Afar

Platform 9 ¾ was full of people and Harry was not happy. His future classmates shouted and ran to greet each other but Harry stuck to his mother's side with his arms crossed and a surly expression on his face. James darted through the crowd, greeting old friends with a big smile and easy confidence that Harry wished he could mimic.

Harry looked out at the crowd. First years clung tearfully to their parents and other students darted on and off the train. When Harry turned to his parents to say goodbye, he found that he had lost them in the crowd. Panic rose in his stomach. He felt hot tears prick at his eyes as he searched the crowd desperately. He backed up until he ran into someone.

He whirled around to see a blond boy around his age. The boy stood with a tall man with long hair who gazed at the crowd of children with an expression of distaste. The boy looked at Harry in surprise.

"S-Sorry," Harry stammered. "I didn't-didn't mean t-to. . ."

The boy glanced at his father who wasn't paying attention to him at all. "It's fine." He looked closer at Harry. "Are you okay?"

Harry shook his head, trying desperately not to cry. "I can't find my Mum." He felt ridiculous. Here he was, about to go to Hogwarts and he was nearly in tears because he lost his mother. It was humiliating.

The boy looked alarmed then glanced back at his father. "Hold on, I'll help you." He turned to the man beside him, who Harry assumed was his father since they both had strikingly blond hair. "Father, I'm going to go look for Blaise and Pansy. I'll come to say goodbye before I get on the train."

"Don't bother Draco, I can't stand another second in this cesspit of mudbloods. I'll be leaving soon."

Harry winced at the hateful word and Draco looked hurt.

"Alright. Goodbye Father," Draco said in a small voice. The man stalked off into the crowd and disappeared.

Draco turned to Harry. "So you lost your mother. Where'd you last see her?"

"Right here," Harry said, his tone panicked. "Then I turned around and she was gone."

"Harry!" Someone cried in a shrill voice from behind. Harry whirled around to see Mrs. Weasley, a friend of his parents come hurtling towards him. "Goodness gracious Harry, your mother is frantic with worry. What were you thinking, slipping away like that?"

Harry blinked bemusedly. "I didn't mean to. I just lost her in the crowd."

"You've always been trouble, Harry Potter," Mrs. Weasley clucked and started to pull him away.

Draco gave a start as she said Harry's name. "You're Harry Potter?"

Harry looked over at him. "That's my name, isn't it?"

Draco looked uncomfortable. "My father says that your parents are awful. He says that they got the Dark Lord killed."

Mrs. Weasley froze and turned to Draco. "James and Lily Potter are magnificent people that saved us from a very horrible man. I'm assuming that you, young man are a Malfoy?"

Draco turned pink. "Yeah," He looked at Harry and waved half-heartedly. "See ya then."

Harry nodded. "Yeah bye."

Mrs. Weasley yanked his arm and pulled him away. "You shouldn't associate with those people Harry. His family has it out for witches and wizards like your mother. They backed the wrong side and they paid the price. Well some of them did." She shot a dirty look over her shoulder.

Finally, they reached his parents and little sister. His mother let out a shaky breath of relief and pulled him into a hug.

"Thank god," she murmured. "I thought we weren't going to be able to say goodbye."

Harry hugged her back. "I'm glad I got to. Besides, you have all my stuff."

His mother pulled back with a sad smile. His two-year-old sister, Izzy hugged him and burst into tears. His father ruffled his hair and helped him lug his trunk onto the train and into an empty compartment. A few minutes before 11, Harry boarded the train and watched out the window as his parents grew smaller and smaller, and the cries of his sister grew fainter.

When he couldn't see them anymore, he settled back in his seat. After a few minutes, the door slid back to reveal the blond boy from the platform. Draco's face broke into a relieved smile.

"Can I sit here?" He asked, sliding into the compartment.

Harry nodded and waited until Draco had sat down before speaking. "Do you- do you think Muggle-borns are bad?"

Draco shrugged. "My dad says they are, but Pansy knows a muggle-born and she said he wasn't all that bad. I don't really care one way or another."

Harry felt relieved. "That's good. My mum's a muggle-born and she's great. I couldn't be your friend if you thought they were bad."

"Are we friends?" Draco asked.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I think we are."

The two smiled brightly and settled back to wait out the rest of the train ride.

*                *                 *

Harry sat with a big smile at the Gryffindor table next to Ron Weasley and his brothers. Ron patted his shoulder and Harry was glad he had someone that he knew with him. He was sort of sad that he wasn't sorted into the same house as Draco, but that didn't mean they couldn't still be friends. He and Draco had sat with Ron on the train and both Draco and Ron had agreed that their family's rivalry was completely idiotic. Even with Draco in Slytherin Harry was certain that they'd all manage to be friends.

Professor McGonagall stood up to address the school and everyone quieted immediately. Ron leaned over and whispered, "My dad says that Albus Dumbledore was headmaster here once. He's the one that helped your parents kill Voldemort. But McGonagall said that he was going to let your parents be killed, even though he knew how to kill him. So she got him fired."

Harry shivered. "Yeah, my parents talk about it sometimes when they think my sister and I are asleep."

Ron nodded solemnly and turned his attention back to the Headmistress. She was just finishing her speech and with a small gesture from her hands, the platters on the table filled with food. Ron and Harry grinned at each other and reached eagerly for the food.

After they had eaten and been shown to their dormitory, Harry slid into bed, full and sleepy. A satisfied smile stretched across his face. Harry thought he was going to like Hogwarts very much.