Just a bit of fluff between out favorite Hufflepuff Hottie and Smartest Witch of Her Age. I am working on the next chapter of Something About Hermione, but this was just begging to be written. Enjoy!

Of Yule Balls and Kisses

If Cedric had a galleon for every time Weasley made an arse of himself, he'd be wealthier than the Malfoys. A mixture of sympathy and anger coursed through him as he inadvertently became a spectator to the heated exchange between the red-head and the young woman currently crying on the stairs. Potter had just stood there fidgeting awkwardly, but ended up following Weasley when the other boy had stomped off. Cedric sighed. Clearly, he'd been giving Potter far too much credit. Otherwise, he would have cut his friend off, and made it clear that Granger was doing nothing wrong and certainly wasn't 'fraternizing with the enemy'.

Krum was a decent bloke. Cedric had conversed with him on numerous topics and while there had been a language barrier, they'd managed quite nicely. They had developed a friendship of sorts after the older wizard had approached him and asked his advice on how best to ask a witch to the Yule Ball. It was a move that had surprised Cedric until Krum had haltingly explained that his quidditch schedule had not allowed much of a chance to date and that he'd kept interactions with most females at a minimum, because he attracted the type of witches he had no interest in dating. Krum had been polite about it, but Cedric knew that the type of witches he was referring to were hangers-on and groupies, so he didn't blamIfe Krum in the least for not consorting with them. Fact was, Cedric admired him for it.

So, Cedric had done the best he could by the internationally famous Seeker, and went about educating Krum on the way that had worked for him when he'd asked Cho. Of course, he'd switched it up a bit because girls tended to compare notes on such things and it wouldn't due to discover that their invitation wasn't as special as they had thought. Over the years, Cedric had become well-versed in how the convoluted mind of females worked. Krum had walked away with a seldom-seen grin after their talk, and they'd been tentative friends ever since.

It had been quite the surprise – to everyone – when Granger, looking like vision in her periwinkle dress, floated down the stairs with a shy, but pleased smile and took the arm of Viktor Krum. Even the most sophisticated Pure-blood bigot stopped what they were doing and gaped as the couple glided into their spot. Not that the couple in question noticed this strange event. Krum only had eyes for Granger and she just blushed prettily while looking down at either her shoes or at her date.

Everyone knew that Granger was brilliant, but it seemed as if few – or no one other than Krum – realized that a stunning witch lay beyond that bookish exterior. Her frizzy curls had been sleeked into a few perfect ringlets which framed a face with the bare minimum of make-up enhancing large, glowing topaz eyes. The rest of her hair had been pulled up and back into a loose French twist, exposing creamy shoulders and a delicately hollowed throat. The neckline hinted at a shadowed cleft, while the material clung to her small, but well-proportioned breasts. With her curves encased so enticingly, her waist appeared narrow by comparison, leading the eye downward to slightly flared hips. Cedric didn't think he'd ever seem Granger on something that form-fitting. Ever. It was criminal that such an intelligent and lovely witch was now crying her eyes out, her evening ruined by that freckled twit.

Without really thinking it through, Cedric approached her just as she was pulling her heels from her slender feet, and rested her head on upraised knees. He crouched down beside her tiny form, face turned away from him, her slender shoulders heaved every so often giving Cedric the impression that she was still crying though not as heavily as before. Now that he was here, Cedric wasn't sure what his next step should be.

"Hey," he whispered, "you okay there, Granger?" He could tell that he'd startled her when she jerked up and swiveled toward him. "Sorry," he went on, hands hovering in a gesture of 'it's all good, I come in peace'. "I couldn't help but notice that you seemed distressed."

Cedric noticed other things now too. Like, even though her face was streaked with drying tears and the skin was mottled from excessive crying, it didn't detract from the fact that it was smooth and clear of blemish. It looked soft too, like her hair. Those dark eyes of hers were surrounded by thick moisture-laden lashes and filled with a combination of hurt and curiosity. She was biting the corner of her bottom lip, blood filling the area with a becoming shade of cherry. This close up, he could see that her curls were pulled off her face with stunning jeweled combs which strangely enough, were fashioned into the likeness of a double-headed eagle.

"I'm okay," she whispered back, lips trembling. He sat beside her, close enough to catch a slight waft of jasmine-scented perfume, but not too close. Cedric had barely said more than two words to her for the entire four years she'd been at Hogwarts, so being pressed thigh-to-thigh would be inappropriate, not to mention, odd. "There's no need to stay. I'm sure you'll want to get back to Cho."

Cedric gave a small shrug, and said with a wry twist to his lips, "Her gaggle of friends whisked her off which means, they're somewhere giggling and trading stories about their evening and the blokes who escorted them. I doubt she'll be back." Glancing around at the very few students still milling about, he asked, "What about Krum? Where'd he disappear to?"

Hermione let out a snort before saying derisively, "His Headmaster took him back to the ship. He claimed that Viktor needed to rest, but honestly, I think he was upset that Viktor was telling me so much about his school. The man is a nutter when it comes to keeping the schools secrets."

Cedric laughed. "He's certainly got an odd way about him. Krum's decent enough although I can't imagine he'd leave his pretty partner to fend for herself."

"Oh, he didn't want to go," Hermione defended, voice firm with a very direct gaze that was daring him to say anything nasty about the Seeker. Cedric liked that she'd come to Krum's defense and that fire in her eyes… well, it was really something. "Viktor insisted that he walk me to the common room first, but his Headmaster was making quite the scene and to save me from further embarrassment, Viktor went back with him."

Resting his arms on his bent knee, Cedric mused, "You looked to be having fun. So when I saw you here crying, I knew something dreadful must have happened." Hermione's face fell. "Truth be told, I heard what Weasley said to you, and he was way out of line."

"He was an out-and-out twat!" Hermione bit out fiercely. "How could he say those asinine things to me? Me! He's supposed to be my friend! Friends do not treat each other like that!"

Shrugging, Cedric answered quietly, "He's jealous."

Granger's look of unadulterated surprised skepticism was as ridiculous as it was sweet. She genuinely had no idea how attractive she was and that she'd been the undisputed bell of this particular ball. Countless wizards had been keen on dancing with her (including himself), but Krum hardly left her side, not letting anyone near enough to even ask. The selfish git.

"He had his chance," Hermione retorted. "He waited until I was his very last resort, and then he asked. If you call it asking by saying, "'Oi, Hermione, you're a girl. It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone but for a girl, it's just sad.'"

"He didn't," Cedric breathed, eyes incredulous. Merlin's beard! Weasley really was an arse-wipe! "That's awful! Don't cry," Cedric insisted, noticing the tears welling up again, exclaiming stridently, "He bloody well isn't worth it!"

"I know," she sniffed. "But you heard the awful things he said to me and it ruined everything, and I was having such a lovely time of it." Throwing her hands up in the air, she went on, exasperated, "Between Ron's accusations and Headmaster Karkaroff dragging Viktor away when I knew he'd been planning on kis..." Granger broke off abruptly, a lovely shade of crimson climbing high on her peaches and cream bone structure.

"Ahhh," Cedric whispered with a knowing smile. Nudging her lightly with his elbow, he gently prodded, "You were looking forward to that goodnight kiss?"

Cedric didn't think it was possible for anyone to blush even more, but Granger managed it, ducking her head while giving a slight nod. Peeking up at him, she informed him shyly, "It was going to be my first."

"That's a big deal," Cedric confirmed, repressed laughter brimming in his eyes.

"Oh, you!" Then she surprised him by slapping him up alongside his head, a move he'd seen her perfect on Weasley and Potter. As if realizing she might have crossed a line, she let out a gasp, covered her mouth with her hand and mumbled, "I'm so sorry. That was really rude of me."

"No worries," he chuckled. "I probably deserved it for teasing you." Sighing, he mentioned soulfully, "I didn't get my goodnight kiss either, if that makes you feel a bit better."

"Cho left without a kiss," Granger squeaked and the disbelief written all over her face was extraordinarily gratifying. "Is she daft?!"

Cedric could feel himself flushing and coyly asked, "Do you think she was daft?"

Granger grunted inelegantly. "If you think that I'm going to sit here and feed your ego, Cedric Diggory, you can just think again."

Cedric's bottom lip pushed out into a pout of feigned disappointment, clutching his chest he cried out in mock pain, "You wound me, Granger! This sting of agony will never subside. I will go through life with a massive hole in my chest at your refusal to declare to all of my staggeringly brilliant, boyish charm and uncommon, indubitable good looks."

Her giggles were like music to his ears. Those shining brown orbs stared up into his own and suddenly Cedric was struck with an idea. It was probably all sorts of wrong, and he dismissed it almost as soon as it had formed. But, when she tilted her head to the side and a beautifully warm, wide smile appeared on her appealing face, he changed his mind and decided to go for it.

"I was thinking," he began slowly, giving her a contemplative look. "Maybe, maybe it wouldn't have to be a total loss." Her smooth forehead furrowed in confusion. "I mean… you know, maybe you and me could end the night in the way we both thought it would end."

Cedric saw the exact moment when Granger caught on to his meaning. Her finely arched brows disappeared into her hairline, warm color rose from the white slopes of her breast and didn't stop climbing until the lobes of her perfectly formed ears were pink and then her lush lips formed a wide O of astonishment. It was adorable. She was adorable.

"I… I don't know," she stuttered, looking all kinds of flustered. "Aren't you dating Cho? It wouldn't be right, if you were and then there's Viktor to consider." Granger was top-notch, Cedric thought, admiring her scruples. As far as he was concerned, he could lay those fears to rest.

"We're not dating," he declared truthfully. "I mean, we've snogged a bit but that's as far as it went. I was interested in her when I asked her to the ball, but we decided pretty early on that it wasn't what either of us actually wanted. We decided to go to the ball together anyway, because being with her kept all the other girls at bay. Don't get me wrong, I was still really looking forward to that goodnight kiss. Not to be ungentlemanly, but Cho's quite good at it. Potter's in for a treat."

"You know about that," Granger queried, then answered her own question. "Of course you do. Anyone with half a brain can see how gone Harry is on Cho. He did ask her to the dance, but she'd already said yes to you."

"I know," Cedric replied, grinning. "Cho told me about it. She was so disappointed at having to tell him no, that I offered to let her off the hook so she could accept his invitation, but she wouldn't hear of it. She said, that I needed her protection against all those other witches and their nefarious intentions."

"That was good of her," Granger commended genuinely. Biting her lip, she added, "Viktor is very sweet and he's smarter than what people give him credit for because all they see is the Quidditch star. It's a very narrow perception because there's much more to him than that. It's one of the reasons he asked me to go with him. I didn't chase him or follow him all over Hogwarts, and I wasn't remotely dazzled by his fame or his fortune."

Cedric was well aware that Krum had a multitude of unsung attributes other than his talent and skill on a broom. They really did have great conversations while Cedric was 'tutoring' him on how to ask this sweet and pretty witch to the ball. Course, he hadn't known it was Granger at the time. Not that it would have made any difference, Cedric still would have helped Krum because he was a decent enough bloke.

"He's quite wonderful," Hermione admitted and Cedric's heart sank. This was it then, he wasn't going to be kissing Granger after all. He was surprised by how disappointed he felt. "I've already told him that we can't be anything more than friends. There are several insurmountable obstacles which, in the times we live now…. Well, it isn't conducive for anything other than friendship." And, just like that, Cedric's hopes began to upswing. "Still, I was expecting him to be my first kiss. I mean, he did ask earlier if he could kiss me at the end of the evening and I said, yes."

"I understand," Cedric conceded, and they weren't just empty words. He did understand. Granger had promised her first kiss to Krum and that is exactly who was going to get it. She was a woman who stuck by her principles and her promises. "Let me walk you back to your common room." He stood and held his hand out to the young witch staring up at him and wondered how in the world had he missed Hermione Granger's immense charm. "It's the least that I can do after keeping you up so late."

She didn't put her dainty shoes back on, instead they dangled from her fingers as she slid her other palm into his. Cedric couldn't help but think how right and natural it felt as he helped her to her feet. They chatted amiably as they strolled through the corridors, in no great hurry to reach her destination, arms swinging in unison and neither thought it strange that he held her hand in a light, but strong grip the entire way there.