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Chapter 8
McGonagall nudged Draco off the stool, and he slowly walked down towards the Gryffindor table. At first there were only a few claps from Neville, Dobby, and Severus before the rest of the hall followed.
He sat down at the end of the table with Dobby right next to him, and as he did, everyone else at the table shifted away from him. It wasn’t much, but Draco felt more out of place than ever. These people didn’t want him there. They saw him as a Malfoy. Someone to hate and a Slytherin despite what the sorting hat had said. And Draco couldn’t blame them. He had done terrible things to them for years, and even if they didn’t know it, he still felt he deserved it all.
Draco kept his eyes down, staring at his hands in his lap. He kept messing with the ends of his robes, rolling the fabric in between his fingers trying to distract himself from his thoughts as he sat alone at a table full of people. People who wanted nothing to do with him. People who saw him as only his last name, his father, and all the bad his family had done.
Draco remembered how good it felt being sorted into Slytherin. It was like everyone at that table, no matter how old, had respected him. The feeling was the opposite sitting at a table only a few feet away.
Draco could feel the stares at him, but the one of his godfathers burned his skull the most. He was supposed to be in Severus’s house like before, but now he was, as his godfather used to say, just another annoying Gryffindor. He just kept his eyes down, wishing he could disappear.
Suddenly Draco felt the eyes on him shift away, so he shifted his gaze from his lap to the front of the hall. Potter sat on the stool with the sorting hat upon his head, and Weasley had been sitting next to his brothers.
What Draco failed to realize before was one person who didn’t move away from him at all. Hermione Granger sat right across from him, away from everyone else. She caught Draco’s eye and gave him a soft smile before looking back up front.
Soon the hat shouted “GRYFFINDOR” and the whole table cheered. “We got Potter! We got Potter”
Potter walked down to the table with a big smile on his face as he was instantly welcomed and sat down right next to the Weasleys. He got the reaction Draco had hoped for. The reaction that Draco got years ago. The reaction that now made Draco's heart hurt a little more with each cheer and smile. It was the same people that made Draco feel the most alone in the world than he’s ever felt before that gave Potter acceptance without a second thought.
As more students were sorted into Gryffindor, the smaller the gap between Draco, Granger, and the rest of the Gryffindors became. This allowed Draco to relax more, and he once again turned his attention to the front, and Neville was sat on the stool. It didn’t take long for the hat shout once more “GRYFFINDOR”
Neville walked quickly down the table like everyone before him and sat down right next to Draco.
He looked over at Draco with a smile on his face “We’re in the same house, Draco. This is great!”
A small smile crept on Draco’s face. “Now we’ll have every class together,” he said. At least there is one upside in being in Gryffindor, he thought
Granger then spoke up saying “Why did everyone react that way when you were sorted?” She asked.
“It’s because I’m a Malfoy. A Pureblood. No one from my family has been anything but a Slytherin and some people don’t like my family’s beliefs or how they do things. They were either shocked, didn’t want me here, or didn’t do anything because no one else was.” Draco said softly.
“Everything will be ok. I’m sure your family will understand.” Neville said, trying to make Draco feel better.
You will be sorted into Slytherin. You will get top marks. You will bring pride to the Malfoy name.
Draco looked up at three people sitting around him and even though he didn’t believe any of it, he said “Yeah, I'm sure they will too.”
Dumbledore stood up from his chair and started talking but Draco wasn’t listening. He stared right back down to his hands. Soon gasps across the hall had broken Draco from his gaze. He looked up and food covered all the tables. Draco’s stomach growled at the sight of all the food. He hadn’t had lunch that day, but Draco didn’t feel like eating. Just the thought made him sick to his stomach. He didn’t deserve food after what had happened.
Draco looked around and everyone was eating as much as they could. He decided to grab a roll from the table and tear off bits to satisfy his hunger. When he had finished that, he knew he still needed to eat more and grabbed two chicken legs from a platter which he ate slowly.
“Aren’t you hungry, Draco?” Neville asked him.
Draco shook his head. “I think I’m just nervous, so my stomach is upset. I’ll finish the chicken though.” He said truthfully.
Neville left it alone and nodded his head before going back to his food.
“Are you excited for any classes?” Hermione asked.
“I think potions will be fun.” Draco answered. “What about you?”
“Well I’m excited for them all actually. They’ll be different from any classes I’ve ever taken. I think I’ll like charms a lot though.” She said, smiling at the thought.
“I can’t wait for Herbology. I’ve always been drawn to plants.” Neville said.
Draco suddenly remembered Dobby was sitting with them. He had been so quiet and Draco wasn’t paying too much attention to anything.
“Dobby, did you get something to eat?” Draco asked, worried that the house elf wouldn’t know he was allowed to eat.
“Yes, Master Draco. Dobby had a roll and turkey.” Dobby said, smiling up at Draco. “Dobby is worried that Master Draco didn’t eat enough.”
“That’s good Dobby and like I said before I’m just nervous. I’m sure my usual appetite will be back by breakfast.” Draco said. “After the feast we’ll have to go find Severus and talk to him, okay?”
“Yes Master Draco.” Dobby nodded.
The food soon disappeared and everyone was starting to leave the Great Hall. Dumbledore instructed all the first years to follow their house’s prefects up to their dorms, but Draco still needed to talk to his godfather.
“Dobby and I are going to go talk to someone real quick. I’ll meet you in the dorms later.” Draco said and dragged Dobby up towards the head table.
Draco stood in front of Severus and said “Dobby needs to work in the kitchens here.”
“Do I even want to ask?” Severus said.
Draco shook his head, but Severus gave him a pointed look. He sighed and said, “I couldn’t just leave him in the Manor with Father, and technically he’s my house elf. I thought that if I freed him he could work here.”
“And your father was okay with this?”
“I didn’t tell him, but it’s not like he will even notice that Dobby is gone. Dobby spent all his time with me because he’s my house elf and my friend.”
“I guess that sorting hat wasn’t wrong for putting you into Gryffindor. Let us hope that your father doesn’t find out.”
Draco averted his gaze from his godfather. He was supposed to be a Slytherin.
“Go catch up with the rest of your house. I will take care of Dobby, and we can talk more tomorrow,” Severus instructed.
“Thank you,” Draco replied, and turned to Dobby to say, “Bye Dobby. I’ll see you soon.”
“Bye Master Draco,” Dobby said, waving as he watch the platinum haired boy leave.
Draco left quickly in order to find the rest of the Gryffindors. He walked up several flights of stairs till he was on the one that would lead him to the Gryffindor Common Room. Luckily there was still a mass of first years waiting outside the entrance.
The Gryffindor first years were lead up to the common room by Percy Weasley. He was pointing out things along the way but Draco couldn’t care to listen. He just followed the rest as if he didn’t already know most of the places in this castle.
He found Neville and Granger towards the back of the mass and walked around the other first years to stand next to them.
“Where’s Dobby?” Granger asked when she noticed Draco was back.
“He’s going to work in the kitchens here,” Draco replied and turned back to the prefect who was giving instructions.
“Everyone, the password is Caput Draconis. Remember that it’s the only way to get inside.”
“That’ll be easy, it sounds sorta like your name Draco.” Neville said with a smile
The group walked in front of the portrait and the lady said “Password.”
“Caput Draconis.” The redheaded prefect replied, and the portrait swung open revealing the Gryffindor Common Room. He must be a Weasley, Draco thought
He walked inside behind everyone else and looked around, taking in every detail. Draco felt a sense of warmth. The common was cozy and inviting. The exact opposite of Slytherin’s.
“The Girl’s Dorms are up the stairs to the right. The boy’s are to the left.” The Weasley Prefect said.
Draco thought back to the Great Feast. Granger was the only person to not move down the table as if they were scared of him. He was thankful for that.
Draco turned towards Granger as everyone else walked up the stairs to the dorms and said “Do you want to meet for breakfast tomorrow morning?”
Granger’s face broke out into a smile and said “Yeah, I’d like that. Does 7 sound good since classes start at 8?”
Draco nodded his head. “Yeah, that sounds great. Neville and I will meet you here in the morning.” He said, and they both went up to their dorms.
Draco walked up to the door where he was staying. He opened the door and inside were six beds along the walls of the room. The room was red like the common room and gave the same warm feeling, but it didn’t feel like home as the Slytherin dorms once did.
He walked over to the bed with his trunks in front of it. His trunks stood out from rest. Not only were they mostly green, but he had at least 2 more trunks than everyone else. But they were just trunks.
His bed was right next to Neville’s which he was grateful for. On the other side was Potter’s. He was sitting on his bed, back towards Draco, and talking to Weasley, whose bed was the one next over.
Draco looked over at Neville and said “We’re meeting Hermione tomorrow in the common room for breakfast.”
Neville smiled and nodded his head. He was still unpacking his things from his trunks. Draco decided to start to unpack his as well.
Draco put all his robes away and in a few minutes he only had a couple of items left to unpack. He looked in his last trunk which held all his art supplies and his telescope. He put the majority of his art supplies in his bedside table, so they would be easy to access.
He then took his telescope out and set it up next to the window beside his bed. He was very proud of how the telescope turned out. The stars were moving and it looked amazing.
“Draco, where did you get that telescope?” Neville asked walking over to get a closer look at it.
“Some shop in Diagon Alley. It’s just a regular telescope. I painted on the stars and constellations over the summer and added a charm to make them move.” Draco said smiling. It made him happy to talk about his art.
“It’s so cool!” Neville said, amazed.
“Thanks,” Draco said, feeling even more proud that someone liked it as well.
With all of his things finally unpacked and put away, Draco now had to do what he was dreading. He needed to write a letter to his father telling him what happened during his sorting.
Draco grabbed a sheet of paper and his quill and ink. He sat on his bed and started to write.
Dear Father,
I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that everything has gone how it should’ve. I was sorted into the Gryffindor House. I don’t know how it happened, or what the sorting hat was thinking. You and I both know I should be in Slytherin like the rest of the Malfoys, but there isn’t much to be done about it now. I hope you can understand that I didn’t want this. Gryffindor doesn’t feel like a home for me. Please give me another chance to prove that I can excel at Hogwarts. I’m sorry for letting you down. Your son, Draco Malfoy
Draco sealed up the letter and looked over to the window. Nyx was waiting outside as if he knew Draco needed to send a letter. He gave Nyx the letter and a treat, and he watched as the owl flew away towards Malfoy Manor.
Draco looked around the room and everyone else was already in bed. After changing, Draco followed the rest of his dorm mates and laid down under the covers of his bed. It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep. He just wanted to escape this day and move onto the next.