Seventh Year Vibes

Return to Hogwarts (I'm tired halp)

The train rumbled just as they reached Hogwarts. The oddly familiar smell of sheep and freshly mowed grass struck their nostrils as the doors swung open.
"'Arry!'Ermione! Ron! You came back after all!" Hagrid exclaimed as the trio made their way off the train.
"First years this way!" he yelled, waving his hands. Then he turned to them. "'Ow are ye?".
"I'm fine, thanks Hagrid," Hermione mumbled, fidgeting with her bag lock.
"Mam is still downcast after- after you know," Ron whispered. His voice was barely heard. Everyone nodded. And when he thought nobody was looking, he wiped a stray tear from his cheek.
Harry noticed that the group of first years barely reached a hundred. There must only have been about 70 or 80 children, all looking fearful, their eyes familiar with the post war.
Yet he was barely expecting to see who he saw. Draco Malfoy, his blond hair sleek and elegant, seemingly taller and yet more refined, stood outside the carriage, a woebegone expression filling his face. Harry was surprised to see him alone.

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Something of woe hit Harry as he entered the building. Yet the feeling was not only melancholy- there seemed to be a weird sense of home there too.
Although astonished with the renovation, he took a double take when he entered the hall.
Pictures of Fred, his face rested with a linger of a smile, dead, shot through his head- glimpses of Tonks, Tonks who had just had her first and only child, laying on the cold hard ground, her usual bubblegum pink hair fading to pale, beige shades as the minutes passed. Remus- the same Remus who had always been there for him throughout his years, who had suffered the death of his past lover Sirius as terribly, if not worse than Harry had, but couldn't show it for he had Harry to care for, on the floor, his hand barely touching with Tonks'.
But he couldn't flee- he couldn't embarrass himself in front of the entire school.
"Harry?" Ginny whispered, putting her hand on his shoulder. He hadn't noticed her approach him.
"Huh?" he replied, nausea rushing through his body. He put his hand to his mouth.
"Are you alright? If you're not, just shake your head," she muttered as they sat down.
Seeing no point in lying to his ex-girlfriend, someone who knew him better than he knew himself, he shook his head.
"Do you want to get out? I don't really want to stay either,".
Harry nodded his head. In a flash, Ginny leaned over to Luna, who leaned over to Hermione. Then suddenly Ron dropped a bowl onto the floor, which crashed. In the spur of the moment, Ginny managed to rush Harry out of the hall and up to the common room.
"McGonagall is going to be mad," Harry mentioned, as he plopped down onto the sofa.
"Why?".
"Ron broke a bowl,".
"Harry. You go to a magic school where you learn magic spells. I'm sure Hermione knows one that will repair it,".
"Oh,". Harry could feel himself blushing with embarrassment.
"Changing the subject, guess ho I saw today?" he said.
"Draco?" Ginny asked, amused.
"Yes. How did you know?".
"Harry, I have eyes too,".
"Good point,".
They say in an awkward silence for several moments, until Ginny spoke up again.
"Do you still hate Draco?".
Harry contemplated it for a few seconds, before replying.
"I don't think so. He did help me in the battle,".
Another half an hour passed in silence.
"They're going to start coming now. Get mentally ready,". Then she left, supposedly to meet Luna.

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Harry was about to set off to his dormitory with Ron, when an agitated McGonagall stopped him.
"Pot-Harry. Come,".
He followed her, leaving Ron behind.
"I believe you left the hall before dinner?".
"Yes professor,".
"So you did not hear my speech. However, Harry before we speak, I must ask, are you not hungry?".
Harry shook his head, and McGonagall continued.
"There's only 12 students who came back for seventh year, Harry. Four of them from Gryffindor, four from Ravenclaw, three from Hufflepuff and one from Slytherin,".
"Only Malfoy came back from Slytherin?".
"Yes, Harry. Only Draco. And I must ask you, if you may, would you please try to befriend him? I know that you and him have not had an all positive experience, but think how lonely it must be for him right now,".
"Um, I'll try professor," he lied.
"Thanks, Harry," she said, and then he left.