White Nights

“Are your books packed? What about your wand? And your robes, you didn’t forget your robes like you did last year, did you?” Delia rattled on to Abbey, who wasn’t listening to a word of what her mother was saying.

A chime came from the scarlet Hogwarts Express, signaling final departure in five minutes.

“Time for me to go. Bye mum, I love you. I’ll write to you as soon as I’m settled in!” Abbey called out to her mother as she climbed aboard the train.

Abbey turned to her mother once more, her sun kissed blonde hair entangling in her mouth as she gave her mother a parting wave, then turned to enter the train. Abbey strolled along the aisles of the different compartments, taking in the sights of the excited new and returning students and soaking up the emotions of first day jitters. Eventually, Abbey settled down in an empty compartment towards the back of the train. Abbey’s best friend, Felicity Comstock, was suffering from a bad case of the measles and wouldn’t be returning to Hogwarts for another week, so Abbey expected to sit by herself on the train.

Abbey had her fair share of friends, and was considered by some to be quite popular, but she preferred to spend the long train ride in quiet and solitude. With a content sigh, Abbey sat herself down on the seat, opened up her small beaded bag and pulled out her knitting tools. Abbey loved knitting, it calmed her. Abbey pulled out the wool scarf she’d been working on for the past two weeks and began to continue working diligently.

Draco Malfoy watched from a distance as Abbey sat down in an empty compartment and began to work away on knitting a scarf. Draco’s mother’s parting words remained fresh in his mind as he began to approach the compartment.

“Protect her. Don’t let anyone hurt her. She’s in grave danger, Draco. Her survival is your responsibility now.”

Draco had nodded solemnly at his mother’s grave reminder before boarding the Hogwarts Express. His mind was already cluttered enough without this new task of protecting Abbey Morrison. Draco decided to join Abbey in her compartment. She seemed to be hard at work knitting her scarf and probably wasn’t up for much conversation. Draco needed quiet, he needed to think.

Draco hesitantly stepped into the compartment and sat across from Abbey. She didn’t even bother to glance up at her new companion, she merely continued her knitting. Draco smirked, if this girl continued to keep to her own business they would definitely get along. Draco closed his eyes and began to sort through the thoughts that cluttered his mind.

“What is your favorite kind of flower, Draco?” Abbey asked, her eyes still concentrated on her knitting.

Draco’s brow furrowed as he looked over at Abbey, a strange look on his face.

“How do you know my name?” he asked in confusion.

“I believe I asked you a question first. It is impolite to ask a person question before answering their question,” Abbey replied calmly, tucking a strand of her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear.

Draco scoffed, crossed his arms and looked out the train’s window at the lush meadows and plains that were passing them by.

“I don’t like flowers,” he spat arrogantly.

Abbey pushed another strand of hair behind her ear before shaking her head solemnly.

“That’s a shame. I quite like dahlias. They’re not very popular, but they’re quite lovely.”

“Fantastic,” Draco replied sarcastically before asking his original question again, “So how do you know me name?”

“You were at daddy’s funeral. Our mothers are good friends, you know. Plus, my mum told me I might be paid a visit from you today.”

“She did?”

Draco wasn’t exactly sure if Abbey’s mother had told Abbey of Draco’s mission to protect her, or if perhaps her mother had fed her a spoonful of lies about Draco wanting to hang around her more.

“My mum speaks very highly of you and your family, Draco. Your family has done great things to help the Dark Lord.”

The hairs on Draco’s arms stood on end as he quickly slammed the door to their compartment shut and made sure no one around them had heard Abbey.

“Have you gone mad?!” he exclaimed as loudly as could without drawing attention from their neighboring compartments. “Do you want everyone at Hogwarts to know that our families are associated with the Dark Lord?!”

Abbey stopped her knitting and placed her work inside her small bag. She sighed and finally lifted her head, so she could make eye contact with Draco.

“I don’t think it’s anything to be ashamed of. Why shouldn’t people know that our families are followers of the Dark Lord?” she replied as calmly as though she was discussing the weather.

“Because you can be thrown into Azkaban for it!” Draco spat, resenting thoughts of his father rotting away in Azkaban lurked in the back of his mind.

Before Abbey could reply, a nosey Ravenclaw prefect stuck his head into their compartment with a suspicious scowl on his face.

“Is everything all right in here?” he asked.

“Not at all. We’re just having a civilized debate,” Abbey replied to him with a peachy smile.

Draco scoffed as soon as the Ravenclaw left. Abbey Morrison’s phoniness was sickening.