A/N: This is an accompaniment to Malfoy and Black…but you don't really have to read that one to get this one. In fact, this is a bit of a prequel…but it does have no plot, so there you are.

The ceiling fascinated me. It was the sky. But it was inside. The Great Hall was no place to feel claustrophobic…despite the herds of adolescents, filling the room. I waited in line next to my cousin, waiting for the deciding moment.

We had to be in the same house, we just had to.

Could you imagine if we weren't?

I'd have to make friends with people! And I'm horrible at making friends. Narcissa's kind of always been it for me. My best friend. And the only one I need.

"Reggie, this is scary," she told me in a whisper.

I put on a brave face, just for her, "Don't worry, we'll be together."

The professor glared in our direction. Apparently we weren't supposed to be talking. She put a hat on the stool in front of us and to my utter astonishment, it began to sing.

"Do you think it will really eat our brains?" Narcissa whispered.

"No, I think Bellatrix was being a jerk," I told her confidently, before admitting, "But I think that Sirius's warning about how it gives you wet willies* might have some truth…"

"Can't you go first?" she asked.

"The horrors of the alphabet," I shrugged, "But if it tries anything funny, we'll show that hat who's in charge."

She smiled slightly and it was then that the professor called her name.

She approached the hat cautiously before sitting down and slowly placing it on her head.

I watched Narcissa sit there for a minute before the hat called out "Slytherin!"

She looked relieved as she stood up and made her way to the Slytherin table where sixth year Lucius Malfoy scooted over so she could sit next to him. Narcissa looked jubilant, but as she had spent most of her childhood crushing on him, this was only to be expected.

I went to the stool next and put the hat on my head. Thinking.

Sirius wants me to be in Gryffindor with him…but Narcissa is in Slytherin. Mum and Dad want me in Slytherin too.

"Yes, you do have conflicted interests," the hat said patiently, "But you certainly are a brave, brave…"

My stomach sank as I knew where this was going and I hurried to think…

If you so much as utter a 'G' I'll go find some gasoline and a match…

So the hat shouted "Slytherin!" immediately and I wondered if I'd made a mistake.

I tromped over to where my best friend sat, a smile on my face.

"We did it!" she said happily, "We're together!"

"Yep," I replied, "Always."

A/N: Don't forget to review. And yes, it's just a one shot.

*For those of you who don't know, it's when someone licks their finger and sticks it in your ear.