malice. |harry potter|

1.3

"your prejudice is showing, ron. better put it away, yeah?"

♥

Draco Malfoy, Colletta Dupont, Astoria Greengrass, and Malice Fallon walked along the first floor corridor, on their way to the dungeons. Just before reaching the stairs, Mali heard a voice call her name.

"Mali!" Harry Potter called as he jogged toward the group, out of breath. The three others stopped as Mali did, silently asking with their eyes whether or not she needed them to stay.

"You lot go on, Astra. I'm fine," Astoria nodded and ushered Lottie and Draco away. "Hi Harry. Did you enjoy the meal?" Mali asked regally.

"I did, I was actually just coming to see if all of the Slytherins were treating you well."

Mali laid a hand on his arm, and said reassuringly, "They're all properly kind, you know. Save maybe Malfoy, he is a bit of a git, but mostly he's just upset that you didn't accept his friendship proposition. Don't let Ron take over your mind. I assure you, not all Slytherins are bad."

"Oh no, I mean, I've never thought that," Harry stated frantically. "I mean, you're brilliant, so you can't all be bad," He flushed slightly. Mali giggled, calming him down.

"It's quite alright. I'll see you tomorrow?" Harry nodded. "Right, then," Mali gently hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Good night, Harry."

Harry was shocked. After all, he couldn't remember the last time that anyone had hugged him, anyone at all. After a moment, he composed himself, lacing his arms around Mali's waist pulling his new friend, his first friend, into a hug. "Goodnight, Mali." The small girl untwisted herself from his embrace, walking to the stairs, throwing a quick grin and a wave over her shoulder before descending downwards to the dungeons.

♥

The Slytherin common room held beauty that rivaled the great hall. The sprawling windows held views of marine life swimming past. There were black leather couches and green velvet armchairs and cackling fireplaces. Nearest to the windows there was a long elderwood table similar to the tables in the Great Hall, though this one was darker and had booths on the walls rather than benches.

The prefect, Daphne Greengrass, Astra's older sister, had informed them that the various life forms coexisting in the Black Lake could not, in fact, break the windows, and that they were very safe. She also was quick to tell that the wide wooden tables were for studying and working.

Mali found the whole place to be rather intoxicating.

"First year girls, you're just down This corridor and to the right, first year boys- same corridor, just on the left. Each dormitory has its own bathroom, and you'll find all of your things have already been brought for you," Daphne concluded. "Now, off to bed, and don't forget, curfew is nine o'clock sharp, be in the commons by then or we lose house points."

The gaggle of first-years started the trek down the wide corridor, stopping at the end. The girls turned to the left, the boys to the right, and the parted.

Mali waved before walking away, "Goodnight, boys," She sang.

"Night, Fallon," Draco said stiffly, followed by a chorus of 'goodnights' by the other boys. On the door, Mali read the names,

Colletta Dupont, Malice Fallon, Astoria Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson

"You must be Pansy, then," Mali greeted with a smile, as the girls sat on their respective beds.