The Fallen Angels

"Great," I grumbled shoving through the crowd of people. "That's just my luck." I clutched a few books to my chest as I made my way to one of the doors of the train. I had been following Harry, Ron, and Hermione, till I lost them in the crowd.

Sighing I boarded the train alone and found an empty compartment. I took a seat, pulling out a book to read, deciding that I would stay in one spot for a while before getting up to find the trio. I pulled out my book, leaning up against the wall, facing towards the compartment door. I bent my knees up and began to read.

A while after the train had begun its journey towards the school, I thought about getting up to find Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but decided against it. I was too comfortable and too invested in my book to find the trio. I jumped when the compartment door opened. There stood Draco Malfoy, dressed in his slytherin robes, he shifted uneasily in the doorway. I frowned at the sight of him. In all honesty, even when Draco was rude and arrogant, I still found him attractive. Now being a young teenager, he had grown out of his boyish face, making him more attractive. I blushed slightly, trying to advert my thoughts.

“Do you mind,” he gestured to the bench opposite mine. Afraid of retaliation, I shook my head no, and he seated himself across from me. “I’m sorry if I’m disturbing your reading, I couldn’t handle my friends any longer.” I shook my head, smiling. “I’m Draco,” he added.

“I know,” I mumble, closing up my book, resting it against my legs.

“Usually when someone introduces themselves, you introduce yourself back,” he smirked. Blushing I shook my head. “No?” I shook my head again. “I’ll find out who you are before I leave,” he smirked mischievously. I rolled my eyes, looking back to my book. “How was your summer?” he asked nonchalantly.

“I did a bit of traveling,” I shrugged, “Not much else. What about you?”

“Uneventful,” he sighed. I rolled my eyes at his answer. “What house are you in?”

I chuckled, “Slytherin, Malfoy. I am a Slytherin.” His eyes narrowed at me, I rolled my eyes at him.

“Who are your friends,” he pried.

I shook my head, “I’m not gonna answer that, Mr. Malfoy.” It was his turn to roll his eyes. “Tell me about yourself, Draco.”

"Well," he sighed sitting back in his seat and then began his story.

******

"You blew up a peacock!" I giggled a few hours later.

"Yeah," Draco chuckled back. "My dad was so mad I think he was about ready to blow me up." I barked out a laugh. “So what about you? Do I get to know anything about you?”

I opened my mouth to speak but snapped it shut when the train shook and the brakes squealed against the metal tracks. I got up and opened the compartment door once it had stopped. I looked out out in the hallway and smiled seeing Harry's head stuck out a few compartments away. I went to say something when the train jolted and I fell back into the compartment into my previous seat.

"What's going on?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I dunno."

The lights started to flicker. I shrank back into my seat, moving back away from the door. "Scared of the dark," he teased, jokingly.

I looked at him with wide eyes, "It's not funny. You don't know the creatures that lurk in the darkness, Draco. They aren't something to joke about."

The train shook again, I yelped, pulling my legs up to me as the compartment became cold. "Do you know what it is?"

I followed his gaze and gasped as a dark hooded figure passed the compartment door. "Dementor," I whispered. I waited a few minutes before I got up and peeked out the door to see a white light coming from Harry's compartment. The dementor came flying back and I fell back onto the seat next to Draco as it went by. "Harry," I gasped jumping up and grabbing my bag.

"Harry?" asked Draco. "As in Harry Potter?"

I paused in the doorway as the lights flickered back on. "Harry's my friend, Draco. As well as Hermione and Ron." I shake my head. "Go ahead and hate me again, Draco. Thanks for talking with me." I then left and ran down to Harry's compartment as the train began to move again. "Is he alright," I asked gazing down at the unconscious Harry.

"Where've you been?" Ron squeaked as Hermione tried to wake Harry up.

"Reading a few doors down. Is he okay?"

"Harry," Hermione continued. "Harry, are you alright," she asked as he opened his eyes. Harry sat up and Hermione handed him his glasses, mumbling a thanks.

"Here, eat this," a man said handing Harry a piece of chocolate. I eyed him, wondering who he was. "It helps. It's all right. It's chocolate."

Hesitantly, Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it. "What was that thing that came?"

"It was a dementor," I said instantly.

The unknown man nodded, "One of the guards of Azkaban. It's gone now," he assured us. "It was searching the train for Sirius Black. If you'll excuse me," he said standing up, "I need to have a little word with the driver." I moved out of the way and he stepped into the doorway of the compartment. "Eat. You'll feel better," he nodded to Harry before leaving.

Harry bites off a piece of chocolate and I sit down next to him and Hermione gets off the ground and sits next to Ron. "What happened to me?" asked Harry.

"Well, you sort of went rigid. We thought maybe you were having a fit or something," frowned Ron.

"And did any of you, you know, pass out?" asked Harry.
Ron shook his head, "No. I felt weird though. Like I'd never be cheerful again."

"But someone was screaming. A woman," frowned Harry.

"No one was screaming, Harry," Hermione said shaking her head.

I gently touched Harry's arm. "We'll be arriving soon. We should change."

The three of them nodded. We grabbed our bags and then went off to the bathrooms to change. Not too long after the train pulled into Hogsmeade station and we braced ourselves for the rain. Once in the crowd, I again lost Ron, Harry, and Hermione. I was searching for an empty carriage when someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into one of the dark carriages.

"Thanks," I breathed pulling off my hood.

"You're welcome, Abigail."

I looked up and saw Draco sitting next to me. I quickly looked down, "Hi, Draco." I shifted away from him looking at my hands.

"What, now that I know who you are, you're afraid of me?" he asked.

I shook my head, "I'm not afraid of you, Draco. I just assumed ..." Draco just shook his head smirking. The carriage ride was quick and Draco and I quickly rushed into the dry halls of the school.

"Abigail!" Hermione called rushing up to us. She immediately stepped back seeing Draco next to me. "We were worried about you."

I smiled. "I'm fine. I just don't do well in crowds, obviously."

"So you're okay?" she whispered slightly. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Draco roll his eyes.

"I'll met you at the table, Draco," I swallowed, still unsure of our friendship. He nodded to me and stalked away. Hermione's eyes went wide once he was gone.

"Is that who you were with on the train," she hissed as we walked towards the great hall. I nodded. "Are you mental! He's a Malfoy, Abby."

"It didn’t start out that way! I was reading and he just kind of showed up,” I shrug.

She shook her head, "He's not someone you trust, Abby."

I nodded, “I know.”

Hermione swallowed, "Okay. Just be careful."

I nod, "I will be." She smiled back. I hug her, "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye," she smiled and we parted ways.

I made my way down the Slytherin table, looking for a seat. “Abby,” Draco called at me. He patted the seat next to him, I nervously sat down next to him as the rest of the table eyed me.

"Um, excuse me." I looked up and saw Pansy standing next to me. "You're in my seat." I swallowed, beginning to get back up, but Draco stopped me.

“Find another seat, Pansy,” Draco said rolling his eyes.

"Draco," she whined, ever so annoyingly.

"There's a seat there, Pansy," he said pointing to the one across from him. "Sit there." She gave a little huff and walked off. I looked over to Draco who only shook his head.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," Dumbledore greeted after the sorting. "Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast. First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R. J. Lupin, whose kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, professor."

I clapped as the man who helped Harry stood up. "He's the one that helped Harry," I smiled.

"What happened to Potter," asked Draco.

"He passed out because-"

Draco turned, "Potter." He hissed. I looked over and saw Harry and Ron seated across the aisle from us. "Potter." Harry and Ron turned to look at him. "Is it true you fainted?" he slightly laughed as Miles Bletchley, one of the Slytherins mock fainted. "I mean, you actually fainted?"

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron growled turning him and Harry around again.

"Draco," I hissed.

"What," he chuckled looking over at me.

"Why did you do that!"

"'Cause it's funny."

Glaring I turned my attention back to Dumbledore. "Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce, that his place will be taken by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid." I smiled widely as cheered along with the Gryffindors as Hagrid stood up. "Finally," Dumbledore said quieting down the students, "on a more disquieting note, at the request of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the dementors Azkaban, until such a time as Sirius Black is captured." My breath hitched in my throat and my eyes grew wide. "The dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds. Now, whilst I've been assured that their presence will not disrupt our day-to-day activities, a word of caution. Dementors are vicious creatures. They'll not distinguish between the one they hunt and then one who gets in their way. Therefore, I must warn each and everyone of you to give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving. But you know, happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times..." Dumbledore waved his hand and one of the candles on his podium went out, "if one only remembers to turn on the light." He waved his hand again and the candle re-lit.

I looked at the table as Dumbledore finished his yearly reminders and then the feast appeared. I stared at the delicious food but didn't fill my plate. I wasn't hungry. Fear was too close. One of the most dangerous night creatures surrounded the grounds. I took deep even breaths, trying to stop myself from hyperventilating.

"Abigail?" I looked over at Draco, my teeth clenched, "Are you okay?" I nodded. He didn't look as though he believed me but turned back to his food anyway.

The feast ended as Dumbledore announced classes would be starting on Monday so we'd have the weekend to relax. He dismissed us and I caught Harry's arm as we walked out.

"Harry, I'm sorry," I said to him. "I told Malfoy you passed out. I didn't know he was going to tease you for it. It just sort of slipped out. I'm sorry."

Harry shook his head, "It's all right, Abbs."

"Potter," Draco's voice sneered as he walked up to us. "What are you doing talking with a Slytherin."

Harry scoffed, "She's been my friend for years, Malfoy." I shot a glare at Draco who just waited near the steps, glaring at Harry. "Night, Abbs," Harry sighed and then walked up the steps.

I turned to Draco. "Ready now?" he asked, a scowl plastered on his face.

I roll my eyes, "Grow up, Draco. He's my friend too."

"He's a blood traitor. The whole lot of them are," he grumbled as we walked downstairs.

I halted on the steps, "Then I am too, Draco." I then turned and stomped down the rest of the steps and into the common room.

I went up to the girls dormitory and changed into my pajamas. I laid down in my bed and thought about the conversation I had with Draco. After a few hours I rolled over and slowly drifted off to sleep.