There's Something About Potter

Chapter 1

Draco was very careful not to let the growing irritation show on his face as he stepped onboard the Hogwarts Express that morning.

He calmly began to make his way to his usual compartment, and it didn't take him long to reach the Slytherin-occupied end of the train. When he got there and slid open the doors, the familiar sight of his friends – Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson and Greg Goyle — greeted him.

Judging from the miffed expressions on their faces, Draco guessed that they probably received the same treatment he did when he arrived on the train platform that morning. From the very moment that he had stepped onto Platform 9 and ¾, there were already dozens of Hogwarts students milling about, most of which had stopped whatever they were doing to blatantly stare and point at him while whispering amongst themselves.

And it wasn't hard to figure out what they were probably whispering about.

Over the last few months, the words 'Death Eater Scum', 'Filthy Coward', and 'Traitor', often followed Draco around so much wherever he went that it hardly even bothered him anymore. What did bother him, however, was the fact that everyone seemed to look at him as though he was some crazed murderer who was likely to just randomly cast the killing curse on someone on the street without so much as batting an eyelash.

"There you are, Draco." Blaise greeted him first, looking up from his book and giving him a lazy grin. "We were wondering when our beloved Slytherin Prince would get here. Didn't run into any Dark Lords or happen to murder any innocent muggles along the way today then, did we?" He quipped.

"Sod off, Zabini." Draco growled back as he slammed the compartment doors shut and sank down onto the seat beside him. "And don't let any bloody Hufflepuffs hear you talking like that, they're liable to take you seriously." He snapped.

"But that's the fun part, isn't it?" Blaise joked again as he set his book aside and studied Draco closely. "Wow, I really hate to tell you this, Malfoy. But you absolutely look like shit." He pointed out, his words finally causing Pansy to glance at Draco for the first time since he had entered the compartment.

"Thanks for that." Draco glared at him, raking a self-conscious hand through his disheveled blonde locks. "I've just been busy since my ministry trial, alright?" He grumbled.

"You do look like you haven't been taking care of yourself, Draco." Pansy pointed out, pausing in the middle of filing her nails and glaring accusingly at him. "Are sure you're okay? Don't make me write to Auntie Narcissa—"

"I'm fine, Pans!" He snapped and waved her concerns away impatiently. "I've just had a lot of things on my mind lately. You know how bad everything was during the war."

He let out a weary sigh and leaned back against his seat.

"Train's moving." Greg finally spoke, drawing Draco's attention to him since the first time he joined them.

Grateful for the momentary distraction, Draco ignored the curious looks that Blaise and Pansy continued to give him and turned to glance disinterestedly at the window.

As the Hogwarts Express began pulling slowly out of the platform, he watched with a scowl as several squealing witches and wizards began chasing after the train, waving frantically at them and screaming Aria Potter's name. They continued to chase after the train all the way until it finally left Kings Cross Station, their frenzied cheers and fanatical screams echoing even through the train's glass windows.

With an irritated sneer, Pansy shook her head at the sight before she stood up and pointedly yanked the window curtains shut.

"Pathetic. As if Potter needed any more of a reason to inflate her ego, we have idiots like these practically worshiping the ground she walks on." Pansy muttered bitterly to herself, slinking back against her seat.