J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter.

Song: Breakaway, by Kelly Clarkson.

The Slytherins and the Gryffindors have always hated each other.

I mean to change this, me, Pansy Parkinson, of the noble and snobby house of Slytherin.

And right now is the perfect moment.

The two houses are looking ready for an all-out duel, a no-man's line between them. I stand in the shadows, lingering on the edge of my group.

I have run here just in time; Draco and Hermione are facing off up ahead.

"What have we here?" he asks snidely, "The Gryffindorks and their mudblood pals. How sweet."

Hermione narrows her eyes, and I drift closer to them.

She says to him, "You are such a salipsistic prat!"

He, along with most of the Slytherins, looks a bit confused.

I step right between them.

"She's right," I say.

He is arrogant, self-absorbed, rude...

Raised eyebrows and widened eyes and shocked expressions follow my every move.

"What is this, some mad attempt at flirting?" Draco turns to me, "I don't like you, you idiot."

I roll my eyes, "The feeling is mutual. All this prejudice stuff is just mad!" I complain. "I'm sick of it!"

"What are you saying, Parkinson?"

"That the Gryffindors are right. Muggle-borns aren't slaves, Draco, and you treat them like that. It's wrong," I say.

"Whatever," Draco waves his hand impatiently.

"You're so arrogant and self-absorbed!" I exclaim.

"So are you," he points out.

Hermione steps in. "She's not. She's brave and kind, and if she was a Gryffindor, I might even like her."

Really?

"Too bad, she's Slytherin. And you're lying, no one could ever like that bloody slut," Draco drawls.

"She is more Gryffindor than me, even."

Harry steps forward also. "I agree, she's very brave."

"I don't care what you think, Potter. Come on, everyone, let's go," he commands.

And with that, he and all the Slytherins angrily stalk away, glaring at me.

Except me, I don't go with them.

I am all of a sudden surrounded by red and gold; no, the Grffindors are not rushing around me, they have all left, I think.

I don't know because I can't see anything but the inside of a tornado.

I sway back and forth, the bright colors swirling around me dizzily.

I feel myself floating, flying, breaking away...