A Harry Potter Fan-fiction! Harry has a second cousin, a year younger than him. Turns out she is a witch! Surprise! Who knew? Anyway, his cousin, Sophia is the only nice person to him in town. When Harry gets his letter, Sophia is shocked to learn from one of Hagrid's slip ups that she too will be attending Hogwarts the following year. The story starts off after Harry's first year, and into the beginning of the second year.

When I used the floo powder after Harry, I was shocked when I stepped out of the fire place and he wasn't there. Ron was there, but no Harry.

"Ron, where is Harry? He went right after you. I followed him." Ron looked concerned too.

"Maybe he mispronounced it. He's probably only a fireplace or two over. We'll find him after my parents get here." he said. So we waited for the other Weasleys. When they were all there, they decided that we would look in all the stores nearby with floo networks. When they got to the wizards book store, my breath caught. I loved books. And here there were more than in any library or bookstore than I had ever been to. Up until a year ago, Mother and Father had never denied me books, or allowance. I had all of my account information with me so that when we got to Gringotts Bank I could transfer my money over and have money to spend. I wandered upstairs to the second floor, having, for the moment, in my wonder, forgotten that Harry was missing.

I looked around, but there was only a blonde haired boy with beautiful green eyes. He looked to be about Harry's age. He wore a Hogwarts robe, but it was lined with silver and green. According to Harry, those were Slytherin colors. I walked up to him and he looked at me. I had borrowed one of Ginny's black robes to go over my plain forest green sundress that I was wearing with my black flats.

"Hello." I said politely, uncertain. Suddenly the fact that my wavy hair was only pulled back in a high ponytail and was a little messy bothered me. "I'm afraid I'm new in the area, and I was wondering if you knew where I could find books on Healing?"

He gave me a strange look and I felt the urge to pull at my hair, but I ignored it.

"Why do you want to know that stuff?" he asked with a hint of snideness in his voice.

"My friend and I are always getting into trouble, and its easier to fix ourselves up, rather than get into more trouble for it, you know?" I responded. It was true, Harry was always getting into trouble, and I was the one he came to when he was hurt because I wouldn't get him in trouble for it, I would just help him. Knowing magic to help heal him would speed up the process and keep us out of trouble. But my answer seemed to impress the boy slightly, and he smiled. I smiled back.

"Yeah, the books on healing are over here. My name's Draco, by the way, Draco Malfoy. What's yours?" he asked. I hesitated. Dursley wasent a magical name, and it also wasn't a name I was proud to have attatched to me.

"My name is Sophia. Thank you so much for helping me, Draco." I smiled at him again. He showed me to the Healing books and I stood stunned at how many there were. I scanned the titles, looking for things I could use on myself and Harry. I knew I had a knack for Healing magic, because my first accidental magic had been to help Harry's injured shoulder when he was six and I was five.

I had just touched it, and it had popped back into place. After that I practiced very hard, and it went from being accidental magic to intentional magic. I had learned how I felt when I was preforming Healing magic, and then had tried to make myself feel that way when I wanted to change my clothes. At first it hadn't worked, but by the time I was seven, I could change the color and style of my clothes and shoes and hair. Nothing dramatic about the changes, just little things. Still, my magic was under my control for the most part.

Now I looked at the titles of the books and made notes of the ones I wanted to buy. I pulled them off of the shelves and looked at their prices, keeping in mind that I would be on a limited budget.

"So will you be going to Hogwarts this year?" Draco asked me. I looked at him and smiled again.

"Yes, it's going to be my first year. I am a bit nervous, I don't know what to expect. Could you tell me about Hogwarts?" that got him talking. He talked about teachers and classes, what was cool and what was lame. He talked about Quidditch and how he wanted to be on the team this year. He talked about Slytherin a lot too. He told funny stories and I laughed with him. He didn't seem to be as bad as Harry made him out to be. And that is when Harry walked into the book store with Hermione. I watched as Draco seemed to change, like he was becoming what he thought people wanted him to be, instead of himself, like he had been with me.

After Harry got his picture taken and his free books Draco went down the stairs and intercepted him. I followed Draco, but kept my distance. As I stood back I used my magic to fix my hair into a tight ponytail with waves, highlighting the reds, blondes, and browns in my hair. I also cleaned the dust and ash off of my robe and dress, and straightened the wrinkles.

"Famous Harry Potter. Cant even go into a book store without making the front page." Draco mocked. I walked up behind him, to intervene on my cousins behalf, when Ginny stepped in front of Harry.

"Leave him alone." she was brave, but I don't think Draco cared.

"Look Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend." I thought that was taking it a bit far. Yes, Ginny liked Harry, she had told me so, but she was a shy girl. I stepped in between them and looked at Draco.

"Draco, didn't you tell me your dad worked in the Ministry? What does he do there?" I said, cutting right between them as if I didnt' see that Draco was talking to them. Then I stopped, and pretended to notice. "Oh, hello, I'm sorry, were you talking to Draco? I didn't mean to interrupt."

Harry noticed what I was doing, he and I had played this game many times before. He grabbed Ron's arm, because Ron looked like he was about to slug Draco, and turned as if to walk away.

"No," he said, "we were just leaving the store."

"But Harry—" Ron started.

"Leave it Ron. Come on, Hermione, Ginny, lets go over to the Owlry." he said as they all left. Now I really was alone. But I knew Harry wasn't worried. I had done this kind of thing before, and he knew I would catch up to them. Then I looked at Draco. I was worried that he would be mad at me for interrupting the spat. But he seemed pleased.

"Thats the first time Potter has walked away so fast." he looked at me, "You must be good luck. I think you would make a pretty good Slytherin. Come on, I'll tell you about my Father's job at the ministry and I can introduce him and my Mother to you. You can hang out with us. Where are your parents anyway?" and here was the difficult part. I looked down.

"They didn't come with me. They don't like me, and don't want anything to do with me." I said sadly. When Mother and Father had found out I was a witch last year when Hagrid let it slip, I had become just like Harry to them. At least, behind closed doors. In public I was still their little girl, but at home I was just like Harry. Little more than a freak and servant, as well as a burden.

"Oh." Draco said. "Well, you can do your shopping with me then, I think Mother will love you."

I smiled at him. After that he talked to me a lot more about himself and his family as he hunted down his parents to introduce me to them. I was nervous and shy at the same time. When he pointed them out to me across the street, I felt as if my outfit was just too plain and decided I needed to change it.

"Uh, Draco, hang on a second, please? If I am going to meet such important people I should probably fix up my outfit." he looked at me as if I had grown a third eye. But I closed my eyes and pictured my sundress changed into a shimmering green silk v-neck top with a silvery loose flowing ankle length skirt and put a slight heel on my black flats. I made my hair drop from the high ponytail and let it hang loose down to my mid back, adding light curls and giving it volume. When I opened my eyes I looked at Draco. He looked slightly stunned.

"Do I look okay?" I asked. He looked at me, then at my outfit, then back at me.

"You look great." he said. Then we walked towards his parents. He introduced me to Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, and explained how he met me and even what I had done with my outfit before I let him introduce me to them. They seemed impressed at my skill for being so young.

"My dear," Mrs. Malfoy said, "you are a very fashionable young lady. Might you have an interest in the fashion career?" I blushed and shook my head no.

"No Ma'am. I just have a knack for colors I guess. I don't really know yet what I want to do when I get done with school." she nodded in understanding.

"Ah, yes, you are young yet. If you do change your mind though, just let me know. I have many friends in the fashion industry that would love to get a look at your style. In the meantime, have you gotten your school supplies yet? We were just about to go get Draco his."

"I haven't Ma'am. I need to go to the bank first, and its been such an interesting morning that I just havent gotten the chance to."

"Well," Mr. Malfoy said, "I am going to go get Draco his broomstick for this year. Narcissa, dear, would you help young Miss Sophia get her money, and meet us at Quidditch Supplies? We will wait for you both there." with that he and Draco walked off.

Mrs. Malfoy smiled at me gently and I smiled back at her.

"The boys will be there for a while, so after we get you your money, do you want to do a bit of girl shopping?" I wanted to, and my face lit up in a smile but I didn't know if I would have the money, and it would be rude of me to make someone that I just met pay for all my things. So I shook my head no.

"I would love to help you with your shopping Mrs. Malfoy, but I am afraid I wont have the money to. The money that I have now I have to figure out how to make last throughout my years at Hogwarts. I need to find a company I can invest in, and add to my money with their growth and popularity. Then I need to work on making money so that I have money of my own that isn't tied to another's buissness. I also have to open up an account. Add to that the fact that my Mother and Father only ever gave me muggle money, and my worries just increase. I have to be smart about my money." Mrs. Malfoy listened to me and nodded as we walked. Then she turned to face me.

"I told you that I have friends in the fashion industry. Well, I own some of their stock from when I was helping them start out. When we go to Gringotts, once you open your account, I will transfer some of the ownership of the stock from me to you. That way you will have the money you need."

"Mrs. Malfoy, I couldn't—"

"This isn't a gift. I understand your point of view, so when you get the money after school to pay me back, I expect you to. Do you understand, Sophia?"

"So, this is like a loan. Your letting me borrow your stock ownership until I can pay you back for what you are going to give to me? What else do I have to do?" There had always been strings attatched once I had been labled witch. Nothing came free, and it was never to benefit me.

"I just want you to go girl shopping with me. My fashion friends are always busy creating the next fashion, and everyone else just wants to babble about meaningless things. I want a girl friend who enjoys shopping for girl things but doesn't want to just babble, but have meaningfull conversations. But if you want to try to be Draco's friend as well, that would be much appreciated. He doesnt have many true friends." I understood what she was saying. And nodded. I wanted to be Draco's friend as well. And it sounded like his friendships and my amount of friends were in similar boats. No true friends, and not enough of them.

So we went to Gringotts and she ended up giving me 1/3 of her shares in stocks. As she owned 60% of the stocks in 5 different fashion power houses, that meant I had a 20% ownership of each. The goblins converted my muggle money to wizards coin and as I filled out the paperwork for my account here they were already setting up my account below us. By the time I had finished my paperwork, they even had a key for me. I asked what I currently had in my account and the goblin told me. My eyes widened. I had never in my life owned so much money. They handed me some credit papers so that if I ran out of coin I could keep shopping, I just had to write the amount on the paper and sign it, and they would make sure that the recipient would get the money due to them. I also pulled out a spare journal that Harry had given me last year that I had yet to write in it. I wrote down the amount of money I had in my account and Mrs. Malfoy raised her eyebrow at me. I looked at her as I put away my notebook.

"It's so I can keep track of what I have, and what I am spending, that way I don't spend too much." she nodded at me and we left to go shopping.

When we finally met up with the boys we had gotten a lot of new clothes for each of us, as well as a few new shoes and a new bag for me to carry my belongings in. It had an organizing charm on it, so all I had to do was say what I was looking for and the bag would put it practically in my hand. It also had a size charm on it, so that it was infinite size on the inside, but only the size of a small messenger bag on the outside. It also had a feather light charm on it so it never got much heavier than the weight of the bag itself. It had a saddle bag feel and look to it, but I had pointed out to Mrs. Malfoy, that saddle bag purses never went out of style because they were so functional, and they could be charmed to any color or fabric. So I had put all of my new belongings into my bag.

Mr. Malfoy and Draco were standing in the Quidditch shop talking about the finer points of the new Nimbus 2001. I looked at it carefully. It looked like it was made from ebony. It was beautifully made, and it had its brand and series number etched into the handle in the front in gold. In the end Mr. Malfoy had bought one for Draco, and a set for the Slytherin team. He also bought Draco some Quidditch protective gear. It looked really expensive, but when Draco tried it on for his mom to see if it would fit him I thought he looked really cool in the gear. After that we went to Madam Malkins and Flourish and Blotts. I had disaggreed with the new book list for first years, but bought it, and then browsed for what I felt would be actual learning books as well as the healing books I had been eyeing earlier, instead of the storybooks those on the ciriculum appeared to be. They were written by some weird looking guy named Gilderoy Lockheart. I rolled my eyes, even his name sounded lame. Then we went to Olivanders to get my wand. It turned out to be a beautifully crafted ebony, 13 ½ inches, with a pheonix flight feather and unicorn mane hair for a core. Mr. Olivander said that it was sure to be a powerful wand, for a powerful witch. I blushed and looked away. I got a wand holster for it that would rest against my arm. It was designed to hold the wand in place unless the wearer wanted to use their wand, at which point the holster would relax and the wand would slip right into the witch or wizards hand. Then we went to the Owlry and I examined all the owls in their. I was uncertain if I wanted an owl until I saw one come into the store and heard the person sell it to the store. I looked into the beautiful large black owl's soul peircing green eyes and fell in love with it. I approached the counter and told them, in no uncertain terms, that I wanted to purchase that owl. They were hesitant, but let me buy what turned out to be a her. I got a nameplate for her and named her Midnight. I got some owl treats and care products. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy seemed proud of my choice in familiar. I thought she looked amazing and exotic, but she seemed proud. When I stroked her head and down her back she looked at me then hooted gently in pleasure. I smiled and she rubbed her head gently against my hand.

After getting my familiar, we went back to the leaky cauldron and they invited me to dinner at the Malfoy Manor. I told them that as much as I would love to, I did have to get back to my house before I got in trouble for being late. They understood and I said goodbye to everyone.

"I'll save a seat for you on the train, Sophia. Come find me when you get there!" Draco said happily.

"I will Draco, I can't wait! I will write to you all soon. Thank you again for everything." I replied. Mrs. Malfoy nodded and smiled at me and Mr. Malfoy nodded. Then I watched them go through the floo to their own home, before I entered the floo and was taken to the burrow.

When I got there Harry, Ron, and Hermione all surrounded me. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were just behind them.

"What were you doing with Malfoy, Sophia?" Ron asked, annoyed.

"I was obviously keeping him from picking a fight with you, Ron. I found him on the second floor of Flourish and Blotts while I was looking at books. I didn't know who he was at first, but he seemed nice. When he introduced himself I wasn't certain if him being nice was an act—"

"Of course it was an act! He is nothing but trouble. Stay away from him!" Ron cut me off. I wasn't angry that he cut me off, but I did get very angry that he was trying to tell me what to do like he was a brother of mine.

"You do not get to tell me what to do, Ronald. And he only acted like a jerk around you guys. When he was with me he was a complete gentleman. As for me staying away from him, none of us know what house I will be in when I get into Hogwarts. I can make friends with whoever I want. My friends don't have to your friends, and your friends don't have to be my friends. But I have every intention of making friends. And if Draco happens to be one of them then thats too bad for you, isn't it. Because like it or not, he seems like he would be a great friend to have." I settled down from yelling at Ron. "Look, from what I saw today, he is lonely, with goons and aquaintances, and people who want to call him a friend because of the power his family has. He needs a real friend. And im going to try to be that friend, if he will let me. Its not up to any of you. I know what I am doing. After all, I was Harry's only real friend up until last year too. I know what having friends that no one else wants to be around is like. I'll be fine."

Harry had simply watched and listened. I knew he hated Draco. I knew he thought of me as a little sister, as well as a best friend. I wanted to know what he thought, and he knew I would want to know.

"Just be careful, Soph. If you choose to make Malfoy your friend, then you have to pretend you don't know us, and don't like us, until he decides whether or not he likes the real you enough to accept that your my cousin, and friends with us." Harry said. When he said that it felt like a wieght had been lifted off of my shoulders. I grinned at him and gave him a hug.

"Thank you Harry."

The night before we were to take the train to Hogwarts I packed all of my belongings into my new bag. I laid out an outfit for me to wear for the next day and on the train ride on the trunk at the foot of Ginny's bed. She and Hermione too had packed and laid out outfits. I sat by the window stroking Midnight's feathers. They were the softest things I had ever petted, and she seemed to enjoy being petted as much as I enjoyed petting her. I talked softly to her about my excitement, and my worries. Then I fell asleep, with Midnight watching the night beside me.

We got up early to go to London for the train. I got up and Mrs. Weasley had made a large breakfast. I ate and then finished getting ready. I got dressed in one of my new outfits. I was wearing a long flowy black linin skirt and black flats, with a silver satin off the shoulder ¾ sleeve shirt. I made sure that all of my belongings were in my bag, then went downstairs.

"Where is your trunk, Sophia?" Mrs. Weasley asked me. I lifted my bag.

"Everything is in here, Mrs. Weasley. I bought it while I was out at Diagon Alley, it has an enlargement charm on the inside, and a featherlight charm on it so it hardly weighs anything." I told her. She smiled and nodded at me. Everyone else brought their trunks down and Midnight flew down the stairs to land on my shoulder. I absentmindedly petted her while we got into the Weasleys car, where I placed her on my lap.

We drove to the train station and got out. I followed everyone to the platforms 9 and 10, then watched as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went through with Ginny. I followed after that and bypassed them as I got on the train and started looking for Draco. About halfway down the train I reached into my bag and muttered Hogwarts robe, and my robe flew into my hand. I put it on and kept looking for Draco. I found him ¾ths the way down the train in a car with two larger boys. I knocked on the door and he waved me in from the window. I smiled as I sat down across from him. He introduced me to Crabb and Goyle. Then we talked about how the rest of his summer had gone as other Slytherins joined us. He introduced me to them all but I didn't pay much attention. Then the train left and we made our way to Hogwarts.

The sorting hat had finished his song, but I wasn't really paying much attention. I was absorbed in the magic of the ceiling, wondering how angry Mother would be if I did the same magic to mine. I had spent the whole summer studying Harry's old books, and he let me have them for the year. I was incredibly excited when my name was called. But as I sat on the stool in front of my year and all the other students, my nerves crawled like spiders up my spine.

'You have a bright mind, and you've been studying already...perhaps you belong in -' The hat started, but before it could finish with a house I cut it off.

'Please, I don't want to be placed somewhere because of my intelligence. That's not fair. I want to be placed for who I really am.' I begged. Harry had told me about how he convinced the house to place him in Gryffindor. I knew I was brave, but I had thought many of Harry's actions during the school year had been foolhardy and stupid, if brave. I knew I was smart, but I wasn't a genius like the Ravenclaw's. And while I was loyal, I didn't stick by people just because they were who were around me. I valued a combination of brave, smart, and loyal. I had spent many years getting Harry out of trouble with my parents, and I had to be tricky about it, because they didn't want me to really know or accept Harry. I had to help Harry survive. I had to be sly. I had to know how to survive too, because Dudley was a bully to everyone.

The hat seemed to think about my request before responding to me. 'The only place your true self belongs, is the one place I cannot put you. Salazar Slytherin would turn in his grave if I put a muggle born in his house.'

'But if you think about it, my aunt was a witch, so I have a magical lineage, it's just not very far back into my family history. Please, I don't care if people hate me, I just want to be somewhere I truly belong. Cant you bend the rule just this one time?'

The hat once again paused to think. He had to have been thinking very hard for a loophole because it felt like forever to me before he sighed. 'I hope you know what your doing, child.'

"Slytherin!" the hat cried out for the entire hall to hear. The Slytherin table errupted into applause, lead by Draco. I smiled happily at them and walked over. Crabb and Goyle moved over for me to have room across the table from Draco. We started talking about how the first year classes were supposed to go, not paying any attention to the rest of the sorting. Draco walked me through who each of the teachers were, and what they taught, and how their classes were run, and where their classes were.

When all the sorting was done, to my surprise a Professor, who, based on Harry's description was Snape, walked in, with Harry, and Ron. I had met the Weasleys over the summer, because when they went to rescue Harry, he made them get me as well. I didn't make eye contact with any of the trio, knowing that I could not associate myself with Harry, Ron, or Hermione until I had made real friends within my house. Friends who would not judge me for knowing them.

Harry and Ron were both dressed in street clothes, so I had to assume that Professor Snape had made them walk into the hall like this on purpose to humiliate them. That wasn't fair to them, but there wasn't anything that I could do about it. Instead I looked down the table at my housemates, who were welcoming a lot of the other first years. I wondered how they would react if they knew I was related to Harry. It probably would not be a good reaction.

I sighed, and looked down at my plate. I wasn't hungry. I was excited, I could not believe how smoothly my transition into this house was going with Draco as my friend.