Traitor: A Draco Malfoy Story

six

"This way, Azalea!" Hagrid called as we walked through King's Cross Station in London. We'd left Dumbledore at Ollivander's and come ourselves to the large building. Vaulted ceilings created a roomy feel to the packed train station, and I hurried through crowds of people, though it was much easier behind Hagrid's ample form.

The large man had handed me a ticket when we'd arrived, telling me sternly, " 'Old on to that now. That there's yer golden ticket to 'Ogwarts." The lilt in his voice was getting easier to digest now that I'd been around him for a day.

I pushed my trolley across an elevated walkway bridging platforms. It was hard to see overtop the cage Gemini was sitting grooming himself in, but I managed. I checked the time once more. Still an hour before the train would leave.

The ticket stated that the Hogwarts Express would leave at Platform 9 3/4, and I wasn't quite sure how to go about getting there. I'd never been to a train station like this; subway stations were not even remotely close to being set up like this. It was hard enough just being in London, let alone trying to get to a part of the country most people in this station had probably no clue existed.

Hagrid walked me to a wall between Platform 9 and Platform 10, the train just pulling out of one of them. Then he gave me the most bizarre instructions.

"G'head and run at the wall, now."

"Run at the--what?" I said, startled. Granted, I'd just thrown powder at my feet and went up in green flames to travel to England in the first place, so it wasn't the craziest.

"You'll go right through, Azalea, trust me."

I gave Hagrid one last suspicious look, then took a running start at the wall.

"See you at Hogwarts!" I heard Hagrid call before I ran through the wall and out the other side. The transition had been cold, but now the temperature was comfortable again. I stopped and gazed at the bright red train that was steaming on the tracks waiting for students to board. Above me was a sign clearly marked "9 3/4" in a circle.

All of a sudden a force collided with my trolley, almost knocking Gemini off my trunk. I lept forward to catch his cage and looked up to make eye contact with a glaring girl, her trunk askew on her trolley and her jet black curls creating a lopsided mane around her face. Her brown eyes narrowed.

"Oi!" she shouted at me. "What the hell are you doing just standing here? I could have hurt your bloody cat!"

"Or me," I said with a grimace as I placed Gemini's cage back atop my trunk, this time placing a hand protectively on top so it wouldn't slide around.

The girl scoffed. "Cats over humans. Always."

"Sorry about the in-your-way thing," I offered as I moved out of the way of other people boarding the platform. "First time going to Hogwarts."

She grinned, raking a hand through her curls, which only bounced back up around her head. "Yeah, I can definitely tell. And not just 'cause of the crash." She laughed. "That accent'll give you away really fucking fast."

The girl's easy-going demeanor and the way she swore like a sailor reminded me of Rae, and I felt drawn to her.

"My name's Azalea," I said.

"Jenna Ravenwood. Want me to show you where to put your stuff?"

I nodded and followed her to one of the many doors leading inside the train. Across from it was a square-shaped cage with only three sides, the side facing the train was missing to allow trunks to be placed in it. We put our luggage in the cage and took our animals along with us, her brown owl fluttering its feathers.

"I'm glad I ran into you, actually," Jenna said. "I usually sit with my friend, but if there's three of us, the chances we'll have to share a cabin with another group is slim to none."

"Does that mean I can sit with you?" I asked.

Jenna counted on her fingers. "Me, Ashton, you. Yeah, last time I checked, that's three." She rolled her eyes. "Definitely aren't a Ravenclaw."

Another thing I probably should be offended by, but simply didn't understand.

"If you want, I'll find Ashton in a compartment and you can put your cat--which by the way, that's a bloody brilliant cat--in the back of the train with some of the other animals. I'm gonna keep Elena with me." She gestured towards her owl.

I nodded and walked through each car, making my way to the back of the train. I found a storage car with probably fifty trunks, and then one with four dozen broomsticks, all strapped into stands that held them up off the floor. I couldn't imagine what those were for, but as there were witches at that school, they probably flew.

At last, I reached a car abuzz with noise; chirping, mews, and ribbiting. I saw cats and owls of all colors, rats and frogs of all sizes. I set Gemini's cage by one with a small black cat and turned to leave.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I registered the blond boy from the robe shop leaning up against the door frame between cars, eating a green apple, and blocking my exit. The platinum strands were as neat as when I had seen him last. This guy was like a fucking Ken doll. His hair was probably plastic. I chuckled at the thought, and he raised an eyebrow at my smile.

"Is the American happy to see me?"

"Wow, you're full of yourself," I retorted, and he smirked.

"Of course I am. It's what happens when you're as amazing as I am."

I scoffed. "Amazing at what, exactly?"

His smirk widened and he sauntered closer to me. "Funny you should ask. Everything."

I shot him a sarcastic smile. "Are you flirting with me?"

His eyes darkened and he barked a laugh. "Flirt? With you? Bold of you to think you're that attractive."

Ouch.

"I never caught your name," he said.

"I never caught yours."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm going to have to keep an eye on you if you're going to be this difficult." He paused for a second, looking at me. "My name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

"Draco, huh? That's definitely...unique," I said, trying to hold back a laugh.

His eyes darkened. "It's Malfoy to you." There was the elitism again. I rolled my eyes. I had noticed that most people on the train addressed acquaintances by their last names and their friends by their first names. While that form of respect was fine to me, Malfoy being an ass about his wasn't necessary. He continued at my silence. "Well? What's yours then?"

"Azalea Beckett."

"You're completely daft if you think that's much better. At least I'm named after someone in my family. Where's your family?" he sneered.

Okay, fuck this guy. I changed the subject. "Why are you stalking me, dude?"

"I'm not stalking you. I wouldn't waste my time with someone who's probably a blood traitor." He took a bite of his apple, chewing thoughtfully. "But someone like you never comes to Hogwarts. There has to be a reason. And I'm going to find that reason. Unless you break first. Make my job a shit ton easier."

I laughed a humorless laugh, my fight or flight response ringing warning bells in my head. I didn't know enough about the magical world to pull off being a witch right now. And if my life really was in danger like Dumbledore said, my gut instinct was that this boy knowing about who I really was would probably go less than well for me.

I moved to go around him. "Okay, buddy. Good luck with that."

Before I could escape to another car, he snatched my upper arm, holding me back. "I will find out who you are."

I rolled my eyes at him, trying to emulate calm while panic shook my brain. I didn't know what to say, so I snapped a challenge.

"See if I fucking care."