CHAPTER -2

BEST FRIENDS

''Take care all of you,''Mrs Weasley was shouting on top of her voice,''don't forget to write me!''

She was jogging along the platform nine and three fourth to catch up with the Hogwards express that had already attained its full ,Ron and Hermoine watched her as the train soared past a stack of worried parents who were all bidding their good byes to their kids.

''Its okay,mom!'' Ron shouted back while muttering slightly under his breath,''she thinks we are some crazy first years.''

Hermoine glared at the red-head while Harry merely weather was outside was was a bright day even though some black clouds lined up in the picturesque beauty of the surroundings,the pristine valleys,the cool morning breeze all reminded Harry of his early days in recalled how thrilled he was,when he borded the express for the first time,how glad he was when he made some good friends stepping out of the Dursley's glanced up at his companions,both sitting next to him in that warm,cozy had been six years since he met these two,Harry corrected himself,five long years and still he was putting up with Ron and Hermoine who had started yet another smiled sofly,his day wouldn't be complete with out their persistent seemed to have noticed that he was staring at them because they fell silent suddenly.

''What's wrong Harry?'' he could hear Hermoine's soft tone,beside her Ron was giving him worried looks.

''Nothing,''Harry shook his head,''its been five years Hermoine,''he added smiling widely,''its like yesterday I met you.''

''Oh right,hello,do you remember me?'' Ron joked,''I met you here,what's your name? Its Harry,I ,I'm unable to recall the name of this bushy haired gir-OWWW! HERMOINE!''

Harry laughed again,as Hermoine wordlessly went back to reading Hogwars-A history after punching Ron on his back.

It was half past six in the evening,they were all seemingly was wondering why the train had slowed down in the past one hour,when the train came to an abrupt opened his half closed eyelids just to hear Hermoine's muffled whisper.

''What's that?'' she cried in a voice barely went pitch were muffled whishperings everywhere and they could hear distant cries and was fully awake as a shrill cry echoed through out the compartment.

''Bloody hell,what's that now?'' Ron exclaimed as he got off his seat to stand beside ,he was panicked too.

''M-may be the dementors,''Harry suggested though there was no mist around the area,no sign of chilly winds beating up the glassy windows of the compartment.

And suddenly they could hear footsteps from somewhere around ever it might be,Harry was sure they were heading to his him,he could sense Hermoine's rising pulse by the way her fingers were tightly wrapped around his fore arm.

In a flash the compartment door slid open,revealing a cloaked figure with the tip of its wand lit,like glowing fire in the clutched his wand tightly,ready to attack the was sure,even at that tense moment that Ron and Hermoine were doing the same.

''Hello,there,who's here?'' a very familiar voice boomed easing the tension prevailing in the three teenagers.

''Lupin!'' Harry lurched forward to hug the hooded man.

''Oh! Harry!'' came a warm reply from his mouth which was now curled into a friendly smile.

''Bloody hell!'' Ron breathed a sigh of relief as Hermoine collapsed on to her seat.

''Oh,I am sorry,I didn't want to scare you,''he replied addressing the pile of distraught teenagers who were looking at him with terrified looks on their faces.

''Its nothing,we were a bit worried that's all,''Hermoine choked,her voice reflecting tiniest trace of fear.

''I am so glad to see you,''Harry beamed at the best friend of his godfathe- his late god father Harry corrected himself quickly,grimacing at the thought just occured to was terribly missing Sirius,although he hated to admit it,he had felt so much secure in his company,so much happy that he truly had someone for him,just for ,Sirius was his family,with the Dursley's being out of the ,Ron's family cared for him equally and he thoroughly enjoyed his time staying with being with Sirius had been different though he couldn't explain never mourned for his father or mother,he was sad they had left him he never mourned their death as he hardly knew anything about few months he had spent with his god father were precious ones,he could never ever forget him,his smile and his his demise was crushing him like he had been under a thousand tonne threatened to fall as he recalled the time when Sirius fell into the he shook them away,he wouldn't cry,well not now!

''Why are you here Lupin?'' Hermoine's question seemed to have dragged him back to the present.

''Oh,the Order is here,with the aurors,yes,'' Remus Lupin replied her in a quiet tone.

It was then Harry glanced up from his spot to look properly at his former was rather pale,his eyes were blood red,a band of sweat was formed across his fore head. Perhaps,the order kept his nights busy,Harry wondered,before questioning him.

''Anything wrong?''

''Oh,nothing really,'' Lupin spoke plopping down beside Harry,''they were informed,death eaters may attack the train.''

''You were only giving us protection,''Hermoine inquired,''Do you think they'll be out in open?''

''Ofcourse,yes,''Lupin replied calmly,''you have seen it yourself at the diagon are breeding.''

''I was unable to meet you over the summer,I want to know how you're doing Harry,''he said turning to the face the boy,''I was worried about you.''

Harry took in a deep breath before answering him.

''I am good, about you?''

Before Lupin could answer his question another shrill cry errupted from near the compartment,this time it was much louder.

''What's that again?'' Ron asked frantically speaking for the first time since the train had stopped.

''Its the aurors,I guess they're done,''Lupin added hastily while heading to the door,''they are signalling each other ,that's it! I must leave now.''

Harry nodded in understandment while the compartment came back to life with the lights glowing train was picking up its momentum again,when Lupin whishpered,

''I want you to be careful,all of has recruited some new followers,some very young ones,according to the Order,so I'm warning luck,''with that he was gone.

For a long while the trio remained silent comprehending what Lupin had said,how coherent his words seemed to had witnessed the damage the death-eaters had caused that day and they could hardly even imagine what was in store for them.

''Lupin may be right,we need to be careful,''Harry said after a long pause,''He has got young followers.''

''What do you mean Harry?'' Hermoine forrowed her eyebrows.

''There may be some of them in the school,''Harry was obviously referring to the death-eaters.

''That's mental Harry!'' Ron exclaimed,slightly amused at his friend's deductions.

''I think Lupin made it clear,''Harry replied irritably.

Hermoine closed her eyes,lost in thought when Ron replied,''ofcouse Harry,we have Snape there,haven't we?''

''He was referring to the younger ones,the new ones,Ron,'' Harry was looking at the window pane as he said that.

''Then who do you suggest?'' Ron asked him,still refusing to agree with his best friend.

''Malfoy! Then we have that Zabini git and ofcourse Crabbe and Goyle,''Harry answered running his free hand through his messy hair.

''That's not possible Harry,''Hermoine stated firmly ignoring Ron's ringing laughter at Harry's new comment.

Harry decided to drop the topic,he had half expected Hermoine to support his theory,but seeing that she was not convinced,he decided to keep his thoughts to was another good half-an-hour for them to reach Hogsmede and everything was normal around compartment was filled with buzzing students who were all busy,heading to the changing of the corner of his eye he could see Malfoy pasing by their door,just when Luna Lovegood dashed into stumbled a few steps backwards as Luna mumbled a few apologies to glared at her before calmly going on his way must admit,he was tacken aback at his was very unlikely of he would make a snide comment or atleast he would try to threaten then,he seemed very weak,his skin was almost as pale as his white blonde couldn't shake the nagging feeling in his chest suggesting him that Malfoy had something up his sleeve.

''Hello,everyone,''Luna beamed at Harry,Ron and Hermoine.

Harry smiled at her and saw Ginny,Neville and Dean enter the compartment.

''We've been looking for you for ages,''Ginny cried joining to sit with Ron and Hermoine as she spoke.

Harry smiled at nodded at her,patted Neville's back and glanced at Dean before quicky excusing his cloak of invisibility in his hand,he raced behind Malfoy,covering himself,he slowly followed him to his compartment.

Indeed this compartment was different than others,Malfoy's own special compartment,Harry thought to slimy,rich,spoiled git!Its every inch was dipped in rich green paint,its walls were nicely decorated depicting his slytherin was a huge room packed with all sorts of found a spot near the huge book shelf,he nearly tripped on the soft polished floor but thankfully,he managed to get a hold on himself at the right time.

''Drake!'' cried pansy addressing the pale boy who sat facing her,''where were you? We need to talk.''

''There's no way I'm going to talk to you Parkison!''Draco growled staring at the floor obviously avoiding her eyes.

''Come on now!'' Blaise exclaimed placing a comforting arm on his back,''we know something's bugging you and we ought to know what it is.''

''And why do you care,Zabini?''Draco spat swatting his hand away from his shoulder.

''Because I am your best friend!''Blaise replied harshly,''and you don't have anyone who cares for you,besides your pathetic mother.''

''Don't you dare to speak about her that way!'' Draco gabbed his best friend by his collar.

''Please calm down,we-'' Pansy choked,''we are best friends since we were five.''

That seemed to have stopped Draco dead in tracks but Blaise went would not stop now,the best way to get the truth out of Draco was to infuriate him and he must know what happened at the manor over summer.

''You ask me why I called her pathetic? Where was she when He was torturing you over summer?What was she doing seeing her only son suffer the wrath of the lord?-''

''THAT'S ENOUGH BLAISE! THAT'S NOT TRUE!''

''Then tell me the truth.''

For a moment they were all silent Harry stood there watching them,his legs rooted to his spot.

''You know,Drake,''Pansy piped Blaise a sympathetic look,she added,''you're a jerk.''

''Right! Then,why don't you leave me alone?''Draco shouted back at them.

''I think,I already explained that,''Blaise gave him a sad smile,''we are best friends and we care for you.''

Draco looked away, knew he was being a jerk,but then this was Dark lord's mission and he was supposed to do it was awe-struck as he listened to their emotional outburst,shaking his head he continued to watch the scene with interest.

''Look,Drake,''Blaise began in a soft voice,''please tell me,what's bothering you,we never hide anything from eachoth-''

''What made you think I'm bothered Blaise?''Draco shot back,cutting his speech,''I am fine,there now,happy?''

''You can't fool us,'' Draco sighed,Blaise always had the upper hand in their banters.

''What did He ask you to do?''Pansy asked him straight away,''I know He was at the manor.''

''It has nothing to do with you,''it slipped out un-intentionally out of his mouth,Draco regretted it immediately .

''So you agree He has a task for you,''it was Blaise ,why doesn't he shut his mouth?

''And its crushing you,am I right?''

''Hell! No,Blaise! You think its safe to discuss you-know-who here?''

''Well, you're going to avoid us once we're at ,I guess,I can drop it for now seeing you're always stood for ,we can face Him too,together,''he reminded him one last time before moving out of the compartment with Pansy by his side.

Draco was leaning down on to his table,his head bowed,his fists was about to follow them when he felt a curse hit him.

''What did you think,Potter?''Draco Malfoy was standing with his wand drawn out,pointed at him.

A non-verbal curse,Harry wondered how he had managed to do he could make out what was happening,he was knocked to the floor.

''That's a body binding curse,Potter!'' Draco said throwing back the cloak onto him in the stomach he added, ''and this,is for stalking me in my own private compartment.''

He had cast a silencing charm on Harry and he found himself trapped.

''We reached Hogsmede,''Draco spoke again closing the door,''good riddance,Potter,''with that he walked down the platform leaving a distraught Harry Potter lying motionless on the floor,hidden by his own cloak of invisibility.

Thanks for reading...Please do review.

Well,what did you think? Did you like the idea of Draco,Blaise and Pansy being best friends? Go ahead and review.

Chapter:3

A strange encounter: Luna is trapped in the Dungeons surrounded by a mob of slytherins,then someone comes to rescue...

Read on,its Draco/Hermoine centred and I'm trying to make it as realistic as possible,so bear with the story.