Changing the Wizarding World

Chapter 2

My heart feels like it's been torn from my chest. Harry is a Slytherin, he's not going to be with me at house gatherings, in the dorm rooms, at the common events. Slytherin and Gryffindor house have always been known to be enemies, how am I supposed to convince him to stay with me if we're on opposite sides ?

Harry however smirks at the hat's announcement, stands up and bows to his clapping Slytherins.

Ron, who had turned a bight red at the hat's exclamation whilst sitting across from me, then decides to loudly burst into laughter around a mouthful of food. Chunks of chicken fly from his mouth as he cackles out, "Aww, looks like the nerd isn't going to have her friend after all. Why would the Chosen one ever want to be friends with the likes of you? It's obvious he only went to Slytherin because he begged the hat not to put him in the same house as you! If he'd only met me first, he'd have been sitting here with us where he belongs! "

My tears begin to sting as unshed tears begin to pool in my eyes. Would Harry really have done that? I hear a growl coming from the podium and as I look over I see Harry striding over to me.

" Listen here you miserable little weasel, I suggest you shut your mouth about 'Mione before you lose anymore food than you already have. The hat wanted me in Slytherin and so it put me in Slytherin, a house I am proud to be apart of. Especially if Gryffindors are anything like you, but I'm hoping the rest of this house proves me wrong. Now scurry off before I do something I won't regret!"

A now green-looking Ron does as he's told and shoots out of the dining hall. I shake my head in exasperation at Harry and smile to show I'm fine. The smile isn't hard to fake once I realise Harry had also just given me a nickname. Mione... I like it.

Harry glares one last time at Ron's back before taking me by the hand and dragging me away from my table as I shuffle along in confusion. Why in Magic's name is he taking me to Slytherin? Me, a Gryff, entering the nest of the Snakes. Merlin, all I wanted was to at least graduate from this bloody school before dying a painful death of hexing. Surely Harry knows this is a death wish?

I struggle against him and hiss, "Harry! Stop this madness right this second. There are rules we need to follow and a Gryffindor going to the Slytherin table uninvited is not one of them!

"Nonsense, 'Mione. I invited you. You aren't going to sit with people who can't see how much you're worth, and if a snake tries to remove you I'll just skin them."

He chuckles at my wide eyes and horrified expression, "I'm just kidding. Cleaning the mess afterwards would be too much work."

He then stops and looks down at me with the first glimpse of a vulnerable expression on his face that I've seen. He changes his expression to neutral and quietly asks, "That is, unless, you don't want to sit with me any longer because I've been chosen as a snake?"

... Did he seriously just ask me if I still wanted to sit with him? Was Harry just as insecure as I was, just better at hiding it? As I stare in shock at his face, unable to answer, his face suddenly clouds over and his eyes become guarded. I recognize that he thinks I'm rejecting his offer and rush to answer him.

"Harry, of course I want to sit with you. I'd love to, I just don't want to embarrass you in front of all your new housemates. I'll never leave your side so long as you want me there. No one has ever stood up for me like that and I appreciate it more than you know."

A bright grin tugs at Harry's face and he cheerily leads me along to his table yet again...This boy has some serious mood swings.
As we move to sit at the table, I see Dumbledore glaring at us from his table, unable to call us out without making it seem like he was picking on Harry and attempting to destroy a chance at house unity.