Hermione found that no matter how many times she told herself that Ron was just a stupid boy, she couldn't stop crying. She had barely gotten the will to move over to the side of the steps. Viktor had already left to go to bed. He took her suggestion to rest up for the test he'd have to face tomorrow. All she knew now was that her heart was broken and she needed someone to take the pain of it all away.
Before she knew what was happening, someone was pulling her into a hug. Not caring who it was, she cried into their shoulder. After she had finished, she looked up to see who it was. Looking down at her with his boyish trickster smile was none other than Fred Weasley.
"Why is a pretty face like yours crying on a night like this? It's a ball. It's the only dance this school ever has and you're crying?" Fred asks, gently wiping away a few of Hermione's tears and waiting for an answer. After a few moments of silence, Fred sighs. "It was that git I've got for a little brother, wasn't it?" Hermione's eyes widen, which gives Fred his answer. "Look, he's on of those boys that are so thick that you have to knock him upside the head before he sees what's right in front of him. I personally don't think he deserves you, if you don't mind me saying so."
Hermione blushes and blinks in surprise. "Now, there's still one good song left and my date got too tired and left me all alone. Would you do me the honor of dancing with me, Miss Granger?" Fred asked as he stood and offered her his hand to help her up. Hermione smiles and takes his hand, getting up. Fred smiles and, with Hermione on his arm, he takes her back to the dance floor.
Soon enough, the band starts playing the final song of the night. Hermione looks up into Fred's eyes. "Are you sure you still want to dance? It's a slow song…" She looks around the room awkwardly. Fred cups her chin with his hand and gently pulls her gaze back to his. "My eyes are here Hermione. And yes, I'm absolutely sure I still want to dance."
Fred lowers his hands and takes Hermione's, pulling her arms up around his neck. He then slides his arms around her waist and starts leading. The shift back and forth, but to Hermione, it seems as if the entire world is moving under her feet.
When has Fred ever been this nice? Until this moment, he'd been nothing but an idiotic trickster to her. He was nothing but a rule-breaker. He goes against everything that she'd upheld, and yet… she found that she couldn't tear her gaze from his, nor did she want to. Why? He couldn't have bewitched her that way. She'd have known when he'd done it and with what spell or potion. No, this was stronger and undeniable.
This, Hermione soon realized, was the spark of love. Before she knew what she was doing, Hermione leaned in. She gently used the hand at the back of Fred's neck to pull him closer and found no resistance whatsoever. Their lips met and all of Hermione's thoughts just ended. Her brain went completely blank other than the fireworks that she could see dancing behind her eyelids. The music ended, bringing Hermione back to reality. Fred was looking at her with the most adorable smile. "I've wanted to do that for the last two years. Only in my dreams did I ever think you felt the same." Hermione smiles back at him. "Sometimes dreams come true."