Chapter Eight:

Well, Harry had said consequences be damned.

He just didn't think it would apply so soon.

Platform nine and three quarters is as full as ever. Students are running around. Family's are saying their last, teary goodbyes for the semester. Familiars are noisily hooting in their cages, meowing as they easily run between people's legs and croak as they jump around with their human counterparts running after them. There's a black raven perched on someone's shoulder, a large spider is locked in a small cage and even graceful like rats with high intelligence in their eyes are held in hands like prized possessions. Harry even spots a white and purple scaled lizard wrapped around a Ravenclaw's neck from the corner of his eye.

Unfortunately, his main attention is held on Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy— who are both stood in front of him, arguing. Ron had spotted Harry from afar and came tumbling forward, blushing as he asked how Harry had gotten his hair black. At the same time, Draco had showed up out of nowhere, sticking out his hand and introducing himself with an air of superiority. Sighing, Harry tries to analyse the situation. The Malfoys are stood somewhere further to Harry's right. He can just about see them if he turns his head. Lucius's gaze is narrowed and his grip is tight on his cane. Narcissa is stood beside him, hand on his shoulder in some silent show of support. Harry doesn't buy it for one second. The Weasley's on the other hand are actually out of sight, but not out of hearing range. Harry had heard the twins mucking about not long ago and Molly had screamed their ears off. They were probably close too.

While Ron's friendship (somewhat, arguably) was pure of heart, Draco's was probably forced by his parents.

It didn't matter. Harry was lonely anyways.

"Let me see," Draco curls his lips in distaste, eyeing Ron up and down. "Red hair and hand-me-down clothes? You must be a Weasley."

Ron puffs out his cheeks in defiance. Harry thinks it's kind of cute when he does that. "At least I'm no bleached blonde," he mutters lowly.

Hiding a laugh behind a cough, Harry awkwardly rubs the back of his neck. As nostalgic and normal as it is to see the two arguing, Harry is tired. Really tired. And honestly, he doesn't want to go through Hogwarts with having to look behind his back every few minutes because of Draco. Or anyone else for that matter. Why couldn't they all just go through Hogwarts like some good friends? Great friends even? The best of friends actually?

Having decided what he wants, Harry grabs Ron and Draco by the ears. At once, their arguing ceases and turns into a chorus of "ow, ow, ow's."

Putting on his most displeased frown, Harry waits for the two to quiet down. When they do, he opens his mouth to softly say, "If you don't stop arguing, then neither of you will get to sit with me on the train." He then releases their ears and places his hands on his hips, much like Molly used to do when she was telling her kids off.

"Sorry." Ron apologises, rubbing at his ear. There's an embarrassed flush to his cheeks that highlights his freckles prettily.

For a moment, Draco looks awe struck at the sight and then he's shaking his head from side to side as if to clear his thoughts. "I apologise also," he says.

"What's this? What's this? I smell embarrassment." Verde pokes his little head out from underneath Harry's robes, nuzzling it against the underside of his master's jaw. When he spots Ron he visibly perks up. "Oh! It's the cute one! I want to nuzzle him again. Master, please. Please, please, please—"

"Alright," Harry cuts Verde off with a sigh. "Here," he says, holding out the black and green snake to Ron. "Verde says he misses you."

Ron's cheeks darken further. "Oh, um," he fumbles as he carefully takes Verde into his own hands, the tips of his ears turning red when Verde bumps his head against his cheek and then nuzzles into him.

Draco looks positively confused and... jealous? Harry isn't too sure.

"Anyways," he says, gently placing his fingers over his right collarbone to check for Nimmy, she's still there, asleep. "We should get on the train and get a good compartment while we still can."

As soon as they get onto the train, Harry makes a beeline for the first empty compartment he sees. He sits beside the window, Ron sits opposite him and Draco sits on the same side, closer to the now closed doors. Soon the train leaves the station with a loud whistle and makes a steadily increasing chugging sound.

The three talk civilly, for the most part. There are a few moments where Draco's haughtiness shines through and a few times where Ron mutters something childish under his breath but other than that, it's... surprisingly peaceful. Verde stays around Ron's neck and occasional raises his little snout to nuzzle against the Weasley's cheek or to flick his tongue against the hollow of his throat in a possessive manner. He even hisses quiet threats at Draco whenever the blonde so much as shifts. Harry thinks Verde might have a favourite.

"So," Draco shifts his gaze from the black and green snake around Ron's throat to Harry beside the window, "Do you have any other familiars?" He asks.

"I do." Harry answers. "An owl. She's pretty. Snow White, you know? Her names Hedwig."

Draco makes a humming sound. "I have an eagle," he says, twisting his nose, "he's a bit... eccentric."

Ron snorts. "We had one a while back. It was an old one. It's ego was too big and it wouldn't listen to anyone, so we set it free."

Quirking a brow, Draco returns his line of sight towards Ron. "You set it free?" He questions. The blonde then makes a mournful face, "I wish I could do the same."

Afterwards, the woman with the sweet trolley shows up. Harry makes sure to buy enough for the three of them. Draco looks a little surprised as he thanks him. Ron mumbles his thanks with red ears and takes to eating some little square chocolates that Harry doesn't know the name of. When Harry gets Dumbledore's card from the chocolate frog, he crumples it and throws it amongst the pile of sweet wrappers. He feels sudden anger and frustration he can't quite explain.

Actually he can.

Because Dumbledore was always spewing half truths and half lies.

And Harry wouldn't listen to him this time.

No, he wouldn't.

"That was Dumbledore." Draco states, voice quiet. His silver eyes are trained on the crumpled up card.

"Yeah," Harry pulls a leg up to his chest and balances his arm along his bony knee. "He's not exactly in my good books."

"H-he isn't?" Ron stutters out. His brown eyes are filled with worry and his brows are furrowed in confusion.

"He's kind of..." Harry pauses as he flickers his gaze to Draco. If they're going to be the best of friends, Harry's going to have to put more trust into him. "He's kind of the reason why I didn't know anything about the Wizarding world."

Ron lets out a small "Oh," and Draco makes a scandalised "What?" at the same time .

"What's with all the noise?" Nimmy lazily raises herself from Harry's collarbone. She makes a sound equivalent to a human's yawn and Harry coos at her. While Ron explains Harry's situation to Draco, Harry holds Nimmy in his hands and pets her red and yellow scales. "You were asleep for a very long time," he says lowly.

Nimmy wraps herself around Harry's fingers. "Were you worried about me, Master?" She asks.

Smiling, Harry answers the snake with a fond, "a little."

Opposite him, Draco makes a strangled noise. "I can't believe this!" He exclaims. "My father will absolutely hear about this."