The Sorting

Ella stepped onto Platform 9 ¾ and looked around. There were so many people with so many trunks and animals it made her head spin. I never thought there was this many wizards, she thought to herself, but then again father never really did expose me to the wizarding world. Smiling at her own joke, Ella looked around for anyone familiar. Yep, it was official, the only wizard she knew was Draco, and he definitely was not an option.

He was still her best friend, and they still spent every afternoon together, at least until a week before school when Draco's father had found out about their friendship. They had been sitting under a tree on Draco's property discussing school houses when Lucius Malfoy came out looking for his son.

As soon as he saw Ella he questioned her about who she was, and more importantly, her blood status. As soon as she let it slip that she wasn't a pureblood Mr. Malfoy freaked out. His eyes grew wide and angry, and as he yelled and stomped around his hair became disheveled. He started screaming and throwing lawn furniture, surprising Ella that he did not hit Draco or herself with a chair or something. He ended up just "banning" Draco from ever talking to Ella again instead.

Ella didn't mind the tantrum or even the fact that Mr. Malfoy had banned Draco from seeing her, for she knew as soon as they got to Hogwarts that "ban" would be thrown out the window. The thing that bothered Ella the most was the image of Lucius slapping Draco across the face just as she was about the turn away and run. It had made quite the sickening sound and a thud as Draco hit the ground, and it broke her heart that for once, in the six years she had known him, she wasn't able to heal his wound.

Ella bolted into the first empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express that she saw, and sat closest to the window. She was about to close the door of the compartment with a small spell when a familiar blonde head appeared in the doorway.

"Mind if I sit here?" Draco said, hiding the bruise on his face by not making eye contact with his closest childhood friend. Instead, he looked around the compartment, and noted Ella's new book lying in her lap. Actually, if he thought about it, this was pry the fourth book she was starting since their last meeting a week ago, but he didn't want to think about the time they had spent apart.

Ella sighed and nodded, and as soon as he was seated she moved to sit next to him. "Let me see," Ella whispered, as she slowly took his chin in her head and turned Draco's face so that he was looking at her. His pale gray-blue eyes held sadness and an ounce of pain, but mostly just remorse.

Ella gasped, for the bruise was worse than she had thought Lucius was soberly possible of creating. It was dark purple, and it spread from just under Draco's left eye to the bridge of his nose, as it nearly consumed the whole left side of his face. Ella gently brushed her fingers along the purple skin, and noted Draco's wince.

"Ella…." Draco tried to start before Ella shushed him.

"Draco, I'm fine, really. Nothing your father says hurts me, and to tell you the truth I thought his tantrum was quite entertaining, besides the…physical part." Ella said, pulling out her wand and beginning to run it along Draco's face. Draco sat in silence as the bruise began to shrink, and he did not meet her eyes until the bruise was completely gone.

"You know I don't agree with my father on some things, and that includes the horrible things he said to you that day." Draco said, looking at Ella clearly for the first time he had entered the compartment. He noted her hair, which she had braided into one thick strand which spilled over her shoulder, the red tint catching the light and almost making it look like it was on fire. She was wearing jeans and a simple t-shirt with one of the muggle bands she had told Draco about all over it. She looked strangely mature for an eleven year old, but then again, she always did.

"I know Draco, if I thought you agreed with your father you would still have a magnificently purple face," Ella said smiling, "There is no need to apologize or try to make amends when no amends are needed, alright?"

"Alright." Draco said, starting to lighten up a bit, even though his shoulders still sagged. Ella noticed that his face looked a little thinner since she had seen him last, and he had dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn't slept much in the week they had not seen each other. Sighing, she patted him on the shoulder, hoping he would take it as an "its okay now" gesture without words.

The rest of the ride over to Hogwarts consisted of the two discussing things like classes and grades, along with which house they would be in. Draco knew there wasn't a chance that Ella would be sorted into Slytherin like he was bound to be, but he hoped against hope it wouldn't be Gryffindor.

"Do you think you will be put into Gryffindor Ella?" Draco said, wanting to get her view of the situation.

Ella giggled, "Of course not! I am nowhere close to being brave, as you know Draco. But I'm not a total coward like you…" She said in a teasing tone. "I would think my best bet would be Ravenclaw, which is the house that I hope to be in. That was also the house my mother was in…" Ella said, trailing off at the mention of her mother.

"Hey now, no being sad on the first day! And honestly I hope you get into Ravenclaw or Slytherin, since those are the best two houses in my opinion," Draco said smirking. I could live with her being in Ravenclaw, Draco thought as he looked at his friend.

"You are only saying that because you know you will be in Slytherin!" Ella said nudging him with her elbow playfully. Too bad I have a zero chance of being in Slytherin. It would be fun to share a house with him, Ella thought.

"Maybe I am and maybe I'm not. Either way, we had better get changed, we are almost there," Draco said, standing up and stretching. "I will go to the bathroom and change, you can change here."

"Alright, but don't take too long, I want to show you my new book before we get to the castle." Ella said in reply, already getting her robes out of her bag.

"SLYTHERIN!" Draco sighed as Professor McGonagall took the Sorting hat off of his head and he began to make his way towards his new house. Who was I kidding? He thought miserably, of course I would be in the same house my parents were. Does this mean I really am like my father? Am I destined to be as cruel and awful as he is? And am I destined to marry a kind hearted witch like my mother, yet ruin her with my allegiance with a dark wizard? Draco frowned as he sat down next to Blaise, one of his other childhood friends. At least the one his father actually approved of anyway….

"Rogers, Ella!" Draco heard McGonagall announce, and he winced. Please not Gryffindor! He thought to himself over and over again.

"Hmmm where should I put you, girl? You are quite brave and loyal, and your ambition and cunningness is quite apparent also… Hmmm but you definitely are the smartest witch I have seen in this class so far… Alright, then it must be RAVENCLAW!" The Sorting Hat shouted after musing in Ella's ear for what felt like forever.

Smiling, Ella practically skipped to her new table and sat down. Just the house I wanted! And Draco said he wouldn't complain about Ravenclaw, only about Gryffindor. Ella glanced over at the Slytherin table to see if Draco had noticed, but her heart sank as soon as she caught sight of Draco. He had his head resting in the palm of his hand, and she could tell he was unhappy. I wonder why he isn't smiling… Oh well, I will ask him when I get the chance. Ella decided, turning to her new housemates and joining in their conversation of muggle sciences.

Do you guys even like this story? Please let me know...