He knew the moment he was head over heels for her.
He watched her, from when he first noticed her on the train running around to save Longbottom's toad. He watched as she was (like him), looked down upon by the Potter-Weasley duo. He watched as she was almost pummeled to death by a troll, he watched as she was petrified, he watched as she worried about Harry. All he did was watch. He watched her, until he first realized that he loved Hermione Granger. In all her glory, she smiled at him, as she clung onto Victor Krum's arm. For once, he wanted to be Krum, but definitely not for the Qudditch fame. That smile held forgiveness and friendliness. It screamed that she didn't care about what he had done to her or said to her. It came from her heart and it hit his heart so badly that it took all the facial muscles in the world just to keep his frown down.
But still, he watched. He sat on the sidelines as she dated Ronald Weasley, and as she sobbed her hearts out when he decided that Lavender would be a better arm candy for the now famous Quidditch player. He watched as she got engaged to that muggle stockbroker, and as her heart broke into a thousand fragments when the pale, tear-streaked face of one of her closest friend Pansy declared that the one Hermione loved had tried to rape her.
He observed, but not necessarily from far, as she climbed the ranks. She began like the others, as healer trainee, swiftly moving onto healer, then assistant healer, head healer, and finally to executive head healer. Now he watched on as she celebrated her 27th birthday, while the entire ward clapped and sang along to the tune of the Muggle song "Happy Birthday".
He had waited a long thirteen years for her, and he always believed thirteen was his lucky number. He would wait no more.
Breaking out of his reminiscing, he saw her turn towards him and smile the smile he always loved. Then, she reached her hand out towards him.