The Thorn To My Rose (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 3 ~ Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts!

        I was waiting at King's Cross Station with my ticket for Hermione. I was waiting by platforms nine and ten with my parents, playing with the miniature eagle I'd bought at Diagon Alley. I decided to call her Raven. I know, it's a weird name for an eagle but her beautiful sleek black feathers make her look so much like a raven, so... Raven was the appropriate name.
        "Hey, Skye!" I looked up from ruffling Raven's feathers to see Hermione rushing over with her trolley. We had roughly twenty minutes before the train left and I was wondering how in the name of Hell we were meant to get to the station "Nine and three quarters". I greeted Mione with a hug and asked her,
        "Do you know how to get onto the platform? Cos I sure as Hell don't."
        "Oh, yeah. I encountered a pleasant witch who explained it to me." I sighed in relief. 'Thank God someone knows what they're doing...' I thought, and encouraged her to explain what to do.         "Well, all you have to do is run straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten, and then you'll go through and arrive at platform nine and three quarters. Simple really."
        "So we run?"
        "Yes."
        "Straight at the wall?"
        "Yes."
        "And we'll magically go through?"
        "Yep."
        "Sounds legit. Let's go!" And I ran straight through the wall, my parents, Hermione, and her parents in tow. Immediately I was glued to the spot as my eyes set upon the magnificent train that stood proudly before me. "Woah..." I muttered, staring in awe as did Hermione who was now beside me.
        "Yeah... Woah..." She simply replied, mouth agape. I cleared my throat, breaking both of us from our trance.
        "We should take our luggage to that man over there and take our seats, shouldn't we?"

        "Yeah, we should." She agreed, and after we bid goodbye to our parents, we gave our luggage to the man (who was very polite) and made our way onto the train to find an empty compartment. Which we did eventually. I plonked myself down onto the comfy, red seat and gave Raven a treat.

        "She's very beautiful." Hermione stated, and Raven let out a small squawk of thanks/agreement making us laugh. We'd been happily chatting for a while now, until a plump boy with a very shy demeanor entered our compartment.

        "Uh, hello. I, um, I'm Neville Longbottom, and I, uh, was wondering of you could help me find my toad? Please?" He seemed very distressed, and Hermione and I looked at each other in agreement.

        "Of course, Neville. Let's go." I said, and we left to go on a hunt throughout the train for a toad named Trevor.

*LeTimeSkip*

        "Come on, Trevor, where are you?" I muttered to myself as I scouted the train for the toad. I was so absorbed in searching floor the amphibian on the floor, I didn't notice someone walking the opposite way in front of me. One step, two, three and... SMACK!! "Oh my God I am so, so sorry! Are you okay?" I was babbling on and on as I helped the person to their feet. Only then did I realize who it was. No one could mistake that platinum blonde hair. "I'm so sorry, Draco!" He got up and brushed himself off chuckling.
        "Don't worry about it, Skye."
        "Ooh, your hair's a bit... Hang on..." I gently brushed a strand of his hair back into place, blushing ever so slightly.
        "Er, thanks..." He seemed a little flustered just as I was.
        "I should..." We started.
        "Yeah, we should..." We said again.
        "I'll just go." I said quickly, and walked briskly past him, Draco standing there like lemon, not remembering what he was doing before our encounter. I saw Hermione and waved wildly at, trying to get her attention. She looked to have come out of a compartment, and was already dressed in her robes. "Hi, Mione."
       "Hey, Skye. I just-" She looked at my curiously. "Are you blushing?" I panicked.
       "What? No! I never blush. I- I didn't- I... Nothing happened!!" She raised her eyebrows.
       "Right."
       "I'm gonna check this compartment." I said quickly, and entered the compartment she'd just come from, desperate to get away from our conversation. I looked around and saw a bright red-haired boy and the black-haired boy I saw at Madam Malkin's. "Hi!" I said cheerily.
        "Hi..." The ravenette (a/n: a word I made up just now. It means black-haired person.) said shyly.
        "Hello." The ginger greeted.
        "I was wondering if any of you had seen a toad?"
        "No, sorry. Another girl had just come in here asking that as well."
        "Oh, ok. Thank you! By the way... I didn't get your names."
        "I'm Ron. Ron Weasley." The ginger said.
        "I'm Harry. Harry Potter." My eyes widened. I'd heard about him. He was The Boy Who Lived. The one person that the great Lord Voldemort couldn't kill.
        "It's a pleasure to meet you both. My name's Skye Winters." You shook both their hands politely. Hermione came back in and sat by you. Ron seemed a little uncomfortable with her forward personality, however Harry was very polite. For the whole train ride (minus your trip to the bathroom to get changed) you spent time, laughing, conversing and just generally having a good time with your best friend and new friends.
        "Which house do you think you'll be in, Harry?" Hermione asked him.
        "I don't know really. Although I hope I'm not in Slytherin." Ron nodded in understanding.
        "I'm sorry, but I don't see what the problem with Slytherin is. Sure, it produced Voldemort," Ron flinched. "Sorry. But there have been many great wizards that came from that house as well. For example, Merlin was a Slytherin, and he was a very great wizard! I also heard that a brilliant potion's master was a Slytherin as well! I think his name was... Horace Slughorn."
        "Hmm, very true Skar." Hermione agreed.
        "I guess you're right. But I think I'd rather be in my parents' house rather than the man who killed them." Harry reasoned.
        "That's understandable, Harry. Do you know what house they were in?" He shook his head. I smiled at him and gave him a hug. I'm sure I was going to enjoy Hogwarts, especially if I was sorted into the same house as my friends. Suddenly, the train started coming to a stop, and we knew we had arrived. Immediately, I smiled in extreme excitement. "Come on, guys! Let's goooo!!" And I ran out the door and onto the platform like a lunatic. Hermione caught up while the boys greeted the giant man from Madam Malkin's. He lead us to the boats, and we got in, four for one, and began our short journey to the castle. Everyone around me began gasping suddenly. I looked up to see what the fuss was about, and before long, I was gasping and gaping in awe as I looked over the moonlit castle, standing proudly over the Black Lake. We arrived at the entrance, and made our way up the stone stairs to see a tall, pointed looking witch dressed in emerald green robes and her hair pulled into a tight bun.
        "Welcome to Hogwarts." She began. "Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now, while you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup ." Suddenly, the boy I'd met on the train called Neville leaped forward as he had spotted his toad.
        "Trevor!" He yelled, and then looked up at the witch who was giving him a disapproving look. "Sorry." He mumbled, and walked awkwardly back to his place in the crowd of first years. The witch spoke again.
        "The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." She left gracefully. As soon as she left, I spotted Draco, and he started talking to Harry, an evil smirk on his face as he made his way over.
        "It's true then, what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Students began whispering in wonder at his name. "This is Crabbe, and Goyle and I'm Malfoy...Draco Malfoy." Ron snickered at his name.
         "Ron." I warned sternly.
        "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair, and a hand me down robe? You must be a Weasley. You'll soon find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. Don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Draco offered his hand. I was absolutely appalled by his behaviour. I couldn't believe that he was someone whom I had considered to be a friend. Luckily, Harry kept his composure and refused the hand that was offered to him.
        "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." Harry replied coolly. I smiled at his mature attitude. Draco soon backed down and disappeared back into the crowd... Until he spotted me.
        "Hey, Skye." He stood next to me. I rolled my eyes.
        "Oh, don't give me that. How can you be so judgmental? I thought you were better than that?"
        "And? I was raised that way. God, next thing you'll tell me Muggleborns are 'okay' to be taught here." I scoffed.
        "For your information, Malfoy," I sneered his last name. "I happen to be a Muggleborn myself. And if that is your attitude then I am ashamed to have once believed we could actually be friends." I walked away to stand by Harry, leaving Malfoy speechless. The witch came back.
        "We're ready for you now." And the great doors opened, letting us through to the Great Hall. Once again, everyone was awestruck, however I was more interested in the old hat on a stool at the end. The witch ordered us to wait along the front, and the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, began speaking. I barely listened, however. Then the witch spoke again.
         "When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses." She called the first name. "Hermione Granger." Hermione went up and the hat was placed on her head. After a while, it boomed out,
       "GRYFFINDOR!!" And the Gryffindor table cheered loudly. Other names were called out,
Draco Malfoy - Slytherin
Susan Bones - Hufflepuff
Ronald Weasley - Gryffindor, and then...
         "Harry Potter." The entire hall went silent. Harry made his way up, the hat was placed on his head, and after a long while of deciding, the hat boomed,
         "GRYFFINDOR!!" The Gryffindor table cheered wildy, chanting, 'We got Potter! We got Potter!' Over and over. Then,
         "Skye Winters." I wanted to be in Gryffindor. With my friends. I was silently panicking as I sat on the stool and the hat was placed on my head.
         "Hmm... Interesting." It spoke. "Plenty of courage in your characteristics, cunning and sarcastic, highly ambitious too. Well then, I think it'd better be..."

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"SLYTHERIN!!"