Author's Note: So, this is my first fanfiction of all time. Don't forget to leave some reviews and do mention if you are eager to read the next chapter.
CHAPTER 1: HIDDEN INSECURITIES
Hermione sighed unhappily as she saw her roommates gushing on about their dates for the Yule Ball. Parvati was going with Michael Corner, Padma had been asked by a Hufflepuff student and even Ginny, little Ginny, was going to the Yule Ball with Hermione's classmate Dean Thomas. Hermione knew she was nothing special. Her curly brown hair was bushy and unkempt and her face was dotted with freckles. Even though she put up an act that she was happy just the way she was, Hermione was really always insecure about herself.
Sighing yet again, she gathered up her books and climbed down the stairs to make her way to her special place in the Gryffindor common room. As she reached the bottom, she saw that her place had yet again been captured by her two best friends, Harry and Ron. "Not once did they consider me to go with them to the Ball. Maybe I am that undesirable." Hermione changed her mind and decided to go to the library instead. As she passed the two boys, Harry called out, "Hey Mione, why don't you come sit with us ?" Hermione briefly stalled, looked him in the eye and in a fit of anger snapped at him, "No thanks, I have my homework which is not going to be completed when I am surrounded with the likes of both of you." Saying this, she promptly rushed out of the common room.
Upon reaching the library, the girl headed over to the far end of the library where no one would see her and plopped down on the wooden chair. She had learnt far earlier to mask her feelings, especially grief and hurt after the fateful incident that had occurred the previous year during the hols. Still in anger, Hermione furiously started scribbling her Arithmancy notes onto her book. Hurt or not, she was determined to stay ahead in her class. After about an hour and a half, she finally finished and leant against the chair for a break and let her thoughts wander away. "I really should not have snapped at Harry." she thought, "After all, he did nothing wrong. I can't really ask him to come with me to the ball and I certainly cannot share my personal problems with any of those two. Moreover, there are better girls for him than me. I really should go over and apologise. Maybe I can make it up to them by helping them….."A brief shout disturbed her and she jerked up attentively. "Hermione, where are you ?" "That's Harry" Hermione thought out aloud. She gathered up her books and rushed toward the sound. Just as she was turning around the corner, Hermione bumped into Ron headlong and fell back. "Harry, she's here."Ron bellowed out and pulled Hermione up. Harry came a second later and started yelling at the overwhelmed witch, "You have been gone for 5 hours, do you know that? We have been looking all hell for you and we were even half thinking that we should inform the teachers. What is bloody wrong with you?" Hermione started,"I guess I lost track of time. I was studying in the library and for heaven's sake, this is a library, so could you please keep your voice down? Why are you freaking…""Are you kidding us right now? We looked for you in the library twice, plus you can't be gone for that long." Ron bellowed out. "Fine, I am sorry. I just needed to complete my homework. Calm down, both of you." Hermione said indignantly. "Anyway, Hermione are you okay?" Harry started. "Yeah, why won't I be." she hurriedly replied, "So, I am really tired. I am going to bed" Saying this, she bolted out of the library for the second time that day. Harry looked at her retreating back and remarked, "She's been like this every time we ask her how she is or what's going on. It's been like this from the beginning of this year." "Something's wrong." Ron said, "We need to find out what."