Sophia spent the holidays getting to know Hermione's family and genuinely feeling happy during the holidays for the first time in years. At her house, Christmas consisted of expensive gifts but also of former death eaters swarming the house, which led to an outburst from Sophia, which led to Sophia being confined to her room and Roxie and Leo deciding to join her instead of be without her. Sophia felt bad about leaving Roxie and Leo at the manor for the holidays but she was eleven, and needed to prioritise her wellbeing.

Christmas with the Grangers was very different. Christmas Eve was spent watching films and drinking hot chocolate. They watched something called home alone that came out the year before. Sophia found it hilarious.

In the morning, they each got to open one present. Sophia had written to her parents about where she was spending Christmas, luckily her mother had found the letter and sent all the gifts to the Grangers, making which ones were magical and which weren't. Luckily, most weren't magical so Sophia could open them during the festivities.

Then they all got served Mrs Grangers Christmas concoction, Sophia wasn't sure what it was but it was delicious. Breakfast was then served, before Sophia and Hermione began helping with lunch. Before long, the rest of Hermione's family arrived and Sophia was introduced to them as 'Hermione's best friend'. One of Hermione's cousin made a joke about her being Hermione's only friend, which was no longer true.

The lunch was delicious and Sophia thought it was the best Christmas dinner she'd ever eaten, the one the House Elves whipped up each year didn't compare.

They pulled Christmas crackers between courses, they ended up with flimsy paper crowns and jokes.

That afternoon, they opened the rest of their presents. Sophia loved all of hers, all in all, Sophia thought it was the best Christmas yet.

A few days later, Hermione's parents hosted the party for the wider family. Sophia spent the day getting to know Hermione's cousins and truly enjoyed herself.

All too soon, they were returning to Hogwarts. With Sophia, was a new outlook and a new family.

Harry and Ron filled them in on the many things that happened over the Christmas break, Harry had received an invisibility cloak and found the mirror of erised.

After a few weeks of term, Hagrid had introduced them to his baby dragon. Norbert. Whilst he was cute, Sophia wasn't sure about the name. But, she didn't want to upset Hagrid so she didn't say anything. Ron was bitten by him and ended up in the Hospital Wing, so it was up to Sophia, Harry, and Hermione to help get Norbert to Charlie, Dora (Sophia's cousin) and their friends.

"Should've known you'd be involved in this you little troublemaker" Dora smiled and hugged Sophia close,

"Just trying to be like you" she replied, Dora laughed. Their hair was bright pink today.

A short while later, they'd gotten Norbert safely into the night and were heading back to the common room, but unluckily, they were caught by Filch. They were led straight to McGonagall, Filch muttering about the horrible punishments that he missed.

Hermione sat trembling as they waited for her to approach, Sophia looked around bored. At least if McGonagall wrote home it would piss her parents off, that was a good thing.

McGonagall strode in, dragging Neville with her. Sophia felt guilty instantly. She was very annoyed,

She began to chastise them for their actions, questioning their motives. They all remained silent. She came to the conclusion that it was a failed prank against her brother, she wished that was the case.

"All three of you will receive detentions" Sophia didn't really care about that part, it was the next part that shocked her, "fifty points each will be taken" gasps of shock and horror came from all of them,

"That's bullshit!" Sophia half shouted, McGonagalls glare increased and moved solely onto Sophia.

"Another detention Miss Malfoy" she shivered slightly at the use of her last name, teachers rarely addressed her so she rarely heard it used, she didn't like it. McGonagall sensed this. "All of you back to the dorms, not you Miss Malfoy, I would like to have another word with you" Sophia offered Hermione a small smile before she was left alone with her Head of House. "Sit" McGonagall gestured to the chair opposite her desk, obliging Sophia sat in it. "May I call you by your first name, only it seems you aren't comfortable with the use of your last" she hurriedly nodded, "Sophia, remind me how your family educated you before Hogwarts"

"Stupid Pureblood lessons. Teaching you to be a supremacist bigot"

"And yet you're not" Sophia looked at McGonagall like she was an idiot, of course she wasn't. "Neither is your younger sister" Well yeah, Sophia had taught Roxie the right way.

"Well yeah, I taught her the right stuff. Tried to get our parents lies out of her head" McGonagall appeared to be listening intently,

"And who taught you the right way?" Sophia looked down, she'd taught herself, then had her ideas confirmed to be right by her Uncle Sirius.

"I did" she answered, McGonagall nodded,

"And I trust you objected to your parents teachings, much in the same way you objected to my punishment earlier" Sophia looked around awkwardly, she had. She objected to McGonagall like she objected to the idea muggleborns didn't deserve magic.

"Yes, I did"

"Tea?" The question caught Sophia off guard, her head snapped up confused. "Would you like some tea Sophia?"

"Uh- yes please Professor" the elder witch poured her some tea before handed her the cup,

"Biscuit?" Another surprising question,

"Yes please" she was handed a shortbread biscuit,

"Now, let me ask you. Why did you disagree?" She had to pause. She just knew it was wrong, that was the right answer. She was a moral person, she knew wrong from right.

"I just knew it was wrong to think that...I just knew..." she answered, her professor nodded at her response.

"Sophia, I may be supportive of your actions in regards to your lessons at home..." she smiled, and watched McGonagall smile too, "however, I cannot condone such language under the circumstances you just used it"

"Sorry professor" she replied, looking down,

"It's alright Sophia. Have you ever heard of... no you won't have...."

"Heard of who professor?" She questioned, her professor sighed and looked at her with pity,

"Sirius Black" a smile formed on Sophia's face,

"Oh! Uncle Sirius. He's great, he told me I was right with what I believed and also smack talked my family and supremacist stuff with me" McGonagall smiled slightly but also looked ever so slightly confused,

"You've met Sirius Black?" She looked concerned,

"Yeah, when my mum takes us to visit Aunt Bella in Azkaban" the woman looked almost horrified, Sophia didn't understand. Then it hit her, most people never step foot in Azkaban, let alone for a visit. Great. Another thing her parents did to mess her up.

"Sophia, I would just like to make sure you know that as your head of house, you can always talk to me about anything that bothers you" she nodded, and smiled.

"Thank you professor" she replied,

"Next Tuesday come back to this office at seven in the evening for your second detention" she nodded and with that she returned to her dorm room.

"Oh Soph!" Hermione rushed forward to hug her, "are you alright?" She nodded,

"Yeah I'm good 'Mione" she answered, and the two went to sleep.

"Wow Goldie, two detentions already. Good job" Fred smirked, sitting next to her at breakfast, she turned to look at him and felt her cheeks go red ever so slightly.

"Thanks..." she looked back at her cereal, he tilted his head before speaking again,

"Don't worry about the points, people love you so they'll only be mad for a day or two" she turned to look at him again. People had been giving her dirty looks all morning, she hated it. Over the last few months she'd built a dependence on being liked, and now, people didn't like her.

"You think?" He smiled, a genuine smile.

"I know Goldie" he poked her nose before walking off to go join George and Lee, leaving Sophia red in the face.

"Remind me why you thought it was a good idea to swear at McGonagall?" Eileen questioned, Sophia groaned.

"You know how I am, and how school was at home... I just crossed a line"

"Clearly" Bree scoffed,

"Well she shouldn't have given you any detentions! Oh she'll be sorry..." Jazz started but got cut off by Harry joining them,

"When's your second detention?"

"Tuesday" she answered, he sighed slightly,

"Is everyone mad at you too?"

"They are it's horrible!" Hermione whispered, there were people glaring down the table at the trio. "And Neville still won't speak to any of us" Sophia had forgotten about Neville, she felt awful about getting him in trouble, he didn't deserve it.

Fred was right though, after a few days, no one was mad at her anymore.

"Told ya so Goldie" Fred has smirked as he walked next to her in the corridor, George came to her other side.

"He did tell ya" George added, Sophia laughed slightly, looking up at Fred. Her cheeks went pink.

"You were right" she replied, and with that he'd patted her head and walked off.

A few days later, their first detention approached. Apparently, it was to happen with Hagrid. This relaxed them, Hagrid was their friend. It would be fine if he was in charge.

They ended up having to search the forbidden forest for something hurting unicorns, Sophia didn't understand why they had to do this. Draco kept whining, and just her luck, both her and Harry were forced to search with him.

Harry and Draco just bickered which drove Sophia insane,

"Can you both just shut up!" She complained, Harry sighed and nodded whereas Draco began getting angry at her over all the instances over the last year.

Then they saw it, a hooded creature gnawing on the side of a unicorn, it looked up at them and it had blood leaking from its mouth, they all screamed and Draco ran off. Sophia and Harry began to back away but it was too late, the creature was coming toward them. Then, a centaur ran out infront of them, scaring it away.

"Are the two of you alright?" Sophia nodded and responded,

"Yes, thank you..."

"Firenze"

"Thank you Firenze" Sophia knew centaurs hated humans, so she was surprised to have been saved by one, Firenze then began speaking to Harry. He then offered them to ride on his back to safety, this shocked Sophia. "Are you sure? Isn't that frowned upon?"

"Don't you worry about that little miss"

Before long, they reached Hagrid and he too thanked Firenze. With that, they returned to the castle. Sophia and Harry telling Hermione everything that happened. Ron got out of the hospital the next day, so they filled him in too.

Tuesday came quickly and before she knew it, Sophia was knocking on McGonagalls door. The voice inside beckoned her in,

"Ah Sophia, take a seat" Sophia had no idea what her detention would involve, it couldn't be as bad as the one she'd had earlier on. "Now, I have heard about your little adventure in the forest, and don't worry, this will nothing like that" Sophia smiled slightly, she didn't know if that eased her nerves or made them worse. "Now, I've let you off not turning in your own homework all year" Sophia had copied Hermione's work all year and just added a little spin on it. Sometimes, Hermione even did it for her. "So I would like you to complete the last essay I set on your own, you make ask questions if you need it" she nodded, McGonagall handed her parchment, quill and ink and set her off.

Turns out, Sophia did know her stuff as she finished it in forty minutes.

"See what you can do when you apply yourself Sophia, ten points to Gryffindor" Sophia smiled, "now off to bed" and with that Sophia returned to Gryffindor. Only to find out that the group had uncovered what the dog was guarding.