Chapter 1: An Enchanted Rose

Neville Longbottom's brow furrowed as he concentrated on adding just the right amount of Shining Potion from the squeeze tube. As he watched the petals of the red rose glisten in exactly the way the Herbology book said they were supposed to, he grinned triumphantly. It was ready! And not a moment too soon, either.

Ever since the Yule Ball had been announced after the completion of the Second Task, Neville Longbottom had decided to gather the Gryffindor courage he knew had to be within him somewhere. Helping Harry Potter successfully navigate the Black Lake with Gillyweed had only served to boost his confidence, to finally approach the secret object of his affection and ask a question.

Neville had secretly had a crush on Hermione Granger for years. She had always helped him with the subjects he struggled in (Potions and Professor Snape being his largest hurdle by far, and Herbology the one exception). She was intelligent, the best in their fourth year. And, at the end of this summer, Neville had noticed she had blossomed into an even more attractive witch. Developed more womanly curves. He knew if he wanted her to be his date to the Yule Ball, he would have to move fast.

There was a likely very big obstacle that could move faster than he.

Viktor Krum, the Quidditch hero and Durmstrang Triwizard Champion, had conspicuously chosen Hermione as his object stolen from him and hidden at the bottom of the Black Lake. Most of the Hogwarts student body had been whispering about the pair, and the general gossip consensus was that Krum fancied Hermione - much to the disbelief of many, especially the other girls. Whether Hermione returned the sentiments was the topic up for the most intense debate. Although Krum had not asked Hermione to the ball, as far as Neville was aware, he knew it was only a matter of time.

So thinking, he took his enchanted rose with him from Professor Sprout's greenhouse and hurried up to the castle, encouraged to ask Hermione Granger to the Yule Ball by the end of the day. Even before the start of their final class.

Over a period of several days, Neville had closely watched Hermione's routine after their double Potions lesson with Professor Snape. She almost always left with Ron and Harry, going as far as the third floor of the grand staircase before peeling off to the library to study.

Neville knew this would the opportune moment, in the quiet of the maze of bookshelves, to get Hermione alone. He was being amazingly courageous to even ask her at all. To do so with the increased chance of other people watching or overhearing? He wasn't that brave. And he shuddered to think about how Ron and Harry might react. They had always been very protective of Hermione, like she was a baby sister to them; they had gone after Draco Malfoy more than once to defend her honor - not every wizard had that kind of juevos.

As soon as Snape dismissed his students for the day, Neville packed up his bag, clumsily getting his satchel's zipper stuck at first in his haste. Joining the throng of fourth years a decent distance behind the Golden Trio, he followed inconspicuously, the rose hidden safely in his cloak.

At the grand staircase, he watched as Hermione bid goodbye to the boys and peeled off down the corridor towards the library. He slipped after her, trailing so as not to arouse her suspicion. By the time he entered the hall of study, she had disappeared amongst her precious books.

Heart in his throat, Neville scanned down aisle by aisle, until at last he found Hermione, in a thankfully deserted section. A table at the back corner of one reading nook, concentrating on Snape's latest essay. Taking a deep breath, one hand hidden in his cloak and on the rose, Neville strode forward. Just do it quick, like a bandaid, he had heard Fred and George Weasley telling one nervous fifth year about getting a date. It seemed like good advice, especially from a normally unreliable, joking source like the Weasley twins.

"Hey, Hermione."

Hermione looked up, her face looking beautiful when framed with her bushy brown hair. "Oh, hey, Neville," she smiled. "What's up?"

"I want to ask you something!" Neville got out a little too forcefully, before his nerves failed him.

Hermione chuckled curiously, thrown by his eagerness. "OK..." she smiled in encouragement. It was probably about Snape's essay, or even how to hold up against his merciless mockery in class.

It turned out to be neither, as Hermione watched Neville pull a sparkling rose from his cloak and hold it aloft, out to her. "Wouldyouliketogototheballwithme?"

He got it out in a rush, so that the words ran together, and he even stuttered on a syllable or two. Hermione regarded him kindly.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that."

Neville breathed deeply, even as his heart hammered erratically. "What I meant to say was... would you like to go... to the Yule Ball with me?" He outstretched the rose to her a little more, and Hermione gingerly took it, gaping at him in surprise. Her one finger brushed a petal, but scarcely, as if she was afraid it might break under her touch.

Then... she smiled genuinely, truly touched. "Did you make this? For me?"

Neville blushed and shrugged, his breathing starting to even out now that the worst was over. At least, he thought. "Yes. Just a Shimmering Potion. I stayed up all night getting it right."

Hermione beamed with pride. She knew how hard Potions was for him, even without a Snape breathing down his neck. "I'm so flattered..."

There was a but coming; he knew it and Neville steeled himself for the letting down easy. He half-expected her to say that Viktor Krum had already asked her, and that she was promised to him.

"Yes."

Neville blinked, certain he had misheard. "Yes?"

Hermione smiled softly. "Yes, Neville, I'd love to go to the Yule Ball with you!" And she actually hugged him and even gave him a warm peck on the cheek. "You were very brave to ask me. I admire your Gryffindor pluck. And the rose is glorious."

Neville felt ten feet tall, like magic was floating him with Wingardium Leviosa. "Brilliant! I'll meet you in the Great Hall on Christmas Eve."

"Plan on it," Hermione grinned, returning to her seat as she fondled the rose with genuine affection.

Neville left the library still in a daze. Only when he was in the corridor did he let out a whoop of victory.