Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter universe. Duh.

Harry stood in this london train station, looking around hopelessly for Hagrid. The gigantic man just disapeared, leaving the eleven year old boy to wander around by himself, looking for platform 9 and 3/4. The small dark haired boy roamed around for a while, until he noticed a rather large ginger headed family speaking of, believe it or not, muggles. There was an older Woman, holding the hand of a girl younger than him. A taller boy, a pair of twins, and lastly a boy about Harry's age. They all had flaming red hair and freckles. It was obvious they were related.

"It's the same every year, packed with muggles of course." The woman leading the bunch said.

"Muggles..." Harry spoke to himself.

"Platform 93/4 this way! Alright Percy, you first."

One of the older looking ginger boys pushed his cart over to the barrier between platform 9 and 10 and ran straight into the brick wall, his body disapearing through it. Harry jumped as he saw the boy disapearing.

"Fred, you next." The woman said, waving one of the twins over.

"He's not Fred, I am!" He cried indignatly.

"Honestly woman, you call yourself our mother?" The other added.

"Oh sorry, George." She replied, waving him over again.

The red haired twin pushed his cart and spoke, "Only joking, I am Fred." before slipping through the barrier, his twin right behind him.

"Excuse me!" Harry cried, rolling his cart over to them. The younger girl stared at him strangely and the boy doing the same. "Could you tell me how to get onto the platform?" He asked.

"Oh, of course dear!" The woman told him, giving him a warm smile. "It's Ron's first year at Hogwarts too. Now all there is to it is a straight run into the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Better start at a bit of a run on your first time."

Harry nodded and turned towards the brick barrier. He cocked his head to one side, keeping his face nutral and trying to his his nervousness. Then, he started at a run towards it, closing his eyes as he came closer...

On the train, Harry sat in a peaceful compartment all to himself, glad to have some solitude. He'd become accustomed to being alone in his years, and he'd started to like the quite. He layed along the seat and stared at the ceiling above him and thought about how he'd gotten into this, and if he really had any room to complain.

He certainly didn't like the famous part of being Harry Potter in the widzarding world. He had never liked attention and now it seemed he couldn't get away from it. How had he survived that attack on him and his parents anyway?

Harry was jolted out of his thoughts as the compartment door was slid open, and a pale boy with white blonde hair was left standing there, looking rather embarrassed. He was already in his crisp and clean robes, standing very straight and his chin was held high, even in embarrassment. He held an air of aristocrat manner about him. Just by looking at him, Harry could tell he must have a load of money.

"Sorry, I thought this one was empty." The blonde told him curtly.

"Sorry to disapoint." Harry replied dryly, smirking.

"Everywhere else is full, do you mind?" He asked raven haired boy, motioning to the seat across from Harry.

"Not at all." Harry nodded.

The boy slid the door shut and sat on the seat, letting his manner slide away slightly as he slouched into the seat. He looked over Harry and then held out a hand.

"Draco Malfoy." He said. Harry nodded and took the offered hand lightly.

"Harry, Harry Potter." Harry answered, now noticing the icy cold grey color of the blonde boys eyes as they widened at the lastest information. They were so different from his very own emerald ones.

"Harry Potter? The Harry Potter?" Draco demanded. Harry sighed and nodded his head once, flicking his hair over to show him the lightning shaped scar. "I didn't think the rumors of you coming back were true."

"Well, they are. Drop it." Harry snapped. Draco's expression became blank and he shrugged.

"Okay."

Harry stared at him as if he'd grown another head. "You're not going to ask me millions of questions? Ask for an autograph, or a lock of my hair?" Harry asked. He didn't think he'd drop it so quickly. Draco shrugged again.

"If you don't want to talk about it, then I won't. And a lock of your hair? Alittle full of ourselves aren't we?" Draco smirked at the dark haired boy and leaned back in his seat, propping his feet up.

Harry actually laughed then and nodded. "Thanks."

"No prolem."

The first years were lined up in the Great Hall, like they'd been told to. Harry could feel people staring at him and he tried to ignore it. Draco seemed to have noticed too and was smirking, trying not to laugh. Harry hit him lightly on the arm and growled, "Shut it, you git." Draco really laughed then.

"The looks on their faces are hilarious!"

"Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words." The stiff looking woman in front spoke, silencing the hall.

A tall, old man stood from his seat and smiled at the children before him. His long white beard made him look like a thinner Santa Clause.

"A few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. The first years, please not that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to all who do not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you."

Draco gave Harry a sidelong glance that said, 'thats-a-loon-if-i've-ever-seen-one'. Harry had to supress a snicker.

The tall woman then began calling names and the students were tentatively making their way up. A girl with rather bushy hair and ill fitting clothes was called up to the bench, mumbling supportive words to herself all the way. She looked very relieved when the sorting hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR."

"Draco Malfoy!" Macgonagall called.

Draco glanced at Harry before making his way up to the stool. He sat down and as the hat was lowered, for it didn't even have to touch his head, it shouted, "SLYTHERIN."

Draco stood, looking quite pleased with himself and made his way over the now cheering table. Harry kept his eyes on the hat, trying to determine what it would call when he sat on that stool. He didn't even listen when the red haired boy he'd seen at the train station was sorted into Gryffindor.

"Harry Potter."

The hall silence almost imediantly. Harry made his way up, never looking behind him as he walked cooly up to the stool. He sat on the wooden seat and almost laughed as the old hat almost covered his eyes.

"Ah, a jokester, eh?"

Harry nerely jumped out of his skin as the hat talked directly to him.

"Even when nervous, scared even, you find time to laugh. A rare quality. I see inside your head you know. I see your courage, not a bad mind either and there's talent. Oh yes, a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?" THe hat silenced a moment and then yelled out as loud as possible, "SLYTHERIN!"

Harry nerely fell off the stool because of the deafening applause that broke out at the Slytherin table. Everyone was on there feet, shouting and cheering and clapping. All were quite happy to have the famous Harry Potter in their house. It raised all of their already inflated ego's.

Harry ran straight to Draco's side, who was smriking at him in triumph.

"What?" Harry asked the blond.

"I knew I liked you for a reason." Draco replied.

Harry smirked right back at him and then laughed, happy for the first time in ages.

A/N: I'm liking this. Only a little. It'll get better! (i hope) But seriously, review please.