(OK! Here it is! To my wonderful reviewers: Many thanks. Eve, the Draco/Harry action may take a few chapters, I'm trying to create a relationship between the two boy's, the thing I hate most about Draco/Harry fics is that they just magically end up together… I'm not like that. OK so read on…)
Chapter 3 – Instigation part II
Harry was sound asleep in a luxurious bed. It has been two days since Dumbledore left him in the Misty Inn. He had left the very same night for what he called 'the other party'. Harry was confused but that happened frequently with Dumbledore.
He was jerked awake by the sound of the knock on the door. Rolling out of bed Harry walked groggily to the door. Opening it revealed a man dressed in a black tux and a walrus mustache. He looked like a limo driver Harry had seen on TV.
"Good morning Mr. Potter. I am Edward, you driver. If you would please get dressed and follow me, we should be on our way shortly." He said. Ha! I was right, Harry thought triumphantly, he was a driver. This must be the 'appropriate transportation' that Dumbledore was talking about.
"Yeah… umm… just a sec." Harry said, the remnants of sleep still in his voice. He pulled on a clean T-shirt and a pair of old jeans and walked out the door. Edward the driver took his trunk and they walked out into the blazing heat of an English summer.
Harry got into the back of the black Bentley and soon they were off. How Dumbledore had managed to afford such extravagant transportation was beyond Harry. Who knows, the man could be a secret millionaire.
Within an hour they pulled into Kings Cross Station. Edward got out his trunk and put it on a trolley. "I trust you know where to go?" he asked. Harry nodded and Edward got into his black car and drove off.
It was ten thirty. Still another half hour till the train departed. Harry went into the station and walked over to the concession. He still had some left over money from the handful he got out of the jar at the Dursley's.
He bought himself a drink and a salad and ate quietly at one of the tables. With ten minutes to go Harry got his trunk and walked over to platform nine and three quarters. He walked through without any trouble, remembering fondly the time Dobby sealed the entrance so him and Ron had to fly in the Ford Anglia.
The red train looked very different when it was not surrounded by hordes of children. There was only a pair of women there. They were conversing animatedly and took no notice of him. Harry extended the courtesy and heaved his trunk on board the train. He was not as small as he was in his first year and thus did not need the twins' help.
He pulled his trunk to his favorite compartment at the end of the train and settled in for the long journey ahead of him. He wondered why Dumbledore wanted him at the school so early. Maybe he wants to make me a teacher, Harry thought jokingly. He spent the next few minutes amusing himself by imagining all the control he would have over his friends. The first thing I would do is give Draco Malfoy and his two bodyguards' detention with Professor Snape, Harry thought viciously. Good thing that his father was in Azkaban now. At least he won't be able to strut around like he owned the place.
Harry curled up in the plush red seats with his head against the window, watching the scenery zoom by. Within minutes he was asleep.
The past two days have been good to Charlie. Angelo, the blonde Latino boy she had picked up on the beach was overjoyed to show her around town and they had spent the past two days cruising about on his moped. They spent days on the beach, occasionally going to eat or swim and nights partying at the hottest clubs available. It was a summer fling, and Charlie made sure to make that clear. Angelo didn't seem to mind, so the summer romance kept flowing.
Charlie had met some of Angelo's very yummy friends and was currently talking to Jose, Cameron's room-mate. He went to the College right across the street from the beach they were at. He was an English Lit. major and was trying to convince Angelo and Charlie to go to the Poetry Festival at the Square that evening.
They would end up going, Charlie loved poetry, and Angelo would go anywhere with her. This was a nice break from her usual life. The Wizarding World was so rigid and severe. Everything had to be so proper in England. Santa Maria was perfect for Charlie. Laid back and easy living, and hey, everybody deserved a break right?
Harry woke up to the feeling of someone blowing in his ear. Blowing very hard. At first he thought that the window got some how ajar but when he opened his eyes he saw that none other than Draco Malfoy was leaning over his sleeping body, blowing in his ear.
He sprang up from the seat and stared at the blonde, who was laughing like a hyena. "You should have seen the look on your face!" He said between gasps for air. He sat down on the seat that Harry had moments ago abandoned. It took a second for Harry to understand what was happening, having just been rudely woken up from a pleasant dream.
"Malfoy what the hell are you doing here?" He asked, his brain finally catching up with the events. "Now, now, Potter. No need to be so rude. I was just checking to make sure that you actually made it on the train. You know how it is… with certain Dark Wizards about you can never tell when you could get attacked." He said with a knowing smirk.
"What? Did your father tell you that Voldemort was going to assassinate me while coming here? Oh wait! He couldn't have, he's in jail!" Harry retorted.
At Harry's words Draco paled, which was a sight to behold, considering that Draco was already vampire pale. "Listen Potter," He spat viciously, "I don't care that you're Dumbledore's favorite pet, that wont do you shit in a fight. You want to spend all your life in your wrapped up fantasy world that's fine by me but that doesn't mean that you can insult me or my father, you don't even know the half of it."
"You're one to talk. You insult me, my family and my friends' family. It may have been a low blow but at least I have respect for the dead." Harry shot back.
Draco narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. Harry sat down across from him. Feeling guilty he said "Look, I'm sure that if we tried, we could get along for the remainder of the trip. Let's can the insults and attempt a civil conversation."
Draco was instantly suspicious but decided to give the Griffindor the benefit of the doubt. "Fine." He said.
After a few tense moments Harry attempted to converse, "You never answered my question Malfoy, why are you on the train? School doesn't start for another month and a half."
"Dumbledore decided to whisk me away from my manor and my delightful vacation." Draco said sarcastically. "He said it would be worth my while, but he wouldn't tell me anything until the so-called 'other party' arrived. I'm guessing that would be you."
"Guess so." Harry said. What would Dumbledore want with me and Draco Malfoy of all people, Harry wondered. Well, guess we're going to find out when we get to Hogwarts.
Deciding that polite conversation to help the time pass would be in order Harry asked Draco about his summer vacation.
"It was abysmal." He replied, using Professor Snape's favorite word for Harry's potions. Harry smiled and told him about the Dursley's. Draco was horrified that they made him do the weeding. Imagine all the dirt that you'd get under your fingernails!
The attempt at civil conversation was a success, with minimum casualties. Harry was amazed that Malfoy could actually listen and not interrupt all the time. Maybe he changed over the summer, Harry mused. Naw! Malfoy's sole purpose in life was to make the people around him miserable.
A blue curtain of darkness covered the sky as the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade. Draco had gone to his own compartment to change into school robes and do whatever a Malfoy does. Probably put on makeup, Harry mused.
He had changed into his school robes and was now waiting patiently to get off the train. The announcement from the driver of the train had said that all Hogwarts students were to leave their trunks onboard. Harry was soon impatient to get off the train to see his good friend Hagrid. Only when he got off Hagrid was no where to be seen. There was only one thestral pulled carriage waiting for him and Draco.
Harry watched and the blonde got out of the train like the Queen of England. He snorted at Malfoy's antics. "There's nobody here to impress, you ninny. Now would you get off your marry little throne and get in the carriage before it leaves without us?" Harry said impatiently.
Draco huffed and jumped gracefully to the ground. "I am not a ninny." He replied, but promptly got in the carriage. The thestrals gave a mighty heave and began their journey down the winding path to Hogwarts.
TBC
Chapter 4 is done. I'm almost finished writing chapter 5. It's extra long. 6 pages and I'm not even done. Summary for next chappie: The boy's finally find out why they are sent to Hogwarts a month early.
Teaser: "Canada, actually, Mr. Malfoy." stated a loud female voice calmly from above. "If you called anybody at Monty American they would probably feed you your favorite body part."
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