Traitor: A Draco Malfoy Story

forty-two

I roamed the Hogwarts Express looking for empty compartments, but every one of them was occupied. Some even closed the door in my face when they saw it was me. That's nice, I thought, the sarcasm even dripping in my internal dialogue. On top of that, I couldn't seem to find Harry, Hermione, and Ron. I imagined Ginny was with Dean, and I didn't want to sit in a compartment with them while they likely made out.

I made my way to the back of the train, opening the last compartment door before the animal storage area. This compartment spanned the whole of the train car, booth-style tables lining either side with a narrow walkway up the middle. It was dim but cozy.

I hadn't registered who was sitting in this compartment until a female voice called out, "If it isn't the filthy Muggle."

"Watch it, Pansy," I sneered. "Or I'll steal your magic again and make you just like me." I'm more like you than you think, I thought to myself.

That remark shut her up as a collection of snickering voices popped up around the train car, seeming to appreciate my quip. The blond figure sitting in front of her was on my radar now, though I tried to push him off. It made it easier that his back was to me. I'm sure if I caught his eye he would somehow know that I watched the ballerina dance in the music box he gave me almost every night. Talk about not moving on.

No one said anything else after that. Having people be afraid of me was almost...nice. It let me do whatever I wanted. I could get used to this.

I looked around the car, analyzing faces to see who was there. "Azalea!" a voice called from the corner, and I walked over to sit across from Theo and Daphne Greengrass, another sixth year.

I let the strap of my bag fall from my shoulder as I unclipped my hair and rubbed my scalp. It'd been a long day, and I was already ready for it to be over. From the whispers I was hearing from the other booth, it sounded like I wasn't alone in misery.

"Hogwarts," scoffed a drawling voice I knew matched Malfoy. "What a pathetic excuse for a school. Think I'd pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower if I thought I'd have to continue for another two years."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Parkinson, and I was wondering the same thing. He sounded like he knew he was leaving, and I was going to find out why. For now, I continued to eavesdrop.

"Let's just say I don't see myself wasting my time in Charms class next year."

Zabini snickered, trying to hide it with a cough.

"Amused, Blaise?" Malfoy snapped. "We'll see just who's laughing in the end."

"So is it true, then?" Theo was asking, drawing me away from Malfoy's sketchy pity party.

"Is what true?" I asked.

"You being a Muggle. Is it true?"

"I don't know. I was a foster kid. My parents in that home weren't biological. I could be anyone's kid," I shrugged. A lie, of course.

"Can you really steal people's magic?" Daphne mumbled.

"Unfortunately," I sighed. "Though it's only happened one time officially, and I don't know how I did it. So it's not like I can use it on people I want to."

"Somehow, that doesn't seem comforting," she said, leaning back in her seat. I gave her a half-hearted apologetic smile.

"Well, regardless," Theo said, waving his hand. "I know you have some sort of magic, I've seen you in Charms. If anyone gives you shit for anything, let me know. I'll beat them up." He chuckled nervously, looking down at his hands. "I've done it before."