"Yes, Mother, we'll be fine," Draco groaned as she continued to fuss over them, even as they were on the platform, the Hogwarts Express waiting in front of them.
"After last year, you'll excuse me for being worried," Narcissa huffed, adjusting Draco's robes one last time before moving to fuss over Harry. The boy looked a bit startled, but he also seemed a little pleased by the attention. "You have everything?"
"Yes, we have everything. You asked us before we left. And when we woke up. And last night." Honestly, Draco could only handle so much of this. Besides, the train would be leaving soon.
"Make sure to write me," Narcissa sniffed - sniffed - before sweeping the two up into a hug.
"I'll write every day, I promise! Now can we go?" Draco whined, stamping his foot and trying to hurry up to the train. If they didn't hurry, all the good spots would be taken.
"Yes, yes, you can go- Oh, and Harry, you're always welcome at Malfoy Manor." Narcissa smiled, brushing his hair back. "Okay?" It wasn't too surprising when Harry gave the woman a quick hug before fleeing, but it was to see Narcissa's surprised expression. Draco gave her a smile and a nod.
"He'll be taking advantage of that. I love you, Mother." That earned him yet another hug, Draco only freed when Lucius managed to gently pry Narcissa away.
"Have a good school year, Draco. And do tell me if your new professor causes any problems."
"I'll be sure to." The moment he turned around, Draco pulled out the diary and ran to the train so that he could get settled and start writing, immediately. He got to see all the Heir of Slytherin business from this side of it all! How exciting. He vaguely heard his father's voice, but it wasn't anything he was too worried about. If it was anything important he could always send an owl.
"Found our usual car," Harry called, waving to Draco from further down the train. "Ron and Hermione aren't on the train yet, I think they're running a bit late." Draco paused, looking a bit startled. He... He always rode at the front. They rode in the back? But he always rode in the front. "We can choose a different car, if you want, you know."
"I, ah... Well..." But then the car would be too full, only four people could really fit comfortably in a car, he knew that from squeezing himself and his friends in there from the past... From when he was Slytherin. But they had four, now. Draco looked over to Harry and gave a weary smile. "Nah. It's fine. Come on."
So it was a change, that was fine. He was certainly used to change, at this point. What was one more thing? Besides, it was just for one day, and- And Harry was holding something in front of his face. "What? What's this?"
"Just...thought you might want it, or something," Harry shrugged, a second look showing it was the parchment with Draco drawn on it, and it... It was incredible. This version of him looked so utterly relaxed and peaceful, a small smile tilting his lips up and a soft look with hooded eyes. "I mean, it's not that good, but-" Draco smiled and he drew Harry up into a hug.
"I love it. Like I said, you're really good. This is honestly the best I've ever looked, I think." When he pulled back, Harry was beaming, looking as happy as could be.
"Good- Good. I mean, I'm glad. That you like it. That's... Good."
Draco tugged Harry to the 'usual' car, and nudged him to sit down before Draco was curling up on the opposite side of the seat, against the window. "Granger. Could you keep it down? Your hair is too loud."
"The same could be said of your face, Malfoy, but I'm much too polite to mention that." Ah, ruthless. Now Draco knew why he liked her. "How was the rest of your summer, then? Good?"
"There wasn't enough sleep. Which is what I'm trying to catch up on. If you wouldn't mind," he said with a quiet huff. Draco scooted down a bit more until his feet were brushing against Harry' leg. Now comfortable, he closed his eyes. Might as well get a bit of sleep, then he could stay up later to actually write in the diary. Better if he did it later, than deal with Ron and Hermione and their constant questions. This year was going to be...very interesting. And like hell would he let Harry take the abuse he had, last time around.
Merlin, everyone running around convinced he was the Heir. The entire school shunning him because why? For the simple reason of being a parselmouth. What other wizards, besides Harry and him were parselmouths? It couldn't possibly be that rare!
"You know, for trying to catch up on sleep, you're not doing much sleeping," Harry pointed out, shifting and squirming to put Draco's feet in his lap before using his lower legs as a table for a book to draw on.
"Mm? Oh, just...thinking," Draco said quietly, settling further and humming. This was nice. And Harry letting him curl up to him was nice. He could get used to this. He would have to do this more - they already shared Draco's chair in the common room more than half the time.
"Something good, something bad, or just...something." Draco only gave a vague hum before settling in further. "We'll wake you up when the trolley comes around."
"Mmkay."
::
By the time Draco woke up, he was curled around Harry, blinking and looking confused. "When did I get here?" Hermione looked up from her book, blinking at them before looking out the dark window.
"Sometime around sunset, I believe. Harry fell asleep around then, too. You looked very comfortable." Indeed, Harry was curled back up to Draco, breathing steady and face tucked into his neck. Draco nudged at Harry with a frown.
"Hey. You said you'd wake me up." There was a quiet grumble from the child, Harry shifting and pressing closer. The small struggle ended up with Draco lying down on the seat, Harry curled up on top of him. "Wha- Hey! Get up! Come on!" Draco whined and struggled against Harry.
"Stoppit," Harry complained, sitting up to where he was straddling Draco's lap, hands pressing his shoulders down. "Yer comfy and 'm sleepy."
"Harry, we've got to put our robes on! We're nearly there!" Groaning loudly, Harry got up anyways, standing on the seat to dig through his trunk. Across from them, Ron gave a snort of laughter.
"We weren't sure who was clinging more, you or him."
"Shut it, Weasel-bee! You look like more of a slob than he does, and he's been the one sleeping!" Draco huffed, helping Harry get the trunk down. A little rude, perhaps, but Ron deserved it.
"Alright, alright, jeez. No need to get so upset," Ron huffed, crossing his arms and sinking down in his seat.
"Honestly," Hermione sighed. "Why are you two constantly fighting?" Draco blinked at that, looking up at her.
"We're not constantly fighting." If anything, it was her who was constantly fighting with Ron- That's all they did! The whole school had known that, and things weren't much different this time around. "What makes you think we're constantly fighting?" He tilted his head at her as he grabbed for his own trunk, grunting quietly.
"Because you always are," Hermione snorted, shaking her head. She was already in her own school robes, of course. "Like cats and dogs you two are, honestly."
Draco frowned, looking over at Ron. "We're not always fighting."
"Nah, not always," Ron shrugged, giving a small grin. "'Sides, it's not fighting, it's bonding. Me and my brothers do it all the time." At that, there was a snort from Harry, the child shaking his head in amusement.
Draco wrinkled his nose at that. "We don't do bonding." Feh. Bonding. Who needed that sort of thing? For his response, Ron only shot a very pointed look between him and Harry, and, no. He and Harry didn't 'bond'. They just got along marvelously well, enough to not need those silly things. "What- Harry, help me, here." He was trying to get his trunk without it tumbling down on top of him. It didn't seem to be working, yet.
"Coming, coming," Harry got up again, standing on the seat with Draco and helping him to get his trunk down, the two struggling with it for a moment. "Jeez, what did you pack, your entire room?"
"Just my wardrobe," Draco huffed, letting the trunk fall on the seat, finally. "I used an enlargement charm." Opening up his trunk, he smiled at remembering he'd put his robes on the top.
"You're not supposed to do magic outside of school," Hermione said at once, peeking up to look into the trunk. "Enlargement charms are supposed to be advanced magic, aren't they?"
"Let me correct myself. I had my mother do an enlargement charm." He'd at least remembered the Trace was still in effect. Mostly. He usually remembered, but it wasn't like that had stopped him from using magic last time around. After all, the Trace did register all kinds of magic in the house.
"Mm. Well, she did a very good job." Taking the robes out, Draco had to quickly tuck the diary out of sight. He could have sworn he had left that near the bottom... He checked over his shoulder to make sure the others hadn't seen it and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Harry was struggling to put his robes on, and Ron and Hermione were quarreling, again.
"Here, let me do it," Draco sighed, getting up to help Harry. Honestly, the child may have gotten a bit better with his fashion sense, but he was still abysmal when it came to dressing himself.
"I can put my own clothes on, you know," Harry rolled his eyes, not putting up a fight as Draco helped him.
Draco hummed, adjusting Harry's robes. "Hm... You'll probably need new robes, next year, now that I think about it." Harry's came to just a few millimeters above his wrists and ankles but Draco knew that distance would only continue to grow.
"That's why we're supposed to get robes at the start of each year, technically," Harry laughed, running a hand through his messy hair and making it even messier. "How much longer until we reach Hogwarts?"
"I think we're nearly there. Sun's already gone down. And this year, we get to take the carriages to Hogwarts. Much warmer than the boats over the chilly lake." Draco adjusted Harry's robes and ran a hand through his hair. "Come on, now. You have to look your best. New people to impress, and all."
"Yes, all the small first years I'll have to make a good impression on," Harry rolled his eyes, batting lightly at Draco's hand. "Somehow, I think I'll be fine even if I go looking like a wreck."
"You have to prove how superior you are to them," Draco said with a grin, making sure Harry's bangs were over his scar. "I really don't think you should hide this, you know."
"Luckily that's still my choice," Harry patted at Draco's chest, readjusting his bangs himself before sitting back down. "Hopefully nothing as bad as last year will happen."
Draco gave a grin. "So, are you going to try anything new to eat, this year?" Thinking about it, Harry finally shrugged and gave a vague gesture that could have been a 'maybe'. "Well, I recommend the sour cherry scones. They're to die for."
"I'll consider it," Harry smiled, standing back up to help put the trunks away.
::
"Ah... Hello." The newest first year - Creevy, if he wasn't mistaken - was staring at the two in starstruck amazement, eyes wide and breathing rather uneven. Harry seemed as uneasy as Draco about the matter. Draco looked to Harry nervously, his eyes a bit wide, as he rose an eyebrow. "Nice to...meet you?"
"You're Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter," Creevy breathed, somehow looking even more amazed. "I can't believe I'm sitting across from Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter- This is amazing."
"Ah, well... You are in Gryffindor." Draco looked to Harry again, and tried to not shift too nervously. "Why, exactly, are you so excited to meet me?"
"You're Draco Malfoy! You helped Harry Potter defeat You-Know-Who last year! You're one of the most well-known names in the Wizarding World! You're the first Malfoy ever to be sorted in Gryffindor!" There was a quiet 'dammit' from Ron, and Harry buried his face in his hands.
Draco paused before a grin broke out on his face. "Why yes. I am."
"Oh, look," Hermione spoke, voice a bit too loud and jarring. "Looks like the Sorting Ceremony is done! We should- Professor Dumbledore. We should listen."
"So. Colin, was it?" Draco was distracted by Harry leaning heavily against him, completely relaxed and at ease, and... That was nice, but he needed to focus on destroying this little-
"Hey, Draco, could you help me practice my drawing later?"
"Sure, Harry, sounds great." He looked back to Creevey. "So. What is the first thing that pops into your head when I say 'Slytherin?'" Harry covered his face again, the other second years winced, and Hermione and Ron shared a dreaded look.
"That's where You-Know-Who and his lot come from, isn't it?"
"Right! Now, imagine that everyone and their mother expects you to go into that house. Instead, you get landed with the 'mighty, righteous Gryffindors.'"
"But that's good!" Creevey grinned widely, looking excited. "That means you're the only good one out of all of them!" Draco was going to straight up murder this kid and hide his body.
"Alright. Let me rephrase. Everyone thinks you're some low life evil little worm that belongs with the other low life evil little worm."
"But you're not. You proved them wrong and got Gryffindor."
"Oh. I see. So it's my entire family that's evil."
"Well-"
"Hey, look!" Ron shouted, rather loudly. "Food, feast, food is here. Look at this. Looks delicious- Harry, don't you think this looks good?" Cute, but this wasn't going to work.
"Definitely good," Harry snorted, looking delighted by something. "Draco, you were saying something to Colin, here?"
"Alright, now imagine that your family has incredibly high standards and expects you to uphold to those standards. Now imagine that you're about to be kicked out because you failed to do so." Ha, that finally got the bloody bastard to shut up. Ugh, he hated children.
"Doesn't sound like a very good family, actually..." Oh. Alright. This child was going to be killed. There was no getting around it- This. Oh, and let's not forget his constant harassment of Potter! Harry was probably going to suffer the same, now!
"...Excuse me? I don't think I heard you, properly." Before Creevey could eagerly respond, he was being dragged away by a third year, who was muttering about Slytherins and Malfoys and death. "No! No, bring him back over here! I want to hear what he has to say about my family!"
"That could have gone better," Ron sighed, pushing a plate of sour cherry scones over towards them. "Can you try not to kill first years? It'd look pretty bad."
"Weasel, you heard what he said about my friends! My family!" Draco stood, rolling his sleeves up. "That's it." Before he could get out of his seat, Harry was pulling him back down and giving him a sharp look.
"Draco, you can't go start a fight with him. Not until later, when there's no teachers around."
"So what I'm hearing is show him what for in the Common Room," he said with a smirk.
"I didn't say anything like that. Whatever you took from my words is purely because of your own thinking and understanding," Harry shrugged, nibbling on what Draco was rather certain was treacle tart.
Draco smiled and leaned back against Harry, grabbing his own plate and piling as much on it as possible. "I'm so proud." Ron, however, looked horrified. Hermione merely shook her head and returned to her food.
"Told you I was a good Slytherin," Harry preened.
In the Common Room, Draco waited until Creevey entered. "Alright. Let's try this again. Why are Slytherins evil?" Creevey looked startled for a moment before a scrunched up expression came over his face.
"Well, it's cause all of them use dark magic, isn't it? All Slytherins supported You-Know-Who and everything!"
"All Slytherins?" He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at him. "Are you sure?" Creevey gave a small nod, unsure expression on his face as he shuffled back and forth.
"I mean... That's what everyone says, isn't it? That they sided with him?"
"Hm. Interesting. Harry? What was it that the Sorting Hat told you?"
"That I would have done well in Slytherin," Harry shrugged, heading to their usual chair and flopping down. "I would have ended up in there if I wasn't so worried about Draco when he was sorted."
"Does that make Harry evil?" He was going to educate this little bastard if it was the last thing he did.
"Of course not! He's Harry Potter!"
"But the hat said he would have been a good Slytherin. And you said that Slytherins are evil." Ah, good. The first year was looking confused and uncertain. That was good.
"I... I mean... I guess not all Slytherins are...evil?"
Draco gave a slow, purposeful nod. "Right. Because it would be like saying all Ravenclaws are smart. Or all Hufflepuffs are friendly. Or all Gryffindors are good," he said with a scoff.
"So, um... I'm...sorry?" ...Alright, that was progress enough for tonight. Maybe thinking on it would help for in the morning.
Draco looked him over for a while before a reluctant smile pulled across his lips. He ruffled Creevey's hair. "Right." From his chair, he heard Harry give a quiet laugh. "Go on, then. First years need plenty of sleep." Shooing him off, Draco fell into the seat beside Harry, curling up to him. "Have you seen my alchemy book?"
"Did you check your room?" Harry raised an eyebrow, twisting to throw his legs over Draco's lap. "You know, the room you packed with you and is waiting upstairs?"
Draco whined, letting his head tip back. "But it's so far away." He made a pawing gesture towards the stairs. "I can't." Harry gave another laugh, relaxing a bit more against the chair.
"Then I guess you don't need the book that badly. So, ready for our second year of Hogwarts? I mean, I know we have Lockhart to deal with, but... I dunno, feels like there might be something else."
"Harry," Draco said with a roll of his eyes. "It's not like there's going to be a big mystery every year." The insulted look shot his way was more amusing than anything.
"Draco. I'm twelve, not an idiot."
"I never said you were," he hummed, settling down. "You're comfortable."
"Oh, great, I'm a pillow." Harry poked at Draco's cheek. "Fall asleep and I'm using you as drawing practice, and I will draw you drooling, too."
Draco laughed, nudging at Harry. "You can use me as drawing practice when I'm curled up in bed." Harry captured his arm, keeping it pinned down so he couldn't use it.
"Which will never happen if you don't get up and actually walk to your bed."
"I can't do that with you sprawled all over me!"
"But you're comfy," Harry smiled sweetly and oh. This little Slytherin.
"Alright! Alright, fine!" Draco laughed, scooping Harry up in his arms and carrying him up the stairs as best he could. It was a little worrying how light he was, actually. Although it was cute how Harry curled up to him and eyed the ground warily.
"If you drop me, I'm... I'll... I don't know yet, but I'll do something horrible." Carrying him up to the second year floor, Draco dropped Harry unceremoniously onto his bed before he started to peel his robes off and change into his pajamas. The sound of Harry's laughter made it feel like he had really come home.
