Intimately Close

The Hogwarts Express

"Where's Harry?"

"Is it true Harry Potter's coming back?"

"He has to be on the train somewhere!"

"Maybe he's still on the platform? We still have a few minutes before it leaves."

"It's 10:59! It'll leave any second!"

Harry was doing his best to keep his head down – hood hiding his face, trunk clutched in hand, no snowy owl to signal his presence.

When a large group of sixth years began heading towards him, he had little choice. But the compartment to his right looked empty, and the door was open just enough, so he slipped in and closed the door before they could spot him.

"Could you leave? I'm not in the mood for company. Probably won't be for the rest of the year."

Harry was left standing perfectly still as he heard the voice from behind him – the drawl was gone, leaving the voice nearly devoid of emotion. Except for pain.

"I think that applies to both of us." Harry turned to look at him then, parts of his face still hidden behind the fabric of his hoodie. But his eyes were bright, his scar probably exposed, and recognition dawned on a face he hadn't had to see since the battle.

"I- okay. Close the blinds, so nobody sees you cavorting with the enemy."

Harry sat opposite him, staring out of the window as the train began to move. His trunk could be moved if anyone else joined them – for once he was hoping he wouldn't have to see Ron or Hermione on the train.

Harry let his mind wander; his thoughts had rarely stayed on track since the battle.

"So, not with Granger and Weasley?" Draco asked, attempting to be civil. His mother had convinced him to go back – he may have the Dark Mark on his skin, but it didn't mean he couldn't return for his studies. McGonagall had written to him, encouraging him to leave any grievances in the past.

"I don't know where they are. Hell, I'm not sure if Ron decided to come back. We got offered the chance to become Aurors straight away, no exams needed."

"Even I couldn't get in like that, Potter."

"As an Auror? Come on, you'd make it two days before they got tired of the wining."

"I am not as bad as you make out," Draco huffed. "Perhaps, this year-"

"-he has to be around here somewhere!" The voice cut through the near-silence of the compartment as the door slid open, bushy hair searching for a friend. "Have you seen- oh! I knew we'd find you." Her head moved out into the hall, calling down to a distant red-head. "Ron! Ron, get down here!"

She slid into the compartment, and Harry quickly dove for the seat beside Draco. He needed the annoyingly accurate comments to bring her down from whichever rant she would soon begin on.

Harry just hoped she was over the endless days of SPEW.

He nearly forgot how Ron would act as he came in.

"Hey, Har- What the hell?"

"My thoughts exactly. I had a nice quiet compartment. Just me. Nobody else." Draco waved an arm around at the once empty space. "I could deal with Potter being here. He was relatively quiet. Now, look at the rabble you've invited into my quiet space."

"Shove off, Malfoy." Harry actually shoved him, face ending up pressed against the glass.

And, for the first time any of them had ever witnessed, Draco laughed. Not the tight laugh that followed a person's pain, but a genuine laugh that even Draco did not recognise.