enchanted • draco malfoy

Year 6: Felix Felicis

Felicity's POV

Ron, Hermione, Harry, and I sat in our usual compartment in the back of the train. Harry launched into my new least favorite topic of discussion immediately. "So what was Draco doing with that weird-looking cabinet?" he asked, as much to himself as to us, "And who were all those people?"

Upon seeing our expressions, he said, "Don't you see? It was a ceremony. An initiation." I rolled my eyes, and Mione, to my surprise, scolded him before I could. "Stop it, Harry," she murmured, "I know where you're going with this."

Although she still hadn't spoken to me, I was grateful for her input. Harry insisted, "It happened. He's one of them." Ron finally spoke up from where he'd been watching the conversation go back and forth like a tennis game. "One of who?" he questioned.

I attempted to keep the ice out of my voice as I stated, "Harry's under the impression Draco Malfoy is now a Death Eater." Even Ron, always ready to jump on the we-hate-Malfoy boat, looked skeptical. "You're barking," he said to Harry, and I almost thanked him before he added, "What would You-Know-Who want with a sod like Malfoy?"

Prick- he was being such a prick, and he knew it, judging from the look he sent me.

"Well then what's he doing in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry challenged, "Browsing for furniture?" Annoyed, I said mildly, "Who knows? Maybe they have a nice selection." He shot me a glare before Ron stepping in, saying, "It's a creepy shop. He's a creepy bloke."

Harry tried reasoning with us again. "Look, his father is a Death Eater. It only makes sense. Besides, Hermione saw it with her own eyes." He gestured too Mione, who shrugged and said, "I told you, I don't know what I saw."

Frustrated, Harry stood up. "I need some air," was all he said as snatched his Invisibility Cloak and left the compartment.

Left in a room with two best friends that may or may not hate me, I twiddled my thumbs until one of them spoke. To my shock, it was Hermione who broke the ice. "Look, we understand that you love Draco- actually, I don't understand that, but regardless- we're just worried," she said stumbled over her words, "He's not exactly known for being the kindest person out there, especially to the four of us, but-"

"I appreciate the concern, guys," I interrupted, "And you're right, I do love him, but I'm also trying to help us. Being a person that Draco trusts and confides in. . . maybe I can stop anything bad before it starts. Or at least get a heads-up."

They both considered my words, then nodded. And that was that.

After talking as we normally would if we had Harry with us, the train screeched to a stop. We all gathered our stuff, then waited for Harry to come get his. He didn't. "Where's Harry?" Mione asked, brow furrowed. I shrugged uneasily. "He's probably on the platform already," I said. Ron shrugged, grabbing Harry's bags as we walked to the platform. But he wasn't there either.

"Got an early ride?" Ron suggested. Not wanting to believe otherwise, we trailed him to an empty carriage. I felt a sharp pang in the center of my chest as I noted the Thestrals that I could now see after Sirius' death. Swallowing deeply, I joined my friends, who had gone as silent as I was, on the carriage, and made our way to Hogwarts.

~*~

The Sorting Ceremony had finished, and Harry was still absent. Hermione and Ginny watched the entrance to the Great Hall, but Nev and I could not draw our eyes away from Ron, shoveling obscene amounts of jello into his mouth. "He'll be here in a minute," Ron said dismissively. Hermione turned her sharp gaze on him and snapped.

"Will-" thwack "you" thwack "stop" thwack "eating?" she demanded, hitting him with her book to enunciate each word. "Your best friend is missing!"