Platform 9 ¾ was already buzzing with students left and right as we got there. Though, it wasn't even close to how busy it always was during term start. I never thought this many people stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas, but it did make a considerable difference.
My brother, his friends, and I parted ways almost as soon as we stepped onto the train. Harry, Ron, and Hermione slipping into the first empty compartment they found, and the twins joining another friend of their's in one soon after.
I continued my way through the train, glancing into every compartment I passed in hopes to see Luna's blond waves, Wren's unique hair, or Draco's platinum-blond one.
Though, once I've gotten to the end of the Express, and I still hadn't found them, I decided to walk back, find an empty compartment myself and wait for them there.
I sighed as I began to walk back the same way I just came from, not really concentrating on my surroundings; I walked here no less than two minutes ago, what could've really changed about any of it?
To my demise, I didn't put people into the equation.
"Careful, or you'll run someone over like that."
His voice made me startle slightly, my eyes snapping up to his in an instant. I was met with a lazy smirk on his lips, his grey eyes piercing into mine, and his blond hair messily flopped over his forehead. I imagined it would bounce slightly as he walked.
"Draco," I greeted with a nod, and he tilted his head slightly at the words. His gaze slowly dragged itself away from my eyes, continuing down my face, my neck, my upper body- that's where it snapped back up to my neck.
His brows furrowed the tiniest bit, and I observed the motion carefully.
He turned his head, taking a few steps back to look into one of the compartments next to him, quickly opening the door almost a little too forceful.
He narrowed his eyes, gesturing me to get inside with a demanding look on his face. I furrowed my brows but slipped in through the door nonetheless.
As soon as I did, he followed my lead, slamming the door shut behind us and before I could react to it, his body had me pushed against that exact door.
His hands were propped on either side of my face, an almost threatening glare in his eyes, only inches between our faces. His eyes flickered down to my lips, only for a mere second, before he found himself by my ear.
"The necklace?" He asked in more of a growl than a whisper. His lips grazing my ear, his hot breath making my cold skin tingle as it warmed up. I hummed lowly at the sensation.
Before I could get myself to reply, his hand moved to my neck, tightening his hand with the tiniest amount of pressure, his face right in front of mine again. A smirk found itself on my lips, and he raised an eyebrow.
"Or do you prefer this?" He asked lowly, his eyes darkening and the pressure on the sides of my neck increasing. "You like my hand around your pretty neck, Y/n?"
I groaned at his words, my gaze flickering down to his lips. Biting my own as I watched his tongue move over them slowly. Making them look just so much more kissable.
But I was pulled out of the thought when the pressure around my neck increased once more, my eyes quickly meeting his again.
"Draco-" I managed to croak, and his brows raised expectantly as his hand slipped off my neck, though it just moved to cup my face, his thumb resting next to my lips.
I took a deep breath as soon as I could, a wide smirk spreading across my face as I moved my hand to the top of my shirt, before it disappeared in it. His eyes widened a little, following its every move.
"I'm wearing it, you buffoon," I said amused, pulling the necklace out from under my shirt, twirling the ring on it between my fingers once.
His face filled with realisation quickly, his mouth forming an 'O'-shape as he looked back and forth between me and the necklace. An awkward chuckle followed after an even more awkward pause.
"I'm so sorry," He breathed, his hand tracing down my neck, moving my face to either side to check whether he had left any permanent marks. By the way he sighed with relief, it didn't seem like he did. "I don't know what-"
I hushed him quickly, rolling my eyes before I escaped the prison he had me trapped in by ducking under his arm to get away. I sat on the seat closest to the window, and he sat down next to me after a second of hesitation.
"It's okay," I said with a smirk, enjoying watching him flustered. It's not a sight I'd get to see very often, I knew that; Making me savour every moment of it. "I didn't mind."
He didn't say anything for a second, probably playing my words over in his mind until a smirk appeared on his face. He raised an eyebrow, nodding.
"Of course you didn't," He laughed dryly, all signs of embarrassment swept away. Instead, he was radiating with confidence again. "I'd even go as far as saying you liked it, hm?" He teased.
I diverted my eyes off of him as I felt myself blush, looking out of the window, and secretly hoping nobody had seen the scenes that unfolded in here just a few minutes ago.
The platform had pretty much cleared out, leaving only parents standing there waving at their kids.
Before I could say anything to his statement; not sure whether I would've denied, or agreed to it anyway, the door to the compartment slid open and my gaze fell on the two girls standing in it.
"There you are!" Wren said with a wide smile, and Luna waved from behind her. "Move it," She mumbled, shooting Draco a look that made him move enough for her to get to me.
She pulled me into a long hug, sighing when my arms wrapped around her, too. "Missed you!" She laughed before letting go of me and straightening her back again.
Luna had already taken the seat opposite of mine, smiling at me with a nod that I returned. My best friend gave me another long look, seemingly calculating her next move, and then sighed.
Her eyes moved over to her girlfriend, the latter giving her a look only they would understand.
Then Wren turned towards Draco, pausing in her movement once more before pulling the blonde into a quick hug as well. It took a second before he loosely wrapped his arms around her back as well, his brows furrowed just as much as mine were.
"Hi," He managed to say, clearly taken aback by her warm welcome. Luna nodded satisfied at the scene, squeezing Wren's thigh gently as she sat down next to her.
Of course this was her doing. I smiled softly at the thought of the conversation they must have had beforehand.
The train started moving soon after, and the pair opposite of us was telling us all about their Christmas break, when Draco leaned towards me, his lips close to my ear again.
"I take it you didn't spend your Christmas at the Inkwood's, then?" He whispered, obviously already knowing the answer as he referred to the words in his letter.
If you're staying with the Weasley's instead, I'm officially retracting my letter completely and you're not allowed to read any further.
I gave him a quick look, flashing an apologetic smile at the memory. He returned it with a roll of his eyes and a squeeze of my thigh before focusing back on the ongoing conversation.
"I thought about that favour you asked me for," Draco broke the quiet that had lingered for a while now, his eyes not moving off the scenery outside.
Halfway through the train ride, Wren and Luna fell asleep, and simultaneously the compartment fell completely quiet. Both Draco and I awake, but hanging after our thoughts instead of talking about them.
"Hm?" I followed up, turning in my seat to face him.
"I'll do it," He sighed. "I'll try and teach your stupid twin Occlumacy."
My eyes widened, and both of my eyebrows shot up in utter surprise. Honestly, I had given up on that. Almost forgotten I even asked completely.
I overcame my urge to squeal loudly, embrace him tightly, and thank him a million times; Instead, my expression was one of complete surprise and unexpectedness as I looked at him, waiting for the catch.
"Under one- actually, two, conditions," He continued, and I was glad I had had enough self-control to not fall victim to my urges because, Merlin, were they gonna be some harsh conditions.
"Which are?" I asked curiously, my head tilted.
"I'll give him a month. If it didn't help by then, that's on him. With the OWL's coming up, I really have better things to do than tend to a charity case," He sighed, massaging his temples as he probably already regretted his decision.
"Acceptable," I agreed, nodding slowly as I waited for him to go on.
The frown he had worn on his face turned into a smirk, and I knew his second condition would've been a lot less acceptable. I sighed, preparing myself for the worst as he began to speak.
"You'll owe me one," He began. "And I mean that in the most literal sense. You owe me one; whatever I want, whenever I want it. If I knock on your dorm at 3 am asking you to hide a body for me, you will. Because you owe me one." He looked at me, the smirk still on his lips, though the rest of his features looked completely serious.
I sighed once more. "I can't possibly agree to something when I don't even know what it's gonna be," I said sternly, hoping he would change his mind; ask me to do his charms homework for a month, instead, but he shook his head.
"It's this or no deal. I don't negotiate," He shrugged, his eyes falling back on the window through which you could make out Hogwarts in the distance by now.
I thought hard, and long. Maybe a little too long. But as soon as I remembered how important this was, how many lives probably depended on Harry Potter mastering stupid Occlumacy, I nodded.
"Deal it is, then. Thanks." I held my hand out, and he shook it with a smile.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Potter."
Now, all I had to do was convince Harry that this was a good idea, too.