Prologue: The Meeting And The Sorting
Summary: Hermione Granger is quite surprised when she is not put in Gryffindor during her first year. Everyone seems to despise her. Will she go thru her years at Hogworts alone? Or will she find unexpected solace in a person most people so desperately hate?
A/N: This chapter contains material from the first book.
Chapter One: The Meeting And The Sorting
Hermione Granger ran straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten and didn't even flinch as she came out the other side completely unscathed. She had known exactly what to do of course. It was all so very exciting, finally standing here before the train that would take her to Hogworts.
As she climbed up the steps slowly she came across a rather frightened looking boy with a rounded tear stained face. She immediately closed the distance between them, a worried expression on her face. "Whatever is the problem?"
The boy let out a pained little breath. "Trevor keeps getting away from me!" His lips began to tremble.
She patted his arm comfortingly. "What's your name?" She asked softly.
"Neville," he said so softly she almost didn't here him.
"Neville, I'll help you find your pet. He couldn't have gone very far."
"He's just a toad…I'm worried someone will hurt him."
"It'll be fine."
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A few minutes later they came across a red haired and black haired boy who both stared at her with a rather annoyed look on their faces. "Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one."
The read haired boy said something but she wasn't quite paying attention as she was staring at his wand. "Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."
There was a rather surprised look on the boy's face as she sat to watch. He seemed to be trying to change the color of his rat, but it was a pathetic attempt really. It didn't sound like a real spell. She told the boy's as much as well as mentioning Hogworts being the best school and how she had memorized every book needed for the school year. She even told them about her parent's being muggle. Actually she told them quite a bit and was quite surprised to hear that the black haired boy was Harry Potter. He didn't seem to know how very much of a celebrity he was. After mentioning the Houses and that she hoped to be put in Gryffindor Hermione realized with a start that she still hadn't found Neville's toad and told the boys they should change and then left.
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Hermione Granger had never been so nervous sitting there beneath the Sorting Hat, but she felt as though this moment was probably one of the most important of her young life.
The Hat began mumbling and she held her breath. It seemed to be having a bit of trouble placing her in a House. She had always felt as though she was a Gryffindor…she didn't know what else the Hat could possibly choose. Maybe Ravenclaw?
"You have a strong mind and very good ideas. You are brave as well. But I feel something else…something greater than all of that. You've got cunning hidden there inside you…"
Hermione had grown very anxious. This did not sound good. It did not sound good at all.
Finally the Hat shouted the one House Hermione had prayed she wouldn't be sorted into, the one House so many people loathed.
"SLYTHERIN!"
All was silent as she slid off the seat, a look of horror plastered on her face. She walked very slowly to her table and found that they were all staring at her in disgust. She looked back to where Harry and Ron were and they refused to look in her direction, so she sat down slowly and as far as she could from the rest of her table.
"Ah, you surprise me mudblood, didn't expect you'd get put here," said the blond haired boy that she remembered to be Draco Malfoy.
She glared in his direction. "I would appreciate it if you would leave me alone. And how dare you talk to me like that you filthy little-"
Dumbledore interrupted her little tangent. But she didn't hear a word of his little speech. She just sat there, seething at the rude, insolent, absolutely horrid boy across from her.
She tore her eyes from him-the very sight of him sickened her- and raised her head to the High Table where a black haired man with sallow skin was talking to an odd looking man with a turban wrapped around his head. If she remembered correctly-which she was sure that she had-the odd one was Professor Quirrell and the other was Professor Snape who was also her Head of House.
The man turned as though he felt someone watching him and stared directly at her, his eyes intense and harsh. They looked at each other for a long time and Hermione steadily grew uncomfortable under his gaze.
She looked away first.
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A/N: I know I've been putting a lot of stories out lately, but I can't help myself. Plus, this one makes me very excited for some reason. I've always wondered what it would be like if Hermione had actually been put in a different House. Mind you this in no way means Hermione is going to end up evil...or does it? Teehe. But seriously there is a reason I chose to put her in Slytherin. When you think about all those things she did in the previous books it really seems to fit doesn't it?