Hermione had fallen in love, but with the wrong person.

The Gryffindor girl was known for her intelligence, wit, and bravery—qualities she demonstrated not only in classes but also during her adventures with her friends. However, when it came to matters of the heart, no matter how hard she tried, she had never found success. It had got to the point where, to escape the frustration and occasional teasing from her friends about not even having had her first kiss, she buried herself in her studies.

To her surprise, things took an unexpected turn when her path crossed with another girl’s. During a Herbology class, Professor Sprout had assigned the task of cultivating bouncing mushrooms. Naturally, for the light-brown-haired girl, it was hardly a challenge, but her concentration faltered due to her work partner. You seemed to be struggling, your mushrooms looking far weaker than most of the others. For Hermione, any chance to showcase her knowledge was one she would gladly take, so she didn’t hesitate to help, even though you hadn’t asked. When you realised your mistake and smiled at her in gratitude, the Muggle-born girl was completely captivated by your beauty.

That wonderful feeling quickly turned into something torturous. The phase of denial didn’t take long to set in, but it was futile; every time she saw you, her world seemed to stop. Days turned into weeks, and then months, until she reached the point where she simply couldn’t bear it any more.

In the library, she was seated with Ron and Harry, studying for the upcoming Potions lesson with Snape. After several minutes hesitating, Hermione finally summoned the courage to broach the subject with her friends.

“Guys… I need your help with something,” the Gryffindor admitted, her voice tinged with embarrassment. Little did she know that, just on the other side of the bookshelf behind her, you were searching for some books for your own classes.