DISCLAIMER = I own nothing. J. is the author; I am a humble fan fiction writer. I do not claim the characters or Rowling's original story. = DISCLAIMER
By the way I KNOW Luna is not in the same year as Hermione, but for the purpose of my story she is.
Read. Review. Enjoy.
'Today's the day, September 1st Draco thought while staring at his reflection in the floor length mirror oppposite him; his nimble fingers buttoning up his crisp white shirt methodically. The eleven year old boy had been awake since 7am awaiting his mothers wake up call at 9am, so he could begin to get ready.
He was so pleased for the summer months, it had allowed Draco to gain some well deserved colour to his skin. Draco had been riding his comet two-sixty as much as he possibly could, before the beginning of term. He had heard horror stories of the school brooms and wasn't looking forward to flying lessons at all.
A sharp knock on Draco's double bedroom doors shocked his head out og the clouds and back to earth. "Draco! Come along, your Father wishes to see you" he had to suppress a groan, this was sure to be painful.
"Coming mother" he gave himself one last lookover. He was smartly dressed in exensive dark emerald robes contrasting firecly with his hair; he checked his ring and then followed his mother out of the room to the parlor: just off of the large entrance corridor.
The room was a deep purple with a large crystal chandelier handing high above them. Mr. Malfoy was standing beside the large black marble fireplace watching his wife and heir enter calculatingly. Narcissa Malfoy crossed the room and sat on the small sofa not far from Lucius.
"Draco, come her boy" his father instructed Draco walked towards his father obediantly, stopping just infront of him."Hogwarts is your chance to prove yourself, so far you have been allowed to live with your every whim answered to. Now your grades and accomplishments at school will determine whether those luxuries will continue" - Mr. Malfoy reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box that could easily fit in Draco's palm - "This is your birth right, wear it with pride and remember you are. A. Malfoy." Draco watched silently, as his father dissapeared into the emerald flames of the parlor fireplace, shouting out "Ministry of magic!"
He just stood there, frozen. Mr. Malfoy had just threatened him with disownment if Draco disgraced the family while at school. He may not have said it out right, but the message was clear. "Open it Draco" his mothers voice, again, drawing him out of his musings.
He had almost forgotten the small velevet box in his hands. Draco opened it hesitantly, listening to the hinges creak, revealing a broach of the Malfoy family crest. 'Wear it with pride' resounded like a gong in his head. Draco pinned it on his reobes and turned to face his mother, face intense. "I'll make him proud".
A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said 'Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to eachother in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and scraping of trunks. Draco's own Eagle owl was perched regally inside his iron cage, making no hoots and remaing above the inane actions of his species.
Draco noticed the first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats and others looking completely lost; he assumed they were first years like himself. Mrs. Malfoy guided her son to the front of the train, grabbing the attention of a large, black haired, 6th year Slytherin.
"Goodmorning Mrs. Malfoy, father mentioned Draco staring this year. Would you like any help?" his voice was a deep and authortarian. If Draco wasn't mistaken this was Xavier Dessen, Pureblood, with strong family ties to the Malfoy's.
"Thankyou Xavier, I'd be greatful if you could help Draco with his trunk and take him to the first year compartment" she smiled serenly at him and turned to her son.
The loud bustle of the chattering crowds swallowed Narcissa's words only allowing her son to hear. "Draco" - she placed a hand on either of his shoulder, staring intently into his grey eyes: the exact copy of her own - "The friends you make at Hogwarts will last you a lifetime. Choose the right people to surround yourself and you'll go far. Have a good year son. Make me proud" she gave him a quick hug before standing back to let Draco board the train.
The train began to move, Xavier closed the door infront of him and as the train rounded a corner-at Draco's last sight of his mother in the crowd-he whispered inaudiably. "Goodbye mum".
"Come on Malfoy, lets get you settled" the 6th year, Dessen guided Draco to a compartment with four other children his age inside. "This is your compartment".
"I thought they weren't asigned"
"They're not officially. But its a well known fact that Slytherin control the front the train and we take care of our own.See you at school Malfoy." Draco watched as Xavier strode a little further down the train and entered a compartment four down from him.
He sucked in a deep breath, cleared his expression and opened the door to the first year compartment. Four sets of eyes reverted to him immediantly. Three boys and a girl sat in the Slytherin decorated compartment, he seated himself in the only free space available opposite the dark skinned boy sitting next to the window.
"I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy" he stated proudly, giving his hand for the boy to shake.
"Blaise Zabini, I know who you are, your a Slytherin prodigy" , Draco liked this boy already. "The two boys there Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle and the brunette beside you is Pansy Parkinson"
"Pleasure to meet you all, I wonder how the other first years are fairing, probably acting like savages to get a compartment" the others laughed at his crude joke, happy for someone to have broken the ice. Houses flashed past the window, Draco felt a thrill of excitment. While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London.
"So is it true Draco, is Harry Potter really in the train?" Pansy asked fishing for gossip.
"I'm not sure, but I don't think he should get all this attention for simply living. I do it every day" Draco said charmingly, smirking darkly at Pansy.
"Do you want to play?" Blaise asked reffering to his deck of exploding snap.
"No" the boys said but Pansy agreed, just to kill time.
"Crabbe? Goyle? Fancy going on a field trip, I want to meet this Harry Potter" Mrs. Malfoy's advice repeating in his head; the importance of connections. Two grunts that Maloy took as confirmation shortly followed. He lead them out of the compartment and down the train before coming across a compartment that was getting too much attention, for the two first years it housed. 'Potter must be one of them' he concluded.
Draco slid open the door and the three of them entered. He recignised one of them immediantly: it was the rude boy from Madame Malkin's robe shop. Draco gazed at him interestingly. "Is it true?" he said, "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So its you, is it?"
"Yes" said Harry, 'again with the one word anwers' he had to swallow a sigh. Draco noticed Potter eyeing the boys behind him, they did both look menacing standing behind him.
"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle" he introduced carelessly, "and my names Malfoy, Draco Malfoy". The second boy gave a skight cough which Malfoy was Certain had been hiding a snigger. "Think my names funny? Let me see, red hair, freckles and no manners you must be a Weasley" he turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are better then others, Potter. I can help you there" he held out his hand like he had done with Blaise, but Harry didn't take it.
"I think I can tell for myself" he replied coldly. It was official, Draco Malfoy hated Harry Potter and his loser friend Weasley.
"I'd be careful if I were you Potter" Draco said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either." Both Potter and Wealey stood quickly, Weasley redder than his hair.
"Say that again"
"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Draco sneered. A smarter boy would sit back down, but Malfoy had a feeling that Potter was brave bordering on stupid.
"Unless you get out now", thoughts confirmed.
"But we don't feel like leaving, do we boy's? We havent eaten yet and you still seem to have some food"
Goyle reached towards the chocolate frogs next to Weasley - red head leapt forward, but before he'd so much as breathed on Goyle. Goyle let out a horrible yell. Draco looked to see a rat hanging off of his hand, its teeth dug deep into his knuckles. Draco heard footsteps over the clatter of the train and dragged the two boys out just as the rat let go of Goyle.
Draco thought he caught a glimpse of the girl he had run into in Diagon Alley out of the corner of his eye, but didn't stop to check. They raced back to their compartment, pursued by one of the Gryfindor prefects who had come to see what all the noise was about. Just as Draco, Crabbe and Goyle passed over the invisible line that crossed into Slytherin territory. Three older Slytherin students stepped out of their compartment blocking the hall as they passed, acting as a barrier to the Gryfindor. The three of them collapsed back in their compartment, gasping on their empty seats.
A mixture of the adrenaline and excitement caused Draco to burst out into fits of laughter, he couldn't believe how perfect the timing of the barrier had been. "What happened to you three?" Pansy questioned, smiling at Draco's absurd condition.
"We found Potter" - Draco said after calming himself down - " and lets just say this boys actions, crossed from brave and hit stupid in a heartbeat"
"Sounds like the Golden Boy has a temper, wonder how far we can push him?" Blaise said cunningly, his face a perfect smirk. Draco felt like he had accomplished what his mother had asked, he'd made the right friends. The rest of the train ride was spent mapping out the downfall of Harry Potter and playing exploding snap. This year was going to be fun.
Draco peered out of the window, it was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep-purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. A voice echoed through the train 'We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to school seperatly". The compartment seemed to crackle with excitment, they were finally here!
The train slowed right down and finally stopped. Draco could hear people further down the train pushing their way onto the platform in chaos. Xavier once again appeared at their compartment door, leading them out into the hallway and the crowd of Slytherin parted like the red sea to let the first years through.
"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" Draco, Blaise and the others followed the loud boom and lamp bobbing over the heads of the students. It was the gamekeeper...Hagrid. "C'mon, follow me - any more firs'-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'-years follow me!" Hagrid lead the group to what looked like a steep narrow path. The future Slytherin's lagged behind slightly watching as the others slipped and stumbled down the path. "You should be see'in your firs' glimpse o' Hogwarts"
There was a loud "Ooooh!" The narrow path had opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
A scream behind him caused Draco to act quickly. He spun around just in time to catch a bushy haired girl who was about to do a legendary face plant. He helped steady her catching the barest glimpse of chocolate brown eyes behind beautiful butterfly eyelashes "Be careful, wouldn't want to fall" he said quietly so not as to be over heard. The girl just nodded refusing to meet his gaze or loosen her grip on his arm.
"Thankyou"
"Nothing to it" she released him and Draco returned to his friends who were waiting patiently for him down by the edge of the lake.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Draco and Blaise were followed into their boat by Crabbe and Goyle; Pansy left to group with a butch looking girl in the boat next to them. Draco quickly scanned the rest of the boats and spotted the brown eyed girl sitting with Potter and his red head friend. He immediantly felt sorry for her-which he tried to squash speedily.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself, "Right then - FORWARD!"
And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. Draco wondered idly on how Durmstrang could even begin to compete.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy which hid wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel until they reached a kind of underground harbour. Draco glanced over to the brown eyes girl invoulountarily throughout the journey - scolding himself for every chaste look.
They all clambered out of the boats onto rocks and pebbles. Draco was vaguely aware of Hagrid shouting something about a toad, but he was too pre-occupied staring in wonderment at the underground cave and occasionally her.They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.
"Eveyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. It swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Draco's immediate thought was that she was going to be trouble. "The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall"
"Thankyou, Hagrid. I will take them from here", she pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was as big as the Malfoy's formal dining room but obviously not as luxouriously decorated. Draco could hear the drone of thouseands of voices from a doorway to the right - the rest of the school already seated in-side. "Welcom to Hogwarts" said Professor McGonagall. "The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the great hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important..."-Draco tuned out and pin pointed the brown haired girl somewhere in the crowd-"...the four houses are called Gryffindor, Huffelpuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin...triumph will earn you points...I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The sorting ceremony will start shortly, I shall return when we are ready for you" she left the hall.
Draco tore his eyes away from the girl and looked around the anxious group of first years surrounding him. He exchanged a smug look with Blaise, their parents having told them exactly what to expect; Crabbe and Goyle looked completely clueless. He noticed Pansy pretending to shoot a girl whispering to anyone who would listen and was about to laugh until he realised who the girl was and settled for a small smirk to please Pansy.
"The sorting ceremony about to start" said a sharp voice, Professor McGonagall had returned. "Now, form a line" she told him the first years "and follow me".
Draco fell in line beside Blaise with the two dolts behind them. He could feel the beginning of a pattern occuring. They walked through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Draco had never seen such a strange and splendid place. The roof was literally illusioned to look like the night sky and the hall was lit by thousands of candles, which were floating in mid-air over four long tables; where the rest of the students were sitting.
Professor McGonagall led the first years down the isle's until they milled in a group infront of another table where the teachers were sitting. McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put the sortinghat. Draco squirmed with excitement 'Slytherin', 'Slytherin', 'Slytherin' chanted over and over again in his mind.
A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing.
Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find,
A smarter hat than me,
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleep and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarst Sorting Hat,
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head,
The Sorting hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you,
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means,
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (thought I have none)
For I'm a thinking cap.
The hall burst into applause it bowed and became still once again. Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted" she said. "Abott, Hannah!"
Draco didn't listen to the names being called too carefully, only really noticing when a Slytherin was called out. "Bulstrode, Millicent", the butch looking girl he'd seen Pansy with was the first to be placed in Slytherin. Soon it was Draco's turn. He swaggered forward when his name was called, chanting Slytherin in his head: the hat had barely touched him when it screamed the long awaited word "SLYTHERIN!". Draco jumped with glee inside but remained cool and collected as he took his seat at the Slytherin table; next to Crabbe and Goyle. Pansy was placed in Slytherin next and grabbed a seat next to Millicent and opposite Draco; who was saving the seat beside him for Blaise.
"Harry Potter" as was predicted, the hall hushed silent and the Gryffindor's cheered extremely loud when the boy was placed in their house. Draco just rolled his eyes, he hoped Weasley and Potter would be very happy together.
"Zabini, Blaise!" Professor Mcgonagall called out, the last student waiting to be sorted. Draco clapped very hard, when his friend was sorted into Slytherin and pulled him into the seat next to him; slapping Blaise on the back in congratulations. They were both beaming, they're wishes answered. This was where they belonged.
Before Draco could thoroughly enjoy his triumph, he quickly checked the other tables for the brown haired girl; he knew she wasn't in Slytherin. What Draco saw next, made his heart drop into his stomach. The girl. The one he'd caught. She was a Gryffindor.