Distance // Draco Malfoy

Prologue

A/N

So this is my first hp fanfic and honestly I'm so excited. I'm doing a Malfoy one because I'm freaking obsessed, I blame my best friend daenerysdiaries  (she did my cover) for this as she got me obsessed! But I'm really excited to write this book so yeah, enjoy!
Mazzie

My family always said I was "destined for great things". I don't think "great" was the word that came to mind when we received a parchment envelope, my name scrawled across it in gorgeous emerald green ink. As I turned the letter over in my hands and shouted of my mum, my little sister Morgan ran down the stairs and began to pull at my hair, screaming, 'Open it! Open it!' I tried to shake her off, scolding her for her behaviour as my feet took me to the kitchen. I turned the letter over and stared at the burgundy seal, a crest printed on it. What?
'Alyssia, what is it?' My mum asked, rather impatiently.

I tore the seal open and read the first line. And again. And again. 'What?!' I took a seat at the kitchen table before I stood up furiously. 'You - you -'
'What?'
'How can you ship me off to a freaking boarding school and not tell me?!' I shouted, my face reddening with anger and embarrassment. 'What? Give me that!' My mum snatched the letter furiously from my hand and read it over and over, before she sat down. 'Hog - hogwhat?' I looked down at the letter.
'Hogwarts?'
'There must be a mistake. I don't want you to worry, darling. I shall contact this school right now -'

A knock at the door made me start and I hurried to answer it. I looked ahead, only to see clothes. My face continued upwards until I saw a man. A tall man. He had a long beard and a pair of goggles on his head, dark eyes. 'Ah, you mus' be Alyssia.' He smiled.
'Sorry, sir. Do I know you?'
'Oh! Rubius Hagrid, Miss . . .?'
'Dolittle.' I held out my hand, which he took.
'Letter confusion, eh? Don' worry, 'ere to explain the lot. Mind if I come in?'
'Sure.' I stood aside to allow this giant of a man access to my home. 'Mum! We have a visitor.' My mum stormed into the hall and went instantly pale. God, she looked like she could faint. 'Don' worry, Miss. 'Ere to explain the lot.'

I helped escort my mother and Rubius Hagrid to the living room, and went to fetch my mother a glass of water. 'Now.' The giant said once we were all seated. He turned to me and surveyed me well. 'We don' expect the muggle-borns to understand, see.'
'Sorry?'
'Oh, righ'. Muggles. Non-magic people.'
'M-magic?' I felt my jaw drop.
'Why, Alyssia? You're a witch!' Silence.
'A - a what now? Is this some sick practical joke?' I asked in utter astonishment. My mum's eyes were rolling in her head. 'Nope. You're a witch.' He looked closely at me again. 'You've done things before, yes? That ye jus' couldn't explain?'

'I -' Memories flooded back. 'I can move objects with my eyes. Make leaves dance in my hand, grow a - grow a flower from a blade of grass . . .' I started slowly. 'Coinsidence, surely.'
'Alyssia, you're a witch. And you've been given a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'
'There are others?' I asked in utter astonishment.
'Oh yes, many at tha'.'
'But, sir -'
'Call me Hagrid. Now, in your letter you should find a list attached with all your things, when you're ready I'll escort ye there.'

Magically, unexplained, the letter floated toward us. My mum put her head in her hands, muttered something. 'But - but how do I get this - this stuff?' I asked, surveying the list. An owl, cat or toad?! A wand?! I must be going round the twist.
'Ah, tha's when I come in. 'Ere to escort ya to Diagon Alley.'
'Where?' Despite living in London, I had never heard of such a place in my life.
'Where you'll get all ye stuff. C'mon then, 'ave'nt got all day, unfortunately.' I helped my shaking mother up and half-carried her to the door.

Hagrid mounted the largest and most gigantic motorbike I've seen in all my life. 'Follow me in that thing.' He pointed to the car. My mum nodded but didn't move. I turned to Hagrid. 'She's not fit to drive.' I whispered.
'No problem, jus' come with me. You don' mind?' He turned to my mum, who shook her head. 'Go back inside.' I said. She nodded and left.
'Hop on, then.'

-*-

We approached a pub everyone was walking past without second glance titled The Leaky Cauldron. Hagrid pushed open the door, walked straight through, me at his heels, and out the back door. In a complicated manner, he tapped several bricks. Before my eyes, the bricks shape-shifted and moved to the side, gone in an instant. The street was busy and crowded with people marvelling at window displays, all wearing pointed hats, and was bustling and noisy. 'You got your money?'
'Oh, yes.' I held out a few twenty pound notes.
'That! It won' buy ye nothin' 'ere. C'mon, let's get it changed.' Hagrid led the way down the street to the most extravagant white building, taller than all others. 'What's Gr-Gryn-?'
'Gryngotts. Wizard bank.' He led us inside to a marble room with a beautiful crystal chandelier and over to the main counter. 'To change this, please.' He handed the money over to a stout man wearing a suit. 'What's that?' I said under my breath.
'These're goblins.' Hagrid replied. I nodded uncertainly. 'Thanks.' Hagrid said, taking some gold coins from the goblin and handing them to me. 'In your pocket. Oh, you'll need ye key.'
He turned to the goblin, 'We also require Miss Dolittle's key, please.' The goblin extracted a small gold key after a moment. 'Vault 865.' He said in a formal voice.

'Righ', first stop is your books. Jus' go in there an' ask someone to help you, I'll be righ' here.' I nodded at Hagrid and entered the shop. It was crammed with people looking on shelves, and I struggled to find someone to help me. Eventually, I asked one of the wizards, and he showed me to the right sections. 'First year, yes?'
'Yes, correct.' I nodded as he handed me a pile of books.
'Just make your way over and stand in that line, then.'
'Okay, thank you.' I went down the wooden staircase and joined the queue. I stood in silence, looking at my feet until a voice spoke, 'First year, too?' I looked up. A boy with slicked-back blonde hair, blue-grey eyes, a slightly (almost perminent-looking) smug expression and a pale face was looking from me to my books. 'Yes. It's nice to meet someone who is in the same boat.' I smiled. He gave me a broad grin and looked down at his own hands. 'Sorry, I didn't catch your name.' I said as we moved up one in the queue.
'Draco. Draco Malfoy.' He held out his free hand.
'I'm Alyssia Dolittle.' I shook his hand.
'So, how are you feeling about the new term?'
'Actually, I'm pretty nervous, it's just going to be so different this time round. You?'
'Confident. Father's certain - as am I - that I'll be in Slytherin.'
'Pardon?'

Draco smirked a little. 'The house. Surely you must know?'
'My family don't really . . . talk about it.' I mumbled.
'Oh. Well, there's four houses. Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Slytherin's the best.' He added. 'You practically live with your house. It's part of you.'
'Yeah, that sounds pretty cool.' I nodded, pulling out my list.
'What else do you need?' He asked inquistively.
'Everything, I've only just arrived. You wouldn't happen to know where I could get robes, would you?'
'Madam Malkin's.' He replied instantly, before looking down. 'I could go with you if you'd like?'
'Yeah. Yeah, that would be great.' I smiled. Draco looked up and grinned back before stepping up to the counter. He waited as I paid my money, I guessed that Galleons were the big gold things, as I didn't want to look silly. Draco then showed me out of the shop, and I informed Hagrid of my absence whilst Draco went to tell his father, and we met again amongst the crowds. And that's how it all started.