The Marriage Decree

It's an expression, Malfoy (Book 1 Ch 3)

Author's Notes: This is a refined chapter!

Besides the Spice Girls marathon playing through the radio, Hermione's drive to King's Cross is quiet. Out of the window, she watches the view change from terraced estates and corner shops to high-rise flats and ever-expanding shopping malls. She savours every last piece of the muggle world, as she will be stuck at Hogwarts and the nearby village of Hogsmeade for the next six months.

Arriving at the station car park, her dad unknowingly parks beside a pale blue Ford Anglia. It's not the original car, as that one still drives wildly around the Forbidden Forest. Harry and Ron bought Arthur a new one during the summer to apologise for crashing the original into the Whomping Willow. At first, Hermione smiles, knowing her friends are already on the platform, but anxiety floods her stomach at the thought of spending the next seven hours on the Hogwarts Express with Ron, especially with how she left things at The Burrow yesterday.

Hermione's father pushes her trolley into King's Cross Station, right up to the brick wall between platforms nine and ten. Her parents are still warming up to being around wizards and witches, and Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters is too big of a step right now, so they step aside to bid their daughter goodbye.

"I'm going to miss you so much," Hermione admits, hugging her parents tightly.

"Oh, hush," Mum mutters. Don't worry about us, Hermione. Focus on your studies and make as many happy memories with your friends as possible." Taking Hermione's face in her hands, Mum softly adds, "I'm so proud of you, darling."

After everything they went through in Australia, Hermione's mother's words mean everything to her, and she feels herself tearing up.

"I'm glad this is your last train ride to school; it doesn't get any easier," Dad mutters, hugging his two girls. Now," he sniffs. You've got fifteen minutes until departure. You better get going before your mum refuses to let you leave!"

Hermione chuckles, drying her eyes, "Okay, I'm going."

"We'll see you at graduation," her mum promises.

"You don't have to come. There will be well over a hundred people around; I'll understand if it's too much," Hermione says, not wanting to get her hopes up.

"We'll be there," her dad firmly repeats.

After one more tight squeeze, Hermione controls her trolley and walks straight through the brick wall, ready to return to Hogwarts.

Draco doesn't have to try very hard to avoid his mother on Sunday morning as she remains in her private parlour while he and Blaise stomp around the Manor, preparing to depart for King's Cross.

Before they leave, Mitty passes them both a collection of sandwiches and snacks for the journey since the only food available on the Hogwarts Express would be sweets from the Trolley Witch. Draco thanks her, kneeling down to hug her gently before they leave.

The two men apparate to Diagon Alley, swiftly exiting into Muggle London, and follow their usual route to King's Cross. Draco had been apprehensive about travelling on the Hogwarts Express in September, fearful of vengeful students wanting to take their anger out on him in the only place where he couldn't be protected. Thankfully, Draco and his friends had managed to sneak on and off the train unnoticed by arriving early and exiting after everyone else.

On the platform are a few families with their young witches and wizards, but none of them pay any attention to Draco and Blaise as they step onto the Hogwarts Express and find their compartment.

The night before his first journey to Hogwarts, Lucius Malfoy had told Draco how he and his friends used to sit in the last compartment, and by his third year, no other student would dare try to claim it as their own. Lucius would arrive ten minutes before departure and strut onto the train without worrying about his compartment. Draco had begged his father to take him to King's Cross early so he could claim the same compartment, wanting to continue the Malfoy legacy. Eight years later, the students of Hogwarts still kept clear of his compartment, but Draco couldn't wait for the last time he would ever have to ride the Hogwarts Express.