In Front Of Me

After a long trip, she'd finally arrived. She was greeted by a warm, friendly looking older man. His long white beard and twinkling blue eyes made him seem nicer than he looked. She guessed he was the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore.

"We have anticipated your arrival Miss. Christopher," Dumbledore said, showing her into the school. Kat heard a bustling noise coming from what seemed to be a large mess hall. She followed Dumbledore to a what looked like a peculiar classroom, gaping at everything she saw. A tall, stiff looking woman stood. She had her brown hair pulled taut into a bun at the top of her head. The way she smiled told Kat that she was strict, but her heart had a soft side.

"You must be Katalina Christopher. I'm Minerva McGonagall," she said warmly. Kat nodded.

"Professor McGonagall also teaches Transfiguration," Dumbledore added. Kat nodded again, feeling a bit shy. She was also confused about the Gryffindor thing.

"You're probably wondering about the houses," Dumbledore began, as if reading her mind. She nodded, and he continued. "There are four houses. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Each is lead by a teacher. The students are broken into these houses, and act as a family, or so to speak. When they show achievement, they are awarded points. When they break the rules, points are taken away," he stopped. Kat looked at him confused.

"Perhaps we should just sort her," McGonagall put in, still wearing her smile. Dumbledore nodded, and went over to get the sorting hat. It took a few minutes but the hat finally shouted an answer that made Kat jump terribly because she hadn't expected it.

"Ravenclaw!" it boomed. She turned to the two Professors standing over her, wondering if that was good or bad.

"Well, congratulations," Dumbledore said. She smiled, still curious as to what that meant.

"Professor, perhaps we should go get her student guide?" McGonagall asked, smirking slightly.

"Ah yes. Miss Christopher, a fellow student has volunteered to spend some time with you each day so you know your way around. Hogwarts can be a tricky place sometimes," Dumbledore said, returning McGonagall's grin.

"I'll go get him," Professor Snape said, who had been waiting in the doorway. He had wanted to see if she was sorted into his house. He was not surprised when she wasn't.

Kat groaned under her breath. She really didn't want some other outrageously intelligent student to follow her around and tell her where to go. The other student guides she'd had from other schools had been rather annoying. She decided she would be polite, even if it was a pain to have them near her all the time. Professor Snape returned a few seconds later alone. Dumbledore looked at him puzzled.

Snape turned around and shouted into the hallway, "Come along Mr. Malfoy!" Snape had seen Draco's punishment as being rather pointless. He himself thought Harry's punishment should have been far worse. He didn't think a wall was a very credible witness.

Katalina waited, holding her breath. She was a bit shy when it came to these situations. A tall blonde boy came in. He was lean and muscular, with ivory skin and stunning blue-gray eyes. He ran a milky hand through his white-gold hair and gave Kat and the teachers in the room an almost charming smile. Kat felt her heart speed up in her chest. This student guide was nothing like the others. She smiled slightly, but his attention was diverted to Dumbledore who had begun to speak.

"Miss Christopher, this is Mr. Malfoy. He will be helping you around for awhile," Dumbledore said, giving Draco a grin. Snape retreated to the dungeon, Dumbledore and McGonagall to an unknown destination to Kat and Draco.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco stood and left the Common Room when Snape had come to get him. He thought the whole punishment thing was a waste of time, and a burden he didn't think he deserved. He followed far behind Snape, not eager to get there quickly. Snape had to yell to him hurry up. When he'd entered he saw her. She was certainly nothing special to him. She was an ordinary looking girl. She had long black hair, and her eyes were an indefinable color. They looked almost black, like her hair. Draco was not impressed. He casually smiled, and before he knew it, he was being left alone with her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He started toward the door, ready to show her some of the most popular places in the school. Kat stayed where she was, not sure as to where he was going.

"Well? Aren't you coming?" he asked, impatiently. Kat nodded, and hurried to follow him. They walked for awhile, Draco explaining different places, and she hadn't said a word.

"Don't you talk?" he asked, sounding more rude than he'd meant to. He ignored that and waited for an answer.

"Of course I do. I'm not mute," she said

"Well you haven't said anything, so assumed you couldn't," Draco said.

"Well, what do you want me to say?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said, giving up on her. She wasn't very interesting to him. Their feet filled in the pause as they walked on the hard floor to their next destination.

"So what house are you in?" she asked, trying to make conversation.

"Slytherin, the best of them all," he said pompously.

"Oh, I'm in Ravenclaw," she said. He sneered and she wasn't quite sure what that meant.

"What's your name anyway?" he asked, not having heard it.

"Katalina. And you?" she asked. She was so far into his eyes it was hard to tell where she was going. She had to admit she was one lucky new student to have him for a student guide.

"Draco. What's with all the questions?" he said, suddenly not wanting to talk.

"Well you were just complaining I wasn't talking. Now you want me to shut up?" she said, angered by his sudden attitude change.

"Well I don't want twenty one questions," he snapped. She rolled her eyes.

"For someone who volunteers to be a student guide, you're not very friendly," she retorted.

"I didn't volunteer. This is all a punishment. I'm doing this against my will. Not for the pleasure of helping others. I don't do the whole 'Good Samaritan' thing," he said, remembering his wrongdoing.

"What did you do to land you as a Hogwarts tour guide?" Kat asked, amused by the punishment he was receiving.

"I dueled with Potter and got caught. He only has detention. Damn Potter," Draco said, mostly to himself.

"Potter? As in Harry Potter? He goes here? That's so cool," Kat said. Draco rolled his eyes.

"What's so special about him?" he asked, a hint of jealousy in his question.

"He's a legend, that's what. Didn't you ever hear about the 'boy-who-lived'?" Kat asked.

"Of course I have. It's been the bane of my existence. The gas fueling a flame of hatred that easily spread into an untamed, all-consuming detestation for the four eyed loser that lived," Draco spat harshly. He didn't think Kat had heard him, but she did.

"I think you have some issues to work out. Counseling helps you know," she said sardonically.

"Potter and I are enemies, in case you haven't noticed," Draco said plainly, ignoring her last remark.

"Really? I never would have guessed," she said, continuing down the hall.

She found her dorm a little bit later, learning the password from a first year. She lay in her bed, that night, unable to sleep. She missed her old life. She just wanted the normal part of her life back. If just for a little while.