A/N: I do not own Harry Potter, you know that. I've used some of the original text, thanks to JK for giving me such a gift :) It might be a little out of canon, so sorry for that. But enjoy, R/R and such like.

Ron looked at Hermione dancing with Krum – the idiot – and such hatred boiled up in his body that he couldn't bear to keep an eye on either of them any longer. Whether he was angry with Hermione or Krum he didn't know. Hermione should've gone to the Ball with him, he knew it, and he could feel it.

He kicked his chair away forcefully and stalked out of the Great Hall, with a final look at Hermione smiling up at Krum and he marched up the marble stairs. He knew he should be happy to see her smiling and happy, something he had never been able to give her. But he couldn't push away the feeling that it should've been him holding her in his arms and making her feel like the most beautiful girl in the room.

"Fairylights" he barked at the Fat Lady.

"Ooh," she pointed out, "Someone's touchy."

Ron couldn't help but agree with her, as his heart sank heavily. He dropped into an armchair by the fire and rubbed his forehead, putting his head in his hands. He heard the portrait hole swing open and someone stepped through. He lifted his head fractionally and saw Hermione stood just in front of him, giving him half a smile. The hatred rose up in him again and he suddenly blurted,

"Don't give me that condescending smile."

"It wasn't condescending Ron, don't be like that." Hermione protested gently.

"Be like what?" Ron stood up and spat the words into her face.

"You know what?" Hermione put her hands up in an act of surrender and said, "It's not worth it. Goodnight Ron."

"Wait," She turned round to look at him. "What's not worth it?"

"I came up here, didn't even get my last dance, I came up here to make sure you were okay."

"Well that's very nice of you," bit out Ron, each word dripping with sarcasm, "I hope Vicky wasn't too upset that you gave up your last dance for little old me."

"Oh Ron!" Hermione shouted, desperate to make the boy see sense, "Stop it with the Victor jokes. I am sorry that he took me to the Yule Ball but that is no fault of mine."

"Well I don't like it!" At which point Harry swung into the common room to see the blazing row between the two.

"Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" yelled Hermione; her hair was coming down out of its elegant bun now, and her face was screwed up in anger.

"Oh yeah?" Ron yelled back. "What's that?"

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"

Ron mouthed soundlessly like a goldfish out of water as Hermione turned on her heel and stormed up the girls' staircase to bed. Ron turned to look at Harry.

"Well, "he sputtered, looking thunderstruck, "well-that just proves-completely missed the point-"

Harry didn't say anything. He liked being back on speaking terms with Ron too much to speak his mind right now-but he somehow thought that Hermione had gotten the point much better than Ron had.

Ron bade Harry goodbye and once again took his seat in front of the fire. He'd ruined everything. Again. He always ruined everything, for himself and most importantly for Hermione. She was right of course, like usual. Just because Victor Krum had had the guts to do the one thing Ron was too scared to do, it was no reason to take it out on Hermione.

The portrait hole swung open again and Ron took advantage of Ginny stumbling through it with Neville to ask her to fetch Hermione.

She appeared at the foot of the stairs, looking at him sadly. She was still in her dress robes of periwinkle blue, but she had taken her hair down from its neat bun. It hung in loose curls around her shoulders and Ron thought she looked breath-taking.

"Hi." He murmured guiltily, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Hi." She whispered back softly, and opened her mouth again,

"No." Ron interjected. "Don't say anything. Let me speak. I'm sorry. I was wrong. I should never have shouted at you, you were well within your rights to go to the Ball with Krum. I just wish I had got in there first," he finished with a half laugh.

"Oh Ron," Hermione repeated tenderly, fingering the ends of her curls. Ron smiled watching her. "What?" asked Hermione, "Is something wrong with my hair?" She reached up and touched it gingerly.

"No, leave it. You look beautiful. I like your hair like that."

Hermione practically beamed at him.

"I'm sorry I ruined the Ball for you. But I'm going to try and make it up to you, maybe by giving you your last dance?"

"I'd like that."

He took her in his arms and they moved as one to the silent music. Hermione rested her head on his shoulder and smiling. She couldn't help feeling that this was exactly how her Yule Ball was meant to be.

Well that's it. Hope you liked, give me your thoughts?