Right Person, Wrong Time

First Year - The Beginning

A/N: just want to say that I don't ship dramione, I just thought it would be a fun relationship dynamic to write ✌️

Timeline: first arrival at Hogwarts, sorting, going to the dorms
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Hermione Granger was a muggleborn witch entering a completely new world. She was petrified, but determined to be brave, just like the story book characters she had read about. As each name was called out from the sorting hat, the line of first-years moved up one step. Hermione felt her legs shaking, jaw trembling and sweat rolling down her forehead. A boy next to her nudged her and asked quietly "you, are you ok?" She gave him a smile and nodded, too nervous to speak. She never had been good at making conversation, or friends for that matter.
"What's your name?" The small boy inquired.
"Uh...Hermione. Hermione Granger" she murmured, making sure she was quiet enough not to jntrrrupt the sorting hat.
"Well mines Malloy, Draco Malfoy" he stated rather proudly. Hermione took in his appearance for the first time, noticing his gelled back, platnium blonde hair. Silently, she wondered if he had died it.
"Draco? That's a rather strange name" she said after a few minutes of silence. Draco looked at her, slightly offended.
"Well, it means dragon in-" he started to say, his chest puffed out.
"Latin, yes I know" she finished.
"I'm just surprised you have never heard my name, after all, my family is notorious" he whispered back to her.
"I am new to the wizarding world, of course I don't know who you are!" She exclaimed exasperatly. Everyone seemed to think she would just recognise them without even meeting them.
He stood there, mouth agape. Hermione noticed that he had paled even more, if that was even possible. "What's wrong?" She asked, concerned.
"You are a MUDBLOOD! Father warned me against your type. Filthy and dirty" he whisper-shouted.
Hermione stood there silently, shocked. Maybe he wouldn't be a good friend after all. Just as she started to move away from this hateful boy, the sorting hat shouted "Granger, Hermione!"
Her heart skipped a beat. Slowly, she walked forward, her palms clammy and her eyes going on and out of focus.
Hermione felt the hat jammed onto her head. "Ah, Ms Granger. I sense power in you, an ambition like fire. Slytherin would help you fuel that fire, would make you great and powerful. Yet, I sense some ravenclaw and Gryffindor in you. No no, too close minded for Ravenclaw!"
"HEY, I am not close minded" she thought angrily.
The hat chuckled. "Of course Ms. Now, Gryffindor. There is a fine fit. I see you being brave and courageous, like the heroines you read about in your books. Tell me, power or courage? Answer quick "
Hermione thought for a second, before saying what would ultimately decide her fate. "Courage".
She would later think back to this decision and wonder what her life would be like if she had chosen power instead, but it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live after all.
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Hermione Granger sat down at the Gryffindor table, the cheers and whoops settling down. "I'm Forge" said one tall, ginger boy.
"And I'm Gred" said an identical one.
"Oh hi, I'm Hermione Granger" she replied politely, thinking to herself that these boys seemed like pranksters and she should stay away from them. "This is our brother Percy" one said.
"We think he's adopted" the other continued.
Percy frowned. "As prefect, it is well within my right to give you two detention-"
Gred and Forge rolled their eyes simultaneously before turning away from Percy and talking to another boy who she heard them call Lee.
Silently, she wondered what a prefect was. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Percy was not talking to anyone, and so she decided to be muster her Gryffindor courage and ask him was a prefect was."Percy, can I ask you a question?" She asked timidly.
"Of course Hermione" he replied with a smile.
"What's a prefect?"
"Well, a prefect is like...someone who is in charge of keeping other students in line, being a role model and in a way, being a leader " he explained.
Her eyes widened, and it was at that moment she knew she wanted to be a prefect. She had always seen the student leaders at her house school and wanted to be like them, and this was her chance. She opened her mouth to continue asking Percy questions, when "Draco Malfoy" was called out.
Hermione turned her head to the stage and saw the boy with platinum blonde hair walking up to the hat. It barely touched his head before yelling out "SLYTHERIN".
She thought she saw a flicker of emotion go through his face. He looked proud and egotistical, yet there was a little bit of...sadness? She silently wondered why and vowed to find out later.
The young girl turned her mind off the blonde boy and started talking to the people around her. She learnt so much! She got to know Percy Weasley, who appeared to parallel her in many ways, Fred and George - Percy's younger twin brothers - who were known as the generations best pranksters, Oliver Wood, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Lavander Brown, Parvati Patil, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. All of them were so different, some coming from wizard families and others who were just like her, muggle born.

After a fulfilling dinner, Percy and another prefect named Katie Bell led the first years up to the Gryffindor Tower.
"GibblySquid"
The portrait opened to reveal a beautifully furnish room with several staircases leading off. Couches and bean bags were scattered all over, with small tables in one corner and a cozy fireplace area in another. Red and gold adorned the room, making it a slightly dizzying sight, yet a stunning one. Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat; it was so much better than she could have ever imagined. Students lounged around, chatting with friends and playing some strangely loud card game. Could it be snap? Maybe go fish or uno she pondered.
"Boys, please come with me to your dorm over here. Girls, please make your way over to Katie and she will lead you to your dorm. If you wish to make any arrangements regarding which dorm you are placed in, please see either of us and we will schedule something with Professor McGonagall" Percy rattled on. With that, the first years split up.
The boys, including Harry, Neville, Dean, Seamus and Ronald went to the right side and up a fairly short winding stair case. Neville smiled at her and gave her a toothy grin. Hermione smiled back and gave a wave; she knew how nervous he would be.
"Everyone, come this way" called Katie Bell, already walking up the left staircase. They all followed suit.

Katie Bell pushed open a wooden door which led to a corridor with 5 rooms. On two of the doors was a piece of paper which had 5 girls names on each. Katie Bell took the paper and read off "Evangeline McDonald, Hermione Granger, Parvati Patil, Lavander Brown and Gracie Thomason room 1". Katie prattled on a few other names before she started to explain.
"Now, boys, or anyone who identifies as male, is not able to go up these stairs, so don't even try anything, not that you would even think about that!" Katie said, appearing slightly nervous. "At the end of the hall is a small library and study area that you can all use. It is full of books specifically for first years as well as a small space that you can bond in. On each side, apart from your rooms, is a bathroom. Both have the same features, but just make sure you keep it tidy and easily accessible" listed Katie.
Hermione was barely listening, she was too excited.
Katie finally let them into the dorm, telling them to get settled and to try to go to bed.

Hermione was first in and pushed open the heavy oak door. Inside was five four-poster beds, each decorated with ruby red sheets and curtains, as well as white silk pillows and sheets. Dark wooden night stands were on the left of every bed, each with a small drawer and candle on each one. Along one wall was five cupboards - they were quite small, but, as Hermione soon found out, had an extension charm on them that allowed the user to have a walk in dress cupboard.
Directly opposite the door was a huge glass window that was overlooking the lake - was that a giant squid? - with red curtains pulled to the side of it. It was truly breathtaking.

The five girls walked over to the beds and at the end of each bed was one of their trunks. Hermione got the bed that was on the right hand side, one away from the giant window. Silently, Hermione picked up her trunk and started unpacking.

On the nightstand, she put a photo of her parents and her at Disney World, smiling and laughing. It was not moving, rather, it was standing still, forever frozen in time. Personally, Hermione preferred it that way as it perfectly captured the exact moment. The brunette girl pick all her clothes up and dumped them in the closet before sorting them all. All the shirts were hung up neatly in a row, as were any skirts and dresses she had. Her spare robes were hung at the front for convienience and any pants that she had were placed neatly in a draw. As for her undies and training bras, she placed them in draws respectively. On a small shelf in the closet, she placed her shoes and opposite that, Hermione placed her tolitry items. She decided that she would put them in the bathroom in the morning as she was too tired at that moment. Hermione dragged her trunk over to the closet and shoved it at the back, her books slightly rattling.
Crap
She had forgotten to get her books out. Oh well, that could wait till the morning. Grabbing her pyjamas and toothbrush, Hermione went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.
The bathroom was fairly compact in respect to the bedroom. It had three white tiled bathroom stalls, 4 toilet stalls and a row of sinks with a mirror over the top.
Underneath the sink was a large cabinet with five baskets in it, each labelled with the girls names.
Hermione changed in a stall before going and brushing her teeth for exactly two minutes. Her parents always made her do that back home.
The girl trudged back to the dorm room, exhausted from the day. Evangeline and Gracie were still unpacking, but seemed to have just put everything on the floor before collapsing on their beds. Parvati and Lavander were chatting quietly in a corner, giggling and murmuring.
Hermione thought about talking to them, but fatigue engulfed her. She slumped into bed and closed the curtains to block out the light. Sleep enveloped her in a dark blanket, taking her off to a land of dreams.