Draco's Hufflepuff | Emerging

Four: Hogwarts Express

A/N: Just a reminder that I know Fred and George Weasley would have left Hogwarts long before now, and already running their joke shop, but for things that happen later on, I needed them to be just one year older than Harry's year group, not two!

**

Sunday, 1st September, 1996

My eyes pinged open at 7:00am on the dot. We weren't due to be driving back to King's Cross until 10:30am, but I was so ridiculously excited to see Draco again, I barely slept last night. I hadn't felt this level of excitement since Draco had asked me to meet him in the Astronomy Tower when everyone had come back.

Yesterday was mainly spent packing my trunk and spending some last-minute valuable time with my mum and dad before going back to Hogwarts. My mum kindly ironed and folded all of my clothes up for me.

My lips were in a permanent smile and my tummy was doing somersaults. I wondered how Draco was going to be with me when we finally saw each other again. I hoped we would get to be alone, then nothing would stop me throwing my arms around him.

Realising I wasn't going to be able to sleep any longer, I decided to go through into the living room and watch some TV quietly whilst I still could. From now until December, I wasn't going to be around any Muggle electricity.

**

My mum woke up an hour later and made me some breakfast. She let me eat in front of the TV for once, as it was our last morning together. As I ate my bacon and egg sandwich, I got to thinking about Draco and what he was doing.

I hoped Mrs. Malfoy was going to be alright whilst Draco was back at Hogwarts. I knew I shouldn't care about Mr. Malfoy being in Azkaban, but I did feel for them. Would I care as much about any of the Slytherins parents being locked away?

I then thought about Riley Yates out all of people, as I remembered Draco telling me her father was going to be put on trial as well, the day after Lucius. I wondered what the outcome of his trial was. Although she didn't like me too much, I still didn't like the thought of her being upset.

Glancing up at the clock on the wall, I saw there was just an hour and a half until we were driving to King's Cross. I hoped Draco was as excited to see me as I was him. I can't remember ever being this excited to be going back to school.

"Have you got everything sorted, honey?" mum asked, sipping on a cup of tea,

"Yeah, I done it all last night," I said, nodding my head,

"Well, I suppose anything you need, we can always get your dad to send it to you, can't we?" mum chuckled,

"Actually, mum, I was just wondering... do you have a piece of string or ribbon I could have, please?" I asked, trying to sound as unassuming as I could,

"I should do, let me look in my sewing box," mum smiled, squeezing my arm as she walked past.

Dad never understood why mum kept a Muggle sewing kit, as he was more than capable of casting a Knitting Charm in a few seconds. What confused him even more, was the fact her sewing kit was kept in an old shortbread biscuit tin. It seemed to make sense to mum, however. I thought it was nice, having some Muggle touches around the house.

**

Mum brought me back a piece of black ribbon, around 30cm long, and I took it to my bedroom. I decided to go and slowly get ready, as I knew I wanted to look as nice as I could for Draco.

My stomach fluttered as I tied my letters from my Slytherin boy with the black ribbon. I also cast an Invisible-Ink Charm on my mail just in case someone come across them. I'd bewitched my letters so only I could read them. I didn't think my mum or dad would invade my privacy or root around my things, but I didn't want to risk it.