Harry had sent a letter to Dumbledore, saying that there was no need for the Order to send someone to collect him on the 31st of August, since he'd already checked into a room at the Leaky Cauldron, using his relatives as a reason for the early departure from the house.
Dumbledore had replied that it was foolish to leave the safety of the wards. He'd been careless and should prepare himself for a talk in his office after the Welcoming feast on the 1st of September.
Harry wasn't surprised. He knew Dumbledore would use the time to scold him and to (attempt to) reclaim his control over him.
Perhaps then it'd be a good time to let the old man know of his emancipation. A good start to the new schoolyear, right?
-00-
On the 1st of September, Harry got up ealier than usual to prepare for his return to Hogwarts. He'd already gone to Diagon Alley and bought new set of robes and whatever books he might need for the coming year.
When the clock struck 10 he took a hold of his trunk and called for Dobby, asking him to drop him off at the Leaky Cauldron. Dobby had been more than happy to oblige, and not a moment later Harry found himself standing in an alley opposite the pub. He thanked Dobby, who sniffed and bowed in response, before he went inside.
He was certain Dumbledore would send the Weasleys to come and collect him. Hermione would most certainly tug along as well.
The pub was almost empty, except a few who appeared to have just woken up and was now greedily gulping down their tea. No one paid attention to him, for which he was thankful.
He sat down at an empty table and waited for the army of redheads and the bushy-haired girl to enter.
A few minutes later, the door opened and in came the little army. Ron was complaining about something Fred and George had done to him to his mother, causing Harry to grin slightly. Ginny seemed to be bored, merely annoyed at her brother's immature behaviour.
Hermione was the first to spot him, and she patted Mrs. Weasley's arm and pointed at him.
"Oh, there you are, Harry!" Said Mrs. Weasley and gave him a hug. " We were so worried about you. Dumbledore told us you'd left your relatives house earlier than usual, of course I assumed the worst had happened. Why did you leave the house, dear? You know it's not safe."
This made Harry frown. Honestly, it wasn't as if he couldn't take care of himself. He was sixteen, after all. "There's really no need to worry, Mrs. Weasley. I just had to get out of there, you know me and my relatives don't get along that well. I just couldn't take it anymore, I've been with them for the whole summer. Your worry is appreciated, but not necessary." He hoped that was all there was to be said on the matter, but of course Hermione had other ideas.
"Not necessary? Harry, what if You-Know-Who or his followers were spying on you? Use your head for once and think", she scolded him.
Okay, that was really unnecessary. There was no need to insult him. "Thanks for believing in me, Hermione. In case you hadn't noticed, I've encountered Voldemort several times, and I've gotten away- alive. I can take care of myself, I'm not as incompetent as you might think, you don't have to insult me, that's just plain rude."
By the end of his little tirade, Hermione and the Weasleys were staring at him with wide eyes. They had never heard Harry speak like that before, not to anyone, and certainly not to his friends.
Harry inwardly snickered as he saw that, for once, Hermione was speechless.
"Harry... I...", she stammered, trying to control the situation.
Harry didn't pay her any mind. He was a bit annoyed at the fact that his friend didn't seem to have any faith in his abilities, at least not when he was by himself. "How was your summer, Ron?" he asked, ignoring Hermione, causing her to glare at him along with Mrs. Weasley.
"It's been good, I suppose. Kind of boring without you, though, mate. What's up with you leaving early, anyway? Couldnt handle all the praise and loving words?" Ron asked, grinning.
Perhaps it had been meant as a joke, but to Harry it was anything but funny. After Ron's betrayal last year with the tournament and everything, Harry hadn't really confided in Ron as much as he used to. But the truth was, his friend had really hurt him, and he wasn't sure if they could ever go back to be best friends.
"That would be difficult to say, Ron, since I never recieved any praise or loving words", Harry said, glaring slightly at the redhead, who seemed to shrink a little under his stare.
"Whoa, easy, mate, I was only joking", he said and shrugged.
The mood had dimmed slightly, and Mrs. Weasley took a look around before clearing her throat and said with a bright voice:
"Well, there's no use in us remaining here. Let's go to the station before the train departs."
-00-
They got to the station with plenty of time to spare, so Mrs. Weasley chose to spend the time by hugging all the children goodbye, giving her boys and Ginny kisses on the cheeks, causing them to blush furiously. Ginny had glanced at Harry after being given several hugs and kisses from her mother, and Harry signed internally. He hoped Ginny wouldn't lust after him, he really wasn't interested in her. He guessed she thought he must be, since he saved her life down in the Chamber during her second year.
They boarded the train earlier than the other students to avoid having to search for an empty compartment. Fred and George left to find their friends, leaving the trio and Ginny alone. Hermione still looked at Harry as if she couldn't believe he had actually talked back to her, but Harry didn't care. He saw Ron give Hermione uncertain looks, but didn't dared to talk to her, lest he be the victim of her wrath.
'Great. Moody silence. As long as Ginny doesn't try to flirt with me, I think I'll just make it to Hogwarts in one piece.' Harry thought and leaned his forehead against the window with a sigh.
"What's the matter? Does your scar hurt, Harry?" Ginny asked, instantly worried.
"I'm fine, Ginny", he said without looking at her, causing her to look a little forlorn.
"Really, Harry, there's no need to lie to us. If it hurts, tell us", said Hermione, frowning disapprovingly at him,
"I don't have to tell you anything, Hermione, you're not my mother. Now can you please stop talking to me as if I was a little child?" Harry snapped, fed up with her bossy behavior.
Ron and Ginny silently gasped at his outburst. Hermione was once again left speechless.
Harry shook his head in frustration and closed his eyes in order to regain his composure.
"I'm sorry, but I thought I was your friend, and friends tell each other if they're hurting or not. Apparently I was wrong", Hermione snapped back before storming out of the compartment, slamming the door shut, causing the two youngest Weasleys to flinch.
"What's with you, Harry? It's not like you to snap at her like that", said Ron, frowning at him.
"Well, she shouldn't be so bossy and expect everyone to do as she says. I'm fed up with it", was all Harry said in response.
It was silent in the compartment for a few minutes, before Ginny hesitantly got up. "I should go see if Hermione's okay", she murmured, not meeting Harry's eyes.
"I'm coming with you", said Ron quickly, not wanting to be left alone with a moody and snappy Harry.
Soon it was complete silence in the compartment, and Harry breathed out a sigh of relief. He didn't know what had caused him to act like that in front of his friends, but he supposed Hermione's bossy behaviour had finally got to him enough to lash out.
Lately, he'd began to wonder what his life would be like if he hadn't turned Malfoy's friendship down. Maybe he'd end up in Slytherin, like the Sorting Hat wanted, instead of Gryffindor. Maybe then he'd have more sense than following Dumbledore around like an obedient lapdog.
-00-
The train soon arrived at Hogsmeade and Harry got ready to leave. His friends hadn't returned to the compartment after they had left, but Harry was enjoying the silence. He figured that if they wanted his company, they could come find him, not the other way around, a strategy he was sure Hermione was using to make him apologize to her.
He got off the train and headed for a coach, when a familiar voice called his name from behind. "Where's your little friends, Potter? Did they abandon you?"
Harry scoffed and didn't need to turn to look to know who it was. "Nope. They're not chained to me, you know, Malfoy. I'm free to walk around on my own."
"Well, where are they, then?" Malfoy's voice sounded closer, and this time Harry did turn around. Malfoy was on his own, too, for once not with his two 'bodyguards'.
"I don't know, and I don't really care", said Harry with a shrug.
Instead of throwing another insult at him, Malfoy merely observed him, looking thoughtful. Harry raised an eyebrow at the other boy, waiting for him to say something.
"Shall we get into a coach before we'll have to share with some 'Puffs? Malfoy asked, taking Harry by surprise. That was not what he had expected Malfoy to say. But he chose to ignore the strangeness of the situation and nodded, and together they got into the nearest coach. Harry thought he saw a flash of red a few coaches down, but didn't bother to look. They'd run into each other later.
He took a deep breath and decided to be impulsive.
"Malfoy, remember that day when I turned down your friendship?"
"Yes", came the frosty reply. Harry grinned and went on.
"Do you think we could start over? And for the record, I apologize for my rude behaviour towards you." Now it was his turn to take Malfoy by surprise. He turned his head to find the blond staring openly at him, shock evident in his eyes.
"What are you playing at, Potter?" He finally asked, narrowing his eyes at Harry.
"Nothing, I swear. I've had a lot of time to think over the summer, and I came to realize I shouldn't have turned down your friendship. I only did it because earlier on the train Ron kept babbling about how all the evil people ended up in Slytherin, and me, being the naive child I was, believed his every word. Hagrid wasn't any better, he kept saying how Voldemort turned evil because he was in Slytherin, and so on... Anyway, I'm sorry", said Harry, hoping Malfoy would believe him.
"You didn't know anything about our world until you turned eleven? But how is that possible?" Malfoy asked, upset.
"I grew up with muggles, who hated everything that had to do with magic. They didn't even want me to go, but Hagrid managed to convince them", grinned Harry and told Malfoy of how the groundskeeper had given his cousin a pig's tail.
Malfoy laughed at that, and Harry found that he actually enjoyed the company of the Slytherin. He cursed himself for letting prejudices take over when he was younger.
"I wish I could've been there", sighed Malfoy wistfully, before remembering who he was talking to. He straightened up in his seat and watched Harry closely for a few minutes, as if examining him. Harry looked back, figuring that if he wanted the Slyherin's friendship, honesty was a good start.
Malfoy eventually seemed to reach a decision and held out a hand. "I'm Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy family. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Harry grinned widely and took the offered hand. "I'm Harry Potter, heir to the Potter- and Black family. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Malfoy."