The Sorting:
Hermione Jean Granger didn't do anything half-arsed. As soon as she'd gotten her acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry she'd dove into stacks of books to learn as much as she could about the school and the wizarding world itself. She was terrified of being isolated and confused when she arrived.
One book she'd read in full three times, and thumbed through several more, was Hogwarts: A History. As much as she loved gaining the fantastical knowledge of the ceiling in the Great Hall looking like the current outside weather, or giggling over the idea of the stairs turning into a slide if a boy tried to enter her room, what she really found fascinating was the story of the founders; Gryffindor the brave one, Ravenclaw the clever one, Slytherin the sly one, Hufflepuff the kind one. Not that she was cruel, but she couldn't imagine being in Hufflepuff. The way she spoke so directly and unabashedly didn't often comfort people, and she hadn't ever had friends to show loyalty to. Slytherin she instantly dismissed, after all, every dark wizard ever had come from that house, and no muggleborn. Ravenclaw was where she knew she would be, surrounded by others who craved learning, and she supposed that wouldn't be the worst thing, but what she really wanted was to be brave and go on adventures with her fellow housemates- she knew her knowledge could help them.
The long arduous wait was finally over, yet as she stepped onto the glossy Hogwarts Express she wished she could get off. She found herself frozen in the entryway. "Move it Bush hair," ordered a pretentious voice from behind her as he shoved past, his court behind him making their way to a carriage with their heads held high. She frowned and snapped into action. This was supposed to be a new start. She wasn't going to let this be like her primary school days. And if so, she had to be a new her. Subconsciously, she tried to smooth down her hair before turning on her heel and storming down the train in search of a compartment. The first one she found with some nice looking people her age she peered into. "Can I sit with you?" She asked in her most confident, grown-up voice and the boy nodded meekly. The girl just continued to stare out the window aimlessly. Oh great, she'd chosen the compartment with the other loners. She couldn't just leave now though.
"I'm Hermione Granger." She announced after a pregnant pause. Another. "And you are?"
The boy looked down at the floor, nervously wringing his hands. "N-n-Neville Longbottom." Oh dear. How unfortunate.
The dirty blonde finally turned her head and smiled dreamily at Hermione. "Luna Lovegood." The glazed over look in her eyes was quite disturbing. Hermione suspected it wasn't just caused by daydreaming.
After it became clear that there wasn't going to be anymore invigorating conversation she pulled out her copy of Hogwarts: A History again, the edges were already fraying. Only a few minutes into her reading though; she was disrupted by the panicked gasp of the boy opposite her. Neville had pulled out an empty cage from beneath his feet and was wailing about his toad "Trevor" for the two girls, and probably the rest of the train, to hear. Stashing her book in her bag, she stood up quickly, thanking whoever was in charge for this lucky escape. "I'll go search for him!" Neville thanked her endlessly and she pushed away the compliments, shutting the compartment door behind her and leaning against the wall with an exhalation of relief.
After changing into her Hogwarts uniform and admiring her reflection, she decided she might as well actually go search for the toad. She had nothing better to do.
The first compartment she came to contained a group of debating students in blue ties, who shook their heads at her questions and waved her away. In the next were a yellow and black robed bee-looking cluster, who excitedly announced that "Hufflepuffs are excellent finders" and proceeded to head down the other end of the train to search for the toad. The final compartment in the carriage was filled by two boys of her own age and enough sweets to give them diabetes, but she squeezed in when she saw one of them holding a wand. Glancing expectantly at him she asked if he knew any spells, all thoughts of the toad forgotten as she imagined having friends just as prepared and excited as her. Unfortunately, all wasn't as it seemed. The boy twirled his wand and recited a clearly imagined spell that she would have read about in one of her Ladybird Early Reading books as a toddler. She said as much to him and the redhead let out a resounding huff at her criticism. Pulling her own wand out, she pointed it at his companion and spoke clearly. "Oculus Reparo." The two boys stared open mouthed at her, a strange sweet hanging out of the redhead's that he'd been chewing. She struggled to restrain her chuckles. After a quick swapping of introductions, she vacated the compartment, just as they began to slow down.
"Hermione!" A familiar voice called out and she shut her eyes annoyed before turning around to face her original two companions with a Botox smile. "Did you find him? Did you find Trevor?" She shook her head no and Luna put a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Don't worry Neville," she said in that very dreamy voice. "You'll find Trevor."
This seemed to comfort Neville and he quickly addressed Hermione, "Luna's a Seer." Hermione nodded and quickly hurried away from the two as the doors opened, allowing herself to get swept up in the other First years heading towards the Lake. A Seer? Those Crazies.
Her books didn't do justice to the wonder of Hogwarts. It was beautiful; rising high in the sky as they rowed across the lake towards it. The interior was just as impressive, and as she marvelled at the moving portraits that gossiped about the new arrivals, she imagined them roaming these halls that seemed from a time long gone. When the professor who'd guided them through the halls led the first years into the filled Great Hall, Hermione gazed up at the ceiling in wonder.
As the headmaster gave a welcoming speech she pondered the sorting ceremony. She knew it came after his speech, but the details hadn't been disclosed in any of her research material. Would there be tests of strength, of kindness, of wit, of cunning? Would there be riddles and logic puzzles? Her ideas all proved fruitless as the headmaster produced a pointy hat and placed it on a stool. She leant forward curiously and abruptly jumped back when the hat began to speak- or rather, sing. It sang a song of the four houses, a sort of introductory cheat sheet for those who hadn't done their research, she supposed. Once it was finished, the headmaster began to call out names in alphabetical order. One by one, the students sat on the stool and had the hat placed on their head. Sometimes its decision was immediate, other times it seemed to ponder things over; but when it had made its decision it cried out the house name in a shrill voice and the members of that house cheered and whooped. Hermione imagined herself at the Gryffindor table next year, surrounded by friends, cheering on the first years. "Hermione Granger." Smiling nervously, Hermione took her seat on the stool and the hat began to talk, she realised, to only her. "Clearly a very intelligent head here, with a thirst for knowledge." Her smile became somewhat proud. "But you long to be brave and I see some there in your self-confidence, yes." Was this it? Was she going to Gryffindor? The hat paused. "Hm... ambitious, certainly. A longing for the power to make others suffer for what they have done you wrong... only one place for you. SLYTHERIN!"
A resounding silence echoed throughout the huge room and Hermione felt her own mouth drop open. Eventually, the Slytherins began to make some noise, but it wasn't pleasant. Instead of cheers, she received boos. Glancing back to the headmaster in a panic, the eleven year old muggleborn received little support from the bearded old man. Instead, Dumbledore pointed her towards the table, and his eyes followed her there, now more full of suspicion than mirth. Wishing she could just disappear, Hermione sank into a seat at the edge of the table. The whispers and hisses felt like the snakes were strangling her. And of course, the next girl sorted was in Slytherin and received the loudest cheer of the day. No, she'd already decided she wasn't going to be pushed around again. She was in Slytherin, and she was damn well going to be the best Slytherin they'd ever seen.