If I Had Made A Different Choice (Completed)

Part 9

Why? Why? Why? 

 Why hadn't she listened to her heart instead of to her head? Why hadn't she told him how she was feeling, given him a chance to look at her the way she looked at him?

 Hermione rolled over and stared at the ceiling, but the ceiling held no answers.
How did Harry Potter come to have such a hold on her heart? What was it that had made him the most important person in her life for the past six years?

 Hermione's mind had been occupied with thoughts of Harry Potter for almost as long as she'd known that she was a witch. She had been so excited when she read about the Boy Who Lived and determined from the dates in the book that he would be in her year at Hogwarts. She had been fascinated by his story and had looked forward to meeting him. Helping Neville look for his toad had been perfect cover for going from compartment to compartment on the Hogwarts Express trying to find him. When she had finally burst into the compartment where he was sitting she had been shocked to discover that he was nothing like the image of him she had created in her mind. He was completely bewildered by everything, apparently even more unfamiliar with the magical world than she was. She had hoped to impress him with her knowledge of spells, but unfortunately had been overcome by nerves and begun babbling about anything that came into her head. From the reaction of the redheaded boy who had evidently befriended him it was obvious that she had blown it.