Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter series, I just own the one-shot. No copyright intended!

Author's note: A Harry/Tracey pairing one-shot, with a Neville/Daphne as a side pairing, with another side pairing of a little of some Blaise/Hermione near the end. Another alternate Yule Ball, with the story starting just after the champions' opening dance finishes. Ron and Ginny bashing. Rated T for teen moments.

Looking Past House Rivalries

fanfic by Brockster550

Harry Potter wasn't having that great a night. He couldn't get a date for the Yule Ball ahead of time, but still found one, having gone with Parvati Patil. Even with the champions' starting the opening dance, he still had trouble getting over the fact that Cho Chang had already agreed to go with Cedric Diggory, the true Hogwarts champion. What made Harry's temper more blood boiling was the fact that Ginny Weasley, a third year Gryffindor girl, had been asked by Neville Longbottom to be his date. Normally, Ginny wouldn't have been able to attend, but since Neville was a fourth year, she was invited. Neville was a fourth year Gryffindor, and one of the handful of students who believed that Harry was telling the truth that he didn't submit his name for the tournament.

The reason Harry's temper was blood-boiling was because Ginny kept giving him 'the look,' the very look that she'd often give him in his presence just because Harry was famous for being The-Boy-Who-Lived. Harry could tell that Ginny wanted him to ask her to the ball, not Neville. Her agreement to be Neville's date was only reluctant, but she really wanted to be Harry's date. Ginny wouldn't pay attention to the obvious fact that Harry never reciprocated the feelings she had for him, and plus Harry wasn't about to let Neville's night be ruined. Since he believed Harry, it would've been a terrible way to repay him. But still, Ginny continued giving Harry the look, which was really beginning to tick him off.

After the opening dance ended, Harry went to find Ron, but he was in an unreasonable fight with Hermione. Harry knew Hermione had been asked by Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang champion, to be his date, and she agreed. Days before the ball, Ron tried to ask Hermione to be his date (rather awkwardly), and Harry knew that it wouldn't end well, especially when Ron also alluded to the fact that Hermione was a girl, causing her to snap at Ron. At that point, Harry realized that his reconciled friendship with Ron was declining, to the point where it was close to rupture. The final straw occurred with Ron's fight with Hermione over the supposed fact that Hermione had been 'fraternizing with the enemy.'

"I can't believe you agreed to go with that prick," said Ron irritably. "He's an enemy, Hermione!"

"Says the prat who tried to ask Fleur to the ball the other day!" snapped Hermione. "The tournament is more about cooperation, not winning!"

"A-A-A-Asking F-F-Fl-Fleur to the ball was different." Ron claimed nervously.

"Oh that's poppycock," shouted Hermione as tears began streaming down her face. "You just won't acknowledge the fact that Viktor asked me first!"

"Which wasn't supposed to happen," said Ron through gritted teeth. "Because of you, Harry and I had to go with the worst dates ever imaginable!"

"Like it's all my fault, Ronald," shouted Hermione. "Next time there's a ball or some other kind of dance, pluck up the courage and ask me ahead of time, not as a last resort!"

Harry was shocked to see that Hermione was already crying. He kept his distance, just so Ron wouldn't coax him into taking his side.

"But at least Harry will be on my side," sneered Ron. "He wouldn't be so stupid as to go with a mudblood such as yourself!"

Harry gasped when Ron called Hermione that derogatory word. Ron heard that and turned to Harry.

"Right, Harry?" said Ron, trying to pressure Harry.

"Actually, Ron," said Harry, glaring at the jealous red-head. "I agree with Hermione. How could someone such as yourself call Hermione that stupid name? Why should I take sides with idiots? Hermione has a point, you should've asked her ahead of time!"

"Surely you don't mean that, Harry!" said Ron, acting overconfident.

"I meant every word I said," said Harry defiantly. "Our friendship is over!"

"You're just as mad at Hermione as I am," claimed Ron. "Like that time when she indirectly had your firebolt confiscated."

"You dragged me away before I could respond," snarled Harry. "And plus, Hermione was just looking out for me that time!"

"She tattled," snapped Ron. "She just..."

"No, she didn't," Harry angrily interrupted. "Reporting something that could've cost someone their life is never tattling!"

Ron turned back toward Hermione with a glare. More tears were streaming down her face.

"You turned Harry against me," growled Ron. "How could you be so annoying, you bitch?!"

Ron stomped away without waiting for an answer. Hermione walked over to Harry and gave him a hug, with Harry returning it. She cried into his shoulder.

"Thank you, H-Harry," sobbed Hermione. "You're a better friend than Ronald!"

"Oh, it was, uh... nothing," said Harry sheepishly, trying his best not to brag. "A good friend looks out for one another!"

"Yeah," sobbed Hermione. "I can't understand why you were able to put up with him!"

"I no longer do," said Harry. "When he called you that nasty name, that was the straw that broke the camel's back! I'm also mad at Ginny because she won't stop giving me that look, but I have no intentions to..."

"Say no to dancing with the prettiest girl in Gryffindor ever!" said the familiar voice of Ginny Weasley, foolishly finishing it for Harry by interrupting him.

Harry and Hermione gave Ginny a glare, but she didn't seem to be intimidated.

"No," said Harry. "I'm not looking for any excuse to ruin Neville's night. No matter how many times you give me that look, the answer... is no!"

"What look?" asked Ginny, playing dumb.

"Hey, I've seen that look a number of times, Ginevra," said Hermione. "I could tell that you wanted Harry to ask you to the ball, and not Neville!"

Ginny was unaware that Neville was behind her, intent on listening to what Ginny might say.

"I was just using him to make Harry jealous," Ginny bragged. "It was because Neville shouldn't have asked me, it was supposed to be you, Harry."

"Well, Neville won fair and square," said Harry. "And I don't appreciate any girl who is trying to use someone to make another person jealous, Ginevra!"

"You really had to do it, didn't you?" Ginny growled at Hermione through gritted teeth. "How dare you manipulate him into calling me that name I despise so much!"

"You've lost our respect," said Hermione. "In case you need a little education, respect is earned, not given to somebody who doesn't deserve it!"

"I'm also not yours, Ginevra," said Harry with contempt in his voice. "I never was and never will be!"

"And I can't believe you would use me, just to make Harry jealous," said Neville, with Ginny turning around. "What kind of person would you have to be to do something like that?"

Ginny turned around and faced Hermione, giving the bushy brown-haired girl a venomous glare.

"You ensnared my Harry, you bitch!" shouted Ginny. "It's your fault for making my Harry say no, and now Neville listening to every word I said was also your fault. I can't believe you!"

Ginny stormed out of the Great Hall, in tears. Neither Harry, Hermione, nor Neville cared, knowing it was all Ginny's fault. The three downhearted Gryffindors began wandering around the corridors. They had been doing that for approximately five to ten minutes when they crossed paths with three Slytherin students, and they were also in dress robes. One of the Slytherins had blonde hair and ice-blue eyes, who Harry, Hermione and Neville recognized as Daphne Greengrass, the ice queen of Slytherin, who was also a fourth year. The other female Slytherin was Tracey Davis, Daphne's best friend. Tracey had brown hair and cobalt-blue eyes, and she was also a fourth year. The third Slytherin was a dark-skin boy named Blaise Zabini, and he, too was a fourth year.

"Are you three alright?" Daphne asked after fifteen seconds of silence.

"Not really." said Harry, surprised that the ice queen wasn't treating him, Neville nor Hermione with animosity.

"Our n-nights d-didn't turn out very well." said Hermione.

"That's why we were wandering the corridors." said Neville.

"Don't worry," assured Daphne, who caught Harry's surprised look. "Not all Slytherins are jerks. We don't enjoy the ferret's presence!"

"Oh okay," said Harry. "Sorry about looking surprised!"

"I don't blame you, Harry," said Daphne. "It also seems like the weasel and the weaselette have been filling your head with all that 'all Slytherins are evil' nonsense."

"We actually want to be friends with you," said Tracey. "We became friends with Hermione last year."

"We did," said Blaise. "That rivalry just doesn't make any sense."

"Hermione even mentioned about how you got a firebolt last year." Daphne said to Harry.

"Yeah," said Harry. "When Professor McGonagall came to confiscate it, Ronald just assumed that Hermione was poking her nose in other people's business. While it was upsetting to see it taken away so quickly, I realized that Hermione was only looking out for me, but Ronald dragged me away before I could even respond!"

"I even saw him drag Harry away," said Neville. "But Harry told me about being grateful that she was concerned for his safety, but made sure Ron wasn't around when he told me."

"The weasel lacks safety concerns," said Tracey. "Hermione was alone in the library one of those days, so we thought we'd try to get to know her better, rather than blindly follow the ferret's bigotry opinions."

"Harry did come and tell me he was grateful for me looking out for him," said Hermione. "Ronald just wants attention!"

"I've severed ties with him and Ginevra just moments ago," said Harry. "Ronald called Hermione that awful name, while Ginevra tried using Neville to try and make me jealous, ignoring the fact I wouldn't even think of dating her!"

"Those two aren't very popular," said Blaise. "Sometimes in potions, I had to work with the weasel and he tried making me brew the potions while he slacked off, assuming that 'evil Slytherins' are the ones who should do the work, not the Gryffindors!"

"Well, he and Ginevra left the Great Hall," said Harry. "But, they could be anywhere!"

Then Tracey started walking toward Harry, with a smile. Then she lifted his glasses up.

"I just wanted to see those eyes, Harry," said Tracey. "Those glasses tend to keep them hidden. You just have the most, beautiful emerald-green eyes I've ever seen!"

"Well, th-th-thanks," said Harry nervously, while blushing at the same time. "I-I-It means a-a-alot!"

Tracey lowered Harry's glasses back down. Likewise, Harry could see how pretty Tracey's cobalt-blue eyes were.

"And you have the most beautiful blue eyes, Tracey!" said Harry.

"Thank you, Harry!" said Tracey as she started blushing.

So the three Gryffindors and three Slytherins continued getting to know one another. Despite Daphne's ice-queen persona, her personality was nothing like it. Daphne explained that she only used her ice-queen persona to keep Slytherin boys like Malfoy at bay. The three Slytherins revealed that they didn't have any dates, which gave Harry an idea.

"Would Miss Tracey Davis like the honour of going to the Yule Ball to dance with me?" Harry asked, holding a hand out.

"Yes, I most certainly would like that honour, Harry!" said Tracey.

Likewise, Neville asked Daphne if she would like to go with him, and she accepted. Blaise even asked Hermione to go with him, and she accepted as well. Harry linked his right arm over Tracey's left arm, while Neville did the same with Daphne and Blaise with Hermione. Then, the unlikely dates began walking to the Great Hall. Harry could tell that it was bound to be interesting to see the three Gryffindors having Slytherins as their dates. Ron and Ginny would definitely go on a tirade if they were to witness it, but Harry didn't care. The point of a dance was to have a good time, not use somebody to make others jealous. As they reached the Great Hall entrance, Harry, Tracey, Neville, Daphne, Blaise and Hermione took deep breaths before walking in.

The End!