3 Months Later
Sounds of boiling steam and excited laughter of students fills the chilly air in platform nine and three-quarters, marking the unmistakable first day of another school year. Students half -heartedly hug their sniffling parents, breaking free of their arms to run and catch up with their friends.
The tiny crowded platform is pulsing with so much exhilaration it feels as though it might collapse within itself under the weight. But there's also a heavy darkness beginning to edge on the tiny platform, feeling as if it's slowly closing in and on the brink of suffocating.
I've never experienced such strong emotion before the start of another year. Laughter and loud cheery voices float throughout the crowd which seems to push the impending darkness to the side, students excitedly leaving their families behind to board the magnificent glistening scarlet steam train.
Danny is lugging my trunk in front of me, rattling off an extensive list to double check I've remembered everything. It's the same exact list he's repeated for the sixth year now.
Danny's voice fades out as I submerge deep into my own thoughts, my stomach twisting with so much anxiety I feel as though I may vomit. Many unexpected and bad things have taken place over the summer so it'll be interesting to see how this school year pans out.
My eyes quickly begin scanning the crowded platform in hopes of spotting one boy in particular. I have not seen or heard from Draco Malfoy all summer, it's almost as if he somehow fell off the face of the earth and just disappeared without a single trace.
I'm anxious to know how he's been, to talk to him and hear his voice again. To smell his strong cologne, feel his warm hug and hear his steady heart beat. There's been a chronic ache and longing in my heart for him since we left Hogwarts.
Danny stops in front of me, turning suddenly to face me as I collide into his front from not realizing he was stopping. My hand presses against his chest instinctively to help absorb the shock of the collision as my attention shifts to him sharply. I guess it was apparent I was too busy searching my surroundings and not paying attention.
Danny grabs onto my bicep to help steady me, his brows furrowing in confusion as to what happened. I smile at him in small thanks, my eyes breaking from his quickly to begin searching the crowd again for any sign of platinum blonde hair.
Danny catches on to this almost immediately, narrowing his eyes as he lets out a puff of angered air. I can feel his gaze trained on my face, one of disappointment more than likely but my eyes are intensely fixed on the sea of moving students boarding the Express.
"Don't even tell me-" Danny begins with a dont-start-with-me tone.
"I'm not." I snap at him harsher than I meant. Danny sighs at this. I raise an impatient brow.
"Look I know-" he begins and I know exactly where this sinking ship of a conversation is headed.
"Are we really going to talk about boys Daniel?" I snap again, crossing my arms tight to my chest at my darkening mood.
"No" he sighs deeply, raising an unamused brow at my tone with him. "No I guess not. But Annah promise me you'll stay away from him this year, I mean it. He's nothing but trouble."
I roll my eyes while huffing in annoyance, I do not want to have this particular conversation with Daniel right now. I just want to get on the train and be on my merry way back to Hogwarts.
"Tell me something I don't already know Daniel."
"Hey, enough with the attitude Annah." Danny warns with a snappiness I'm unfamiliar with edging into his tone, earning an eye roll in response.
