CHAPTER 7
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For reviewing! I love you guys. Anyway, chapter 7!!! Enjoy!

You should never leave me home alone
Heaven knows where I might wanna go
When you ask if you could be my man
I say, thank you honey, come again

That's why you like it.

--Kerli

I didn't see Draco again until we met up on the Hogwarts Express the first of September. He insisted that I sit with him on the train, even though his "friends" would be there.

It took a promise of free sweets off the trolley, but I eventually agreed.

I was pretty much ignored by Draco's friends most of the time. They Slytherin girls shot me death glares between looks of adoration whenever Draco happened to touch or talk to me.

Well, they can have him, I thought to myself irritably. Right now they were all laughing at something Draco said.

I shifted my gaze to the window. I was in the corner, between Draco and the window, with Crabbe across from me, Goyle next to Draco, and Pansy Parkinson and another Slytherin girl next to Crabbe. The arrangement was obviously not to their liking. Pansy was trying her best to sit the farthest away from Crabbe as possible while being the closest to Draco as she could. The other Slytherin girl was almost smashed, but seemed to be glad to not be sitting by Crabbe.

I eventually fell asleep, and when I awoke, the train was slowing to a stop.

"Are we there?" I asked Draco groggily.

"No," he said, confused.

My eyes snapped open, suddenly awake. If we weren't there yet, then why did we stop?

I attempted to look out the window, but all I saw was darkness.

The train came to an abrupt stop. Luggage fell from the rafters, hitting students as they crashed down.

Crabbe was thrown onto my lap, and my head hit the wall painfully. Angrily, I pushed Crabbe off me and onto the floor.

I caught a glimpse of Draco's alarmed expression before all the lamps went out and we were plunged into total darkness.

Pansy squealed with fright and groped around desperately for Draco and ended up elbowing me in the face.

I let out a small whimper of pain. I felt someone's cold hand grab my own, and I was pulled out of the compartment. The air was frigid and not a sound was heard.

We slipped into another compartment, running into two others.

"Ow!" I said, rubbing my nose. The person I ran into grabbed me by the shoulders, preventing me from falling. He didn't let go, but held me steady.

"Who is this!?" Draco asked.

"I'm Fred, and what'd you come in here for? Is widdle Dracy afwaid?" Fred Weasley taunted.

Draco was about to give a retort when a wave of despair engulfed us, silencing any other thought and freezing our hearts.

I felt like I was never going to be warm or happy again despite being in the arms of a very warm George Weasley. I started to shake violently. I knew these were the symptoms of the effects of dementors, but why would there be dementors on the train?

I listened hard through the silence. Was that a swish of a cloak, a rattling breath?

Suddenly, our compartment door opened and a dementor stood in the doorway. I hadn't been imagining things, but I wish I had. The dementor sucked in air through the dark folds of his robe, making me feel like he was sucking out the very life from me.

Seconds stretched into an eternity before the dementor was satisfied and moved on. We didn't relax until the dementor was further down the train.

No on spoke or moved until the lights came back on and the train started moving again.

"What are dementors doing here?" I managed to croak out. The cold still lingered in my heart.

"Searching for Serious Black, I suppose," Draco replied. His face was very pale and his hands were shaking. The Weasley twins were just as pale, and if I looked in a mirror, I wouldn't be surprised to know I was, too.

"Well, now that the dementor is gone, you can get out," George growled, his breath tickled my hair. My cheeks burned red as I realized George's arms were still around me.

Draco threw a smoldering glare at the twins.

"Come on, Willow. We're not welcome here, as if we would want their company," he snarled.

I really didn't mind their company, but the look on Draco's face told me not to argue.

Draco was in a foul mood for the rest of the train ride, despite buying everyone chocolate and other sweets. He normally loved to throw around his money and show off. He must have been in a very bad mood.

The chocolate warmed away the lingering cold from the dementor, and I felt loads better.

Draco finally cheered up upon hearing that Harry Potter had fainted when the dementor was on their end of the train.

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?" he drawled, very delighted. We had just gotten off the horseless carriage, and he was already causing trouble.

He was getting into a heated argument with Ron Weasley. I was sure they would draw wands, but a new professor sporting ragged robes put a stop to it. However, Draco's good mood would not be put down. He laughed at Harry's expense the whole way to the Great Hall.

By the time we assembled in the great hall, sorted the first years, and Dumbledore gave his speech, word that Harry had fainted on the train had shot though the student body like wildfire.

I didn't quite understand why Draco was teasing Harry so much. He hadn't been all that brave on the train, either. He also wouldn't tell me why he switched compartments before the dementor came. He wouldn't admit he was scared.

After the feast, when the other students were heading to their respective dormitories, Draco pulled me aside.

"Meet me at breakfast, and we'll compare schedules," he said.

"Um, okay…" I replied, slightly put off by his straightforward demeanor.

He smiled, said goodnight, and left.

I stared after Draco for a moment, watching his blonde hair disappear out of sight.

I turned around and, for the second time that night, ran into a solid chest. He caught me so I wouldn't fall. I looked up and started into the eyes of one of the Weasley twins.

"Whoa, there," he said, smiling knowingly.

"Um, thanks," I said awkwardly.

"Well, good night then," he said pleasantly. He winked at me and walked off.

Slightly confused, I just shook my head and headed off to bed. I put the eventful night out of my mind and drifted off to sleep.