A Longing to Be Loved

By Lady Red Rose

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except for those things that do not come from the Harry Potter series they come from me.

Chapter One: The First Meeting

Jasmine Monk had arrived at Hogwarts smiling giddily at everyone. She caught the eye of many with flaming red hair, and many thought she may have been a relative of the Weasley's, but no, she was lovelier than the whole lot of them combined. Her skin was porcelain white, she looked so fragile that perhaps even words could break her gentle demanour. Her smile may have been her winning ticket; it would brighten up the even dullest of conversations. She was wearing a faded dark green skirt and jumper, her shoes a dark black. Her socks were lacey; she seemed a little too perfect to be real.

She stood amongst the first years, waiting to be sorted into her house. She turned to look at the sea of faces behind her. Her icy blue eyes glinted at everyone in the room. Most were staring at her. She was the odd one in the large crowd; she wasn't wearing Hogwarts robes at all. There was a hat sitting upon a chair in the middle of the platform above them all. The whole school had become silent, and suddenly the hat sprang to life.

"Years and years have passed

In yet you all still hide behind your masks,

Perhaps you know who I speak of

Perhaps you closed your eyes.

Firstly there was Slytherin

As sly as the snake,

Then came Gryffindor

Braver then them all,

Ravenclaw the ravenous

Hungry for it all,

Hardworking Hufflepuff

Working for them all.

You see it wasn't enough

Slytherin wanted more,

Perhaps if it was in your families blood

You were a cut above,

Then so began the ending of the peace

The ending of a united belief,

Help the souls who have forgotten

In the end it's our choices not our blood."

The sorting hat had finished its song and the whole school erupted into applause. Jasmine was surprised by the words, they made so much sense, and she hoped that others would understand.

People around her began to whisper excitedly, she knew now that it was time to be sorted. Her mother had explained it to her when she was ten years old. Names and names were called out, and happily the students would run over to their houses.

"Jasmine Monk," The lady with the dark hair holding up the sorting hat smiled at her, happy to see something different amongst the new students. Jasmine gently walked up the stairs and stood on the platform a few meters away from the Professor's watching her every movement intently. "Have a seat dear." The woman said softly to her.

She felt the hat being placed upon her head. She grinned, wondering what she would be sorted into. The sorting hat thought for a long while, it took about three minutes to come up with an answer.

"SLYTHERIN!" The sorting hat shouted. Jasmine had a fair idea of what possessed the sorting hat to put her in Slytherin. The rest of the first years watched her with amazement. Had that little gentle creature really been sorted into the most sly and cunning of all houses?

"Figures…" Muttered Ron to Harry as they watched the first years being sorted. "It's always the unsuspecting ones."

Jasmine made her way down to the table, which clapped mightily as she joined them. Figuring it was Slytherin she approached the long table and settled down in one of the empty seats. She looked about, and there he was, sitting up amongst the rest of the Professor's in the high table. She gulped and hang her head low. She couldn't look anyone in the eye.

"Hello," A small voice said graciously in her direction. Jasmine looked up to see who had said it and her eyes locked with a rather small girl sitting by her side with platted dark hair. "I'm Sara." Jasmine blinked at her, rather surprised at the greeting.

"Hi, I'm Jasmine." Jasmine tried to smile.

"Yeah, I heard. Everyone's been talking about you." Sara grinned.

"Why has everyone been talking about me?" Jasmine asked grimly.

"I don't know, it's probably because of the way you look." Sara continued to grin, showing off her rather strangely shaped teeth.

"How do I look different?" Jasmine blinked.

"You're not wearing the Hogwarts cloak." Sara leaned back against her chair.

"Oh, I see…well, my mother will get one for me I'm sure." Jasmine knew she wouldn't. She knew her mother couldn't afford anything like that for her.

"I have an announcement to make," The whole school looked towards the Headmaster standing, his long white beard touching the wooden floor of the platform where the teacher's were seated. "All first years note: that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds. Secondly, there will be no wandering around the corridor's after midnight. Any troublemakers will be sent away. Thank you, and enjoy the year ahead." The wise old man took a seat.

Jasmine watched the old man. She knew he was immensely wise. She heard of him from her mother, Professor Albus Dumbledore, one of the most powerful wizards to walk the earth, one that can match the Dark Lord himself. She smiled, but most of those who were seated around her made ghastly comments about him.

"Bloody old fool…" Some would say. She knew better, and she knew why she ended up in this house, but her personality matched none of these people she were to live with just like 'family.' She remained quiet all through the feast except for when Sara would turn to talk to her. She didn't feel like speaking to any of them. Perhaps things would be easier for her to handle the less involved she had become with the pack of snakes surrounding her.

"Ms. Monk." A cold voice said silkily behind her. Jasmine turned around to see whom it was. To her surprise it was he. She could see the disappointment in his cold soulless eyes. She knew she didn't reach the standards of a Slytherin when it came to looks. She knew where she belonged, and it certainly wasn't among these folk.

"Yes?" She replied softly, her pale blue eyes met his cold gaze.

"Come with me." He growled. Feeling a strange sickening feeling in her stomach she rose from her seat. Most of the eyes of the school were upon her; she hated being singled out like this.

Jasmine followed him through the wooden doors of the vast hall. When he turned to close the oak doors behind him, he could see the eyes upon himself and the child behind him. Dumbledore nodded to him smiling, he stared coldly back.

"Why have I been called here?" Jasmine asked looking at the towering man before her.

"You know very well Ms. Monk why." He sneered back at her, his gaze looking down upon her, she felt like a toddler, smaller than she really was. She hanged her head low.

"Yes, I know." She sighed, playing with a tendril of her flaming red hair.

"Funny how you look so much like your mother." He hissed, observing her slight body.

"She tells me I am lucky I look like her." Jasmine kicked herself for saying that. It was rude and she had been brought up otherwise. Even though her mother could not afford the great things in life she taught Jasmine etiquette.

"I'm sure she has." He said silkily back, trying to belittle the already small girl.

"So exactly when do I get my robes?" Jasmine finally looked up to meet his eyes. He folded his arms and tapped his foot on the stone floor beneath them.

"As soon as the Headmaster has a word with you." He looked towards the door, waiting for the old man to enter to make some changes.

"So is it true?" She tried to smile, but found it almost impossible.

"What is true?" He quickly snapped back at her.

"That you are my father." She hanged her head low.

"Yes, yes it is Ms. Monk." He sighed and rolled his eyes. This little girl was his, and she completely did not resemble him. Fortunate, he thought suppressing a smile. Though it was better she didn't resemble him just in case if the rumour would spread.