Disclaimer, I do not own Harry Potter or any one it's characters. This is based on the movies, not the books.

She closed her eyes and waited for the hat to tell her what house she would be in. Instead, it spoke to her in her head.

"Hmmm. Interesting. I see. You're quite bright, brave, smart, loyal. Hmmmm…" She could hear her blood beating in her ears. "SLYTHERIN!" It shouted. She opened her eyes and they fell on the table that was cheering and clapping she got up and walked over. Someone handed her a very tall, black hat with no brim. She put it on sat between a girl her age who she recognized and Rachel from the ceremony and a boy who looked quite a bit older than herself. The boy put his hand on her shoulder and she jumped a little.

"Welcome." He said and smirked at her. When the ceremony was over and everyone had seated the woman in the pointy hat tapped her glass to get everyone's attention.

"You're attention please." Everyone fell silent. The man who she recognized as Dumbledore stood again.

"Let the feast begin." He waved his hand and tons of food appeared in front of them. Quickly the talking started up again as everyone ate.

"I don't know why they let mudbloods into this school anyway. My father says they are all a waste of space." Tom looked up to the person who was talking across the table from her. It was the blonde boy, Malfoy.

"What's a mudblood?" She asked. He looked at her a little confused before answering.

"A mudblood is a witch or wizard who either one or both of their parents is a muggle. They had dirty blood." She looked a little shocked.

"My mom is a muggle. Does that make me a mudblood?" She asked dumbly. He eyed her curiously.

"Yes. You're a filthy mudblood who doesn't deserve to be here." He looked disgusted. She just let out a little laugh and continued to eat. "What's so funny?" He asked annoyed.

"Nothing." She looked up and he kept staring at her. Her face turned straight. "What's wrong with you?" He looked stunned by her question.

"N-nothing. Don't talk to me filthy mudblood." She shrugged and looked back down at her plate.

"No problem." She could feel him glaring at her but didn't look up. After they finished they all followed a tall boy with a long nose and crooked teeth into the dungeons.

"Follow me closely." He said. He led us all down a hall. At the end was a stone wall. "Pure-blood." He said and the wall opened up. She saw Malfoy smirking and felt an ache in her stomach. She didn't know it was really that bad to have muggle blood in your veins, but she didn't let him see it.

They walked into a long corridor and at the end they found themselves in a rather large room with emerald green and dark colors everywhere but it was oddly cozy. There were huge tall windows but still little light. There was a roaring fireplace and many couches and chairs around it. Tall shelves filled with books lined the walls. "Girls on the left, boys on the right. Your stuff is already in your rooms." He walked off to a group of kids his own age and left the group of 12 year olds standing alone. Slowly the crowd started to fall apart and everyone went to their rooms. Tom walked up the stairs and into the second room.

She found herself in a circular room with 4 or 5 other beds and a few other girls. She saw her stuff on a bed near a window and lay down on the soft fabric. She got up and moved some stuff around until she found her pajamas. She slipped out of the room and went looking for the bathroom to take a shower and get changed. Eventually she found the bathroom and went in. She saw a large bathroom. She walked into one of the showers and placed her clothes just outside so they wouldn't get wet. She turned on the water and the heat stung her skin. Quickly she got used to temperature and started to clean herself. When she finished she dried off with the towel she had brought and jumped into her pajamas. She went back to her room and slid under the soft, green covers and fell into a deep sleep.

Her alarm woke her up. She tossed around until she fell off her bed. She has to stop doing that. She stood up and grabbed a pile of folded clothes and a toothbrush,then walked down to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and got dressed in some comfortable clothing. She wasn't going to class just yet so didn't need to wear her uniform but she didn't want to show up to breakfast in her pajamas. The clothes she wore were loose silky green pants and a large green button up shirt. She opened the door and stepped out but before she got far she slammed into someone.

"Ow…" They both fell on the floor with a thud. She looked up and saw Malfoy rubbing his head. "Oh boy." She said under her breath. "Sorry." She got up and offered to help him as well but he shoved her hand aside.

"I don't need any kind of help from you." He stood and walked away. She made her way to the dining hall where people were already filling up the tables. She grabbed a seat next to a couple kids around her age.

"Hey Tom." She heard someone say behind her. She turned around and saw Dean and Seamus. She smiled at them.

"Hi."

"Too bad you're not in Gryffindor." Seamus said and she nodded.

"But we can still be friends, right?" She asked hopefully.

"Of course." Dean smiled and she jumped from her seat to hug them. The rest of the day was going pretty well until potions class. She walked in and sat down in the second row next to Hermione.

"Hi." She smiled and waved. Tom waved back.

"Hello." Suddenly a tall man with long black hair and an even longer cloak walked in dramatically.

"There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class." He reached the front of the room and turned towards everyone. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few…" He looked around and his eyes landed on Malfoy who she hadn't noticed was in this class and rolled her eyes. "Who posses the predisposition… I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death." The teacher looked at Harry who was next to Hermione on the other side from Tom. "Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough not to pay attention." Hermione elbowed Harry and he looked up. "Mr. Potter. Our new celebrity. Tell me what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Hermione raised her hand excitedly but Harry just stayed quiet. "You don't know? Well, let's try again. Where, Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a Bezoar?" Hermione raised her hand again.

"I don't know, sir." Harry said quietly.

"And what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"I don't know, sir." He said again.

"Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything… Is it, Mr. Potter?" She walked slowly back up to the front of the class. "Now today you will work in partners to create the potion forgetfulness potion. Today we will complete part 1 and the next class we will finish it." Tom looked around and realized she was at the end of a table with an odd number of people. She raised her hand.

"Professor, who should I work with?" He looked around the class.

"You can work with Mr. Malfoy."

"No, it's ok. I can work with someone else." She said nervously.

"Ms. Esmerelda. I told you to work with Malfoy. Either do it or take a fail." She nodded and walked over to Malfoy.

"Great." He said. Not at all trying to hide his sarcasm. She set down her books and sat down on an empty stood next to him.

"Where do we start?" She asked while flipping through the pages of the book.

"You read the recipe." He said mockingly. She made a face at him and found the recipe.

Add 2 drops of lethe water to your cauldron

Gently heat for 20 seconds

Add 2 Valerian spring to your cauldron

Stir 3 time clockwise

Wave your wand

Leave to brew and return in 45-60 minutes

"Ok so I think we should-" She started but when she looked up the cauldron was already full. "Hey, this is a group project." He sighed.

"Fine." He handed her the spoon. "Stir it 3 times clockwise. Try not to mess it up." She rolled her eyes and stood up to the bowl. If she didn't stop soon her eyes would get stuck in her head. Malfoy waved his wand and they were finished. Snape walked over to them. "Professor, we finished." The teacher eyed the potion.

"Good. 10 points to Slytherin." He said in a low, drawling voice. They smiled at each other and before they realized what they were doing they hugged. As soon as they came to their senses they pushed each other away before whipping their hands on their robes.

At the end of the day she headed to dinner. She was about to take a bite of her pie when someone wearing a purple turban came running and yelling into the great hall.

"Troll! In the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon! Thought you ought to know." He fainted onto the floor and everyone started screaming.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore shouted. "Everyone will please not panic. Now, prefects will lead their house back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons." Tom followed a group of Slytherins that were going back to the common rooms. She looked around and saw Harry and a red headed boy separating from the group. Sure she wasn't really their friend but she liked Hermione the few times they had met and she had seen them together. She was also painfully curious.

She stepped away from the group and followed them down a hall. They turned a corner and her mouth dropped. In front of them at the end of the hall was a giant troll. She hid behind a pillar as not to be seen by it. She waited a while until she continued going. She turned a corner and heard yelling. She started running towards the bathroom and appeared in the doorway. Harry was hanging upside down by the toll

"Do something!" Harry yelled to the ginger.

"What?"

"Anything." He took out his wand. "Hurry up!"

"Swish and flick." She recognized that voice. It was Hermine. Tom had seen this boy in class and knew he couldn't do a spell to save his life so she took out her own. In one of her classes they had learned a spell to make things fly so she whispered it under her breath.

"Wingardium Leviosa." The bat that the troll was swinging at Harry floated above his head. She was about to go in and say something but she heard people coming. She got distracted and the bat fell on the trolls head. She shrugged and ran to hide. She saw a group of teachers run into the bathroom and start talking to them. Tom ran back to the common room and jumped into bed before anyone could tell she had gone.

A lot of time passed and it was already the end of the year. She had made friends with a lot of people, mostly Gryfindors, but Slytherins as well. She was talking with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Seamus and Dean in the dining hall about what happened with Professor Quirrell when Dumbledore called everyone's attention.

"Another year gone, and now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with 312 points." Few clapped were heard from the tables. "Third place, Hufflepuff, with 352 points. In second place, Ravenclaw, with 426 points." More claps and a few cheers went around. "And in first place, with 472 points, Slytherin house." Her table erupted with claps and cheers."Yes yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin however, recent events must be taken into account."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tom asked Cali, one of her friends from Slytherin.

"And I have a few last-minute points to award. To miss Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect when others were in grave peril, 50 points." People cheered and Tom smiled at her. She could see Hermione's cheeks flush slightly at the attention. "Second to Mr. Ronald Weasly, for the best-played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years, 50 points. And third, to Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 60 points. And finally, it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to you friends. I award 10 points to Nevill Longbottom."

"That's bull." She heard one of the older students say from her table.

"Assuming that my calculations are correct, I believe that a change in decoration is in order." He clapped his hands and the green banders turned red. Many cheers could be heard around the room. Tom smiled and congratulated her friends. She really was happy for them but was still disappointed and a little jealous.

The next day she got on the train home. When the train pulled into the station she saw her mom waiting on the platform. She ran out the door and jumped into her mom's arms.