From the Eyes of a Know-It-All
A/N: This is my first fanfic told entirely from Hermione's POV, which is kind of strange because she has always been my favourite character. So, this story is about her life in Hogwarts and her relationship with Harry, if Hermione hadn't been attacked by the Troll in first year.
Harry and Hermione will eventually become friends (and more) in this story, but not during their first years at Hogwarts. I will keep the first years short and start with the main part of the story in 4th year. This story will be longer than my first two Harmony stories and will go until Harry's and Hermione's Graduation from Hogwarts.
The rating is obviously for later chapters. I'm not a complete pervert, so there won't be anything sexual going on between Harry and Hermione before 5th or 6th year.
Chapter 1
We were strangers starting out on our journey
Never dreaming what we'd have to go through
Now here we are and I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you
At the Beginning - Anastacia
"Platform 9 ¾?" Mrs. Granger asked confused, looking at the ticket in her hand. "What is this supposed to mean? No station has such a platform."
Hermione smiled. "This one has, it's just hidden." The young girl lowered her voice, making sure only her parents could hear her. "You have to step up to the wall between the platforms 9 and 10. If you are a witch or wizard, you can just walk through the wall. It's amazing, isn`t it? I read about it in a book called 'Hogwarts - a history'."
"Are you sure this will work?" Mr. Granger asked skeptically.
"Of course, dad. The book surely didn't lie," the little girl answered confidently.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger smiled at their daughter's complete faith in the written word.
"Well, then we have to say goodbye here. I'm sorry, Dear, I would have loved to bring you to the train," Hermione's mother said a little sad.
Hermione's enthusiasm was belittled by the impending farewell from her parents. "It's alright, Mom," she reassured her mother. After a little pause she added "They will like me, won't they? They are all like me, right? I won't be so different in my new school."
Mrs. Granger had to fight back the tears when she saw the hope and worry in her little girl's face. Hermione had never really belonged in her old school. She had never been invited to birthday parties, she had been chosen last when sports teams were selected and she had spent the breaks sitting alone in a corner, reading and secretly watching the other children play. Hermione Granger was an eleven year old girl who had never had a friend. The other children thought she was strange because of her interest in books and her ambition and they were a little afraid of her because strange things happened when she was really scared or angry. Hermione had never understood why things broke without her touching them when she was angry or why boys who bullied her always stumbled without her doing anything. She had had a feeling that she was responsible for these events, she just didn't know how. All she knew was that she was different and nobody liked her because of that.
Hermione had been thrilled when she got her Hogwarts letter. Suddenly everything made sense. She was a witch; that was the only reason why she had always been an Outsider in her old school! She belonged to a different world, an exciting magical world in which everything was different.
Hermione was convinced that everything would change when she got to her new school. Nobody would be afraid because of the strange things that happened to her because all of them must have had similar experiences. They would probably not reject her because she loved to learn so much, because surely they would want to learn everything about magic, too. Who wouldn't love to study Witchcraft? They would probably be as eager to learn as she was. There was no reason why she shouldn't make friends in her new school. At least that was what Hermione had thought when she got her letter. Now - mere minutes before she would board the train - she wasn't so self-assured anymore.
"I'm sure they'll love you, Dear. Everything is going to be different from now on. You are special, Hermione and the children you knew were not. That's why you didn't get along with them. Maybe there is a little girl or a little boy entering the train right now who feels just like you. Someone who has never belonged in this world and hopes for a new start, too. Maybe your future best friend is waiting for you right now," Mrs. Granger encouraged her daughter.
"Just be yourself and don't be afraid to make the first step and introduce yourself to your new school mates. I'm sure they'll love you," Mr. Granger added.
"Thanks, Mom, thanks, Dad. I love you."
"We love you, too. Write often, alright? We want to know about your exciting new life," Hermione's mother said.
"I'll write every week, Mom," Hermione promised.
"I think it's time for you to go, you want to have a little time to find a seat before the train leaves, don't you. I love you, dear. See you on Christmas," Mr. Granger said.
Hermione hugged her parents one last time and then made a beeline to the massive wall between the gates 9 and 10.
Hermione stared with wide eyes at all the people around her. The children and their parents actually looked pretty normal. They were all still in the Muggle clothes they had put on to prevent attracting more attention than necessary in the crowded station. The only eye-catching things about the people on the station were all the huge trunks and several cages with owls. Some of the students had already boarded the train and were searching for a seat, but many were still on the platform, saying their goodbyes to their families. Hermione was a little sad that her parents couldn't accompany her to the platform. She felt so alone between all the children who were talking animatedly to their parents and siblings or greeting their school friends.
There was a lively boy with Rasta locks showing his friends a Tarantula he had brought with him. I wonder if this is allowed, Hermione thought. Her letter had said that the students were allowed to bring a cat, an owl or a toad, other pets weren't mentioned. Hermione assumed they would tolerate other harmless pets like mice or hamsters, but a Tarantula?
Hermione thought about questioning the boy about his dangerous pet but decided against it. Surely a prefect would come soon and take it away from him.
Hermione noticed a small black haired boy who looked as lost as she felt struggling with his trunk. The boy was obviously alone, too and he didn't look for his friends in the crowd, so he was probably a first year. Maybe he was a Muggle born, too and that was the reason he was here alone.
Hermione watched how red haired twins, who had previously been standing with their mother and three siblings, helped the boy with his trunk. She suddenly realized that she had no idea how she should get the heavy trunk in the train either.
Hermione looked around for someone who could help her and caught a few sentences of the talk between the redheads. The twins were apparently teasing their brother because he had been boasting about being made prefect. Hermione couldn't understand that. Usually only the best students were nominated as prefects and the boy had every right to be proud of his achievements. Maybe he could help her with her trunk. It was the prefects' task to help younger students after all.
"Excuse me, I heard that you are a prefect and therefore thought you might help me with my trunk. My parents are Muggles and couldn't accompany me to the platform and the trunk is very heavy. I'm Hermione Granger by the way," Hermione explained.
The boy beamed; being asked for help by a younger student on his first day as a prefect seemed to make him proud. "Of course I'll help you. That's what prefects are there for after all. I'm Percy Weasley," the boy introduced himself.
"Wingardium Leviosa," Percy said and levitated Hermione's trunk into the train until he had found a compartment which was still relatively empty. There were only a few older students in a corner.
Hermione thanked Percy and took a seat in an empty booth, watching the students who were still standing on the platform. Percy's mother was just warning her twin sons not to cause any trouble this year. The twins seemed to be quite the pranksters. Hermione wondered how they could be so different from their obviously responsible older brother.
The last students boarded the train and a few minutes later the Hogwarts express started moving. Hermione changed into her school robes and then took her new charms and transfiguration books and her wand out and started to practice a few simple spells. She had already practiced the wand movements and pronunciations of the spells, but hadn't been allowed to put them together and actually perform the charm, because underaged witches and wizards weren't allowed to perform magic during the summer.
After a few hours of practice, Hermione was able to unlock the lock of her trunk with the Alohomora spell, could let a piece of paper fly by using Wingardium Leviosa, mastered the Lumos spell and could change the colour of the bottoms on her jacket . Hermione was just thinking about which spell she should try next, when an unhappy looking boy who looked like he was about her age entered her compartment.
"Excuse me, I've lost my toad Trevor. I've been looking all over, but I can't find him. Maybe you've seen him?" the boy asked her.
"I'm sorry, I haven't seen him," Hermione answered and the boy looked very disappointed. Hermione felt sorry for him. "I can help you search if you want," she offered.
The boy smiled gratefully. "That would be very nice of you, thanks. I'm Neville Longbottom."
"I'm Hermione Granger. It's my first year at Hogwarts. I'm so excited. No one in my family is a witch or wizard," Hermione explained.
"I'm a first year, too, but everybody in my family is magical. They are all very great witches and wizards and my grandmother has high expectations on me. I don't think I'll be good. I thought I was a Squib when I was younger," Neville said worriedly.
"I'm sure you'll learn everything you need to know. You wouldn't have gotten a letter if you weren't meant to be at Hogwarts. I can help you learn if you'd like. Of course I don't know how good I will be either, but I've learned all our school books by heart and I just tried some simple spells and they worked," Hermione told him excitedly.
"You learned all the school books by heart?! Wow!" Neville sounded impressed, but a little intimidated.
"I like to be well prepared for everything," Hermione explained, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to learn every text book by heart before the school year had even begun. "Come on, let's ask around if anyone has seen Trevor. When did you last see him?"
"I think that was when I brought my luggage in," Neville answered.
"Great, then we should start searching in this compartment and look further after that," Hermione decided.
They had been searching for a while, but still hadn't found Neville's toad when they reached a compartment in which two boys sat. Hermione recognized one of them as the boy she had seen struggling with his trunk and the other one as Percy's youngest brother. The redhead held his wand and pointed it at his rat.
"Has someone seen a toad? Neville lost his," Hermione asked.
"We've already told him that we didn't see it," said the red-haired boy, but Hermione was only half listening to his words. After having lived in the Muggle world all her live, Hermione was ecstatic about everything magical and she was curious to see the boy perform a spell.
"You're performing magic? Let's see," Hermione asked him and the boy agreed, although he seemed to be a little nervous. The boy said a spell Hermione had never heard of. She doubted it was a real spell, it didn't work anyways.
"Are you sure this is a real spell?" Hermione asked. "It isn't very good, anyway. I tried a few simple spells, just to practice, and they always worked. No one in my family is magical, it was such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was so happy, I have heard it is the best school for wizardry. Of course I have learned all our school books by heart, I just hope that is enough. I'm Hermione Granger by the way and who are you?"
The boys looked at each other and then gave her a surprised look. Have I said anything strange? Hermione wondered briefly.
"I'm Ron Weasley," the red-haired boy said.
"Harry Potter," the other boy introduced himself and Hermione looked at him with interest. She had read that this boy was the only person who had ever survived a killing curse.
"Really?" Hermione asked. "I know everything about you of course; I've read a few more books, as background reading, and you are mentioned in History of modern magic, Rise and fall of the dark arts and in the Big Chronicle of 20th century magic."
"Unbelievable," Harry said, looking seriously surprised. Hermione couldn't believe that Harry Potter, who was some kind of a celebrity in the Wizarding world, hadn't known that he was mentioned in books.
"Do you know in which house you'll get sorted by the way? I asked around and I hope I'll be in Gryffindor, you only hear the best about that house. Dumbledore was there, but I think Ravenclaw wouldn't be bad either," Hermione said, before saying good bye and telling the boys that they should get changed soon.
While she and Neville continued their search for Neville's toad, Hermione thought about Harry Potter. He wasn't like she had imagined him at all. She had thought he would be a proud and confident boy, maybe even arrogant. Instead he seemed to be a shy boy; he hadn't said a word aside from his name. Hermione had noticed the worn and too big clothes Harry wore, too. She wondered where he had grown up; it was never mentioned in any of the books about him. Why had he been all alone? And why didn't he know that books had been written about him?
Hermione and Neville still hadn't found Trevor and Neville had to leave to get changed. Hermione had asked the driver how long it would take until they arrived and he had told her that they would be there soon. She was just trying to get back to her compartment - what wasn't easy because students were running up and down the halls constantly - when she heard a scream from Harry's and Ron's compartment. When she had reached the compartment she saw three boys leave, one of them was blonde and pale, the other two were very burly. Hermione entered the compartment and saw sweets scattered on the floor. Ron was examining his rat and Harry looked angry.
"What happened in here?" Hermione asked, but neither Ron nor Harry answered her question. Harry told Ron about his first meeting with one of the boys who had just left their compartment - his name was apparently Malfoy - and Ron told him that Malfoy's family had been supporters of Lord Voldemort.
"Can we help you?" Ron eventually asked in a tone that didn't sound helpful at all.
"I suggest you hurry up a little and put your robes on. I've just talked to the driver and he said we will arrive soon. You didn't get into a fight, did you? You're going to get into trouble before we've even arrive," Hermione warned Ron and Harry.
"My rat Scrabbers got into a fight, not we," Ron said, looking angry at Hermione. "Would you please leave, so we can get changed?" he added impatiently.
"All right. I just came in because the people out there are acting completely childish and are running up and down the halls constantly. By the way, you have dirt on your nose, do you know that?" Hermione asked in a tone that was as unfriendly as Ron's had been. He is such a git. Hermione thought. After all she had just wanted to keep him and Harry out of trouble.
When the train had reached its destination, a huge man was waiting at the platform, calling for the first years to follow him. When they had walked for a few minutes Hermione saw Hogwarts for the first time. She had seen pictures of the castle, but they didn't do the beautiful and majestic building justice. Hermione stepped into one of the boats which brought the first years to Hogwarts together with Harry, Ron and Neville.
"Everybody in?" the huge man asked. "Okay then - Ahead!" he called and the boats started moving on their own.
When the boats had crossed the lake the boats floated through a curtain of ivy which had suddenly appeared. They made their way through a dark tunnel which ended in an underground harbour.
When the children alighted the boats the giant man called: "Hey you, is this your toad?" and handed the toad to a very happy Neville.
The tall man lead the first years to a meadow in front of the castle and the children gathered at the entrance gate. The man knocked three times and the door opened immediately.
The group was awaited by a tall witch with black hair and an emerald robe.
"The first years, Professor McGonagall," the man said.
"Thank you, Hagrid," the witch answered. "I'll take them from here."
The witch directed her attention to the children who were waiting nervously. "Welcome to Hogwarts. The traditional banquet at the beginning of the school year will start soon, but before you take a seat in the Great Hall, we will find out in which houses you belong. That is a very important ceremony, because your house will be your family in Hogwarts. You have classes together, you sleep in your houses' dormitory and you spend your spare time in the common room. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has created great witches and wizards. During your time at Hogwarts you can gain points for your house with great achievements, but your house will lose points of you break the rules. At the end of the year, the house which has most points will win the house cup. I hope that every one of you will be an enrichment to your house."
Hermione nodded eagerly. She wanted to be enrichment to her house and gain many points with her achievements.
"The banquet will start in a few minutes. I suggest that you use the time to make yourself presentable." McGonagall said and looked at Ron's dirty nose.
I told him that he has dirt on his nose, Hermione thought indignant. He really should have washed on the train. It was a very important day in their lives and Hermione couldn't understand how this boy could be so careless with his appearance on such a day.
Professor McGonagall asked the students to wait for a few minutes and then entered the Great Hall to prepare everything for the sorting ceremony.
"How do they find out in which house we belong?" Harry asked Ron. He sounded quite nervous.
"I think it's some kind of test. My brother Fred says it hurts a lot, but I think that was just a joke," Ron answered.
Hermione rolled her eyes. Didn't these boys know anything? Everybody who had read Hogwarts - a history knew that the children where sorted into the houses by a speaking hat which was charmed and had the knowledge of the four school founders. Hermione wanted to share her knowledge with her new school mates, but was interrupted by the arrival of several ghosts who were on their way to the Great Hall to watch the sorting ceremony. Many first years screamed hysterically when they saw the ghosts and Hermione sighed. Hadn't they known about the ghosts either? How could anybody be so poorly prepared for their first day at a new school?
After a few minutes Professor McGonagall returned and asked the students to form a line and follow her. A moment later Hermione entered the Great Hall of Hogwarts for the first time. She had read about it, but the reality was overwhelming nevertheless. The ceiling was charmed to look like the sky outside, which was dark but lit by countless stars at the moment. Hundreds of candles which were floating above their heads illuminated the room and made the atmosphere even more magical and mystical.
Professor McGonagall brought a chair and placed a worn and very old hat on it. The sorting hat. After a moment the hat began to shake and a cut which looked like a mouth appeared. Then the hat begun to sing.
Oh you may not think me 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 students applauded when the hat had finished its song and Professor McGonagall waited until the Great Hall had calmed down again. "When I call your name you will put the hat on and sit down on the chair, so you can get sorted," the Professor explained.
Hermione waited nervously until her name was called and nearly ran to the chair when it was her turn. Hermione eagerly put the hat on and a moment later she heard a voice in her ear.
"Interesting," the hat said. "You're a rare case, I think all founders would have liked you and that's saying something. You've got a bright head, that's clear. You would fit in Ravenclaw, but your cleverness is not your only quality. I see a deep loyalty and an intense sense for fairness. You can be quite cunning when the situation calls for it, although you don't know that yet. There is a quality that outshines all these traits though. You are very courageous. You will always stand up and fight for your friends and everybody who can't stand up for themselves. My decision is final: You belong in GRYFFINDOR!"
The hat had said the last word out loud and Hermione beamed when she heard applause from the Gryffindor's, who would become her housemates and hopefully her friends.
Hermione watched the rest of the sorting ceremony from the Gryffindor table. She was happy that Neville, the boy who had lost his toad, was sorted into Gryffindor, too, but sighed when Ron Weasley became a Gryffindor. She couldn't stand the guy. She didn't know if she should be happy that Harry Potter was sorted into Gryffindor. He seemed to be a nice guy, maybe a little shy, but he was friends with Ron and that probably meant that she wouldn't get along with him in the long run.
It took a long time before Hermione was able to fall asleep this evening. There were so many new impressions she had to handle: The amazing and unbelievable big castle in which she would probably get lost, all the new people she had met, being separated from her parents for the first time, the worry if she would be good at school: All these thoughts occupied Hermione's head on the first night in a strange bed that would be hers for the next seven years.