Chapter 2

A Bitter Pill

"What are you talking about Luna?!" Neville practically yelled.

He finally managed to pull his wand out and while holding his toad in one hand, had the wand pointed at Draco with the other.

Luna sighed and looked up over her magazine again, right at Draco. "If he was going to do anything, I think he would have by now." Luna stated in her singsong voice.

Neville looked back and forth between them, clearly confused. Slowly he relaxed, his grip on the toad loosening and set his wand in his lap, but not feeling secure enough to put it away entirely.

"What game are you playing at Malfoy? Just who are you trying to fool with this act of yours? And what in the world did you do to your hair?"

Neville asked all of these questions quickly and with more bravado then Draco would have given him credit for in the past.

"I'm not playing at anything, really. I know it will take time for anybody to believe that, probably years in some cases, maybe never in others. But in the end that really doesn't matter, I have loads of reasons for what I am doing." Draco said, looking between Neville and Luna...though Luna appeared to have lost interest already. Again a small snort of a laugh escaped him.

These laughs were so foreign coming from Draco, they seemed completely reflex. It wasn't forced, hollow and mocking like his laugh had always been before. Neville found them more disconcerting than anything else that had happened so far. He narrowed his eyes and glared at Draco for a moment and then turned back to Luna. Deliberately changing the subject and excluding Draco.

"How is your dad Luna? I heard he got a little banged up when Harry was at your place, is he ok?" Neville asked.

"Oh yes, Daddy's fine, he is trying to repair the horn of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack that was damaged while Harry, Hermione and Ron were there. But so far he's not having much luck. Whenever he puts a few pieces back together they just blow up again. It must have been cursed when all those bad people were attacking. I think he will just have to wait until it is ready to repair itself. I told him that, but Daddy can be very impatient sometimes." Luna sighed "It's really too bad, they are so rare, I don't think anybody has found one in centuries."

Neville opened his mouth, as though he was about to say something, but then changed his mind. Draco, not knowing Luna as well as Neville, didn't hold back.

"What's a Crumple-Horned Snor..Snor.., what's that?"

Neville glanced over at him, a slightly exasperated look on his face but then returned to ignoring him.

"Oh, Daddy wrote all about them in his magazine, I can give you a copy if you like, they are really quite amazing, a very shy and elusive magical creature." This was the most animated that Draco had ever seen Luna. Her eyes, what he could see of them, seemed to sparkle and her lips were curved in a small smile.

Draco cleared his throat and looked away from her, out onto the platform, "Well, maybe later Luna."

The train's horn sounded, signaling it was ready to depart. He saw other kids out on the platform moving away from their parents and rushing aboard. He thought for a moment he saw a flash of long pale hair but chose to ignore it, bringing his attention back inside.

The express started to move and Draco was suddenly filled with a nearly overwhelming dread. It was as though he were, once again, headed somewhere where he had no control over his own life. It caused his stomach to churn, and the metallic taste of too much adrenalin filled his mouth. He knew he was on the verge of panic and his breath sped up. He felt his heart rate increase and the memories he chose to keep locked up, tried to push their way into the open.

He came back to himself with a start when he felt a small hand on his where it lay next to him on the seat. Luna had quietly moved across and taken his hand with hers. He turned to look at her and was caught in her eyes.

"Shhh, it's ok, they are gone now, that can't follow you." These words were said so quietly that he barely heard her and he knew that Neville didn't.

He took a deep breath, almost cleansing breath, and looked back out to the platform as it slid out of sight. His heart felt lighter again, it's beat slowing to normal and the panic fading. He watched until he saw the green countryside flowing past the windows.

He turned back to Luna and mouthed a silent thank you. She immediately returned to reading her paper, ignoring him once again.

"So, how was your summer Neville?" Draco asked, turning to him.

Neville stared at him for a moment before saying, "What's it matter to you? And why are you calling me Neville, you've never called anybody by their first name before?"

Draco thought about that for a moment, it was true, he had never called anybody by their first name, not even his "friends". "Honestly? I'm not really sure, but if you would prefer I call you by your last name I will try. Though I would prefer not to."

"Why not?"

That was a good question. "I can't really explain it, and even if I could, I doubt you would believe me. Listen, I just want to get through this year without all the drama, most of which I caused or made worse." Draco stood up and Neville flinched, half lifting the wand he had not let go. "I'm going to go for a walk, I'll understand if you aren't here when I get back, but.." Draco looked at Luna, "I don't want you to leave either."

With that Draco slid open the door and stepped into the corridor. He looked around and noticed a number of students he recognized in the passageway with him, he recognized some of them, but most, even the higher years were new faces to him. He had been so self-absorbed in the past he never noticed anybody unless he could control them, or he considered them his enemy. It was a pathetic way to live, he knew that now. There were more than two kinds of people in the world; the last few years had taught him that.

He started down the corridor, glancing briefly in different cars, looking for a particular group. He paused for a moment at a car filled with some Slytherin 6th years he knew, but didn't go in. Half way down the train he found the group he was looking for. He stood at one side of the door, half concealed as he looked through the window. Potter, Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley were all in the room, chatting and laughing together.

He considered moving past, but a bitter pill should be taken quickly. He tapped lightly on the door, catching their attention, before sliding the door open and stepping into the opening.

At first they all wore looks of slight confusion, his altered appearance not quite registering. Ginny even opened her mouth, as though to start asking either who he was, or what he wanted. But almost simultaneously they recognized him, except Ron, but Ron always was just a step behind. He more than made up for it though, in other ways.

Potter, Ginny and Hermione stood, hands going for wands. Draco lifted his hands again, making no sudden movements. He should probably expect to spend some time in this pose over the next year, at least at first. "Wait, I'm not here to cause trouble, I just wanted to talk to you all. May I come in, I'd like to keep this private for as long as possible?"

Ron stood up then, a question on his face. "What's going on, why are you guys freaking out?"

"Hi Ron." Draco said, but didn't take his eyes off Potter, "All of you have every reason to freak out, I've not given you any reason not to in the past anyway."

"Malfoy!?" Ron asked shocked, "What the bloody hell happened to you, why are you coming in here, what do you want?"

"That's a really good question, what do you want Malfoy?" Harry asked.

Well, end of chapter 2, I hope you guys like it. Let me know what you think, and as I have seen others say, please vote, if you felt it deserved it anyway :) I am not 100% on this chapter, I may tweak it a little, but so far, I'm liking where it is headed.

9/16: A little bit of rewrite to improve flow.