Author's Note: I do not own Naruto.

Also, I saw a comment from someone being upset about how badly Hinata was stuttering. I want to let you know that her stuttering will not be as bad throughout most of the story. However, I made it exceptionally bad due to the fact that she already has a stuttering problem, and she was crying. In my experience with people who stutter a lot it gets exponentially worse when they are crying. So, I made her stuttering worse in order to convey that.

'In and out…. In and out…. In and out…' these were the only words running through her mind as she sat there waiting for the written exam to reach her in the back. The graduation exam consisted of three parts. The first was the written exam, which was honestly the only part that she was fairly confident that she could pass. The second would be the taijutsu spars, and finally the ninjutsu portion.

As she sat there waiting for the written test, she reflected back on twenty minutes ago when Naruto had offered her a few words of encouragement before he had to leave in a hurry.

-Flashback-

"Hinata, are you okay? What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Naruto asked with concern evident in his shaky voice.

She looked into his bright blue eyes filled with concern and she immediately began to relax and feel a sense of calmness wash over her. After a moments hesitation she took a deep breath and spoke.

"I-It's the grad-graduation exam. I-I'm not ready." She whispered.

Confusion filled his face as he listened to what she was saying. "What do you mean you aren't ready?" He asked. "I remember you always being one of the stronger and smarter members of our class."

"Well…" She began before hesitating a moment. "I-I-I s-sort of dropped in m-my sc-scores after yo-you l-left. I fe-felt so ba-bad that I-I couldn't fo-focus on m-my studies ve-very well. I dropped to th-the dead l-last af-after you le-left. I ba-barely got good enough gra-grades t-to take th-the ex-exam this y-y-year. I do-don't th-think that I-I can p-pass."

Naruto sighed for a moment while he processed the information. After a moment of thought he decided a few things. First, she had a serious confidence issue and he had to help her fix it in the long run. Second, if what she was saying is true then he will definitely have to be her friend. Third, and final, he would have to make sure to be her sensei when she passed.

"Hinata." He spoke tentatively. "Listen, I know you are feeling bad for what happened last time we met, but don't let it get you down. I know that you are stronger than you think. You are going to be an incredible ninja one day and more importantly an incredible leader for your generation. Everyone will look up to you one day, but in order for you to get there a few things need to happen. First, I need you to gather all of the confidence that you can muster and use it. If you don't have enough confidence in yourself then borrow some of mine. Because Hinata Hyuga I believe in you 100%."

Throughout all of this she kept her eyes firmly on Naruto's. She couldn't believe what she was hearing

'Naruto-kun believes in me? But why? Why would he believe in me when he hardly knows me? I don't understand. Is he just trying to make me feel better so that he can leave without a guilty conscious?' She searched his eyes to see if her thoughts were true, but all she was complete and utter faith in her abilities. 'If he believes in me, then I can believe in myself.' She thought as she drew upon his strength.

"Second, I need you to pass this exam. Not for me, or for your family, but for yourself." He said. "If you can do those two things then I promise you that I will get you where you need to be as a ninja and a future leader of this village. Do you believe me?"

Without hesitation and with the most confidence she had displayed in years she almost shouted, "Yes!"

"Good, then remember this I never go back on my word, I will help you to be strong. That is my nindo, my ninja way, believe it!" He proclaimed as he stood.

"I have to go, but we will see each other again soon. Do your best." Then with the biggest Naruto like grin that she had ever seen before he disappeared right at the moment that the doors opened, and more students started to trickle in.

She smiled silently to herself thinking that this day could only get better with her light back in her life.

-End of Flashback-

Finally, the written exam had reached her, and they were informed that they could begin.

Several hours later Hinata walked out of the academy building with the Leaf Village headband adorned around her neck. The exam had been tough. She had scored a little above average in her written test, then she had barely scraped by in the taijutsu spar getting a score that was second to last, and finally she had somehow managed to produce the three ninjutsus required to pass the final portion (substitution, three clones, and a henge).

She smiled as she walked out of the building hoping more than anything that her father, sister, and Naruto would be there to congratulate her. However, she quickly realized that was not the case. Not a single person was there to celebrate with her.

'Of course, no one would come. She thought bitterly. 'My father and sister would never come to celebrate the dead last. In the Hyuga family if you aren't first then you are definitely last. And Naruto-kun was just being nice to me early.'

After a moment she realized what she had just said to herself and began to reprimand herself immediately. 'Naruto-Kun is not like that. He is the kindest and most sincere person I ever met. I know he is going to help me. After all he promised. I'll definitely see him again. He just didn't come because of how busy he probably is.'

Little did she know that this was exactly the case. On the other side of town within the Hokage tower Naruto along with the other new Jounin Sensei were discussing who would be getting who. The fact of the matter was that they had two too many new genin. So, the numbers were abnormal. Everyone had expected this to not be the case since nobody expected Hinata Hyuga or Neo Fu to pass. However, by some miracle they both had passed.

"I want Hinata Hyuga on my team." Naruto spoke in a confident tone.

"Why?" Asked the Hokage. "You already have a perfect team lined up with Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino."

"Well, to be honest there are multiple reasons why. First, she is the only person from my class who never looked down on me. She may have never been exceptionally nice to me either, but due to a conversation I had with her earlier today I realized that it was because of how shy and unconfident she really is. It never had anything to do with her hating me for no reason."

"You spoke with her?" The Hokage asked.

"Yes, I went to the school to speak with Iruka-Sensei but ran into her instead. Also, the second reason I want to train her was that I kind of promised her that I would make sure she becomes strong, and you know me. I never go back on my word."

"I see." Replied the Hokage as he thought for a brief moment. "Are there any other reasons?"

"Actually, there is one more." He said as he scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. "I was hoping that since there is an odd number this year that maybe I could just have two genin instead of three. This will allow me to gain more experience in training and make it easier to gain the trust of just two of my peers instead of three. What do you say? Could I just have Hinata and one other?"

'The boy makes a good point, and this would fix the current problem.' He thought. After several moments he spoke again. "What do the rest of you think? Are there any objections, and if not, who would be the other Jounin that I bring into train?"

After several moments of no objections Naruto decided to speak up again. "Well, actually I have a few thoughts about who could be the other Jounin Sensei, and who could be my other genin as well."

The Hokage sighed before turning his attention back to the twelve-year-old blonde. "Alright Naruto. Let's hear what you are thinking."

Throughout the course of their conversation Hinata had slowly made her way to the Hyuga compound in order to tell her father about her graduation. The whole time she couldn't stop thinking about a certain blonde-haired boy who was her light and confidence. She knew he would be there to help her in the future no matter what. She just did not know exactly how much help he would really be giving her.