Thrill (Drarry)

12. Fifth year

 Just like every year, the station Hogsmeade was filled with excited chatter by students speculating what this next year would bring. Harry already dreaded it because at the end of this year, not only would there be the Third Task, but worst of all, the OWLs. Which meant more studying than usual.

He looked at his best friends, both prefects now, and wondered if this would change anything about Ron's work habits. Probably not.

Not for the first time, Harry wondered why Dumbledore had chosen Ron to be the prefect. It was not that he thought he was better than Ron, but well, he got better grades and he would like to think that generally, he behaved more responsibly.

They wandered to the carriages, accompanied by Luna Lovegood, Neville and Ginny, who they had shared a compartment with in the Hogwarts Express. Trying not to be conspicuous, Harry scanned the crowd of students. Everyone was finding a carriage, laughing and chatting and yelling to call friends who stood further away. Among the hustle, Harry could not spot who he was looking for.

His attention was diverted by Ron sending him a questioning look. At first, Harry thought he had been caught, but then he realized Luna was talking and he knew Ron's confusion was directed at her chatter about some invisible horses. Seeing the smirk from Hermione though, he knew she had caught him looking around. Subtlety was not his strong suit, Harry had learned that early on.

He climbed on a carriage after Ron. The drive up to the castle was filled with slightly awkward chatter. Now that Harry thought about it, neither Ron nor Hermione nor himself were particularly what people would call socially competent. Not to mention Luna and Neville. At most, he would trust Ginny with holding a longer conversation without it ending in awkward silence or without saying anything stupid or insensitive. Maybe also Hermione, but Ginny was, what kids their age would call, the coolest.

Neville had a plant resting on his lap which looked kind of like a cactus, but uglier. As Neville told them, it was called Mimbulus mimbletonia and he had gotten it for his birthday. Luna, who had spent the whole train ride reading the Quibbler upside down, finally turned the page and held the magazine the right way up.

Once they had reached Hogwarts, Harry's gaze swept over the following carriages one last time before he jumped from theirs. There, as one of the last carriages to arrive, Harry spotted him. The boy who he had not gotten out of his mind for the whole summer break.

Malfoy was sitting in his carriage with three other people but from the distance Harry could not recognize the faces. Malfoy was easy to notice with his characteristically blonde hair colour.

"You coming?" Ron asked and Harry turned to see the four of them ready to go into the castle.

"Give me a minute." Harry said, ignoring the partly worried, partly amused glances Ron and Hermione exchanged. The autonomously driving carriage started moving without any passengers, following the dozens of other carriages back to the forbidden forest where Hagrid was probably awaiting them. Carriages came to halt, students got off and they moved away.

Harry felt his heartbeat pick up the closer Malfoy's carriage came. He kept mulling over how to act when he was finally there. Normally with Malfoy, Harry acted on impulse, but now he had plenty of time to think about it which made him immensely nervous. Especially since this was the first time Harry was aware that this was not just a joke to him.

He was vaguely aware of Neville, Luna, Ginny, Hermione and Ron talking behind him, waiting for him. It seemed like they were not in a hurry to get to the feast, except for Ron, but he would never go alone.

The carriage with the Slytherins in question finally arrived and Harry strode over there, trying to seem confident. "Potter." Malfoy grinned, ignoring Zabini, who rolled his eyes.