Arriving at the platform Draco was more than happy to board the train and leave for Hogwarts. His father had been dragging on and on for weeks about Slytherin and how he was expected to bring pride to his family and house as he himself had and his father before him. Draco knew he would, but the constant reminder from his father and stories of his days at school were more than someone should have to take. Not to mention his father wanted him to meet a girl he would marry to further continue their lineage.
As Draco went to board the train after putting his luggage in the carrier he attemped to avoid his mother's grasp, to no avail. She hugged him and nearly teary eyed said her goodbyes. His father gave him a stern nod and told him to make him proud just as the train's whistle to signal it would be leaving soon sounded. He walked to the steps of the train, looking back at his parents one last time, almost thankful he wouldn't be seeing them until the holidays. Once he was on the train he quickly found a spot to sit with two boys his father had aquatinted him with as they had come from Pure-Blooded-Slytherin families as well.
The amount of people only made it harder for Hermione to make her way onto the train. She was still trying to find the compartment to put her luggage when the last call for students to board sounded. Luckily, she just made it and quickly made her way to the nearest entrance. As she looked around she finally spotted her parents and waved once more to them and then went to find a place to sit. The train started to move when she found a seat near some girls that looked as lost as she felt.
After some hours of sitting the time to change into their robes came about and everyone did so. She had just finished putting her hat on when a boy named Neville asked if she had seen his toad. She hadn't but offered to help him look in which he exclaimed would be great. She wandered around asking other kids if they had seen Neville's toad, Trevor. She made her way to the back of the train when she came across a blonde boy boasting rather loudly about how he was going to be a Slytherin and eventually in coming years, make the quidditch team and help them continue winning the house cup.
"Excuse me, but have you seen a toad by chance? A boy named Neville lost it and is looking for him." she told the boy. "No, we haven't. Try the toiliets maybe he wanted some water." One of the boys sarcastically replied snickering. Hermione shook her head and turned to leave then she felt a hand tap her shoulder and turned to face the blonde boy. "Sorry about Crabbe, he thinks he's hilarious but really he's a doofus. We saw it hop into a compartment and a bunch of girls screamed and threw it out of one for the back compartments, that way." Hermione smiled and thanked him as she went to go in the direction he pointed. Before she did she said, "By the way I'm Hermione Granger." "Draco Malfoy." he replied smiling. "I haven't heard of your family are you from a different region?"
As she was about to reply, a scream was heard and someone yelled, "Get this thing off of me!" She looked where it came from and a boy was flipping his robes attempting to drop Trevor from them. She looked back at Draco and apologized as she went to go get the toad. After finally getting ahold of Trevor she went to find his owner, Neville and by the time she did the train had stopped. When a large man named Hagrid told them that the first years would be going with him she tried to find Draco. She couldn't spot him until she was already on a boat and had to sit with other students.
Once they had arrived at the entrance of the school they were told they would soon be sorted into houses and sat at their corresponding tables. This caused the students to break out into chatter as they talked of where they thought they'd be sorted. Hermione remembered reading that it depends on the hat and not what your parents were sorted into. Once McGonagall had lead them into the dinning hall they formed a line and waited to be sorted. Names where called, houses were said, it was an interesting sight. Although she had read of it, the talking hat still shocked her.
Hermione was nervous as ever, coming from a non-magic family she had no clue which house she'd be put into. She hoped it'd be Ravenclaw as she had read that it was where the great minds went. She knew she was capable of being a great mind and wanted a chance to prove that she belonged at Hogwarts despite having a non magic family. So when she sat on the stool and the Sorting Hat was placed upon her head, she heard it talking to her. "Well well well, a brain you've got." said the Sorting Hat."Hmm, the obvious choice would in fact be Ravenclaw, but there is something here you don't see, and so it will be... Gryffindor!" Screamed the hat. She smiled ear to ear, happy to be placed anywhere, signifying that she belonged. She made her way to the Gryffindor table and was met with many high-fives, pats on the back and welcomes.
She sat down and was excited to see where everyone else would be sorted.
Eventually Draco was called and he sauntered toward the stool and looked smugly out into the seas of students. With a smirk he heard the Sorting Hat say into his ear. "All the traits of an obvious Slytherin. You've got a lot to prove to family now don't you. Well I see where it comes from but in due time you'll see why I have made this decision... Gryffindor!" Draco's smirk dropped and he felt his body go rigid and cold. No. This has got to be some sick joke he thought. "Not a joke" said the hat in his ear, "Eventually you'll come to thank me for this choice. You will thrive in Gryffindor."
"Mr Malfoy, please be seated at your house table so we can continue with the sorting." McGonagall said. "I can't be a Gryffindor!" Draco explained. "I'm a slytherin, my mum and father were and so were their parents! This is outrageous, the hat is broken, there must be a mistake!" He looked back to Dumbledore wide eyed and waved his arms. "This can't be!" McGongall said again. "Mr Malfoy please go sit." "But I-" "Now." She said firmly. So he made his way over to the Gryffindor table, he heard from his father that McGonagall was a teacher not to mess around with. So he sat and put his chin on his hand, thinking about how to word his letter he'd send home to his father about this. It was not the night he thought he'd have but somehow it happened. He knew his parents would be upset. Why did this happen he thought.
After the feast everyone was off to their corridors to sleep before classes the next morning. Draco tried to make his way to the teachers tables, to see if he could get switched to Slytherin. Once he pushed his way through the crowd he tried to get Dumbledore's attention. "Headmaster! This can't be true! I'm not a Gryffindor, I'm a Slytherin! The hat is WRONG!" "My dear boy, the Sorting Hat is never wrong. I'm sure you will prove yourself to be a great Gryffindor and make your house proud when the time comes, now as i said go sleep classes start tomorrow." Relayed Dumbledore. Draco sighed and walked toward the hall, finding his other classmates he walked behind a few feet with his head down. Disappointment is all he felt about himself, how could he let his family down like this? His father will not be happy about this.
Hermione looked back and saw Draco looking quite sad, she wanted to comfort him. He was kind to her and now she knew she had to be kind to him when he needed it. So she slipped back behind her housemates and walked next to Draco. "Draco..." she said, "are you alright?" he looked up a little to veiw her. "My father will be upset. He wanted me to be in Slytherin. Our family goes back generations of Slytherin's. I ruined it." Hermione didn't know what to say. She didn't know what that burden would feel like, her parents were more than proud (and confused) about finding out she was a witch. So she patted his back and said, "You're different. It's a good thing. Gryffindor will be a great house for you and if your father is upset then so be it." Draco nodded and thanked her. " As they approached their dorms they said their good nights and separated.