Hermione Granger watched as the sandy haired boy named Seamus sat on the stool, taking forever to be sorted. She looked around at the tables; she thought that Gryffindor was the best option, but Ravenclaw didn't seem too bad. In fact, they looked like a very respectable bunch, unlike the Hufflepuffs who were a little too rowdy for her taste. The Slytherins, as she had anticipated, looked solemn and moody. She definitely didn't want to be sorted there.
With a booming shout from the hat, Seamus was sorted into Gryffindor, and Professor McGonagall was calling her name. She walked eagerly up to the hat, thinking that she would most definitely be sorted into either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, and jammed it on her head with enthusiasm.
"Ah, a challenge," said a small voice in her ear that she assumed belonged to the hat.
"A challenge?" thought Hermione nervously, and to her astonishment, the hat responded.
"Yes, a challenge. Perhaps you should get used to them, Miss Granger; it seems to me as though you will be facing quite a bit of them yourself."
"Challenges?" thought Hermione, "As in course work? Well, I suppose, after all, the whole reason I came to Hogwarts is to further my wizarding education."
"Indeed, and you will face those challenges no matter where I put you, but suppose there are other challenges in your future? Where should I put you then?"
"I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but I'd appreciate it if you'd hurry along with the sorting, I'm taking almost as long as that Gryffindor, Seamus."
"Well, I must say, a finer example of Ravenclaw I have never been placed on the head of," Hermione, grateful to be finished, made to get up, "however, I'm not sure if that's the right choice. What do you think?"
"Me? Isn't it your job to figure out where I belong?"
"Yes, but it's not always easy, you see. For example, you would fit in perfectly with the other Ravenclaws, and you'd quickly bond with them over piles of dusty books and fresh parchment."
"So, that's where I belong, then?" asked Hermione, waiting for a definitive answer before moving again.
"Perhaps, but perhaps not. I somehow get the feeling that things have always come easily to you, Miss Granger, and I'm wondering if now isn't the time to shake things up."
"You mean like courses?" Hermione had never heard of the hat having any control over course schedules, and she was sure she would have read that somewhere.
"No, as I said before, with a mind like yours your courses will come easily to you no matter what table you sit at after you place me back on the stool. No, I think it's time for you to step out of your comfort zone. Perhaps Ravenclaw isn't the best choice after all…."
"I thought you said I was a perfect example of Ravenclaw?"
"You are, but perhaps you're a bit too perfect."
"Too perfect? I've never heard of anyone being too perfect at anything." To her surprise, the hat chuckled softly. Was he amused that this was taking so long and that by now everyone was staring at her with rabid interest?
"No, I didn't think you would have, what I'm saying is maybe you'd fancy stepping into a Gryffindor's shoes."
"Gryffindor," thought Hermione, "well, that's definitely a good house to be put in. But I still don't understand what challenges I'd have to face just by being in a certain house."
"I see a great potential for change in you, Miss Granger, and I think that you would very well ignore that potential if I placed you in Ravenclaw. Perhaps you should be placed in Gryffindor, where you'll not only learn more about yourself, but maybe about some others whom you'd never otherwise consort with."
Hermione saw the boy named Ronald yawn pointedly at this point, and she became mildly frustrated.
"Look, I don't really see a need to change, I am happy with myself just the way I am. I didn't come to Hogwarts to become a new person or to discover new friends, I came here to further my education, so I suggest that you just place me in Ravenclaw and get on with the sorting already."
"Yes," said the hat bemusedly, "I thought you might be stubborn about that. Well, in that case, GRYFFINDOR!"
The hat shouted the last word to the entire hall and applause erupted as Hermione moved towards the red and gold table. She heard Ronald groan as she passed him and she hoped that he wouldn't be in her house. As she sat down, she began to wonder why she had been placed in Gryffindor. The hat had clearly said that she was a perfect example of Ravenclaw, and she had clearly said that she wasn't interested in changing herself. So, had he placed her here to prove her wrong? Or perhaps he was offended that she had told him to hurry up and he placed her here as a sort of revenge? Well, if it was, she wasn't going to let it work. First thing tomorrow, she was going to do everything in her power to become a true Gryffindor.
As she looked around her table, she noticed a fair number of red headed people who all looked as though they were related. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized where Ronald would most likely be sorted. However, hadn't the sorting hat mentioned something about befriending people who she wouldn't otherwise talk to? Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad….
With a determined smile, she watched as Neville tripped on his way up to the sorting hat.