A/N: Been a while, hasn't it? Sorry about that, I'm a stupidly busy college student. The good news is, I have nearly a month over Christmas break with absolutely no work to do! The story is so named because, in my mind, the song "Northwestern Skies" by Tired Pony is playing as they dance. I hope you enjoy it.
"Hermione."
She looks up as he approaches, away from Viktor and his horrendous pronunciation of her name.
"Yes?"
"Might I have this dance?"
She looks back to her date and he nods. Silently she stands and takes his arm, allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. Slowly he takes her waist, and she grips his shoulder.
They step in time, spinning slowly.
"Are you enjoying yourself so far?" he asks.
"I suppose," she answers.
They are silent again, and he wonders what more to say. Her eyes are sparkling with the lights, but she looks away before he can say anything.
"How did Krum ask you? To the ball, I mean," he wonders.
"I was in the library," she answers somewhat stiffly. "He spends a lot of time there. And he just asked, one day. I thought he was joking."
He frowns. "Why would he joke about that? Why would anyone joke about that?"
"Oh, I don't know," she answers. "I suppose because it's me, and I didn't expect anyone to ask me."
He twirls her and brings her back in, clasping her hand anew. "I would have asked you."
"Out of obligation, perhaps," she muses. Her voice does not sound cross; it sounds sad. "Or because you couldn't find anyone else."
"I'm sorry I waited," he says, and for the moment he can't say anything else. They move in synchronization, her movements matching his. He meets her eyes. "What would you have said?"
"Said to what?" she asks.
"If I had asked you before Krum. If I had asked you at all."
She purses her lips. "I would have said yes, of course. Did you doubt that?"
"If I had asked you out of more than obligation. If, the moment I found out about the ball, I had asked you."
She twirls again, and when he brings her back in, she is much closer to him than she had been before.
"I…but you didn't."
"If I had?"
They sway for another moment, and when the music stops, she is still in his arms, meeting his eyes, feeling his heart beat against hers.
"I would have said yes."
They stand together, unmoving, as the next song begins, as everyone around them begins to move and sway and laugh and talk. Neither breathes.
"Could I cut in?" asks Viktor, tapping his shoulder.
He steps away. "Of course."
She and he begin to dance, moving away from where Harry is left paralyzed, held in the arms of her words.