He had loved her for a very long time. Even before he had met her.

He never understood the strange stirring in his heart when he saw her for the first time, only that he was happy to see her. He had never been able to see her sad and the first time she had cried, something inside him cried along with her. Nothing could have stopped Harry that day from reaching Hermione's side when the troll had attacked her.

She had gone searching for him in the train. She had felt a strange restlessness from the moment she had stepped in to the platform. Unable to sit for even a moment, she had offered to help Neville find his toad. But nothing had prepared her for the wave of emotions when she had stepped in his compartment and faced him. In a desperate attempt to control herself she had started babbling nonsense. That's when she noticed his broken glasses. Unable to stop herself she had put it right that moment calling it a demonstration. But she knew that it was too much to hope that he felt the same for her. Well, even she didn't understand what she felt for him, So there was no scope for him to understand her.

Utter terror coarsed through him when he realized Hermione was alone somewhere in the castle with a troll in lose. Cursing himself for not after her earlier, he ran in the direction his gut pulled him. Somewhere in the corner of his mind he could hear her plea for help and he pushed more magic through his legs to let him fly through the corridors and stairs to reach her on time.

Something in her breathed a sigh of relief the moment she saw. Somehow she knew she would be safe if he was around. Together they can beat anything. Quickly she grabbed a pipe and hit the troll's leg to distract it from noticing him. Harry quickly levitated a broken slab of wall towards the troll head and dropped it. The troll crashed.

"You ok?", Harry asked slowly not sure if she will still talk to him after the way he had stuck with the git who made fun of her.

"Yeh, thanks for coming", Hermione replied

"I am sorry for what Ron said and for what's it worth I don't think u are in-sufferable know-it-all", Harry said wincing. Couldn't he say something instead of making her feel bad some more. " What I meant was you are very nice and I wish you were my friend" Harry added wistfully.

"Its ok,...you don't have to do it. I just glad you came to help me. Your friend Ron might not like it." replied Hermione. Though it will be amazing if we can just talk to each other.. may be once a month thought Hermione.

"I want to talk lot more than once a month.. unless you don't wish to" replied a confused Harry.

"I didn't say that once a month thing.. how did u know Harry?" asked Hermione. "I heard you say that. Actually I heard you calling for help too.. er.. sounds freaky right?" Harry was murmuring more to himself. Hermione was frowning, "mm.. no Harry not freaky.. its just.. I have been getting this odd urges to talk to you too..".

"So you want to talk to me"

"Yes Harry I do... but what about Ron?"

"Is there any obscure rule, that there can be only one friend... if that is so, I would rather have you as mine than Ron. I don't think he sticks to his friends." replied Harry

"Really you rather have me than Ron?"

"Really"

"Deal then", Hermione held out her hand. "Deal" replied Harry taking her hand.

And thus began their friendship for life.