Draco sat nervously in the compartment looking out at the platform as parents said goodbye to their children before they left for Hogwarts. His father and mother had an urgent meeting at 11 o' clock, so they had dropped him off at the train station thirty minutes earlier. At first, he was the only person on the train, but soon a trickle of people began to sliver in. As minutes went by, Draco continuously looked out of the window checking to see if any of his friends had arrived yet.
He watched as a frightening old lady that wore a hat with a stuffed vulture on it and carried a bright red handbag hugged and kissed a plump little boy with dark hair. Beside them, an older girl with long black hair and piercing blue eyes stood beside her parents and a young man. She first said her goodbyes to her parents and the couple walked away. She then turned around to face the man who looked at her with a tight smile. Draco watched in fascination as she walked up and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. The man's hand went up and adjusted her tie – silver and green – and then gently stoked an emerald pendant resting against her neck. Draco realized that they were courting. Closer to his window, he observed a woman with soft blonde hair hugging a boy around his age with so much affection that he almost felt waves of it pouring into his compartment. Draco missed his mother already.
Reaching his hand into his pocket, he took out the small stone statue that had been carved of his family.
Just then, the compartment door slid open. A girl with bushy brown hair that curled around her face walked in. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes and Draco worried if he should have dressed up in his uniform at the manor.
"Have you seen a toad around here? A boy named Neville's lost his." She asked voice filled with concern and an unusual sense of bossiness.
Draco shook his head as he looked into her eyes. They were warm, large and a beautiful shade of chocolate brown. He felt like he recognized her eyes, a strong sense of familiarity filled him. Perhaps they had met before at one of mother's parties.
"No, I haven't." he replied with a warm smile.
She returned his smile and he noticed that she had rather large front teeth. She saw the statue in his hands and walked in further into the compartment.
"What's that in your hands?" she asked inquisitively
Draco was excited to show-off his carving to her. He knew it was rare magic and his mother had gone to Asia to custom-create it as a gift for him. He stood up and walked over to her.
"My mother had a Sang Taraash carve it." He placed it in her hand
A look of confusion shot across her face. "What's a Sang Taraash?" she asked, her eyes widening as she examined the statue.
"They are master masons. Rare stone carvers in Kashmir. Our family went there on holiday this summer. Here." He turned the bottom of the statue and a warm white glow emitted from the base of the carving and spread up her arm wrapping around her torso.
"Oh. I feel… I feel like.. like I'm being hugged." She looked at him, her brown eyes filled with surprise.
He smirked at her. "It's my mother's embrace." He turned the base again and slipped the statue back in his pocket. The compartment door slid open again and Draco turned around. Standing at the door were his best friends since childhood. Pansy Parkinson walked into the compartment giving Draco a hug. Theodore Nott followed in right after and high-fived Draco
"Father just dropped me off." he said with a smile and turned to look at the curly-haired girl in the compartment. "I'm Theo. This is Pansy." He said as he extended his hand to shake hers.
"Hermione." She replied with a smile. She turned back to look at Draco.
"Draco. Draco Malfoy." he said proudly
"Are you joining us?" Pansy asked pleasantly.
"Well… I was helping Neville look for his toad, but I guess I can stay here for a few minutes." she said as she took a seat in the compartment.
As they all settled in, Draco watched as Hermione smiled and eagerly replied to Pansy's questions about her wand core. She looked up at Draco and Theo. "I'm really excited to get sorted. I've been asking around and I hope I'll be in Gryffindor, it sounds the best so far." Draco scoffed.
She looked at him, concern etched on her face. "I supposed Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad." Do any of you know what House you'll be in?
"Slytherin!" the three of them replied simultaneously.
"Oh. Well, I suppose that's a good house too."
"It's the best one!" Pansy said smiling at her. "You better be sorted there."
She looked at them happily. Draco noticed a slight worry flash in her eyes. "I don't think anyone with two non-magical parents has ever been sorted there before. Has there?"
Theo chuckled. "I'd hope not!"
Draco watched as her face paled. "Why'd you ask?" he questioned her, already guessing her answer.
A silence fell in the compartment as recognition began to dawn on Theo's and Pansy's faces. A minute passed and no one moved or said another word. The compartment door slid open again and Blaise, Daphne, Vincent and Gregory walked in.
Hermione stood up. "I'd better go and look for Neville's toad." she said hurriedly, eyes down on the floor as she rushed out of the compartment.
"Who was that?" Vincent asked the group
"Some mudblood." Pansy replied in disgust
"Draco, Theo..check out what I got this summer." Blaise drawled and flung an old book at them. Theo caught it and turned it over. It was a faded copy of Quidditch Through the Ages maintained in fairly-pristine condition. "Second edition. Signed by Kennilworthy Whisp himself." He said smugly.
Draco smirked back at his friends as laughter and chatter filled the compartment. He felt happy and excited to start his first year at Hogwarts.
A.N - I hope you liked that little one shot! Poor little Hermione thought she found a great group of friends.