I'm Coming For You, Draco Malfoy!

A Different Sort of Sorting

Our eyes barely left one another and all through the Sorting, that intense staring of the first six years of school seemed to pick up exactly where it had left off. Only, now, in was no longer surreptitious glances or filthy glares. Now there was no hiding it. Harry's mouth quirked in amusement and his eyes sparkled, even from a distance, I knew they did.

The Hat sang its song and I had no idea of any words it emitted in its wisdom, I was near a very frustrated breaking point. I imagined myself standing up in front of the entire staff and students and marching across the Great Hall of Hogwarts to yank Harry to his feet and kiss him in front of everyone. Again... Only this time it would be more than a bloody 'lingering peck'.

Fuck!

I could imagine the feeling of Harry's hands on my hips, in my hair, cupping my cheeks, against my bare skin, grinding against me, frotting, more... I wanted him. I really did. But desire battled with doubts about his own political agendas as I watched him, leaving me confused.

McGonagall stood up and I realised that I hadn't even registered if any of the new first years had been sorted into Slytherin, the whole thing had moved around me like I was an apparition in life. I was somewhat surprised to see a bunch of very short students sitting with me, filling in the gaps between me and the seventh years.

I smiled immediately. 'Welcome to Slytherin House,' I said but was uncertain where to proceed from there. What did one say to these young hopefuls? That it was a House condemned to be hated by the rest of the school because of the 'type' of cunning and clever pureblood-bastards that got sorted into it year after year. That they were now officially classed as the 'bad guys' and fucked for life.

No, I was going to change that too, from the inside out.

'I'm Draco,' I said. 'And I'll help you in any way possible. This is a good school and, as you've been sorted into Slytherin, you have the potential to do great things.'

'Nice jumper,' giggled the girl with long blond hair sitting next to me.

'Thank you, I'm very proud of it,' I said.

'Is that why no one's sitting near you?' a boy said. 'My eldest brother is gay; he said some people don't like it. I don't care though. I don't think it matters who you love so long as you're happy and treat each other right. I'm Tobias.'

'Thank you, Tobias.' And I shook his hand formally; we were Slytherins foremost. 'You will find out soon enough that I've been ostracised by my housemates because I made some very bad calls over the past few years. I'm not very popular because of it and they don't know whether to trust me. But I'm trying to change my ways.'

'Oh, okay,' the girl shrugged acceptingly. 'I noticed that people didn't cheer so loudly when we got sorted into Slytherin?'

'Yes. Because of the war, it's difficult for us Slytherins at the moment. The Dark Lord and a lot of his Death-Eaters were in Slytherin House once upon a time. He called on followers from the House because of the Pureblood legacy. But that doesn't mean that all his followers were from Slytherin House or that we have to be like them.'

'Harry Potter cheered loudly for everyone; do you know him?' the girl said. 'You two stare at each other a lot.'

McGonagall cleared her throat. 'Welcome everyone,' she announced... saving me from the heinous embarrassment of answering observant first years.

It was difficult speech from McGonagall but it was always going to be the way. So much had changed for us all, including the fact that we'd lost two headmasters in the last two years. She talked about the efforts of everyone in May, of Harry (even though he was clearly uncomfortable with the public praise from her) and a select few others. She spoke of those lost during the war; of rebuilding the school. Like Harry, she talked about rebuilding the Wizarding community and school unity. She talked about letting go of the past and breaking down the barriers between the Houses; of attempting to get everyone to intermingle more; to get to know each other based on individual character, not on assumed stereotypes. She talked about tolerance, forgiveness, and hope as the foundations for building a better future.