Authors Note and Warnings: No I don't own anything from Harry Potter that all belongs to a fabulous person named J.K. Rowling. Also I realize that I'm posting this one-shot and not updating my actual stories, but this was a challenge from a friend, though I question if I followed the guidlines she set for me. Anyway Check my profile for the note concerning my other stories, and no I'm NOT ABANDONING them. Thanks and Enjoy!

**********Independance Is Best*******************

Hermione looked up nervously at the majestic train that was the Hogwarts Express. She had left her parents on the other side of the barrier knowing from their trip to Diagon Alley for school supplies that her "kind" otherwise known as Muggleborns, were not welcome in this society. Sure Professor McGonagall had been a good guide for her first trip into the wizarding world, but Hermione wasn't stupid. Far from it in fact. She'd seen the glares sent her way by the people in the Alley, and how they avoided her side of the street once they'd seen her parents in their muggle clothing, hell even the Professor herself had been annoyed at times by Hermione's persistent questions or her parent's complete awe at the different items for sale in the alley.

And as she said, she, Hermione Granger, was far from stupid, she'd been best in her class for as long as she could remember, and it was a position she had worked hard for and knew she deserved. Being such an intelligent young girl she realized that her only hope in this new world as a muggleborn, to use the polite term, was to find a friend or even just someone who had enough influence to get her where she wanted to be. After all, who would want to be friends with a bushy haired know-it-all muggleborn? She'd never had friends in the muggle world, so why should she have any here? Acquaintances were all she needed in life, right? With that thought in mind she gathered all the courage she had, picked up her trunk and took that first fateful step onto the train that would take her to her destiny.

She walked past compartment after compartment that were full to the brim with laughing smiling students, before finally finding her own near the back. She set her trunk inside, pulled out her charms book and got comfortable for the long ride. Just as the train was pulling out of the station her compartment door was opened by a boy that vaguely resembled a gorilla, he noticed her in the corner and shrugged before stepping all the way into the area followed by a boy with gel holding his platinum blonde hair firmly in place. He stepped in, and when he noticed her his expression turned into a sneer,

"This is our compartment, I'm afraid you'll have to leave." he said in a superior voice.

Hermione glared at him, "I don't think so, I was here first, but if you think you can make me, be my guest." she hissed, her wand coming up to point at the now trio, another gorilla boy had stepped into the room.

The three looked at the wand uneasily for a second, "You can't use magic on the train." the blonde said, but he and the other two sat down and got comfortable without anymore talk of her leaving.

She smirked slightly behind her book as they looked at her nervously,

"So who are you?" grunted one of the boys.

"Hermione Jeanne Granger and you are?" she replied promptly.
"Crabbe," the boy grunted and pointed to the blonde and then the third boy "Draco, Goyle."

Hermione nodded, "Pleased to meet you." The blonde, Draco she reminded herself, looked at her funny "Granger? So you're a mudblood then?" The disgust he felt towards the very idea dripping like acid from his tone.

"It shouldn't matter if I am or not, People who are of different cultures may live differently and have different beliefs but they're all still people." she told them in her bossy no nonsense tone.

Draco actually had the audacity to laugh at her, "That's like saying a Slytherin could ever be friends with a Gryffindor! You really don't know anything do you mudblood?"
Hermione huffed angrily at him and was about to retort when the compartment door slid open.

"Excuse me," a timid voice asked, belonging to an even more timid looking brown-haired boy, "But have you seen a toad?" Hermione shook her head in reply, "I'm afraid I haven't, but I can help you look?" she asked and at his slight nod she grabbed her trunk, glared quickly at the three boys and stepped out of the compartment.

As the door slid shut behind her, she decided that she would just have to maker her own way in the world, because there was no way she was going to put up with Draco and his lot, even just as an acquaintance to get somewhere important in this world. She could do it by herself.