Draco poked at the tablecloth with his fork. He was bored. He was hungry. And the Sorting hadn't even started yet.

After what seemed like an eternity, McGonagall led the first years in.

Wonderful. Sing-along time! Draco thought, rolling his eyes. He glanced over the frightened first years, uninterested; that is, until he spotted his "Luscious" and her hot-tempered brother (Lee?) at the end of the line. Draco sat up a little higher.

Every year I write a song
In hopes I can explain
What will happen to you here
When you step off the train.
I write about the Houses,
And the attributes of each
Sometimes of the staff members
And the subjects that they teach.
And every now and then
I'll write for you a warning
So that you may be prepared
Should our lives endure a shorting.
Last year it seems I scared you,
So this year I'll be brief
In hopes that you'll be wise enough
And spare yourselves some grief.
I'll simply tell about the Houses
Like I've always done before,
I hope that you recall my words
I hope that you'll try more.
But anyway, there's Gryffindor,
Home to those quite gallant,
Here you'll always find a hero,
Someone truly valiant.
After that comes Slytherin,
The dark folk that tread there
Are full of many plots and schemes
To hide that they do care.
Hufflepuff is next in line,
And here they love to love,
Always willing to lend a hand
They're all kind as a dove.
Ravenclaw comes last this time,
Though first they are in school.
Those of this House enjoy good grades,
They find achieving "cool."
Well there you have it, my good students
The Houses you all now know.
So come, sit down, be not afraid
I know just where you go.

Draco clapped lazily with the rest of the congregation but spaced out during the Sorting, watching the line dwindle with unfocused eyes. He pulled himself back to reality when he heard:

"Simington, Leroy!"

Simington? Where have I heard that name before? Draco wondered to himself as Lee walked up to the stool and put on the Hat. After a moment, it shouted:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table burst into cheers, of course, and it looked like Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown were giggling.

Lee hopped down from the stool and chose a seat next to Ron before looking back up at the staff table to see Lucinda's Sorting.

"Simington, Lucinda!" McGonagall cried.

Lucinda went up and sat on the stool. Lee crossed his fingers, hoping she'd be placed in Gryffindor.

McGonagall lifted the Hat and began to place it on Lucinda's head, but it had barely touched her hair when it screamed:

"SLYTHERIN!"

Draco grinned smarmily and quickly shoved Pansy Parkinson, who was sitting next to him, out of the way.

Lucinda walked towards the Slytherin table, glancing nervously at her brother every now and then. She spotted Draco and somewhat reluctantly sat next to him, considering he was the only one at the table that she knew, and besides- it was the only empty seat at the whole table.

Draco grinned snarkily at her.

"Luscious!" he said with great bravado. "Fancy seeing you in my House. Honestly I thought you'd be in Hufflepuff- that's where all the goody-goodies are."

"Can you please not talk to me, Mr. Malfoy," Lucinda said quietly. It wasn't a request, it was an order. "And please call me Lucinda."

Draco's expression immediately went from benevolent to vicious. He reached over and grabbed Lucinda's wrist, squeezing hard so that she looked over at him. He was pleased to see fear in her eyes when she did.

"Do not order me, Lucinda Simington. You just remember that in Slytherin, I'm in charge. You don't have your brother here to take care of you. I'm the only one in this House who knows you. I can either throw you to the dogs or carry you to a place of highest esteem," he hissed, his face very close to hers. "The choice is yours. Now which will it be?" he asked her, releasing her wrist and holding out his hand for her to take.

Lucinda rubbed her wrist and gave a little sob. She looked over at Lee, who had of course been watching, before hanging her head and giving Draco her hand. Draco smiled haughtily and slipped his other arm around her waist, drawing her closer to him on the bench.

Over at the Gryffindor table, Lee scowled.

"He's hurting her!" he said. "Look, she looks like she wants to cry."

"Do you think Dumbledore would let her switch Houses?" Harry mused aloud. Hermione shook her head.

"I doubt it. The Sorting Hat's never been wrong, so it's obvious that there's something in her that would imply that she should go in Slytherin," she said. Lee, Harry and Ron glared sharply at her and she cringed a little but stood firm in her point. "I'm just telling the truth, Harry. Everyone who's read Hogwarts, A History knows that the Sorting Hat has never been wrong. Never. So once again, she must belong there."

"You're about the only one who's ever read that book," Ron muttered. "How do we know you're not making it up?"

Hermione scowled.

"Why don't you just go read it yourselves? Honestly, don't yell at me when it's right on the pages! Chapter two, "Setting Up Hogwarts." Section six tells about Godric Gryffindor coming up with the idea and making the hat, and after that it says, 'to this day the Sorting Hat has never wrongly placed a student,'" she quoted. A grin played on the corners of Lee's mouth. Harry chuckled under his breath and Ron gaped at Hermione, but she ignored him, helping herself to the food that had just appeared.