"Her...Hermione?"

The hands that just been caressing his face stopped immediately. All that followed was a choked sob and mumbled 'Thank You.' Slowly, Hermione tilted her head down to look at Harry.

"You're awake," she whispered. The way she she said this made Harry's heart ache. The desperation in her voice made him aware of how serious his injury was.

"So are you?" Harry tried to cut the tension in hopes of helping her relax. It didn't work.

"Why Harry?"

"Why what?" He was genuinely confused by the question Hermione had just asked him.

"Why did you move in front of me?"

He couldn't believe she had actually asked him that. Of all the things, she actually seemed mad that he had protected her.

"Why wouldn't I Hermione? You think that I would watch while you got struck by a curse? Do you really think so little of me that I would do nothing?"

"You could have died," Hermione sobbed out. She was barely holding herself together.

"As I recall, me risking my life is how we became friends in the first place."

Hermione stiffened slightly at that. She never thought about how they became friends, she focused on the fact that they were friends. But now that Harry had brought it up, her mind went back to that fateful Halloween night.

FLASHBACK

'What a jerk,' she thought. 'I was just trying to help him.'

Hermione was alone in the girls bathroom trying to get her emotions under control. She had cried all afternoon after a group of her housemates, led by the brilliant Ronald Weasley, teased her for being smart. It wasn't that she hadn't known this feel; she was teased enough during primary school. However, she thought here she would find acceptance but instead it was the same. No friends, no family, nothing. These people were supposed to be her family, that's what Dumbledore had said during the big feast at the end of the year but now she realised it was all a lie.

Hermione hadn't realised how late it was. Once she became aware that she missed a class due her crying she was too embarrassed to go to any other class knowing that Ronald would be there. He would know how his taunts affected her and wouldn't give him the satisfaction. So she stayed in the bathroom till dinner hoping she could sneak back up to the common room while everyone else was eating.

As she went to leave the stall, she smelt the most foul odor. She wondered if she was the only one in the bathroom. She decided to be as quiet as she could so that she could sneak out without the other girl knowing someone was in there. However, the smell came from something far worse. Because standing right in front of the first year was a fully grown mountain troll. The beast was snarling at her. She couldn't move her feet. She froze up while staring at the behemoth of a monster. She closed her eyes and accepted the fact that she was about to die when something caught her eye. Bursting into the girls bathroom was Harry Potter. The boy saw the club raised high above the trolls head and he did the only thing he could do.

"Duck, you idiot!"

Hearing the command, Hermione dropped down just as the troll swung his club. The stalls were destroyed as Hermione tried crawling away from the beast. However, the troll stayed in front of her blocking her escape. Harry tried his best to draw attention to himself by throwing parts of the broken at the troll's head but nothing seemed to work. He looked over and saw Hermione in the corner cowering in fear. She looked helpless and afraid and it was that image of the frightened girl that drove him to do something completely reckless.

Harry ran full speed at the troll as it was rearing back for another swing. He timed his jump perfectly and was able to grab onto the troll's club. Right before it had the chance crush Hermione, Harry let go and landed on top of the troll's head. He clawed at its eyes and even went so far as to shove his wand up its nose. AS all this was going on, Harry screamed towards Hermione.

"Run! Get out of here now!"

Hermione didn't need to be told twice. She bolted up and made for the door. But right as she was about to leave, the troll had managed to shake Harry off and throw him to the ground. The troll then grabbed Harry by his legs lifted him into the air. The troll roared into Harry's face as he raised his club. Hermione was looking right at Harry when he uttered what he thought would be his final words.

"Hermione, GO!"

But she didn't, couldn't leave him. He risked his life for her and to leave him now would cowardly. She stared at the club that was raised high above the troll head and proceeded to pull out her wand. With all the strength she could muster she cast a spell.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The troll swung down his arm and Harry closed his eyes and braced for impact. Only it never came, it was as much a shock to Harry as it was to the troll. From his position, however, Harry could what happened to the club. It was floating. He looked at the club then over at Hermione. Her eyes were fixed on the club that was a good twenty feet in the air. And then, she let go. The club fell back towards the ground but made a detour by crashing into the head of the troll. Harry was released and he scrambled out of the way before the troll fell to the floor unconscious.

Harry slowly walked over to get his wand from the troll's nose when Professor McGonagall and Professor Quirrell came into the bathroom. McGonagall couldn't even get her words out before stalking over to Harry, whom she saw at dinner, and demanded to know why he didn't return to the dormitory's as instructed. Before he could a word out, Hermione interrupted.

"It's my fault professor."

Both Harry and McGonagall snapped their heads towards the girl. Minerva couldn't believe that this was the girls fault and Harry couldn't believe she was defending him.

"What do you mean Miss Granger?"

This time, however, Harry cut off Hermione.

"Professor, Hermione wasn't at dinner tonight. That means that she didn't hear about the troll. I knew she was in the bathroom so I tried to get to her to let her know. But by the time I got here the troll was already inside. And well..." Harry trailed off. He simply swept his arm across the room to let her know what had followed his entrance into the bathroom.

"While very brave of you Mr. Potter, why didn't inform any teachers or prefects about this?"

"I tried but the only the prefects were all in the very front of the group and I was at the back. I asked Ron to talk to his brother but I guess he didn't get to him in time," Harry said, lying through his teeth. He had asked Ron to come with him but Ron balked at the idea. He seemed to think that she would be fine and that nothing would happen. He held no feeling of responsibility that he had put her (unknowingly) in danger.

"Very well Mr. Potter. As for you Miss Granger, why did you miss dinner and the second half of your classes today?"

Harry tensed. Hermione now had the power to rat on Ron and make sure he got detention for a long time. He hoped that she wouldn't but wouldn't really blame her if she did.

"Well if I can be totally honest with you professor, I was feeling homesick."

Harry snapped his head towards her with a look of shock. 'She wasn't going to tell.'

"I have found it very hard making friends here and today it finally just got to me. If it wasn't for Harry, I would be dead right now." She then looked to Harry and gave him tiny smile. He returned the gesture with a slight nod of his head.

"I understand that this is very difficult change for you and that adjustment takes time. However, in the future if you feel this way, please come and see me. And as for you not having friends, I believe that is just not true. Now you two head up to the tower and no detours on the way."

She ushered the two first years towards the door and would them out of the bathroom and back into the corridor. However, right before they left, Minerva called out to them.

"Mr. Potter?"

"Yes professor?"

"Which one of you actually took down this thing?"

Harry quickly pointed towards Hermione who was trying to stammer out a response.

"25 points to you Miss Granger. Not many first years could have taken on a fully grown mountain troll and lived to tell the tale. And as for you Mr. Potter. I award you 25 points as well. You showed true courage coming after her Harry." With that she went back to helping Quirrell figure out how to get the troll out of the castle.

Harry and Hermione were side by side down the corridor in shock. It wasn't just having survived a troll but the fact that doing so garnered them 50 house points.

"Can you believe it? We just got 50 house points. I can't wait to tell everyone," Harry said. He was excited that they at least got something out of almost dying. He looked towards Hermione who seemed to be deep in thought. "Earth to Hermione, are you okay?"

Hermione looked at Harry with a look of worry in her eyes. She was unsure if she should ask the question she wanted to ask. While a part of her mind told her to just soak up the moment, the inquisitive nature of her mind forced her to ask anyway.

"Why did you come after me Harry?"

Harry stopped in his tracks and looked at the girl with whom he just shared a near-death experience with. He was unsure of how to answer because he didn't understand why the question was being asked.

"What do you mean 'why did I come after' you? What else was I supposed to do? You didn't know about the troll and it would have been wrong of me to not try and warn you."

Hermione was taken aback by his response. However, she charged on with her own thoughts on the matter.

"I didn't mean to offend you Harry. It's just that you didn't seem too concerned about me earlier when Ron was making fun of me," Hermione finished barely above a whisper.

Harry looked at her with brand new eyes. What he her heard her say reminded him of his own days in primary school where he would be bullied but no one would to help him. It had been his own inaction earlier in the day that had led him into that bathroom. He had wanted to redeem himself.

"Look Hermione. I'm sorry I didn't stand up for you earlier today. You're right. It does make me seem..." Harry trailed off trying to think of the right word.

"Hypocritical," Hermione chimed in.

Yeah, that. The truth is Hermione I didn't have a lot of friends before I came here. Actually, I didn't have any friends. My cousin would always scare any potential friends by threatening them. I always wished that someone would stand up and help me but no one ever did. I guess I acted like that today. That's kinda why I wanted to make sure you were okay. Ron may have been the one making fun of you but I did nothing to stop him and that makes me just as responsible. Can you forgive me?"

Hermione looked at him, trying to gauge whether or not he was being sincere. After a couple of seconds, she responded.

"Yes Harry, I forgive you. After all you did just save my life."

"Great. So how about we start all over?"

"What do you mean?"

Harry extended his hand. "Hi, I'm Harry Potter. And who might you be?" Harry said in his most gentlemanly voice.

"Why I am Hermione Granger and I am charmed to meet your acquaintance," Hermione said, giggling at the end.

"Well Miss Granger, may I escort you back to your dormitory? These corridors aren't safe for a lady to be traveling alone at such an hour."

"Why yes you May," Hermione said, wrapping her arms Harry's. They walked back up to the Gryffindor Tower in silence. By the time they got back to their dorms, most people were asleep, so they decided to simply go to sleep. Hermione was on her way up to her dorm when she turned back towards Harry.

"Thanks again Harry."

"Anytime Hermione."

"I'm serious Harry. You could have died."

Harry couldn't pass up the opportunity.

"Or worse: I could have been expelled."

"Prat," Hermione said, smiling.

"Know-it-all."

"Good night Harry."

"Good night."

END OF FLASHBACK

"Hermione? Hermione? HERMIONE!"

"What?"

"Where did you go right now? You kinda just spaced out on me for couple of minutes," Harry said, concerned about his best friend.

"Sorry, I just was thinking about what you said."

"Oh. I see."

Silenced followed. Hermione had gone back to stroking Harry face while Harry just stared at her face. He couldn't help but notice how different she looked. She seemed so tired and anxious. He could tell that she hadn't gone to sleep yet. A quick look at the clock on the mantle let him that it was three in the morning.

"Hermione, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure Harry."

"Why are you still awake?"

The question caught Hermione off guard as she didn't expect the question. She looked down at Harry and saw a very worried look on his face.

'Even after all he's been through tonight, he is still concerned about me,' Hermione thought. For some reason she couldn't explain, Harry's question relieved some of the tension inside her body.

"I wanted to stay with you Harry. I didn't think you would mind."

'Oh no." Harry didn't want her to think he was ungrateful. The fact that she stayed with him meant a great deal. He had to clean this quick.

"No Hermione that's not what I meant. I meant why are you still up? You have fallen asleep on the couch or on the chair and have stayed with me? Why haven't you gone to sleep?"

Hermione now understood what he meant. However, this was a question Hermione wasn't 100% sure she wanted to answer. Harry could misinterpret her concern as something motherly and that wasn't what she wanted at all. Hermione stayed silent trying to figure out just what she wanted to say.

"Look Hermione, if it's something you are not comfortable discussing, you don't have to."

Now she was starting to feel worse for making him worry. She finally figured what she wanted say, so cleared her throat and started to speak.

"I was in shock Harry. When I saw you like that, I didn't know what to do. I guess I had a mini breakdown. Anyway, once they placed you on the couch, I just kind of sat next to you and started stroking your face. It was the only thing I could think of at the time."

Harry was listening intently to Hermione's story. If he could be honest with himself, he reacted the same way when he discovered she had been petrified during their second year.

"Anyway, Mr. Weasley got Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey to come here to check you out."

"What did they say, if you don't mind me asking?" Harry said this with a smile on his hoping to ease more tension from Hermione.

She responded with a smile all her own. "No permanent damage although you do have a brand new scar."

"Is it cooler then the Voldemort gave me?"

"I don't know Harry. I never really paid attention to it. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Hermione said, small smirk playing on her lips, "I was freaked out. Ron told me how you always pull through these kind of things and that this would be no different."

"That was kind of him."

"Yes it was." Hermione, in that moment, had forgiven Ron for his earlier transgression. While he was an occasional git, he still had a good heart. "Anyway, Madam Pomfrey needed me to move to check you over and I couldn't move. I couldn't bring myself to leave your side. I mean you were jst laying there and it was all my fault and..." Hermione finally broke down in tears. She had been holding it ever since they came back to the Burrow and now that she knew Harry was okay, she felt no need to hold it in any longer.

"Hey. Hermione stop crying. I'm fine. I'm right here."

"I almost lost you Harry. I don't what I would have done if you died."

"But I didn't. I'm still here. And this wasn't your fault. I chose to move in the way because I couldn't have lived with myself if I let you get hurt."

"Harry, you could have DIED!" Hermione shrieked.

Harry cringed at what she said. He knew it was true but to him it would have been a fair trade. Her life for his. It was a decision he would always make.

"Hey, just calm down. Look I'm still tired and you look rather out of it so let's get some sleep okay?"

Harry could see that the sleep deprivation was taking a toll on her emotions. He knew that with a couple hours sleep, she would be back to her normal self. Hermione nodded her head recognizing that Harry was right, she needed sleep. Hermione got up from the couch and repositioned himself so that he was now facing the back of the couch.

"Good night Hermione."

"Good night Harry."

Harry's eyes were closed for only a couple of seconds before he felt Hermione slide next to him under the blanket.

"Hermione..." Hermione quickly cut him off.

"I need to know this is real Harry. For all I know, I already fell asleep and this is a dream. I need to know that you're really okay."

Harry was about to protest until he heard the desperation in her voice. She needed this and he would give it to her. He just hoped that one of them would get up before the rest of the house did. It was, however at this point that Harry realized something. He wasn't wearing a shirt. He came to this conclusion when he felt Hermione's hands wrapped themselves around his chest and when her front was pressed tightly against his back. He didn't know what to do. Yes, Hermione was his best friend but ever since he arrived at the Burrow, he had also realized that Hermione had become quite attractive. Sure they were close. 'Not as close as we are right now,' he thought but maybe this was taking it a step too far.

"Hermione?" Harry said anxiously. " I need to tell you to do something for me.

Hermione stiffened. 'He's going to ask me leave isn't he? I knew this was too much to ask for.'

"Yeah Harry?"

Harry could hear the fear in her voice. 'This isn't about you right now,' he thought. 'This about her her.'

"Since you're back there, now can you tell me whether or not my new scar is cooler than my old one?"

She laughed.

"Prat."

"Know-it-all."

With that they both fell asleep.