"Tch like I'd want to surround myself with the likes of you," Draco scoffed. He narrowed his eyes and stared at her with a look of disgust. The feeling was mutual.
"Then go away," Aurora replied flatly. She was in no mood to be dealing with the devil spawn today. Especially today. This was her day.
"I would, but Janus doesn't trust you to be making the right decisions and asked me personally to keep an eye on you at Hogwarts," Draco said in a sickly sweet voice.
Aurora immediately wanted to smack the smirk off his insufferable face. Of course her father doubted her competence. He was sexist and still angry about not having a male heir. Her mother and father tried many times to produce a "proper" heir by her father's standards to continue the family name, but to no avail. Aurora was a miracle baby herself and her parents found it incapable to produce another child. Aurora wished they had been more successful, having a sibling would have made living in the manor far more tolerable and less lonely.
"We're not at Hogwarts yet," she returned dryly. She found the more emotion she gave him, the more enjoyment he would get out of her misery, so she thought better and remained level headed. It proved to be an immeasurable challenge. Nothing made her blood boil more than Draco Malfoy.
"I take my job very seriously Greengrass. As much as I would love to be freed from being near you," he paused looking Aurora up and down, "you're stuck with me."
"Well, you're-," Aurora began to retort again when mother called Draco and her down from the first floor.
It was time to leave for the station. It was 7:30 AM, which surprised Aurora. She felt like it has only been moments since she woke up. The Greengrasses, like the Malfoys lived several hours from the station, it would take time to get there.
Leading the way down the stairs, Draco stayed only a few paces behind. Aurora made her way to the front foyer where her mother and their house elf Zorpey stood along with Draco and hers luggage.
"Ah darlings, there you are. We need to go if you want to arrive early enough to find a compartment."
Aurelia Greengrass was a small women with pale skin and a sharp chin. Aurora looked nothing like her, accept for her matching violet eyes. Whilst her mom was boxy and small, Aurora was gangly with long legs being just above average height. Her jawline was also much sharper and masculine than her mother's and Aurora's darker skin from her father made her mother look sickly by comparison. Aurora thought her mother looked far more like she was related to Draco than herself.
"So whose excited for their first year!" Aurelia exclaimed, attempting to engage Aurora and Draco in conversation.
Despite Draco's rather arrogant personality, he got on quite well with her mother. She knew how cold his family was. Their fathers were very similar in demeanor, but Aurora at least still had her mother. Narcissa Malfoy though very much loved her son, was too afraid of Lucius to be coddling Draco. Aurora wished her mother wasn't as fond of Draco. Perhaps it would prevent him from coming over to the manor as often. That seemed too good to be true.
As Draco rattled on and on about God knows what, Aurora found herself calm as she watched the scenery from above. They had decided to take a flying carriage instead of floo power or apparating so that Aurelia could get out of the house for awhile longer. Though very privileged to live in the Greengrass manor, she was clearly did not love let alone like Aurora's father. Not that love meant anything to the pureblood community, it was all about keeping the few good families pure in their eyes as more of the twenty-eight families continued to become blood traitors. The Malfoys, Weasleys, Blacks, and Abbots happened to be the only pureblood families the Greengrasses had no relation to left. It was getting more difficult for the families to produce pureblood heirs, many turning to unfavorable marriages of marrying distant cousins rather than tainting their blood. The practice disgusted Aurora. She did not want that to be her one day. She would marry for love or not at all.
Finally arriving at the station, Aurelia showered Aurora and Draco in affection before finally allowing them to leave and board the train. Draco attempted to look somewhat irritated by her display of affection, but Aurora knew him well enough to know that he was grateful he had some parental figure show some form of tenderness towards him. She did feel slightly bad for him, but those feelings would immediately pass the minute he opened his mouth. It was impossible to pity Draco after learning how intolerable he was.
"Oh Aurora, I'm going to miss you so much dear. Please write to me every week, I'll send Spry to you!" The family owl was quite fond of Aurora and she smiled knowing that she would still see her beloved snowy pet.
"Of course mum. I'll write to you tonight once I get sorted."
Aurora's mother enveloped her into a tight hug. She could hear her sniffling. Aurora knew she would start crying once she walked away. She patted her mother on her back, hoping she was somewhat soothing.
She began to pull away and walk to the train finally elated to feel a sense of freedom. Aurora had been waiting for this moment for what felt like forever. Nothing, not even Malfoy could ruin this moment for her.
"Wait Greengrass," Draco called not far behind, taking fast steps to match her longer stride. He hated that Aurora was taller than him as she had been their entire childhood. She groaned at his voice.
"Can't you go with your brick headed minions?" Aurora asked exasperated by his presence. She felt she had had her daily dose of Malfoy for the day and spending the morning with him was more than enough. She'd consider this generous chunk of time her community service.
"I would, but I'm supposed to babysit you, remember? Janus knows I'm better suited to lead than a miserable git like yourself."
"Draco you have to look up to talk to me. Let's not forget who the real boss is. Now hurry along and find your own compartment because I will not tolerate being near you for another minute."
She knew she has struck a nerve. Draco was rather insecure that a girl was taller than him, especially one his family was so close to. Though Draco was average height for his age, Aurora was an early bloomer and already towered over several children their age. Nevertheless, her harshness worked and Draco stomped off muttering under his breath about telling their fathers about her deplorable behavior. If Draco was good at one thing, it was tattling. However, miles away from her father made her less nervous about whatever action he were to take. He would likely be more annoyed Draco was bothering to tattle on her for a silly argument, than focusing on the mission. She doubted he would care about her snide comments towards the blonde boy.
Making her way along the train she finally found an empty compartment and sat inside. She was relieved for the few minutes of solidarity, but had a newfound anxiousness in the prospects of making new friends. She didn't know how to talk to her peers, she had only had Draco. How did people even make friends? Playing with her thumbs, she sat in silence while looking down at her lap. She felt like she had unfair disadvantage. She wasn't allowed near other children growing up. Certainly she lacked the fundamental basics of discourse.
After several moments, she was brought out her thoughts by the sudden opening of her compartment door. Two boys stood in her presence both gangly and awkward. A tall ginger with a splatter of freckles across his face and another smaller boy with dark hair like hers and piercing green eyes behind thick, broken glasses.
"Uh hello," The ginger boy greeted. "All of the other compartments are full and we were wondering if we may sit with you," He further explained. The other boy, awkwardly touched the back of his neck and avoided eye contact with Aurora. He remained silent.
Aurora's mouth curved into a smile. This was her chance to meet someone knew. The boys before her seemed just as uncomfortable as her. This gave her great relief knowing she was not the only one dreading meeting new people. She had hardly had a friend if you could call Malfoy one. This was her best chance.
"Yeah, of course." Aurora replied, scooting over to make room for the boys.
"I'm Aurora Greengrass. Who might you two be?"
"I'm Ronald Weasley," She knew that surname. At the manor there was a large room with all of the pureblooded family trees, the Greengrass clan taking up the majority of the room as that was her family. The Weasleys were considered blood traitors, and her father would be furious to see her associating with him. That made her want to do it even more.
"And you?" She gestured her head to the shyer boy.
Looking up to meet Aurora's eyes for the first time he replied, "Harry Potter."