It's OK To Not Be Ok...Right?

23. Girlfriend

The following morning the students headed down to breakfast, leaving Goose happy in Sloane's swing reading. Harry and Hermione chatted happily while Draco and Sloane walked beside them. Harry still found it odd that Draco was being so...civil. He hadn't called any of them names, he hadn't insulted them or looked down at them. He wasn't doing much of anything any more and Harry couldn't help but wonder what was going on inside his head. He never looked happy, always miserable. Harry knew that look. He often wore it himself. Maybe Draco needed to speak with Sloane as well.

"What's with the purple?" Harry asked trying to include Sloane in the conversation.

"Oh," she wasn't sure what people would think. "So, it turns out the sorting hat, couldn't sort me," she shrugged. 

"Beg your pardon?" Draco asked slightly amused.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Well, it said that I could belong in any house and yet being part of any house would be detrimental to my progress here. So it was decided that I was to have a house of my own. Dumbledore named it MiraArtis and I have my own house colours and my animal mascot is a unicorn. I must tell Blaise I got my unicorn after  all."

"You have your own house?" Hermione gasped. "That's never happened before."

"Apparently not," she shrugged. "Maybe I am defective." She expected Draco to make a comment but he was looking at her colours and badge. 

"Dumbledore knows what he is doing. If you are in your own house, there is a reason for it," he said simply as they approached the bottom step.

They entered the Great Hall to see everyone turn and look in their direction. The Boy Who Lived, The Brightest Witch Of Her Age, The Slytherin Prince and The Blow In. They made quite a team. Draco rolled his eyes and headed off to the table, sitting himself down next to Blaise who was chatting to Neville about plants. "So I was thinking, if we head to the greenhouse during lunch, we could try your method of tonic on my viper plant?" Blaise said and Neville beamed.

"You want to try?" He asked hopefully.

"Longbottom, when it comes to Herbology, I would trust you with my life. There is a reason you are top of the class." Blaise praised.

"Sounds good and please, call me Neville. All my friends call me Neville."

Blaise smiled. "Well, then it's Blaise to you." He turned to Draco. "Good morning sunshine."

"Morning," Draco groaned.

"Oh, aren't we the happy, cheery one today? Miss Sage what, prey tell, did you do to this poor lad last night?" He raised an eyebrow.

Sloane stopped in her tracks as she walked by and turned. "Hmm, let's see. He called me strange, insulted by intelligence and made a bet with me.....nope, sounds like a normal Tuesday night to me," she shrugged.

Blaise tried not to laugh. "Oh, Sloane what did I do before you came into my life?"

"I have no idea, but I bet it wasn't half as much fun." She smiled.

Blaise looked over his shoulder as the doors opened and noticed who was making their way to the hall, and then back at Draco with a panicked look on his face. "Draco make room for Sloane and let her join us. Quickly before your girlfriend arrives."

Draco began hastily moving his books. "Oh I don't want to cause trouble between Draco and his girl-" She didn't get to finish as Draco pulled her down next to him just as the doors opened again and they could hear...

"Drackie!" Sloane looked up to see Pansy Parkinson making her way towards them. Thankfully Harry had sat to Sloane's right, and she turned to speak with him to avoid any awkwardness.