A/N: Submission for QLFC Round 11– Love them or Hate them

Tutshill Tornados - Reserve Seeker - A character has been placed in a different House to canon

RavenclawDraco!AU

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the world J.K. Rowling has created.

Title: What he really wanted

WC: 2347

"Draco." His father pulled him aside while Dobby placed his trunk on the train. "I expect you to do well at Hogwarts. You are the scion of our house, and you are to prove that Malfoys are better than people like that." His father's eyes narrowed in the direction of a group of red-haired children in various ill-fitting and tattered clothes. Weasleys. Draco had heard about them; that they were poor and liked muggles far too much.

"I will do my best Father," he said, reining in his nervousness, his well-practised smirk falling easily into place.

Lucius surveyed him and then started guiding him towards the train. His mother following close behind them.

"Slytherin is your birthright. You are a Malfoy, and this is what is expected of you. Be great, be better than those who are unworthy of gracing the school's halls." His father's eyes were once again drawn to someone else he disapproved of: a couple of confused-looking parents and a small bushy-haired girl. An expression of disgust graced his father's face, and Draco hurried to copy it.

All he wanted to do was to get into the train. To get away from his father and his lessons, to be able to read his books in peace and get to Hogwarts where he would be free. Free to do what he wanted. As long as he was in Slytherin, that is. He didn't know how he would react if he were placed in another house. His father would not take it well, that Draco did know.

xx

The train ride to Hogwarts had gone just as Draco had expected. He had been guided by Father to respectable peers, Crabbe and Goyle. He had met the two before, they were children of his father's friends, and as expected, they were just as boorish as their fathers.

He humoured them by sitting with them but chose to ignore their inane chatter. Instead, he read his textbooks and looked out the window. Every now and then Draco caught snippets of their conversation, about the Slytherin Common Room being under the lake, that they would be free of Mudbloods and Blood Traitors and that they had Professor Snape as their head of house. These were all things he knew. He had either read them, or his father had drilled them into his skull so often that he could repeat it in his sleep.

But then, there came a piece of information that gave Draco cause to put his books away. Harry Potter was on the train. He was famous, well-liked in the wizarding community despite having disappeared all those years ago when the Dark Lord had been defeated.

This was someone he needed to know. His father would be pleased with him for sure, for getting the 'Boy-Who-Lived' on his side. The status it would bring to his family. Draco wasn't stupid, so he knew what other wizarding families said about his own. That his family were followers of the Dark Lord. There was pressure on him; he had to do well, he had to make his family proud. Maybe then it wouldn't be so bad if he ended up in a house other than Slytherin.

He had read about the house traits. His father had drilled into him before he could even talk that Slytherin was the only real choice. That every Malfoy had been in Slytherin and that meant that he had to be too. It didn't matter whether he was ambitious, cunning or determined. His father said he had to be in Slytherin or else… and or else meant trouble.

He had heard about what had happened to members of his mother's family who had been sorted into other houses. They had married Mudbloods or generally been disowned by the family. He couldn't allow that to happen, it would break his mother's heart.

But as they grouped off to enter the small boats, he thought about what seven years with these people would mean. Seven years of boredom, listening to their conversations about Mudbloods, Blood Traitors, and Blood Purity until he got old enough to be paired off with some pureblood girl. Probably another Slytherin too.

Suddenly he felt a wave of regret, he looked over at the other boats where his new classmates were talking animatedly with their friends. He then looked back at his own boat where Crabbe, Goyle and the Parkinson girl sat in silence. They too were expected to enter Slytherin House. Suddenly Draco felt like he was being taken to an executioner and not a Sorting Hat.

'Is this really what my life will be like?' he thought to himself. The laughter and excitement of his classmates filled his ears and made his heart pound. A life where his head would invariably be filled with the same words his father used, the same superiority that he was so tired of. He just wanted to have fun, read and learn. He wanted to join the other chattering students, he wanted to have fun at Hogwarts, be free, not spend seven years stuck with friends of his father out of obligation.

Xxx

They entered the Great Hall, and Draco felt himself pushed forward. His hands were sweaty and cold, and he held them inside his expensive new robes to try and hide his apprehension.

His father's words played in his head that he was expected to be great, that he had to do him proud. That he had to be better than Muggleborns and those Weasleys. That Malfoys were greater than them and that he had to prove it. It was a lot to put on an eleven-year old's shoulders.

His father's voice filled his mind so much that he didn't even hear the new professor, Professor McGonagall, explain how they would be sorted. He knew how they were sorted anyway. Draco shook his head and tried to feign an air of confidence once more. He was about to step into the Great Hall, and soon everyone would know that there was a Malfoy amongst them.

He thought about his mother, how she had said she would be proud of him no matter what. She had bought him a load of new books and clothes and had promised to send sweets every day. At least he could look forward to that, even if he had to share a house with those people.

He watched as one by one, they were called up to the stool, and the sorting hat was placed on their head. As expected, Crabbe and Goyle were placed in Slytherin, and a tremendous cheer had welcomed them as they sat down. Draco couldn't help but notice that the Slytherins were a grim-looking bunch.

"Malfoy, Draco," McGonagall called.

Draco gulped and headed up to the stool and sat down. He could feel the expectant eyes of Slytherin House looking at him, waiting as if it was expected that he belonged there. Just because all his family belonged there.

The old leather hat was placed on his head, and Draco jumped when he heard a voice in his mind.

"Well, well, well… what have we here…." The voice whispered.

"A Malfoy I see… I can see your father's handiwork right there… I remember his sorting like it was yesterday. Such ambition and a thirst to be better than others. Slytherin suited him well… but does it suit you?" The hat grew silent for a moment as if to think.

"My father wants me to be in Slytherin… that it is the only house, he will accept…" Draco thought, hoping that the hat would hear him.

"Well that is what your father wants, but what is it you want?" the hat replied. "I can see ambition, that's for sure and determination too. Fine traits for Slytherin House. But is that want you truly want? I see an intelligent mind, a curious mind which thirsts for knowledge, someone who does not take what they hear for granted. This far outweighs the ambition instilled in you by your father. I see someone who thirsts to be more than the heir of a pureblood house, someone who just wants to learn and have fun…"

Draco sat quietly and listened. It was true… while he did fit in Slytherin, what was it he really wanted? Before he was even genuinely conscious of the answer himself, the hat roared, "Ravenclaw!"

The hat was pulled off his head, and he sat there for a moment, stunned. He wasn't in Slytherin! He was pushed gently off the stool when the professor needed to sort another student, and he made his way to the Ravenclaw table. Draco could feel the eyes of the Slytherin table watching him as he walked over. The unease he had felt since leaving Kings Cross had subsided just a tad, but he could hear the whispers all around him, a Malfoy who wasn't in Slytherin? What would his father say?

Draco chose to sit with his back to the Slytherins as his mind filled with scenarios. His father coming to get him and shipping him off to Durmstrang, being disowned, his father insisting that he be placed in Slytherin anyway. It wasn't until a hand was placed on his arm that he broke from his musing.

He looked up to see a girl around his age, she was smiling at him. "Hello, I am Lisa, Lisa Turpin. I was just sorted into Ravenclaw too. Are you okay?" It was only then that he realised that his hands were shaking.

Draco looked around the table and saw the other first years were smiling at him.

"Oh, I'm fine," he said, then he shook his head. "Actually no, my father is not going to be happy about this." He turned around for a moment and saw Parkinson glare at him.

"Oh, don't worry about that, it will be fine, I'm sure. Ravenclaw is a great house, a prestigious house," the boy next to him said, and introduced himself as Anthony Goldstein, he clapped Draco on the back. "Once you start sending home high grades upon high grades, any thoughts of you being in the wrong house will be long gone." Anthony smiled at him, and Draco smiled tentatively back.

Dinner arrived. Around him, everyone started talking about school, books, about things they had learnt during the summer. Draco finally felt excited for the first time that day. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all, at least dinner conversation was more interesting than Crabbe and Goyle discussing the curses and jinxes they wanted to use on the Muggleborns.

His new housemates were a mixed group, some were pureblood, some were half and Lisa, the girl who had asked him if he was okay, was Muggleborn. It had surprised him as he had always heard that Muggleborns were unintelligent and dull, that they underachieved at Hogwarts. Lisa was anything but these things. It made Draco wonder, what else had his father been wrong about?

Xx

The next morning, he had come down to breakfast early and alone. Draco expected to get a howler this morning. He had written to his mother last night and told her about his day, about the boring train ride, the sorting where he had been placed in Ravenclaw and his new friends. He had left out that Lisa was Muggleborn, just in case his father read it. Draco hoped that his mother could soften the blow but knowing his father, he would be livid. He had told him as much. That he had to be in Slytherin. But it was too late now… Draco hoped so anyway.

Unfortunately, the post arrived later when most of the school were having breakfast, so he didn't have the chance to hide any howlers. Luckily for him, there wasn't one. A large package, so large, they had to move the bowls of cereal to make room and two letters, he recognised a letter from each of his parents.

In an elegant script and a hint of her perfume, he recognised his mother's letter immediately.

Dearest Draco,

I am sorry that the trip was not as enjoyable as you had anticipated, but I am glad to hear that you have enjoyed yourself since then.

I am proud of you, no matter what house you belong to. Even if it was Gryffindor. You are my precious boy, and nothing will change that.

Ravenclaw is an excellent house. My own sister was sorted into there, and she did exceptionally well, even if she ended up being disowned later for other reasons.

I have talked to your father; he was disappointed. However, I reminded him of how intelligent you are and how Ravenclaw is the best house to cultivate such a talent. I hope that will appease him.

I hope to hear more from you soon,

Love,

Mother

He took a deep breath of relief. Lisa looked over and glanced at the letter over his shoulder. "That is great, I told you your mum would be happy!".

Draco hesitated as he reached for his father's letter. "Do it Draco. It will be fine, I'm sure." Lisa urged, taking a piece of toast.

Draco,

I heard from your mother that you were sorted into Ravenclaw.

Even though this is not what we discussed, I expect you to make me proud.

I expect you to get top grades and to continue to live as the son I raised, even if you did not place in Slytherin.

Do not disappoint.

Father.

"Well, that went better than I expected," Draco chuckled as he folded up the letter. Lisa nodded with a broad grin. He knew that his father would not approve of his friendship with this Muggleborn girl, but he couldn't help it. They had spent the first few hours in their new common room talking about books, classes and everything else in between. Lisa had even lent him a book, a muggle novel called The Wind in the Willows, which he looked forward to reading.

Maybe being in Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad after all.