I tossed my tie around my neck and opened the door. Draco was waiting for me at the top of the stairs. I saw a hint of a smile on his lips as I walked out, but it quickly fell away. I sighed and walked down the stairs. Snape was waiting for me at the door.
"Come, I have to drop you off at the station." he said, taking my arm.
"Why can't we just Apparate to Hogsmeade and go from there? We're Apparating to the station." I asked in a huff. The thought of having to face the Golden Trio or any of the others made me slightly queasy.
"Because it would raise suspicions." he replied through his teeth. Snape seemed on edge today, and I thought I knew why. I saw a snippet of the vision I had of him making the Unbreakable Vow from his head. This was NOT going to be a good year, and I was NOT looking forward to it.
Suddenly, we were gone, and landed safely on platform 9 3/4. Almost right on top of Harry.
"What the-!" i heard in my ear. Harry turned to face me. His face looked dark. Angry. I didn't blame him.
"Hey, sorry bud. Didn't see ya there. How was your summer?" I asked cheerily. Harry scoffed and boarded the train. I spied Mrs. Weasley across the terminal, talking to Ginny. She spotted me, started to smile, then suddenly dropped her gaze. I had the feeling I could expect no Christmas gifts this year. I sighed and Draco took my hand in his.
"Come on. Let's find a compartment." he whispered in my ear before kissing my temple. I sighed. At least here, Draco and I could be a couple.
We sat in a compartment alone, my head in Draco's lap. We were soon joined by Crabbe and Goyle, and some time after, Blaise Zabini. No one seemed surprised to see me cuddled up with Malfoy. It was like it was a common occurence.
"So, Zabini," said Malfoy, "what did Slughorn want?"
"Just trying to make up to well-connected people," said Zabini. "Not that he managed to find many." I stared out the window, not interested in their conversation on the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Draco had yet to tell me what it was that Voldemort wanted him to do. I was scared about how absolutely horrible it was going to be. Malfoy scoffing snapped me back to the conversation.
"Potter, precious Potter, obviously he wanted a look at 'the Chosen One,'" he sneered. "but that Weasley girl! What's so special about her?” Ginny?
"A lot of boys like her," I said then. "Even you think she's good-looking, don't you, Blaise, and we all know how hard you are to please!" Draco chuckled dryly.
"I wouldn't touch a filthy little blood traitor like her whatever she looked like," said Zabini coldly. I snarled at him, and he leaned away, looking slightly frightened.
"Well, I pity Slughorn's taste. Maybe he's going a bit senile. Shame, my father always said he was a good wizard in his day. My father used to be a bit of a favorite of his. Slughorn probably hasn't heard I'm on the train, or…" As much as I loved Draco, his ego was still incredibly huge.
"I wouldn't bank on an invitation," said Zabini. "He asked me about Notts father when I first arrived. They used to be old friends, apparently, but when he heard he'd been caught at the Ministry he didn't look happy, and Nott didn't get an invitation, did he? 1 don't think Slughorn's interested in Death Eaters." Malfoy looked angry, but forced out a singularly humorless laugh.
"Well, who cares what he's interested in? What is he, when you come down to it? Just some stupid teacher." Malfoy yawned ostentatiously. "I mean, I might not even be at Hogwarts next year, what's it matter to me if some fat old has-been likes me or not?"
"What do you mean, you might not be at Hogwarts next year?" I said, sitting up then to look at him. He shot me a short, sheepish look before plastering his Malfoy smirk back on.
"Well, you never know," he stated. "I might have … er … moved on to bigger and better things."
"Do you mean…” Blaise started. Malfoy shrugged.
"Mother wants me to complete my education, but personally, I don't see it as that important these days. I mean, think about it... When the Dark Lord takes over, is he going to care how many OWLs or N.E.W.T.S anyone's got? Of course he isn't. It'll be all about the kind of service he received, the level of devotion he was shown."
"And you think you'll be able to do something for him?" asked Zabini scathingly. "Sixteen years old and noi even fully qualified yet?"
"I've just said, haven't I? Maybe he doesn't care if I'm qualified. Maybe the job he wants me to do isn't something that you need to be qualified for," said Malfoy quietly.
Crabbe and Goyle were both sitting with their mouths open like gargoyles as usual. I eyed him suspiciously. He had a lot of explaining to do when we were alone.
"I can see Hogwarts," said Malfoy, clearly relishing the effect he had created as he pointed out of the blackened window. "We'd better get our robes on." I left to let the boys change. I had put my robes on before we started here.
I spied Ginny in a compartment with her current beau, Dean Thomas. She looked up at me for a moment, and I smiled and waved slightly. I could see the ghost of a smile on her face, before it was like she remembered who I was, and closed the blinds on the compartment window. Ouch. Burn.
Crabbe opened the door, signaling I could return. The corridors started filling as the train came to a stop. I stood by the door as the boys filed into the hallway. As soon as they were gone, I closed the door and turned to Draco.
"You want to tell me what the-" Draco put a finger to his lips slowly and motioned toward the door.
"You go on," he told me, waving his hand toward the door. "I just want to check something." I eyed him for a moment before kissing his lips swiftly andstepping into the corridor, but I waited inside the next one down, just to see what he was doing. I hated spying, but he had been hiding so much from me lately...
"Petrificus Totalus!" I heard from the next compartment. Something hit the ground with a loud thud.
"I thought so," he said jubilantly. "I heard Goyle's trunk hit you. And I thought I saw something white flash through the air after Zabini came back. You didn't hear anything I care about, Potter. But while I've got you here..." I heard a loud crunch that made me cringe. "That's from my father. Now, let's see...I don't reckon they'll find you till the trains back in London, See you around, Potter... or not."
I felt I should end it there, much like the original book did. Will Jez keep up "appearances" and leave Harry there, or do the right thing? Who is she, really? She's in Slytherin after all. Hopefully this long update makes up for the slow updating. So sucked into my Original Fiction I have been neglecting Malthorne, as one of my readers called them. More soon, I promise! Also, please please please check out Melting Away, my original fiction, available for purchase on the Kindle store Spring 2014.
Please vote and comment, you know how I need it! Love you bunches!
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Two Sides of the Same Coin (Sequel to HCILY) Slow Updates
FanficJezabel has done the unthinkable. After watching her only family murdered by one of Voldemort's Death Eaters, she leaves Harry behind to follow in her parents' footsteps. As well as Draco's? Things are moving, but updates are slow due to poor health.
