Once Upon A Time Category Challenge by TrueBeliever831

Cinderella- write about a ball

Ultimate Writer Challenge by CrimsonWonder

Write a genera you've never written before

Enjoy!

For once in her life, Hermione Granger was someone special. People ogled at her and starred with open mouths when she walked by. They whispered when they thought she was out of earshot, which wasn't something new. Only now they gossiped about how beautiful she was. That looked like a princess. She'd never felt more like one in her life, especially when she walked into the ball on the arm of a celebrity.

She never could have dreamed that someone like Viktor could ever be interested in him. He had girls fawning over him wherever he went, not to mention Ron trying to get his autograph whenever he saw him. He looked at her like she was the only girl in the room. Viktor was an idol and could easily have any girl he wanted. Yet he chose her. It was hard to think of anything that could make her feel more special. Nothing could ruin her night. She was sure of it. What could possibly happen that could make her feel anything less than extraordinary?

Several hours into the night she learned the answer to that very same question.

Why did Ron have to spoil everything good that happened to her? How was it he knew just what to say that would hurt her feelings? And how did he always know when she was feeling on top of the world, and that it would be the perfect time to tell her that her date was just using her to get close to "the competition".

She hated him. She hated that he was so mean to her yet they were still friends. And she hated that he had so much power over her. She went from dancing with a Bulgarian Quidditch star to sitting on the stairs crying, not caring who saw her tears, in less than ten minutes. When tears finally stopped falling she was suddenly struck with shame. She should be in there, having a good time. So what if Viktor had left nearly an hour ago? She could still have fun. Hermione stood up, her heels in her fist, and marched back into the great hall. Ron was not going to ruin her night.

The dance floor was barren, which didn't much surprise her. It was well past midnight, and most of the students had gone to bed already. But there was still some people hanging back, and the band was still playing music. The night wasn't over yet, not if she had anything to do with it. She put her shoes down on a chair and searched the room for a possible dance partner. Across the room she spotted Ginny, sipping from a cup by what was left of the snack table. Though she was surprised the young girl was still at the party she was relieved a friend was still around. Hermione held onto her dress and made her way across the room.

"You're still here?" Ginny asked, perking up slightly at the sight of Hermione approaching. Aside from the two of them there wasn't even 20 other students in the hall. The dance floor has started to dwindle down almost an hour ago, and getting more and more empty as time passed.

"Still here." Hermione said with a short shrug.

Ginny looked over at her and hesitated, her eyes squinting slightly. "Have… you been crying?" Hermione quickly wiped under her eyes, a bit of her make up coming off on her hand. "Hermione, what happened?"

She rubbed her hands together to get rid of the dry mascara on her fingers. "Ron happened." She said with a sigh. "He just got so upset with me for no reason. Told me I shouldn't be 'fraternizing with the enemy', can you believe that?"

Ginny laughed humorlessly, "Yeah, sadly I can." She said, crossing her arms. "Sounds like he's jealous."

"But why?" Hermione asked, "It's not as if he made any attempt to ask me. Maybe I'd understand more if he did."

Her friend hesitated, pursing her lips slightly. "Maybe he was just too scared to ask you."

Hermione looked at her, "Scared of what? That I'd say no?" She shook her head, "If he asked me before Viktor did I would have said yes."

Ginny shrugged, "Who knows with Ron. Half the things he does don't make any sort of sense." The two girls fell silent, but Hermione could see the gears turning in her friends head. A few moments passed before she spoke again, "Maybe he wanted to go as something more than friends and was afraid you wouldn't."

It seemed so far fetched to Hermione that she laughed, giving Ginny a light push. "Yeah, right." She said. "You can't possibly think Ron likes me."

"I'm just saying it's possible." She said, but even she didn't sound too sure of what she was saying. Hermione wondered where she got such a crazy idea from.

"You want to dance?" Hermione asked, turning to face her. "I don't want to go to bed yet."

Ginny grinned at her, grabbing onto her hand. "No one I'd rather have my last dance with."

The two girls walked onto the dance floor, dancing and giggling in a nearly empty room. While the pain of Ron's words was already starting to fade Hermione couldn't quite shake what Ginny said. Why on earth would she think something so crazy. It was already hard enough for her to believe that Viktor liked her. Was she seriously supposed to believe she had two boys chasing after her?

Not a chance.