Walking the Halls

Chapter Nine

Draco packs his trunks in the fireplace and goes to the dining room.

"Are you packed?" his father asks.

Draco nods.

"You're leaving as soon as you're done eating," his mother says.

Draco nods. He eats his toast and eggs. They go to the fireplace, and he gets in. His father and mother don't even floo in. They wave as the flames transport him. 

"Draco," Mrs. Weasley says. 

Draco smiles. "Hello, Mrs. Weasley," he says.

"Molly is fine," she says.

He hums. "Did you enjoy having Harry at the Burrow?" he asks. He wishes he was there too.

She nods. "The more the merrier. You're always welcome to join us too," she says.

"Hopefully one summer." Probably not. He needs to stay with his parents to see if they are up to anything. 

Fred and George walk up to them. 

"Need help with those?" Fred asks.

"If it's no bother." His father's last angry outburst damaged his wrist.

They take his trunks to the train.

"They treat you better than anyone else they know," Molly says.

Draco laughs. "Strange," he says. He hasn't done anything to make the twins like him. 

Fred and George come back.

"We put you with Hermione," George says. 

"Thanks. Best get on the train," he says. 

Molly hugs Fred and George then Draco. He goes rigid even when she releases him. He turns around and leaves. His foot catches on the edge of the train's step and he stumbles.

"Why are you so red?" Hermione asks.

Draco groans. "Affection," he whispers. It was weird. Molly just hugged him out of nowhere. 

She raises an eyebrow and then shrugs.

Neville and Blaise come to the compartment.

"Mind us joining?" Blaise asks.

 Draco raises an eyebrow to Hermione.

"We haven't seen Ron or Harry so sure there's plenty of room," she says.

They push their stuff into a compartment.

"How was your summer?" Neville asks.

Draco shrugs. "Boring. I mostly did house and homework," he says. He also found some weird books but that's a story for later.

"I went on a trip with my parents. You?" Hermione asks.

"I visited my parents and helped my grandma." Neville fiddles with his wand. 

"I was in France most of the time then came back a couple weeks back," Blaise says.

"Nice," Draco says. "France is beautiful." 

Hermione nods. "I wonder where those two idiots went."

Draco rolls his eyes. "I saw Molly, so they probably got lost on the-what in Merlin's beard?"

They turn to him.

Draco points out the window. A car is flying alongside the train.

They turn and watch.

"A flying car?" Neville says.

Someone falls out and grabs the door.

"Is that Harry?" Draco asks. Ron has red hair and they're the most likely to do this. He rubs his temple.