Mischief Managed || Draco Malfoy

17. Potter

"Pretty crappy way of asking you out, if you ask me." Hermione says.

Lydia rolls her eyes, setting her trunks with Hermione's beside the train. "I didn't ask you. And you've said that literally 100 times. Change the record, please? Jesus."

"How's it gonna work now we're back? You can't spend the whole day together like you have been." She says as they find their compartment.

"We know." Lydia shrugs. "We'll figure it out. We'll have free periods, periods together, free time. Hermione, we literally danced together at the Yule Hall and no one noticed. We're pros."

Hermione grins. "I still can't believe that. Draco Malfoy. Wow."

Lydia groans. Soon enough the train is moving, Lydia and Hermione all settled down. "So no Ron and Harry?" Lydia muses.

"Ron will join us... Harry, I don't know." Hermione admits. Lydia forces a smile and looks down. Hermione tuts and moves to sit by her friend as she watches her try and slyly wipe a tear. "Hey now, come on."

Lydia smiles as she sniffles. "I'm okay, I'm okay." She says before she bursts into tears, hugging her friend close. "I miss them! I miss Harry and Molly and Arthur! And I just want to make things better. He's my friend and he can't even look at me, he won't even listen to me. I hate that I've hurt him but I don't know what to do." She cries. "Maybe I should go home..."

Hermione strokes her hair gently. "Absolutely not! It'll all work out, I promise. We'll smooth everything over when the time is right."

Lydia shakes her head and stays cuddled against Hermione. She ends up falling asleep, Hermione not minding as she stays in place. She looks up from her book as the compartment door opens, Ron peaking in. "What's wrong with her?" He frowns, noticing the tears on Lydia's sleeping face.

"She's upset about the whole Harry thing." Hermione says softly. "Where is he?"

Just as she asks, Harry comes up behind Ron. "Who?"

"No one. Are you joining us?" She smiles.

Harry glances at Lydia. "Um.. Maybe later. Ron?"

"Yeah maybe later." Ron smiles small at Hermione and follows Harry away. She sighs heavily and looks down at Lydia, slowly pulling away from being her pillow. She sneaks out of the cabin, heading towards the nice ones that the Slytherins and rich brats hog.

She scribbles a note out and walks down the carriage, pretending to be looking for something, dropping the note as she passes Draco. She gives a fake sigh and heads back shaking her head, acting like she didn't find what she wanted.

Draco watches her for a moment, grabbing the note when no one is looking. He reads it. 'Emergency. Lydia'. He frowns deeply. "Scuse me." He says, slipping out of his seat and heading down the carriage.

He makes his way down the small corridor, peaking in every compartment until he finds Hermione stood waiting in one. He slips in, noticing Lydia asleep. "What's wrong? What's happened?" He says, kneeling by her and kissing her head gently.

Hermione leans on the window. "She wants to go home already..."

"Home? Why? Lydia never gets home sick, we aren't even there yet." He frowns as he stands.

"I think the whole Harry thing is getting to her." Hermione sighs. "She's managed to keep herself busy every day with you being there or me and you, but at night she couldn't sleep. I think it's all hitting her now that she'll have to face Harry. And being back in the magic world makes it easier to see her family, but Harry won't let it."

"Potter can shove what he wants where the sun doesn't shine." Draco snaps. "They are more her family than his, does he realise that? He can't dictate who she sees. I'll have words with him."