An Angel's smile//Drarry

I

Hermione this, Hermione that. When was Ron going to stop babbling about her? I'm very fond of 'Mione, that's not it. It was just very tiring to hear about how great they were doing. "Honestly Ron, you sound like a 12-year-old gossip girl.", I sighed, flipping through the pages of my potions book. The ginger tried to defend himself but quickly gave up when noticing my mind was already elsewhere.

Our 8th year at Hogwarts was about to begin, our final chance to actually educate ourselves since we'd missed our 7th year. The train was loudly rumbling, the engine producing steam that would evaporate into the air. A calming noise, a familiar noise.

I looked back at my friend, Ron was eating chocolate frogs. "What'd you get?", I asked him, nibbling on my own, fondly remembering the first time I saw a chocolate frog. "Blimey, I got Nicolas Flamel! Again!", he puffed, taking a bite out of the treat and throwing his card onto the pile of other Wizarding celebrities. I chuckled, looking back outside. The familiar view on the bridge brought back memories, good and bad, and long forgotten.

"Ronald! Harry! There you are! I've been looking all over for you!", a voice said, having opened the door to our compartment. I smiled at Hermione, and so did Ron, jumping into her arms; ready to snog the shit out of his girlfriend. I looked away, I didn't need that. I didn't need everyone to be utterly in love around me all the time. Everyone seemed to have someone to love, to comfort, to simply be with. Except for me.

The war had changed us all, maybe me the most. When I remember my life and relationships before the war, I simply remember a different person, a happy and brave boy that wanted to save the world. Now, I'm lonely and angry at myself. Angry that I let so many people die, angry that I let people I loved die. It was all my fault, it always was.

***

"Harry! Hurry up!", Hermione yelled from outside the train, waiting patiently with Ron. I sighed, grabbed my bag, and left the train, already wanting to go back home and avoid the stares and whispers that I was so used to. We headed into the last carriage, unfortunately for us, there were already some other students in it; Slytherins.

Parkinson looked at us strangely, I still remembered her trying to get me to be captured by the death eaters in the Great Hall before I sacrificed myself. I gulped, looking away, at the person next to her. Zabini simply looked at us, confused as to why we just mounted into their carriage. I'd never disliked him, he wasn't mean, he was apparently pretty funny too. "I hope you don't mind us joining you. This is the last carriage.", Hermione said, but I wasn't paying attention. My eyes had fluttered to the blond sitting next to his friends, his gaze elsewhere, avoiding mine.

"No, of course not!", Parkinson responded, gesturing to the three seats in front of us, which we gladly took. I dreaded this year, Malfoy was back too, although I didn't know why he'd even be accepted into Hogwarts for another year. He was a death eater and he'd always be a death eater. Our rivalry would most likely continue and my guard would always be up, I've learned it's never a good idea to put it down.