The New Year had come and gone, and before Hinata knew it, the new academic year was starting.
It wasn't starting pretty good though.
With a heavy heart, she looked down at her desk, realizing after searching thoroughly until the teacher walked into the classroom, that Naruto wasn't in her class that year, much to her dismay. Well, two years in a row was good enough, no? Besides, they were friends now, so she could always talk to him if she wanted, right?
Sasuke was with her again, though. Seated in a desk in the middle, he leaned his chin on his joined hands and stared at the front of the class as the teacher went over the program for the year. She could hear a few of the girls that didn't have him in their class the year before whispering excitedly to each other.
Other than Sasuke there was no one else she recognized from the year before. Hinata found that curious. Despite the fact only a few graduated every year, when children began the academy there were actually a lot of students. With the years, most would desist, and a few would graduate sooner, until only around thirty or so students remained in their last year.
That she could only recognize Sasuke meant there were still a lot of children in their year. She wondered when the numbers would start to dwindle, and immediately after that felt dread that she would be one of them.
Just as she was pondering over her fatalistic thoughts, the door to the classroom slid open, and in entered a small pink-haired girl. "I'm sorry for being late, sensei! My mom forgot to-!"
"Just get in. We've barely started" the teacher said dismissively. He wasn't Iruka, instead, he was a man that appeared in his early twenties with black hair and an incipient beard. He had presented himself as a jounin, but Hinata couldn't remember his name. "You're Haruno Sakura, right?" he asked, looking through the list on his desk.
Sakura nodded. "Yes!"
"Take a seat. And don't be late again."
"Yes!"
Sakura closed the door and took a look around the classroom to find a seat. Her eyes twinkled when she found Sasuke, but she didn't linger on him, more preoccupied with finding an empty seat.
There was one right next to Hinata. She gulped as Sakura looked at it, and then started making her way over to her. When she reached her side, she smiled at her. "Can I sit here?"
"Y-Yes, of course" she nodded, feeling shy all of a sudden. As much as she had progressed in recent time when it came to interacting with other children her age, more specifically Naruto and Sasuke, she still wasn't used entirely to it. Moreover, she couldn't remember the last time she spoke to another girl. She was a little nervous.
Unaware of Hinata's state, Sakura sat down, humming lowly to herself, and then class continued without another word from either of them.
It wasn't until it was over that Sakura talked to her again. The girl stretched, contented, before turning to Hinata with a curious gaze. Hinata tried her best not to shrink at the sudden attention.
"Hey, what's your name? I don't think I ever saw you before."
No surprise there. They had never shared classes before. Hinata knew Sakura because she was very popular, being Ino's best friend and all. Or ex-best friend, now. However, Hinata was a wallflower, known only for being the Hyuuga heiress if someone knew of her at all. She was very inconspicuous, after all.
"I… I'm H-Hyuuga Hinata. T-This is the first time we've e-ever been in the sa-same class."
"Oh, so that's why" she nodded in understanding. Then, she smiled brightly at her. "My name's Haruno Sakura, though you probably heard that from the grumpy teacher already. Nice to meet you!"
"N-Nice to meet you, S-Sakura-san."
"Don't call me so formally. Just Sakura's fine. In exchange, can I call you Hinata?" the girl asked, resting her cheek on a hand. Hinata gulped, but nodded, feeling something warm starting to spread on her chest.
"T-Then… Sakura-chan?" she asked tentatively. Sakura blinked, taken aback by the honorific. But then she smiled again, this time a little softer than before.
"Sakura-chan… I like that, Hinata-chan."
She was going to say something else, but before she could, a small commotion was heard from further inside the classroom. When they turned to look, a group of girls had formed a ring around Sasuke, chatting enthusiastically while the boy ignored them completely. Sakura groaned at the sight.
"Really, the nerve! Just when I thought I was lucky for finally getting in the same class as Sasuke-kun! But I guess I should have expected it" she sighed. Hinata tilted her head, curious.
"Y-You've never been in t-the same class as him?" she asked. Sakura shook her head.
"No. This is the first time. Have you been in the same class as Sasuke-kun before, Hinata-chan?"
"Yes… t-this is the third year in a r-row, actually" she confessed. Sakura gaped.
"No way! That's amazing! I wish I had your luck, Hinata-chan" she sighed, slumping against the desk. Then, as if she had suddenly realized something, she sat up again, turning to Hinata with all the seriousness in the world, making Hinata yelp. "Hinata-chan… do you like Sasuke-kun?"
Hinata blinked, surprised at the question. She? Liking Sasuke? Well, she did like him, but not in the way Sakura was asking. It was actually difficult for her to imagine herself liking him like so many other girls did. So, she shook her head, and Sakura relaxed at that.
"I see. Sorry if I scared you. It's just… it's a little difficult to find a girl that doesn't like him, you know?"
"I-I can imagine…"
"I was actually really surprised when I discovered so many girls liked him. I thought I was the only one, you know!"
"R-Really?"
"Yes! But I'm happy you don't like him, Hinata-chan. That way, we can be friends" she said, smiling again. Hinata was a little surprised at that statement. Friends? With Haruno Sakura? Because she didn't like Sasuke? Apparently taking her silence differently, Sakura quickly glanced away, her face becoming slightly red in embarrassment. "I mean… only if you want to. I don't want to force you to be my friend or anything, but you look like a nice girl and it's impossible to be friends with someone who likes the same boy you do… I feel a little lonely sometimes but if you don't want then I totally understand…"
"Ah, S-Sakura-chan" she said, stopping the other girl's rambling. When Sakura did, and turned to look at her, Hinata gave her a small smile, hoping to convey her feelings. "I w-would like to be your friend… i-if you want to."
After all, Hinata had never had a female friend before. And although Sakura treated Naruto badly sometimes, she was nice to her. Maybe she could even convince her to be nicer to Naruto, too.
Hearing her response, Sakura beamed, taking a hold of Hinata's hands much to the other girl's surprise. "I'd be happy to! Let's be friends, Hinata-chan!"
And that way, Hinata made her first female friend ever.
Here I am, putting in my own headcanons about how the academy works. I mean, remember the chapter where Kiba confronted Naruto in the preliminaries of the chunin exams? In his flashback, one kid said something along the lines of 'so we're in the same class as that dead last this year' making me believe they change classes every year, like Japanese schools do. However, I think I read somewhere too that all of the rookie nine were born the same year, and since Shino is the oldest, with his birthday being January 21, that makes me believe these little ninjas begin their school year around January/February instead of in April like it happens in Japan. That would explain the snow in Hinata's flashback of the day of her enrolment in the academy, but not Sasuke's flashback of his first day where everyone was wearing short sleeves. It's all just guessing though, that ultimately doesn't matter since this is fanfiction anyway.
I also wanted Hinata to have at least one female friend her age early on. When I was pondering my options, I discarded Tenten because she's a year above and wouldn't be there for Hinata as often as I wanted her to. Ino I discarded as well because, as much as I like her, it's a little too common to have her as Hinata's best friend in SasuHina fanfics. Therefore, I decided on Sakura, who is almost never (not to say never) used, in order to make it more original. Plus, Sakura is actually my favorite character of Naruto (I can already hear your whaaaaats from over here). This, of course, doesn't mean I'm blind to her flaws, but I like her nonetheless. I know she's not very liked though, but I ask that you give my Sakura a chance. I believe she won't disappoint you.