I want to keep this as close to the book as possible. My hope is to have references and page numbers so you can read the originals and my story side by side. If you want to read them at the same time you can read the original from the beginning up to page 91 (the part where Harry first meets the Weasleys). The characters and main plot where both created by the brilliant J.K. Rowling.

Hermione Granger was never the most popular kid in her school. She was often teased for staying inside to read instead of playing at recess time. This is why, when she found a strange letter saying she was a witch and she would be attending Hogwarts, she threw it away thinking it was a joke. She went upstairs to her room and tried to read one of her favorite books, Romeo and Juliet. But something felt wrong. She couldn't quite figure out what it was. She decided she would go sit by the window and count the cars that drove by. Her mother had told her to do this whenever she was upset.

What she saw outside surprised her. A small, barn owl was perched on the ledge, trying to see in. When the owl saw Hermione, it fluttered its wins excitedly. Hermione saw it had an envelope with fancy lettering in its mouth, so she opened the window to let it in. The owl wiggled through and flew around the room. It dropped the letter on her bed before flying back out the window and down the street.

The bushy haired girl giggled and went to retrieve the letter. When she picked it up, she saw it was the same letter she had received earlier today. Now she was curious. Who would go through that much trouble just for a little laugh?

When her mother got home, Hermione told her all about the strange letters. Her mother didn't hesitate to congratulate her. She said her great-aunt was also a witch.

That weekend, her mother took her to a place in London called Diagon Alley. The letter she had received was attached to a list of books and other things she needed to attend Hogwarts. It also contained directions on how to get to Diagon Alley, the place where all upcoming Hogwarts students got their items.

She then went to King's Cross station. The ticket said she was to board the train at platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock. Hermione had never heard of this station. Maybe she never noticed it before. But sure enough, when Hermione arrived, she found no platform nine and three-quarters. She saw a tall boy with bleach blonde hair and tapped on his shoulder.

"Excuse me, my name is Hermione Granger, I'm looking for platform nine and three-quarters, do you know where that is."

The boy froze in place. He had a confused, or maybe scared, look on his face and he did not answer her. She could see a pink tinge on his cheeks that wasn't there before. "Alright then I'll find someone else," but just as she started to walk away, he screamed "Wait! I know where it is."

Hermione turned back around and looked at him. "You see, you have to go right between platform nine and ten," he said. "Go fast or you won't make it through."

"You're mad. No one in their right mind would do that," was her reply. This kid was definitely trying to trick her. Just as she started to walk away again, she heard a small grunt. She turned around and saw what appeared to be the boy's father clutching his neck a little too tightly. "Come, Draco, we mustn't mingle with her kind."

Hermione didn't know what he meant by her kind, but the boy's face got hard and the blush went away when his father said those words. She watched as the blonde duo walked away. But when she blinked, they disappeared. In their place stood a boy with messy hair and round glasses. He was staring at the wall that the blonde boy told her to run through.

She was about to go ask him if he knew where platform nine and three-quarters was, but she was cut off by a group of people who all had red hair running past her. (read pgs. 91- 93)

Hermione watched as one by one, the red-heads disappeared through the wall, just as the blonde had told her to. When all of them were gone she decided to try it. She closed her eyes, took a deep breathe, and started running. Much to her surprise, she didn't run into the wall. She went right through it. Hermione saw the red-headed family and the messy haired boy board the train. She did the same.

She found an empty compartment and sat down. Hermione pulled out her new copy of Hogwarts: A History and began reading it for the second time. As she sat alone in her compartment, she wondered about the blonde boy. He had been telling her the truth. She wanted to apologize to him. Was he even on the train? He must be, if he knew all about how to board it. Maybe she would look for him.

She stood up and started to walk out the door when a young boy approached her.

"Um, hello, my name's Neville. Have you seen a toad anywhere. I seem to have lost it."

"Hermione Granger," she replied, "And no, I haven't seen anything".

Neville started to walk away when Hermione suddenly had an idea. "Wait, Neville, I'll help you look if you want."

"Gee, thanks Hermione."

Hermione smiled and started going from compartment to compartment asking about Neville's toad. She figured eventually she'd get to the blonde boy's compartment and be able to apologize for the way she acted. (read pgs. 94-110)

Those boys don't seem to know anything, she thought. I hope we're not in the same house.

Hermione continued asking about Neville's toad until she arrived at the blonde boy's compartment. There wasn't anybody with him and he appeared to be deep in thought. She slid the door open and he jumped. Immediately after seeing her his cheeked flushed. Hermione noticed he had the same confused expression he wore earlier that day.

"Excuse me, have you seen a toad anywhere, a boy named Neville's lost it".

"I, umm, no I haven't." he said. It was obvious he was nervous.

"Oh. Well, anyways, about earlier, at the station, I wanted to apologize. I thought you were trying to trick me into running into the wall. Sorry I freaked out on you."

"It's alright. Hey, did you want one of my chocolate frogs?" The boy reached in his pocket with more force then necessary and pulled out a small tin. Hermione took it and thanked him. "I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy".

"Do you mind if I sit." Hermione asked. Draco gestured to the spot across from him and she sat.

"Do you know what house you're going to be in?"

"Slytherin, I think. It's where all the best witches and wizards go, according to my father. How about you?"

"Gryffindor. It sounds like the best from what I've read." Hermione could see Draco slump a little in his seat. "But you know Slytherin does sound nice." she added. She didn't really want to be in Slytherin, but something about the boy made her think it wouldn't be that bad if they both ended up there. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

As the train slowed, Hermione went back to her original compartment to gather her things. Even as she stepped off the train and into the chaos of first-years her mind wandered to the blonde-haired boy sitting alone in that compartment. What had he been thinking about?