Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 10

'Alyssia! Did you have a nice summer?' Hermione asks, hugging me tightly. I am staying at Hermione's house for the last few days of the summer holidays. 'It was great, thanks. You?' I ask, as she stands aside to let me come in.
'Brilliant. It's so good to see you again!'
'Same to you! I'm really excited to go back now, see everyone, learn more complex spells.'
'Same. We'll need to go to Diagon Alley soon, the letters still haven't come yet. They're late this year, very late.'
'That's a really good point, actually. I hadn't thought of that.'
'Maybe this year will be more quiet than the last.' I laugh at this.
'Let's see.'

Over the summer, I spent my time doing practically nothing. I went to stay at my dad's for a week, and we went to a theme park with mum. Otherwise, I poured over the spell and story books that I had become so familiar with in the past year. I have to admit, I am excited to get the new books, because I know almost all of the words in my year one textbooks. Ginny, Ron's younger sister, is starting Hogwarts this year, too, and I'm so excited to meet her finally. Ron seems adamant that she will be in Gryffindor, and I have to agree. All the Weasleys have been Gryffindors.

Otherwise, the majority of the holidays, I spent writing letters to Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco. We were not out of contact for one moment in the holidays, even if we couldn't spend time face to face. Me and Hermione often talked on the telephone when mum wasn't scolding me for running up the phone bill. There wasn't much going on. In all honesty, I was a little worried about Harry. He didn't respond to any of the letters that I sent him over the holidays. 'Hey, did Harry get back to any of your letters?' I ask Hermione as she indicates for me to sit down on her bed.

'Now that you mention it, he didn't. I must have sent him at least one letter a week. Did he get back to you?'
'Nope, I wrote every week, too. I never got one letter back. I wonder if Ron is the same.'
'The way Harry puts it, I'm hardly surprised that he hasn't wrote.'
'What do you mean?'
'Well, the way he describes those relatives of his. I wouldn't be surprised if they've ripped up every letter he's tried to send.'
'You're right there.' I frown. 'Ron and Draco have been in touch frequently, and you, obviously . . . just not Harry.'
'Yes, Ron has been in touch with me, too.' Hermione nods. 'So, you've been in touch with Draco, then?'
'Yes, every week.' I nod. Hermione knows fine well that I've known Draco longer than anyone at Hogwarts.

'So, what should we do?'
'I was just about to ask you the same question. I'm easy, any suggestions?' I shrug, laying back.
'I was thinking that we could just chill, catch up. It's been so long since we've talked face to face.'
'Hermione, dear! Alyssia! Your Hogwarts letters have arrived!' I hear Hermione's mum shout. The both of us jump up and rush down the stairs, tearing our letters open. I scan the contents of the list, exchanging excited looks with Hermione.

'We'll have to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow.' Hermione's mum concludes when Hermione hands her the list. 'Is that okay with you girls?'
'Yup.' Me and Hermione chorus, and her mum grins.
'Tea will be ready soon, you two.'
'Okay, mum.' Hermione leads both me and her from the kitchen, back to her room, where the both of us laugh and talk all night, solely speaking of the holidays. Soon, we decide to send an owl to Ron and an owl to Harry, asking if they can go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to meet us. I write to Harry.

Harry,

I know you haven't been responding to your letters recently, but I just want to check really quickly. Would you be able to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow? Maybe we could all meet? I know it's later, but please think it over. We will be there for one in the afternoon.
Alyssia

I seal the letter in an envelope and send it away, watching the owl until it is gone.

-*-

'Come on! We'll miss the train!' Hermione rushes, and I hurl myself at the barrier, going through and onto platform nine and three quarters. I watch as Hermione and her parents emerge next to me, and me and Hermione board the train, dumping our luggage with all of the other trunks and walking through the train, looking for Harry and Ron. 'Where are they?' I ask, confused.
'Your guess is as good as mine. Come on, this compartment is spare, I'm not risking losing a free compartment.' Hermione and I slide the door shut behind us, waiting.

However, we don't see any Harry or Ron. They're no where to be seen. Hermione and I take it in turns checking the compartments, but they're not on the train. When the whistle goes and we pull away, after waving to Hermione's parents, that's when we really start to panic. 'They've missed the train!' Hermione wails.
'But how? The rest of the Weasleys are here.'
'Someone say Weasley?' It's Fred and George.
'You two haven't seen Harry and Ron, have you?'
'No, not now you mention it.' Fred shakes his head. I put a hand to my forehead.
'Malfoy's looking for you, by the way.' George rolls his eyes and looks disgusted.
'Honestly -'
'Don't.' I warn him, and the twins leave the compartment. I worriedly fiddle with the hem of my shirt. It's not like Harry and Ron to not find us. I highly doubt that they are under the invisibility cloak somewhere, that just doesn't seem likely. Hermione is looking just as worried as I am by this point in the journey, as we're halfway there. Where are they?