Disclaimer: I forgot to do this for my other chapters sorryyy .

I Don't own Harry Potter or anything you may recognize from it!

Both Ginny and I walked towards the nearest exit and jumped from the train. Ginny landed a little roughly, and me a bit off balance as I almost fell into someone. Catching my overly clumsy self on the person's shoulder I pulled myself back up and uttered a quick "Thanks…" hoping to avoid the person in the future.

But just as I began to walk away, Ginny called me back over.

I kept my eyes on the ground and I walked the short distance over to Ginny, making sure not to trip on anything. I approached Ginny who was standing next to two indistinct people.

"Mariella, this is my brother Ron and this is Hermione." Ginny said.

I slowly looked up at the two standing in front of me and saw they were of the "Golden Trio".

A slim girl with dark brown eyes and long light brown curls held her hand out to me ready to shake it, a polite smile on her face.

The boy held the same freckled red-haired resemblance as Ginny but was looking at an unknown object right next to my right foot, his face bright red.

I held out my hand and grasped Hermione's, shaking it. Trying not to panic I clasped one of my hands into a fist while I stuck out the other towards Ron to shake. When he didn't respond Ginny nudged him and he seemed to snap back to reality, taking my hand in his. His palm was all clammy but I didn't show any distaste, using the same polite smile Hermione had. He then let go and continued to rub his palms on his pants, looking towards the castle in the distance.

Hermione then looked at him with a strange expression on her face, shook her head slightly, and then addressed me.

"So Ginny has told us that you're new. Do you need any help getting started at school?"

I knew for a fact I wouldn't have any trouble with classes. But thinking strategically, I could use this as a tool to get closer to the three.

"That would be great thanks." I said putting a real smile on my face.

Ron then uttered something under his breath and walked swiftly towards one of the black carriages, his eyes still on the ground.

"I'd…better go…" Hermione said as she took a few steps backwards in Ron's direction. "I'll save you two seats at the feast."

She then walked away after Ginny managed a quick "Okay".

I then glanced at Ginny with a confused expression on my face.

But all Ginny did was smirk and say "It's my brother; you never really know when it comes to him."

Still perplexed, I followed Ginny towards a couple of carriages. She looked in each one until we reached one with Dean and Seamus inside talking about this year's Gryffindor Quidditch team. I caught the end of the conversation as we climbed in.

"…heard Harry's captain this year. He's sure to put me on the team. Seeing as we're mates and all…" said Dean.

"Harry isn't required to put you on the team. You'll have to make it based on skill. I doubt Harry would want a bad…" started Ginny but was quickly interrupted by an angry Dean as we sat down.

"So you're saying I'm bad at playing? I thought girlfriends were supposed to be supportive!..."

"…I never said that Dean I was just trying to say that…"

"…that if I was on the team then it'd be horrible. Yeah I know what you were saying Ginny…"

Ginny began to get angry also and then what followed was a shouting match between the two. I tried to tune them out until we reached the castle.

Upon arriving, Dean huffed angrily and marched off with Seamus in his wake.

Ginny just sighed and followed me out. We then walked beside each other as we approached the tall wooden door of the castle.

Remembering the note that was sent to Dumbledore about my coming, I was instructed to sit with any house I please but to report to his office after the feast to get properly sorted.

We entered the high ceiling of the Great Hall. I followed Ginny as she walked swiftly towards a beckoning Hermione at the table, shrugging off Dean as he glared at her.

Ron looked up at our approach but then looked back down, playing with his fork.

I sat beside Ginny as she sat on the opposite side of Ron and Hermione.

Hermione then turned to Ron and whispered something at him.

He gave a small shrug and continued to flick the fork.

She gave him a dirty look and then whispered something else at him. He then rolled his eyes and began to argue back.

They continued to argue through the sorting and a short speech by Dumbledore.

As everyone around the hall began to settle into their seats, the Great Hall doors opened and in came Harry Potter who almost sprinted towards us and pushed Hermione and Ron apart to sit between them.

"Where've you – blimey, what've you done to your face?" said Ron, goggling at him along with everyone else in the vicinity.

His face and the front of his robes were covered in blood, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Why, what's wrong with it?" said Harry, grabbing a spoon and squinting at his distorted reflection.

"You're covered in blood!" said Hermione. "Come here –"she raised her wand saying "Tergeo!" and cleaned off the dry blood.

"Thanks," said Harry, feeling his now clean face.

Then noticing that I was being just as bad as those from other tables who continued to watch him, I glanced over at Ginny who whispered to me "I'm not surprised. This kind of stuff happens to him a lot."

I began to wonder what kind of hell this kid went through everyday.

My heart sank.

It was all because of my father.

I tried to shake the thought from my mind but ended up literally shaking my head slightly. I had let my hair down earlier before we left the train and now it gleamed under the candlelight as it bounced back and forth in front of me.

A couple of boys from nearby tables who had been staring at Harry were now staring at me, some of them with their mouths hanging open.

Noticing that the attention was now trained on me, I looked down at my lap. I felt heat rise to my cheeks as I fumbled with my skirt.

Hermione then cleared her throat. Me being the overly-curious one that I was, I looked up to see that now Ron and even Harry were staring at me.

I then looked over at Hermione and Ginny for some help.

Hermione just looked at me, shocked while looking between Harry and Ron.

But Ginny burst out laughing. I then looked back at Harry and saw a slight pink rise to his cheeks as he looked away.

Ron glared at Ginny, obviously embarrassed by the outburst.

Then the hall seemed to return to normal as girls glared at the boys at their tables, and then turned their glares towards me.

Harry looked over my shoulder, an angry expression apparent on his face.

I then looked behind me, following his gaze to a snickering Draco Malfoy.

Draco then pointed at me and winked.

I was almost disgusted now. He wasn't supposed to reveal that we knew each other. He was ruining everything.

I stuck my middle finger up at him and turned around glaring at the full plates of food.

Harry then burst out laughing. But his laugh wasn't like Ginny's; he didn't have a silent audience to entertain. Only those right in the vicinity looked at him now.

I looked back at Draco who had a look of utter astonishment on his face. He then glared at me and began talking to those around him.

I looked back at Harry, who had controlled himself. Hermione seemed to be trying to suppress laughter also as she saw the whole exchange.

I then grinned sheepishly at them and grabbed a chicken leg off a nearby plate.

When the feast ended, Dumbledore gave another speech, this one longer, and at a point Harry yelled "No!" which caused even me to jump.

After the speech, I bade goodbye to Ginny and Hermione, trying to look Ron in the eye but failing miserably, and receiving a slight head nod with a lopsided grin from Harry.

I walked towards Dumbledore's office, trying to rack my brain for the password.

I stood in front of the large stone gargoyles who were talking to each other, obviously excited abut the coming year.

"He said something about liking moonlit strolls?" I said to them.

One jumped aside and a spiral moving staircase was revealed hidden behind it. I climbed onto one of the steps as it carried me to the top. I almost rapped on the door but was stopped before I had begun by the voice of Dumbledore saying "You may come in."

I walked into the circular office and sat in the leather seat across from his at his large desk.

"So it is time for your sorting?" he said, picking up the old torn Sorting Hat sitting in the middle of his desk.

He walked around the desk and paused next to me. He placed the Sorting Hat on my head.

"Hmmm…" the Sorting Hat sighed from above my head.

Please put me in Gryffindor. Please. I need to please my father. Please put me in Gryffindor.

I chanted in my head.

"Ahhh…I'm feeling strong pulls towards Slytherin though…"

Please. I beg of you. Gryffindor.

"Stubborn I see…I better make it…"

I held my breath unconsciously, waiting for his decision.

"GRYFFINDOR!" he shouted.

I let out the held breath in a great sigh.

"Very well. You will receive your schedule tomorrow morning at breakfast and if you can find someone to show you the location of your classes that would be best. You're bed is in the girls dormitory in the Gryffindor tower. I will give you a map to get there but then it will disappear. I like my students to discover the wonders of the castle by their unfortunate wanderings." He chuckled. He then flicked his wand as a scroll appeared in his hand.

He handed it to me and said goodbye, eyeing me over his half-moon spectacles.

I left the office and wound my way through the castle till I reached what was marked on the map as Gryffindor Tower.

"Password?"

Not another bloody password…

"Treacle Tart" said someone behind me.

I jumped at the sudden voice.

Turning around I came across Harry and Ron again, but Hermione was absent.

"Thanks…" I muttered. I turned back towards the now open painting and climbed through. I was then followed by Harry and Ron.

When I entered however the only ones who were still in the common room were Hermione, Ginny and Dean (who seem to have made up) and now Harry, Ron and I.

Ginny was sitting next to Dean in a loveseat near the fireplace wrapped in his arms; Hermione was sitting at one of the tables reading a book, but looked up at our entrance.

Ginny raised her eyebrows at me and then looked at Ron and Harry. All I did was shrug as I walked over and sat in a large leather armchair near the loveseat.

Hermione looked at Ron, then at me, and then at Harry. She sighed and shook her head. Ron tilted his head in confusion and Harry just looked down at his feet, his face red.

Hermione walked over to the fireplace and sat on one end of the long couch. Ron followed and sat next to her, his arm along the back of the couch above her back. Her face turned slightly red at his touch. Harry then followed and sat next to Ron, grabbing one of the pillows and holding it on his lap.

Then a minute later after Ginny and Hermione had a short discussion about Snape being Defense teacher, Hermione nudged Ron and mumbled something about taking their rounds as Prefects around the castle. Then Ginny winked at me and whispered something in Dean's ear. He immediately stood up and grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the chair with him, she giggled as they too left the room.

Harry and I were the only two left.

"Err…how do you like Hogwarts so far?" Harry asked an awkward moment later.

"It's beautiful. I wish I could live here…" Merlin I was rambling. I had to get information out of one of them but I had a feeling that my target had just left the room with Hermione.

"This is the only home I've ever really had." Harry said. He seemed to forget that I was still in the room.

"In the future, you could maybe be a professor here. That's probably why most of the professors here stayed." I said back.

Harry then got an almost dark look on his face.

"I may not even have a future…" He mumbled almost inaudibly as he stared at the crackling fire.

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it when I was cut off.

"How do you know Malfoy?" he asked.

I was in deep shit. Maybe I should play dumb?

"Malfoy?" I questioned.

"He's the one you flipped off. You have to know him." He said looking confused.

"My family knew his. We trusted them. We didn't know them for the cruel people they were…The Malfoys turned my family in, so He-who-must-not-be-named could get rid of another muggle family in his rise to power without any effort." I said, pausing for dramatic effect at the end.

It worked. I saw Harry's expression become angry. He knew I wasn't done so he gave me a nod, obviously unable to speak. If he did he'd probably vent out his anger in the form of obscenities, so I continued…

"One day while I was at home, my parents never returned from work. I started to worry. Before I could call them though, I heard a loud bang from the front hall like an explosion. Lucius and Draco Malfoy blasted away my front door and came towards me. Then suddenly Draco stood in front of me, blocking his father's path. They argued then, Draco wanting me alive, and his father wanting me dead. Lucius, not willing to hurt his son, grabbed Draco by the arm and took him away. That was my chance. I grabbed my things and ran…and now I'm here." I said while motioning towards the expanse of the common room.

"How did they let you in? I thought your name was down for Hogwarts the day you were born?" he asked me.

"It was. My parents didn't want me to go to school. They didn't think it was safe in the wizarding world because of the war. The same week my parents died was the same week that they had written Dumbledore to ask if I could attend."

Harry opened his mouth to ask another question but I cut him off as he had done to me.

"Of course, I had to keep up on school work all the same. I was home schooled up until now." Once I had finished, he closed his mouth again.

The room then became awkwardly quiet as we just sat there looking at each other.

The portrait suddenly opened and in came Ginny and Dean. Ginny looked a little flustered with her hair in a wild mess, and Dean…well…his shirt was on backwards and his tie gone.

"G'night." Dean said, kissing Ginny on the lips a little too passionately and then walking up the stairs to the dormitories.

Ginny giggled as she sat down on the same loveseat she had earlier, obviously unaware that we had been having a serious conversation.

I glanced over at Harry, whose face had turned bright red. He looked up and caught my eye, but then quickly looked at the clock.

"It's late we should all be in bed." He said quietly, standing up.

"Oh all right 'Mum'." Ginny said, sighing and then giggling as she walked up the stairs to her dormitory.

"Goodnight." I said, hoping he'd look me in the eye instead of staring at the floor.

All he did was nod though, so I walked upstairs into my assigned dormitory.

A/N : The next chapter is pretty funny if I do say so myself :)

SO REVIEW ! I'll post it if you do ;D