A/N: Not entirely sure where this one came from, but I felt like writing it. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling
You are beautiful, no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down
So don't you bring me down today
~Christina Aguilera, "Beautiful"
It was a beautiful Autumn day, as nearly every student and teacher at Hogwarts would agree. The sky was clear and blue; the leaves on the trees had transformed from boring greens to more vibrant shades of red, yellow, and orange; and it was a Hogsmeade Saturday. What could be more beautiful than that?
Even so, there was one student who remained unhappy. Hermione Granger, seventh year Gryffindor, Head Girl, and noted bookworm, was sitting listlessly in the library, a book propped open and forgotten on her lap, as she stared vacantly out a nearby window. Her fellow students, and many of her superiors, were bustling about the grounds, anxious to escape the confinement of the school and scour the shops in the little wizarding village. On a typical day, Hermione would have been happy to join them in their excitement. But today, she was not feeling herself.
It didn't happen very often, but once in a while, Hermione would be reminded that, compared to the other girls, she wasn't very pretty. She supposed she had a decent figure, and she wasn't terribly short, but the bushy hair and larger-than-normal teeth (though they were quite a bit smaller than they used to be, thanks to a "mistake" made in her fourth year) made her appear mouse-ish and unattractive. Her eyes, a rich, chocolate brown, were the only things one could really call pretty, but they were always hidden by her hair.
That morning at breakfast, she'd been talking with Ginny, who was spouting on and on about her latest beau, some Ravenclaw whose name Hermione couldn't quite remember. Something that started with "J". In any case, while listening to the young redhead babble on (or rather, not listening to what she'd heard a hundred times), Hermione had watched her friend, and realized two things. First, Ginny Weasley was a very beautiful young woman. With her striking red hair, her pale, almost-freckle-less skin, high cheekbones, and voluptuous figure, no wonder she was the most sought-after female in the entire school.
The second realization happened as a very attractive seventh year Hufflepuff walked by their table, and slowed as he saw Ginny. He eyed her appreciatively for a few moments, then spotted Hermione. A grimace marred his handsome face, and he then hurried on his way.
All at once, every memory of every hurtful thing said to her came rushing back, and Hermione realized that, unlike Ginny, she was not beautiful.
That was when she escaped to the library, picking a book off the shelf, and opening it on her lap. She hadn't moved since.
"Hermione?"
She started at the sound of her name, and turned toward the voice to find Harry, her best friend, emerging from within the many shelves of books. His eyes lit up when he saw her, and he rushed over to her. "There you are!" he smiled. "Where on earth have you been? Ron and I were worried sick!" Hermione raised an eyebrow, and he smirked. "Well... I was worried sick. Ron was too busy snogging Luna to notice."
Despite her current mood, Hermione laughed a little. "Naturally," she rolled her eyes, then resumed looking out the window.
"Er... Hermione? Is something wrong?"
She wanted to lie, to say that everything was fine. But she'd never been very good at lying to Harry—just as he'd never been good at lying to her. They were such close friends, their bond so strong, that they just couldn't do it. So, the figurative dam burst, and all the words came tumbling out, as did the tears. By the time she had finished, Harry was sitting beside her, a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"Oh, Hermione," he said quietly. "Just because one prat seemed to think you were unattractive doesn't mean you are."
Sniffling, Hermione looked up at him. "What other explanation is there?"
"That he's an idiot." Harry leaned closer. "And he doesn't see you for how beautiful you truly are."
Hermione felt herself begin to smile. "You think I'm beautiful?"
He smiled back. "I know you're beautiful."
"That's so cheesy," she scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"No, it's true."
She gave him a meaningful look. "Then why are you the only one?"
"Because apparently I'm the only bloke in this school with half a brain." She rolled her eyes again, and he added, more seriously, "And because I know you. And I know you're not the kind of person to let something like this get to you."
Hermione blushed and looked at her hands. "I guess I just... needed someone to remind me that I'm worth anything."
"Well, then, I'm going to remind you every single day, from now on." She lifted an eyebrow as she turned to him again. He grinned. "That's right, Hermione Granger. I solemnly swear, from this day forward, never to let you forget just how beautiful, smart, and absolutely incredible you are. I'll remind you till you're blue in the face!"
She laughed. "You're a nutter!"
"I'm your best friend," he pointed out. "It's my job to make you feel good."
"Thank you, Harry."
He squeezed her briefly. "No problem. So, Hogsmeade?"
She nodded enthusiastically, and they left the library arm in arm. Hermione smiled, feeling much better about herself than she ever had.
A/N: So what do you think? Kind of cheesy, and the ending's not the greatest, but I really wanted to post this. This was inspired in part by the song "Beautiful," and also by a conversation I had with my best friend. I was feeling down on myself, and she told me, like she often does, that I'm an awesome person, and I don't need anybody else's approval to feel good about myself. So, in a rush of "girl power," I wrote this little one-shot. It's not strictly romance, though that is definitely implied. If you're a Heron fan, you can interpret this as just a boy reassuring his girl best friend that she is awesome, in a completely platonic way. If you're a Harmony shipper (like me), feel free to assume that a relationship will come down the road for them. I won't be adding anything more to this story, though. Anyways, horrendously long note aside, please leave a review!