She Wasn't
Harry/Hermione Oneshot
by Cursive Obsession

Words: 797 (within story only)

A/N: So here is another story by me. I know I had a little thing with what he wants he doesn't get, but oh well. I can't keep a commitment. Life is just too busy. But here's a little 'response' to all those gorgeous perfect Hermione's I see a lot. I love the stories where she isn't. So here it is:

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter – if I did I would have switched a few relationships around, and I would be filthy stinking rich.

She wasn't the prettiest girl in the world. Or even the prettiest in Hogwarts. She was average looking, with her slightly off smile, her bushy, usually uncontrollable, dead brown locks. It wasn't that she was ugly; she just couldn't really be labeled as gorgeous. She wasn't especially tall, but nor was she short. She came up to just above his shoulder, but when she was angry it was like she was a foot taller. She wasn't fat, but she wasn't thin either. She was in the middle. Healthy. She had a few freckles here and there, and she rarely got a tan. She was completely ordinary.

What she lacked in looks she made up for with intelligence. She was the smartest witch in school, he was sure of it. She was obsessive over her grades – to the point of him wanting to shove her in the library and just lock her there to spare his ears the constant class chatter. She annoyed everyone to no end with way too early revisions, her annoying 'reminders' to study and do homework, and she was the textbook definition of a know-it-all. She would spend hours segregated from everyone just to perfect one detail of her homework, and turn down offers of everything from food to fun if she felt her studies needed attention. Everyone knew she would pass anyway, whether she studied or not, and soon a game was created called 'Distract Hermione'. After the first two weeks, she had started giving out punishments, which the students managed to dance around, which frustrated her to no end. And her frustration turned into anger, and she was not nice when she was angry. She tended to yell very loudly, causing a scene, and no one really wanted to push her buttons because they feared her unmatched knowledge of jinxes and hexes. The game abruptly stopped after two and a half weeks.

She was in Gryffindor, though many thought she belonged in Ravenclaw. A lot of girls didn't like her – she was too smart, and too close with 'The Harry Potter,' as they sometimes called him. They found her annoying, and jealousy got the better of them – they always asked each other why someone so plain like her could hang out with someone like him. Of course the rumors had spread because of the envy, and some people disliked her just from the rumors of her using boys, sleeping with teachers to get grades, and a collection of other horrible, untrue things. Rita Skeeter's articles hadn't helped her case any either. But she always handled it well. She never blew up, for some reason. She would just smile infuriatingly, and walk away, or return to her book. He knew it still hurt her, but she never showed her emotions to her tormentors.

She was the one he went to for advice. She was always honest, and gave him good advice, whether that was the outcome she wanted or not. She was always fair, and always listened. She also thought she was right every time and all the time. If he didn't follow her instructions to a tee – even if they resulted in the way she wanted them to – she grew annoyed with him. She also had a habit of giving people the silent treatment, and was (although rarely) given to take extreme measures in revenge, even though she normally didn't condone any behavior such as that. That made her slightly hypocritical in his eyes.

She had many, many faults – and definitely was not perfect, despite common belief. He could see why so many questioned his friendship with her, and he could see why some of them hated her.

But it was simple, to him at least. She was the most loyal friend he'd ever had. She had proved time and time again that she trusted him – with her life even. She never let him down, she always tried to do the right thing, and she was the damned smartest witch of the century - that had been proven in just the first year. He couldn't help trusting her, and would give his life for hers in a heartbeat. He'd known her since his first time on the Hogwart's Express. He still thought she was a know-it-all, but now the term was used with affection, not in awe or disinterest. He had even disliked her at first. But now…now he had never been gladder to have met her. He could remember so many good times – even within the bad ones. She was always there, beautiful in her own way. Lending him her skills, her ears, her confidence, anything he needed.

She may not be a model or perfection, but he was in love with her. His annoying, know-it-all, bushy haired, obsessive, genius bookworm.