Chapter Text
The Kings Cross, platform 9 3/4 was crowded just as usual as it did at the beginning of the school year. One would expect many to choose not to return for the year, assuming that they would need time to grieve for the losses of their dear ones in the war or would like to heal. But, maybe everyone just needed a distraction from the grieving, an escape from the harsh reality of the aftermath of the war. Or they just wanted the distraction to move on and pretend as if everything was normal just like it was before the war. A pretence that the war doesn't haunt them any longer.
Even in the mob of families sending off their kids, a blonde headed boy stood alone, trying his best to be not noticed as he made his way into the compartment. Avoiding making eye contact with anyone he found himself in an empty compartment. He looked out the window with envy as families bid farewell to each other. With his father in Azkaban and his mother under house arrest, he had no one to send him off. Even if he did have a choice, he would've preferred to come alone keeping his mother away from all those judgemental eyes of people they would come across. The Hogwarts express took off from King's cross. The chattering of students from other compartments was no distraction to Draco's thoughts of what Hogwarts might have on hold for him this year.
"I think this one is empty, Harry." a voice outside the compartment had called breaking Draco's thought.
The door slid open and in came the war hero, Harry frecking Potter, sporting his ever so unruly raven hair wearing his worn-out infamous Weasley jumper. He looked as if he had buffed up in the summer vacation. Something about him had changed, he no longer looked like the dorky Gryfindor that he used to be. Along with him came the blonde hair duo, Neville and Luna. Neville looked quite alert when he saw Draco while Luna had worn her dazed dreamy expression as usual. Harry and Luna however looked unbothered by Draco's presence.
"Is it alright if we sit with you Draco? " Luna had asked breaking the tension in the room.
"Sure. As long as you have no issues, Luna." Draco said trying not to look at Harry or Neville.
Luna had taken a seat across Draco, while Neville sat beside Luna still bothered about Draco's presence. While Harry had taken a seat beside Draco. The very thought that Harry didn't mind Draco's presence did something to Draco. Draco had decided that he would make amends with the golden trio and others this year. And this might be a good sign.
"How's Aunt Cissy, Draco?" Luna asked once again starting the conversation.
"Aunt Cissy?? Draco? Luna, when did you start being on a first-name basis with Malfoy?" Neville asked looking utterly confused.
" Draco is my cousin and with the war ending it felt right to make amends and leave the old animosity back," Luna answered as she casually went through her Quibbler copy.
It was true that the Lovegoods, or maybe just Luna had reached out to Draco in the summer to start over anew. And Draco found it valid to make amends if he had wanted to get over his father's aristocratic and pureblood teaching and start new. And this small exchange yet great step from Draco had lit something in his mother that she had written to her sister, Andromedha after years of no contact. When asked she brushed it off saying it was time she did things she had always wanted to do. Draco was happy to hear his mother was freer than she use to be before things went haywire. Probably being away from his father's influence was making him and his mother feel a kind of freedom they never felt. His father was a good man as he would like to assume but he couldn't deny that his father was controlling and was a coward. A coward who had led to the fall of his family and couldn't protect his family from the dark lord.
With a brief exchange between him and Luna, the conversation had died down. Neville no longer looked suspicious of Draco. Draco glanced at Harry wondering why the man had stayed silent. It was a whole new feeling of being among the Gryffindors without throwing any snarky remarks at each other. The Golden boy had testified for Draco and Narcissa, which was the prime reason why they both didn't end up in Azkaban like his father. It was quite a shocking scene in the Wizegamot that Harry had come to testify the Malfoy. There was an uproar when he had entered unannounced the hearing stunning everyone in the room. But, no one would've stopped him either way as he was the saviour of the wizarding world. He no longer looked like the schoolboy he was rather he held a powerful aura that made sure no one would cross him. The Daily Prophet had gone and made the front page on just the hearing of the Malfoy's.
He wondered who all might've returned in the 8th year along with him. He was sure Granger and Weasley both came but would've gone to the prefects' coach. He was the only one among the Slytherins to return unless his so-called friends hadn't informed him. He had no heart to write to anyone of the Slytherins after what happened to Vincent and also with how the whole house got dragged into hate for what he had done. He knew things weren't going to be the same anymore with the war and with what role he had played in the war.
He had been interrupted from his thoughts by something heavy yet light falling on his shoulder. He had turned his head slightly to see that Potter had fallen asleep on his shoulder. A closer look at the boy showed how tired he looked. He had circles under his eyes and his brows looked stressed as they drew together. Draco had unconsciously reached out to smoothen Potter's brows, which he had realised only after he had done so. He looked up to see if anyone saw him, only to find out none of the other people in the compartment had seen him. Sighing out of relief he continued to look at the boy on his shoulder.
Draco had found it amusing that Potter had to do nothing and still Draco's eyes would be drawn to him. Potter has always had that magnetic effect on him. He had looked away on seeing that the train had arrived closer to Hogwarts. He had no heart in him to awake the boy so he just let him be. The eighth years were told that they wouldn't have to wear school robes so Draco didn't find any valid reason to wake him up. It was Longbottom who had woken up Potter when they had arrived. Though at first Potter looked clueless about how he had fallen asleep on Draco, he later composed himself sooner.
On arrival, the first years were being called out by the half-giant gamekeeper Hagrid. Many older students had stopped to look at the thestral that looked now very much visible to many who had seen people die. They looked ethereal but the price they had to pay to see them, Draco wouldn't have preferred it. Looking away from them, Draco noticed Pansy waving at him, calling him while Blaise stood beside her. A part of him was relieved that they still wanted to be associated with him. He was scared of rejection from his dear ones, not that he would tell it out loud. But Pansy and Blaise were one of his dear ones.
He had walked to them and got onto the carriage they were sitting. Pansy had hugged him hard while Blaise nodded at him. He had missed them terribly. Pansy had nagged him for not writing to her. But being the Malfoy he is he didn't apologize for his lack of communication but sat there listening to her. A look at Hogwarts was enough to reassure him of his decision to return.