A/N. Based on characters created by J. K. Rowling. For the I Never challenge—yeah, like I'd ever put Harry in Slytherin.
There had always been a dark side to him; though he hid it well. That was until the Sorting Hat saw through him and made the final decision to place him where he rightfully belonged: Slytherin. In later years, everyone would blame his dark side to being possessed by Lord Voldemort. It was as good as an excuse as anything else.
Had he been sorted in another house, would his attitude and demeanor been different? There was a sinister edge in Slytherins' expressions and countenance. He had that sinister-arrogant look about him as well. The students were frightened of him. It was he, after all who had survived the killing curse. And they looked at him oddly. There was not a friendly face in the whole school. Even the teachers avoided speaking to him. What was he going to do, for Merlin's sake? Make them all disappear like Voldemort did? He was a Slytherin, undoubtedly, but there was so much more to him than that.
Hadn't he proved himself? After all, he'd saved that pretty little red-haired girl from the basilisk in his second year. He had talked it in to letting her go; stunning everyone that he spoke parseltongue. Everyone seemed to blame him for the opening of the Chamber of Secrets.
All of Hogwarts jeered him when he was chosen as the fourth Tri-Wizard champion even though he showed remarkable courage and cunning by winning; what he didn't tell anyone was who he met face-to-face when he grabbed the cup and was transported to the lonely dark cemetery. He watched the re-birth of Lord Voldemort that night.
As odd as it sounded, his only friend was a man who appeared to hate him the most. The Slytherin boys and girls steered clear of him, but the head of the house, Professor Snape was the only person who spoke to him at all and it seemed that he resented having to communicate with him at all.
Being in Hogwarts was not too different from his life with the Dursley's. It was a sad and lonely life. Even the Slytherin bully, Draco Malfoy left him alone. The boy who lived could be the "invisible man" for all anyone cared.
The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore smiled at him in the halls, but never spoke to him directly; all the messages were passed through Professor Snape. Harry thought there was much more to Professor Dumbledore that he showed, but he wasn't revealing anything.
Was this how his life was supposed to be? A freak, just like Petunia called his mother? Everyone knew his name, but no one really knew him. Everyone stared and whispered but no one spoke to him.
But she looked at him differently. Sometimes he caught her looking at him, and he would smile and she didn't turn away; she'd smile back. Sometimes. The red haired girl with determined eyes didn't look like she was afraid of anything.
Harry found that the best place for him was under the old wizard's oak tree by the lake. Hardly anyone came around and he felt a sense of belonging there, though he had no idea why. It was a Sunday afternoon and most of the students were in Hogsmeade. He had no desire to be stared at by a whole village, so he rarely went to town. He settled in working on his DADA homework. Professor Umbridge assigned a whole parchment on Cornelius Fudge Minister of Magic.
"Damn!" he said as his pot of ink tipped over and began soaking the parchment. He grabbed the pot, which spilled on his hand. "Damn!" he repeated. Standing up, the ink spread down the front of his robes.
"Goodness! What language," a voice from behind him chided. The red-haired girl stepped from behind the tree. "I thought you were a wizard," she said with a laugh in her voice. She pointed her wand at his robes and said, "Tergeo!" siphoning the ink from his robes and the parchment. She handed him her handkerchief and he wiped the ink from his hand.
"Thanks," he said handing the handkerchief back to her.
She giggled, "Keep it.
Harry looked at the cloth. "Thanks."
The girl started to turn.
"I'm Harry," he said shyly.
She grinned again. "I know. My name's Ginny." She held out her hand. "You know, Harry. I never thanked you," she said.
Harry looked confused. "Thank me for what?"
"For saving my life. I'm the girl who was almost killed by the basilisk in my first year."
Harry blushed. He hadn't recognized her, but of course he wasn't paying attention to her face that day; he had to worry about bigger things.
"Did you really kill it?" she asked.
He nodded and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."
Ginny leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."
Harry blushed again and looked down at the ground. No one had spoken to him that kindly in the five years he'd been at Hogwarts.
"My dad says you should have been in Gryffindor," she said suddenly. "I couldn't believe when my brothers told me you got sorted into Slytherin. I saw you the first time you got on the train to Hogwarts. You sat with my brother, Ron." Ginny sat down next to the tree. She looked up at Harry and he sat down next to her.
"The Sorting Hat is never wrong," Harry said.
"Oh, bull shit," Ginny said. "Sorry. My brother Charlie talked the hat out of putting him in Ravenclaw. I think it was probably Hufflepuff; he's too stupid to be in Ravenclaw. Anyway, he talked it into Gryffindor."
"Oh." Harry didn't know what else to say.
"Don't you just hate Delores Umbridge? The Ministry's taking over Hogwarts and pretty sure I'll wager she'll be head mistress. She's such a toad-looking thing."
"I guess."
Ginny squinted. "You don't talk much, do you?" she asked.
"Not really," he admitted.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked, quickly changing subjects. "You took that moron, Pansy to the Yule Ball. Sorry. Is she your girlfriend? I never see you sitting with anyone. You're a bit of a loner, aren't you?"
He nodded. "She's not my girlfriend. I think Professor Snape made her go with me."
"Did you see who Hermione Granger went with? Viktor Krum. Oh my stars. Isn't he handsome?"
"I, uh," he stammered.
"Harry," she began.
He looked at her. For the first time she seemed a little unsure of herself. "Yes?"
"Do you mind me talking to you like this?"
He shook his head quickly. "No, not at all. No one ever talks to me."
"I know. I think it's because of who you are."
"What do people think I'm going to do? Shoot death rays out of my scar?"
Ginny laughed.
"I try to get on with people."
"I know. Do you mind if I talk to you?"
"No!" he said a little too quickly. "I mean, that would be great."
Ginny smiled. "Good. I'm sorry but I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow, all right?"
He nodded as he stood up. He reached out his hand and helped Ginny to her feet."
Her smile made him feel all warm inside. He blushed again.
Ginny licked her lips and put her hands on his arms and kissed him lightly on the lips. She stepped back and both of them were blushing. "That was nice," she said. "Good bye."
Harry watched her leave. He touched his finger to his lips.
A/N: Again. I haven't decided if I should continue the story or leave it alone. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely.