Chapter Text
Soren De Ville walked quickly and quietly along the train platform, keeping her head down like she'd always been taught. She followed a group of loud redheads and a dark-haired boy with glasses run towards the barrier between platforms 9 & 10.
As she appeared on the other side, Soren took a few seconds to stare wide-eyed at her surroundings before shuffling over to the big, old-fashioned train that was stopped at the platform and heaving her bags into the train car. Just as she was struggling to heave her heaviest bag into the train, another girl her age skipped over with an older man who was carrying her bags.
"Hi, I'm Pansy!" the girl cried excitedly, "What's your name?"
"Pansy, honey, try to calm down a little. You'll scare the poor thing away. Do you need help, little one?" the man, who Soren decided had to be Pansy's father, asked in a murmur.
"N-no. It's ok sir, really. I just need a little help with my bag, is all," Soren replied softly.
The man quickly pulled the bag from her hands and with a swift shove hauled it onto the train.
"THERE you go," he huffed, wiping a little sweat from his brow, "Now - hop in girls! Hogwarts awaits!"
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As the girls sat together on the train, other students bustled around them, and some even sat and talked for a little. Soren sat silently, listening to Pansy's eager chit-chat with older students.
When people finally stopped coming into the carriage and the girls were alone, Soren spoke.
"Thanks for sitting with me," she whispered, "I'm Soren, by the way."
"You already know my name, but I'm Pansy," the girl replied, "We're going to be best friends and rule Hogwarts TOGETHER!"
Just as she spoke, a blonde-haired boy and his two cronies walked, or strutted rather, into their carriage. The boy smirked, crossing his arms and staring at the girls in a way that made Soren shiver and hide behind her new friend. Pansy glared back up at him with a defiant look and pushed herself in front of Soren, sensing her discomfort.
"Oo-hoo-hoo, you two, the queens of the school? That's a laugh!" the boy jeered.
"Shut up Draco!" Pansy shouted back, "We don't want you here!"
"Oh but I very much want to stay, don't I boys?" he replied in a mocking tone, the two cronies nodding and laughing along like puppets.
"My name's Draco," he said almost softly, "Draco Malfoy."
He stuck out his hand, probably assuming Soren would shake it. To his shock and Soren's amazement, Pansy slapped his hand out of the way.
"I said, MOVE ON!" she shrieked at him, "I don't want to be your friend, and Soren certainly doesn't either!"
Draco left without another word and the girls rushed to get on their robes. Soren sat in thoughtful silence, admiring her new friend's courage and strength, and humming to herself a new melody. She knew that as long as she was friends with Pansy, nothing at Hogwarts could hurt her. Not even bullies like Malfoy and his friends.