foxfire [draco malfoy]

one

the frantic beginning of a long year

          Foxfire sat on the front step of her farmhouse porch, waiting patiently for her aunt to arrive from her third shift job. Her bags were placed in a scatter beside her, as she reached forward, placing the hedgehog who was snuggled up in a ball on her lap, back into its cage. The truck approached the driveway and immediately Foxfire stood, hearing the loud muffler as it began to slow, halting in a rough stop. Her aunt jumped from the running vehicle and rushed to help grab some of her bags. "I'm so sorry I'm late." She said sincerely to her niece. "The first shift nurse got to the hospital so late and I just wasn't allowed to leave, I'm so sorry." She continued to plead.

"It's fine, Jade. I promise." Foxfire responded with a small smile. A part of her hoped she would have just not shown back up, so she didn't have to leave just yet. But that was unrealistic, and these intrusive thoughts were really becoming a burden on her mind as she always loved school, and it was disheartening to start to feel scared of going back. Jade tossed the few bags gently in the bed of the truck, as Foxfire climbed into the front passenger seat, clutching onto the small creature's cage placed upon her lap. She watched as her aunt got into the drivers seat and shifted into reverse.

"You got everything?" She asked, looking over her shoulder as she pulled out of the driveway.

"Yep. Sure do, I hope." Foxfire responded with a slightly nervous smile, as an awkward silence filled the air within a matter of seconds.

"What's wrong, Fox?" She asked, as they descended down the long windy road. Fox looked over at her, contemplating if she should tell her sister of what has happened at Hogwarts and within the wizarding world. But she didn't want her to worry, or worse, overreact. Even though Fox herself was overreacting just a bit, she knew her aunt would be driven with worry if she knew the truth, and Jade was just so busy with school and work, she didn't want to burden her.

"Just nervous, I suppose." She somewhat lied.

"Worried about seeing Theo again?" Jade asked, lifting an eyebrow, seeming to think she finally figured it out. Fox didn't respond. It was better her aunt thought she was concerned about boys rather than an evil and powerful wizard who has practically risen from the dead. "Look, I know I'm just your aunt who doesn't know anything, but I assure you, one day you're gonna grow old with someone and live your own life and be happy and Theo wont even cross your mind. All he'll be is a faint memory from your past and you'll look back and smile." She tried to reassure her.

"Yeah, I know. I just really don't feel like seeing him and Pansy flaunt their newfound love in my face." Fox continued with her twisted story of the truth. Because truth is, as much as Theo hurt her last year, she was practically over it. Or so she had tried to convince herself that she was practically over it.

"You'll be fine. And hey, maybe you'll meet someone new this year!" Jade exclaimed as they entered into the city. Fox looked toward the window, watching the cars and buildings pass by. Time had just been moving too fast.

"Yeah, maybe." She muttered under her breath, as her aunt pulled into the parking lot of the train station, proceeding to park the car, and getting out to retrieve the luggage. As the two grabbed all of Foxfire's things, they made their way up the staircase and to the platform.

"You ready?" Jade asked her, staring at her, sadly. Foxfire nodded as Jade pulled her into a tight embrace. "It'll be great, Fox. You're going to go on to do amazing things one day and this will all be worth it, I promise. Just try not to fret too much about boys. They suck." She whispered as Foxfire let out a small laugh and the two pulled apart.

"Thanks, Jade. I'm going to miss you." Foxfire smiled, lifting up her luggage onto the cart beside them.

"You better write me!" Jade scolded her, jokingly. As, Foxfire had been pretty busy last year to where she hardly wrote.

"Yeah, yeah." Fox waved her off as a joke. "Love you." She smiled one last time, before descending into platform 9 3/4.