Always Mine (A Drarry Fanfic)

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"Thanks for ditching us," Ron said sarcastically as he, Ginny, and Luna stepped into the compartment. The six of them rode in silence for the next five minutes, when the train jerked to a halt in Hogsmeade Station. Hermione, Ron, & Harry got of the train together, Harry feeling slightly queasy.

"Firs' years over here! Firs' years!" Hagrid was calling over the sea of students. "All righ', you lot?" The three waved in the gamekeeper's direction and were shipped along the platform. As they slowly approached the carriages, they heard a sharper voice, saying, "Eighth years, over here, please. Eighth years, step aside, please." Headmistress McGonagall was standing in a section of the platform that was nearly deserted and was reprimanding students as they passed. "Braddock, kindly do not use your wand as a sword. Miss McIntire, the same applies for you. Mr. Westin, you are a prefect!" McGonagall growled at a passing Ravenclaw fifth year who was Charming pebbles on the ground to hit passersby.

The crowd around Harry, Ron, & Hermione grew. Neville showed up, looking slightly flustered; a group of Hufflepuffs led by Hannah Abbott; Parvati Patil, her sister Padma, and a small crowd of Ravenclaws Harry did not recognize; with Fay Dunbar and another Gryffindor girl; and, finally, Draco Malfoy, and the posse of Slytherins Harry had seen in the compartment before. "Good evening," Professor McGonagall said. "Once you arrive at the school, please wait until I do so as well, and then follow me. You may leave for now."

Harry led the way to one of the thestral-drawn carriages, with Ron and Hermione close behind him. Hermione gasped audibly.

"Those are thestrals?" Ron said disbelievingly. The thestrals, to Harry, at least, seemed to be looking restless at the amount of people that were noticing them.

"Come on," Harry spoke up after a while. "Let's get a carriage." The ride to Hogwarts was short, and they didn't talk much. Harry, for one, felt like he was going to throw up. As the carriage pulled in, they got out and joined the small crowd of eighth year students waiting for McGonagall, who arrived on the last carriage.

"Gather round, all of you. You all have decided to attend Hogwarts for an additional year," she began. "And, as this is the largest accommodation of eighth year students Hogwarts has ever had, a few new rules have been put into place. Miss Abbott, Miss Dunbar, please refrain from talking while I am doing so. You too, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley." Harry felt Hermione jump behind him. "As I was saying, new rules have been put into place. For one, you are no longer part of the Houses you were once Sorted into." Harry felt his stomach sink slightly. What was the point of Hogwarts without having Houses? "As a result, you cannot lose or gain any House points, but this does not, in any way, mean that your behavior will be inappropriate. Zabini, pay attention. All your meals will be eaten at a separate table, rather than the House tables. Finally, as for your dorms, you will be rooming with one other person, the same gender as you. from this crowd, in your own private room, for the entire year. No rooming changes. You will be spending most of your time in. a separate tower in which your dorms and common room are located. The password is merely stating your name, in order to make sure only the eighth years and professors are allowed inside. The rooming list will be posted on the door of the common room for you to see later tonight."

There was a murmur of assent from the assembled crowd, but Harry felt his stomach sink even lower. He didn't think he was going to be rooming with Ron, in fact, based on what McGonagall had been saying so far, his roommate would probably be from another House. As long as it isn't a Slytherin, he thought desperately.

"Well, if none of you have any questions, let us enter the Great Hall." The eighth years, led by the Hufflepuffs, proceeded into the castle. Harry heard Ron and Hermione arguing behind him about Potions, but Harry couldn't think of much anything as of the moment. He felt like throwing up because of the rooming situation, of riding back on the Hogwarts Express because he didn't think he could deal with the pressure of N.E.W.T. year, of screaming and running in thopposite direction because he was back at Hogwarts, and of crying, also because he was, after all, back at Hogwarts.