Rejection and Acceptance

The folllowing week passed quickly for everyone at the Burrow. The twins largely stayed in their room, and explosions and shouts could be heard all day long. They also borrowed Hedwig a lot, but she seemed to like the jobs.

Finally, the last week of summer was over, and the final supper arrived. Everyone trooped downstairs and sat down, but they had to wait, since there was still no food on the table.

Finally Mrs. Weasley stood at the head and looked around at her children, plus Hermione and Harry.

"Now, everyone knows we want to be gone EARLY tomorrow. There is going to be an escort for Harry of course, but they have also been warned to be here early. We have a long drive ahead of us and everyone should be ready. I have washed everyone's last-minute clothing, and i expect everyone to get it and pack it TONIGHT." Mrs. Weasley stared at each of her children one at a time. "We don't want anythign forgotten, so make a check-list alright? And bedtime is EARLY for everyone tonight!" With that said, she brought out the food.

The meal was a loud bustling affair as always it was with the Weasley family. Laughter and chatter abounded and every conversation was louder than the next because everyone wanted to be heard. But finally, the last scraps of food had been eaten and the dishes sent to wash in the sink. The group trooped through the laundry room, picked up their clothing with several scuffles over who's clothing truly belonged to whom.

Ron and Harry flopped onto their beds, piling the clothing in the corner.

"I can't believe the summer is over!" Ron groaned.

"I can. It always passes SO fast at your house." Harry laughed.

Just as Ron was about to speak again, Hermione bounced through the door and then stopped. "You guys know you should put you clothing away. If you leave it until tomorrow you are going to be in SO much trouble!" she said with a scolding look.

"We were just about to get to it 'Mione." Ron whined. "Let us take just a LITTLE break."

"No you lazy gut. You know if you don't do it now, you're never going to."

Harry stood up and grabbed his clothing, flinging it into his trunk where there was room. Once he was sure everything of his was either in his trunk or waiting for the next day, he closed his trunk. He was borrowing an old pair of pyjamas from Ron that he could leave on the bed the next day.

"C'mere Harry!" Ron ordered. Looking over, Harry saw Ron sitting on his trunk attempting to close it. Laughing Harry darted over and sat on the trunk so Ron could snap it shut as Hermione lectured them about how they should have placed everything in properly and neatly, then it would close without sitting on the top of it.

Ignoring her and happy to be done with the chore, the two boys looked around the room for something to do before they fell asleep.

Interrupting their attempts, Hermione spoke to Harry. "Hey, umm, i know this has been like a taboo subject, but have you decided what you're going to do? Are you going to go and see Draco tomorrow?"

"Why would Harry do that? Seeing that git in potions is trouble enough, why would he want to see him when he didn't have to?" Ron answered for his best friend.

"Actually, i think i'm going to go and see him." Harry mused.

"WHAT?" Ron demanded.

"Well, if i go see him, then at least i might have a chance of figuriong out what he's up to." Harry explained.

"Well, just remember he's in Slytherin and be careful of what you trust. He's probably going to lie a lot you know." Hermione warned.

"Wow mate, that's real smart of you. Shoulda known you were such a smart bloke." Ron grinned, loving the idea of pulling one over Malfoy.

"LIGHTS OUT AND IN BED EVERYONE!!!!" Mrs. Weasley's voice boomed throughout the house with a magically enhanced sound.

After echanging their goodnight's, everyone followed her edict.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

The next morning was a mass of confusion. Everyone tried to bring their trunks down the stairs at the same time, which led to a traffic jam, and a few minor accidents. With how busy everyone was, people just came and left at the breakfast table, with no one following the normal rule of eating together.

The extra Aurors showed up in Ministry cars to drive everyone to the train station.

Halfway down the street, Ron remembered he had forgotten Scabbers and insisted he HAD to have his pet at school. Then, two blocks away, George realized he had forgotten his wand on his nightstand and they had to return to get it as well. After a demand from Mrs. Weasley to know if everyone had all their things they started on their trip again. Suddenly Ginny remembered she had forgotten her diary and started to cry when Mrs. Weasley said they weren't returning to get it. After giving in, and returning for the diary, They finally made it to the train station, an hour and a half after they were origionally supposed to.

"Ok, the train leaves in fifteen minutes, so we're doing this in groups." Mrs. Weasley stated. Pairing her children off, she sent them all through. First Kingsley and Tonks walked through, then Fred and George ran through, Harry, Ron and Hermione followed quickly and got out of the way quickly for Molly and Ginny. Percy and Mr. Weasley followed after that and finally the last pair of Aurors.

Walking through the crowd, and searching the trains, Aurors had their wands out as the bustling crowd hurried to get their children on the train. Harry, Ron and Hermione searched for an empty compartment and found one they could share with Luna Lovegood.

After rushing back out for last minute goodbyes, the trio got back on board and went to sit down. Glancing back out one more time, Harry saw a black animal, that looked like a grim from his divinations book on the platform. However after blinking and looking again, Harry couldn't find it again, and hence just thought it his imagination.

After finding many of their year-mates and saying their hellos to everyone they had missed over the summer, and buying a ton of junk off the candy trolley, Ron and Hermione sat back, to read and in Ron's case play games with Neville who had entered their compartment shortly after the train started, looking for friendly faces and a place to enjoy the journey back to school. Realizing his friends were set for the trip, Harry got up and moved out of the compartment.

"Where are you going Harry?" Neville asked curiously.

"Just going to say hi to friends. See whoever i missed and say hi. Maybe sit with some other people a while, but i'll be back." Harry promised. Hermione looked at him over her book with an eyebrow raised but said nothing for which Harry was very happy.

Walking down the rows, Harry looked into the compartments and waved to people he knew and had a good time watching what people were doing on the journey. There was always something to be amazed at and goggle over in the wizarding world. Finally he got to a seemingly empty cart, until he saw a movement in one corner. Draco Malfoy was sitting all alone, apparently waiting to see if Harry would be up to facing him alone on the train. Taking a deep breath, and knowing Malfoy couldn't use magick yet, Harry opened the door and took a seat opposite the other boy.

"So..." He said.

"So..." Draco echoed. "You had the guts... Sorry." Draco apologized immediately for the slight jab.

Harry stared at him in amazement. "You just APOLOGIZED?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah so?" Draco answered moodily.

"You have NEVER apologized unless a teacher forced you in all the time i've known you." Harry pointed out.

"So? A bloke is allowed to change right?" Draco grumbled.

"Uh huh sure..." Silence stretched for a spell, then Harry filled it again. "So, you said you wanted to talk?"

"Yeah, look, i'm sorry i've been such a right bloody bastard. I just, i couldn't accept it when you refused my friendship, alright? I've only been mean, to show you i didn't need your friendship, but certain things over the past summer have made me realize i was being a jerk, and made me understand why you wouldn't be my friend. I'm hoping that maybe we could start over. I know it wouldn't be easy, and that you might not believe me, but i'm even willing to tell you this under veritasserum. I'm hoping, that even if it takes a lot of time, you'll allow me to show yyou i've changed a bit, and maybe you could be friends with me." Draco finished his speech and watched Harry nervously.

"What made you realize this?" Harry demanded incredulously. "And how do i even know you're telling the truth?"

"Some things that happened over the summer. Things i realized. I'd tell you right now, but you'd just laugh at me and tell teh whole school. I'll tell you if or when we become friends that can trust each other." Draco answered. "And i guess, only time will prove to you that i am telling the truth."

"And in the meantime? Shall i tell you all my secrets and be your best friend?" Harry scoffed.

"Of course not! Do I LOOK stupid? DON'T answer that." Draco bit out, seeing the glint in Harry's eyes. "I just want you to know that i WANT to be friends with you. I want to know if you think there is even the possibility of us becoming friends in your mind." Draco sighed.

"Not while you hate muggle-borns, and call my best friend a weasel and my other best friend a mud-blood." Harry replied darkly.

"Of course, i knew that. I'll call them Weasley and Granger from now on, alright? I'll stop being a right prick all the time. I'll do whatever i have to to prove to you that i AM serious, and i DO want to be your friend." Draco answered.

A lot of time had passed during this heat filled conversation, and Harry realized he had to go see some of his other friends. So, deciding to wrap up his conversation he made a deal with himself and Malfoy.

"If you can prove to me in two weeks, that you truly want to be my friend, then we'll see if we can't start trusting each other. If i find out you're lying or playing me, i will hex you into the next centruy!" Harry warned.

Watching Harry slip out of the compartment and walk back toward his own, Draco got up and started to do a happy dance.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Walking back towards his friends, Harry glanced in a compartment and saw the twins and a gaggle of followers, as well as their best friend Lee. Going in, he decided to see what was happening.

"feathers and all. And over here ladies and gentlemen, we had an assortment of other Weasley pranks." George intoned, pointing out differents sweets that did different things to whoever ingested them.

Harry grinned as he watched the pranks in action, laughing as he saw a student turn into a chicken and run around. Amused by their antics he stayed much longer than he had anticipated and had to rush back to his compartment and change.

"Where were you?" Ron demanded when he returned.

"I was watching your brothers and their toys." Harry laughed, even though he felt guilty. Then he fell into a description of what he had seen and heard. By the time the train had completely stopped, Ron was doubled over laughing and had a hard time climbing off the train.

"Firs' years, firs' years o'er hear!!!" Hagrid was calling out in his booming voice.

Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way over, pulling along a few first years that were going the wrong way. As they said their quick hellos to a beaming Hagrid, the rest of the crowd flowed towards the horse-less carriages and the great-hall for the sorting and welcoming feast.

Hermione, Ron and Harry shared a carriage to the school with Neville, and the four got seats at the Gryffindor table together.

For the first time since they had been sorted themselves, Harry and Ron watched the sorting of first years. Harry noticed that a new verse was coming for the sorting hat and wondered about it to Hermione, who informed him that the sorting hat spent all year making up a new rhyme for every year. After Dumbledore said his few words, and the students had eaten, prefects brought the first years to the dorms and everyone was ordered to arrive on time at breakfast the next day in order to receive their timetables.

Harry had planned to tell his best friends about the encounter with Malfoy, but he never seemed to have the time, and people were always around, who might have overheard them. The bustling in the gryffindor common room didn't allow much time for thoughts other than greetings and partying for the last night before school started. Then, once they were in their dorm-room, Ron was too tired to whisper and any attempts AT whispering were sharply told off by the other tired students, and so Harry's encounter remained a secret from his best friends as Harry drifted off into nightmares where he befriended Malfoy and then suddenly the whole wizarding world knew everyone of his secrets and he was a laughingstock of the whole world.

*AN* Alright, so i guess i'm trying to update pretty much every day, but please review and i hope this one is longer this time. And thank-you so much to EVERYONE who has reviewed!!! You help me and boost my confidence so much :)
BTW, sorry for any spelling mistakes, i don't have spell-check and i tend to type fast. i try to correct my mistakes whenever i see them however.

Crazy Pedantic - Yeah, i realize after they are so short, but i am so eager to post new chapters (and they look so much longer before posting them) that they tend to be short. Since i'm writing this before i write the fourth chapter, i hope this one is longer. I'm going to try to write more than just the train, but yes, it SHOULD be a fairly long-ish story. I like long stories, i find they have better plots most of the time and i dislike how fast one-chaptered stories make all the move. It would take weeks or months to completely change either side's views. not to mention lots of work.
btw, on a random note, i think that you have officially become my #1 favorite reviewer for the moment XD