Surprising turn - a turn for the better? Or into madness ... (Draco Ff)

Chapter 3 ~ A new year at Hogwarts has begun.

Victorias Pov.

Merlin, that was so uncomfortable.
Just wake up in Malfoy's lap.
The question is whether this was intentional or unintentional on his part.
I mean, how long did I lie in his lap?
Malfoy is getting weird as to why he'd let me sleep leaning against him.
Zabini's looks also only brought up more questions.
The whole time we sat in the carriage, he kept glancing at me, which I didn't understand how to interpret.
Which is why I just turned away and ignored him. I looked at Draco, who was looking lost in thought out the window of the carriage. He didn't look really good, rather tired and exhausted. Even during the holidays I noticed that something was worrying him.
I couldn't say what it was, but he barricaded himself in his room for half of the summer vacation.
His mother seemed worried about something too.
Malfoy was very close to me. He was sitting right next to me.
There wasn't much space between us.
Since the carriage was shaking all the time, he kept touching me now and then.
I found it very uncomfortable at that moment, which is why I slipped away from him a little.
Zabini eyed this with a critical eye, but said nothing.
Why has everyone been acting so strangely lately.
Neither of the three of us spoke a word, only the noises the carriage made when it rattled across the floor broke the silence.
Zabini found it difficult to say nothing, but at the same time he probably didn't know what to say.
It was still quiet.

I didn't know what to expect this school year. But I could say one thing for sure. This year will be different from the years before.
When the carriage suddenly came to a stop, I briefly shook my head to free him from thoughts.
Before anyone else responded, I jumped up from my seat and jerked the door open.
When I was outside, I realized how uncomfortable the situation in the carriage actually was.
I took a few steps ahead and then turned around.
I saw Zabini try to pull Malfoy out of the carriage.
It looked very amusing to see Draco, confused, as a doused poodle was pulled out of the carriage.
I couldn't help but smile, so I turned around quickly so that no one could see it.

I went on, the way to the castle led through Hogsmead, the wizarding village, which students from the third grade were allowed to visit.
I always loved to spend my time in a wide variety of shops.
But I also knew that this year would be different. This school year I will probably be busy with other things.
No time to enjoy yourself.
No time to meet up with friends and do something. There is simply no time to do what you feel like doing.
I only noticed that I had apparently stopped when Zabini ran into me.
But I didn't say anything and just went on, I didn't feel like talking to him now.
Since it was still early September, a warm wind was blowing in my face and playing around my hair.
These are such small moments that you should enjoy because you don't know when something like this will happen again.
When I finally reached the castle and passed the large oak gate, I immediately felt at home and went towards the great hall.
It wasn't until I dropped into one of the seats on the Slytherin table that I realized that I must have left Zabini and Malfoy behind because they were nowhere to be seen.
Little by little the great hall filled up and the noise level rose tremendously.
Everyone had something to talk about, everyone was talking at once.
There was yelling over all the tables and benches and it was only when Dumbledore got up that it became quiet.
He announced the new students and immediately the gate opened and McGonagall walked in with the first years.
I didn't care much about the house layout, which is why I only clapped briefly when all the Slytherins were doing it. At some point Dumbledore got up again and said something, which I didn't quite understand because I wasn't really listening.
Then a wide variety of dishes appeared everywhere and the clink of cutlery and the plate drowned out the conversations.
I wasn't hungry, so I didn't eat anything. The mood seemed exuberant.
But Malfoy also seemed lost in his thoughts and therefore only poked listlessly at his food.
The looks of Zabini, however, have not escaped me.
He nudged Malfoy in the right side with his elbow and waited for a reaction.
As a reaction, the ice prince dropped his cutlery and there was a loud bang, which was drowned out by the other noises.
He eyed Zabini with an incomprehensible and contemptuous look.
I turned away from them and looked into space.
Still, I overheard the two of them start whispering about something.
"What's the matter with you?" Zabini asked quietly to Malfoy.
"Nothing that has to concern you!", The ice prince uttered annoyed and turned her away from his best friend.

When Dumbledore said goodbye to us all, I was one of the first to jump up and make my way towards the Slytherin common room. I didn't have to wait for Draco as he was a prefect and had to accompany the first years to the common room.
Since I had learned the password through a short conversation between Malfoy and Zabini, I didn't have to wait for the prefects and spoke the password, which this time was "Mudblood" and went to my dormitory.
I was really exhausted, but I knew that I would not get an eye closed this night. Nevertheless, I lay down in bed and waited for the pleasant darkness, which sooner or later would overtake me from exhaustion.