No one wanted to be with me, and I could tell. I was the only one at the Halloween ball without anyone to dance with; a date… Harry, one of my best friends, had asked Ginny Weasley, and my other best friend Ron, Ginny's older brother, had asked Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw. I watched as they enjoyed themselves in the middle of the Great Hall, while I sat in the shadows of one of the circular tables. I scanned on and on, looking for anyone else who didn't have a steady partner for the entire night. Hell, even Crabbe and Goyle, who were the thickest, dumbest people in Wizarding history had dates with Millicent Bullstrode, a snotty, thick body guard type Slytherin girl, and another Slytherin hussy who looked a little cross eyed.

Sitting here at one of the round tables, fumbling with the frilly ends of my ocean beige robes, I observed all the happy couples having had a grand time on the dance floor while the Weird Sisters, a very popular wizard's band played in the background.

It was my Seventh year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and for some reason, everyone had a boyfriend but me. Being Hermione Granger I shouldn't care about that kind of thing like most people assume, but I do. Everyone was so relaxed this year. Everyone knew where his or her life was leading but me. It was kind of weird that I'd be thinking of something like this at such a grand celebration time, but I am. I mean, Voldemort hasn't even been taken down yet. Why should anyone be celebrating anyway even if it was Halloween? And with all their bloody, rotten, boyfriends and girlfriends…

Ron had anticipated becoming my boyfriend, but I didn't think it was a good idea. We were just too different. We wouldn't have lasted that long anyway; he was like a brother to me, and it would get kind of awkward. But now I sit here and think maybe I should have 'thought' otherwise… but it's too late now, as he seems pretty fond of Luna.

I took my gaze off of Ron and his date, and settle my eyes on Harry and Ginny, who were dancing not but a few feet away.

I couldn't help but think that they were perfect for it each… Harry was stubborn, so was Ginny, Harry had no family, Ginny had plenty of it; it was a perfect fit. True that Ginny had came to her senses and had gotten over Harry, but after his concluded break up with Cho, Harry had come to his senses and realized who he was missing in his life… no not Ginny, me, which had really shocked me at first. I asked him why and he said that I had always been there for me, and that I was intelligent and he could always depend on me… You'd think he would at least say something like, "Your beautiful," and, "I think you're a goddess," but no, he didn't.

"Ouch!"

"Oops! I'm sorry. He he… Hey, Wait up Danny!"

Someone had stepped on my foot while dancing.

But I had turned him down also. It just wouldn't feel right. And I don't think it would have gone pretty well either. So Harry had asked Ginny out on a date one Hogsmeade trip, and she accepted in an instant, forgetting to not like him anymore as she claimed she had.

I looked around the Great Hall again. 'Yep, everyone had a date. What is there, an odd count of six and seventh year students?' I thought to myself. Continuing my watch of pure jealousy from the beginning of the dancers in the front of the Great Hall to the end of it, when an undoubted drawl Draco Malfoy spoke to me…

"What's wrong Mudblood? No date?" he smirked.

"He he! You're so funny Drakey…" Draco rolled his eyes.

Pansy Parkinson, a girl who in my opinion had a pug's face, cackled at his side, her arm entwined around his.

I almost snorted at the look Malfoy had on his face. It was obvious he wanted nothing to do with the girl. She was probably his betrothed already due to old Pureblood laws… Lord knows his father would hold him to that.

I was about to retaliate to his words when the Head Hussy of Slytherin replied, "Draco you know why she can't get a date… know one wants MUD all over their best outfits."

Malfoy and Parkinson burst out with laughter and walked away, leaving me even more miserable then I already was.

"Putrid, vile girl," I whispered to myself. Even though I was trying to make myself feel better with my hateful words towards Parkinson, the logic of it wasn't succeeding the way I hoped it would have by making me feel better. Parkinson's jeering comment stuck a question inside of me though… 'Why didn't anyone want to be with me? Was there something wrong with me? Was I too fat?' I bowed my head down slightly to see nothing but a petit figure below me. 'No, that couldn't be it,' I told myself reassuringly. If that had been the case, most of the girls in my year and sixth year would be sitting down just as I was. It was shocking to me how much people ate at Hogwarts without proper exercise. Magic definitely didn't make it easier to watch weight. Everyone was too lazy to do anything by hand and did everything with their wands; 'No that couldn't be it.' Was I ugly? I snorted at this thought. I don't praise myself like other girls do at Hogwarts, but if it was anything; I was one of the most naturally beautiful girls who ever set foot in this school. I didn't spend my time goggling at myself or plucking my eyebrows in front of the mirror, and boys still swooned over me. At least I thought they did. I started finding it hard by sixth year to study in the library because boys kept trying to pick me up. Even Draco Malfoy confronted me saying that he knew I wanted him all along, and just didn't want to say anything… PL-EASE!

It couldn't have been my figure; legs were slim and filling in all the right spots, stomach flat and nicely muscled considering that I was a girl… running every morning can go a long way… I had elegant hands, which I put to good use playing the clarinet, violin, and the piano at home, and my facial features were something of a humble goddess. My hair, which, with all the knowledge on hair care I learned over the last two summers I had managed to tame, fanned out behind me as I walked, with tendrils just below my eye level when ever I put it up. I had let it grow out to the small of my back.

What was I thinking? It couldn't be me. 'But then what was it?'

Just then the song that the band was playing stopped. Everyone looked a bit flushed and out of breathe after the last fast going song. I watched as most of the girls' dance partners went to go fetch them drinks. My friend, Ginny Weasley spotted me and came over to me; Harry went to get some pumpkin juice.

"Hey Hermione! I'm having so much fun," she took a breath, "How about you?"

Even though Ginny didn't like the idea that Harry had rather of been with me if I had said yes to his offer, we still continued to be friends. She waited as I hesitated to give her an answer. "Did I look alright to her?' I'm sitting here, all by myself, with no date, and no one to really talk to… What would make her think that I was having a good time in the first place? She continued to smile. I forced myself to hold back the sarcasm and the anger that may have lashed out in my next words. My eyes were heating up when I asked her, "Ginny, why hasn't anyone even asked me to dance yet? Is there something wrong with me or what I'm wearing?" Ginny gave me an almost what could have been a sympathetic look.

"Hermione," she paused, to indicate she was speaking to me, "The reason why no one asked you was because everyone thought you might turn down the offer…"

"What?" I didn't understand. Why would anyone think that I would turn them down? It was almost as if Ginny had read my mind, "Well, most of the boys in sixth year think you're too smart for them, and the boys in seventh year think you're too good for them."

"Everyone thinks you're too good for them," she repeated. I gave her a 'yeah right' look. "It's true!" she said. Ginny pulled a chair from the table and sat down next to me.

"Listen, Hermione, don't tell anyone I said this because I don't want the boys to find out I usually spend my spare time ease dropping on them near the bathrooms or something," I gave her a questioning look. "What?" she asked. "A girl needs to find something to do on her spare time. Anyway, all the boys think your so beautiful and so smart that you'll probably end up as Minister of Magic or something like that. No one seems to want to ruin your future, at least not in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw."

I gave her a disbelieving look. "So you're saying the reason no one wants to go out with is because they think I'm better then them and only think to want me to have the best for me?" I finished sarcastically. Ginny slowly nodded her head.

The music began to play again.

"Well, I've got to run Hermione; Harry is waiting for me." Ginny crossed the hall to get back to Harry. And I sat there, still alone and now confused.

The last way I probably wanted to spend my Friday evening was monitoring a bunch of idiotic buffoons at the Halloween ball. If it hadn't been for the Headmaster, I, Professor Severus Snape, would not have even set foot into the Great Hall that night. But Professor Dumbledore thought it would be wise that more heads were out to make sure everything went fine. Still no one had heard about the whereabouts of Voldemort since he tried his last attack on the school last year.

That's when I spotted Ms. Granger sitting down, all by herself. I watched as Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Parkinson approach her. Laughing as they left, I noticed the pained look on Ms. Granger's face. What could she possibly be so sad about? From what I heard from the Slytherin house, the insufferable no-it-all had turned down everyone that had asked her to go with her. Surprising myself with the thought of siding with Granger, it was a good thing she turned down these incoherent and incompetent boys. Though I refuse to admit and vocalize it, Granger has a lot of potential in her future. Very bright, and too valuable to be spent on one these boys. No, she needed someone much more to her own level. Someone with the same intellectual ideas and conversations, and someone that can keep her luscious body on her toes, someone like…well, just someone…

Suddenly the song that was playing ended. I watched from the high table as everyone huffed and puffed after the fast beat of the last song. 'Lack of proper exercise no doubt,' I thought to myself. The Weasley girl strode over to Granger her with much more enthusiasm then I could assume Hermi- Ms. Granger would want… Probably trying to cheer her up.

I have no intentions on spying on the lives of girls in this school, I just merely choose out the ones I take most interest to. Hermione Granger would have to be the first one and only I suppose. She has so much potential, and to waste her time fondling over the idiotic boys of this school would degrade her. I could tell she was having a difficult time mustering the fact that she had no date.

A few moments later, the music began again, and Ms. Weasley left. Ms. Granger lingered a little while, before rushing out of the Great Hall with one hand over her eyes. No one even noticed her leave, which bothered me. The fact that it bothered me frustrated my mind. Secretly, I followed her.

My first mistake.

A/N: Thank you. I hope you have enjoyed. Please continue reading when I put out the next chapter. And please review.