Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 8 - New Year's Eve

 Here's a nice long chapter for you all! Thank you so much for your patience :)

 Al was getting bored of being alone. She spent as much time in the library as Granger, who was now great friends with Harry and Ron. Neville was always a friendly face, but constantly working to make up for his apparent incompetence. So she'd been avoiding him too, and he seemed to have started working in Gryffindor tower instead.

 She could barely catch Harry alone to see him, as Ron and Granger seemed insistent that she not hang around with them, by forcing Harry into Gryffindor tower at every possible moment. Al had tried sitting through Gryffindor quidditch practices, but their captain said she could be spying, so had to leave. So now she hardly saw Harry at all, aside from in potions. And even then they sat apart.

 It was that Thursday before Harry's first match that Draco finally apologised. Al had taken her usual seat at the back of Transfiguration when he sat next to her. She made to argue, but he cut across her, "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have laughed. But you need to stop being so bossy." She made to argue again but he spoke again, "Don't say you aren't, because you are. So I'll stop laughing at people if you stop being bossy." She didn't need to say anything back, she just smiled and nodded.

 Life was much better with Draco by her side. Al didn't fit in as well as he did with the other Slytherins, so he helped her with that. And she helped him a little with his independence. Harry's match passed by and she cheered for the Slytherin's. When Harry caught the snitch, she didn't cheer or clap, but she did give him a thumbs up when he looked over. He smiled and sped off to join his teammates.

 Before she knew it, Christmas was there, and she was making arrangements to visit home for the holidays and go to Draco's New Year's Eve party. "Are you sure your parents can't make it?" he asked for the millionth time as they stepped onto Platform 9 and 3/4.

 "Yes I'm sure," she responded for the millionth time. Al hadn't even bothered asking if they wanted to come because she knew their answer would be no.

 Christmas flew by, and she didn't forget to send Harry his present (chocolate) via Dill. She'd sent Christmas cards to all her Gryffindor friends - including Ron - but had only received one back from Neville. Soon she found herself in front of her bathroom mirror, putting on some mascara and eyeshadow that she'd been bought, getting ready for Draco's party.

 The journey was an hour by car, so she hauled her overnight bag into the boot and hopped into the front seat with her Pa. They travelled in silence, with just the radio blaring through the evening. Eventually, they stopped at some traffic lights and her Pa shuffled in his seat. "So this Draco fellow," he started, "he's just a friend, eh?"

 "Yeah, 'course he is," she said, picking at her nail varnish.

 "Not tried any funny business, has he?" he said, driving forward through the green lights.

 "What? No, don't be silly," she responded looking up at him. He continued to look ahead.

 They were just driving along a country road when the radio started playing white noise, and then the engine of the car spluttered to a halt. Mr Dursley huffed back in his chair, fiddling with the ignition, all whilst muttering, "stupid bloody car," over and over to himself.

 "Pa, I think it's the magic," Al pointed out, watching as he froze in his seat.

 "Don't say that word," he replied, very slowly and deliberately.

 "We could walk from here, it's only a few minutes," she suggested. Al could see the cogs whirring in his head, and for a moment thought he may say she couldn't go, but then he reached into the backseat and grabbed his coat.

 "Come on then." The two walked down the rest of the road before arriving at a pair of tall iron gates, blocking the remainder of the road. "Is this it, then?" her Pa asked her. She nodded, double-checking the address on the scrap of parchment she'd been given. "I'll see you in," he said, drawing himself up to make himself bigger, "but I don't want any chit chat with this bloke."

 Al turned to open the gate, but at her touch, it opened itself. She stepped across the threshold, "I'll wait here," her Pa said from behind her.

 She nodded again, "OK." She took a brisk walk up the long drive. In the darkness and gloom, the trees lining the drive appeared to be figures, shifting every now and then in the night time breeze. Sometimes, a bush would jerk suddenly at her side to reveal a shadow, but in the dim light of the moon, Al couldn't quite make it out.

 Suddenly, a figure appeared on the path in front of her. It seemed to turn to face her, almost menacingly. She felt for her wand in her jacket, just in case. The silhouette made towards her slowly and then she saw through the fog the shape cleared to be nothing but a white peacock. How very Draco Malfoy.

 She finally reached the front steps and heard a faint buzzing sound coming from the entrance. Golden light cascaded down the steps, and the smell of something baking in an oven wafted at her nostrils. Suddenly, Draco's head appeared from behind the door, his teeth flashing in a broad smile, "Al's here!" he called behind him. A few more voices drew closer to the doorway, and soon Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle appeared. "There's only a few of you here so far," he continued leading her inside.

 Al hung her jacket in the cloakroom and placed her bag underneath it, "A house-elf will take that up to your room for you," Draco told her with another smile. She was then led into a vast ballroom, with little round tables dotted around. A musician-less band played on the far end of the room, with only the instruments hovering there. Little silver platters carrying canapes and glasses of champagne floated around and a few guests stood collecting food from the buffet in a corner. In the centre of the room was a square area of polished floor, where guests were twirling and swaying to the music.

 Draco guided her through the room until he reached a group of four adults, deep in conversation, which Draco swiftly interrupted, "Mother, Father, this is Al. I told you about her in my letters." One of the women turned to face them, looking very stern indeed. She smiled down at Al, giving a man with long white-blond hair - like Draco's - a sharp nudge with her elbow. He too now turned to face them both.

 Al spoke up, "It's nice to meet you both. Draco talks about you all the time." She watched her friend's cheeks turn pink and then turned back to his parents.

 "Yes, I'm Narcissa and this is Lucius," his mother stated, "Al is such a lovely name - is it short for anything?"

 "Oh - er - yes; my name's really Alexandra," she replied as politely as possible.

 "Well, Alexandra, you're welcome here anytime, seeing as you're such a good friend of Draco's," Lucius said and with that, Draco led her off to join their other classmates that had arrived.