As soon as Hermione had accepted the alliance, Daphne immediately decided she should sit next to Hermione. Hermione barely held back her smile as she easily listened to Daphne chatter endlessly about whatever caught her attention ("Do you have any pets? Mother has an owl named Bristol!"). Suddenly, Daphne stopped talking and turned to her forgotten companion.

"Wait, where did Draco go?"

Theo huffed. "He went to go find Potter. You know how he is when his ego is in play."

Daphne furrowed her brow but nodded and turned back to Hermione. Before Daphne can start talking, Hermione interrupted her.

"Potter? As in Harry Potter?"

Daphne nodded.

"As in the Boy who Lived?"

Daphne nodded again. "The very one!"

Hermione hummed. She had read a lot about him. She was interested in meeting him, and seeing his fabled scar. Hermione supposed that Harry Potter might be rather stuck up (he was famous, after all). She also knew his sorting was important. It had been said that he was a great wizard. If he were to be sorted into Slytherin, he would be marked as a Dark wizard.

No use thinking about it until I actually meet him, she thought. She wrenched her attention back to Daphne. She was just about to ask Daphne about what subjects she is most looking forward to when the compartment door was thrown open. The three occupants turned towards the door. A boy with strikingly blond hair strided in, looking for all the world like he owned the place. Two hulking boulders of boys stood in the hallway, as they were too big to fit in the compartment.

Isn't that the boy from Diagon Alley? And why is he so dramatic? Hermione thought.

"Draco! There you are. So, how did it go?" Daphne asked, her curiosity evident. Draco smirked at Daphne.

"Just as I planned. I must say-"

"So you're friends now?" Daphne interrupted.

"If you would let me finish," Draco said with a glare. Daphne rolled her eyes but gestured for him to continue. When he didn't, Daphne snapped her fingers impatiently. "Well?"

Draco was too focused on Hermione. "It's you."

Hermione looked up at him. "Yes, it's me." Draco crossed his arms, suddenly seeming impatient. "Well? What's your name?"

Hermione frowned, sat up straighter and pushed her chin up. "It's only proper to introduce yourself first."

Draco pursed his lips. "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

"And I'm Hermione Granger." Another pureblood. Let's get this over with quickly. "I'm muggleborn."

Draco clenched his jaw, then sat next to Theo. The two started conversing, and Daphne eventually joined in. Daphne tried including Hermione, but Hermione knew she wasn't welcome. She opened The Standard Book of Spells and read, the conversation fading into the background. She was just getting to the Levitation Charm when a prefect ("Weasley," Malfoy muttered) told them the train was stopping soon.

As the train came to a screeching stop, they all stood at the same time. The boys let Daphne out first, but followed her without any consideration for Hermione.

They clearly think of me as below them. She cracked her book and walked out of the compartment. Suddenly, she bumped into someone, causing her to drop her book. Frowning, she picked up her book.

"Sorry. I didn't see you," a boy with haphazard black hair said as he adjusted his glasses. Standing next to him was a lanky boy with bright red hair.

"It's fine," Hermione said as she brushed her skirt, making sure it was in order. Then she noticed the scar previously hidden by his bangs.

"You're Harry Potter." Hermione stated, her tone matter of fact. Potter grimaced, but nodded.

"I'm Hermione Granger. Nice to meet you." Hermione looked at the redhead expectantly. When he said nothing, she prompted, "And who're you?"

"I'm Ron Weasley. Did you really share a compartment with Malfoy?" He said, with a disgruntled look on his face. Hermione looked at him.

"Yes, although that's really not any of your business."

"Why would you hang around that twat?" He looked genuinely confused.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I was in the compartment first, but it really doesn't matter. There's a mutual disinterest."

"Why?" Potter asked.

"Reasons," She sniffed disdainfully. She was tired of announcing her blood-status.

Potter pushed his glasses up his nose. They were clearly broken with a wad of tape trying to keep them together. Sighing, she took out her wand and pointed it at his face. He went cross eyed, trying to keep the wand in sight.

"Oculus Reparo." Hermione smugly stowed her wand in the pocket of her robes. "It was a pleasure. See you around." Hermione turned away from them, but not before she said to Weasley, "Oh, and you have dirt on your nose."

"'ello there. My name is Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Now, come along and follow me. Yer goin' to be headin' to Hogwarts in boats, no more'n 4 to one." Hagrid said, then turned and walked.

Hermione couldn't help but be excited about this. She knew this was coming because of Hogwarts A History, but reading about self propelling boats and actually experiencing the tradition are two separate things.

"Hermione!"

Hermione looked around trying to see where she heard her name from. She smiled in surprise when she saw Daphne waving her hand in the air. Making her way through the crowd, Hermione looked at her in question. Daphne gave a smile.

"I wanted to sit next to you on the boat ride." Then in a whisper she said, "I got rid of Draco and Theo. They're going to sit with Crabbe and Goyle." Hermione laughed breathily with her strange acquaintance. The two sat in a boat that was already occupied by a pudgy boy seemingly fretting about losing his toad and a small girl with straw-blonde braids. Hermione and Daphne kept to themselves.

Hermione had read all about the school, but nothing could prepare her for the sight of it in person. The castle was regal, for lack of a better term. It stood tall among the trees. The moon glowed from behind it, casting an eerily beautiful silver color upon everything. Hermione had never seen anything remotely like it.

The Great Hall. Hermione looked around in awe. The ceiling was grand, with floating candles lighting up the night sky. The four tables were full of older students. Hermione couldn't wait to see what the ceremony was. At the end of the walkway in front of all of the tables was a single wooden stool.

Hermione watched in surprise as the hat Professor McGonagall had brought in came to life.

Oh you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The professor stood before the first years. "When I call your name, you will come up, sit on the stool, and wait for your house to be called. Abbott, Hannah."

When Hermione's name was called, she popped up quickly and hurried towards the stool. The Hat was placed on her head.

"Ah. Here you are again." Hermione jolted as a voice that was not her own resounded through her mind.

I haven't been here before. What are you talking about?

"Yes, yes. Of course not. Which will you choose now? Ravenclaw would be a very good choice for you."

I know.

"You don't seem very excited about that prospect. I assure you, you have the potential for greatness. You have bravery, wit, compassion, and cunning. You can choose any house you wish. But should you chose the one that you are most afraid of, everything that has been predetermined will fade and your true destiny will rise. The destiny every single one of your past lives has faltered at. Are you going to be the one that changes everything?"

Hermione frowned. She didn't believe in fate or destiny. She put logic above all else. Destiny was for people who needed to place the blame on something else. Despite all this, it did sound rather exciting. Biting her lip, she gave the answer the Hat knew she would.

Yes.

There will be times where you will regret your decision. In the end everything will be as it should. You will get the ending you've always wanted.

Hermione stayed silent, her stomach lurching uncomfortably.