AN: I didn't get as far as I was hoping in this chapter...in my mind this chapter was going to get us to Hogwarts.
Chapter 3
"Boy!, get a move on or you'll be walking to the station!", Vernon shouted as he banged on Harry's door.
Harry sighed and stretched. He was too tall now for the cot mattress but nothing larger would fit in the cupboard, not that the Dursleys would give him one even if it did. He looked around his cupboard, the story of his life up to this point surrounding him. Dudley's cast off clothes folded on a narrow shelf, an old cot mattress with a threadbare blanket, a few broken toy soldiers, some crayon pieces and pencil nubs, and beside the door a sign in childish scrawl. Harry's Room, it proclaimed. Harry had no clue what to expect from this year at Hogwarts, but anything had to be better than here.
0o0o0
"See if arrangements can be made for you to stay through the summer as well", Vernon instructed as they made their way through the crowded station. "It'll be a happy day indeed when I hear I never have to see your freaky face again."
"Yes, Uncle Vernon" Harry dutifully replied. He knew that never going back was something too good to be true.
As they approached platforms 9 and 10 Harry wondered where he was supposed to find 9 3/4. He had only been told to stick to his ticket and nothing else. There certainly wasn't a sign anywhere telling him where to find it but he was pretty sure he wouldn't get a favorable answer if he were to ask one of the station attendants. "Well, how are you supposed to get to your freak school if they don't even tell you how to find your platform," Vernon berated him. " You must be too freaky even for them." At that he waddled away leaving Harry to solve his dilemma.
Since Harry was very early, Uncle Vernon hadn't wanted to disrupt his day too much by taking the "worthless parasite" to catch a train, he decided to sit back for a while and see if he could find anyone else who looked like they might be heading to Hogwarts. Harry leaned back to rest on the wall between platforms 9 and 10 and felt a slight tingling sensation followed immediately by the sensation of falling! He barely had time to gasp before his backside met the pavement on platform 9 3/4. Well, Harry thought to himself. That was certainly easier than I thought it would be. He quickly stood and brushed himself off, looking quickly to see if there was anyone around who had seen his not so graceful entrance. There didn't appear to be anyone around yet. The bright red steam train was already waiting for its passengers, so Harry hefted his trunk off the trolley and boarded the Hogwarts Express. At this time of morning he certainly had his pick of compartments so he decided to go for the middle of the train. There was nothing else to do now but wait for the other students to arrive. Pulling out one of his new books to pass the time, Harry started to read.
0o0o0
Draco's left eyebrow was arched almost as high as his father's upon seeing the circus that was platform 9 3/4. There were families scurrying left and right, voices shouting, reminding their children to write often, teary mothers giving last hugs as their "babies" boarded the train, and others worried about being late, rushing onto the already crowded platform. Lucius looked down upon his son and had to crack a slight smile.
"Now Draco, school is an important tool to be used in shaping your future. You will present yourself will all the elite sophistication your mother and I have instilled in you over the years. Keep your head on straight and don't let your temper get away with you. If you want to run the Ministry one day you'll have to start learning how to put up will all kinds of people," he paused eyeing the unruly crowd once more, "even the heathens." He smirked at his son and lightly squeezed his shoulder. "Now go take over the school."
Draco's face split into a huge smile before he smoothed his features once more and replied with a dignified "Yes, father" before turning to board the train. After a few steps he turned to speak lowly so only his father could hear. "I'll write you after the sorting feast", to which Lucius gave a small wink in return.
Striding purposefully down the narrow hall of the Express, Draco noticed a shining head of deep red hair and knew instantly whose nose was stuck deeply in a school text book. "Harry!" he exclaimed as he slid open the compartment door. Harry jerked his head up at the sound his eyes wide, obviously startled by the sound.
"I apologise Potter. I didn't mean to disturb you", Draco said smoothly. He wasn't sure yet just how he was supposed to become close to the boy who lived, but he knew what a valuable ally he would make. He was very surprised to have found him quite alone.
"No, you're fine", Harry said quickly, "I just wasn't expecting any company."
Draco scoffed, "What you were expecting to ride the whole way by yourself? You don't really expect your adoring public to wait until we are at school to start asking for autographs do you?"
When Harry caught his eyes again, Draco could swear Harry looked defeated in some small way, how could having people love you without having to lift a finger possibly be a bad thing? After all, Draco had been aiming for that his whole life. He was decidedly confused by the next words out of the boy's mouth.
"If you just came to make fun of me could you please leave now?"
Tilting his head and slightly furrowing his brow Draco studied the other wizard. Harry seemed to be sincere in the belief that Draco might be toying with him. "I can assure you Potter, that I am not jesting with you. The fact that you haven't already been drowned in swooning witches and new wizard best friends is quite astounding to me. Why, they have only been waiting for you to come to school for years just so they could claim the honor of meeting The Boy Who Lived." I still don't seem to be getting anywhere with him, he looks more confused than before. An unpleasant thought occurred to Draco. What if he doesn't know? Deciding it was the responsible thing, he began the process of determining just what this "Savior" knew of his own history.
"Harry, when we met last you said you didn't know anything about the wizarding world, only that your parents were magical. Have you learned anything more since then? He thought he saw a flash of anger in the green eyes across the compartment before Harry replied.
"No, I was very busy this summer. I've only now gotten a chance to start reading some of the class material", indicating the book in his hand.
Oh this is bad, very very bad Draco thought to himself. He reached up to lightly rub his temples as he contemplated just how to tell Harry he was one of the most famous wizards on the planet. Just then the door opened again and gangly boy with carrot colored hair, a liberal amount of freckles, and a smudge of dirt on his nose burst wildly into the compartment.
Have you heard?", the boy panted. "Harry Potter is supposed to be on the train!" Draco looked over at Harry and noticed his companion looking slightly panicked so he decided he'd have to "handle" the ingrate.
"Do you mind?" He sneered at the intruder, "We were having a private conversation. We couldn't give a Troll's hindquarters that Harry Potter is on the train. We have better things to do with our time than pathetically chasing fame."
The gangly boy, obviously surprised by such a venemous rebuff, stood with his mouth hanging slightly open before backing out and closing the door behind him.
Harry looked highly relieved to see the boy go, but immediately began peppering his companion with questions. "What was he talking about Draco? Why would anyone care that I'm on the train? How do they even know who I am?" His voice dropped to a nearly indiscernible whisper. "Is it because my parents were drunks?"
"WHAT?", Draco shouted, unable to control his reaction. Great, I made him flinch again. He took a deep breath and forced his voice to convey a calm that he wasn't feeling. "What makes you think your parents were drunks?"