Hermione tried to pat down her brushy brown mane as she sat patiently in the Great Hall. The line of students in front of her seemed to go for ever, she observed to Great Hall to distract herself from the looming life-changing moment. The ceiling was a lovely purple shade, with thousands of stars speckled across the twilight sky. She had read about this ceiling extensively in Hogwarts a History, but nothing could compare to the breath-taking sight of the sky lined with thick brick pillars housing hanging lanterns casting a soft glow that travelled around the room.

One by one students got up, and walked toward McGonagal, finally it was her turn. Hermione's knees couldn't help but knock together as she made her way towards the ancient hat. The once purple speckled sky became over cast, with thick dark clouds rolling in. McGonagal offered the small girl a smile as she placed the hat on her head. The ceiling let out a flash of lightning, and the whole room shook with the resonating thunder clap, the hat took not longer than a second before it called out

"SLYTHERIN!" Hermione's mouth dropped open, that couldn't be possible! Gryiffindor maybe, though she had her heart set on Ravenclaw. But not this!

The Slytherin table clapped as she made her way over to them, she sat down still in shock. The rest of the feast went by in a blur. Her only memory of that night was a shy smile she received from a blonde haired boy.

Hermione woke up with a start, heart pounding sweating buckets. She glanced around her Gryiffindor dormitory, she had had that dream many times. It had been 5 years since that night when she was sorted into Gryffindor, but when she had that dream it was so vivid she was almost convinced she was in Slytherin house.

The sun was creeping into her room, and the faint sounds of birds chirping could be heard from the window that was slightly open. Hermione decided she couldn't get back to sleep, and it was time to start her day. As she pulled on her robes that had been neatly folded at the end of her bed, a knock was heard on the window. She paced over to let in the owl that was wait patiently out side. In its beak was a piece of parchment, removing it ever so gently Hermione shooed the bird away.

Dear Ms. Granger

It has come to my attention that some of my students have been performing well under par in my class. And your grades have been excellent as always. I was hoping that you would be willing to tutor some of my students on the weekends or after classes. There will of course be others that are tutoring too, but I felt I should ask you through the mail, and not in front of the class. Just give me an answer in transfigurations today.

Hope your classes go well,

Professor McGonagal

Hermione was honoured that McGonagal has asked her to tutor student, but couldn't take more than a few moments to bask in the admiration from her teacher. For the other girls in her dormitory were beginning to wake, and Hermione absolutely hated sharing the bathroom with anyone, they just got in her way. She grabbed her toiletry bag, and made her way to the bathroom. When she finished cleaning up, she headed down to the common room to meet up with Ron and Harry.

When she reached the common room, she found Ron seated beside the smouldering fire place. Hermione has to blink a couple of times, she could believe her eyes, Ron was reading a book. But not just any book, he was reading Hogwarts a History. Of course he was only on the third or fourth page, but she was one to give credit when credit was due.

"Ron? What are you doing?" she asked, a bemused expression danced across her face, and Ron bolted up, shoving the book under him.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded, his face turning an adorable shade of crimson. Though it seemed stero-typical for a girl to fall in love with her best friend, Hermione couldn't help it. There would always be a soft spot in her heart for the loud, foul-mouthed, procrastinating ginger. But Merlin would roll over int he grave before she would ever tell him that. And from the way he treated her it didn't take veritaserum to tell those feelings were not reciprocated.

"I could be asking you the same thing Ronald considering its morning, and you usually don't make an effort to get out of bed until at least noon." Hermione answered defensively, she was always very quick to respond to him, even after all these years of friendship. She wondered if it were to ever evolve into something more, how she would act towards him differently.

Ron just scoffed pulling himself up from the chair, straightening out his shirt, "'Buggar off!" He said playfully, Hermione suppressed a girlish giggle. "Well I ought to be going, I have important business to attend to." she proclaimed, excited to talk to McGonagal about the tutoring opportunity.

"Where are you headed?"

"To Transfigurations, I need to talk to McGonagal about something."

Now mind you, I have to go to the...library, so I'll walk with you!" He offered, sliding the book behind his back as he followed Hermione out the painting.

"Wont Harry be upset that you've gone and left him Ron?" Hermione began her protest, not that she didn't want to spend time with Ron, but she had wanted this to be a secret. Something that she had and they didn't. Ron simply shrugged it off.

"Harry's a big boy, he defeated the Dark Lord, he's fine to get to class by himself." This was one thing Hermione had noticed over the years, was Ron' s constant persistence to get them alone, and she had also noticed her encouragement of the idea.

As they walked down the hall they chatted, nothing significant, just a little small talk. When they reached transfigurations, the sounds of a serious conversation could be heard from the hallway. They waited until the sound of foot steps approached to door, and out stormed Draco, scowl ever so prominent. Hermione stepped into the room, after bidding Ron good by. McGonagal was seated at her desk shaking her head, and re-organizing some papers.

"Oh Hermione, I didn't even see you there. Well I'm guessing you saw Mr. Malfoy on his way out?" Hermione nodded making her was over to the desk.

"Well I'm glad to see you could make it this morning. I expected you wouldn't wait until our class started. But yes, if you would be willing to tutor some students after classes Monday and Thursday in the library."

Hermione was ecstatic, "Oh course that would be lovely!" McGonagal nodded, "Well thank you, it will help many students greatly."

Hermione thanked McGonagal again, and all but skipped out the door. In the hallway she let a laugh of victory. But on a second thought, she turned and poked her head back in the door.

"Professor, who exactly will I be tutoring?" "Well Draco Malfoy you see."