Don't Deny Me

The Sorting Ceremony

Evie POV:

"Harry quit it!" I laughed as we sat in our car on the way to Hogwarts.

"Did you really fall in love with a muggle over summer?" Ron asked.

"I never said the word love!" I insisted.

"Yeah but she fancies him." Harry smirked.

"Would you boys drop it already? Why do you care so much about her love life?" Hermione asked. I can always count on her being on my side. It helps that we both have muggle parents, we understand each other a lot more.

"Besides, he's just a friend." I added.

"Isn't that how it always starts?" Ron smirked. He was sitting right across from me so I raised my leg and kicked him in the shin.

"That's enough Ronald." Hermione said rolling her eyes.

"How did you guys spend your summer?" I asked.

"I wanted to get ahead for this term so I studied the books assigned to us and-" Hermione started. I was already rolling my eyes.

"Are you even capable of having fun?" Ron asked cutting her off. Hermione shot him a glare and I couldn't help but laugh. I looked out the window at the scenery we were passing. It's our 4th year at Hogwarts and I've honestly waited all summer to be back. The magic world is just so much better than home and I feel like I can actually be myself here. Nobody at home understands, I could never tell them I was a witch. And I most certainly not crushing on Brandon from back home, it's never been like that. But our friendship is hard to explain. Harry and Ron would never understand. When we arrived at the castle it was time for our feast and to watch all the first years get sorted. My brother is one of them. He says he wants to be a gryffindor just like Harry, but I reassured him that all of the houses are super cool and any of them would be lucky to have him.

"It's almost your brother's turn, what do you think he'll get?" Harry whispered to me.

"Honestly no idea," I replied. Looking over at the Slytherin table I caught eyes with Draco Malfoy who was smirking at me. I could already feel my blood boiling. "As long as he doesn't get into slytherin with Draco."

"Dustin Mirkwood." I heard McGonagall call out.

"Let's see." Hermione said and grabbed my hand in hers. He walked up and they placed the sorting hat on his head. There was a silence as the hat was thinking.

"GRYFFINDOR!" I heard it shout. We all jumped up to our feet and started cheering for him. He ran over and grabbed me in a hug.

"Welcome to the team." I laughed. He sat down in between Harry and Ron as they continued the ceremony. I looked at him sitting so proudly between them and a smile broke out on my face. Mom and dad are going to be so excited to find out he got into Gryffindor. They may not fully understand the houses, but they were hoping he would be with me so I could look out for him. Our parents never told Dustin about Hogwarts or where I was, but I could tell he was a wizard. After my first year I started to tell him stories of a magical place where they trained wizards and witches. When he found out it was real and that my friend Harry was the boy Dylan I had told about in my stories, he lost his mind with excitement. When they finished the ceremony, it was time to dig into the feast. Dustins face was priceless when all the food appeared on the tables.

"This is so much better than public school!" Dustin freaked.

"And lucky you, you have us in your house." Fred smiled.

"We'll teach you all the tricks we know." George added.

"Or instead you could help him with his classes." Hermione said. They took the first years to their rooms and I decided to go out to the courtyard to get some fresh air. It feels so good to be back here.

"I saw that look you had on your face when your brother was getting sorted." A familiar voice said behind me as I walked down the corridors.

"Go away Draco." I said rolling my eyes and continuing to walk forward.

"What? Were you scared he would've been a slytherin and become friends with me?" he joked. He ran so he was next to me but I tried to keep walking.

"What do you want?"

"You know just because he's not in my house doesn't mean that I won't see him." Draco smirked. I grabbed him by the arm and yanked him into an empty classroom pulling my wand out of my robe.

"Stay away from my brother Draco." I said holding my wand up to him.

"You think I'm scared of you mudblood?" he said with a small growl in his voice. I huffed and pulled my wand down. "Just as I thought." he smiled proudly.

"You're not worth getting expelled." I said shoving my wand back in my robe. I started to walk away when I heard his voice again.

"Welcome back Evelyn." his sly smirk was obvious, I didn't even have to turn around and look at him. I kept walking out to the courtyard and sat down under a tree. I'm not going to let Malfoy get to me this year.

"Figured I'd find you out here." I heard Harry laugh. I looked up to see him sitting down next to me.

"I just love this place." I looked around at all the beauty. It really is the most magical place.

"Yeah I wish I could stay here all year round. Not have to go back to the Dursley's." Harry groaned.

"At least you were able to sneak out and visit me a few times this summer." I nudged his arm and caught a small smile on his face.

"It will all be better once I can go stay with Sirius. We are going to have a grand time together, I know it."

"So what's your schedule this year?"

"I get to start my day off with potions." he replied with a sarcastic tone.

"I can tell you are thrilled." I laughed. "I'll be in that class as well, at least we can suffer together. Do you know which house we are taking it with?"

"Slytherin. Which means-"

"Draco." we both said at the same time. I took a deep breath and nodded my head.

"How is it possible for me to still hate somebody after three years?" I joked.

"When it's Draco? I think it's possible to hate him forever." Harry added. I really just want a normal year this time. Being at Hogwarts though, I already know that's impossible. Please just let us all make it out this year alive.