Familiar Strangers

Harry's POV

"Well I won't believe it! Ron's a prefect!" shouted Fred excitedly.

"Ickle Ronnie the prefect.." George remarked.

Ron was in disbelief. I was as well. Ron? A prefect? It sounded completely wrong when said aloud, but it was fact. Ron looked happy, but very confused. Just as I was handing Ron back the badge, Hermione rushed in.

"Harry, did you get one too?!"

I pointed to Ron, and Hermione looked surprised,

"Ron...a prefect...are you sure?

"It's Ron," I said as I got out of her way. She ran towards Ron, letting out a shriek of happiness.

"Oh goodness, Ron, I'm so happy for you!" she hugged him tightly and the badge slipped out of his hand. She whispered something in his ear, but I wasn't listening.

George confided Ron and I to a corner, while Fred was dancing around the room saying, 'Ickle Ronnie the prefect!'

"You think this is bad?" George whispered to Ron and I, "Just wait till Mum finds out."

Mrs. Weasley had been nearly hysterical, kissing and hugging Ron like he had been crowned king. Ron looked like he would rather be murdered. I smirked, much to Ron's irritation. Everyone else congratulated Ron, and Mrs. Weasley agreed to get him a new broom, and he looked like he wanted to cry. Fred and George were teasing Ron happily, and I bitterly laughed with them. I was feeling disgusted with myself. I was sulking over not getting a prefect's badge. Stupid. Was I better than Ron? Maybe at quidditch, but nothing else. This was the one thing Ron had beaten me in. But the question still lingered in my head. Was I? I didn't want to ruin Ron's day, so I kept my mouth shut. After, Ron and I were in our room together, chatting away. Chudley Cannon posters covered the walls, along with pictures of him, Hermione, and I.

"I'm never going to do anything near Fred or George ever again." Ron groaned.

I covered an emerging laugh with a cough. "Sure." I was glad to hear the bitterness in my voice had disappeared.

"Remember when dementors got Dudley?" I asked.

"Wasn't there, mate." Ron replied.

"Whatever. You thought your mum was hysterical? Combine Dudley's parents and some frustration. That's hysterical."

Ron shook his head in disagreement, "I don't think anyone could beat my mum there. She really likes crying."

"Alright then," I fed Hedwig some of those Premium Owl Treats I got at Diagon Alley, and scratched her head. She cooed happily.

For the next week, all the Weasleys, Hermione and I played quidditch and cleaned out Grimmauld PLace. Sirius's mom's portrait liked to insult us as well.

"YOU BLOOD TRAITORS, DARE COME INTO MY FATHER'S GREAT HOUSE!

FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, DESERVE NO PLACE IN THE BLACK HOUSE!" Mrs. Black's portrait screeched angrily.

"OH SHUT IT, YOU OLD HAG!" Mrs. Weasley retorted just as badly as Mrs. Black.

"MUDBLOODS! TRAITORS! BUMS!" Her portrait continued.

"I'm going upstairs, that stupid painting will be the death of me."

murmured Mrs. Weasley as she walked up the stairs. Ron and I kept in laughs until his mum had gone upstairs. We burst out laughing after, wheezing until we were nearly out of breath. The sheer joy of having Ron's mom yell at someone else always cracked us up. Mrs. Black kept shouting for a while until Kreacher started polishing her.

On September 1st, Hermione, Ron, and I headed towards the train. Ginny and the twins followed behind, and Sirius was at my side. As an animagus, of course. Tonks, Lupin, and Mrs. Weasley were there as well. Mad Eye Moody came with the luggage, and we all grabbed our trunks.

"Nice meeting you, Harry!" Tonks gave me a fast hug.

"Make me proud, Ron!" beamed Mrs. Weasley, tears running down her face. Ron's face cringed and Ginny started to giggle.

"Bye!" I shouted as I rushed to the train. Ron and Hermione headed to the prefect's compartment, and I was left stranded with Ginny.

Draco's POV

I was changing into my robes. I was alone in my room, thinking about Potter. My father had attended the hearing, and that pathetic headmaster, Dumbledore was the reason Potter wasn't expelled. "Potter...Potter...Potter," my mind kept repeating annoyingly. Another year with that stupid Potter. As I laced my black leather shoes, I felt a feeling of self-loathing. Since 3rd year, I'd been feeling something...strange. Every time I thought about or saw Harry, I felt, tingly, warm, almost attracted to him. It had been plaguing my thoughts today, like it did every September 1st. I would ignore the feeling and take out my anger on Harry. I couldn't explain why I felt this way, but I did. If my father found out, I was sure to be a disgrace. As I got up to get my cloak, I heard a small knock on my door. I beckoned the house elf to come in.

"Master Malfoy has a message for Master Draco" our house elf, Gideon said anxiously.

"What, Gideon?" I snapped.

Gideon cleared his throat, "Master Draco shall be down the stairs by 10o'clock, to make his departure to King's Cross," the little house elf hurried out of my room. I combed my hair, then walked down the spiral staircase I'd known since I was a baby.

"Oh Draco, another year at Hogwarts," my mum whispered in my ear proudly. I smiled just a tiny bit. I always had to work my hardest to impress my father, but my mum always had something nice to say about me.

My father glanced at my prefect badge, then beckoned me to the portkey door. He looked at me like I was a disappointment. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I saw the silhouette of my Aunt Bella out of the corner of my eye. I could hear her laugh. It sounded like a cruel cackle. She and Rodolphus escaped from Azkaban, but they'd only be staying at our house for another week. They couldn't be in one place for too long, or else the ministry would find them. My mother and I grasped the portkey door's knob, and they were transported to King's Cross in an instant.

We landed in King's Cross, Platform 9 ¾. I felt a little dizzy, but that's what portkeys do to you. My mother and I walked over to Crabbe and Goyle, and they waved enthusiastically.

"Draco!" they shouted.

"Hello, Crabbe. Hi, Goyle." I said half-heartedly.

"Is that a prefect badge?" Goyle questioned before biting into a chocolate frog. What a pig. I question why I'm even friends with these repulsive slugs. Probably because I can do whatever I want with them.

"Yeah. C'mon guys, let's get on the train." I gave my mother a hug, and we headed for the train.

On the way there, we met Pansy. I contorted my face in disgust. Pansy was completely obsessed with me, and I did not reciprocate the feeling.

"Draco, you've got a badge too?!" Pansy chirped.

I nodded. Pansy ushered me away from Crabbe and Goyle. She started chatting away about her summer and how happy she was about being a prefect.

"You know, Draco, I never thought we'd be together as prefects."Pansy started to hold my hand. My hand remained limp, "We get a compartment all to ourselves. That'll be nice," she blushed maroon.

"With the other prefects." I reminded her.

Pansy looked crestfallen, "Oh. Well anyways, I had a splendid summer..." She kept talking for a while before we got on the train.

"Sometimes I really want to punch her." I thought. Pansy was now gripping my hand, and I would fall if I didn't hold hers. No matter what, Pansy always managed to get on my nerves. We stepped onto the train and went into the prefect's compartment.

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