Sorry for the late update! I had guests over and didn't get a chance to post.
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In the month he had before school started, Draco thought often about the words of the black-haired boy. The first few times, the memory did nothing except incite fierce anger and indignation within him. After that however, he couldn't help but think that, just maybe, the words had some modicum of sense to them.
While he knew Slytherins weren't all evil, backstabbing, power-hungry, dark-lords-in-training, the rest of the world often thought otherwise; especially so soon after the whole nasty business with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. As a Slytherin-to-be, he knew very well the power of reputation and, much as it pained him to admit it, the reputation of Slytherin house wasn't up to par for what he hoped to accomplish in life.
Many restless night had been spent pondering this problem and he had finally settled on a course of action mere days before school was to begin.
Now, as he picked up the ratty old hat and moved to put it on, he could feel his heart trying to jump out of his chest with nerves. All that thinking would be for naught if the Sorting Hat didn't cooperate. After all, no one quite knew exactly how the hat decide-
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Draco let out a sigh of relief. The Sorting Hat evidently was fooled by his concentrated thinking of Hufflepuffish thoughts.
As he moved towards to Hufflepuff table, delayed applause and furious whispering broke out simultaneously as the hall of students tried to adjust to the impossibility of the Malfoy heir being sorted into Hufflepuff.
Draco smirked.
In the entrance-way, a black-haired, green-eyed boy broke out into laughter.
Ten minutes later, utter silence again enveloped the Great Hall as Harry Potter moved to join his housemates at the Slytherin table.
As whispers overtook the hall by storm once again, Harry sought out a pair of astonished silver eyes from across the room, and winked.
AN: Review please! Short chapter, but interesting turn of events, no?
Next chapter should be up weekend after this one and should be longer.