Dear Draco,
I hope you are well. I hope you had a nice Christmas, mine was all I could've wished for and more I would say. It snowed for the entirety of Christmas eve but we had a clear sunny sky for Christmas day. How has the weather been where you live? I suppose you have eaten about a dossin or more sugar cookies by now, I can only imagine how delicious and sweet they taste. Myself, I have been indulging in hot chocolate with cinnamon. And to think, another year over. Time really does pass us by quickly. 1995 is drawing closer to it's end, and as we go into 1996 I can only hope for it to be even better. This past year has been a quite good one for me personally, bringing about new friends and all, and I am wishing for another year with peace in both the muggle and wizarding world. I hope the new year brings about a chance for our friendship to grow, because I've come to realize that you are not as bad as I once thought, even for a Slytherin boy. That is also a joke Draco, my attempt at wittiness you see. However, as I sit here writing to you, I find myself quite contempt with beginning a new year.
I am looking forward to going back to Hogwarts, and to see you once again.
By the way, I saw a shooting star the other night. Maybe that's a sign of something, but what do I know? It was a rather fantastic sight however.
Happy new year to you.
Best regards,
Ellie
She sent the letter off along with another response to Hermione, Harry and Ron. She had received short letters scribbled out by the red haired and brown haired boys, and she suspected Hermione to have forced them to write. But she was grateful, nonetheless.
New year's eve was soon upon her, and she spent the last day of 1995 with her entire family, cousins an all. The house was quite busy, and it quickly filled with loud chatter as everyone was conversing and betting about how the new year will turn out. Politics and wishes were topics that bounced around. There was a big buffé table in the kitchen with enough food to feed her entire family times three, and drinks were flowing. She sat on the couch, dressed in a black dress and black tights, looking out at the dark sky outside of her living room window when she saw something fly by. Draco's owl.
She put her glass of pink lemonade down before she hurried up the staircase to her room, her brown curls dancing along her back as she ran. She quickly opened her wooden door and slipped into her room where she found a letter laying on her window sill. She opened the window and grabbed the envelope, shaking it slightly to get the snow off of it before she sat down by her desk and carefully ripped it open.
She recognized his neat handwriting, and the black ink he uses with his luxurious quill.
Dear Ellie,
Everything is quite well with me, I hope you are good too. My Christmas was excellent, we had two days of clear skies, perfect for walks in the garden. Regarding the sugar cookies, you will find yourself to be quite correct, I am eating another one as I am writing to you, so excuse me if I send you a few crumbs by accident. They are very delicious, and I will tell you that I have quite the sweet tooth. Anyways, a new year. I feel alright leaving 1995 behind me, and I do hope for the best in 1996. A lot of things have happened this past year, not much of importance if I do get to say so myself, however I did gain a new friend for which I am most grateful. I want you to be my friend as we go into this new year too Ellie, so please stick around.
You are right to wish for peace, and quite optimistic too. However I am bound to agree with you, I do also wish for peace, even if it may be a far fetched wish. History always seems to repeat itself somehow, even if we do not want it too. I suppose that comes with the curse and the blessing of being alive. However, the Slytherin boy sitting here writing to you finds your wittiness inspiring, for you are quite the funny Gryffindor girl, far best I've ever met. I am longing for Hogwarts, it will be nice to go back. I hope to see you on the train soon.
And by the way, I also saw a shooting star. It must've been the same night as you. I was sitting in my armchair by one of my tall windows, seeing as I could not seem to fall asleep, and I saw the star in question fall from the dark sky, right underneath the moon slightly to the left. Quite a spectacular sight, and maybe that is a sign of something? I know as little as you.
Happy new year to you and your family.
Best regards,
Draco Malfoy
She breathed out as she put the letter down, laying it right next to the other one in the drawer of her nightstand. Then she returned back down to the party. And just before midnight, when most of the food had been devoured and the champagne was starting to run out, everyone headed out of the two story house to look at the fireworks. There is always fireworks in the sky at new year's eve, they go off just as the clock turns midnight.
"Gather around everybody! Gather around!"
She stood outside of the house, and neighbours had gathered in the street. She closed her wooly jacket as she felt shivers run along her skin. Next to her stood her little sister, and soon her mother and father came up to them. Her mother handed her and Rebecka a glass each of something to toast with.
"Ten, nine, eight..."
She grabbed the glass from her mother, it kind of looked like sparkling apple juice, and she figured it was the child friendly version of champagne.
"Seven, six, five..."
She looked to the dark night sky. No clouds were visible, just the moon shining brightly alongside the twinkling stars, millions of them. She thought about the shooting star she had seen a few nights earlier, and she wondered if he was standing underneath the same sky right in this moment, looking up as he eagerly awaited fireworks. Does wizards even have fireworks for the new year?
"Four, three, two..."
Soon, so soon, it would be a new year. Something new to adjust to, something new to explore. She would return to Hogwarts, and Quidditch matches would proceed. Tests would come around and potions homework will make her head spin with confusion. She could see the large castle before her, and it was only a matter of time before the snow surrounding it would start to melt. She longed for the stone hallways and the warmth of the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room.
"One, zero, happy new year!"
Fireworks went off into the sky as everyone cheered. She raised her glass of sparkling apple juice to make a toast with everyone, a toast for the new year. She hugged her sister, and people kissed as an abundance of colours danced in the night sky. A new year has come, 1996.
....
January was upon them, and right before eleven o'clock she found herself standing on platform nine and three quarters with her sister and parents. Beside her stood her heavy trunk and on her right shoulder hung her book bag. She felt ready to go back to her second home.
"I can't believe you are leaving again, my darlings" cooed her mother as she pulled her two daughters in for a warm hug.
"Well be back soon" she assured her, stroking her back.
"Yes Easter is not that far away" Rebecka spoke, her voice soft and sweet.
"I know, I know" said their mother as she let go of them "but I will miss you terribly"
"We will miss you too" she said, giving her mother a comforting smile before she turned to her father "you too"
"Behave girls, and go learn something epic" he said, hugging them.
Four minutes to eleven they bid their last goodbyes, for now, before her and her little sister walked onto the train, waving behind them. She helped Rebecka with her bag, and then Rebecka was off to meet up with her friends. She watched her rush off before she grabbed her own trunk and began walking along the long train. It began to move slowly, she felt the vibrations underneath her feet.
She found a compartment where Hermione, Harry and Ron were sat and she carefully slid the glass door open. They gave her a small wave when they saw her.
"Hey Ellie"
"Hey guys, how was your Christmas break?"
"Quite alright" Ron assured her as she sat down next to Hermione "what about yours?"
"It was good"
The train left London, and small houses and busy roads was exchanged for tall hills and deep lakes. She watched as the scenery before her eyes quickly rolled by, and after a while she got a sandwich that her mother had made for her up from her book bag and began eating it, for she felt her stomach rumble.
Hermione was reading what looked to be a magical history book, and Ron and Harry was talking about something in a hushed tone. She was skimming the pages of the herbology book Neville had given her for Christmas, and it was quite interesting.
The trolley witch came around, but she didn't buy anything, she was content with what her mother had packed for her. However, the boy with the sweet tooth was exchanging a galleon for some of his favourite treats, and she saw him as she glanced up from her book. He looked at her, a playful smirk upon his lips as he waved at her quickly. She looked around her, making sure her friends did not see as she waved back. He held up a packet of wizochoc, and then he nodded his head to the right. Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise and Pansy were all walking off to the left.
She looked at him once more, unsure what he was hinting at. He must've noticed her confusion as he laughed quietly, mouthing "come on lets go" to her. She closed her book, putting it in her book bag as she sneaked a last glance at him.
"I will be right back, I need to use the loo" she told Ron, Hermione and Harry as she stood up. They were occupied with whatever they were doing, but they nodded as she slipped out of the compartment. Draco took off with a smile, hurrying down to the right of the train and she followed curiously.
"Where are we going?" she asked, but he did not reply. He soon stopped at the other end of the train, and he opened the door to a empty compartment. He nodded his head towards the old seats, and she stepped in, closely followed by him.
She turned around and was faced with him, standing close to her. She could once more smell his expensive cologne and minty breath.
"I missed you over the holidays, believe it or not" he said, his voice low.
"I-I missed you too" she croaked out, looking up at him.
He nodded as he stepped away, sitting down. She gathered herself before she sat down on the opposite side of him. He reached his arm out, giving her the pack of wizochoc he had bought from the trolley witch.
"For me?" she asked.
"For you, it's still your favourite right?" he asked and she nodded her head "and I figured you would've missed it during your time in the muggle world"
"We have chocolate in the muggle world too" she laughed, taking the sweet from him, lingering his fingertips on his skin for a second more. He felt warm, and it made her skin tingle.
"Not as good as the chocolate we have in the wizarding world" he teased, leaning back against his seat with a pleased grin.
"Depends" she laughed, opening the wizochoc and taking a bite "but thank you for this"
"Any day Ellie, any day"
Something in his icy eyes were sparkling more than before, more than she had ever seen before.
"I have something for you" he suddenly said, grabbing his bag "a Christmas present"
"You do?" she questioned, putting the chocolate away as he handed her a present wrapped neatly in dark green wrapping paper with a silver ribbon on it "you really didn't have to Draco"
"But I wanted to" he said with a small smile "go on, open it"
She carefully removed the wrapping paper to reveal a collection of expensive looking healing books. She ran her fingers along the necks of the books, and she felt awe wash over her.
"Wow Draco" she breathed as she examined the books "this is amazing"
"They are the best money can buy, those contain everything from spells to potions and information on every single magical illness and injury there is, there's even supposed to be quite a bit of history going back hundreds of years in one of those"
She looked at him in complete shock for a moment as she put the books down next to her, then she sprung up and hugged him. He seemed taken aback at first but then he hugged her back, stroking her back carefully.
"Thank you Draco"
"You're welcome Ellie" he mumbled, nuzzling his head into her neck "I have a gift for your little sister too, you said she liked magical creatures right?"
"Yes" she said as she let go of him and sat down next to him "and exploding snap"
"Well, I got her a stuffed animal that looks like a dragon" he said handing her another gift wrapped in deep green and silver "it even has those cute sparkly eyes, will you give it to her?"
"Of course, she will be over the moon, thank you Draco" she said, taking the present before she reached for her book bag and pulled a smaller gift out and handed it to him "I actually got you something too, from the muggle world, it's not as fancy by any means but I thought you might like it"
He looked surprised as he took it from her, letting his icy eyes scan over it.
"You didn't have to get me anything Ellie, I got plenty already"
"I know, but I wanted too" she smiled, leaning back in her seat as she watched him open it.
"What is this?" he asked as he took out some Cadbury chocolate and inspected it "is this sweets?"
"Yes, for you sweet tooth" she smiled "those are my favourites back home, they're really good"
"Thank you Ellie" he said as he opened the package and hesitantly tasted the chocolate, like he was afraid that muggle sweets were going to poison him or something, but at last his eyes went wide "wow this is really good"
"I know" she laughed "I told you"
After he had tasted the chocolate he picked up a small box that laid underneath the sweets "and this is?"
"A music box" she said, reaching over to small golden winch on the side. She turned it and music came out of the small box, which made Draco look even more surprised.
"It plays music, muggle music?"
"Yes, this is my favourite Christmas carol, I wanted you to hear it"