The Mermaid and The Wizard

The House:

After returning to Harry and Ron's compartment with her robes on, everything was silent. She had heard the commotion coming from said compartment and was wondering what was going on when she saw Draco and his goons quickly leave the compartment, passing her.

Ron went back to eating sweets with a sleeping Scabbers on him, while Harry kept his focus on the passing land, so Hermione did what she does best, read a book.

Time seemed to have flown by because they were all startled by an announcement, "The train will be arriving at Hogsmead train station in fifteen minutes. Please have your Hogwarts uniform on and leave all cages and trunks on the train." After the announcement Harry, Ron, and Neville, who had joined them after failing in finding his toad, walked out to the loo and changed into their Hogwarts robes.

...

Soon after returning to their compartment, lights could be seen from the station as the Express started to slow down and came to a halt. Loud noises followed as everyone started to disembark the train, none more excited and scared than the first years.

Hermione followed Harry and Ron when a gruff voice called "Firs' years! Firs' years this way to the boats!" A man that could be taken for a giant was waving for the first years to follow. She heard Harry call him Hagrid before they started towards the lake to the awaiting boats. "Jus' round this bend yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts."

A chorus of "Oooooh" followed Hagrid's statement.

The little path they had taken opened up onto the edge of a lake. On the other side of said lake, perched on top of a hill stood Hogwarts, with its tall towers and lite torches, bridges from all sides connecting to it, and to the far side stood a forest as big as they could see. Hermione only having been able to read about forest would never had thought that something as beautiful was real outside of books.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a small fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.

Hermione got into a boat with a pair of Indian decent twin girls and a strawberry read head that had a little to much makeup for her age in Hermione's opinion. She had a feeling she was not going to like the strawberry head.

As they reach the boathouse, Hermione noticed that Draco was sitting with his friends from his compartment. A loud splash caught her attention and turned to see a long tentacle break the surface of the water and seemed to be waving in the direction of the boats. Smiling, Hermione looked around and when no one was paying attention to the tentacle or herself, she waved at it as it plunged once more into the depths.

It didn't take long after that for the boats to reach the other side of the shore, and into the boat house. Hagrid called out to make sure everyone made it safe and she smiled when the giant of a man gave Neville his toad, Trevor. Once they were all huddled, Hagrid started to make his way up to the castle, the first years following and talking in low voices at the wonder and nervousness. Making it up towards the castle, Hagrid stopped at a set of huge double doors, made sure everyone was present before knocking on them.

The doors opened to reveal a tall, black-haired witch with green robes and stern face that made Hermione stand straighter and know she isn't someone to mess with.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid, I will take it from here."

Nodding, Hagrid turned and walked away, leaving the first years with Professor McGonagall. She turned and led the students into a an empty chamber on the side of the hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in The Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time time in your house common room.