even worse. Suddenly Draco came aware of scratching down the window, like nails drawn across a blackboard. His eyes ticked to the window, discerning silhouettes merging and flitting in the gathering darkness.
The girl next to him was backing slowly away along the seat as though she was scared to the point of not being able to move. Once again Draco was uncertain what to do. Banshees… what could he remember about banshees?
I could make a potion that would repel them; I could repeat where they are found and why they exist… but none of what he knew was knowledge he could apply! I know that banshees mix the blood of their victims, their tears can heal like phoenix's, they have no eyes so track by aura colour… but NOTHING to help me now.
Aura colour… Draco looked at the girl huddled at the end of the seat it might just work.
If the banshees really were after her, she would need all the help he could give. The chances were that the rest of the train was still in shock from the screams so would be of no use. The first hearing is always the worst he reflected. He moved to the Weasley girl, hardly believing he was actually going to do this. I must be mad. I scarcely know this girl… yet I am willing to save her life. How the mighty have fallen.
Along the train windows blew open billowing freezing air towards the already dazed students. Draco heard this and knew that time was running out, both for Ginny, and now him.
"Open your eyes." Draco told her softly, commandingly.
# # #
Ginny opened her eyes, to find Draco (Malfoy she corrected herself) far too close for comfort. Like that's the most important thing on my mind.
She was freezing, but from the inside out, Ginny felt like someone had touched her heart with frost, and was slowly enveloping her body with ice. There was power, oh yes. Power like only Tom Riddle had ever shown her. But in the same way as back then, the power's artificial this she knew, but she couldn't stop it from taking her body bit by agonizing bit.
Ginny focused back on Draco finding his eyes searching hers, probing deeper, as if finding her soul. Unexpectedly she felt warmth course through her. Like a safety blanket had been thrown around her. Something to do with Draco… was her final thought before passing into the depths of a dreamless faint.
A/N: Ok, third part done... any good? Feedback much appreciated. Criticisms too!Disclaimer: Still own nothing.