I own nothing in this story.
CHAPTER ONE- The Sorting
A nervous little eleven-year-old girl with busy hair looked down at her toes trying to keep calm. She was crowded with all of the other children in front of a giant set of doors waiting to go inside. "You will be sorted soon," a stern witch with square spectacles said.
"Where you will be sorted is your new home for the next seven years. I will go and announce you now," the witch said leaving the children behind as she entered the Great Hall. The excited kids started to talk amongst themselves with anxious chatter and curiosity.
Hermione Granger tried to look friendly and inviting and attempted to talk to a few of the other kids but everyone seemed to be too preoccupied with the events at hand. She thought for sure she was going to vomit from the nerves and hoping she would get sorted in a good house when she heard a loud voice behind her.
"What is that stench? Goyle, do you smell it?" A little blonde haired boy with a pointy chin shouted, pinching his nose. The two great thugs he was sandwiched between howled with laughter. Everyone was starting to turn around and sniff the air to the boy's satisfaction.
"What smell, Draco?" A nasty little girl with short brown hair asked. "Smells like a Mudblood to me," said the boy called Draco. Several of the children gasped and a few even laughed. Hermione stood confused and tried to figure out what the smell was.
"And I've found the smell, right there," Draco said pointing a pale finger at Hermione Granger. She turned around and looked to see if there was anyone behind her but there was soon a circle of kids surrounding her.
"Me?" Hermione stuttered. "Yes you, Mudblood. You reek!" Draco shouted. "What? Me? I don't even know what a Mudb-" she started to say panicking. "See! That proves it! Mudblood through and through," the boy said laughing.
"Leave her alone!" A voice said coming into the circle between Hermione and Draco. The voice belonged to a small boy with glasses and black hair that stood up all over. Behind him was a lanky boy with red hair and freckles.
Hermione did not see it until the boy got closer, but he had a lightening scar on his forehead. Everyone grew quiet and eagerly watched the exchange. "You must be Harry Potter. Welcome to Hogwarts. I'm Draco Malfoy, I can help you become more than a scarhead here," he said extending his hand to Harry.
Harry Potter looked at the cruel little boy and replied, "I don't need your help. I don't want it either." Draco was shocked as were his goons. "Your mistake then, Potter. Hanging out with blood traitors and defending Muggle-borns on your first day? You have no idea what you've done," Draco said.
The young boys looked like they were about to pounce on each other by the time the old witch came back. She looked around and saw something was heating up in her absence and said, "Fighting at Hogwarts will not be tolerated. Follow me, please."
Everyone stopped gawking at the fight and followed the witch in. Hermione was on the verge of tears but held her head high and was the last to walk into the Great Hall. The students stood in a row between the long house tables and waited for their names to be called.
Hermione thought for sure it couldn't get any worse when she felt someone yank on her hair. "You will regret the day you ever came to Hogwarts, bitch. Scum like you shouldn't be here and everyone knows it. Prepare for the worst years of your life," Draco Malfoy spat at her. He released the grip on her hair and all of her nerves turned to anger.
She had never been so angry in her life and wanted to kick and stomp on this boy's feet. Hermione was absolutely alone and her thoughts raced trying to think of what to do. She wanted to use her new wand that she loved so much and curse him right then and there, which she knew was unladylike and mean but he deserved it.
Hermione was still flustered and her cheeks were red with anger and embarrassment when she heard her name called. "Granger, Hermione!"
She walked as quickly as she could past the other children and sat down in front of everyone on a stool and felt the Sorting Hat on her head. What startled her most was that the hat talked to her! Inside her head, like real magic!
A genius mind, yes, yes. Enormously brilliant! But my dear… So much anger you have. Anger and fury… Even fear… You need to learn to control it. So smart, brave and even cunning, but your temper will ruin all of your potential!
There is only one house that will teach you to hone your skills and channel that spirit… They will lead you to great things.
"SLYTHERIN!" The Sorting Hat yelled for everyone in the hall to hear after spending five minuets on Hermione's head. No one clapped for her yet like they did for the other students. People started to whisper and the boy Draco Malfoy loudly said, "That can't be!"
She felt like there had been a mistake and was going to say something when the first person to start clapping was a professor at the staff table with long, greasy black hair. He looked her directly in her eyes, nodded his head and gestured his hand to the Slytherin table by the wall. Hermione did not know who this professor was all in black robes but as soon as he started to clap others did too, even if it was not very loud. She got off the stool and sulked over to her new housemates.
No one welcomed her or congratulated her when she sat down as the Sorting Hat continued to shout out the other new student's houses. Hermione sat at the end of the table and watched Harry Potter and the red haired boy both get sorted into Gryffindor house.
Then to Hermione's heartache the little blonde haired boy with grey eyes was sorted into Slytherin House. The hat did not even fully land on his head before it announced he was to be in Slytherin.
As Draco walked proudly to his new house table he smacked the back of Hermione's head in passing. What was once supposed to be the happiest day of her life soon turned into one full of sorrow and anger.
By the time the sorting was over and the feast began she did not even feel like eating the wonderful meal before her. She sat silently alone and watched the other students happily enjoying themselves. Hermione could not remember a time she had felt more alone.
