tick-tock | a drarry tale

I.

"Hey, Harry," Ron nudged Harry with his elbow, causing Harry to teeter towards his right. Harry stopped staring at the Hogwarts Express and looked over at his best friend. He raised his eyebrows as if to say "What?"

"Where's Hermione?" Ron now asked, scanning the crowd again for a certain brunette.

"I'm not sure." Harry shrugged, and pulled his luggage closer to him. Hedwig hooted impatiently at his feet, clearly stating that she wanted to get on board.

"Boys! What are you still doing out here?" Mrs. Weasley snapped out of no where, walking towards them.

"Waiting for Hermi-"

"She's already on board! I saw her get on with... oh who was it-"

"C'mon Ron, Hermione's fine," Harry explained hastily, picking up Hedwig's cage and his luggage.

"Go!" Ron's mother pushed them forward, seeming to forget her train of thought, and they soon joined the line of kids who were slowly getting on board the Hogwarts Express.

"Who do you think she got on with?" Ron asked quietly as they finally got on the first step.

"I don't know, Ron," Harry mumbled inaudibly, looking around as they boarded the train. Pressure was building in his chest. "Let's get to the back."

Fixing his grasp on Hedwig's cage, they both made their way down the train to the last compartment. Harry tried his best to ignore the whispers and stares as they made their way to their destination. He predicted this, knowing that since he won the Triwizard Tournament last year and announced the return of Voldemort, he would still be the topic of many conversations. As they reached the caboose, Hermione was already sitting in her normal seat.

"I've been waiting for you guys!" she explained, throwing down the Quibbler and walking toward them.

"We didn't know you got on already," Harry explained as he sat Hedwig on the cushion while placing his luggage above his head. Ron threw himself down on the seat closest to the door, his bags thrown lazily on the floor.

"For Heaven's sake, Ron," Hermione mumbled as she pushed his stuff to the side and sat beside him. Silence filled the compartment; Ron shifted uncomfortably, Hermione brought the newspaper up close to her face, and Harry was twiddling his thumbs.

"What is up with them?" Hermione thought to herself while reading the same line over and over again.

"Why didn't Hermione wait for us? For me?" Ron thought stubbornly, and crossed his arms. He huffed and looked over at his best friend.

Harry was thinking about how their fifth year at Hogwarts was going to be like. "This doesn't seem right, something seems different," he thought, still twiddling his thumbs. Well it has been different, ever since Harry learned about the Order of the Phoenix.

__________

"I didn't complain though, I mean, I got what I wanted, didn't I?" Pansy asked, causing most of the crowd of Slytherins to laugh.

Most.

Draco Malfoy was sitting near the back of the group, deaf to the group as they shared their personal anecdotes of what they did over break.

Draco couldn't afford messing around this year.

This is the year, he thought to himself, I'll be welcomed. My father will see my true power.

He smirked at the thought. Oh how he can't wait to show his demanding father up.

The noise from the Slytherins died down, and the kids started to split up and divide around the large compartment.