DISCLAIMER: I own only the plot. Everything else is owned by JKRowling.
***
It was Ron. "Hermione! Wh-wh-what are you doing? You're kissing Malfoy! He's a Slytherin! His dad's a Death Eater... He... He..." Ron ran out of words.
I stood up, prepared to explain but Hermione spoke. "Ron, Draco's different. He and Harry have made a truce. He's on our side. And I love him and there's nothing you can do about it so there!" This was rather strong for Hermione.
Ron looked completely disgusted. "Evidently you've forgotten the last four years Hermione. Obviously you've forgotten the name's he's called you. Obviously you've forgotten the way he's treated everyone, especially the Gryffindors. But what does that matter as long as you're alright?" he added sarcastically.
"You don't understand, Ron." I said, "My father is a Death Eater, that's true. But that doesn't mean I'm the same. I'm here because my father tried to force me into You Know Who's service. If Hermione and Harry can forgive me, why can't you? Please, Ron."
"I can't forgive you. You'll never change." Ron spat.
"Draco's trying, he really is!" Hermione looked close to tears, "Please, Ron! OK. I know you can't accept him as a friend. You probably can't accept him as my boyfriend. But could you at least not be hostile to him. Please, Ron. If you care about me you'll trust me on this."
"OK. But only because it means so much to you, Hermione." Ron spun on his heel and left the Great Hall.
I sighed. Harry had been so willing to trust and accept me. Ron's reaction was probably going to be that of the majority. Regret didn't even come close to what I was feeling right now. Why had I allowed Father to rule my life so much?
"Draco, lets go for a walk." We walked down to the lake, hand in hand, and sat in the summer sun, watching the giant squid swimming lazily. I leaned to her and kissed her again, wanting her more and more each moment.
When we broke apart I told her something that had been on my mind since my first year at Hogwarts. "The Sorting Hat tried to place me in Gryffindor, you know."
"Really?!"
"Yeah. But I knew Father would never forgive me if I went in there so I practically begged the Hat to put me in Slytherin. I wish I hadn't now. Going into Slytherin ruined my life. I felt I had to live up to this lifestyle that Father had told me about. I had to be an evil, vain snob. I had to bully those weaker than me. I had to hate Gryffindors. He wanted me to give Muggle-borns the hardest time I could. And I did. I hated every minute of it."
"But surely now it's all alright. You can change now and no one will say anything about it."
"The other Slytherins will make my life living hell, Hermione. You know enough of them to know that. And none of the others will trust me. You saw Ron's reaction. Harry's unique. The rest of the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs'll be like Ron, not Harry. They won't trust me an inch. I changed too late. Now the side I used to be on will hate me and the side I want to be on'll reject me.
"I won't reject you, Draco." She smiled softly and kissed me gently, "I'll stand by you."
The days passed by. I spent most of my time with Hermione and, occassionally, Harry. Ron avoided me and, if he had to speak to me, it was for as short a time as possible.
After I'd been there a week, Dumbledore called me to his office. "Now, Draco, I would like to speak to you concerning Slytherin. Please put on the Sorting Hat and tell me exactly what it says to you."
I did as he said, even if it did seem strange. The Hat came down past my chin and I felt pretty stupid, I can tell you!
"Draco Malfoy," it said, "you went in Slytherin, did you not? At your request if I remember rightly. Now what I said to you then, I say to you now. You show all the qualities of a Gryffindor. Bravery being the main one. But I see you no longer wish to be in Slytherin, is that right? So it had better be GRYFFINDOR!"
I took off the Hat. "It told me I should be in Gryffindor. It only put me in Slytherin because I asked to be. I show all the qualities of a Gryffindor, it said." I looked quite sheepish.
"Good, well, I have arranged with Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall that you should be transferred. An extra bed has been put in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory for you and I think you will find all your things there. Professor McGonagall will take you over there now."
I suddenly realised that Professor McGonagall was standing behind me. "Come on, Malfoy, we haven't got all day."
I was a Gryffindor! Now I could be with Hermione all the time, even in term time. I wouldn't have to care what the Slytherins thought of me!
I'd prove myself to the Gryffindors if it was the last thing I did.
***
It was Ron. "Hermione! Wh-wh-what are you doing? You're kissing Malfoy! He's a Slytherin! His dad's a Death Eater... He... He..." Ron ran out of words.
I stood up, prepared to explain but Hermione spoke. "Ron, Draco's different. He and Harry have made a truce. He's on our side. And I love him and there's nothing you can do about it so there!" This was rather strong for Hermione.
Ron looked completely disgusted. "Evidently you've forgotten the last four years Hermione. Obviously you've forgotten the name's he's called you. Obviously you've forgotten the way he's treated everyone, especially the Gryffindors. But what does that matter as long as you're alright?" he added sarcastically.
"You don't understand, Ron." I said, "My father is a Death Eater, that's true. But that doesn't mean I'm the same. I'm here because my father tried to force me into You Know Who's service. If Hermione and Harry can forgive me, why can't you? Please, Ron."
"I can't forgive you. You'll never change." Ron spat.
"Draco's trying, he really is!" Hermione looked close to tears, "Please, Ron! OK. I know you can't accept him as a friend. You probably can't accept him as my boyfriend. But could you at least not be hostile to him. Please, Ron. If you care about me you'll trust me on this."
"OK. But only because it means so much to you, Hermione." Ron spun on his heel and left the Great Hall.
I sighed. Harry had been so willing to trust and accept me. Ron's reaction was probably going to be that of the majority. Regret didn't even come close to what I was feeling right now. Why had I allowed Father to rule my life so much?
"Draco, lets go for a walk." We walked down to the lake, hand in hand, and sat in the summer sun, watching the giant squid swimming lazily. I leaned to her and kissed her again, wanting her more and more each moment.
When we broke apart I told her something that had been on my mind since my first year at Hogwarts. "The Sorting Hat tried to place me in Gryffindor, you know."
"Really?!"
"Yeah. But I knew Father would never forgive me if I went in there so I practically begged the Hat to put me in Slytherin. I wish I hadn't now. Going into Slytherin ruined my life. I felt I had to live up to this lifestyle that Father had told me about. I had to be an evil, vain snob. I had to bully those weaker than me. I had to hate Gryffindors. He wanted me to give Muggle-borns the hardest time I could. And I did. I hated every minute of it."
"But surely now it's all alright. You can change now and no one will say anything about it."
"The other Slytherins will make my life living hell, Hermione. You know enough of them to know that. And none of the others will trust me. You saw Ron's reaction. Harry's unique. The rest of the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs'll be like Ron, not Harry. They won't trust me an inch. I changed too late. Now the side I used to be on will hate me and the side I want to be on'll reject me.
"I won't reject you, Draco." She smiled softly and kissed me gently, "I'll stand by you."
The days passed by. I spent most of my time with Hermione and, occassionally, Harry. Ron avoided me and, if he had to speak to me, it was for as short a time as possible.
After I'd been there a week, Dumbledore called me to his office. "Now, Draco, I would like to speak to you concerning Slytherin. Please put on the Sorting Hat and tell me exactly what it says to you."
I did as he said, even if it did seem strange. The Hat came down past my chin and I felt pretty stupid, I can tell you!
"Draco Malfoy," it said, "you went in Slytherin, did you not? At your request if I remember rightly. Now what I said to you then, I say to you now. You show all the qualities of a Gryffindor. Bravery being the main one. But I see you no longer wish to be in Slytherin, is that right? So it had better be GRYFFINDOR!"
I took off the Hat. "It told me I should be in Gryffindor. It only put me in Slytherin because I asked to be. I show all the qualities of a Gryffindor, it said." I looked quite sheepish.
"Good, well, I have arranged with Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall that you should be transferred. An extra bed has been put in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory for you and I think you will find all your things there. Professor McGonagall will take you over there now."
I suddenly realised that Professor McGonagall was standing behind me. "Come on, Malfoy, we haven't got all day."
I was a Gryffindor! Now I could be with Hermione all the time, even in term time. I wouldn't have to care what the Slytherins thought of me!
I'd prove myself to the Gryffindors if it was the last thing I did.