Hey, I can do that too!
Story opens during the first year train ride. Hermione is helping Neville Longbottom find Trevor when they come upon Harry showing off a few of his Metamorph talents to a redheaded idiot. She exclaims that she has that talent too and changes her hair and skin color to prove it. Since they have something to bond over, the two become close friends. They then discover a mutual love of reading and learning. The redhead is disgusted by this and tries his hardest to break them up before getting thrown out of the compartment. The next seven years are markedly different from canon as the two are inseparable. Because they're smarter and less reactionary, the events of each year (stone, snake, convict, etc) are handled differently. The third member of their team is Neville who has his own quiet strengths.