Cunning (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 1 - Hogwarts Express

Today was my first day at Hogwarts. I would've been beyond nervous but for some reason, I just wasn't. I felt numb as I gazed at my motionless reflection in my mirror. Merlin, I looked terrible; dark bags hung under my dark blue eyes and the area around them was all red- probably from the constant crying. My face had gotten much smaller since Rolf's death. My cheekbones were much more prominent now, I sighed, remembering that Sage would lecture me on how I need to eat properly again. My state was at its worst and yet it was my first day of Hogwarts- I should've been much more upbeat, looking much more lively and elegant and yet- I looked as if I could be related to aliens.

Sighing heavily, I straightened my posture and fiddled with my hair, trying to make my ebony locks look at least half decent. I fake smiled at myself in the mirror, as if to practice, almost like I'd forgotten how to because of the past few months. Trying not to overthink every move I made, I grabbed my small bag Rolf gave me last year. The thought of him  caused me physical pain, I felt as though I was gonna faint. Trying to get him off my mind, I got myself together at once as I reached the door. Like hell I was gonna let Sage see me in this state.

Once we successfully reached platform nine and three quarters, I turned to Sage who was looking at me with worry in her deep blue eyes.

"What?" I furrowed my brows at my older sister.

"Just- Iris, If your feeling down, don't hesitate to send me an owl, okay?" Sage responded in her angelic voice.

"So you mean I will basically be sending you an owl 24/7?"

She rolled her eyes playfully at me, "I'll see you at Christmas."

I grinned and hugged her tightly, she was all I had left. Once we said our goodbyes and I was on the train, my eyes were desperately trying to find an area to sit in time so I could wave Sage off.

Suddenly I bumped into someone, someone tall and staggered back, arms out to balance me. Whoever it was called out "Bloody Hell, as he, too, tried to balance himself. He had messy ginger hair and was wrapped in what I assumed to be a Gryffindor scarf, I bet he was also a 5th year.

"Sorry," I mumbled faintly and tried to push past him, my mind still fixed on finding an empty space.

"Wait-wait, where are you going?" The Ginger mentioned, stopping in my way.

"To find space to sit?" I replied as if that shoudve been obvious.

His expression just went from curiosity to confusion in a second. "You're not English, are you?"

"I'm American. Now can you please move out of my way so I can continue to find free space?" I snapped, becoming a little impatient although I was aware of how rude I can across. Suddenly I felt guilty.

"Oh well I should warn you, all the seats here are full. Are you even a Gryffindor? You seem pretty lost," He rambled.

"I'm not a Gryffindor- well I don't even know what house I'm in yet and it is my first time at Hogwarts so it shouldn't be any surprise that I 'seem pretty lost' ," I explained, my voice becoming less rude and snappy.

"Well do you have an idea of what house you could be sorted into?" The ginger questioned.

"Mmm...probably Slytherin," I guessed. Sage was a Slytherin (she moved to study abroad after her expulsion from Ilvermorny) and we are quite alike so I must be one too. Grandma was a Thunderbird and grandad was Hufflepuff. To say our family was sorted into a variety of houses was to say the least. He raised an eye brow, didn't seem like he was fond of slytherins which I would understand, I'd heard awful things about certain Slytherins.

"Well the Slytherin area is in the opposite direction, you could probably find an empty seat there. Beware though, them Slytherins can be nasty."

"Oh well thanks and don't worry I will try to be equally as nasty," I smiled for a second at him to show my appreciation.