The Secret of the Malfoy Name

Chapter IX: Hogwarts Express

09/01/96
Whilst Draco sat on the Hogwarts Express surrounded by his Slytherin cronies, his mind was far away thinking about the last weeks at the Manor. His father was getting crazier every day, Narcissa hardly talked to him anymore, and he spent his days locked in his office. Family dinners that used to be the time of the day when the three of them talked, was nothing but dinner now; each one eating silently and leaving the table as soon as they were done. Hera seemed extremely sad the last few days he stayed at the Manor and had begged for him to stay with her instead of going to Hogwarts.

Draco touched his ring melancholically wishing he had stayed. He certainly didn’t fit in this place so full of happiness. Not now, not ever. He was the only one there who had no true friends to spend the next months. No one there had the faintest idea of who he really was and what he was hiding behind the mask he had created so many years ago… he needed someone to talk to. A priest would’ve worked just fine, but Draco had never gone to church anyhow. He wanted to confide his secrets to someone, but he knew far too well what sorts of people went to Hogwarts and as soon as anyone knew, it would be all over the school. He couldn’t take a risk like that…

The food trolley went by and Draco suddenly realized he was starving. He got up and opened the compartment door in the same instant the neighbour door was opened. He found himself face to face with Potter, and even though he wasn’t in the mood for any of what would come next, he looked at him in distaste to keep the appearances.

‘Potter… why does it not surprise me one bit to find you where the food is?’, he said in a malicious tone. ‘I bet you stayed with your weasel friend for the summer and now you need to gain some weight again…’

Potter just looked at him, but it looked like he wasn’t in the mood for a fight either. He seemed overly tired and unhappy. Draco suddenly realized he hadn’t heard the usual annoying chattering on the other side of the compartment wall. Harry Sodding Potter was travelling alone…

‘Bugger off, Malfoy…’

Potter bought enough food to feed a whole arsenal and slipped back into his compartment. Draco hesitated for a second and went in behind him, confirming he was on his own.

‘What do you think your doing?’, Potter asked, using the seats as a bed.

‘I need some peace and quiet, and since I realized you have been abandoned by your friends…’

‘They have NOT abandoned me! They’re… hold on. Why aren’t you with them? You’re a Prefect too’, he said.

‘We don’t have Prefect duties all the time, you know? I think hormones finally defeated friendship’, Draco laughed lying on the opposite seats.

Potter exhaled loudly and, to Draco’s disbelief, he said ‘You’re right…’

He rolled around and Draco stared blankly at his back for what seemed like hours, thinking about telling Potter about his sister. Yes, it sounded suicidal to tell your most intimate secret to your worst enemy, but, even though he hated to admit it, Potter would keep it.

‘Malfoy…’, Potter said bringing Draco back out of his own mind. ‘Why do you hate me?’

The question shocked Draco. What was that supposed to mean? It’s not like he didn’t know the answer himself. He hated him because… well, it was… Draco bit his lip. Such a simple question and he couldn’t find a decent answer. Potter turned around to look at him. Maybe to check if he was awake.

‘I don’t know…’, Draco said. ‘I guess it’s just the way it is. Why do you hate me?’

‘Because you’re mean to me and my friends, you think you’re oh so superior and…’

‘OK, I don’t need the list…’, Draco groaned.

‘Is it because I’m not in favour of Voldemort?’

Draco laughed loudly. ‘Oh, Potter… how can you be so daft? Thinking you know everything about me, that makes some more sense! But if not knowing me was reason enough to hate someone, I’d hate the whole bloody world!’

‘So… maybe I don’t know everything there is to know about you…’

‘No. Not “maybe”, Potter. You don’t! You know nothing about me!’

‘What’s gotten into you?’, Potter asked in shock.

‘You want to know what’s gotten into me?! You have! You and your stupid questions!’, Draco yelled. ‘I came in here for peace… and quiet… remember? So, unless all of this has been to make me get up and leave, just drop it and leave me alone. Alright?’

They reached Hogsmeade without saying a word. Draco thought about saying something in a more friendly tone, but he never did. He wanted to apologize, but he knew he couldn’t. He kicked himself for opening Potter’s compartment door, because he knew Potter wouldn’t just let him go until he knew why had he done so. Peace and quiet? Yeah, right…