*Here on out Rachel's point of view*
"I'm going to be so late." I think to myself as I rush down the many stairs of Hogwarts. I just got finished with my sorting ceremony in Dumbledore's office. The sorting hat put me into Gryffindor, just as I expected. Now I'm heading to the Great Hall for my first dinner here at Hogwarts, if it's not already over with. I have yet to don my official Gryffindor robes, but I figure I'll do it when I get there. Right now all I'm worried about is trying to remember which way the Great Hall is. "Why are there so many hallways in this place?" Not really paying attention to anything around me, I quickly round the corner. Almost immediately, I run into someone's back and fall to the ground, splattering everything in my arms all over the floor.
"I'm so sorry!" I quickly say as I try to pick up all the things I dropped. "I'm trying to get to dinner on time and wasn't paying attention to where I was going." I pick myself up and look up to see who was the lucky individual I ran into. Why it's none other than Mr. Draco Malfoy. "Way to make a good first impression," I think to myself.
"Watch where you're going next tim…" Draco begins to say. I wonder why he stopped. I really hate to do this but…I think it's time for some mind reading.
"Wow! She's gorgeous in that girl next-door sort of way. Who is this mysterious girl and why have I not met her before? I wonder what house she's in?" I blush as he realizes he's been staring at me this whole time.
"I'm sorry again for running into you. I hope I didn't hurt you."
"No, no everything's fine." He says with a suddenly caring tone to his voice (and I must say he has a very smooth voice that could melt butter). "Are you alright? That was a pretty nasty fall you had there?"
"I'm fine…but really late!" I realize. "I must be going. Thanks for your concern though, Draco. Hope to talk to you again." I yell back at him while running down the hallway.
"No problem. Hey, you do know that dinner doesn't star… wait, how did you know my name?" He yells back. I just give him a smile and a wave before turning another corner.
At the Great Hall
So I made it to the Great Hall, only to find that dinner wasn't for another 25 minutes. I felt so stupid. I guess that was what Draco was trying to tell me earlier. I find Allie at the Gryffindor table and tell her the news that I'm joining her house. She's ecstatic and immediately introduces me to everyone. I get to meet all the Weasley's; Ginny, Fred, George and Ron; Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, and Harry Potter himself. They all seem really nice and the Weasley twins crack me up instantly.
As I start to get settled in with everyone, I feel as if someone is staring at me. I look up to find Draco looking at me with almost questionable and could that be a little bit of disappointment in his eyes? I'm so captivated by his sparkling sliver-blue eyes that I don't even realize that Dumbledore has started talking until Allie nudges me. She gives me a sort-of all knowing look and I look over to see that Taylor has done the same to Draco. I guess now he'll know where I know him.
"Now that all of the first year students are sorted, I would like to introduce someone new to our school" Dumbledore states to the crowd. "Rachel, would you kindly stand up." I sheepishly stand as Dumbledore continues with his introduction. "This is Ms. Rachel Cohen. She is an exchange student from Helios Wizarding School in America. She was sorted earlier today and has been placed into Gryffindor. She is also a 4th year student. I wish that all of you will welcome her with an open heart." Everyone starts to clap as I wave to everyone in the hall; everyone that is except for most of the Slytherins, although Taylor is hooting and hollering. We'll have to change that.
As I sit down, Dumbledore starts talking again about some tournament that the school is having, but I'm not really paying attention, as usual. I sense that Draco is looking over here again and I pretend to pay attention to Dumbledore as I quickly enter his mind again.
"So, her name is Rachel. Too bad she's a Gryffindork. She was really nice and pretty. She is one of Taylor's friends though and she said that she wanted to talk with me again. But how could that possibly work with me being a Slytherin and her being friend with Harry Potter! Harry Bloody Potter! Always has to ruin everything!" I start to hatch a plan. I hope it will work with everything that's going to happen this year.