Twisted Tales

Coming Home

Almost as soon as I'm through the barrier onto platform 9 ¾ I break away from the group. Pushing my way through a throng of other students, I board the train at the first opportunity I get. The compartments are already filling up, students happily chatting away with friends they haven't seen since last term. I head towards the Prefect's carriage, hoping Draco will be there.

Hands slide over my eyes, warm breath sliding over my ear. "Looking for someone?"

"Draco!" I let out, spinning around and wrapping my arms around the boy's neck, my lips finding his. His arms slink around my back, holding me to him, something hard pressing into my collarbone.

"Missed me that much?" He grins, his fingers sliding between mine as he lets me go.

"They had me de-molding cupboards," I answer with a shudder, trying to push the memory from my mind, as my eyes land on a shiny badge pinned to Draco's suit jacket. "You made Prefect. Oh, I'm so proud of you! I bet your father was thrilled."

Draco leads us further up the train, pushing a few second years out of his way to get to the Prefect's compartment, "If he was he had an odd way of showing it."

As I go to lift my baggage onto the rack, Draco takes it from me, gesturing to the seat below. Once our luggage is secured, he throws himself into the corner of the compartment, once again wrapping his arms around me, "I'm sorry I couldn't be there. Was Helix okay?"

"Father said you'd be joining us for Christmas. I was thinking we'd visit Paris this year." Draco motions to the basket on the floor. Two glowing green eyes stare out at me, "She's been alright, once I got her to stop biting at me. She missed her mum." 

"She is a bit of a brat. Paris sounds nice," I answer as the compartment door slides open, Pansy prancing inside. She gives Draco and me a disapproving look before sitting in the opposite corner.

As the compartment continues to fill up, two Prefects from each house, Draco traces over the little moon I had tattooed on the inside of my wrist last summer. It changes with the moon phases, sitting currently at a small sliver. He finds it fascinating though opted out of getting his own after hearing his father's disapproving words about mine. While I consider the Malfoys with high regard, I hardly care what Lucius does and doesn't approve of.

The glass doors slide open again, Draco giving a curt laugh as Ron and Hermione slide inside, "Surely they didn't make you a Prefect, Weasley."

"I'm here, aren't I?" Ron shoots back, giving Draco a stony stare.

These words seem to have no effect on Draco, his eyes now settling on Hermione, "And you?" His lip curls up into a sneer, staring at the badge pinned to her robes as if hoping he'll be able to make it disappear. "The school really is going down the drain."

"At least it isn't Potter," I whisper just loud enough for Draco to hear.

He chuckles back, his eyes glistening as they land on me, "Perfect Potter. Bet Dumbledore thought all the notoriety would finally cause his head to explode."

"You fowl git."

As Ron moves to have a go at Draco, Hermione steps in front of him, her palms pressing into his chest whispering something about Malfoy not being worth it. She shoots a look over her shoulder as if I'm supposed to do something about Draco. In an attempt to ignore her, I pretend to find the floor suddenly interesting. There was nothing in my instructions about getting cozy with Ron and Hermione.

I sit quietly, twisting Draco's ring around his finger as the Prefects receive their instructions. Draco looks bored with the whole thing, his head resting lazily against the window, trying to stifle yawns. Once the professor giving the information leaves, Ron and Hermione slide back out of the compartment, followed closely by the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Prefects. This once again leaves only Draco, Pansy, and myself.