Ordinary.

Platinum blonde

As I watched you from afar, I only wished you would notice me from up close.

+

     And here is where my story begins. I see you have already met me, Olivia. This isn't one of your beloved fairy tales. No, this is real life. No Prince Charming to save the day, no fairy godmother to make me look better, nothing.  Maybe a wand and some magic here and there, but this is ordinary life. Plain and bland, like the rest of the world.

- Olivia Taylor

  As father parked the car, I stood there, furrowing my brows.
"Umm... are you sure this is it? I don't see owls or wands or even wizards..." I didn't want to sound petty or anything.
"Oh you don't go around waving wands and doing magic carelessly like an idiot! Surely you realize that this is where the muggles go to shop, Olivia." Grandma snapped.
I reluctantly followed Father to an old shack, smooshed between the other shops. Nobody would have noticed it since it sat uncomfortably small.
" the Leaky Cauldron" What a lovely name huh? almost in disbelief that this is where I was supposed to get everything on the list. I wasn't as entirely excited as once in the beginning of the car ride.
     Father joyfully threw open the wooden door, as the horrible stench of sweat and rotten bear smacked me in the face. It was just awful. I crinkled my nose and noticed that I had to be the only child there. Father was busy talking to the bartender. Shortly after, he signaled us to the back room. This room smelled a bit better, yet the beer still lingered in the air above us.
"Stand BACK!" He whipped out his wand and tapped the brick wall. I watched before my eyes as the wall was simply not a wall at all. It had magically turned into an alleyway of a busy street that roamed with young witches and wizards.

"Fist up on the list... Flourish and Blotts!" Father clapped his hands and left to go to Gringott's for some extra money. Grandma ended up disappearing, so I was left by myself, as the sea of crowded people had me like a salmon, trying to swim upstream.
"You seem to be lost darling, are you now?" The low, icy voice shook every bone in my body, causing me to jump startled; looking like a lost puppy on someone's front porch. The man who had spoke seem to be quite tall, and had platinum blonde hair that hung from the sides of his face. He was covered in all black, contrasting with his pale face; as if he hadn't gone outside for years. One particular thing that stood out was his cane. It looked strangely familiar; made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. He smiled, yet the ends of his lips seem to have curled downwards.
     He broke the silence first. "Well my son here—get over here— is going to be attending Hogwarts, and if you don't mind, you can join him at Flourish and Blotts. I have business elsewhere. Come on now, get a move on." He shoved the boy towards me, as he too had disappeared in the swarm of people.
     I turned to look at the scrawny boy, his head hung low. He too, had the same platinum blonde hair. He looked at me and rolled his eyes. Quite an attitude, I'd say.
"C'mon" he dragged the end of his words as if he needed to be there right this instance. I quickly started walking close behind the boy. I didn't know where else to go.
"Umm... I'm Olivia by the way. Olivia Taylor." I tried to sound nice. He slowly turned to me with tired eyes and kept walking.
"Aren't you going to tell me who you are?" I said defensively.
     He pursed his lips and then continued, not stopping,"... Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." I've heard the name, Malfoy before, but I couldn't quite remember how.
"So how do we get there anyways? It's my first time so if you don't mind me asking, I'd like to know." I crossed my arms as my way of putting up a cold front.
     He sighed annoyed and put on a fake smile. "Flourish and Blotts, like my father said. It's on the north side of the alleyway, halfway down the street, on the left. My father says it's where every student has to purchase their school books."
     I know this Malfoy boy is going to get on my nerves, I swear. We ended up at the bookstore, and it was swarmed with young people. The warm and cozy scent of cinnamon and parchment filled the air. This was way better than that dirty old pub. Why couldn't it smell like this? I walked around, looking at all of the bookshelves. I pulled out my crumpled piece of parchment that was once my list, and began reading off the books, while Malfoy pulled them out of the stocky bookcases. With Malfoy close behind, we managed to garner all of our books in a small cauldron. We lined up in the back of the bookstore, waiting to pay.
As I walked up to the counter, I was greeted by a small old lady, whose face looked more crumpled than my parchment list. She took her time, and finally gave me the total.
     "That will be 13 galleons, hon." She smiled at me with her giant teeth. I bet she gives out free butterscotch too.
     I rummaged my pockets for the loose change my father handed me. I started counting up my money. I ended up with only 10 galleons, 7 sickles, and 12 knuts. Great. Now I have to wait for my father to pay for these, and hold up the rest of the line. I started panicking, looking around at the huge crowd behind me, impatiently crossing their arms, or tapping their foot to get this over with. Without another moment passed, the platinum blonde haired boy walked up and handed the lady 26 galleons.
     "For the both of us. Thank you." And he walked out with both of our books. I hated it when other people paid for things, it made me feel undeserving. Like it's just charity work for them. I don't want to sound ungrateful though.
     "Thanks, uh Malfoy." I slugged the book bag over my shoulder and walked out with him. He smiled at me and nodded. Like a genuine smile. I looked down at my feet, since this whole time he has been nagging at me and being nothing but utterly mean.
     "Umm... do you know where I can find Gringott's?" I asked hesitantly since he hadn't said anything.
     "Down the road, there is a giant monument building. Cant miss it." He pointed toward a vague direction before heading off, walking away from me.
     "Where are you going?!" I yelled back at him.
     "Well I'm not going to go dilly dallying all day with you, now am i? I have to go get my robes fitted anyways." With a sharp turn of his heel, he was swallowed by the crowd. I suppose he wouldn't stay with me the whole time, but I didn't expect him to leave so soon. I just hope he doesn't bother me.