She was ten when the children went on a school trip to the zoo, where Hermione met two boys who was a year older than her.

Hermione was just looking into the lion's den when the two boys appeared at her side.

"Do you think they like being inside a cage?" a boy with glasses suddenly asked her as he stood on her left side.

"I don't think so…" was Hermione's uncertain response, surprised to be talking to a strange boy she didn't know.

"I think they need to be set free," said the other boy standing to Hermione's right. "They look sad inside there."

Hermione glanced at the other boy who had spoken. He was plump around the middle but he had a kind face as he looked at Hermione with his dark brown eyes.

"Oh, we forget to introduce ourselves Harry." The boy said, exchanging a glance with the other boy.

"My name is Neville." The plump boy said to her, extending his hand for Hermione to shake.

Hermione eyed his hand warily for a moment before deciding to shake it.

"Hermione Granger," she told him.

"It is nice to meet you, Hermione." The boy said warmly as he shook her hand.

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Harry Potter watched the girl in front of him. He knew who she was, and his father had warned him not to give his complete name to her. Neville was told the same thing by his own father.

Harry didn't know the reason behind the secrecy but he trusted his father. So he would do what his father said.

After hearing Neville introduced himself, Harry then extended his hand and said to the girl, "My name is Harry."

"Hello Harry. My name is Hermione." The girl said to him, reaching out to shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Hermione." He said to her cordially. "Are you by any chance alone?"

"No, I am not." She replied.

The girl was still gazing at them rather suspiciously. Harry wondered what made the girl so untrusting of others.

"I may appear alone at the moment, but I came here with the rest of the children from the Orphanage," the girl informed them. "Since I don't want to be in a group tour, I've decided to explore the zoo by myself so that's why I'm alone."

"Oh, I see." Harry responded, meeting the girl's brown eyes. "So you are in a school trip then?"

"Yes, I am." She said to him, "But how about you two? Are you in a school trip as well?"

"No, we aren't," Neville said, "Our fathers brought us here. It's a family trip."

"Where are your parents then?" the girl inquired curiously.

"They are probably somewhere around here." Harry replied with a shrug.

"Won't they be worried that you two left their watchful eyes?"

"No, they won't," Neville assured Hermione. "They won't be worried since they know we are headed."

"Do you want to join us?" Harry asked hurriedly, changing the subject "We know this zoo better than anyone. We've been here countless of times that we know the place like the back of our hand."

"Yes, you should totally come with us," Neville said, trying to sound convincing, "We could show you the most interesting animals here."

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Hermione looked from one boy to the other, uncertain whether to go with them or not. However, after a while of contemplation, she finally decided to go with them.

The two boys seemed so happy when she agreed.

Afterward, they began to explore the zoo. Harry and Neville showed and pointed out the animals to her while Hermione simply followed after the excited duo.

They talked about the animals that they saw and anything in particular that draw their interest. They also talked about school stuff and then their hobbies. Soon, Hermione was even beginning to wonder if she had made friends.

The two boys seemed friendly enough towards her.

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Harry and Neville steered their new friend clear away from the glasses containing the snakes. Their parents had warned them about Hermione speaking Parceltongue so they made certain that they avoided the snake pit where anything could happen.

Still, the boys enjoyed themselves around Hermione and talked about keeping in touch with her afterwards.

Sure enough, they were able to reach an accord and exchanged mailing addresses where they could send letters via the muggle way in the following days.

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Hermione noticed the man with messy black hair who was staring at her rather coldly as she bid her good byes to her new friends.

"Don't forget to send me a letter, Hermione." Harry was saying to her while Hermione tried her best not to frown at the man, who must be Harry's father.

"I won't forget Harry. I promise." She told him as she shifted her attention back towards the bespectacled boy.

"I'll be expecting a letter as well, Hermione." Neville said, smiling genially at her.

"Don't worry, Neville. I will write to you as soon as I can," was Hermione's reply.

Thereafter, the boys left together with their fathers and Hermione went back to the Orphanage with a happy feeling that she made new friends.

That night, she told her rabbit friend about the two boys she met that day.

Meanwhile, Alice Longbottom, who had disguised herself as a rabbit, listened to the girl talked about her son and Harry Potter, and she couldn't help but feel fondness for the girl who was happy to have new friends.

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Harry, Neville and Hermione exchange letters throughout the entire months afterward.

And it was through a letter that Hermione found out that Neville loved the subject Herbology.

Trying to understand what drew Neville's interest to the subject, she went to the library looking for books about Herbs.

Mr. Lupin, the librarian, easily lent her the book.

"Thank you, Mr. Lupin," she told him as he handed the book to her.

"You are welcome, Hermione." The man said to her, giving her a kind smile.

Hermione regarded the mysterious man for a moment and she always wondered where Mr. Lupin had gotten those scars on his face.

"Is there anything else your need, Hermione?" Mr. Lupin asked curiously, probably noticing her stare.

"Oh, nothing Mr. Lupin." She said hurriedly, "I was just leaving."

"Alright then, Hermione. Enjoy your day." He said to her.

"You too, Mr. Lupin. You have a great day." She responded before leaving.

Mr. Lupin was always very kind to her. He was always lending her books, which she often never returned, since Hermione was still hoarding the things she had taken from the library and from other children.

Nonetheless, after she looked at her secret hoard, she was contemplating about returning them. However, there was that other part inside her that was always whispering insidious things to her, to keep the books and other objects with her as a trophy.

Hence, she didn't return the things she had taken from the other children, which was mostly children's books.

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Hermione had anticipated to be invited to celebrate Christmas or even New Year with her new friends.

However, what she didn't know was that Dumbledore had advised both the Potters and Longbottoms not to do so.

Thus, Hermione celebrated Christmas at the Orphanage alongside the other children while she receive gifts from her friends and more packages from unknown people during Christmas.

And so that year, Hermione Granger became depressed at the fact that she hadn't even seen her friends at all since the zoo, and wondered the reason behind it.

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