Chapter 3

A Second Chance

After a while, the day I was headed off to Hogwarts arrived.

I was woken by another house elf that I somewhat trusted around my things popped into my room.

"Master Draco is to go into the hall for breakfast." the elf said, bowing. "Master says he doesn't want Master Draco to miss his train to Hogwarts, sir."

I smirked. The day had come. "That's all. You may go." I said like my father before getting out of bed and changing into my familiar black clothes and slicked my hair back.

I strode proudly downstairs afterwards as four house elves went into my room to collect my trunk.

"And don't forget my guitar!" I shouted to them before I rounded the corner to the dining hall.

"Good morning, Draco." Father said, not looking up from the Daily Prophet "Apparently, there has been a break in to Gringotts Bank."

I shrugged and sat down to eat the pancakes the house elves made, indifferent to the fact that that evening I would be eating somewhat differently in different scenery.

"A break in? You mean a robbery?" Mother said, looking up from her breakfast briefly.

"No, it says here that a filthy goblin representative had said that the vault broken into was emptied out earlier the thirty first." Father said, folding the newspaper and returning to eat "Hurry up and eat, Draco. You don't want to miss the train."

I nodded and tucked back into my breakfast.

When breakfast was over, Father, Mother and I Apperated to Kings Cross Station and stood in line with the other students heading to Hogwarts, despite the stare from the idiot Muggles.

I turned and found that my parents weren't with me.

"Draco, I have some things to do at the Ministry, and your mother is going to visit your grandfather." Father said coming next to me "Have a good term."

I nodded "I will, Father." I said, taking my trunk from the house elves.

"Goodbye, Draco. I will see you in June." Mother said, wrapping me in a hug.

"Goodbye, Mother, Father." I said indifferently (I was accustomed to them leaving before they had to, especially Father. He was always busy with the Ministry of Magic.)

Father took a hold of Mother's arm and walked back out of the station to Apperate away.

After a minute of their departure, I saw two girls walking up behind me.

One, I recognized, was the girl I talked to in Diagon Alley. The half blood who liked to talk smack about the idiots that were Muggles. Same black hair, same eyes, but she was wearing new jeans and a baggy t-shirt.

There was another girl with her, and I hated to say I knew her well. It was the filthy half blood Ivy Duff. Her mother, Angelica was a blood traitor, because she married Daniel Duff, a filthy Mudblood and produced her. I was rather glad to hear that the Dark Lord had finished her off before he disappeared. That, and she was always hanging around during Malfoy family reunions. After all, Sirius Black, the convicted murderer, was my third cousin once removed, and Duff's second cousin. So, therefore, it made us distant cousins.

Duff and the raven haired girl walked up behind me and the raven haired girl spoke.

"Ivy!" she whispered excitedly.

"Yeah?" Duff whispered back with that annoying chainsaw sounding voice she had.

"You remember that blond boy from Madam Malkin's I told you about? That's him in front of us!"

I smirked. She remembered me. Good thing too, seeing as I had bothered to remember her and that Quidditch promise I made (too bad Father wouldn't buy me a broom. *ugh*!)

I felt angry eyes glaring into the back of my neck "You don't want to be excited over him. That's Draco Malfoy. I know he's going to be a Slytherin." Duff snapped angrily.

"Why?" the raven girl asked confused.

"Nobody good comes from Slytherin, remember?" Duff asked "His father was a Death Eater, so he can't possibly be any good."

I fumed. I wouldn't be talking about my father. At least he isn't a Mudblood, you filthy half blood. I thought lividly.

"A Death-what?" the other girl asked innocently.

"A Death Eater. You-Know-Who's followers. I'd stay away if I were you."

It was my turn to run through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. I took it at a sprint and disappeared through the barrier.

I looked around after I moved out of the way for Dunce Duff and the girl from Diagon Alley. It was everything Father had told me.

A red train spewed smoke over the heads of some of us taller kids, making me cough and cover my face with my shirt before going to find my minions, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

Note that I called them my minions and not my friends. My only friend is Blaise Zabini. Crabbe and Goyle are only the muscle of my operation. Like their fathers were for my father in their school days.

I found them standing around by the back compartment, loading their trunks in.

I cleared my throat and they turned to me.

"Malfoy!" they said together (they both thought they were my friends, but I knew better.)

"Hey, Crabbe, Goyle." I said, nodding to the two boys "Trunk. On the train. Now." I said, pushing my trunk, my owl cage with my eagle owl, Aurora in it, and my guitar case to them.

The boys put the trunk, cage and case in the compartment without another word and I climbed on the train, Crap and Boil (clever nicknames I have for them) coming in after me.

"Good summer, Malfoy?" Goyle asked as I pulled out my guitar.

I rolled my eyes "Yeah, I guess." I said simply. "You guys?"

The boys grunted simply, signalling their ok summers.

I fiddled around with my guitar, making it more comfortable to hold.

"You write a song, Malfoy?" Crabbe asked.

I rolled my eyes "No, Crabbe. I haven't had any inspiration!" I snapped.

"Why not write about love?" Crabbe recommended.

I glared at him "Crabbe…you know I don't write about such an unMalfoyish emotion." I said dryly. "Not after She-Who-I-Will-Never-Ever-Name-Again."

"You mean Astoria?" Goyle asked. "She's not here, Malfoy. Not until next year."

I glared at him "Like I care?" I demanded when someone came running in.

I rolled my eyes and sneered when I saw who it was. It was Neville Longbottom, the idiot oaf who's parents were tortured into insanity by my own aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, who was then in Azkaban Wizard's Prison.

"Longbottom." I sneered, setting my guitar down "What do you want?"

Longbottom cowered. "I-I-I heard that the P-P-Potter Twins were on the train." he said "Thought you'd like to know."

I sneered "Really? You think I'd care over something you've heard?" I asked "Go find your pathetic toady best friend before it hops away." I snapped, making Crabbe and Goyle laugh.

Longbottom gulped and walked away.

I groaned in frustration and picked my guitar up again, looking for song inspiration.

You'd think that I'd get song inspiration on a train. But no! Every time I thought of one thing to write a song about, I'd be interrupted by a random first year talking about how the bloody Potter twins were on the train!

I finally had enough when I heard a group of people outside my compartment when I was about to write lyrics to a new song.

"We saw Harry Potter!" said two red haired boys to a boy with dreadlocks.

I rolled my eyes and sneered. They were Weasleys. The biggest blood traitor family there was. Those were obviously twins talking to their friend and son of a colleague of my father's, Jordan.

"You did!?" Jordan said, awestruck

One twin nodded "Yes! In fact, we helped him get his trunk on the train…and he showed us his scar! And he told us about how his sister was with another girl for the rest of the summer!"

"Where was he sitting?" Jordan asked when I looked up.

"Somewhere near the front of the train with our brother, Ron." the other twin said as the trio of boys walked off.

I stood up and put my guitar aside. If the Potter twins were really on the train, that meant I had a chance to have a pair of friends that weren't complete buffoons and yes men.

"Come on, boys." I said, standing up. "We're going to investigate this Potter twins rumour."

I walked through the compartment and looked through windows for a trace of the twins, unable to find any until I saw a very packed one.

There were four people in it. Two boys and two girls. One girl was Duff, looking out the window, her legs curled under her.

One boy was another Weasley, who was talking animatedly with the other boy.

The boy I saw through Madam Malkin's Robe Shop window! And at this point, I saw that he had a thin scar shaped like a lightning bolt on his forehead.

It was Harry Potter!

The other girl was curled up on Potter's lap, her head in his lap, sleeping. Black hair fell into her eyes and her choker was askew, revealing a scar just like Potter's.

Hannah Potter…I presumed.

I looked to the boys and nodded "Let's go." I ordered, wrenching the door open and walking in, having Duff's, Potter's and Weasley's eyes on me.

"Hello." I drawled.

"Hello." Potter said, standing up and knocking his sister off his lap.

Said sister looked up at her brother and glared "HARRY!" she shouted.

"Someone's not a morning person." Weasley said, rolling his eyes.

Potterella looked to Weasley and rolled her eyes "You wouldn't be one, too, if you got up at five this morning."

Potter turned back to his sister and rolled his eyes, sighing "Why didn't you sleep in, Hannah?"

Potterella gave him a glare, but smirked as she got up "Well, I couldn't sleep. And I was just about there when I was knocked on my back, thank you very much, Harry." she snapped.

I smirked "So it is true then." I said, unable to hide my amazement "They're saying all down this train that the Potter twins have come to Hogwarts. That's you two, isn't it?" I asked, turning to Potterella.

Potterella just nodded simply, seeming to have her eyes on Crabbe and Goyle, with a look of confusion.

"Oh, sorry. Where are my manners?" I asked, noting that the girl was looking for an introduction "This is Crabbe, and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Weasley snickered and I whipped around, Potterella right behind me.

"Think my name's funny, do you?" I demanded, at the same time someone said "Think his name's funny, do you?"

I looked to my side. It was Hannah Potter, glaring at Weasley just as I was, and she was looking at me.

We shared a smile and she turned away, turning pale pink.

I shook the moment out of my head and I sneered at Weasley "No need to ask for yours. Father told me the Weasleys have red hair, freckles and more children that they can afford."

"Shut up, Malfoy." Duff snapped, turning from me as Weasley turned and looked away.

I turned to Potter as his sister walked up to his side "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potters." I said, looking into one twin's eyes, than to another's. Green to metallic blue, then back again "You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." I added, glaring at Weasley, who glared back before I turned back to Potter and held out my hand "I can help you both there."

Potter looked to my outstretched hand, then to me. "I think," he started coldly "I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks."

I sneered and pulled my hand back. "Your loss, Potter. I'd watch it if I were you. If you weren't politer you'll go the same as your parents. You may realize this too late, Potter, but this choice of yours has made you an idiot."

That's when I felt Hannah Potter's fury for the first time.

She took the two steps that were standing between her and I and glared up at me. Fire was dancing in her eyes as she wrenched her hand back and sent it railing towards my face, sending a stinging slap to it.

I groaned in shock and held my face as the entire compartment bar Crabbe and Goyle burst into laughter.

"BURN!" Duff shouted in her giggles.

I looked down at the girl and she was sneering, and for once in my life, I was scared. I'm not proud, but I cannot tell a lie. I was scared of Hannah Potter, that tiny little girl that was standing before me right then.

She prodded my chest and almost snarled "You listen here, Draco Malfoy, and for your sake, you had best listen well. Nobody…and I mean nobody…talks to my brother that way…but ME! Ever talk to him like that again, I will rip off your head and have it watch me feed your body to a Chimera."

Crabbe sneered. "Isn't this sweet? The little runt of a Potter is defending her brother."

Potterella glared at Crabbe. "I'll give you 'runt'! I can flip a guy three times my size and weight, just so you know!" she snapped before turning her back to us.

"You may be new to the wizard world, Potterella, but you should know never to touch Malfoy."

Potterella froze and whipped around to glare at Crabbe. "What did you just call me?" she asked, shocked and angered.

Crabbe turned to Goyle and smirked "Wow, filthy Mudblood doesn't know I called her Potterella."

Potterella took a step towards him as Duff was holding Weasley back.

"You look here, whatever your name is. I do not like being called Potterella. Ever call me that again, I will personally rip you to shreds!"

Crabbe took a step towards her. "Want to try me?"

Then I thought he was crossing the line. Crabbe was…around a foot taller than her? And she was a girl!? He couldn't beat up a girl that wasn't even his size!

"WHOA!" Potter and I said together, Potter taking his sister's arm, me holding out an arm to keep Crabbe back.

"Malfoy, you had best control your lackeys! And keep them the bloody hell away from my sister!" Potter said, pulling his sister back behind him.

I just sneered and walked out, then decided to play the womanizer card and winked at Potterella.

"Hope to see you in Slytherin." I said before walking out behind Crabbe and Goyle.

As soon as I knew we were out of the compartment's earshot, I turned to Crabbe.

"That was very nice, Crabbe! Very excellent way to handle things with a girl!" I sneered sarcastically.

"Eh, she had it coming to her." Crabbe said stupidly. "She threatened me!"

"Still!" I said annoyed "You just don't try to beat up girls, let alone girls who are a foot or two smaller than you! It's not done!"

Crabbe rolled his eyes and scoffed "So you would've let her beat me up?"

"Of course not!" I snapped "You just don't hit girls, or threaten to beat them up, especially when they're smaller than you!" I said again, rolling my eyes.

"Why're you defending her all of a sudden?" Goyle demanded, crossing his arms.

I smirked "Well, she definitely didn't say no to me. She could have potential for us." I said, leaning against the wall.

Crabbe gaped "What do you see in that girl, Malfoy? She's a prat, just like her twin!"

"CRABBE!" I shouted, belting him over the head "You aren't to speak of her that way! And besides, the reason why I assume she has potential is that she is very…spirited." I said, leaning back against the wall.

"And you think she's nice looking." Goyle said, smirking.

I paled. Me? A Malfoy? Thinking she was nice looking?

"Shut up, Goyle!" I shouted, clenching my fists "I do not!"

"Do so!" Crabbe and Goyle said together.

"Do not!" I repeated bringing my arms to my sides.

"Do so!"

"Do not!"

"Do so times infinity!" Crabbe and Goyle shouted together, smirking at each other.

"DAMN!" I hissed. Curse the day they learned that. I thought.

"HA!" Goyle said, slapping Crabbe a high five "You do think she's nice looking!"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, she is easy on the eyes."

"What part of her, Malfoy?" Crabbe asked, smirking "Was it the way her ebony hair contrasted her pale white skin? Or was it the fire in her green eyes when she slapped you."

I smirked. Buffoon. I thought before saying "HA! Her eyes are metallic blue!"

"HA!" Crabbe said triumphantly "Thank you for proving our point. You want her Draco, don't even try to deny it."

I didn't even get the chance to say another word when in strode in Potterella, with her bag slung over her shoulders and her head held high.

I smirked "Speak of the devil." I said "If it isn't Potterella."

Potterella turned around and faced me "I will thank you not to call me Potterella. My name is Hannah Lillian Isabella Marie Potter, it is not Potterella. So you may address me as Hannah, or you will not address me at all. And call me Potterella again, I will completely, and with devoid of mercy, rip your tongue out of your mouth." she snapped before walking off.

I decided I was going to make her my friend if it was going to kill me, so I stood in front of her.

"What do you want?" Hannah demanded, putting a hand on her hip.

"The chance to be your friend." I said simply, being honest.

"Whipped!" Goyle coughed, making me shoot him an unnoticeable death glare. Malfoys didn't fall in love…let alone become whipped.

"Well, you are doing a rather piss poor job at it." Hannah said, trying to go around me.

I grabbed her arm, ignoring Crabbe and Goyle's smirks. "Listen, Hannah," I started, turning her back to face me. "we got off on the wrong foot. Can I get another chance?" I asked, secretly shocked with myself. Malfoys never asked for anything. We always got what we wanted.

Hannah looked up into my face with a neutral expression, then, she smirked lightly.

"Very well, Malfoy, I will give you another chance. However, insult my twin again and I will make that red mark on your face seem tame compared to what I could do to you." she said, serious.

I smirked and held out my hand "Shake on it?" I asked.

She didn't need asking twice. She took a hold of my hand in hers and shook once.

"The incident in the compartment never happened, Malfoy." she said brightly.

I inwardly grimaced. Her calling me by my surname made it sound she was my enemy.

"Don't call me that." I said, letting go of her hand.

Hannah creased her eyebrows together "Then what am I going to call you?" she asked.

I shrugged "My first name…Draco." I said simply.

Hannah bit her lip and rolled her eyes "Oh, very well, Draco then. I just so happen to like that name." she said.

We shared a smile for a moment before I noticed the bag.

"Going to change into your robes?" I asked.

"Yes." Hannah said, nodding.

"Cool," I said, inwardly scolding myself. Malfoy's didn't say 'cool'. "I'm bored, so I'll keep you company." Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other shocked as Hannah bit her lip again "Um…ok!"

I turned to the boys "Crabbe, Goyle…go to our compartment." I ordered "I'll meet up with you later."

After a walk down to the change rooms, Hannah and I parted for separate changing stalls.

We changed in silence until Hannah piped up.

"Um, Draco?"

"Yeah?" I called back.

"You see my bag? I think I left my tie in it." Hannah said simply.

I opened the stall door and found the bag and brought it in with me before lobbing the tie over the wall to Hannah.

"You mean this tie?" I asked as I lobbed it.

I tied my own tie and walked out, Hannah leaning against the wall.

Her tie looked like crap. She didn't even try to tie it!

"Holy…crap, Hannah." I said, walking over to her. "That has got to be the sorriest excuse of a tie I have ever seen. Here," I said, taking the tie in my hands "let me." I said, starting to tie it for her.

"Hey, you're a guy." Hannah pointed out, smirking "You know more about crap like this than I do. At my Muggle school, I always kept it undone, I never really bothered with it." she said simply.

I rolled my eyes and finished off "Well, I need to teach you how to do it…properly." I said, stepping back and admiring the Malfoy hand that tied her tie "There, that looks so much better." I said, smirking.

"Thank you." Hannah said, picking up her bag.

"Now to get the Princess back to her compartment before her brother starts to worry." I said, starting to walk away.

"Oh, shut up!" Hannah said, running after me.

I smirked "Hey, the wizard isn't safe for petite young girls like yourself to be walking along the Hogwarts Express alone. You need a chaperone. Luckily, I'm here to fit that description."

"What about Crabbe and Goyle?" Hannah asked, creasing her eyebrows together.

I scowled "Idiots. They'll have probably eaten half my lunch by the time I got back…well, half each."

"You poor thing!" Hannah said, digging into her backpack and pulling out a sandwich "Here."

"You're a sweet girl, really. But I think I can survive till the feast." I said before hearing Duff's voice nearby "Well, I think you can handle a small walk on your own. So I guess I'll be seeing you at the platform." I said, doing what Malfoys normally did with women, married or not.

I brought her hand up to my lips and kissed it "Till then, Potterella." I said before walking off.

"Yeah." she said to my back "See you."

By the time I got back to my compartment, the train had come to a stop and I had to get off.

The giant man from Diagon Alley was waving a lantern around, yelling "First years! First years over here!"

Crabbe and Goyle rushed off somewhere to find a boat for themselves, so I sat in a boat by myself, waiting for someone (preferably Blaise) to come and sit with me.

No such luck. Two of the remaining three spaces in the boat were occupied by a blonde haired girl with hideously contrasting brown eyes and a girl with brunette pigtails.

I guess I was kind of lucky. The last spot on the boat was taken by Hannah.

"Hello." the blonde said when Hannah was seated next to me "So you're the famous Hannah Potter I've heard so much about?"

"Yes." Hannah said simply, staring at the brunette.

"Oh, this is O'Neil. And the girl redhead the next boat over is Vain. And I'm Drosie. Annabelle Drosie."

I snickered a little like Weasley did. A filthy Mudblood no doubt! Drosie wasn't a pure blooded name!

Drosie glared at me "Think my name's funny? I don't need…or want…to ask who you are. Platinum blond hair, blue grey eyes, you must be a Malfoy. I've read all about you and your Death Eater lot. I'm Muggleborn, you see." Drosie said faking kindness, turning to Hannah. "You'll soon realize that wizarding families with Muggle relations are way better than pure bloods, Potter. I can help you there." Drosie said, holding out her hand for Hannah to shake.

Hannah sneered "I think I can tell the right sort for myself, thank you." she said, and left it at that, despite the fact Drosie wanted to make something of it.

Hannah ignored her and talked to me the entire boat ride…and when we stopped, we were outside Hogwarts Castle.