This is one of many submissions to the Prompt Relay Challenge in the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum. For those not familiar with the challenge, there are ten stages we have to write for, each state having anywhere from five to twenty-plus story prompts we must fill.
Stage Two: Different House AU
Hermione knew she had chosen the right house. She was the clear definition of a Ravenclaw, seeking out to further her knowledge in every subject she could. She was even allowed to use the time turner again during her fourth year! While this meant she looked much older than other kids in her year, it was well worth it.
In reality, it hadn't made much of a difference. Hermione spent so much time studying and reading that she had no friends. Hardly anyone outside her study groups spoke to her at length. Many of this fellow Ravenclaws believed she was taking her pursuit of knowledge too far, but she knew better. She had her limits, of course, but she knew that she hardly came close to them most days.
And on the off chance she had forgotten to eat for a couple days, Hermione knew she could rely on Luna Lovegood to bring her something the blonde had cooked up. Luna, a third year, was equally as excluded from the other students, although in her case it had much more to do with her strange ramblings about mythical creatures.
Hermione always did careful research into each new topic Luna brought up. There was almost no evidence for any of it and even fewer people who believed in the existence.
Regardless, Hermione had come to enjoy the queer girls company. As much as Hermione would like to ignore it, the simple fact was that the teenage witch was lonely. She had no one to share her excellent exam scores with, no one she could cry to when the stress of too many classes became too much, and certainly no one to go to the Yule ball with. She would watch from the library window as the other students meandered about in groups or pairs, laughing and chasing and touching each other. Consoling each other in times of weakness, egging each other to do things that were brave or foolish.
Looking back, she wondered how her life would have been different if the sorting hat had placed her in Gryffindor like it had originally wanted. If she hadn't insisted on Ravenclaw just based off what she had read in Hogwarts, A History.
"Ravenclaw would do you well, yes. I see that thirst for learning in you. However you are brave and stubborn, and often put your pursuits before yourself. You will need people by your side. Griffindor will give you those people."
But no. She wanted Ravenclaw, and she usually got what she wanted. And she had done well. she was the top student at Hogwarts, even nudging out seventh years scores on her practices tests. She was successful, and she would be able to do whatever she wanted after school.
She couldn't help but wonder though, looking around the empty library before focusing outside again. Was the hat right? Would she have been happier?