September First
So, as it turns out, Draco was somewhat right. Black may not have been an assassin or a hitman, but he was falsely accused of murder for over a decade as the Wizard paper told him. And Harry's parents, too, that was a shocker. That Harry's godfather apparently murdered his parents.
In the few weeks leading to the start of Hogwarts, Draco had the pleasure of meeting Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. And, well, it was clear from the beginning that this Ronald person disliked Draco. Because of his last name. How petty can that be?
On the other hand, Hermione was good to talk to. A little ignorant to others opinions, but if Draco wanted to know about something or wanted someone to talk to about something he read, Hermione was the girl to go to.
He met the others in the Weasley clan, too. They were on the verge of war, Grimmauld Place was their base, so people we in and out all of the time Draco learnt. He and Percy got along well, discussing politics - Draco telling him about Muggle Parliament whilst Percy filled him in on the goings on at the Ministry - well, what he knew before he quit.
The twins tried to shock him, offering him a chewing gum but he gave it to Ronald. The boy's skin turned pink for twenty minutes. From that point on, Fred and George accepted him, liked him. Draco wasn't here to be liked: he didn't exactly want to be here, still.
And because of the sleeping arrangements, Harry found himself sleeping on his own bedroom floor, Ron arguing with him in a muttered tone ‘that’s your bed, Harry. Why does Ferret Face the second get to sleep in it?’ Eventually, when Ron accepted he wouldn’t get through to Harry, he let it go.
Remus went out and brought Draco his books and equipment, first asking him what subjects he wanted to take. He chose Muggle Studies, Alchemy, and - because the lessons were on at different times - managed to choose one more, being Care of Magical Creatures.
They took him out to buy a wand, and Draco marvelled at the surroundings. At all the witches and wizards in robes and pointy hats, and at all the signs. The man behind the counter - Olivander - picked up on his looks immediately, promising to not mention this to anyone. One wand, that was all it took. It did take Olivander five minutes of assessing before he finally found a wand fitting for Draco, but he was given a unicorn core, ten inches exactly, and made of hawthorn wood.
Realising the boy also needs robes, they had to discreetly go into Madam Malkins for a set of plain black ones. Draco wondered why the robes were necessary, because he'll only wear them once.
In the week or so leading up to Hogwarts, Draco begged for contact with the outside world. Only Harry knew about the boyfriend, and whenever it was brought up the dark-haired boy would awkwardly stutter an excuse to switch conversation topics.
That aside, they've gotten closer. As close as a prisoner can get with one of their captives. Draco would have pinned everything he's feeling down to stokehole syndrome, but they weren't torturing him, they didn't bother him, they were friendly, they didn't demand things. Yes, they took him from his life, but the only person he missed was Lewis: a person he had big plans with.
Finally, the day came. September first: the day eleven year-olds dread, beg to arrive, wish for, and shiver from. Above everything, Draco was excited to experience what he believed was only fictional.
"Ready?" Tonks bounded up to him, excitable, like she was attending again. Draco nodded, because he was. It was just... well, seeing his twin who probably doesn't know about him, and who may also hate him.
"Are you sure, Draco?" Remus said, "You might see your birth parents, not to mention going to school with your brother. Are you ready for that?"
"I'm not a coward, Lupin." Bit Draco, glaring at the man - Remus definitely believed Draco to also be a Slytherin, something he wishes he was wrong about. If Draco ended up in Slytherin then who knows what he'll tell Florian, if Florian and he get along the Order is doomed. Done for. Over. As they were aware of the risks, Sirius subtly threatened Draco from when he decided he was going to Hogwarts what would happen if his lips were to loosen. Taking the hint, Draco rolled his eyes and let it go. Why would You-Know-Who get a sixteen-year-old boy involved that deeply in a war amongst mainly adults?
Draco was apparated by Tonks to a station, then the others weren't far behind. Remus and Sirius led the pack, Harry between them, while Tonks walked with Draco. "Where are we going?"
"To platform nine and three quarters." Sirius informed him.
"Great, except platform nine and three quarters doesn't exist." Still, Draco followed them.
“It does.” Said Harry.
“Nine. And ten.” Draco pointed to the signs, “Where is nine and three quarters, Harry? Or am I the one that needs glasses?”
“Could you keep your gob shut for five seconds?” Harry rolled his eyes - really, Draco was one of the most annoying people he had ever met. He always, always, had a comeback to Harry’s comebacks, always retaliating when asked to do anything.
When they came to a wall, Draco thought these people were trying to kill him. Seriously, who stands and stares at a bloody wall? But before Draco could voice his opinion, Remus, Sirius and Harry all charged through it at once, disappearing.
"What the fuck just happened?" Draco let go of his cart, stumbling back.
"C'mon, Malfoy, eleven year-olds easily do this." Teased Tonks. Not wanting to seem scared, Draco adjusted his clothes - a white button-up, loose shirt tucked into black trousers and a black blazer, all of which Draco forced Remus to buy him at Madam Malkins - and charged for the wall. Bracing, Draco closed his eyes as tightly as possible... and didn't crash.
On the other side, the steam train sounded. Crowded full of people with robes and pointed hats and owls and cats and toads and wands. It all seemed to have a brighter glow, a tint of gold. There were the Weasley's, there was Harry with Sirius and Remus (Draco didn't want to interrupt what looked like a family-bonding session), and then-
He spotted them. Lucius Malfoy, dressed in full black, his robes forming a perfect semi-circle on the floor, hair back behind his ears and silver, like his own. Draco had never met someone with hair like his. Then there was the woman next to him, her hair distinctly blonde, and shaping her pointed face.
There was another one, but he was facing away from him. Draco knew who it was and wanted to talk to him, but he didn't. He was talking with Lucius and Narcissa, the two people who gave him away. They decided they didn't want him because they believed he possessed no magical ability. They gave away a child because he didn't show magic.
"See you Christmas, then, Drakey." Tonks cheerily said, saluting as she disapparated away. And she went away before Draco could even bite at her for the nickname.
On the train, Draco awkwardly bashed into people as he tried to find a compartment for just him, alone, nobody else. Just as he went to pass a compartment, he was called. "What are you doing?" Asked a student standing in front of him. His skin was dark, the top of his head had a thin cloth of hair and his eyes were the darkest Draco had ever seen. Wow, this person was attractive. "We're in here."
Draco was pulled into a room that had five people in. There was one small, big teen sitting in one seat staring at the wand he was twiddling in his hand, and the one opposite who had a big build and was tall was also staring at the wand. Another boy had light brown hair, deep blue eyes and was in an avid conversation with the girl opposite. She had her nails done, hair tied back apart from two pieces at the front, and this eyeliner that made her look ready to kill.
"Hello, Florian," greeted the light-brown haired boy. "Good to see you again."
"My apologies but I'm not Florian." Draco politely corrected.
"What's wrong babe?" The girl said, standing up and touching Draco's arm. He took half a step back so her hand wasn't there anymore.
"You've got me confused with someone else, really."
"Florian-"
"I am not Florian Malfoy." He seethed. Every single person believes he is Florian. Draco knows it's only natural in this world, but it's gotten to the edge right now.
"What has gotten into you?" The girl demanded, stomping her foot.
They were going to find out in a few hours, anyway. "I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy."
"Really." The light-brown haired boy rolled his eyes.
But the dark skinned boy scanned him, assessed him. "His accent is different. The way he's standing. His jaw is sharper, and his hair... it's significantly longer..."
"If this is a joke it really is not a funny one." The girl complained.
"It isn't." Draco confirmed, "Truthfully, I am not Florian. We are related, but I'm not him." It seemed like the dark skinned boy believed it.
However, it didn't matter if they believed him or not, because another person with the same hair, facial structure and eyes opened the door. "And who are you?" The person coldly stated.
Draco stood shocked, like looking in a mirror that was ever so slightly off. "How did you get one of my hairs?"
"No, you've got it wrong, Florian." Draco corrected, "I- well, I'm your brother."
"Impossible." Florian shook his head. At that point, Draco knew Florian wasn't going to believe him, not until the sorting ceremony.
"It's great to meet you, really." Draco slightly smiled, going to walk past his mirror image only for him to block the way. Florian glared at him, and Draco decided to glare right back and barge Florian out of the way.
That went well, Draco huffed to himself. Thankfully, he managed to find the compartment Harry, Hermione and Ron were in, but he was also joined by a blonde girl with weird glasses. She had on robes with blue and bronze. "You look like Florian."
"Yes, I know." Draco responded, not bothering to ask if he could take a seat and sitting on the seat close to the window.
"I'm Luna, who are you? I haven't seen you before." She lifted the weird glasses from her face to rest them on her head, and Draco saw her soft blue eyes.
"Draco." He nodded in greeting. He and Harry bumped knees, and Draco immediately squished himself in the corner. It was a long ride…