New Life, True Magic, and Death at the Door

"Where do you suppose she is?" Ron asked Harry in the middle of their game of cards.

"Who cares?" Harry said with a grin. "She can take care of herself, you know. She's tougher than both of us. I wouldn't doubt that she just needed to be alone with her thoughts. She'll find us when she's ready."

"But we'll be at Hogwarts at any minute!" growled Ron. Where Hermione was concerned, he had always been a bit touchy, and vice versa. Harry knew that deep down they cared more about each other than their bickering implied, but he knew that if he ever wanted to be best man, he had better just keep his mouth shut and allow things to play out on their own. "Besides," Ron said, "if we don't go looking for her, she'll probably go all huffy on us. Girls do, you know."

Harry smiled inwardly. "Okay, Ron," he said, allowing himself to smirk, "let's go find our beloved leader!" He and Ron chuckled to themselves as they made their way out of their compartment and in the direction they thought Hermione had taken.

* * * * *

Hermione had seen a lot in her life, but Draco Malfoy crying in her arms was something she had never anticipated. She sat on the train as he eventually quieted and drifted off to sleep. For an instant, she was compelled to leave; he'd probably wake up and be his same old self when he realized how much he had exposed to her. Then she remembered how much he had seemed to need her, and the desire left her. Besides, even if she had wanted to go without facing him, it was impossible. Throughout the course of things, he had somehow managed to become draped across her lap as she sat and comforted him on the floor. They were now both on the floor, his head on her lap, while she stroked his fair hair. Hermione knew that the tugging feeling she had had to be alone earlier was meant to bring her to this very spot. She let her eyelids droop and she felt herself drifting off into a light sleep to the gentle rocking motion of the train.

* * * * *

Harry and Ron had slowly made their way to the back of the train. It was hard to be two of the most popular boys in Hogwarts sometimes. Everyone wanted to have a chat with the now famous duo. They simply smiled back and took it all in. Harry had been used to this type of attention, but for Ron, coming from a large family, the novelty of his newfound fame still hadn't worn off, and eventually Harry had to end every conversation and drag Ron away. They turned to the last possible place they thought they would find Hermione.

"You know, Harry, we still haven't seen our favorite person, yet." Ron said, turning from the compartment door to Harry as he reached for the knob.

"I was just wondering where Malfoy was, myself." Harry said as Ron opened the door and made his way inside. He heard a gasp from his best friend and pushed his way in beside Ron, who was standing just inside the doorway, glued to the spot.

There was a slight pause as both of them surveyed the scene. There was their Hermione, sitting on the floor with Malfoy's head in her lap. The two young men couldn't believe their eyes. Malfoy and Hermione were actually touching, and neither of them seemed to be bothered by it! Well, actually, Malfoy seemed to permanently have a sneer on his face, regardless of whether or not he was awake. But Hermione! What was she thinking? Didn't she know how dangerous her situation could be?

Harry tried at a joke, "Well, speak of the devil," he whispered lightly. His friend only glowered in the general direction of the two on the floor. All the two of them could seem to do was stand and watch the sleeping bodies, bewildered.

* * * * *

Draco saw his beautiful guardian for the first time since that fateful night the week before. She stood before him on a bright autumn day. The colors were at once both vivid and blurred, as if the light of the unseen sun was too much too take. But Draco wasn't looking at anything but her. She stood there, a wise smile lighting up her visage more than any amount of sunlight could do, and Draco felt for sure that she must be full of energy in every fiber of her being. Why did it seem to him that she was always moving? Her shining green eyes danced as she maintained eye contact with him. "How does she do that?" Draco thought to himself. "How does she keep me enthralled? She's never even spoken to me! She only exists in my dreams!" But Draco's thoughts were interrupted when he saw her smile disappear as she pulled her wand from her ebony flowing robes.

Draco took a startled step back. What was happening? This creature was supposed to be his guardian and she was pulling her wand out on him. Draco instinctively grabbed for his own wand, two could play at that game. To his horror, she had already retrieved it and was holding it out in front of him, a smile threatening for a brief moment to play upon her lips. Draco felt afraid to move, but then a warm, soothing wave of relief swept over him as she gently handed back his wand. Draco looked down at her soft hand as it held out his wand to him, and he felt a slight jolt when their fingers momentarily touched. Draco looked at his guardian, and for just an instant, thought he saw something in her features, but pushed the thought away as wishful thinking.

She smiled calmly at him, and came to sit by his side. She again took her wand in hand, and pointed it into the air in front of them. She began to wave it around gracefully, a look of concentration upon her face, until it emitted a stream of elegant purple letters. Do not fear. I am your protectorate and I will do everything in my power to keep you from harm. We have only been able to meet in this way for reasons that will be made clear to you later. I am real, not a figment of your imagination, as you will come to see when you arrive at your destination. Watch your mouth and your step, they could get you in trouble. Be wary of those you once called friends. Be grateful to the first three faces you see when I leave you, as I must do now. They are as much on your side as I am. Now wake up, Draco. You must remember all that I have shown you when you do. And with that, she brought her hand to his cheek and Draco felt himself slip back into consciousness. He opened his eyes and found himself lying on the floor of his compartment. His head was in Hermione's lap, and she was asleep. He sat up quickly and turned around to see Ron Weasley and Harry Potter standing in the doorway, not trying to hide their shocked expressions.

Draco was about to say something to cover his hide when he remembered what his guardian had said. "The first three faces," he mumbled to himself, forgetting that he wasn't alone. He looked from Hermione to Ron and finally at Harry. These three had been his enemies since their first train ride to Hogwarts, and now she wanted him to be grateful to them? Draco saw Harry look from himself, to Hermione (still asleep), to Ron, and finally to the door. Draco flushed slightly as Harry slammed it, shutting the four of them inside together.

"Oh, are we there yet?" Hermione stammered as she stifled a yawn and rubbed at her eyes. To the other three, she didn't seem to find the current situation odd, and it bothered them. They all stared at her. Finally she grew impatient at their silence and let out the shortest statement of her verbose life, "What?"

Before anyone could speak, they felt the train come to a halt. They had arrived. Outside their compartment, the four of them heard everyone else gathering their trunks and going outside, where Hagrid was waiting to take the first years across the lake. "Alrigh' now, don' be scared. Jus' stand over there an I'll getcha goin' across the lake in jus' a jiffy." The thought of large Hagrid telling a bunch of tiny first-years not to be scared made the four of them, even Draco, smile.

"We'd better hurry," Hermione said, turning to Draco, "would you like to ride with us, Draco?"

Ron and Harry were too shocked to speak, so they did the next best thing. Hermione glared daggers at the two when they let out huge gasps of disbelief. "If either of you have a problem with that, I suggest you find someone else to ride with," Hermione spat. "In the future, I would suggest you trust my judgment, since it's saved your life on countless occasions!" Harry and Ron held their breath, waiting for Draco to answer Hermione's question. He seemed to be off in his own little dream world. This was not the Draco Malfoy they knew, and they decided to just go with what Hermione was up to. Besides, neither of them wanted to leave her alone with him again.

Draco finally gathered his voice after what seemed to him to be an eternity, "Yes . . . I'd love to ride with you, if that's alright with everyone," he spoke more slowly than he was accustomed, trying to choose the exact words, "but I suppose we should hurry or we're not likely to get a carriage to ourselves."

"Right," said Hermione, "let's be off, then." And with that they gathered their things and made their way off the train and toward the carriages.

The four of them filed along the path toward the carriages, Harry and Ron in front, once in a while turning around to glance at Hermione and Draco as they walked behind, heads lowered. Up ahead, Ron and Harry could see Hagrid standing next to (or rather, towering over) the last carriage. Ron turned around to see if the other two had noticed, but they both seemed lost in thought, and he wondered if maybe they were deep in conversation. He couldn't tell, but it sure was quiet back there.

"Harry! Ron! Hurry up!" Hagrid roared cheerily, "They've been waitin' for yeh! Where's tha' Hermione? Wh--?" Hagrid had spotted Draco. Harry shushed him before Hagrid could voice his anger.

"Hagrid," Harry whispered, "don't say anything. To anyone. Pretend that everything's normal. Ron and I will come by your cabin later tonight if we can and try to explain anything. But first we'll need to see Dumbledore."

"Right," Hagrid mumbled huskily, "Well, into the carriage wif yeh. I'll see you up at the Great Hall, then." And with that he ambled off towards the first-years, lost in his own thoughts. "If I had a Galleon for every time that lot surprised me," he thought to himself, "I wouldn't have to work as gamekeeper. It could be a hobby!"

The four of them settled themselves into the carriage, Harry and Ron sitting across from Hermione and Draco. This was more than Ron could take. He was about to let loose a stream of questions in Hermione's, and particularly Draco's direction when a large golden owl swooped down from out of nowhere. It perched itself on the door of the carriage and waited expectantly for the addressee to take the letter tied to it's leg. The large green eyes surveyed the state of the four in the carriage, arriving last at Draco and appraising him for a moment before giving out an impatient "hoot" for him to take his letter. Draco leaned over and untied the envelope from the owl's leg.

The other three watched him closely as he opened and read the letter.

Dear Draco,

I'm hoping once more that my owl finds you well. If I may give you some advice, I'd like you to take what I say very seriously. If my suspicions are correct, you are sitting alone in a carriage with Ms. Granger and Mr.'s Weasley and Potter. I'm glad. Don't feel as if you have to tell them anything. I would, however, like you to come to my study after the welcoming feast, where, if you choose, you may tell them what's going on when you tell me. In the meantime, it would be to everyone's benefit that you act your old self when you reach the Great Hall. I'm trusting you to do this, much depends on it.

Until That Time,

Albus Dumbledore

Draco looked at the golden owl, and its green eyes seemed to take in the whole scene, even though it was looking directly at him. "Tell him thank you," Draco said softly to the owl, "and I'll do as he says." The owl gave a soft "hoot" and took off in the direction of the castle as the carriages started to move.

All this was more than Ron could take. "What are you talking to the owl for?" He blurted, "Like it can understand what you're even saying, how's it going to tell Dumbledore? And what is going on?! One of you had better tell Harry and me fast or I'll--just tell me!"

Three pairs of eyes observed Draco as he sighed and spoke, "I do owe you an explanation. As for the owl, I think there's more to her than meets the eye. You know Dumbledore, he wouldn't just send me an ordinary owl, and that's the second time he's sent me a letter by her. When we get to the castle, Dumbledore has advised me to act as my old self, and I'll have to, so please understand that it pains me almost as much as it pains you to treat you as I have these past six years. I don't mean it, anymore." Draco paused, choosing his next words carefully, "As for what's going on, I'm almost as perplexed as you three. Dumbledore has asked me to his study after the welcoming feast. If you three can wait until then, he's told me I can tell you at the same time I tell him. I'd--I'd rather not have to say what I'm going to have to say more than once." Draco looked out of the carriage window and felt the breeze cooling his cheeks. The four of them rode silently the rest of the way to the castle, each lost in their own thoughts.

* * * * *

The welcoming feast was as extravagant as it had ever been. It seemed to hold the most splendor for the first and seventh year students. For the first, it was the magic of entering a whole new world, surrounded by other students who shared the same life as they did. For the seventh year students, it was a very different feeling. At the end of the year, they would be adults, and would probably never be in the same type of gathering with all of their school buddies again. They had all spent so much time together, it had seemed as if their time at Hogwarts would never end. But this last welcoming feast was proof that they would have to be moving on.

Draco Malfoy sat at the Slytherin table. He had tried to act as he once did, but it actually pained him to be mean to Hermione, Harry, and Ron. They had been so patient, they took it as Dumbledore's advice to him, and bore his taunts well. He could feel Pansy Parkinson eyeing him as he ate sitting across from Crabbe and Goyle. He and Pansy had always had a bit of agreement. They weren't what you would call a couple, but they gave the appearance of being one. Draco had always felt that Pansy hung on him because her parents wanted her close to the son of the renowned Lucius Malfoy. Draco had used Pansy as much as she used him. She would do whatever he wanted, like a puppet that he could manipulate to his will with the tug of a few strings. But he had never let it get too personal. He couldn't bring himself to share any type of physical or emotional relationship with her. She had tried to kiss him many times, but Draco would always avoid that type of attention. What would his father think? It was strictly business with Pansy.

"What's eating you, Draco?" she drawled. Draco tried to ignore her and focus on his plate of food, the first good stuff he'd had in a week. "Cat got your--"

"Look, Pansy," Draco shot back, "I know that you'd like to be eating me," he grabbed at himself under the table in a gesture he made sure she and anyone else paying attention could see. Crabbe and Goyle snickered, it was about time he said something rude. "But I suggest you all leave me alone. I had to ride up to the castle with Potty, Weasel, and Mudblood, okay? Since none of you had the decency to find me on the train and save me a spot in your carriage." Draco glared at the three of them, and then felt someone looking at him. It was Dumbledore. Draco thought he saw a slight smile on his face, but then Dumbledore stood.

"Welcome back to school, everyone," Dumbledore said, smiling. "I hope you all will make your Houses proud. Congratulations to our first year students for a successful Sorting Ceremony, the next seven years in your lives will be spent as either a Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, or Gryffindor. Your prefects will escort you to your respective towers. Enjoy your first night at Hogwarts!" The whole Great Hall erupted into cheers and applause as Dumbledore took his seat and the students began filing out. Draco stayed where he was, even when his cronies stood and waited to follow him to the dorms, he ignored them, pretending to be angry still. The Great Hall emptied and finally Draco looked up to see the Headmaster standing in front of him, a smile etched on his wrinkled face, "Shall we, Mr. Malfoy?"