Hello Dear

1

September 1st 1996

I had always hated the smell that radiated from Platform 9 ¾. The distant smell of stale smoke and rust, not to mention the thought of breathing the same air as the weasel bunch.

The absence of my mother was irritatingly noticeable. My father had kept his distance, as usual. His pocket watch ticked in his hand as he continuously glanced at it, careful of the time. I have to leave for work soon. I might not see you off. I'm sorry dove. Excuses he had said to me on the way here in the taxi. I had rolled my eyes so far back that I was sure I would lose my vision.

It was always the same thing every year. My mother was too sick to come and see me off, and father had to work.

Sometimes I wish they never had me so I didn't have to act like it didn't bother me.

Today though, I was hopeful. For when my father left I could reunite with Draco. I hadn't seen him at all over the Summer, and we barely exchanged owls during this time. Just wanting to talk to him for the first time in a while gave me an uneasy feeling.

My father sighed. "Well, it is already 10:50 a.m. I should leave for work now." I felt his lips touch my check in a quick goodbye kiss and watch him wave to me as he walked back into the muggles' King's Cross Station.

Left alone in this Godforsaken place, I stretched my neck and stood on the balls of my feet as I looked for Draco. I wanted to know why he never wrote me back, why he ignored me. Last year, we were so close, spending the days in my room studying and laughing, and the nights in his room. Many familiar faces caught my eye. The weasel family and their fiery hair. I was surprised to see how much the weaselette had grown from the last time I saw her. A muggle witch, which, to no one's shock, was carrying around a couple books tight against her chest. A certain pair of twins, giggling as they boarded the express.

In the midst of looking for a certain blond, I found another.

"Daphne!" She ran over to give me a hug. "How was your Summer?"

She grinned at me, her golden hair getting tangled in my fingers. "Oh, the best! My family spent months all across the globe. It was surreal."

Like the Sun was finally shining down, I genuinely smiled back at her. "I'm glad to hear."

Emerging behind Daphne was her little sister, Astoria. She too had Golden hair and skin, but different from Daphne's light green robes, Astoria was dressed in dark grey ones and wore a somber expression to match.

"Good to see you Astoria," greeting her always felt odd.

She gave me a simple nod.

Daphne waved her off, whispering in my ear, "She's just distraught that the Holiday ended early. She met a boy in Brazil."

My breath was caught in the back of my throat. I linked arms with her and started towards the entrance of the Express. "You mean that her black void of a heart actually learned to love?!" Sarcastically, I smiled.

"Shhhhh," she laughed with me, stepping in front of me and into the designated Slytherin train cart. "She's still grieving over him."

"Poor thing," I giggled while we found an empty booth for us to sit down together. There were a few new faces scattered around, all looking petrified and worried. They always did. Daphne was the only one who showed any sort of kindness towards them. There were two little girls eying both of us from their booth window across from us. Where I glared back at them, Daphne gave a tiny smile.

I was still eyeing the girls as Daphne rooted me back to earth, "You grew out your hair." She reached out her wrist to touch the remnants of what once was my bangs.