Summary: In the first year Draco Malfoy is put in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. He has to deal with rejection from the Gryffindors, verbal abuse from the Slytherins and his Fathers reaction to which house he is put in. Throughout the year he attempts to gain the respect of Harry, Ron and Hermione, and try's to alienate himself as much as possible from his father..

A/N: This is my first Harry Potter fan-fic so if it's not very good then I'm sorry. Please R&R.

Disclaimer: I own nothing; sadly, it all belongs to J.K Rowling

Chapter 1: The Sorting Hats Big 'Mistake'

The great hall was buzzing with excitement, just as it normally did at the start of a new school year. Some were chatting about what their new lessons would be like this year, some were catching up on all the gossip they had missed over the summer holidays and others were pondering on which house their younger siblings would be put in.

The double doors to the great hall burst open and Professor McGonagall entered carrying a four legged stool, the sorting hat and a long piece of parchment, she was closely followed by the first years. She led them up to the teacher's table, put down the stool and paced the hat upon it. Everyone went silent and watched the hat expectantly. The hat began to sing a song about the different houses, just as it did at the beginning of every sorting ceremony.

Once the song had finished applause rang through the hall. The applause died as Professor McGonagall stepped forward and unrolled the parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." she told the first years.

Each of the first years shuffled backwards as though it would stop them being the first one to be called off the list. "Granger, Hermione", Hermione walked forward, she looked very pale. Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on Hermione's head. There was a short pause, then the hat called out "GRYFFINDOR".

A loud applause came from the Gryffindor table. Hermione stood up and walked to the Gryffindor table, taking a seat next to Percy Weasley. A few more students were called forward and sent to different houses and then, "Weasley, Ronald". Ron shuffled towards the stool, is freckles appearing more noticeable than ever. The hat was placed on his head and it instantly called out "GRYFFINDOR"

The three older Weasley brothers stood up while clapping along with the other Gryffindor's. Ron stood up looking very pleased with him-self, and half ran to the Gryffindor table taking a seat opposite Hermione, grinning from ear to ear. After a few more pupils were called forward, to be sorted, there were only two more students waiting, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.

"Potter, Harry", Harry walked forward nervously, he couldn't help noticing everyone at the Slytherin table leering at him threateningly and most other people whispering about him excitedly. The hat was placed on his head and everything in the hall went still, waiting.

Seconds passed, then, "Hmm are you sure? Yes? Very well. Better be GRYFFINDOR." Applause rang through the hall louder than it had been for any other student, the Weasley twins even jumped up on to their stools singing "WE GOT POTTER, WE GOT POTTER." Harry walked to the Gryffindor table, his cheeks slightly red and sat next to Ron.

Professor McGonagall looked disapprovingly at the Gryffindors until the noise died down. "Malfoy, Draco", Draco strutted forward, seeming very confident. Most people in the hall that came from wizarding families knew about the Malfoy's reputation so therefore expected the hat to call out 'Slytherin' instantly, but it didn't. There was silence for at least a minute, and with each second that went by; Draco seemed to be getting paler and paler.

"Hmm, another difficult one. It's very strange, but I suppose every family has a black sheep at one point or another." there was a lot of low mumbling when the hat said this. Crabbe and Goyle, who were sat on the Slytherin table, seemed to have only just realised that something out of the ordinary was happening, and started cracking their knuckles.

"Hmm, very odd, but I suppose you belong in GRYFFINDOR". Draco's jaw dropped, as did many other students. A low hum of whispering filled the crowed. "A Malfoy, in Gryffindor", "There must be a mistake", "Wait till Lucius hears about this", "Who wants to bet 5 Galleons that his father will have killed him by tomorrow?"

"Well Mr. Malfoy, off you go to you house table." said Professor McGonagall, she sounded calm but Draco could tell from the look on her face that she was completely dumb-founded.

Draco stood up, it felt rather odd because he couldn't feel his legs at all; it was a lot like walking on air. Disturbing images of what his father was likely to do to him swam through his head, but then, no, his father couldn't touch him while he was at Hogwarts, not with Dumbledore around. At least that is what Draco hoped. 'Well, as long as he can't hurt me while I'm here,' Draco thought. 'but, what about the holidays? The second I step foot in the mansion he'll kill me, literally. I can probably avoid him for the rest of the year, until the summer holidays, I don't know what I'll do then.'

No one on the Gryffindor table applauded as he came and sat down, but he didn't care, he didn't want the approval of mudblood loving freaks. He took the only remaining seat, which was next to Hermione and opposite Harry.

The expressions on the Gryffindors faces were mixed, some were glaring at him, others looked curious and other just looked plain scared, Hermione however was looking at him as though he was the most interesting thing she had ever seen. He wished they would stop looking.

Professor Dumbledore stood up and everyone fell silent. "First years, welcome to Hogwarts, and all other students, welcome back. I hope all the first years found the sorting hats judgement on which house they were put in … adequate." Dumbledore glanced at Draco, his eyes twinkling, smiling slightly. Draco didn't see how this was in any way funny.

"First years should know the forest on the grounds is out of bounds, there are also a few older students that should also remember this." Dumbledore paused and coughed a very strange cough that sounded very much like 'Fred and George Weasley'

Smiling very slightly at his own humour, Dumbledore continued, "Also, Mr Filtch, our caretaker has asked me, once again, to inform you that there are a great number of objects that are not aloud in Hogwarts, and will be confiscated if anyone is found with them. If you wish to see what these items are you can view the list that covers most of the door of Mr Filtch's office, and I know from experience that if you can't see it you should seriously consider having your eyes tested. Now before you go to bed there is one thing you must do, tuck in."

As food appeared on the plates all along the house table's chatter broke out through the hall. However, the Weasley brothers and Harry were all glaring at Draco.

"You lot have a problem?" Draco asked, exasperated.

"Um, why exactly does everyone seem annoyed that this boy is in Gryffindor?" Hermione asked, looking curiously at Draco.

Draco snorted with laughter, "What, you've never heard of my family before? You must be a mudblood." At this Hermione suddenly became very interested in her knees while she ate. Gasps and glares came from everyone that had heard what Draco had just said, apart from Harry, who looked completely bewildered.

"Five points from Slythe … I mean Gryffindor." said Percy bossily; looking very pleased with himself all the same.

"What's a mudblood?" asked Harry.

"Well it's a really foul name for someone who is muggle born." Ron replied, looking at Draco as though he was an extremely unpleasant piece of dirt. Hermione cleared her throat loudly.

"What?" Ron asked irritably.

"I believe I asked you a question." Hermione replied, avoiding looking at Draco as she spoke.

"O righ." Ron said through a large mouth full of chicken leg. He forced the whole lot down quickly and chocked slightly before he carried on, Hermione looked disgusted. "Well isn't it obvious why we're all annoyed, I mean he just called you a mudblood for gods sake. You do know what a mudblood is don't you?"

"Of course I know, even though I'm muggle born it doesn't mean I haven't read any books on wizards, plus I just heard you telling Harry what a mudblood is so…"

"Yeah yeah, I get the point." Ron rolled his eyes. "Anyway, everyone knows that his family," he nodded his head towards Draco. "are a load of Death Eaters. That's why he should be in Slytherin, there isn't a single wizard that went bad that wasn't in Slytherin." When Ron said this Hermione looked at Draco again as though he was suddenly the most interesting thing in the world.

Draco ignored her and retorted to Ron, "Until now that is, I'm bad, but I'm not in Slytherin am I."

"Are you really sure about that?" Hermione asked sceptically.

"Am I sure about what? That I'm not in Slytherin? Uh let me think … yeah I'm pretty sure that I'm not in Slytherin." Draco said in a voice that sounded oddly like Crabbe's. "Gosh, mudbloods are stupider than I thought."

Draco had hoped that this would offend her again but to his surprise she just laughed, "No that's not what I meant. I meant are you sure your really bad?"

"Oh right, of course I'm sure, that scruffy hat just made a mistake" Draco replied, then added under his breath, "Stupid bloody mudblood, thinks she's so clever."

"Hm, okay of course it was a mistake, how silly of me to think otherwise, a very big mistake to make though isn't it?" Hermione said, an odd smile on her face, she looked unconvinced. Draco could tell she was taking the piss but he didn't see that it was worth getting upset over; she was only a mudblood after all, but still he couldn't help thinking about what Hermione had said. 'Are you sure your really bad?' what had she meant by that? Of course he was bad, but then he thought about what the weasel had said 'There's not a wizard that went bad that wasn't in Slytherin.' As much as he hated to admit it Draco couldn't help thinking that Ron had a fair point.

Draco was so lost in his own thoughts that the feast seemed to be over before it had begun, Dumbledore had stood up and announced that I was time to go to bed, and Percy started issuing order to the rest of the Gryffindor first years. "Right, could you please form a line, no I said a line, a line is something that's straight, not all wonkey. Ron could you please tuck that shirt in, I expect better from my own flesh and blood. Malfoy, I know you think you're above the rest of us but that's no excuse to not join the line like everyone else. Right, thank you. Now could you all follow me please but make sure that you stay in a neat and orderly line."

The first years slowly made their way to Gryffindor tower, stopping every now and then to get back into 'a neat and orderly line' under Percy's instruction. Finally they reached the portrait of the fat lady.

"Password?"

"Chocolate frogs." Stated Percy importantly, puffing out his chest. He seemed very pleased that he had the honour of being the first person to know the password. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry who laughed quietly. The portrait swung forward to let them through.

"The boys dormitory is up here, at the very top of the staircase." Percy told them, pointing at the door. "Well off you go then."

The boys walked up the steps to their dormitory. As they got ready for bed Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean and Seamus talked among themselves, ignoring Draco. Draco couldn't help feeling upset, but he couldn't let them know that.

"Hey, you, what's your name?" Dean Thomas asked him.

Draco was about to answer, when Ron interrupted him. "I wouldn't talk to him if I were you Dean. He has a problem with anyone whose patents are muggles."

"Oh right, thanks mate." Dean said to Ron, giving Draco a disgusted look.

Once Draco was in bed it was a long while before he got to sleep, and once he was asleep visions of what might happen to him when he got home after the school year was over, haunted his dreams.

A/N: I hope everyone likes this, fingers crossed. Please review and be honest, but don't be too nasty. I'll only update if I have at least 5 positive reviews