Chapter 1: Train Compartments & First Looks
Hermione POV
I gulped. According to the acceptance letter, I was to step into
platform 9 ¾. . . 9 ¾. How was I supposed to do that? That made no sense whatsoever. There obviously was no such thing as a fractioned platform! That was simply preposterous! The nerve of those wizards. I glanced at the large 9 that hung on a sign in Kings Cross. I continued to walk, and I noticed something odd. A large crowd of youngsters crowded around a column. Curious, I made my way to the crowd, and caught a quick glance at what was there. People crowded around the column, and oddly enough, began to disappear. I edged my way closer, slowly getting closer to the center of the crowd. I pushed my way to the middle and after half a second, I was engulfed by a blinding light.
The light blinded me for quite a while, but as I focused my vision, I noticed that I was still in King's Cross. Except this time, rather than the original Platform 9 etched into the wall, there was a noticeable 9 ¾ instead. I walked to the large red train and looked inside. Nothing much, just an ordinary train. I continued on my way and stood in front of the entrance. The loud bustling grew louder as the other students began to board. I joined them, and was quickly pulled into the rush of excitement.
I stepped onto the Hogwarts Express, right after leaving my parents at King's Cross. Sadly, they could not come to the train as they were not "magical beings". I still could not understand how I was a "wizard", or should I say "witch", but I liked it. My whole life has been distinctly odd, especially if one were to compare it to another humans life.
I walked down the aisle, looking for a place to sit, but unlike everyone else, I did not know a single person there. I peeked my head into one room and noticed a chubby little boy with short, dark brown hair looking under the cushions atop of the train seats. He made small mumbling noises as he continued to search the compartment. I cleared my throat.
"Uhm. . . Excuse me, but what exactly, are you doing?" I came off a bit snarky, but I honestly couldn't help it. What was I supposed to do when I saw someone acting like a lunatic?! The boy looked up at me, and I could see the embarrassment flood into his face.
"Well. . . you see. . . I've. . . uhm. . . lost my toad. . . yeah, his name is Trevor. Would you mind helping me look? I would honestly be so grateful!" I didn't have any place to sit, so I agreed.
After looking for a while, I gave up, and decided to try and find a place to sit. I saw two boys, one with coppery hair and freckles, and the other with dark brown hair, emerald green eyes, and rounded glasses.
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, do you think that I could sit with you guys? Holy cricket! You're Harry Potter!" I glanced at the other boy, who seemed to be stuffing various foods into his face. He told me his name, which was Ron Weasley, but I focused my attention towards Harry Potter.
"Do you think I could sit with you guys? There are no more places for me to sit." Harry did not seem mind, but the look on Ron's face seemed aghast. I had only been trying to find a place to sit! I turned away with a flick of my hair, and continued on my journey to find a seat.
I walked up and down the aisles in the train, when I came across a compartment with a lone boy sitting in it. He had platinum blonde hair, silver eyes, and the faint trace of a smirk on his lips. I looked down to see what his body was like, and I can tell you I was NOT disappointed. When I looked back up, his intense silver eyes were boring into mine.
"So. . . what can I help you with? Besides giving you this wonderful view?" He smirked. He was one of those kinds of people. Not that I cared or anything.
"Nothing! I just needed a place to sit."
"I can give you a place to sit. . . On my lap. . ." The boy said with a wink. "By the way, I'm Draco Malfoy. You?"
"Oh, uhm. . . Hermione Granger. And I am NOT going to sit on your lap. What kind of girl do you think I am?" I put my hands on my hips accusingly, " But I will sit here, only because there are no other places to sit."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night darling."
When the train arrived at Hogwarts, Draco helped me off the train, acting like the gentleman that he was not. Then the moment my feet touched the ground, I heard him whisper, "I'll see you around, Hermione" and just like that, Draco was gone. I was left completely flustered, standing there, wondering if I would ever see Draco again.
I was clumped together with a crowd of other "first years" and while some of them looked extremely excited, I assumed Draco was one of those, I was just a bit different. The other students who were not excited were people like me; extremely nervous. I mean, I already read the entire Hogwarts, A History, but I couldn't really learn anything about what was the so called, "Sorting Ceremony". I glanced around and heard some people around me saying that the ceremony could be some sort of test. Immediately, my ears perked up. Test? Come on Hermione, this is what you were born to do!
"If it's a test, then I hope reading only Hogwarts, A History will be enough." I said to the people next to me, but only some seemed interested in my comment. Both of the two boys I met on the train, Harry and Ron, seemed to be annoyed. Hmph! Well if they don't want me to try and be nice to them, then I give up. I can't please everyone!
"Hmm. . . Hello, I am Professor McGonagall. Follow me and I will lead you to the Sorting Ceremony." We all shuffled forward into the room entitled the Great Hall, which had a ceiling that mimicked the night sky. At the front of the hall, was a hat that sat snugly on top of a stool. The hat looked worn out with patches of ragged fabric on the surface.
"Abbott, Hannah," said the lady called Professor McGonagall. A chubby looking girl walked up with her legs shaking and her head bowed. McGonagall placed the hat atop her head, and after a few seconds the hat opened its mouth at it's seam and shouted at the top of it's lungs,
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Admittedly, the name was extremely odd, but a long table with people sitting in black robes with yellow undershirts and socks responded positively as they supposedly received a new member. Hovering above their table was a banner with a badger on it that read HUFFLEPUFF. I looked around the hall and saw a banner decorated in scarlet and gold with a lion that said GRYFFINDOR, another banner in blue and silver with a raven that had RAVENCLAW on it, and finally, one that had the colors dark green and silver with a coiled serpent that had the word SLYTHERIN on it.
"Granger, Hermione." I froze. It was my turn. Slowly, I stood up and made my way over to the stool. I sat down nervously and clenched my hands into fists, feeling sweat begin to make my palms sweaty. McGonagall placed the hat on my head, and I immediately felt another consciousness insert itself into my mind. Hmm. . . What a peculiar young mind. Where would you be best? Perhaps. . . Hufflepuff. No, that's not right. Why would I even think that?! Ravenclaw? No, you're not only brains. Gryffindor, maybe, but honestly, I just can't imagine you there. I think Slytherin would be the best for you, right Miss Granger? I blinked owlishly to see who was talking to me, but I quickly realized that the voice was in my mind. Then, before I could bid my own opinion into the decision, I heard a hoarse voice scream out to the entire hall,
"SLYTHERIN!" I removed the hat, glanced around until I spotted the table that was cheering. As I observed the table more elaborately, silver eyes penetrated my vision. Draco. Oh I was such a lucky girl! I slowly walked to the table, still disoriented from the voice inside of my mind, when Draco waved me over. I gulped but nodded, and I felt my legs automatically start walking towards him.