Bloodlines || A Draco Malfoy Romance Fanfiction

Hogwarts Express - 3

The morning that we left on the Hogwarts express, my father and I apparated to a discreet corner within King's Cross station, arriving just a few moments before the Malfoys.

I looked at the muggles apprehensively. While my father disagreed with Mr. Malfoy and Narcissa's views on muggles, I still lived completely in the magical world. I was anxious to be in such an unfamiliar environment to me, not to mention anxious to leave for school.

"Ugh," I heard Lucius Malfoy groan behind me. I turned my head to the left to see his son had walked up next to me, a scowl on his face looking at the non-magical patrons of the train station. I didn't have to look at the senior Malfoy to know his expression matched. "Hurry on, Draco. Let's get onto the platform."

My father put a hand on my shoulder and guided me to Platform 9 ¾. Our things had already been sent to Hogwarts previously, so it was easier for us to get on the train.

Once on the platform, my father squatted down and gave me a tight hug. When he pulled back, he looked into my eyes. "I am going to miss you so much." He grinned. "Don't have so much fun that you forget to write."

I smiled and nodded, tears brimming my eyes. "I won't."

He smiled, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "And keep the trouble to a minimum." I laughed out loud at the comment. He gripped my shoulders for a serious moment. "If you need any help at all, do not hesitate to let me know." He looked just over to my right, where Draco was embraced by his mother, who was no doubt emotional having to send her son off. I looked back at my father and nodded, knowing what he referred to.

It was at that moment that Narcissa came over to us. My father stood and moved aside, empathetically placing a hand on her shoulder as she blotted tears from her eyes. She gave him a teary smile before looking down at me.

She bent down at her knees gracefully, balancing on her black heels, and looked into my eyes. She blotted a few more tears, then reached out to straighten a few stray hairs of mine before the same hand landed on my cheek. "Darling, please don't forget to write to me." She blotted a few more tears. "I feel like I'm saying goodbye to my only daughter."

Though she had said the words to me before, a few crocodile tears escaped my eyes. "I will miss you, too, Narcissa." We hugged tightly as if trying to make up for the time we were about to lose.

"Narcissa, darling," her husband interrupted, "the children need to get on the train."

She smiled at me one final time before standing straight.

"Come on, Aphry. Don't want to be late and miss the train. I know you wouldn't stand to be a year behind me," Draco, crossed his arms and smiled smugly as he teased me.

I grinned, "You wish, Malfoy. With me gone, you might actually be first in your year." He rolled his eyes, but the smug smile remained.

"Children," Lucius Malfoy drawled. Our smiles disappeared as we looked up at the formidable Malfoy patriarch with one of the coldest expressions that we'd ever seen on his face. "Please refrain from getting in trouble. You are representing centuries of generations of the Cytheria and Malfoy lines. It would be a shame for either of you to sully our reputation."

We glanced at each other, the fear clear on our faces. "Yes, father," Draco said.

The eldest Malfoy stared down at us for a moment, imposing his will on us. "Now go on. Before you're both late."

Draco and I both turned, and he grabbed my upper arm to start guiding me onto the train.

Once in the train, Draco walked ahead of me down the narrow aisleway, trying to find an empty compartment. He looked into one, then looked at me. "Come on, Crabbe and Goyle saved us a seat."

I scowled. "Do we have to sit with them?"

He huffed slightly and leaned against the compartment wall. He crossed his arms and spoke low. "Remember what my father said about making proper connections?" I frowned and nodded, looking down at the ground. "Well, that starts on this train. Their parents are friends with ours. And they're likely to be in Slytherin. But you're welcome to find somewhere else to sit if you'd like...." He raised an eyebrow, waiting for the response he was already anticipating.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "I wish you weren't right," I said.

He smirked before turning and heading into the compartment with me following him.

The train left shortly after we got settled. Draco and I occupied one seat of the compartment, while Crabbe and Goyle sat opposite us. Since Draco insisted on the window seat, I was sitting with my back against the compartment wall sharing the main aisle so I could see out the window.

"Did you hear?" I overheard a voice in the aisle of the train. I strained to eavesdrop, as the closed compartment door muffled the voice. "Harry Potter's on the train a few compartments down. He's a first-year."

Harry Potter? The Boy Who Lived? The entire wizarding world had spoken about him for as long as I could remember. I was intrigued, and frankly, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were boring me to death discussing their favorite quidditch players.

I stood from my seat, earning an inquisitive eyebrow quirk from Draco. "I'm going to stretch my legs a bit," I said, answering the question he didn't have to ask. He shrugged slightly before turning back to Crabbe and Goyle.

Exiting the compartment, I followed the direction I thought the student I overheard was coming from. I opened the first two compartments, quickly making an excuse about 'trying to find my older brother' when I didn't find who I was looking for.

Upon opening the third compartment, I overheard the name 'Harry,' before two boys my age looked up at me. The compartment was littered with candy packages.

I grinned at the dark-headed boy. "Are you Harry Potter? I heard he was on the train!" He nodded a bit hesitantly.

Taking one step into the compartment, I offered my hand, "I'm Aphrodite Cytheria, Aphry for short." Harry smiled back and took my hand, shaking it briefly.

"I've heard that name," the boy sitting opposite of him said, "Your dad works at the ministry, doesn't he?"

Nodding briefly, I took a good look at the boy, noticing his red hair. "Yes, he does! And you're one of the Weasley boys aren't you?" I had heard my father speaking of working with the Weasleys' father a couple of times.

He smiled, matching my enthusiasm. "Yes, it's Ron. Nice to meet you." He offered me his hand, and I shook it.

"Nice to meet you, too. Both of you," I said looking between the two. "Well, I told my mates I'd be right back. So I'm gonna head back before they start searching for me. I guess if we don't get in the same house, I might see you in class?"

Harry and Ron both nodded, "Looking forward to it," Harry said.

I closed their compartment door and made my way back to the cabin. Just before reaching the compartment, I passed a girl with frizzy brown hair. "Excuse me," she said, stopping me. "Have you seen a toad? There's a boy who's lost one."

I frowned apologetically. "So sorry, I haven't," I said as I walked past her.

When I got to my compartment, Draco immediately noticed my energy. "What's got you so excited?" He said with an eyebrow raised.

I looked between him, Crabbe, and Goyle, smiling as I shared the news. "Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts!"