Emerald (Lazuli Book #2) Harry Potter Fan Fiction (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter Three - All aboard the Hogwarts Express

The next day couldn't come soon enough. I spend a restless night of tossing and turning, wondering if it really had been an illusion and my mind was playing tricks on me, or if it really had been Draco, my Draco. Finally however the sun dawns and the new day breaks, signalling the start of what will hopefully be a regular, uneventful year at Hogwarts. But hey, there hadn't been one of those in the entire time I'd been a student, so why start hoping now.

I get into our small bathroom before anyone else is up, washing my hair and doing my make-up as has become my routine over the holidays. I don't wear that much make-up really, the only change in my cosmetic preferences over the summer is that now I prefer to wear black, winged eyeliner on my top lids, and usually a lipstick in a shade of dark pink or a light burgundy. Definitely not the sweet, innocent girl I used to be.

Before long Ginny and Hermione are up, banging on the door for me to hurry up and let them use the bathroom. After I've brushed my dripping hair in the small bathroom mirror, I unlock the door and smile at my sister and Hermione, both of whom are holding their wash-bags in their hands and tapping their feet impatiently. "Good morning!" I trill enthusiastically as I head towards the stairs and begin to climb up to the tiny chamber which is my bedroom. They exchange surprised glances as they stare up at me, but I don't ask what they're looking at. I just beam at my brother Ron when he emerges from his own bedroom, rubbing his eyes tiredly, and then disappear into my own.

I already packed my trunk last night, so everything is ready to go. I'd thoughtfully left a change of clothes out of the trunk and changed hurriedly into them, a simple ensemble of a tight royal blue dress that fits snuggly to my curves, my leather jacket that I've hardly taken off all summer, a pair of black tights and some adorable shiny black peel-toe heels that I'd seen in a muggle shop and loved. My hair has mostly dried now, so I pull a comb through it once more and it falls in soft, chestnut waves, reaching softly halfway down my back.

All dressed, I spritz myself with perfume and then pick up the gorgeous blue leather handbag that had been a gift from Narcissa at Christmas, and despite the misfortune that her family had caused me, I'd been unable to part with.

With nothing else to do, I perch on my bed with my legs crossed, grabbing a piece of paper and a quill from the tiny desk I keep beside my bed and start to write a letter.

Dear Charlie,

Today is the day that we return to Hogwarts. I know that I should be excited - and believe me I am, Mum's been driving me mental as you know - but I can't help but feel worried.

What if someone sees my secret? My life will be over and I'll be locked up in Azkaban for being suspected of being a Death Eater. I'll lose my friends, my life, everything. I know that I always pretend to be strong, but I don't think I could cope in Azkaban, especially when I know I'm innocent and I'm surrounded by all of these convicted Death Eaters.

I miss you - I hate that you had to go back to Romania so early, but I can understand why. Nobody wants rogue dragons that are sensing the evil in the air on the loose, do they?

We've not had any word from Percy, but that was to be expected. He sent us a single letter, only enquiring after my life, and couldn't even be bothered to reply to the lengthy and tearful reply that Mum sent back. Still, I can't blame him.

It's been hell here for the last few weeks. After you went back to Romania, Bill returned to Egypt and the twins moved out, it's been terribly quiet with just Ron, Ginny, Mum and I. Hermione turned up a couple of weeks ago, and then Harry arrived out-of-the-blue a couple of days ago, Dumbledore wanted him for something or other and dropped him off at The Burrow when they were done. So at least it's picked up in the last few days.