Conflicted Loyalites

Chapter 1

Harry's POV

Harry stepped onto the train and turned right, looking for an empty compartment. Ron and Hermione hadn't arrived yet. Harry had come from Grimmauld Place after collecting his books and leaving earlier than he normally would.

The train was already busy, filled to the brim with excited students eager to begin their year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry looked into each compartment he passed, smiling as memories of all his previous years sitting there flashed through his mind. Memories of buying the entire sweet trolley to share with a lanky, ginger haired boy. Memories of a bushy haired girl looking for a toad and fixing Harry's glasses. Memories of happiness shared with his two best friends.

It all seemed like so long ago now.

Eventually, he came to a somewhat empty compartment. There was one bag under the seat closest to the window on the left, a bag that Harry immediately recognised, yet could not place. He put his suitcase in the luggage rack and sat across from the solitary bag.

After a while, before the train went into motion, Ron and Hermione walked past, then turned back upon seeing him and came in. "Harry, mate! We were lookin' for you!" Ron practically beamed, a smile etched on his freckled face. 

Harry stood with a grin, wrapping his friends in a hug.

 "How are you, Harry?" Hermione asked, hair wild as ever.

"Fine thanks 'Mione. I got here early, so I thought I might as well find us a carriage" Harry grinned, sitting again. He noticed with glee that his friends were clasping each other's hands 'Finally' he thought to himself as they sat beside him.

"Who's that bag belong to?" Ron asked, gesturing towards the suitcase across from Harry.

"No clue mate, 's been there since I got here" Harry replied. The bag was made from green leather, patterned with what looked like a snake on its surface. Again, Harry felt as if he should know who it belonged to. He had seen it before; it was definitely someone in his year's suitcase.

The trio made light conversation with one another as the train whistled into motion, pulling away from the station like a bird taking off from a branch. The comforting rhythm of the train settled over the three, instantly relaxing them with his charming familiarity as they caught up.

Harry only half listened as Ron told him and Hermione about the latest Quidditch matches. The Chudley Cannons had won their last match three to nil, and had another at some point later on in the week. He was really thinking about that stupid green leather suitcase. Who did it belong to? Why was there no one with it?

He frowned down at it even as he nodded along to whatever Ron was saying. He'd been over to the Burrow a few times over the holiday. Each time had been great, though a little awkward after hisbreakup with Ginny.

Ginny.

He'd always thought of her as a sister. With her as his girlfriend, he just didn't feel right. So, he'd broken it off, much to her disappointment. She had understood - of course she did - and had spoken a couple of times to Harry to prove she didn't hold it against him.

Harry hadn't decided yet if he would stay at the Burrow after this year, although he'd been told he could if he wanted to by Mrs Weasley. The Chosen One had spent the majority of his holiday at Grimmauld Place, with Sirius and Remus, the 'power couple of the century' as Sirius had deemed them.

The two were inseparable now, scarcely seen without each other. Harry had been surprised at first when they'd told him about their relationship, but he supposed it did make a lot of sense. As he thought back to Remus's reaction to finding Sirius hadn't murdered Peter, to discovering he was innocent, the relationship seemed more plausible than ever. Of course, he wasn't really well known for being observant, was he?

"Oi! Harry mate, are you even listenin'?" Ron asked, waving his hand in front of a dazed Harry's face. 

"What? Eh-yeah, sorry, just tired" he said, blinking a few times to clear his head.

 A heartbeat later, the chatter resumed between the three, as enthusiastic as ever. Harry shoved all thoughts from his mind, happy to be back with his friends and focusing on not zoning out again.

Minutes later, a flash of movement outside of the compartment caught Harry's eye; a slice of platinum pale hair and eyes just as devoid of colour. Malfoy. As Harry looked up, he saw the edges of the Slytherin's robes disappear past the door. Seconds later, he returned, flinging the glass entrance open with one slender fingered hand.

Immediately, Ron and Hermione's chatter stopped. Three pairs of eyes pointed glares at the newcomer in almost perfect synchronisation.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Potter, Weasel and Granger, saviours of the wizarding world!" Malfoy sneered, voice dripping with sarcasm. His eyes held an almost playful glint, at least, Harry reckoned, an emotion different from the aggression he was accustomed to.

"Shove it Malfoy, you're not wanted here" Ron snarled, tensing as the pale man looked at them all. It was obvious he was expecting a fight, nothing nice ever came from Malfoy's presence. 

'He did help me in the war though, maybe things will be different now?' Harry thought to himself, biting back a sharp comment. This year, he was looking for a fresh start.

All at once, the fight seemed to evaporate from the blonde and he slumped into the seat closest to the door, furthest away from the Trio. "Whatever, Weasel. Everywhere else is full now anyway." he spat, kicking the suitcase towards himself and turning his icy gaze to the corridor outside.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise 'That's it? No scathing comment?' Nothing came, Malfoy sat in silence, robes pulled about himself as if he was freezing. Harry looked his enemy up and down. He was paler than ever, purely skin and bones. His robes were pristine, devoid of creases, their green edges practically shimmering in their cleanliness. His hair was slicked back in its usual gelled way. But. Something had definitely changed with the Slytherin Prince. He looked almost broken.

As if he could feel Harry's gaze upon him Malfoy turned and directed that frozen glare straight into the emerald pools of Harry's eyes. "What're you looking at Potter?" Came the slow, calculative drawl.

Harry thought for a moment, then replied "Lets put all this behind us Malfoy. I don't want to be at each other throats anymore."

Malfoy's eyebrow rose, his expression flickered from neutral to hurt, to longing and back to its stone cold resting place. "As if Potter. That can't happen." There was a slight hitch in the blonde's voice that made Harry's heart skip a beat as he once again sat back, ignoring the looks of surprise on his best friend's faces. He felt more saddened by that reply than he would have thought possible.

He glanced back at his enemy, only to see his lip quivering ever so slightly, hand fidgeting with the edge of his robe. It was a nervous habit. How he knew that, Harry did not know. It frightened him slightly that he knew this, but the Chosen One quickly dispersed of the thought and rested his head against the cool glass of the window. The compartment was now so silent that you would hear a pin drop, no conversation had spread between the three since Malfoy's arrival. Harry sighed again, closing his eyes against the glass, savouring in its coolness.

Hogwarts wasn't too far away.

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Hi guys! How's this for a first chapter? Please tell me your thoughts in the comments!