You know how it goes, it is a bloody cliché but its true, and you really do fall in love with your best friend. How do I know? Well it happened to me, I can't even remember when my feelings changed, for all I know they've always been there. And one thing I now know is that love hurts, big time, especially when you fall as hard as I did, another cliché! What is it with me and clichés, my whole life is probably a huge cliché! So you want to know my story?

Believe me it's not really that interesting, ha who am I kidding, it was the most exciting thing in my life at the time. I mean who doesn't dream of there being another world out there, a world full of magic. I did all the time when I was a little girl. I guess you could say I wasn't the most popular girl in the class, but I wasn't hated either. Just ignored. Children are so pleasant aren't they? Anyway, I always had this fantasy that one day I would discover this whole new world, where magic really existed and that witches and wizards roamed the streets, so imagine my surprise when one day I received this letter by Owl inviting me to join Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I really thought I was going crazy but it was all real. My dream had come true.

I knew that I wouldn't be the popular girl or have a lot of friends, which was true up until Halloween of my first year. Who would ever think that I'd owe my entire life to a mountain troll? Well not literally, but if it wasn't for that damn troll, I wouldn't ever have been best friends with Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. Yes, you've guessed it, I'm Hermione Granger. The smart one of the trio, or so they say. Really, I think I'm rather stupid, not because of lessons, I'll be the first to admit that I'm clever and enjoy studying, I always have. No, I'm stupid because I fell in love. Stupid, Stupid Love. Slap, Bang in the middle of a war. Perfect timing.

I was always the level-headed one, the Voice of Reason, as Harry liked to put it. I had a sensible head on my shoulders but I had a rebellious side. Yes, unbelievable I know, but I'm sure you've heard all about our escapades at Hogwarts. From playing life size wizards chess to flying halfway across the country to save a so-called criminal.

After that it gets complicated. After that I started to notice little things about him that I'd never noticed before. We'd always been so close, here's where I cross my fingers and say 'We're like that', at least that's what Muggles do. So I thought maybe just maybe I stood half a chance, but no, enter Little Miss Perfect. Sure that's usually my nickname but not in this case, not this time.

Who had always been there? Who has always believed? Who always had his best interests at heart? Me! Me, me, me! But did I ever get any sort of thanks or anything similar in return? No! and then she swanned in, thinking she's perfect and he kisses HER.

My mind started screaming bloody murder, how - how could this have happened? It wasn't supposed to be like this. She didn't deserve him, she couldn't deserve him. I didn't WANT to hate her but when she was standing there acting like the cat that got the cream, it didn't help matters. As all this took place her eyes shouted at me I WON. She won, I lost. Simple as.

I cried myself to sleep that night, something I'd never done before. Sobbed into my pillow like some lovesick teenage girl, which I regret to say I was. I didn't speak to him for a week, I didn't look at him. I couldn't stomach the thought of them together. I, at least, had one person on my side.

One person who was looking out for me, who'd been there to help me, who'd always listened, who'd said thank you. And I started to realise maybe I was wrong for once. Maybe the way I thought life was supposed to go, was the wrong way. Maybe it wasn't him I was supposed to be with.

After a few weeks I found I didn't care so much about them being together as I had. Okay, so putting it like that makes me seem a little fickle. I'm not, honestly. I'd started to question my feelings, were they real? Were there ever any non-platonic feelings there in the first place? Or was it just my way of finding an easy way out?

Then they broke up, and he started taking an interest in ME! A couple months earlier and I would have jumped for joy, but at that moment I didn't want his attention. I wanted someone else's attention, and I was getting it. I always had, I just hadn't noticed it before.

The final battle came and it was over. Gone in a flash of green light. But that's when the next chapter started. That's when the reality of facing up to everything that had occurred kicked in. Death. Life. There were many fatalities that day, luckily for me I wasn't one of them, nor where any of my closest friends.

It was on that day that the one I'd pined for, for so many months, admitted he had feelings for me, that he wanted to be with me, that he loved me. But by then I didn't have feelings for him, I didn't want him, I didn't love him. I loved someone else. I told him as much, but he laughed, saying I'd realise it was him I wanted but by then it'd be too late.

I didn't miss the flash of hurt pass over his face as a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around my waist and pulled me into a passionate kiss, right there in front of everyone. Nobody knew we were a couple, we'd kept it secret, not wanting word to get around, not wanting him to find out.

"I'm not sorry' I whispered as I rested my head on his chest. The two men looked at each other, another friendship seemingly falling apart at the seams. I wasn't sorry for falling in love, maybe it wasn't with who I expected it to be, but I wasn't about to apologise for it. The heart wants what it wants, right?

I'm sitting here, barely a year later, looking down at my 3 month old daughter who's sleeping so soundly. One of the realities I'd had to face in the aftermath of the war, a good one. I smile as I see the familiar face of my fiancé sitting next to me, also gazing down at our baby.

So maybe life doesn't always turn out exactly the way you thought it would, but don't be afraid to embrace the unknown. Step out of that comfort zone, choose between what is right and what is easy. I started taking the easy way out, if I had I'd be months away from becoming Mrs Ronald Weasley.

Luckily for me I came to my senses and chose what was right, so now I'm sitting here watching my fiancé bounce our daughter lightly in his arms, and my grin grows wider as I think of the impending wedding - the day I will become Mrs Harry Potter.