10th June 1992

Alexandra was standing at the edge of her dorm, it had been a while since she had left Hogwarts for summer and although the Malfoys (Narcissa especially) adored her, she couldn't help but feel like an intruder.

Let's take this famous orphan in our mansion, Yippee! Free charity with extra publicity!

And even then Mr. Malfoy couldn't tolerate her red-headed presence for longer than four consecutive years.

Besides it felt strange leaving Hogwarts after a year as a student.

As she locked her trunk, she remembered Harry was to stay with their awful muggle relatives. How would she cope, not seeing him for 2 whole months.

He hadn't even agreed to come over to the Burrow. Yet.

She'd just have to write plenty of letters, she compromised.

Maybe she could visit, a voice in the back of her head whined, just for a week or two. Then they could head off to the Weasleys together, didn't that reduce travel time anyways?

"I'm brilliant!" she declared proudly, sitting on her trunk.

"Alex, you're gonna miss the train if you keep talking to yourself," pleaded Hermione. "Why did you try packing everything today? You're bound to forget something!"

Alex shrugged her shoulders, "I'll just get one of the professors to owl me it, then."

Hermione sighed, dressed in muggle clothes, she was a stark contrast to Alex's colourful blue and purple robes.

"Alright Hermione, no need to sigh, I'm done, we can go." she said, pinching her cheek impishly.

Hermione swatted her hand away, "Lavender and Parvati left ages ago, you really ought to get more organ-"

"Yes Professor," Alexandra laughed. "Now who's making us late? Let's go before Filch locks us in for the summer."

Hermione shook her head, but followed.

As she stood at the edge of the compartment, waiting for Harry to finish his chat with Hagrid, she looked back at the castle one more time.

She'd left Hogwarts for the summer quite a few times, but this time it was different. She was actually a student, a proper member of the Hogwarts community.

Harry finally finished his chat, and joined her at the footstep, holding a worn leather-bound book.

"It's pictures of our parents," he said, eyes shining wetly.

Alexandra suddenly remembered, "Harry, I've been meaning to give you this," She took out a slightly crumpled photo from her robes. "Levigo," she murmured, straightening the photo.

"It's mum! When she was young!" he said, taking the picture from her hand. "This wasn't there in the album."

"I didn't think it would be, I got it from someone," she said.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's really beautiful Alex, but I can't-"

"Shut up Harry. Just take it." she said rolling her eyes. "I've got plenty of copies."

"You look like her, a lot," he said.

"It's the ginger Harry, it's just the ginger." she muttered.

The four of them were seated comfortably in one of the back compartments, with Alex laying her head on Hermione's lap, Hermione being too engrossed in a book to notice. Ron and Harry were playing a mini game of exploding snap.

Needless to say, Alex was bored. Terribly bored.

"If the rest of you insist on being this boring, I'm gonna have to join Draco," she huffed. "You'd hate for me to be with the Slytherins."

"Nooooooooo, not the Slytherins," repeated Ron monotonously, not paying attention.

"What do you suggest we do, then?" sighed Hermione, putting her book down onto the table.

Alex sat up.

"How about... er- .I'm out of ideas, what are the rest of you doing for Summer?"

"And you call us boring?" Hermione scoffed, receiving a deathly glare. "What a creative question!"

Oh if looks could kill.

"I'm gonna be at the burrow Alex, you'll be coming near the end of July right? Two weeks?"

She nodded.

"Harry, you've got to come, I'm sure your uncle and aunt won't mind," continued Ron.

"Oh, I don't want to intrude-"

"Merlin Harry, I've been intruding for years, I'm sure the Weasleys would love to have you!" said Alex, nodding her head vigourously.

Ron shook his head in agreement, "Well, that settles it, Harry you'll come over, convince your relatives! Come on mate, how can face you-know-who but not talk go talk to your muggle uncle. Next thing you'll be saying you don't know how to floo!"

Harry mumbled 'Why on earth would I want to get sick?"

"Speaking of which," started Hermione, "I'm going to be visiting my cousins in France, family reunion and all."

"France!" sighed Alex, "Oh, which part? I've only been to wizarding France once and it was beautiful, the beaches are to die for!"

Hermione laughed, I don't think we'll be at the beach much, she said.

"But if you are you must send me a letter! Even if you do have to send one of those awful still muggle pictures,"

"You're so dramtic," she huffed, pushing a bunch of hair out of her face, "Muggle photos capture the essence of the memory just fine! Now, where should I send the letter to? The burrow?"

"Malfoy Manor, left Wiltshire, Wizarding England. You must send an owl!"

Hermione groaned. "Merlin, I completely forgot, you don't have a post office do you?"

"A what?"

"A post office, it's how muggles send post, there's none on Sundays." answered Harry, looking like he there was something remarkably funny.

"Oh. How strange." said Ron and Alex simultaneously.

Harry and Hermione shared a look.

It seemed the Hogwarts express had finally run out of flat fields to cross through as it rolled to a steady stop, at platform 9 and 3/4.

Alexandra was unloading her trunk, with its many detachable trinkets and Ron and Hermione had already left, Harry waiting for her to finish.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to wait for me, you know?"

"Yeah," he scratched his head nervously, "I just don't want to go back, this all seems like a dream you know?"

Alex gave one mighty shove and the fat trunk nearly came crashing on her head. Well, at least it was down now. She looked at Harry, who held the photo album close, as if loosening his grip meant that he would wake up to a dream underneath his cupboard below the stairs.

"Harry, tell you what, I'll come over in July yeah?"

"What? Aren't you staying with the Malfoys?"

"It'll be fine, anyways, tell your Uncle and Aunt, yeah? I'll stay with you for two weeks and then we can leave for the burrow?"

"Err-"

"Great! I'll write a letter before I come, kay?

Harry wanted to tell her, that he would want nothing more than to spend a summer together, if it weren't for the fact Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia hated wizards and him. A witch related to him? No chance of survival.

But she was already walking away with Draco.