Ginny Weasley had a crush on Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, since she could remember. Her parents told stories about this boy who defeated the Dark Lord when he was just a baby, and so she had imagined this hero of a young adult, who lived life on the edge, not afraid of adventure. She spent her childhood wishing she could meet him but, when a frail boy with round glasses and messy dark hair appeared with her brother one day, Ginny was left...disappointed. Harry was nice, but that was almost all there was to him. He was too quiet, he blended into the background, and preferred not to be center stage, and to top off her disappointment, he didn't seem to know anything about magic! What kind of wizard hero was a boy who didn't even know about magic? That was a question Ginny asked herself many times after meeting Harry, and as her and her brood walked around Diagon Alley, she was reminded once again of Harry's position in the public eye.
They were in Flourish and Blott's bookstore, her father was haggling with the shopkeeper to accept the six galleons and three sickles they were offering for the new editions that were mandatory for Ginny's first year.
"Potter." A boy with platinum hair sneered at Harry. Instantly the boy bristled, his face turning cold.
"Malfoy." Harry snarled. Ginny blinked in surprise at the tone the usually friendly boy took.
'Malfoy, that name sounds familiar.' Ginny thought.
"Out with your blood traitor friends, I see. What, your muggle family wasn't enough, now you have to galavant with blood traitors?" Harry opened his mouth to retort, but an older man, with long hair the same color as his son and an even more pretentious sneer came around a bookshelf.
"Oh, come now, Draco, mind your manners. You're in front of a lady." At that Draco scoffed, starting an anger in Ginny that bubbled from her chest. She opened her mouth to say something to the man, but her father was quickly stepping in front of them all pushing them behind him as if to shield them from the adult.
"Hello, Lucius."
"Hello, Arthur." The tension between the two was palpable, but it was broken by Molly tottering to them, satisfied with her purchase. She dropped a slightly used textbook into the cauldron Ginny was carrying and began to usher her children and plus one out the door. Ginny, as always, followed a few feet behind everyone else but was further delayed by Lucius bumping into her, spilling the contents of her cauldron.
"I'm terribly sorry, my leg is quite sore today." He gestured to his cane and bent down to help her pick her things up. Ginny nodded her head in response, still angry at his son, she gave a short but polite 'thank you' before skittering out the door after the family who didn't notice her absence. Draco watched his father with curious eyes as they continued their own shopping. He'd seen him pull the leather bound book out of his robes and add it to the Weasley girl's belongings, but his father didn't do anything without reason so he let it go.
All too soon it was time to board the Hogwarts Express, and Ginny's family practically buzzed on the platform.
"Now, you've made sure you've gotten everything you need?"
"Yes mum, I've got everything." Ginny sighed, this was the eighth time her mother had asked her about her things.
'It's not like I've got anything new.' She thought to herself. She did find a journal in her cauldron the night they'd gone shopping. By the looks of it, it was most definitely used. She'd thought about leaving it at home, but something about it called to her from the small bookshelf she'd set it on and she packed it before leaving the Burrow that morning.
"Oh, my baby." Molly sniffed as she pulled Ginny into her bosom. "I'm going to miss you so much. It's going to be so quiet without you home this year." Ginny couldn't help but feel excitement at the prospect of not being home most of the year, and she gave her mother a tight hug and a peck on the cheek before she did the same to her father. They understood her excitement, and they waved the train away until it was a dot on the horizon.
"Oh, Arthur, I hope she'll be okay."
"Of course she will dear, she'll be in Gryffindor with her brothers. She'll be perfect."
Ginny was far from perfect. The train ride was a long one, and she had started out the ride to Hogwarts with her brothers, Fred and George, but was pushed out from the car by their friends.
'You don't mind, do you Gin?' They'd asked with wide eyes. Ginny couldn't turn the twins down, so she'd found an empty car at the end of the train. For the first time in her life, Ginny was all alone in a new place. She had to admit, the nerves were starting to get to her. Gryffindor sounded great, but then again she'd never known anything different. She longed to make her own path here at Hogwarts, but with the slew of brothers she had, it was going to be difficult for her to be seen as Ginny, and not just another Weasley. She hoped her professors weren't going to hold anything against her for their actions.
Ginny was snapped out of her reserve by voices behind the door of her compartment. The door slid open and she came face to face with the sneering boy from the bookshop, but this time he was laughing with his friends behind him. There were two husky boys that looked about as sharp as a rubber wand, a coffee skinned boy with short hair and piercing eyes, and a girl with an upturned nose and slick, cropped, black hair. When his cool grey eyes fell on Ginny, his laughter stopped.
"What do you think you're doing in our compartment?" Ginny's eyes narrowed. There were no adults here to interrupt them this time.
"I felt great pretentiousness and I came to check it out. If I knew it was just you, I wouldn't have bothered at all." Draco's mouth fell open as Ginny rose to her feet. She grabbed her cauldron and bag and tried to push past the group of, what she assumed were, affluent children but was stopped by a porcelain hand on her tattered sweater.
"Why don't you stay?" Ginny was surprised, to say the least, and could tell that the black haired girl was just as surprised as she was. The youngest Weasley bit her lip, looking between the compartment and the door, before she set her things back where she had them and took a seat next to the window.
The ride dragged on, and Ginny stared out the window for the first half of the trip, half listening to the children around her, lost in thoughts of Hogwarts.
"I'm going to try out for the Seeker position this year." Draco said, matter of factly.
"Maybe you'll give Potter a run for his money." One of the larger boys muttered.
"I hope so. That git is insufferable." The girl whined.
"He's got an extra year of experience on you, mate, but I know you'll best him." The dark boy said, glimpsing over the top of his book at his friend. Draco flashed a smile, that turned into a sneer.
"That Muggle loving prat is going to get what's been coming for him."
"Ugh! First it was Muggles, now it's Blood Traitors," the girl laid a the back of her wrist on her forehead and leaned back into her seat dramatically, "I don't understand how he can do it. Muggles are filthy, but those Weasley's-"
The sound of skin on skin echoed in the car, Ginny's hand still floating in front of the girls face. Her ears were red, and she felt the heat climbing her shoulders and face. She turned to the shocked face of the Malfoy boy, her eyes flashing dangerously, and he lost any bravado he'd had. Ginny leaned down to his ear and said in a low voice, loud enough to be heard through the car,
"If you were letting me stay in this car just to mock me, let me make one thing clear. You can call me whatever name you want, I know I'm poor, I know I don't have all the latest things you do, but I will not tolerate anyone saying anything about my family while I'm around. We are still proud purebloods."
"How can your family be proud, Blood Traitor?" The girl, holding her cheek, finally spoke up again.
"Because we do things we could never be disappointed with. Because no matter how much money we may be missing out on, being "Blood Traitors" we're all happy and thriving. And we all know at the end of the day, our parents would lay their lives down for any of their children." Ginny looked around the cart, the other children not meeting her eye, "can a single one of you say the same thing?" When no one spoke up, keeping their eyes to the ground Ginny huffed and took her seat.
The rest of the ride to Hogwarts was silent, and Ginny was the first one out the door, her belongings in her arms before the train even finished parking. She stepped off the train, surrounded by students. A large man was herding the first years, toward a large lake and it took Ginny's breath away.
The lake was dark, an endless void reaching out to swallow the castle erected upon its lights burning inside glowed like stars in the galaxy on the rippling surface, and lit candles bobbed up and down, swirling around the boats that passed them.
Ginny found herself in a boat with two other girls, a timid girl with a button nose and mousey brown hair, and a familiar girl with wispy blonde hair and a far off gaze.
"Luna!" Ginny smiled at the girl, grateful for some familiarity in this new world set before her.
"Hello, Ginny." Luna smiled at her friend as she stuck her hand into the water, gently tapping the floating candles they passed.
"Did you enjoy your trip with your dad?"
"Yes, it was lovely, but we didn't find any Wrackspurts, but we did come across a herd of Heliopaths. How was your summer?" The small boat docked all too soon, and now Ginny was standing before an intimidating woman with her greying auburn hair tied into a tight bun on the top of her head. She had light wrinkles creasing her face, and twinkling eyes that gave away more of her excitement than her tight expression.
"Hello, I'm professor McGonagall, the Gryffindor Head of House. I will be escorting you to the sorting ceremony. You'll stand single file, and wait for your name to be called. Once it is you will put on the sorting hat, and then take a seat at the appropriate table for the feast. Welcome to Hogwarts." She gave them a cheeky grin and turned around to open the large oak doors that they all stood in front of, her robes splayed behind her and they were hit with a wall of commotion. Voices mingled together, and Ginny forgot to look for her brothers, completely in awe of the ceiling charmed to look like a night sky. She was so busy taking in all that there was to see, that she didn't notice when Professor McGonagall called her name.
"Ginevra Weasley! Miss Weasley!" Ginny skittered to the stool and took her seat. McGonagall placed the hat on her head and a voice began to mumble to her.
"Oh, another Weasley. Brave like your brothers, but not half-baked. Similar to that Percy boy, oh you didn't like that comment? What's this?" Ginny felt tingles behind her ears as the hat dug deeper into her subconscious.
"I know just where to put you, love. For you to make your own path, I'm placing you in… SLYTHERIN!"
Silence filled the Great Hall. This was an unexpected turn of events. Ginny slid off the stood and shuffled to the Slytherin table and sat at an empty end. That's when the chaos started.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN OUR SISTER'S IN SLYTHERIN? I DEMAND A RESORT!"
"MR WEASLEY!" McGonagall snipped. "Sit down and eat your meal. The Sorting Hat is never wrong." Ron opened his mouth but Harry placed a hand on his arm and shook his head. Ron huffed and sat down, arms folded across his chest. Harry gave her a sad glance over his shoulder once, but after that didn't look at her again.
Headmaster Dumbledore, tall, elderly man with wire framed glasses and a long, snow white beard gave an opening speech for the new year and with a wave of his hands food appeared on the tables. With the introduction of food, Ron's temper satiated with a turkey leg, but Ginny couldn't eat, the hollow feeling in her stomach was making her sick. She kept getting sneers from her new housemates and for the first time in her life, Ginny felt completely alone and lost.
After dinner was done, Ginny and the rest of the first years were led to the dungeons, where their common room was. Ginny was expecting a dark, dreary room with cold floors and chains hanging from the walls. She was not expecting a warmly lit room, a fire burning in the farthest left corner, with plush emerald chairs and couches set up sporadically throughout. A whole section of the common rooms was charmed to be invisible, giving them an underwater view of the lake. Ginny saw fish swimming, completely unaware of their presence. The prefect, a blonde girl named Sylvia, led them through the room, spouting small facts Ginny didn't think were important. An older boy took Harper, a deep ebony skinned boy, the only other first year to his room, Sylvia took Ginny to hers.
It was a large room, with four canopy beds set up around the room. Two of the beds had emerald curtains and sheets, while the other two had silver bedding. Ginny's belongings were set at the end of one of the shimmering silver beds, and she quickly made her way to it. She plopped down and let the tears silently fall down her face. She didn't think making her own story would be so lonely.
The next morning, Ginny made her way to the Great Hall, it wasn't too difficult to find on her own. She sat at the empty end of the table, pushing her eggs around on her plate. Ron barreled through the doors, searching for someone. His eyes fell on his sister and he quickly made his way to her.
"I know you're not evil Gin, you don't belong over here." He grabbed her arm and tried to haul her out of her seat, which wasn't too difficult. All eyes were on them, and Ginny's cheeks heated.
'This cannot be happening.' Ginny thought to herself.
"Ron, let go of my arm and go sit down." Ginny whispered to him, almost begging him to let her go.
"No, Gin! You're going to be a Gryffindor, it's where you belong."
"Ron, let me go!" Ginny yanked her arm free of her brother's grasp and glared at him.
"Gin," A shadow fell over Ron's face as his attention was moved to something, or rather someone, behind her.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" He spat his last name at him, as if it were poisoned.
"I think she asked you to let her be, Weasley. You should go sit down." Draco placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder. "She's right where she belongs. The hat is never wrong." He stayed cool and collected, but her brother was getting angry, the flush spread from his nose to his cheeks.
"You're involved with Malfoy, of all people?" Ron shook his head and turned around. He said something just loud enough for the two of them to hear, but it shook Ginny to her core.
"You're no sister of mine."
Ginny took her seat and Draco took his down the table, sneaking glances at her. What little of an appetite she'd had disappeared as the owls came, swooping low to the tables, dropping parcels and letters. She saw their family owl careening through the air, the daft bird had been on it's last leg for years now, and Errol made his landing in ron's bowl of hot cereal. Harry brushed the sticky breakfast off his feathers and Errol chirped at him before flying over Ginny and dropped a letter before clumsily making his way back home. Ginny saw the letter her brother received, it was a howler, and her curiosity got the best of her as she stretched in her seat to get a better look. Some boy called out the appearance of the howler, gaining the rest of the Great Hall's attention, save the professors who were busy talking amongst themselves. Ron's hands shook as he tore the first corner. The letter ripped itself open and her mother's voice reverberated off the tables.
"Ronald Weasley! How DARE you steal that car! I am absolutely disgusted! Your father's now facing an inquiry at work, and it's entirely your fault! If you put another toe out of line, we'll bring you straight home! Oh, and Ginny dear… good luck." With that the card ripped itself up and the hall was left quite. Ginny stood up, her letter in hand, and ran to her first class of the day, charms.
Ginny found a seat closest to the exit and placed her things down before looking at the letter. Her name was on the front in her mother's handwriting.
'Ginny,
Your father and I have been discussing this turn of events. We cannot fathom how you've been sorted into Slytherin, but we will find out. Your father suspects that Lucius may have hexed the hat, or even you. We will figure this out, but until then, all we can do is offer you our best wishes.
-Mum and Dad.'
'Their best wishes? That's all they can do to help me? No congratulations? Not even an 'I love you'?' Ginny felt even more alone and shoved the letter into the inside pocket of her hand-me-down robes and picked up her well read copy of 'A Standard Book of Spells' and pulled her wand out of her pocket. This was one of the only things that she had that wasn't given to her from an older brother. It was mapel, 7 ¾ inches with a dragon heartstring core, and it warmed in her hand when she gripped it. She practiced flicking and swishing her wand silently, but was surprised by a small man with pointed ears and round glasses. He wore nice robes with a bow tie and smiled as he watched the young girl who'd shown up to his class early.
"My, you must be eager to learn Miss Weasley." Her head snapped up at his voice and she gave him a sheepish smile.
"Well, sort of. I'm excited to start learning how to use magic, but I'm here early for different reasons." She sighed and the teacher took the hint.
"If you ever want to talk about those reasons, Miss Weasley, I can be of assistance." He smiled and she returned one of her own.
"Thank you, Professor, but I think I'll be okay for now."
The class filled up soon after that, and Luna took the available seat next to Ginny and together they practiced their spells until Professor Flitwick dismissed their class.
Ginny's morning classes went smoothly, after charms she had transfiguration and Herbology. Lunch went better than breakfast, her brother only gave glares from across the hall at his sister, but stayed in his seat. Flying was after lunch, followed by Potions with her Head of House Professor Snape, which is where she found currently found herself.
The dreary professor droned on and Ginny found herself doodling in the margins of her notes instead of paying attention. That lack of attention in her last class of the day is what led Ginny to be sitting in the common rooms by the fireplace during her free period, her potions notes only half taken and the empty cauldron sat in front of her. She grumbled and fell backwards onto a stack of pillows, covering her eyes with her hands. She ran her fingers through her hair, tracing circles on her scalp in an effort to calm herself.
"What are you going on about, Weaslett?" Ginny's eyes snapped open and there was Draco, in all his upside down glory.
"I didn't pay attention in Potions and now I don't know what I need to know for this potion." Ginny sighed as she flopped her arms above her head.
"Well, lucky for you, I'm a potion master." He sat next to her and began to walk her through the steps for her assignment. He showed her how to properly dice ingredients without crushing them, how to properly juice a Mandrake root, and how to catch the perfect time to stir the ingredients without a timer. They went through four cauldrons before Ginny was sure she could make it without fail, and Draco was confident with her progress.
At some point he'd pulled out his Care of Magical Creatures assignment and practically growled in frustration. Ginny looked to him with a questioning glance. He showed her his Dragon assignment.
"What is it you have to do?"
"I've got to describe four dragons and fill 13 ½ inches, but I hate that damned book." Draco pointed to the bag that contained his living monster of a book and Ginny giggled. She pulled the bag into her lap.
"What are you doing, Weasley? Are you insane?" The boy had stood up quickly when she began to open it and jumped into a chair, making sure his perfectly polished shoes under his thighs. Ginny rolled her eyes and pulled the book out, as she brushed her fingers along its spine. The book shivered at her touch and opened its pages for her. Draco blinked in surprise at the girl as she beamed at him from her cross legged position on the floor.
"How did you do that?" He asked, hesitating to walk to her.
"My brother Charlie is now a Dragon Tamer in Romania. He's all about magical creatures. When I was little I accidentally opened his school trunk, and his book came out and chased me all around his bedroom. He found me on his bed and laughed. He picked up the book from under the bed and showed me how to coax the thing into behaving." Ginny giggled at the memory. "He didn't even ask me what I was doing in his trunk in the first place."
"Why were you in his trunk?" Draco asked as he took the purring book.
"I wanted his wand." Ginny smirked at him before leading the conversation into a different direction. "So, about your assignment. Dragons are my favorite animal, and my brother lives with them." Ginny went on to describe her favorite dragons, and by the time she was done, Draco had 17 ¾ inches of dragon information. They stayed like that, sprawled out on the floor together, until dinner. They'd shared a few personal stories, Draco helped her with her next two assignments, and Ginny had helped him tame his textbook, making him learn the ridges to scratch and which ones to avoid for this particular book. As they walked to dinner together, Ginny felt like being a Slytherin wasn't going to be too bad.