Disclaimer: Sorry to disappoint, but I have yet to become J.K. Rowling. I don't own any of the characters in this story, except for my OC's.

Alone. With Draco Malfoy. Even the thought if it sent shivers down Daphne's spine. But that's exactly what happened.

After Theo, Blaise, and Pansy left for the Slug Club, Daphne and Draco both fell asleep. Daphne had leaned her head on the window when she fell asleep while Draco-who was beside her- had his head propped against the cushioned benches of the compartment while he dozed off.

Heather left awhile later after they fell asleep, to go to the washroom, slamming the door of compartment loudly. The hinges of the cabin door rattled, waking both Draco and Daphne up.

"Oh. Hey, Daphne. I guess Heather left too." he said, stretching his arms out.

"Yup," replied Daphne, checking her watch. "We're almost there! We have about fifteen minutes left until the trip is over."

"You're right," said Draco, checking his watch as he made sure the cabin door was locked. "You know, I sorta wish I was invited to the Slug Club."

"Really? Isn't it just Slughorn playing favourites?" remarked Daphne, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

Draco leaned a little bit closer as Daphne blushed, her cheeks tinging with faint pink. She felt her face heat up slightly as she brushed a stray hair from her face and thought. What? Why am I blushing? Oh no, oh no, oh no... What if he notices?

But Draco didn't notice as he continued talking. "You know, I have this one relative who used to be in the Slug Club. My aunt. She used to give Slughorn a box of crystallized pineapple each week, and in return, her grades in Potions got brought up. I only heard the story from my mother."

"Hey, do you think Slughorn likes crystallized berries as well? I got a box from this bloke a ran into when we were back at King's Cross, but I don't really like crystallized berries. Will Slughorn take 'em?" Daphne said as she lifted out a box of crystallized berries the size of the openable window in the compartment.

Draco's face hardened unnoticeably as he masks it expertly with a smirk. "Hmm, I dunno if Slughorn likes crystallized berries too, but I'll take them off your hands if you don't like 'em. Oh, and did you ever catch the name of the bloke who gave you those?"

Daphne chuckled as she put the box away back in her bag. "Nope, I didn't. I ran into him right after I passed the barrier and when I tried to apologize, he sorta ran away after tossing me the box. I don't even know what House he's in since he was wearing some Muggle clothes." Daphne, took a glance at the door before seeing Heather jogging back up to the door.

Heather ran up to the door, happily waving as she opened the door hastily and plopped down at the seat next to Daphne.

"Hey, what's got you so excited?" smiled Daphne, turning to Heather.

"You know how Harry Potter used to always try and cover his scar with his fringe or something but I ran into him on my way back from the washroom and he wasn't trying to cover it up at all! It was like he was flaunting it! Does he think he's something big after he's now labeled "The Chosen One"!" said Heather, bouncing up and down in ecstacy.

"Oh, I know! I was sitting down at my Sorting, right, and then I saw Harry Potter constantly touching his forehead to adjust his fringe, you know, to make sure it covers his scar!" replied Daphne, with equal ecstacy.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! And then, like Ron Weasley, or something, was, copying him!" remarked Heather, looking back on the memories.

"Remember that old rat that he used to have?" said Daphne.

"Isn't that rat the one that but Goyle's finger one time? A few years ago, right?" asked Heather, her eyebrows furrowing.

"The very same" smirked Draco, joining in.

"Yeah, I remember when you, Crabbe, and Goyle came running back to our compartment afterwards" laughed Daphne.

"You know, I don't really see your friends Crabbe and Goyle much these days. It's like they got sucked out of the face of earth." commented Heather, as she picked up a Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans box and opened it.

"I mean, they were less my friends and more my cronies, you know. I dunno, I guess we just kinda fell apart. Theo and Blaise outpass Crabbe and Goyle intellectually way more, so whenever I need homework help, it's good to have them as well, friends" replied Draco nonchalantly, as he reached for Heather's box of Every Flavour Beans.

Suddenly, the door flew open, revealing Blaise, Theo, and Pansy, all looking slightly frazzled. They filed in, taking the empty seats.

"Theo, how was the Slug Club?" asked Heather, piqued with curiosity.

"You know, famous people's relatives. You would get kicked out if you didn't know the said relative well though. It was kinda funny" he said as he looked at Pansy and Blaise. "Remember Marcus Belby?"

"What? What happened to Marcus Belby?" springed in Daphne, eager for some good gossip.

"Well, apparently, his uncle Damocles invented the Wolfsbane Potion, you know, for the werewolves. But when Belby said that his father and the uncle weren't on speaking terms, Slughorn was like "Well... Next!". The look on Slughorn's face during the realization was priceless!" said Blaise super quickly.

Finally, Pansy spoke. "Yeah, that's what happened today, but Slughorn talked about interesting things happening this year. Like, things that don't happen every year. Like the Triwizard Tournament, you know!"

"Well? Spit it out, Pansy!" exclaimed Heather, her eyes shining with bubbling excitement. She too, loved good gossip material.

"Remember the Yule Ball in fourth year? Well this year, we're getting a New Years Ball called the Auld Lang Syne Ball. It's sorta horrible that its a Muggle reference, but whatever. We're getting a ball!" squealed Pansy, throwing her arms around Draco, who looked grim once more. No matter how many times Draco told her to stop, she just wouldn't. One time, she put a very strong sticking charm on the both of them and Draco couldn't get her off-even when using the normal counter-jinx.

"Nice" said Heather, her eyes sparkling. She turned to Daphne "Hey maybe you could ask Mr Crystallized Berries out for the dance."

"Well, it really helps that I know his name, right?" replied Daphne.

"You have a crystallized berry boy?" said Theo, laughing.

Daphne recounts the story, with laughs and low whistles interrupting her every few seconds. Just as she finished, Alina Speardom, the brainy fifth year Slytherin, burst into their compartment. Since she was very smart, many people didn't know why she wasn't put in Ravenclaw. She was a Hatstall, taking up four minutes and thirty-eight seconds before the Sorting Hat finally decided to put her in Slytherin. Smart as Alina may be, she used the brains for other things. Alina was good with words and was always able to worm her way into the Slytherin Quidditch Team, even when there were people who were better than her. She was also in the Slug Club, since her mother used to be the manager and overseer of the popular wizarding band, the Weird Sisters, and they were still in touch.

Suddenly, the magical voice of the Express could be heard. "We have arrived at Hogwarts. All students, please gather your belongings and exit the train."

"Didn't get time to change" sighed Blaise, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's ok, change here. I promise we won't look" giggled Heather, as she adjusted her bag.

"Cheeky" remarked Blaise, just before he exited the compartment.

Finally, Alina spoke up. "Um, Professor Slughorn is asking for Miss Parkinson, Mr Nott, and Mr Zabini. He wants to invite you guys to a party this Friday. You could just tell him if you're going to class. Oh, and by the way, he said it would be ok if you brought a plus one."

"Another party!" squeaked Pansy, as she eyed Draco, who quickly struck up a conversation with Blaise.

"Gosh, Pansy, you need to calm down" said Theo, in a mock soothing voice as they were walking up to the lit up Hogwarts castle.

AN

Hi! First post after my break, so I hope that all my readers from before will continue to read the rest of the story. I'm also sorry if Draco's a little bit OOC, but I guess this would be how Draco's friends would view him? Anyway, views and reviews are appreciated!

Tell me in the reviews what you think about the Auld Lang Syne Ball! Or what you think about the crystallized berry boy!

-YT