**Disclaimer** Again, none of the characters/places belong to me except Nicolette and her parents, the Muggle, and Nicolette's owl, who I have named Brownie. Just to let you know, if you take the time to read this, don't kill me when there's about a week in between chapters, I don't have full-time access to a computer, so I only write when I can. Anyway, I hope you like my story, and I also hope I'm not offending any Draco fans.. I'm doing my best to be good. Anyone up for some more Draco in leather? I am, and trust me, there's some of that in this chapter! (

The next day was to be my very first day associating with the Hogwarts students, and I knew that first impressions would either make or break me. I got up early, and spent about 2 hours making myself look good. Yes. Two hours on my hair, makeup, and outfit, only to cover most of it up with my robes. I didn't care. I wanted to look good, and there wasn't anyone stopping me.

Making sure that I looked the part of a nice, friendly girl as I was told to when I was very young, I made my way downstairs. "Hey guys. 'Morning." I could tell by the shocked looks on their faces that I had accomplished my goal. My mother smiled at me, and looked me over. To give you some idea of what I was wearing, my shirt was black, glittery, and laced up on the sides. It wasn't indecent, but it wasn't something to wear to church, either. My pants were blue low-cut hip-hugger bells, and my shoes were also black, with medium heels. You couldn't really see them though, because my jeans covered them up.

My makeup was very light, and I wasn't wearing a lot, but I had silver eye shadow, and very light blush on. My hair was twisted into curls, (A.N.- like the girl in Bring it On in the tryouts) and part of it was held back by one of those chopstick things. I hoped that I wasn't going to get a lecture about how I looked, and I didn't. Sitting down, we started to eat breakfast. As I was getting ready to refill my juice glass, my mom told me that neither of them was going to come with me to Platform 9 ¾, because they had to get to work.

Confused, I stood up. "But I don't know where I'm going. How do I get onto the train?" Daddy smiled. I didn't like this, but it looked like most other things in my life, and at once I knew I wasn't going to like what he was about to say. Looking him in the eyes, I asked, "What do I have to do?"

"Well, since your mother and I can not accompany you to the platform, we have entrusted you to one of our friends. His son will see to it that you make it safely to Hogwarts, and I'm sure you'll be ok. We wouldn't let you get hurt, and neither would he. I'm sure of it."

Sighing, I went to get my things. Picking up the trunk using a simple levitation spell, I was able to make it down the stairs without any trouble. Sitting back down with all of my stuff, I waited to leave for the train. About ten minutes later, there was a loud pop, and the fireplace in the living room growled. Getting up, I hoped that the Floo powder hadn't let some old salesman into our house again, because I hated it when that happened. I walked into the living room, and standing there was a man that I didn't recognize.

"Hello, Nicolette. How are you?" He asked me this like we were old friends. I didn't know what to say in response, so I kept quiet. "Come on, Nikki. You really don't remember me, do you?" I looked at him once more, and a flicker of recognition passed. I looked again, and then I realized whom I was talking to.

"Wow! El! How's it going?" This was the man that had been our neighbor when I was very little. I hadn't seen him in a long time, though, and I guessed that he was going to be the one to take me to Platform 9 ¾. "Anything cool going on?" He shook his head no. "Are you taking me to the platform?" Another shake. "Well then, who is?" He smiled.

"My son. I have to go to work with your parents. Important business. Where are they?" I pointed at the door. "Ok, my son should be in within a few minutes. I'm sure he'll be," he paused. "Pleased to see you." I looked down, remembering my outfit. Smiling, I gave him a quick hug, and he turned and walked out of the room.

I wondered who his son could be. Sighing, I sat down on one of our chairs to wait. Losing myself in thoughts, I tried to remember if I had ever met the son of this man. Come to think of it, I didn't remember his last name. Thinking harder, I was able to recall a party when I was about three, and I thought that it had been with this man and his family.

**FLASHBACK**

"Nikki, be careful. There's a pond back there. Don't fall in." My mom's voice followed me as I walked with the group of kids down to where the sandbox was. There were about six of us, just walking down the little hill, and when we reached the bottom, the huge sandbox waited for us. A little boy had come and sat down next to me, and we started to build shapeless little mounds that I'm sure we called houses and police stations, but what now were only tiny hills of sand.

Someone, I don't know who, suggested that we make a city, so that's what we started to do. The boy next to me didn't want to do this, so he began to walk back toward the adults. I didn't want him to go, because I needed help, so I ran after him. Catching him by his hair, which was longish and light brown, I pulled him down. He landed on top of me, and we began fighting, in that adorable way that only three year olds can fight. One of us began to cry, and I think it was he.

It didn't take long for the adults to rush over and make sure that we were ok. I was yelled at, and as the little boy sat on the ground, sniffling, I was made to apologize. "I sorry for pulling your hair." He nodded, and we went back to the sandbox to finish playing. His father was the man that had been at my house earlier, so I knew that this was the son. I couldn't tell who he was, but the party had been the last time we'd been at the same house, at least from what I could remember. I also remember waving goodbye to the boy and his parents as we left that night.

**END FLASHBACK**

So. That was the little boy. I knew that this boy would look different then he had twelve years ago, but maybe he would resemble the little kid that I remembered, but then again, maybe not. I sighed again, and sat back in the chair, staring out the window, and looking at my watch every five seconds.

Walking back through the room, the three adults waved and hugged me as they left, telling me to send them an owl as soon as I arrived at Hogwarts, then left through the fireplace. I was staring out the window when the popping noise came from the fireplace again, and then a growling noise followed that. Looking back, a cloaked figure stood there, covered in ashes.

Coughing once, he shook his cloak off, making the dust settle onto the floor. Looking him over, I saw that he was wearing tight leather pants that fit him very nicely, and they looked very, very good on him, from what I could see. He turned, and I gasped. Seeing me with a confused, yet somewhat pleased look on my face, he broke into a smile. Talking his cloak and hood off, he walked closer to me.

With the most satisfied grin on his face, he in turn looked me up and down, and then spoke. "Well hello, Nicolette. Are you ready to go to Hogwarts?" I could only stare, openmouthed at the person standing in front of me. Finally I found my voice.

"You're El's son?" Laughing, he answered with a question.

"Yeah, doesn't seem like the type to have such a good looking boy, does he?" I laughed this time.

"Yeah, well, I guess sometimes things happen that we can't explain." Gathering my stuff, we moved closer to the fireplace. Taking one last look around at my house, I put my stuff into the fire, and took his hand. Both of us said "The Manor" clearly, and Draco Malfoy and I were off, well on the way to my first year as a Hogwarts Gryffindor.