draco was apprehensive. it was a miracle he was kept out of a cell, let alone allowed back at hogwarts to finish his 7th year. his mother had been waiting at his door with his supplies for a quarter of an hour while he got ready. he was most likely going to be late for the train with all the time he'd been spending that morning charming his under eyes to make it look like he'd slept. he was alarmingly thin looking, with sunken in cheeks and a haunted, weathered look on his pale face.
"draco darling, are you almost ready? you can't be tardy on your first day."
draco fiddled with his crisp white collar in the mirror before stepping out of the door.
"i'm going mother. the eight years are supposed to get another train out once the hogwarts express leaves with the smaller children. something about a lack of space a-"
"draco."
draco turned to his mother as she handed him his trunk and (state of the art) foldable cauldron. she gave him a small smile and placed her hand on his shoulder, her flowing black sleeve rolling down her arm
"lay low. there will be people who think that you don't belong where they belong. but listen to me my son, they are the snakes, not you."
there was a time where draco would have agreed with his entire being. he would have smiled and hugged his mother, strutting off to school to harass his peers. but as time went on and life got more unbearable, he lost his faith in himself. he still didn't understand what made him see his face in this different light, but all he knew was that seeing himself in the mirror disgusted him.
"it'll be alright mother. i promise i'll owl every day."
He pulled her into a tight embrace and pretended he didn't feel the tears soaking into his robe. she sniffled slightly, and draco knew the reason. her punishments only allowed her to go on the grounds of malfoy manner. she would be all alone once draco left. she hadn't been able to be alone since lucius' conviction.
"try not to miss me too much." draco said with a cheeky smirk. his mother rolled her reddening eyes and she tapped him on the back.
"get going. you'll miss the train."
~
as draco ascended the steps of the hogwarts express, he heard hushed voices whispering his name, along with people he didn't know yelling things like "you don't belong here" and "nasty death eater" . he tried to drown it out as he searched for an empty compartment, all the buzzing chatter going quiet as he walked by. when he finally reached the last empty compartment, the only disadvantage was that it was right across from potter and friends.
draco pulled down the blinds so he couldn't see the revolted faces of the heroes. he sat down in the plush blue seat, leaning his head against the windowsill when he heard the door slide open.
"all by yourself malfoy?"
draco knew that voice from anywhere. he turned his head to look at the man. his disheveled raven locks untameable as always, glasses crooked and unclean, emerald eyes still burning holes into draco's body.
"not many people want to be seated with a death eater. any reason you're here potter?"
potter shrugged,
"mind if i sit?"
draco tried to seem nonchalant, but him and potter had never been capable of having a civil conversation.
"if you'd like."
he said with a small sigh.
potter sat in front of him, elbows resting on his legs. he raised his eyebrows as to give off some sort of sign.
"well? where are your friends? or...minions..or whatever you call them."
draco rolled his eyes.
"they were deemed "unfit" for transportation with other students, and had to be driven in muggle cars." he made quotation marks with his fingers on the word unfit.
"that's quite a load of bollocks isn't it."
potter said with a frown.
draco's face must have shown such a look of shock that potter felt the need to explain himself.
"i just meant that it's unfair to have some students off the train. the war is over now."
draco lowered his head.
"not for some people." he said quietly, grimacing to himself. he remembered the nights he got attacked while running to grab dinner for his mother who wasn't feeling well. It had happened a few times, but they usually knocked him out first. there was one time they didn't. he tried not to think about it. there was an awkward silence in the room, ringing through the walls like an annoying fly.
"how is your mother doing?"
potter asked cautiously, sitting up straight.
"fine i guess. she's been quite lonely since...." he trailed off. still not knowing the words to express what happened to his father.
"it's good that she isn't harmed. i'm sorry about..what happened with..well you know-"
"i'm not."
potter tilted his head in confusion.
"pardon?"
"i'm not sorry. the man was vile and cruel, as you put it fourth year." he smiled slightly after saying it.
potter chuckled.
"me and my whopping hero complex."
the young men spent a few minutes snickering about their stupidity when the door to the compartment was flung open.
"harry, i believe it's time for you to return. luna bought us all cauldron cakes." the she weasel wrinkled her nose at draco as potter looked back and forth between both of them.
"i'll be right there gin. give me a second?"
she huffed and let them be.
"i don't want trouble malfoy. not this year. if i stay out of your way will you stay out of mine?"
the words stung draco's heart ( for a reason unknown ) but he shoved it down.
"don't be daft potter. i owe you my life. of course i won't cause trouble. i'll even request of my friends to do the same."
potter looked at him with with a crooked grin as he proceeded to stand up.
"thank you."
draco nodded.
"anytime. see you around potter."
when draco was just about to put his head back on the sill potter turned around.
"and one more thing."
draco waved as if to say "go on"
"you look like shit."
draco was laughing to himself the rest of the ride.
YOU ARE READING
epiphany - drarry
Fanfiction"i didn't think it would end like this." it's harsh world, grab your tissues.
