Draco Malfoy closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. When did everybody at this school become so completely idiotic? He had continually tried to tune out the shit spewing out of Blaise's mouth throughout the train ride, but his friend's voice cut through every attempt. Some club he was planning to create, like the DA from last year, but now it would be called the VA. Ridiculous. He knew nothing about the Dark Lord. Voldemort would laugh at Blaise's feeble attempts to serve him. It was embarrassing.

Draco was furious when his mother insisted on sending him back to Hogwarts. "He's just a boy my Lord, he needs to learn, he needs to socialize. We can't keep him cooped up here," she had said at a meeting.

Draco had been attending the Death Eater's meetings ever since Voldemort had seen him for the first time, insisting the boy be present. It was obvious that the Dark Lord took a special interest in Draco, but for what reason, nobody really knew. Not even Draco himself. And as much as it pleased the boy, if he was completely honest with himself, that scared him half to death.

"I can make use of that," the Dark Lord had said simply.

Draco was promptly drawn out of his reverie by a motion in the corner of his eye. Across from them, Pansy was nodding, her eyes practically bugging out of her head as she stared at Blaise. Her hair falling into her eyes from the vigorous nodding made the sight that more pathetic.

When she started looking at Blaise like that instead of me, he wondered. It's not like he cared- not really, but it still stung. Not like he would let anyone on that it did. He never actually 'liked' her, but he liked the idea of someone 'liking' him.

"Did you hear me Draco? I asked if you would help me find the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. We need to have every key part of the castle mapped out to-"

Draco held up his hand stopping him mid-sentence. "Blaise, do me a favour and shut up. Please." He looked up at his friend who just kind of gaped back.

"I don't understand why you have to be such a dick about everything Draco," Pansy said scornfully.

Draco was about to retort back when the entire Slytherin car went dark. A chorus of gasps and shouts filled the air as everyone, for a short moment went blind. Draco, however, made no such noise. He didn't move a muscle and only when the darkness faded did he release a breath he didn't know he was holding. Discreetly, he scanned the room for a change. Something had to be different.

That wasn't just a random black out. It was Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, a rock Draco was very familiar with from previous years. It has aided him with otherwise impossible tasks. And now someone else has used it for whatever reason. He just needed to find something missing or appearing.

The panicky voices had just settled back down into regular conversations, when he saw it. A slight movement above him caught his eye. A few bags shifted over in the luggage rack, slowly and deliberately, like someone shoving them. But no one was there…. Unless they were invisible. Of course on any other train, the thought would be totally insane. However, not on the Hogwarts Express, especially when there is one student in particular who is known to have a cloak of invisibility.

Draco clenched his teeth, and his fists curled into a fist on the armrest. The thought of Potter spying on him, made him suddenly angry. The twat doesn't know what he is getting himself into. He resisted the urge to stand up and drag Potter of the luggage rack then and there. Patience Draco, he could hear his father saying. Instead, the young wizard decided to play oblivious. Give Potter nothing over him. He has nothing, and it will remain that way.

"You're quite right Pansy," Draco said, continuing where the conversation had left off. "I'm sorry about my previous statement." Then he turned to Blaise. "And I want to let you know that I think it's great that you've got a little girl to protect you. Wow I think we should all have one when we can't seem to do shit for ourselves."

"Screw off Pansy. I don't need you defending me." Blaise looked over at Draco expectantly, waiting for approval. The other boy flashed him a golden grin. Well done Blaise, he thought. Perfect delivery. Draco's ability to manipulate people was nothing short of astounding.

Pansy was seething. She glared venomously at Draco before slinking back into her seat, her cheeks red as beets.

"Oy, we're here," Crabbe announced, and turned in his seat to pass on the message. It was true, the train had slowed to a halt so smoothly no one had noticed. The Slytherin students shuffled about, chatting excitedly as they grabbed they baggage. However, Draco remained calmly in his seat. When his friends asked him, he told them to go ahead. There was something he needed to do.

Only when the train car had emptied, did Draco stand. With a flick of his wand, the blinds shut quickly with a snap. Then he turned toward his seat, or actually, above it. His patience would be rewarded.

Not really sure where Harry was, Draco would have to guess, hoping to hit him with the spell. "Petrificus Totalus!"

A half second later, Harry fell from the baggage rack to the aisle, the invisibility cloak coming off, revealing his upper torso. Bull's-eye, Draco thought, a perfect execution of the spell. He sauntered over slowly, grinning over his fine work. Harry's eyes followed Draco's movements, but other than that, he did not- could not move. The blond boy stopped right over him and leaned in close, so he only had to speak in a whisper.

"I can't really blame you for not knowing it's rude to eavesdrop, seeing you don't have any parents around. So I suppose I am going to have to teach you." Slowly standing back up, Draco looked directly into Harry's glaring eyes and in a cool, composed manner, kicked him in the face.

Inside, Draco reeled. It was like electricity pumping through his blood stream. So many years of this rivalry and empty threats. And he had been the first to act on it. Finally physical contact which surprisingly resulted in a shock like one from an open circuit. Draco took a step back, literally shaking, he grabbed his bag, and threw the invisibility cloak back over Harry, whose nose was bleeding steadily.

Then Draco turned around and with all his will power, did not run, but walked casually out the door and down the station towards Hogwarts.