A/N: Just like the description says, in this story we see the Yule Ball from Hermione's perspective, as she has to deal with three boys that she has conflicting feelings for. The story is T-rated just to be on the safe side (mild content).

It's the first time I try writing in first person (at the recommendation of a friend) and I'm not completely happy with the result (nor the story overall, which I had to write in a bit of a hurry, given I have an overdue chapter for my main story) but that's exactly why constructive criticism is welcome. In any case, I hope you do like the story. Enjoy!

The unforgettable Christmas

I woke up with a start, to a grey winter light filtering through the windows in the Gryffindor girls' dormitory, and for a moment I was still caught up in the dream I'd been having… it was something about mortal danger, I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but perhaps something to do with Hagrid's appalling Blast Ended Skrewts?

Quite possibly. Those things were horrible, and although I didn't like agreeing with Malfoy of all people, I really didn't see a point to them and Hagrid had really better just let them all die and cut his losses… otherwise soon the losses might be the students themselves. It was a real pity the skrewts didn't hibernate, that way everyone would be safe for at least a couple of months.

I tried to shake off the impression of the dream by getting out of bed and going to open the window, to let some air in, but I moved carefully, trying to make as little noise as possible, because the other girls were not up yet and I didn't want to wake them – it's not easy being an early riser in a shared dorm room.

Even before I opened the window, I was struck by the beauty of the scenery below… the castle grounds were covered in white snow which glittered most attractively in the dim sunlight that barely managed to filter through the grey clouds covering the sky. And then I opened the window, and I could feel the air - it was very cold air, but crisp in a pleasant way, and I could feel the blood rushing through my body, trying to keep me warm – I already missed the warmth of my bed. I love Hogwarts, but I have to admit the castle is quite drafty, so if it weren't for the fires…

And who made those fires, I asked myself again, feeling my temper rise at the injustice. The poor house elves were the ones who slaved away their entire lives to make sure students were warm and fed and comfortable, and that simply wasn't fair. No matter, soon they'd learn there was a better way. Dobby's example would get through to them eventually, it had to!

I got dressed while thinking of the most exciting event that was only days away: the Yule Ball. I didn't want to let it show, but secretly I could hardly wait for this event. Although my main interest is in books and knowledge and becoming as good as I possibly can at all things magic, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy other things as well…. One of those things is dancing. Another one of those things is dressing up – though of course I consider it impractical, and therefore would only do it for a special occasion, and the Yule Ball is the most special occasion ever!

I wasn't as excited about the ball from the beginning. When Professor McGonagall first announced it, I was, indeed, delighted – but depressed at the same time. Delighted because it would be the perfect opportunity for dressing up and dancing, and depressed because I couldn't possibly see who'd ask me…

You'd think what with my having two male best friends, I could easily go with either of them, but time passed and, just as I suspected, Harry and Ron were as clueless as ever.

It should have been clear that Harry was supposed to go with Ginny and Ron with me, but apparently Ginny and I were the only ones who saw it clearly… the boys were too thick-headed to figure it out and it stung, bad.

And then, the unexpected happened. Ever since this school year began, I've been complaining about Viktor Krum's continued presence in the library. Not that I mind his presence – he's always quiet and doesn't disturb those around him. But his fan club follows wherever he goes, and they're not quiet, giggling all the time. They have no respect for the library, and it's clear they only like him because he's famous, which is as shallow as one can get – if you didn't count Ron, who said, in so many words, that he's going to go to the Yule Ball with the most beautiful girl who'd have him.

I sighed from the bottom of my heart - Ron's shallowness could really hurt sometimes. Why couldn't he see past physical appearance and appreciate other things? Like intelligence or the willingness to help others?

I sighed again as I met up with Harry and Ron and we exited the Common Room, heading for the Great Hall. As we walked through the castle corridors, I tuned out their chatter, and my thoughts trailed back to Viktor Krum. One day when he was in the library again, he suddenly came over to me and asked me to go to the ball with him. I admit, I felt so surprised that I said 'yes' on the spot. But thinking about it now, it was the right decision: not only do I have a partner for the Yule Ball (one that I'm sure a lot of girls will envy me for), but Ron will surely have a rude awakening, when he sees me with his 'idol'.

It was lucky that Viktor's fan club wasn't close enough to hear our exchange when he asked me to the ball, or the news would be all over the school by now, and I bet that's all that the awful Rita Skeeter is waiting for – another chance to make my life hell.

After she published that article about Harry, saying that he spends a lot of time with me ('a stunningly pretty muggle born witch' in her words), my life became significantly more difficult, as I had to put up with a lot of unpleasantness from the Slytherins, who apparently don't agree with Skeeter's description of me.

I don't much care what Slytherins think, so I try to ignore the nasty comments, even if it's not always easy. I just hope my going to the ball with Viktor Krum isn't going to stir up even more unpleasantness. Oh well, I guess I'll see – either way, it'll be worth it, I'm sure.

I entered the Great Hall and didn't waste time in eating breakfast. I wanted to get to the library before classes, to do a little more studying about house elves and their history of enslavement.

I didn't listen to the conversations around me at breakfast either, because everyone was still going on and on about the ball. Unlike in other years, pretty much everyone from the fourth to the seventh year (not to mention a lot of younger students too) were staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. I guess a ball is much more exciting than the usual family Christmas.

Classes weren't much better these days – instead of focusing on the subject at hand, most students keep busy spreading all sort of wild rumours, and I'm rather annoyed that even some of the teachers gave up on actual teaching, leaving students to their own devices.

I continue studying rigorously, but I'm the only one – not that it's something out of the ordinary. And normally I wouldn't pick on Harry and Ron at this time of the year, but I just don't understand how Harry can simply ignore that egg he stole from the Hungarian Horntail and not try to work out the clue for the second task of the tournament.

If I were in his place, that's all I'd do in my spare time, but as it is, I can only nag and hope he listens before it's too late. I'm really worried about him! Facing a dragon was really dangerous, and my head is filled with ideas about the second and third task of the tournament, each one deadlier than the one before.

In Harry's defence, it is easy to get side-tracked. Even I'm not completely impervious to distractions, and this year Christmas at Hogwarts promises to be amazing, if the decorations are any indication. I don't know what I love more, the carol-singing suits of armour or the everlasting icicles attached to the banisters of the marble staircase… The Great Hall and its Christmas trees are beyond words, they're splendid with all their extravagant decorations, and only someone like the Beauxbatons champion would have negative comments about it, but some people are just wired that way.

I have no idea if all the Houses were as enthusiastic about Christmas as the Gryffindors, but we decorated our Common Room in the spirit of the season, and it's a pleasure to stay near the fireplace and admire the red and gold glittering decorations.

So it was that I was returning to the Common Room one evening, eager to take in the cosy holiday mood, but also curious to find out why Harry and Ron hadn't come to dinner – something highly unusual for them.

As I climbed through the portrait hole, I located them – they were laughing, and they were with Ginny though she didn't seem amused. I walked over to join them, ignoring their laughter.

"Why weren't you two at dinner?" I asked.

It was Ginny who answered.

"Because - oh shut up laughing, you two - because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!"

Harry and Ron were instantly quiet, and I was surprised they were able to laugh at all under the circumstances.

"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," Ron said, and he sounded quite bitter.

"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" I asked sweetly. "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."

But my comments didn't seem to have the intended result, as Ron was now staring at me as though he was seeing me for the first time.

"Hermione, Neville's right - you are a girl. . . ."

I was sure Neville figured out I'm a girl waaay before Ron did, because he actually asked me to go to the ball with him. Alas, Viktor had already asked me by then, so I had to turn him down. He asked Ginny instead, and she accepted.

"Oh, well spotted," I replied acidly.

"Well - you can come with one of us!", he said as if having a revelation.

"No, I can't," I snapped.

"Oh come on, we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has . . ."

I was tempted to tell him that if even shy Neville managed to ask two girls to the ball (as in, he didn't just give up once he was turned down the first time, and managed to find himself a partner the second time around), then Ron deserved to look stupid, but refrained from doing so.

"I can't come with you, because I'm already going with someone", I said, and felt a blush creep up my cheeks, remembering the moment when Viktor asked me to go with him.

"No, you're not! You just said that to get rid of Neville!"

I couldn't believe how obtuse Ron could be.

"Oh, did I?" I was sure my temper was starting to show in my voice. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!"

He stared at me, but then grinned again.

"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl. That do? Will you come now?"

"I've already told you!" I repeated, and by now I was sure my face was as red as Ginny's hair – with anger, this time. "I'm going with someone else!"

Before he could say anything else to annoy me further, I stormed off to the girls' dormitory. I did some reading before going to bed, and by the time I closed my eyes, I was calm once more.

The next day I was glad to hear that Harry had taken matters into his own hands and asked the Parvati twins to be his and Ron's partners for the ball.

Well, I was glad my best friends wouldn't have to go to the ball alone, but I can't say I was pleased Ron was going with Padma Patil who, like Parvati, was extremely pretty. Despite the fact that I cared for both Harry and Ron a lot, with Harry things were simple: he was like a brother to me, and I loved the feeling because I've always wanted siblings, and was sometimes a little envious of Ron and his big family.

And speaking of Ron, with him things weren't simple at all, on the contrary, they were as complicated as possible. Ever since I saw him first on the Hogwarts Express, with that spot of dirt on his nose and trying to cast a spell that was obviously fake, I felt a strange sort of affection for him… which is why it hurt me all the more that he considered me a 'nightmare', as he so bluntly put it in the first year. But after the troll incident we became 'friends' and yet my feelings for him, while strong, were not the brother-sister type, which is why I was so irked that he only just realized I'm a girl.

I noticed he was a boy from the very start. During our second year, once I'd been un-petrified, I was yearning to hug him, and yet something held me back… it just didn't seem as natural as it was when hugging Harry.

And although I was incredibly distraught in our third year, when I thought Buckbeak had been killed, it was Ron I turned to instinctively for comfort, even if Harry's hug also helped a lot.

So despite not being able to go to the Yule Ball with Ron for a partner, which would have been a dream come true, it's still a step forward that he finally sees me as a girl, and I hope he'll see more than that once I showed up with Viktor… not that I'm using Viktor to open Ron's eyes.

I actually like Viktor - I admire him for being selected as the champion of his school, because that means his talents don't only apply to Quidditch, but also to his magic studies, and that is impressive. I also love the fact that out of all the girls he could have asked, he chose me – it proves he sees beyond appearances, and that he has an admiration for one's intellect.

So perhaps instead of waiting for Ron to wake up, I should just keep an open mind and see whether there is something worth pursuing with Viktor. I mean, sure, he lives in a different country and studies at a different school, so other than the holidays, I wouldn't be able to see him, but we could always write to each other…

But what was I doing, daydreaming about a future relationship with Viktor?! I was getting way ahead of myself.

These days, Herbology classes were my favourite for the simple reason that it was a long way to the greenhouse and as it hadn't stopped snowing for days, it was a pleasure to hear the crunching noise the fresh snow made under my feet as I made my way through the castle grounds. It was also a pleasure to watch big snowflakes fall from the sky and I admit that despite my interest in the Herbivicus charm, my attention would often wander to the glass ceiling, where I could see winter in its splendour.

Harry amused me by saying he thought the Beauxbatons carriage looked like a frosted pumpkin and that Hagrid's cabin could very well be an iced gingerbread house, but he was right: everything out on the grounds seemed to be out of a fairy tale, although Ron would always have a confused look on his face when we talked about it. His childhood stories were not Cinderella or Hansel and Gretel or the Snow Queen, but rather Babbitty Rabbitty or The Warlock's Hairy Heart.

It was the most wonderful time of the year, no doubt, though Fleur Delacour still managed to find something negative to say, as she seemed to find Hogwarts food too heavy for her sensitive – and no doubt perfectly flat – stomach.

I was just commenting on what a tragedy it would be if Fleur Delacour would not fit into her dress robes, when Ron decided to change the subject and to ask his favourite question of late.

"Hermione - who are you going to the ball with?"

Does he really think that if he keeps springing this question on me, I'll eventually let it slip? Not a chance.

"I'm not telling you, you'll just make fun of me", I said with a frown.

And then the worst possible thing happened: Malfoy overheard the conversation!

"You're joking, Weasley!" he said. "You're not telling me someone's asked that to the ball? Not the long-molared Mudblood?"

Harry and Ron looked like they were about to start a fight, but I knew better how to handle this. I spoke loudly, waving to somebody over Malfoys shoulder, "Hello, Professor Moody!"

It was a delight to see how pale Malfoy became and he actually jumped backward, looking wildly around for Moody, but of course the professor was nowhere near – he was still up at the staff table, finishing his stew.

"Twitchy little ferret, aren't you, Malfoy?" I asked scathingly, and I left with Harry, and Ron, all of us enjoying a good laugh.

Earlier in the year, Professor Moody had transfigured Malfoy into a ferret, and although the punishment was well earned and extremely funny to watch, I had to agree with Professor McGonagall that transfiguration should not be used as a punishment – Malfoy might have gotten hurt for real!

And speaking of Malfoy, his mean comment about my teeth gave Ron some food for thought.

"Hermione, your teeth ..." he trailed off, frowning and I allowed myself a little smile that he finally observed the change.

"What about them?" I asked.

"Well, they're different. . . I've just noticed. . . ."

"Of course they are - did you expect me to keep those fangs Malfoy gave me?" I commented innocently.

Not long ago, Malfoy called me a Mudblood – again. Harry reacted to that and he tried to jinx him, and Malfoy wasn't far behind with his own jinx, only the ones who got hit were Goyle and I. As soon as I was hit with the Densaugeo hex, my teeth had grown at an alarming rate and I had to run to the Hospital Wing to get them fixed. One of my worst memories ever.

"No, I mean, they're different to how they were before he put that hex on you. . . .They're all... straight and - and normal-sized", Ron insisted.

I gave in and smiled mischievously, allowing both Ron and Harry to get a clear look at my 'improved' teeth.

"Well. . . when I went up to Madam Pomfrey to get them shrunk, she held up a mirror and told me to stop her when they were back to how they normally were. And I just… let her carry on a bit. Mum and Dad won't be too pleased. I've been trying to persuade them to let me shrink them for ages, but they wanted me to carry on with my braces. You know, they're dentists, they just don't think teeth and magic should - look! Pigwidgeon's back!"

I forgot all about what I was going to say and after the tiny owl finished showing off, Harry finally read the letter from Sirius.

I was pleased that Sirius had thought of the same way of dealing with the dragon as Viktor – the Conjunctivitus Curse. On the other hand, I was displeased that Harry not only did not listen to me, but he didn't seem to take Sirius' warnings seriously either – and Ron was not helping by offering to play wizard chess!

But eventually I had to admit the castle was too noisy and distracting these days, what with everyone excited about Christmas, so I let them play – I even watched the game.

Christmas morning finally came, and of course the first thing I did was to open my presents. I wasn't surprised to see most of them consisted of books – people know how passionate I am about reading and finding out new things, so the easiest present is to gift me a book. The only problem is that by now I already have an impressive collection of books, so it's a bit tricky not to get the same book twice. Luckily, it wasn't the case. From Harry I got the 'Achievements in Charming' which will surely prove most useful next year, when I'll have to revise my knowldge for the O.W.L.s. Ron gave me the 'Self-Defensive Spellwork', another book which should be fascinating to read, though a better present would have been if Ron himself read it first.

In any case, I couldn't resist looking through both books, therefore I was barely in time to meet up with Harry and Ron in the common room, to go to breakfast together. The meal was noisier than ever, as most students were too excited about the ball to eat – they preferred talking, speculating about who was going with who, what people were going to wear, what music would be playing, and so on.

I was glad to be out of there and back in Gryffindor Tower, where I started reading 'Self-Defensive Spellwork' and didn't stop until it was time to go down to lunch – by now, most people had gossiped enough to actually enjoy the food, which was only fair, given how delicious it all was.

Despite sneering at Fleur earlier, I too had to watch what I ate – I didn't want my lovely dress robes to fit me too tight.

Together with Harry and the Weasleys, I went on the castle grounds after lunch, but didn't join them in their snowball fight – I'd need my energy for dancing in the evening, as I had every intention to dance to most, if not all the songs.

I also knew the preparations for the ball would take a while, so at five PM I announced my intention to go get ready.

"What, you need three hours?" Ron asked incredulously and the question cost him, as a large snowball hit him on the side of the head. "Who're you going with?" he yelled after me, but I just waved and was on my way back to Gryffindor Tower.

Once I was done with my preparations, I was pleased with the result: I had to use a big amount of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion on my hair to make it less bushy, - once I was done, it was rather sleek and shiny, and I thought it looked pretty elegant, twisted up into a knot as it was, at the back of my head. It certainly made a nice change, though it would be too much trouble to go to such lengths on a daily basis.

I was very pleased with how my robes fit me, despite my earlier concern about eating too much turkey. The floaty, periwinkle-blue material fit well with my colouring, and the matching medium sized heels fulfilled the double purpose of looking good and feeling good enough to dance in.

I went downstairs, and amused myself immensely by taking in people's reactions: some recognized me and stared, amazed, some didn't, but for now, all I cared was to see Viktor's reaction. I exited the castle, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the front lawn had been transformed into a sort of fairy lights wonderland - hundreds of actual living fairies were sitting in the rosebushes that had been conjured there, and they were fluttering over the statues of Father Christmas and his reindeer. It looked amazing!

And out of this wonderland came the Durmstrang students, Viktor at the front, and his admiring look said it all – my heart swelled with pride that my efforts hadn't been in vain.

He gallantly kissed my hand and I felt like I would melt on the spot.

"You look beautiful, Hermiown", he said admiringly, and I smiled at his wrong pronunciation of my name.

"It's Hermione", I corrected gently, "but thank you! You look good as well", and I wasn't just saying it to be polite.

He looked handsome in his dress robes, tall as he was, and he seemed to be more square-shouldered than usual. He had a fur coat on, so I wondered how cold it really was on the Durmstrang ship – I've seen it pitching in the high winds, barely staying anchored on the Black Lake.

"Is it warm enough on your ship?"

"Ve are used to it – our school is in the north, it is colder", he said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to be cold. I pitied him and wondered what kind of headmaster would let his students freeze.

I wanted to ask him more about it, but it was time to go inside – I didn't have a fur coat on and it was freezing outside. He offered me his arm and I gladly took it.

As the oak front doors opened, I looked around the entrance hall and spotted Harry and Ron with the Parvati twins, both of whom wore bright coloured robes that made them look even more striking than usual. Harry looked nice too – as for Ron… well, his dress robes were certainly unique, but I still found him adorable… not that I'd ever say that to his face!

Just then Professor McGonagall called for the champions, and she told us we had to wait for everyone else to go in the Great Hall and be seated.

As I looked at the other champions and their partners I had to admit Fleur looked perfect, and Cedric Diggory with Cho Chang also made a very fetching couple. Harry was looking at me, his jaw dropped, and I laughed at how surprised he was at my appearance.

I cheerfully greeted him and Parvati, enjoying how the Indian girl now wore a surprised expression almost identical to Harry's.

And as people passed us to enter the Great Hall, more and more of them had the same expression, among them, I was pleased to notice, Malfoy himself and his pug faced partner, Pansy Parkinson. She looked ridiculous in way too frilly pink robes, but Malfoy looked impeccable as always. Not that they were worth wasting another second thinking of them.

The only one who didn't acknowledge me was Ron, but I tried not to feel stung again. It was probably just a big blow to his ego to see me with his idol, Viktor Krum… and it served him right!

I put Ron out of mind too as I walked into the Great Hall on Viktor's arm and to the applause of the entire student body – it was an amazing feeling! As I advanced in the hall, I took in the wonderful decorations: the walls were sparkling with silver frost, and there were hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had been removed, but in their place there were about a hundred smaller lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.

The champions and their partners though had to sit at the top table, but as long as I had Viktor by my side, I wasn't nervous to be in such 'select' company.

I didn't give too much thought to what I was eating, ordering the simplest items on the menu, as I was more interested in the stories Viktor told me about Durmstrang institute and the classes in the curriculum. It was new information to me, and Viktor seemed eager to share.

His headmaster wasn't very pleased with Viktor's sudden loquaciousness, but there wasn't much he could do to protest with Professor Dumbledore making light of the situation.

The evening was amazing, if only I could get Viktor to pronounce my name right. He got close enough eventually, and I exchanged a grin with Harry, who was apparently paying attention to everyone and everything else other than his date – not that Parvati minded, she was happy to be at the top table, in the centre of attention for most students.

I looked around the hall to spot Ron, and caught him looking at me sullenly. He quickly looked away and resumed eating. Padma didn't look too happy either, but most people were having a good time.

And once everyone was done eating, it was time for dancing, to my delight. The Headmaster used his wand to make the tables zoom back along the walls, and he conjured a raised platform along the right wall, complete with a set of musical instruments – and before long the Weird Sisters got up on the stage, and I clapped along with everyone else, as they started playing their songs.

Viktor was a pretty good dancer, so I had a lot of fun with him on the dancefloor. However, it was getting a little hotter with every song, so eventually I had to ask for a break and I also asked him to get us some drinks.

I spotted a vacant seat next to Harry and sat down in it, trying to cool my face.

"Hi," Harry said.

"It's hot, isn't it?" I commented, fanning myself with my hand. "Viktor's just gone to get some drinks."

Ron, who had done a wonderful job of ignoring me so far, finally addressed me.

"Viktor?" he said. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?"

"What's up with you?" I asked, annoyed. That's what he was going to say of all things?

"If you don't know," said Ron scathingly, "I'm not going to tell you."

I stared at him, but he didn't comment any further, so I looked at Harry, to see what he had to say about it, but he shrugged. Not that I could blame him, this was clearly between Ron and I.

"Ron, what - ?" I started, but he cut me off.

"He's from Durmstrang!" spat Ron. "He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You - you're -" fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!"

I felt my mouth fall open. First because he actually came up with a word such as 'fraternizing', and second because he of all people, was the one to say something like that.

"Don't be so stupid!" I said. "The enemy! Honestly - who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?"

"I s'pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?" he replied, ignoring my questions – typical.

"Yes, he did," I admitted, and I could feel myself start to blush – whether out of embarrassment or anger, I wasn't entirely sure. "So what?" I asked.

"What happened - trying to get him to join spew, were you?"

"No, I wasn't! If you really want to know, he - he said he'd been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!"

By now I was extremely red in the face, but there was no helping it.

"Yeah, well - that's his story," Ron said and I didn't care for his nasty tone.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I parried.

"Obvious, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with. . . . He's just trying to get closer to Harry - get inside information on him - or get near enough to jinx him -"

Unbelievable! So Ron thought the only reason Viktor asked me to the Yule Ball was to use me for some reason or another, not because I had any worth… that's what Ron thought of me. I knew my voice would quiver, but I had to try to get my point through that thick skull of his.

"For your information, he hasn't asked me one single thing about Harry, not one -"

"Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cozy little library sessions -"

"I'd never help him work out that egg!" I was outraged and hurt, not that Ron seemed to care what his words were doing to me. "Never. How could you say something like that - I want Harry to win the tournament. Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?"

"You've got a funny way of showing it," Ron commented, not alloying Harry time to answer my question.

"This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!" I told him hotly.

"No it isn't!" Ron shouted. "It's about winning!"

I couldn't believe what a scene he was making. People were starting to stare at us.

"Ron," Harry finally spoke, and in a quiet voice, which I was grateful for, "I haven't got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum -"

But Ron ignored Harry too.

"Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are," he told me.

I could feel myself snapping.

"Don't call him Vicky!"

I jumped to my feet and stormed off across the dance floor, disappearing into the crowd and heading straight for the exit, because I knew that the only thing that could cool my head at the moment was the cold air outside…well, that and as much distance between me and Ron as possible.

No matter how upset I was, I couldn't help being slightly mollified by the beautiful sight that greeted me once I stepped out of the castle.

The fairy lights fluttered all through the rose garden, making the white snow on the ground glitter, just like in the dark blue sky myriad stars glittered, and I tried to take it all in as I walked on the winding paths through the bushes, looking for a secluded spot where I could try and get my temper under control.

I was glad that it was so cold that the ground was frozen, otherwise my heels would have probably sunk in the dirt – as it was, the only thing that was keeping me from sliding on the patches of ice was the snow that was starting to gather on the ground.

It was snowing slow, but with big fluffy snowflakes, therefore the carved benches scattered among the rose bushes were covered with a thin sheet of snow, but I didn't much care at the moment. I had just sat down on a carved bench hidden behind a large stone statue when, other than the sound of a fountain nearby, I heard footsteps quickly coming my way.

It was Viktor.

"Hermyowniny, vhy are you going out of the castle? I vas coming to you vith the drinks vhen I saw you running avay. Did you have a fight vith your friends?" he asked, his voice concerned.

"Something like that", I replied, trying hard not to let my annoyance show – I knew I shouldn't take it out on him, but I was SO angry.

Viktor took a seat next to me and we sat there in silence for a little while – me, trying to calm down and slowly succeeding, him probably trying to figure out what to do to make me feel better.

Strangely enough, he didn't have to do anything at all – it was enough that I felt his reassuring presence next to me. He was so different from Ron, who probably couldn't stay one single minute in silence.

However, it was getting cold, and involuntarily I shivered – perhaps it hadn't been the best idea to exit the castle with just my dress robes on… the temperature was way too low for that and I risked getting ill.

Viktor noticed my shivering and he gallantly took off his fur coat and placed it over my shoulders.

"Thank you", I said, voice full of gratitude. He was a great source of consolation and so considerate, that I couldn't help feeling a lot of affection for him.

"But won't you be the one to freeze now?" I asked, worried he might come down with a cold, despite Viktor being much more accustomed to low temperatures than I was.

"Vhat about this, then?" he asked, and he moved closer to me, drawing me close so that we were hugging beneath his coat.

I could feel my face heating up again at the intimacy of his gesture.

"Um… it's… fine, I guess", I replied, trying to sound coherent, though I was really embarrassed and not sure what he wanted me to say.

I was avoiding his inquisitive eyes, but he wouldn't have any of that. He reached for my face, and raised my chin so that I had no choice but to look at him, and then… he kissed me!

His lips were warm and firm against my soft, frozen ones, and the contrast felt really good, although it also felt really weird and surreal to be sharing a kiss with Viktor Krum.

It didn't last long, and when it ended, Viktor smiled – which shocked me, because I'd only seen him smile once before, back when I accepted his invitation to the Yule Ball – but he also looked a bit embarrassed, and he quickly got up to his feet.

"I vill go back inside, and get us those drinks. You should come too, I vill be vaiting."

With that, he left in the direction of the castle, leaving me dumbfounded, as I had no idea where that had come from.

I mean, it was obvious he liked me, otherwise he wouldn't have invited me to the ball in the first place, but I thought that perhaps he did it because he appreciated the fact that I wasn't one of his fan-club 'groupies'. It looked like his feelings went a little beyond that and I wasn't sure how I felt about it.

I didn't get the chance to try to figure out Viktor's feelings or mine, because a lazy drawl interrupted my thoughts.

"Well, well, I never would have believed it, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes".

It was Draco Malfoy, leaning casually against the stone statue which should have been hiding my bench from sight.

Perfect, the last thing I needed at the moment.

"What did you do, Granger, feed him Amortentia? There's no way he would have asked you to the ball otherwise, let alone kiss you!"

His voice was dripping contempt, but it was hardly anything new.

"Of course I didn't give him a love potion, but I couldn't care less about what you think, Malfoy."

"Really? And here I was just thinking of paying you a compliment."

Yeah, right, like that was ever going to happen, I thought to myself, sighing.

"I highly doubt you're capable of complimenting me, and I'm in no mood for your malice, so just leave me alone, OK?"

I also doubted my asking him to do something would have any effect other than him doing the exact opposite, but I had to try.

"Allow me to prove you wrong – I was going to say you actually look nice tonight, Granger."

I could feel my jaw dropping, as I was completely taken by surprise. What had brought that on?

"Um… thanks…?"

"You usually provide better conversation than this, Granger. I understand why you'd use simple speech with Krum – it doesn't look like he'd understand anything more, but I assure you I'm quite capable of following more complex speech so knock yourself out."

It would have been too good to be true for him to simply compliment me… of course he'd now offend me, and not just me, Viktor too.

It also meant he heard our short conversation.

"How long have you been standing there?", I asked, annoyed, all calm gone once more.

"I was actually here since before you sat down on the bench. I had to evade Pansy – she is a lousy dancer and yet persists in not missing one single song on the dancefloor."

That was waaay too much information than I cared to know.

"So why didn't you make your presence known?"

"Krum didn't give me any time to do so, and once he joined you on the bench, it would have been rude to interrupt."

"Ruder than eavesdropping and peeping?!" I asked, my temper rising with every word.

"You have a point there, Granger, but I had to choose between two evils, so I chose… well, if not the lesser one, the one I preferred" – he sounded unapologetic.

"You could have just left, there are plenty of paths to take in this rose garden", I said spitefully.

"There is that, but like I said, I had to see it with my own eyes to believe it."

"And why do you find it so hard to believe that Viktor asked me to the ball – and that he kissed me" I said, trying not to let my voice tremble when talking of such things with Draco Malfoy, "if you admitted I look nice?"

"All right, you win, I don't find it hard to believe, I was just curious… there's no winning an argument against you, is there?" he teased, but I was in no mood for that, not knowing his intentions.

He was acting quite out of character.

"Did you have something spiked to drink, Malfoy? You're acting... weird."

He advanced toward me, taking a seat on the bench next to me, much too close for comfort, and I had to grit my teeth and dig my heels in the snow to stay where I was and not flee, which was what my instincts told me to do.

"Am I scaring you, Granger? Or are you just intimidated by me?"

If I were to be honest with myself, I was a little scared and quite intimidated, but he didn't need to know that. I had to make Gryffindor House proud.

"Neither, so if that's your goal, you might as well give up now", I said, trying to infuse my words with a confidence I didn't feel.

"So now I can't talk to you just for the pleasure of your company, without having an ulterior motive for it?"

"The pleasure of my company? Remember just a couple of days ago you called me a Mudblood again, so I doubt you've had a change of heart in such short a time", I commented as acidly as I could.

But I suddenly remembered something and thought it was about time to turn things in my favor and settle some lingering doubts while we were at it.

"And speaking of change of heart, Malfoy, what was all that at the Quidditch World Cup?"

"What are you on about now, Granger?"

He seemed genuinely puzzled.

"You know, when Harry, Ron and I were running away through the forest, you were there and you said some things – you sounded almost concerned for me."

"I don't remember anything of the sort. In fact, I think Weasley and I exchanged some 'pleasantries', Potter made some remarks too, I called you a Mudblood… wasn't that it?"

"Not exactly", I insisted. "You urged us to hurry so that I wouldn't be spotted, because you said the Death Eaters were moving our way and they'd be able to tell I was a Mudblood. Not to mention you also told me to keep my head down."

"Your big, bushy head, I think it was."

I was getting the distinct impression he was starting to be uncomfortable, clear proof I was on to something.

"Yes, well, you always had a way with words, but my point is that you seemed concerned for my safety."

"'Seem' being the operative word here", he said snidely. "But I'm surprised you don't remember something else – something I remember as if it were yesterday, like the fact that if it weren't for me, you might have shown off your knickers, so you might want to reconsider all this questioning and thank me instead."

"I'll thank you if you admit that you were looking out for me", I said mulishly.

Not that I was keeping an eye on Malfoy, but ever since I punched him last year, I thought he might have come to his senses, which was why I was hoping to get him to admit it, one more step in the right direction.

"I admit nothing – and you talk too much, Granger", he said, and then took me completely by surprise when he suddenly kissed me…

I'd never been kissed on the lips before tonight, and now I was getting my second kiss, from a second person – and what a person!

Draco Malfoy's kiss, however, was nothing like Viktor's. It was much more invasive, but, to my utter shock, not necessarily in a bad way. I could feel my head spinning, and when I gasped for air, he slid his tongue in, and used it in such suggestive ways that I thought my entire body would combust.

I tried to fight him off, but I found that there was no strength left in my limbs, so for the life of me I couldn't push Malfoy away, nor could I get away from him unless he decided to release me.

And he had no such thoughts. He placed one hand on the back of my neck, making sure I wouldn't be able to back out of the kiss even if I found the will to do so, while the other was firmly latched on my waist, under Viktor's fur coat. Even through my dress robes I could feel something electric where his fingers gently squeezed, and I was starting to forget why what was happening was completely wrong.

My senses where overwhelmed and I had no idea whether it was because my eyes were closed – no way could I keep them open when Malfoy's face was glued to mine – or for some other reason, but I usually liked feeling in control, and losing it was at the same time scary and exhilarating.

It was over before I'd had enough, and I was shocking myself with such a guilty admission.

I looked up at Malfoy, and although he seemed somewhat disheveled, and not his usual cool self, I was sure I looked a hundred time worse, given how hot I could feel my face and my entire body.

"Wh…what…" I tried to speak but failed miserably - it proved impossible to gather my wits and form complete sentences.

"Make sure you don't keep Krum waiting. It'd be a pity if you'd freeze to death out here – it'd make my remaining years at Hogwarts quite dull", Malfoy said, and then he left, and I was left all alone, feeling strangely bereft and utterly befuddled.

I thought I was alone but apparently I was wrong again.

"He likes you, you know", a dreamy voice suddenly spoke out of nowhere, and I couldn't believe my bad luck… I thought I picked a secluded spot, how come there were so many people around?!

I turned towards the voice and saw Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw girl in the third year. I didn't know her very well, but she was pretty eccentric, so her reputation preceded her, not to mention it was hard to miss her around the school, given that she had a predilection for doing weird things, or wearing weird stuff – for instance, the weird pair of glasses she was holding in her hand at the moment.

I tried to focus on what she said.

"Who? Malfoy?", I asked, disbelief clear in my voice. I had no idea why Malfoy had kissed me, but I could venture a guess it was either to shut me up or shock me… or both.

"Yes, him… and Viktor Krum… and Ron Weasley too, although just like Draco Malfoy, he doesn't realize it yet."

Once again, my jaw dropped.

"You really should go inside, you look like you're completely frozen and you're shivering", Luna continued, blissfully unaware of how much her bold declaration shocked me.

I was shivering, but it was mostly due to shock rather than the cold.

"I'll go inside too, as soon as I find all the wrackspurts", she added cheerfully and then she put on the weird glasses and left skipping down the path.

I had no idea what 'wrackspurts' were, and I was pretty sure I didn't want to know either – it was the last thing on my mind at the moment.

I wondered whether there was any truth to what Luna said… it would be easy to think that Ron liked me, because it was something I wished for, but that didn't mean it was true. As for Malfoy… if he did like me, he had a very strange way of showing it. Plus, I reminded myself, it didn't matter if he liked me or not… or did it?

My mind was buzzing with everything that had happened during the past couple of hours, so I knew I'd get no answers tonight.

I looked up at the falling snow and at the starry sky, and then got up from the bench and slowly made my way back to the castle, thinking that out of all the confusion, one thing was certain: it was a Christmas I would never forget.

The end