Hermione had done this before.

When she began her first year at elementary school she thought she would be one of the most admired and sought after girls in her grade. It wasn't really because there was any reason for it, she had never really met majority of her classmates before she actually started school so nothing to think there would be close friendship, but a part of her always remembered being perfect in almost every single way, hitting all the right notes in this invisible thread of life, this feeling of a feeling, she ought to be rewarded for herself.

That feeling was like a deep seed planted within her by the time she started school. On the sunny but slightly shady day of her first day at school she remembered walking in with little heed to her fate, actually believing it was possible for her to be happy in the four walls that she would be stuck in for the remainder of her elementary school years here. She vaguely remembers the impressions she got of everyone in her grade. The boys thought the girls had cooties and the girls thought the boys had germs so the two avoided each other and mostly, the boys hung out with the boys, and the girls hung out with the girls. That was how it was in those glorious young years, although Hermione already knew several of her classmates who hung out with the 'popular boys' by now.

The girls that were all the best or good at something seemed to hang out together. Those that were modelesque, athletic, wealthy, upper class mannerisms, intelligent, social butterflies, charming, or anyone else who was just unusually good in any way. And those girls seemed to do this thing called life better than anybody else, it was like they hit all the right notes at the right time, and their lived in experience of life was simply better and more...lively and superior, than anybody else's. They had the most fun. Were the most envied, admired, the other girls closed their eyes in bed at night and wished to be them.

There was backstabbing and cliques. It seemed like yesterday Hermione remembered the vivid feeling of openness, freeness, like she could be friends with anyone and everyone. But quickly, she met jealous bitches wanting to move up the line, watching the popular girls with narrowed eyes and deeply buried throbs of jealousy, of backstabbing, games, gossip, rumours, lies, slander, scandals, to keep the in-crowd in and the out-crowd out. To political maneuvering and impossible to crack power structures. Once in, you were in for life, and you fought to stay in with as much power and might as you could. Everyone struggled to stay in and not be out.

Hermione was quickly booted out from the inner circle of the group of girls she migrated towards at first glance. In fact, they mocked her and played practical jokes on her as a bonding thing. Hermione remembers wanting to leave the group, but just when she thinks she's better as an outcast, they throw her a tiny bone, Hermione sees the others treating her better for appearing to be accepted by the group, and decides it's better to appear in than out. So she continues to hang around them, to play by their games, their rules, to try and move up. She was at the bottom of the popular group of girls, but yet far above some of the absolute outcasts at her school.

Hermione was left out by that group - but included more than some of the other girls. And it was the sort of exclusion that was only visible to people in the clique, or knew the powers of said clique. To her parents, teachers, anyone outside, she was...a plain and boring sort of girl, but not anyone to be concerned about.

There were several turning points when she thought she had someone's friendship in the palm of her hand.

When she thought she had hold or power over someone.

When she thought she seemed to crack some secret code to moving up.

But she had squandered, wasted, lost, those opportunities and chances. Because she didn't understand the fine subtle touches of the game. Not back then.

That was why Hermione had never moved up or anywhere really, at her elementary school. Why she did not want to face the same fight for her highschool years as they were her biggest bullies, the ones who put her down, and she doubted herself the most when she came near them. But the wizarding world, although it seemed new...there was a part of her from her muggle life that was untouchable by anyone in the wizarding world. None of the people she met at Hogwarts could have hurt her when she was in elementary school because they had not known each other then. She was able to better hide herself and her vulnerabilities, to slip on a mask, become someone new here, especially as it wasn't so easy to guess her past here.

She didn't think anyone had exactly known her muggle past. Just like everyone else she had fooled, most would assume she had some friends, was generally alright, and not know of the agony buried deep inside.

But she had done this before.

Watched as she lost power, her grasp over people. Watched as her friends chose someone else over her. Watched everything come crashing down.

Hermione was determined to play the game right and to never let anything slip. Starting now.

"I can't believe it. A mudblood!" Draco Malfoy sounded indignant and angry. Crabbe and Goyle began giggling. Hermione knew almost all of their names now because she was paying close attention at the sorting. Pansy picked up some bread crumbs and chucked them at her. Daphne giggled even harder. Tracey-Davis joined in and Millicent did as well. None of the girls were on her side.

Theo Nott snorted and sniggered at Hermione as if she was going to be sinking, down and down.

Blaise turned and blew Hermione a kiss. "I've kissed five girls already. You can always make out with me if you want company," he said.

Everyone's laughs escalated.

What can I say to make things better. What can I say to improve things.

Hermione frantically tried to find the best move.

"I believe there are more important things than blood," Hermione said in the haughtiest voice as possible at Draco Malfoy.

Everyone only laughed harder as if she was telling the biggest joke. It was apparent Slytherin house disagreed with this.

"No there isn't," Draco said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and then turned his attention to Crabbe and Goyle.

Everyone else giggled some more and then looked away.

An older Slytherin girl glared at Hermione. "Thou shall not be in Slytherin if thou is a muggle-born. It is your mistake and you shall suffer the punishment from it soon," she said.

"Don't fuck this up for us," another Slytherin girl spat at Hermione, "if our reputation as a house falls due to you and your...muggle-bornness."

"Don't worry. We are cool enough it doesn't matter what this loser does. Everyone knows she can't and won't ever represent us," Draco Malfoy smirked at Hermione.

I want to prove you wrong. But the only way to move up in this world and obtain power, wealth, status, even more magic...is to be your bride. Or the bride of anyone else around me. That is the unfortunate truth and reality...

But at least you are in Slytherin. At least you will be familiar with them. You will have the ability to rub shoulders with them...

Already, Hermione could feel some envy from the non-Slytherin girls as they cast their glances at her.

Not everyone who wants to be in Slytherin can make their way to Slytherin. You were still chosen and selected by the Sorting Hat for a reason.

Yes. Show them you are superior. You do not feel inferior to them.

"To be Slytherin is to be cunning and devious. Some pureblooded Slytherins never quite make it to that level. I? I am a Slytherin who's in the house for different reasons than some of you, for whom being pureblooded is the sole reason the Sorting Hat put you there. My take on Slytherin may even come in handy to you one day and it is your loss to be mocking the very thing that could save you someday," Hermione said.

I have no idea what I am saying. But I am following the principles of not acting inferior to anyone else. Of poking at the holes within other people to bring them down. I will always talk to them as if they are beneath me.

Fake it til you make it.

Act like it doesn't bother you.

Hermione never knew if her words had any effect for no one gave any indication they were listening to her at all. Instead everyone talked to their friends, laughed like crazy and acted like they had the best time of their lives. It was as if Hermione's recent paragraph had no effect. Though even if they were ignoring her on purpose, Hermione hoped it was a warning that she would never let herself be broken by the other Slytherins in the house.

On the way to the Slytherin dormitories the other Slytherins avoided her and kept a bit of a berth around her. Not enough for anyone else to notice, but enough for Hermione to know they were all in one the game. The game of pushing someone to the bottom.

She had failed to make it into any clique. Gain any friends. Most avoided her from day one.

Don't waste time with what has failed.

And with that, Hermione knew her time in Slytherin was mostly a loner. Perhaps moving up if she played her cards right throughout the years.

Make a handful of other friends. Allies. Not Neville, who's in Gryffindor and that creates unnecessary tension with Slytherin, but any other house...

You may find your friends from other houses...

To her surprise her first friend came in the form of a dreamy light-haired Ravenclaw whom the others overlooked.

"Hullo, I'm Luna Lovegood and you're Hermione Granger. I remembered the names from last night's sorting," she said happily as they cut up plants in herbology. It was the only class the Slytherins shared with the Ravenclaws that year.

"I did too but the introduction's nice. No one bothers with me in Slytherin," said Hermione. Everyone around them were so engrossed in talking to others at Hogwarts it was easy to talk undetected. She wanted to at least make one friend or ally so she wouldn't be targetted and Luna Lovegood felt like someone she could be friends with.

"Same here in Ravenclaw. People hide my quill and things. Is it because you're a muggle-born?" Luna said casually. Hermione assumed Luna wasn't one because most people were halfbloods of some sort. Plus, she had some magically enchanted assessories on her which meant she was more likely to be familiar with the wizarding world than a muggle-born.

"Unfortunately I could not hide it from them as long as I hoped. Why aren't you accepted in Ravenclaw?" asked Hermione.

"Probably because I am not smart in the way the other Ravenclaws like," said Luna, "I've never really had any friends though. So I'm used to it."

Even just talking to her for these few short moments Hermione had the feeling Luna was open-minded, she would entertain topics without any bias or prejudice, and she likely prioritised exploring whatever thought she had when she wanted to, rather than the workaholic way the majority of the Ravenclaws did it. Luna was an unusual Ravenclaw, but perhaps a true one.

"I had friends from my muggle elementary school but they are useless in this world. I think I shall have to get used to not having friends in Slytherin. It is foolish to think they will change their age-old prejudices against muggle-borns just for me. Although being one I was selected into Slytherin house for other reasons," said Hermione.

"Do you want to be friends? Hogwarts is easier to get through if you have a couple and..." Luna swallowed nervously, "I wouldn't ask the question if I didn't think the other person would understand. But I think you know what I mean..."

"Yes. Yes I would," said Hermione.

And so she had a friend. Not a close one, not altogether a girl she had the most in common with either, for they grew up quite differently and still had their differences. But Hermione had some way of a friend and although she was on friendly terms with a few more people, Luna was more or less her main friend. They didn't talk a lot, some deeper topics remained unsaid between them, but they talked to each other enough, that Hermione thought it would've been worse for them both if they didn't have each other.

The Slytherins hated Luna and bullied Hermione for being friends with her. But since Hermione was already at the bottom of the Slytherin hierarchy, she couldn't move down at all, and so it did not feel as bad in a way.

"I feel sorry for you. The Ravenclaws don't bully me for being friends with you. Not much anyway. Do you mind taking the blows for being my friend?" Luna whispered in herbology one day.

"It's worth it for now," said Hermione.

The two have each other a gritty smile.

It was easier to be alone in the older years of Hogwarts as some students wished to focus more on studying and there was less chance of getting picked on for that reason but in the younger years it was better to have friends.

If the girls from Hermione's elementary school were bad the Slytherin Sacred 28 girls were worse. They generally made Hermione's life a living hell through almost every trick in the book but Hermione was powerless at the moment so she simply had to deal with it. However, she quickly picked up a lot of magical hexes, jinxes, joke products, and built up immunity against them. Sometimes those things also let her see how magic worked which was interesting.

One day. She would move up. But now wasn't the time.

"Hermione?" Ron's voice called out to her one afternoon when Hermione was doing homework beneath a tree. Harry by his side.

Hermione glanced at him, not wanting to get close to either of those boys.

This was enough of a signal for Ron to continue. "I told my mum about your idea. My brother actually wanted his old wand back, but he ended up buying a new wand for me. I got special permission to go out of Hogwarts with him on a Hogsmeade weekend. Pretty cool."

"Professor Mcgonagall was relieved he was getting a wand that suited him," said Harry, cracking a grin.

"But Professor Mcgonagall knocked on the dormitories to tell me that my brother's request had been approved. Turns out all heads of houses can enter into anyone's dormitories at any time, they usually just choose not to," said Ron.

"It was in the afternoon just shortly after class," added Neville, who had made fast friends with Ron and Harry. The three of them hung out as a trio quite a lot.

"She accidentally saw my rat though. I think maybe she saw it as I got of the train but didn't have the chance to check it out for herself though. Harry and Neville managed to pretend it was a rogue rat and we had no idea how it got in," said Ron.

"I pointed at some sweets my gran gave me and said the rat must've found those. I got them all confiscated, Professor Mcgonagall said it was too much for one person. My gran...didn't want me to be homesick at Hogwarts so she did spoil me a bit with those," admitted Neville.

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Hermione.

"Ron got to keep Scabbers though. But I think Professor Mcgonagall is keeping a close eye on us. He can't really take it with him to the common room or around as much. But we know she doesn't go close to the Slytherin headquarters. Do you want a pet Hermione?" asked Harry.

"We don't really know where Scabbers came from actually. It was like one day he just appeared, someone fed him, maybe Ginny, and he stayed in the family ever since. I thought a rat was one of those animals you could keep as a pet, but then I realised most people don't keep rats as pets. It's really other animals," said Ron, "it was cool for the time-being. But if you want him, he may be safer with you than with Mcgonagall breathing down my neck..."

Hermione suddenly noticed a brown paper bag Ron was carrying. It looked bulky enough for there to be the aged rat within. The rat was fairly big so it was likely nearing it's deathday anyway. It wouldn't be a pet for long.

Hermione didn't really want it but then another thought came to mind...

I think the Slytherin girls don't want the rat more than I do. I'm sure something can be done to...well it's another pawn in the game I have in my arsenal. And one I can use somehow...

"Actually, I could do with a pet," said Hermione.

They talked a bit more before she made of with the rat.

The rat peeped out at her forlornly once they were in the Slytherin girl's dormitories. They were all alone except for the two of them. Scabbers looked sad, almost as if it was aware of some major change that had happened, but quickly, it's eyes darted about as it took in the green four-post beds and seemed to feel at home. Rats tended to like dark wet places and Slytherin's green was probably a more comforting colour for it than Gryffindor's red.

"Ssh. You're safer here than in Gryffindor with Professor Mcgonagall creeping down your neck. I will sneak you some food and water. And order you a cage. You may even do me a little favour sometimes...I'll order you some toys..." Hermione found herself being a responsible pet owner. If Scabbers could purr it probably would've. It sounded happy about all those arrangements. Hermione frowned. She had no way to bring the rat back home without arousing suspicion but she would find a way before the school year ended.

Quickly, the cage arrived, and so Hermione had a pet. She didn't tell anybody about it yet however - there was nothing to gain from telling anyone.

Hermione found herself thinking about who her future husband was going to be as the year drew on. Already many girls were throwing themselves at practically all the Slytherin boys, including Crabbe and Goyle, and it seemed a lot of ambitious people were already trying to know those of the opposite gender so they could settle down after Hogwarts since marriage was such an important transaction in this world. A lot of witches and wizards also married young and started families young. Of course, Hermione couldn't get all of the boys she would've liked to get, and she had to admit it, Draco and Theo held some dark appeal even if they hated her on virtue of her being a mudblood, so it was just a matter of picking a guy who she was most likely to end up with whom she could tolerate.

Hermione found herself putting different guy faces to that role, testing them out and trying to imagine them dating, even though she wasn't close to any guys she had some sense of everyone's personalities by now, most people did, and she could imagine things a little way. She hadn't actually acted on those yet, but that was another part of her bid to move up, those thoughts about who her future husband was going to be.

Author's Note: I really love Luna and felt she had a place in this story so I introduced her. She's a year younger than Hermione in canon so she wouldn't have started yet but I often felt like Luna was the same age as Harry in the books, it didn't seem to be a major issue, so I think changing it up slightly in this fanfiction doesn't really affect her character at any deep level and it just suits it better. Please review, I love reading them :)