Struggling Through New Beginnings

Chapter 3

Harry and Ginny after having waved goodbye to Ron and Hermione had continued on to find their compartment. They laughed softly with one another as they moved from locked car to locked car. With a relieved cry of joy, Harry finally found one that didn’t push him away. Being the gentleman he was, he motioned for Ginny to go in first.

“Beautiful, wonderful ladies first,” he smiled down at her.

“Such a charmer,” she giggled and moved past him, her things levitated in front of her.

“Only for you, love. I just hope we can find a oomph,” he said as he slammed into the invisible barrier and realized he couldn’t enter the car with her.

Ginny turned to look back at him, “Harry, you coming?”

She saw the look of confusion and sadness on his face as he hovered outside of the doorway and quickly glanced around to count the people in the car with her. With a dawning look of anger she looked back at Harry.

“No, dammit!” she wailed and tried to step back out to him only to find herself blocked.

“It’s okay,” he smiled down at her frustrated face. “I’ll just…”

He was once again cut off as the door slid solidly shut in his face.

Ginny stepped up and banged on the window of the door. He shook his head at her and sent her a smile as he shrugged. He saw her slump against the door and mimed ‘chin up’ as he stepped back. A flurry of movement over her shoulder caught his eye and he watched Luna greet Ginny. The two girls hugged and then Luna turned to look out at him and wave. He smiled, waved back and then blew a small kiss at Ginny before he turned to continue looking for a car for himself. He didn’t have to go far as the very next car allowed him in, for which he was very glad. But, his presence caused an uncomfortable silence to fall over the people in the car. He knew it would not be long before he was asked to tell his story for the millionth time and tried to avoid it by turning away quickly. He immediately saw an empty row in the back and started for it as he lowered his eyes and head to indicate he wasn’t in a chatting mood. He didn’t lift his eyes again until he reached the seat, and only then to toss his bags up over his head and glance across the row at the person huddled against the window of the other seat.

Blue-grey eyes met bright green for a moment before they both looked away. Harry almost reached back up to get his bags and move to somewhere else in the car, but when he turned he saw thirty-eight pairs of eyes staring at him, just waiting to ask him questions.

“Perfect. Just bloody perfect,” he muttered sarcastically to himself as he plopped down in his seat and crossed his arms moodily on his chest.

“My thoughts exactly, Potter,” Draco mumbled tiredly from his seat.

The students saw the two famous enemies mimicking each other’s stances and wondered what to do. As much as most wanted to approach Harry Potter, they feared getting closer to Draco Malfoy. And, honestly, neither man really radiated warmth. Finally, a fourth year Slytherin braved the quiet, his voice squeaky and nervous, but his chin high and proud as he stood next to a pretty third year Ravenclaw girl.

“Well, uh, that makes forty. Maybe the train will get moving now.”

She nodded with her eyes still swinging back and forth between Harry and Draco, “Yes. I hope so. I am getting a bit hungry and the Trolley Lady won’t come until we get going.”

A second year with her blonde hair in pigtails looked over at them, “Do you think she’ll be able to get into the car if we can’t get out?”

And, just like that, the children moved away and resumed their games and discussions; the two brooding men, one light, the other dark, were ignored. Harry turned his head slightly and looked across the train as it began to move. He saw the other man and wondered where their relationship stood. For what felt like his entire life, he and Draco had been at odds. First, over whom they should be friends with, then because of their separate house rivalries, and later because of their chosen sides in the war. Now, with the war and its many ramifications behind them, with many deaths behind and between them, and with the start of so many new opportunities for each of them ahead, Harry wondered what the future held.