Disclaimer: Harry Potter never did and never will belong to me as that would be human trafficking and slavery, and I do NOT believe in that!
Author's Note: Once again, I'm sure this has been done to the death but here's my spinoff of what would have happened should Harry had taken Hermione to the Yule Ball but with a twist. I apologize if it's been used before, but I haven't read one exactly like this yet. So without any further ado, I present you with my all-new Harmony fanfic.
I hope you like it!
X~X~X~X~X~X~X
Harry Potter was worried.
His best and only friend, Hermione Granger, was taking three hours to get ready for the Yule Ball and she had not shown up yet. More importantly, he was wondering if taking Pravati to the Ball was really the right thing. In fact, he was wondering if he should be going to the Ball at all as he did not know how to dance or how to treat a girl in this occasion.
Needless to say, the Dursleys had never taught him that. So it was that he found himself pacing back and forth in the shadows of the hallway half an hour before the Ball deep in thought. He was thinking things through and trying to figure out where it all went wrong. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but something, he felt, was about to go very, very wrong.
And then it happened!
At first he thought the hushed laughter was coming from the Yule Ball but it hadn't started yet so that couldn't be. Curious, he slipped on his Invisibility Cloak he always carried to avoid the betrayed and angry looks of his fellow students due to the Goblet of Fire fiasco. Taking a deep breath, he shoved his hands in his pockets and stole down the hallway towards the sound of mirth.
He wasn't too sure why but as he drew closer to it, sweat beaded on his forehead and he was starting to feel extremely concerned.
Get a hold of yourself, Potter! Harry chided. You are a wizard and wizards do not freak out like those bastard Dursleys. Pull your act together, okay? It's probably just a couple of girls gossiping about their dates or some such rubbish.
But Harry's heart sank when he saw who it was for it was not a couple of giggling girls. It was Viktor Krum surrounded by a few Durmstrang students. Harry felt mildly surprised and a tad bit alarmed to see that it was Krum, a few other guys, and two girls. The girls were quite good looking but had that posh and snobby attitude like Fleur Daclour that Harry hated, like Pureblood supremacy or something.
Harry watched them warily from under the Cloak as they were all laughing and teasing each other, the guys giving friendly claps on the back or light punches in the arm. Harry was just about to turn back when he heard the sound of footsteps. The others tensed and glanced to the right where Harry noticed a flight of steps leading upwards. Harry tried to shrug off a nagging feeling but it was only amplified by hushed whispers from the students.
"He'll chicken out I bet!" One smirked.
"No way!" Said Viktor Krum's voice.
"Please," One of the girls scoffed. "He's too much of a prissy to carry out the dare."
"Yeah," Another girl drawled. "He's been staring at that bookworm for so long that she's bewitched him."
Harry's heart pounded in alarm when Krum's face turned bright red in embarrassment and he hastily stammered protests.
What dare? Harry wondered, as a thought struck him.
No it wouldn't be! No one would be that rude and callous to play with a girl's heart like that would there?
I'm just imagining things, Harry thought, trying to calm himself. Maybe I'm getting paranoid...
"Of course I will!" Krum exclaimed but stopped short as all eyes turned towards the steps.
Harry followed their gaze with bated breath and watched as a strange mixture of emotions flashed in Krum's eyes – worry, fear, doubt, calm, and then derision. They were back to that steely gaze of the Durmstrang students, causing Harry to fear the worst. But all doubts and fears fled away from Harry's mind when he saw who exactly it was that was descending the stairs – Hermione Granger.
Harry's breath caught in his throat when he saw her, for she was suddenly a vision of beauty. He had always thought of her as pretty* but now she was not just pretty she was gorgeous. Her usually bushy-brown hair was thinned and tied up into a charming braid coiled around regally on her head, allowing only a few loose curls to fall delicately on her face. A beautiful periwinkle gown complimented the contours of her body showing off more in a tasteful way than it hid.
Harry was floored and wondered why Hermione hid her beauty behind books. Was it because she was afraid? Harry wondered this because he caught a faint flicker of apprehension in Hermione's chocolate brown eyes and his heart started pounding faster and faster in his chest. Hermione rivalled every single girl from all three schools and he began to feel jealous of whoever her date was.
Then it hit him.
Oh, no! Harry thought, and he realised just what was about to happen.
But being neither particularly bright in these matters or inventive, he was unable to react and could only watch in horror as Viktor plastered a fake smile on his face and held out his arm in mock politeness. Harry was frozen in shock as Hermione accepted it gracefully with a warm smile, only to topple forwards and collapse in an undignified heap at the bottom of the steps as Viktor jerked his arm backwards.
Everyone burst out into raucous laughter, clutching their sides in mirth and Harry felt his blood boil as one of the Durmstrang witches kissed him roughly on the lips as if for a reward. She then linked her arm with his and laughed with the rest as Krum held out his hand triumphantly for some money. Harry looked down frantically for Hermione, hoping the fall didn't hurt her as she had tripped down several steps.
Harry felt a rage like never before when he saw her staring at Viktor and his friends in shock and hurt. Harry's heart wrenched in two to see her eyes mist of and her breath quicken as if she was about to cry.
"Why?" She asked thickly.
Silence.
"Was it a dare?" Hermione asked, her voice trembling as she tried to remain calm.
Harry felt so sorry for her and marvelled at how brave she was.
"What do you think?" Viktor snorted, as the witch on his arm smirked imperiously at her. "Why in the world would I go out with some random bookworm like you?"
"Random bookworm?" Hermione said slowly as if trying to process everything, but Harry saw her hands clenched tightly and knew she was trying not to make a fool of herself in front of them all.
"Duh!" One of Viktor's friends laughed. "It was to get back at that Potter brat for forcing his way into the Tournament."
"What?" Hermione snapped, her eyes flaring dangerously.
Harry felt a strange sense of satisfaction as they all took a step back.
"The Tournament?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "This was all about the Tournament?"
"What else?" Krum asked dismissively. "You're a no-good, bossy, know-it-all and there would be no one in hell who would date you. I just wanted to pay back Potter for entering the Tournament against the rules. Stupid brat should have known better."
Hermione looked as if she had been slapped and Harry couldn't stop himself from lashing out in anger, should have done it a long time ago but he had been too stunned to react. He put all his force into the blow as he smashed a clenched fist into Krum's face. He watched in smug satisfaction as Krum flew backwards.
Outrage.
The Durmstrang students immediately started shouting and Harry couldn't stop them as a witch slapped Hermione across the face. Another kicked her in the stomach and the three other wizards scrambled over to Krum who was coughing and sputtering on the ground.
"No one touches my Hermione!" Harry heard himself roar.
Everyone froze in silence as they heard Harry's disembodied voice and watched in terror as a spell burst forth from nowhere stunning one of the witches. Immediately they panicked and ran from the hall in fear, pulling Krum over their shoulder and leaving their stunned partner in crime behind them. Desperate to see if his best and only friend was okay, Harry threw off the Cloak and rushed over to the astonished witch who was sitting numbly and staring off into the distance.
"Hermione?" Harry asked worriedly, kneeling before her and looking into her eyes. "Hermione, are you okay?"
"Harry?" Hermione asked, her voice slightly high-pitched in disbelief.
Brown eyes met green and Harry gazed at Hermione with all the love and concern he had possible. He wanted to comfort her but he did not know how. He wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be okay, but he knew such hollow words would not work. He felt helpless and drifting, like a useless pathetic worm. Why did he have to cause trouble to everyone he ever cared about?
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione shuddered, and she collapsed in his arms.
Harry held her awkwardly, wondering frantically what to do as Hermione sobbed openly in his embrace. Realising that nothing he could say would help right now, he just held her and let her cry. He really did not know what to do with weeping girls.
"I'm sorry, Mione," He mumbled over and over again. "I'm so sorry. I never meant for you to get hurt. Seems like that happens to everyone I love, eh?"
Harry never meant for that last part to slip out and panic gripped him as Hermione stiffened. Slowly and still sniffling slightly, she looked up at him with her eyes wide and her brow furrowed.
"Do you mean that?" She asked thickly.
Harry could only nod dumbly, not trusting himself to speak.
"Harry, I..." Hermione stammered, trying to pull away.
"No, Hermione," Harry said firmly, holding her gently but firmly in his arms. "It was my fault and I owe you an apology. If you weren't my friend, then you wouldn't have gotten hurt."
Harry thought he felt Hermione's shoulders sag and he did not even bother trying to suppress his reckless feeling this time.
Oh, heck! He thought. It's now or never and, after all, the truth.
"But to be honest with you," He said softly. "I am glad you're my friend. I wouldn't give up our friendship for the world."
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said, and Harry nearly sighed in relief to hear that she wasn't crying anymore.
"Why don't we go back out there then and..." Harry began awkwardly.
"We?" Hermione asked, looking up at Harry and arching an eyebrow.
Harry blushed furiously and ducked his head.
"I need to make it up to you," Harry mumbled. "And I thought that since you're dateless it would only be polite to go with you, if you'd want to of course."
"I'd love to Harry," Hermione answered, favouring Harry with a faint smile that made his heart leap.
Unable to stop himself, he stretched his hand forward gently and whipped away Hermione's tears with his thumb. Hermione flinched at the first contact but then relax and almost leaned into his touch, getting a dreamy look in her eyes. Harry felt slightly light-headed himself as he caressed Hermione's cheeks, whipping away her tears. Taking a deep breath, he withdrew his hand and planted a soft kiss on Hermione's forehead. Wanting to make it official, Harry knelt down formally on one knee and looked up at Hermione earnestly.
"Hermione Jean Granger," He asked. "Will you be my date for the Yule Ball."
Time seemed to slow as Hermione cocked her head slightly as if trying to read his mind. But when she saw only genuine feelings of remorse and concern, she nodded smiling softly at him.
"I'd love to Harry," She replied.
"Great," Harry grinned, unable to stifle the feeling of sheer joy that bubbled up within him.
Still sporting a lopsided grin, he stumbled to his feet and bowed politely holding out his hand for Hermione. His friend accepted it graciously like a princess and Harry didn't let go. Instead, he smiled affectionately at her and received a look of gratitude in return. Feeling happier than he had in a very long, long time, Harry led Hermione to the Yule Ball. And just for once, all seemed right with the world.
The End!
A/N: Okay, so I realised the last couple lines were real cheesy but I didn't know how to wrap it up otherwise and it seemed to fit. Sadly, I can only see this as a one-shot because there are so many fanfics about the Yule Ball. I wanted to write this though as I thought the idea was very probable and could have possibly happened. So, like it? Love it? Hate it? Leave a review and let me know so that I can make this story even better yet!