The Late Arrival

Chapter 3 - New Surroundings

I looked around at everyone at the Slytherin table, smiling and nodding as everyone greeted me - everyone except the blonde boy.

"Hey, I'm Pansy Parkinson. Nice to meet you!" I turned to see a brunette girl, her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail with little strands of hair falling perfectly over her olive skin.

"I'm Sayge" I replied, still looking around at everyone a little overwhelmed. "What's that guys deal?" I nodded over at the boy, who was sat there with his arms still folded, almost expressionless. Pansy rolled her eyes.

"That's Draco, I think he's a little.. Jealous. The sorting hat hasn't been so sure of putting someone in Slytherin for a long time before Draco, but that was its quickest decision yet! I'm impressed" she said, looking me up and down with a slight smirk on her face.

"Jealous?!" Scoffed Draco, leaning over the table closer to my face. "The names Malfoy, Draco Malfoy" he put his hand out to shake mine.

I shook his hand and nodded, watching him glare at me. His hands were numbingly cold, almost as cold as the look on his face. There was something that told me I needed to stay away from him, he didn't seem like the type of person you would want as a friend - or an enemy for that matter.

"Let the feast begin" Dumbledores voice echoed through the room once again.

Almost immediately, all four tables filled with plates that appeared out of no where, piled to the top with food. Chicken, potatoes, vegetables and multiple different types of desserts.

Everyone ate and ate until we could no longer move and we spent the rest of the evening sat there chatting amongst ourselves, about the new year and what it might bring. Dumbledore was seen walking between the tables and talking to the prefects for a moment or two until each prefect got up and began ushering their tables into a group.

"Follow me to your common rooms please, we will show you to your dorms." A dark haired boy said, with a glistening green and silver prefect badge pinned to the fold of his robe.

We all got up, collecting our bags and following the crowd out into the halls. I caught a glimpse of Ron who gave me a slight smile and a wave as we walked off in different directions.

The halls were quite dark by now, lit up only by torches scattered across the wall - the flames flickering in the wind, causing shadows to float a long side us. Pansy walked with me, her arm linked in mine as though we had known each other forever.

"Pure blood" muttered the prefect, and the common room door flew open causing a cold draft to drown us and the torches to flicker more aggressively than they were a moment earlier.

Everyone stepped over the entrance and into the dark common room. It was very cold, but strangely enough it was also quite cosy. Green lanterns were hanging from the walls in every corner of the room, with an elegant fireplace in the centre of the main wall - the fire was on, and green flames danced across the coals.

I looked around, walking up to the big windows which revealed that we were in fact under water. I knew the dungeons were underground but I didn't realise how deep.

"Fantastic isn't it?" Pansy appeared over my shoulder as if out of no where, startling me. "This is the best common room by far" she said looking rather proud of herself.

I just nodded, staring out of the window at the water rushing past. After further instructions from the prefect, everyone made their way to their dorms. My new Slytherin uniform was lay neatly on a chair beside my bed, Pansy started to unpack her trunk on the bed next to mine.

I unpacked my things and greeted Dragon again, putting his cage on the bed side table. Pansy started chatting away to me while I got into my pyjamas, I wasn't really listening - I tend to go away into my own world quite a lot. Once I was ready for bed, I climbed under the sheets and lay staring at the ceiling.

"You don't say much do you?" Pansy said, also climbing into bed and propping herself up on her arm to face me.

"I'm sorry, just a little overwhelmed I guess. A bit nervous for classes tomorrow." I replied, still staring at the ceiling.

"We have Herbology first thing tomorrow, then Defence Against the Dark Arts afterwards! I'm going to skip after that because the boys are training for Quidditch, I love watching them" she said with a dreamy look on her face, then she flopped back onto the bed also.

We spoke for a little while, mostly just Pansy answering my questions about the classes they take and her talking about how gorgeous Draco Malfoy is - I don't see it myself. Not too long after, we both drifted off to sleep.