Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, Harry wouldn't have been so depressed and moody in OotP.

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoy. This was just a sweet little oneshot I thought up one day. Please review! It really makes my day seeing what you all think about the story. Love you guys. Peace out. -Ninja

xxxxx

Harry walked back from another detention with Umbridge, holding his hand gingerly. As he passed a suit of armor on his way to the Gryffindor Common Room, and a soothing solution of Murtlap Essence, he heard something. He pulled out his wand instinctively and turned.

"Lumos," he muttered quietly, and his wand tip lit. The light fell on a small figure, a little girl. She was sitting behind the suit of armor, invisible unless you were looking, and she was crying. Harry crept forward, lowering his wand.

"Hi," he said simply. She looked up at him, her lip trembling, and he was saddened to see that her face was red and teary. He crouched down in front of her.

"What's wrong?" he asked kindly. The girl sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"You – you're Harry Potter," she said

"Yeah, I suppose so," Harry said with a smile. "Who are you?"

"M-Maddie," she replied, "Maddie D-Decora."

"Hey, I remember you," Harry said, brightening up. "You're a first year, aren't you? You got sorted into Gryffindor?"

Maddie nodded. "Yes, but Gryffindors are supposed to be brave, and I don't feel very brave. I should've been sorted into Hufflepuff."

"Hey, it's okay," Harry said, sitting down more comfortably. "I don't always feel brave either."

"Really?" Maddie asked incredulously.

"Really," Harry said, a small chuckle escaping his lips.

"People make fun of me," she mumbled, looking down at her hands.

"Why?" Harry asked simply.

"Because I'm a muggle-born," she mumbled, even softer than before.

"Well, that doesn't matter," Harry said without hesitation.

"Yes, it does," she said with another sniff. "People call me stupid, and it's true. I can't even make a stupid feather float. I'll never be good at magic."

"Well," Harry began, "did you know that one of my best friends is a muggle-born?"

"Really?" Maddie asked again.

"Yeah, and she's the smartest person I know. She always gets spells down quicker than me and my other friends."

Maddie continued to watch him.

"She wasn't too comfortable here in the beginning either, but she made some friends and this became her home real quick."

"So what should I do?" Maddie asked.

Harry smiled. "Well, how about you come back to the common room and hang out with me and my friends?"

Maddie's face lit up for a split second, before regaining its downcast look. "You don't want me to hang out with you," she muttered into her knees. "You're just being nice."

"There's nothing wrong with being nice," Harry countered quickly. "Come on, let's go back to the common room; I'll introduce you to my friends."

"I – okay," Maddie relented. Harry stood up and outstretched his pain free hand. Maddie hesitated for a moment, then took it.

That night, Maddie had the best night of her life. She met Ron Weasley, who was very nice and funny, and she also met Hermione Granger, with whom she had an instant connection. Hermione, she learned, was the muggle-born Harry had been talking about. She was smart, funny, and very sweet and kind. Maddie liked her a lot.

At one point, she was so caught up in her conversation with Hermione, that she didn't even notice the envious looks her classmates were throwing her way.

Maddie Decora soon became one of the top students in her year, receiving occasional tutoring sessions from Hermione, and she made many more friends. She finally felt at home.