A/N; I do not own Harry Potter or the Potterverse.
Draco stepped through to platform 9 3/4. He loked around, overwhelmed at the mass of people there. As he started to take it all in his father, Lucious appeared behind him and Draco quickly steeled himself as he knew his father wouldn't be very impressed at his awe.
Saying goodbye to his mother Narsissa, Draco heard his father hiss in disapproval. Looking up he saw what his father had seen, two muggle parents saying goodbye to their bushy haired daughter "filthy mud bloods" Lucious mutted
"Lucious, not here" Narsissa whispered to her husband, not wanting to draw attention to them. Draco said farewell to his father and boarded the train, the Hogwarts Express, and started to make his way down the corridor looking for a compartment. Opening the first one, he came across a group of 5th year boys. "move it twerp" one of the lads snarled at him. Not wanting to cause a scene on his first day Draco shut the door and moved on. Continuing up the train he came across a compartment which looked empty, Draco stepped inside. A boy with scruffy black hair and glasses looked up at him and smiled. Noticing the scar on his forehead Draco knew exactly who he was and not wanting to cause further disappointment with his father Draco sneered "well well, if it isn't Harry Potter. Its filthy half bloods like you that ruin this schools reputation" and with that he made off bumping into a bright ginger haired boy on the way out "move it weasley", disgusted that he had even touched the muggle loving breed, leaving the two boys in shock he turned on his heel to bump into another 1st year only this time it was the bushy haired muggle that he had seen on the platform. Just as Draco was about to say something insulting the girl looked up from a mass of books she was holding, hair falling away from her face revealing her soft hazel eyes, pale skin and luscious looking lips. Draco felt his breath catch in the back of his throat as he looked at her and for a split second he allowed himself to feel something. Realising that he had started to look soft he coughed and quickly muttered "out of the way mud blood" before pushing past her making her books topple to the ground. Wize up Draco scolding himself because no good would come from thinking a mud blood of all people was pretty, his dad would murder him.
Draco found a compartment near the back of the train, ocupied by two boys. One tall and fairly muscular the other short and quite plump. Crabbe and Goyle. He decided that they would suit for the trip to Hogwarts and sat down. Introducing himself he pulled out his new wand determined to make a good impression showing off the skills he already learned from his father. Mucking around with the two boys was sure a fine way to start a school year he thought, but even though he was having fun he couldn't keep his mind off the muggle girl the entire journey.
Draco arrived in the Great Hall and looked around him astounded, it was amazing, it was magical and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, except for the girl on the train , a voice taunted him at the back of his mind. Draco forced himself to ignore it, he needed to stop thinking like that his father and the rest of the death eaters would have his head for that. He then scolded himself for thinking about them too.
As Draco and the rest of the first years were ushered up to the front of the Great Hall he found himself standing next to her, the girl from the train, the girl whose eyes captivated him, the 'mudblood' he should despise.
Dumbledore stood at the podium in the middle of what seemed like a stage on which was a long table full of all the teachers of Hogwarts. It was wooden with golden birds either side and bronze vines twisted round the base. He looked around the hall and a hushed scilence fell upon the students and faculty. He cleared his throat "Greetings Hogwarts! Welcome back and, to those who have just joined us, I offer you the most humble greeting on behalf of everyone here. As you all know we shall be joined by a celebrity this year and I hope you will all respect his privacy and give the boy some distance. Classes will commence at the start of the week I hope we all have a very productive school year! Now as tradition stands, sorting will begin!"
Draco watched as a Professor brought out a stool and an old dusty hat must be the sorting hat Draco mused to himself. As he stood with the rest of his fellow first years watching the hat it suddenly burst into song, Draco's eyes lit up in surprise as he watched this hat talk! He glanced out the side of his eye at the girl next to him and felt his heart soften at the expression of wonder and delight on her face, she truely was beautiful. The sorting hat finished his song and the Professor stood up and started reading
"Hannah Abott" the Professor called out. A small girl with brown hair in the 2nd row looked up sharply and started nervously walking towards the stage, the Professor guestured to her to sit on the stool and when she did, placed the hat upon her head
"Ahh, let me see. Loyal and quite bright. I sense you pride yourself on being a good friend to others. How about HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat announced. Draco watched as the girl walked off to join her new house. Draco fazed out for a moment as he pondered about what house he would end up in, he was quite nervous as he knew to please his father he would need to be in slytherin, but the hat would know that, the hat knows your most inner secrets, thoughts and anything else that you had rattleing around in there. Draco was brought back to reality as the Professor announced the next student to face the hat
"Hermione Granger", the girl next to him jumped with the mention of her name looked round her once and moved towards the hat with a look of confidence. Hermione, what a lovely name for such a lovely face Draco blushed while he thought about her.
"Ah Miss Granger! What a brain, what a brain! Magnificent you are quite the intelligent one and brave too not afraid to stand up for what you belive in. Yes, I think you better be in GRIYFFINDORE!" Draco's shoulders slumped, he had, for a moment hoped that the girl that had been the center of his attention the majority of the day, would be in Slytherin with him. No worries, he would just have to get into the same classes. What was he thinking! She is a mudblood! Not fit for the companionship of a pureblood like a Malfoy. Or so his father and crazed aunt would have him believe.
"Draco Malfoy", oh there was his cue. He took a big breath and started towards the sorting hat. For Merlins sake Draco! Pull yourself together its only sorting, you're a Malfoy you're going to get into Slyyherin. As he sat, he felt the hat being placed on his head, Draco thought about how the hat was surprisingly soft for the age of it. He then felt the most strangest of feelings, as if someone had started poking around inside his brain. He then realised that was exactly what the sorting hat does. He glanced at the Slytherin table, that is where I belong, I need to be there. I'm brave, but not in the stupidity of a Gryfindore. I know I'm smart but im much more than a Ravenclaw. I'm loyal but I choose my companions wisely. I'm also not that interested in being put round baffaling baboons either.
"Really young Malfoy? Is that how you see yourself? I remember sorting your father when he too sat in this very stool pondering the same thoughts, thinking the same things deliberately so as he could be placed in the house he desired so much. Although you're fathers heart was colder inside, I sense a difference in you." Oh please, please I have to be in Slytherin, if you know my father you surely know that! Draco thought in earnest. "Yes, I know that. The things you have told me to be are indeed true young Malfoy, I am not disputing that, but is that house best suited for your abilities? Brave, smart, loyal to those you deem worthy, dark like your parents. But recently I see you're having a soft spot that may drive you from your goals." No! No that filthy mudblood means nothing. NOTHING. Draco sneered. "Very well, SLYTHERIN!" the hat announced. Draco opened his eyes which he realised he had squeezed shut. He took in his surroundings feeling very conscious of everyone looking at him. The hall was silent every eye focused on him. Draco got up and started towards the Slytherin. Suddenly the whole Slytherin table erupted into cheers. Draco bowed and smirked at the Potter boy on his way past and comfortably settled into a seat at his new house. After he had sat the sorting became a blurr. Potter and Weasly both became Gryfindors and seated themselves next to her, Hermione, her smile radiated as she showed off some spells, obviously practiced over the summer, although without being able to use magic underaged outside of Hogwarts he had no idea how. Draco assumed that must have been the intelligence the sorting hat had been talking about, and he had to admit, he was impressed because she was a muggle of couse, he quickly reminded himself. Then something happened, the Weasley boy said something to her and she blushed a deep crimson. Draco felt a horrible pang of jealously sweep through him. How dare that weasle, he would have to show him a thing or two.
Dumbledore stood up and with open arms announced the arrival of dinner and there were "ooohs" and "ahhs" as mountains of glorious food appeared on the tables infront of them. Draco ate with enthusiasm, this was far nicer than anything his mother had ever made.
After dinner was over the prefects of each house ushered the first years to their common rooms. Draco was amazed at the size of the interior of the castle and concentrated on taking in his surroundings, instead of letting his gaze follow the beautiful Hermione and her new found friends in his rival house, not to meantion the boy who his father had warned would be his enemy.
Draco awoke in a strange bed and sat bolt upright trying to figure out where the hell he was. As his eyes adjusted to the light he remembered that he was in his dorm, at Hogwarts. Looking at his watch, a present from his mad aunt Bellatrix that he was sure wasnt just a watch, he saw that it was just after 7:30. Sighing Draco got up and started getting dressed, no point being late on the first day of school he thought to himself, his mother being the stickler for punctuality had drilled that into him from before he could walk! Making his way through the Slytherin common room, pausing every now and again to take in the gothic architecture and gloomy furnishings, he headed up to the great hall for breakfast. Draco wasn't sure what to be more surprised at, the fact that he was first to breakfast or that there were dozens of house elves running around cleaning. Of course Draco had a house elf at home called Dobby, cute little creature with big eyes, he felt sorry for Dooby because of the way his father treated him, and all other magical creatures that weren't pure blooded withches or wizards. These ones however looked, how would he put it, healthy? It was only as Draco watched the house elves of Hogwarts that he noticed Dobby's ribs stuck out more, or how his ears had chunks out of them from where he had been bitten by his father. As Draco stood there taking in the house elves' appearances he didn't notice a small bushy haired girl scurry past with a armfull of books so big that she could barely see where she was going. Hermione Granger made her way to the Gryfindor table and attempted to sit down. It was then that Draco noticed her as she dropped one of the books balancing at the top of her enormous pile and went hurtling over it causing the rest of the books to fly off in every direction as she flailed about trying to grab something to stop herself falling. She failed and ended up in a crumpled heap on the floor amongst her books. This is it! My chance to show off! Draco thought, Mustn't be too nice tho or she'll think im soft and my father would kill me if I was nice. Draco rushed over to the heap that was Hermione, and held out his hand.
Hermione looked up and saw the blonde haired boy that had been mean to Harry and Ron. She stared at him dubiously not sure whether to trust him. After a minute of stareing at him she took his hand and let him help her up, it was either that or look a fool scrambling around.
Draco smirked at Hermione, "You're welcome muddy", whiped out his wand and cast the wingardium leviosa picking up her books and placing them on the table. With another smirk and a quick wink he turned on his heel and marched across the great hall to sit at the Slytherin table making sure his back was to her so he wouldnt be tempted to look at her gorgeous face. Smiling to himself he leaned back and thought about what he would like for breakfast