Parselenic

Rapprochement

Disclaimer: I do not own.
/This is Parseltongue./

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P

araselenic
Rapprochement / renewal of friendly relations

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"Bollocks!"

Harry dodged through the crowd of muggles, struggling to remain at a human speed and not mow anyone down with his trunk. King's Cross was crowded, and Harry needed to get to the barrier that led to Platform 9 ¾. It had taken longer than he had thought it would to find a person to serve as a meal in the early morning rush; there were just so many people running around muggle London. More people meant less hiding places, which had ended up delaying Harry to the point where the train would soon be leaving.

He didn't bother slowing as the pillar for the barrier came into view, running headlong through the deceptive stone. His eyes brightened as he took in the sight of the train, smoke billowing from it as it prepared to depart. Harry had made it with only two minutes to spare.

He lifted his trunk rather easily onto the train, pulling it along behind him down the carriage with a barely suppressed grin. In his years in Sceaduwe Citadel, he had found it easiest to not think about the friends and places he had left behind. The first year had been more than difficult, closing his eyes and wondering how Ron or Hermione or any of this other friends were doing or what they were up to. But he had grown past it, locking his memories of his loved ones away so he could concentrate on his goals.

Now, though… now he was back. This was the Hogwart's Express, the red steam engine that had taken him straight into his fairytale land all those years ago. He was going to the one place he had counted as home in his young life. Nothing could ruin his mood now.

But of course, fate could try.

"Well, well, Potter. All alone, I see? Did your friends finally get sick of your stench, or did you just get bored of watching the Weasel and the Mudblood fornicate with their eyes?" came a familiar drawl as the train pulled away from King's Cross.

Harry had an urge to laugh. The statement, despite how rude to his friends it was, was almost amusing; Draco's wit had always been rather blasé in his memory. But mostly, it was amusing that the first person Harry ran into, of all the students on the train, was this one. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask about how his pretty father was doing, but Harry decided that was a bit too forward.

He smirked rather than the blowup that was expected of him, causing the Malfoy heir's eyebrows to rise. "You are not worth my time right now, Draco," Harry purred, accentuating the blond's name. "So why don't you run off to your cronies or your little pet pug? With the way you walk around with your nose up in the air, they can spend the train ride entertaining themselves by counting your nostril hairs."

Pale skin darkened in indignant anger and Draco was already fumbling for his wand. "How dare you?!"

"'How dare I' what? Insinuate you had nose hair? I hardly insulted you directly at all compared to what you said," he pointed out, trying to remember he had to act like the Golden Boy and not let his snark be so obvious. He schooled his face into a scowl. "Now get out of my way so I can find my friends."

Draco didn't budge. Silver eyes scanned over Harry, confusion obvious on the boy's face. Harry didn't dare show his amusement with the inspection. In front of Malfoy, he supposed it wouldn't be so bad if he seemed strange. After all, the worst thing Draco could do would be to tell his father. But he had to be careful if Ron or Hermione were around. It wouldn't do, after all, to have someone run to Dumbledore so early in the game.