AN: sorry for the delay in posting. I have been hand-writing a lot of stuff lately, so it takes me time to get it typed up. I have also been battling with a muse that seems to shoot a different idea at me each day, makes it a lil hard to focus! As ever if you recognise it I don't own it.

This humble offering is in memory of Alan Rickman, may he rest in peace.

The next morning at breakfast Harry was pleased to note that Ron and Hermione seemed to have found a temporary peace and was just considering which parts of his homework he had to tackle that day, before classes began again for the week when Hermione interrupted his thoughts

"Harry, if you're done eating can I have a quick word?"

"Erm, sure..." He had in truth finished a while ago and had been daydreaming to avoid watching Ron eat, which although it didn't disgust him as it seemed to Hermione, was less than complementary to digestion. As he rose from the table he found that not only Hermione had stood but Ron too, "You coming too?" Harry glanced sideways at his other friend and saw her shrug.

"Well it was something a bit... well personal is maybe not quite the word, but Harry may not want an audience for this..."

Harry looked between the two of them, seeing an expression form on Ron's face that in his mind he had started labelling 'Stay away from my sister'. "I don't mind, we can talk as we head back to the tower?"

The three set off and Hermione started cautiously, "Well, Harry when I was getting ready for bed last night, Parvati told me what you'd done..."

Ron looked confused but Harry simply smirked, "You mean the chocolate? Seriously its not a big deal... Wait she wasn't annoyed with me was she?"

"What? No. Why would she be?"

Harry shrugged and looked awkward, "Well I know some girls are a bit funny about their weight and what they eat... I didn't mean any offence..."

"Harry, no. Nothing like that. She loved it, and trust me out of the three of us only Lavender thinks like that, and even then only a little bit. No what I wanted to say was... well, do you intend to date Parvati after the ball?"

"Erm... I hadn't really thought of it..." Harry realised Ron was staring at him, and Hermione was waiting patiently, he realised now why she had planned this to be a private conversation. "No probably not, I don't think of her that way. Why? Has she said something?"

"No... she hasn't and I don't think that she thinks of you that way, but I'm not certain. I just... be careful Harry." Hermione slowed her pace and seemed to be thinking hard on how to phrase her thoughts. "The chocolate was a lovely gesture, and very well meant, but be careful with any future similar gestures, as they could give her the wrong idea. Being led on, even unintentionally, even if you don't have strong feelings for a person, well it can hurt."

Harry nodded as he absorbed this advice, just as he was about to reply Ron piped up, "You think too much Hermione!"

Harry watched the witch give Ron a very cool look and snapped back, "Better too much than not at all."

The three had reached the portrait hole by now and Harry carefully positioned himself between the two but turned to face Hermione, "I have no intention of hurting her, but thank you. The advice is good and definitely needed, I think its fair to say I'm an amateur in these matters."

He smiled at Hermione and then turned to Ron, raised an eyebrow at him and nodded towards the portrait hole.

"Fairy Lights."


The week of lessons seemed to fly by, in Harry's view, and before he knew it the Christmas holidays were upon them. He spent Christmas eve sat by the fire with Ron, Hermione having stormed off to bed after another argument with Ron. Harry was reading Hermione's copy of Hogwarts: A History and he was starting to understand her passion for the book. Although sections of it were a bit dry, others were fascinating. Occasionally Ron would share something from the copy of the Daily Prophet he was reading but overall they passed the evening quietly.

Christmas day was always spectacular at Hogwarts, not that Harry had much basis for comparison, but the food was fantastic and he had a great time having an epic snowball fight with the Weasleys. Afterwards when they retreated to their dorms to get ready, Harry started handing out Butterbeers to his dorm-mates he listened to where Ron was in the room. As the redhead had dived into the bathroom for the first shower Harry had quite a wait to see his latest scheme come to fruition, but eventually, "Ahh well, I suppose I'd better get my dress robes on... If any of you laughs I'm gonna hex you, okay?"

Harry, currently attempting to dry his hair had a towel over his face, which luckily hid his grin. He only emerged when he heard Ron let out a cry of surprise.

"What? How?" As Ron was gaping at his changed robes it took him a moment before he spotted Harry grinning at him, "What did you do?"

Harry shrugged, took a sip of his drink, "Dobby got me a needle and thread, and a pair of scissors... did I never mention I can sew?"

Ron answered this by throwing his pillow at his mate. "Git!"

Harry started laughing, though calmed a touch when Ron threw the robes on. "Sorry I couldn't do much about the style of it, I mean I can stitch a hem, but not much else. My Aunt only taught me so I could do repairs on Dudley's clothes."

Ron inspected his now lace and frill-free robes and turned grinning to Harry, "Thank you mate, really."

"Aww, are you two gonna kiss?"

Harry picked up the pillow he had recently acquired from Ron and turned to launch it at Seamus. A full blown pillow fight seemed inevitable and Neville was already scrambling out of range when there came a quick knock at the door and Fred, George and Lee walked in.

"Blimey boys, was the snowball war not enough?" George looked around curiously, while Fred simply scooped up a stray pillow and raised in eagerly.

"Ah come on lads, less fighting, gotta save me energy for the dance floor, no?" Seamus pleaded before flopping back on his bed.

"Fine fine, can't make any promises for tomorrow morning though." Ron grinned, Harry meanwhile had dived under his bed for three more bottles and handed them to the older boys.

Time passed as they all groomed themselves as best as teen boys could, Harry gave up battling with his hair and had been staring at Fred for some time, lost in thought.

"Harry? Mate I know I'm gorgeous but would you stop staring, you'll make the others jealous."

"I was thinking!" Harry blushed as the assembled boys laughed at him and Fred, "Can you do that charmed paper message thing?"

"Sure. Who is it for?"

"Hermione and Ginny. But they'll be in Hermione's dorm, they're getting ready there."

"Okay, you write it and I'll charm it."

Harry fished a scrap of parchment out of his trunk, along with a quill and ink. While he was rummaging his hand knocked against the sweets he'd bought, smiling to himself he quickly scribbled 'come down to the common room to grab your butterbeers.' He watched Fred send it out the dorm window before picking up two bottles, on his way out of the room he threw over his shoulder, "You can all grab another one if you like."

"Cheers Harry!" Ron downed the dregs in his bottle and made towards Harry's bed.

As Harry reached the bottom of the stairs he immediately spotted Ginny looking, well, "Wow! Ginny... You look... wow!"

She blushed and ducked her head but Harry could tell she was smiling by her voice, "Articulate as ever there Harry. You approve of my use of your money?"

Harry took a moment to appreciate that the robes hugged her figure but were not too revealing, he wondered briefly when Ginny had developed such a figure but blinked that thought away as he realised she was awaiting his answer. "Money very well spent." Coming back to himself he raised the bottles into her sight, "For you and Hermione."

"Ooh thanks Harry. You boys having fun up there?"

"Yeah. There was almost a pillow fight but George and Seamus pointed out that we should conserve our energy."

She smiled prettily at him, "Glad to hear it. I should get back, Hermione is pretty nervous."

"Okay, see you later on."

Harry returned to his dorm to find Ron surrounded. He and the others were all closely examining Ron's robes, Harry couldn't stifle the laugh caused by the slightly panicked look on Ron's face.

"Do I want to know what you lot are doing?"

Ron flashed a look at Harry which seemed to be a silent plea for help.

"We're just admiring your handiwork mate. You do a fine stitch..." Fred was poking repeatedly at his cornered little brother.

"Do you have any other wifely qualities we should know about?"

"Shut it George, I don't hear Ron complaining."

"Too right, mate. So you really did this yourself? Dobby just fetched stuff for you?"

Harry nodded and grabbed himself a second butterbeer.

"So you did it by hand?" Dean was asking now, "without magic?"

"Yeah, wouldn't know the spell. 'Suppose I could've asked Hermione, she'd probably know... Didn't occur to be, to be honest."

"It didn't occur to you, to use magic?!" Seamus sounded stunned.

Lee piped up at this point, "Ah but Harry grew up in a muggle house didn't you? So that makes sense."

Ron had been quiet but suddenly asked, "Do any of you know who Hermione is going to this thing with?"

Everyone shook their heads, Harry himself resisting the urge to throw something at Ron to stop him asking, but then Neville spoke, "Something in how she turned me down made me think it was one of the visitors. Maybe one of the Beauxbatons boys?"

"Hm, hadn't thought of that."

"Oh speaking of dates, Neville you are in for a treat, Ginny looks fantastic."

Neville smiled happily, "Well I hear you had a hand in that too, Harry."

Harry shrugged but lost his chance to reply when Fred raised his bottle in a toast, "To Harry, the great manipulator!"

The other boys all laughed while Harry responded, "Gee, thanks!" He sipped his drink, looking thoughtful, sitting stretched out on his bed, "Though... I think I prefer it as a title to 'the boy who lived'"

George flopped down next to Harry on his bed and said in a sing-song voice, "You never answered my question Harry."

"What question?"

"Any other domestic skills that we should know about? Like can you bake? I bet you make an awesome chocolate cake!"

Harry adopted his thoughtful look once more, "Well I don't have much claim to skill in the baking department but I do make a mean bacon sandwich."

George looked awed and stunned by this new knowledge, so Harry took his momentary lapse as an excuse to push him clear off the bed.

Landing on the floor, to the amusement of all assembled, George simply rolled over, popped up on one knee and proceeded to propose to Harry. Which caused even greater hilarity, "Please Harry! I'll never bag a girl as good as you." Harry simply groaned and flopped back on his pillow with one arm over his eyes.


Later as Harry attempted to leave the dance floor after the first, mandatory, dance; he looked up into Parvati's face and saw it flushed with enjoyment. "Okay, but we sit down after this one, right?"

"Deal."

As they swayed through the second dance, though she still led, this time she also whispered little bits of advice, the total amounting to 'Relax. Listen to the rhythm and move to it."

They made their way off the dance floor at the end of the song, off towards where Ron and Padma were sitting. As they weaved through the small tables Harry spoke softly to his date, "Sorry. I know you want to keep dancing... its just really not my thing."

"I'd noticed." She smirked at him.

"But I thought I could get us some drinks and we could talk. It occurred to me last night that I know almost nothing about you."

She beamed at him, "That sounds nice."

Just as they had sat down and Harry had taken in Ron's aggressive body language and Padma's annoyed expression, Krum appeared by their table. "Haff you seen Hermoninny?"

"Lost her have you?"

Harry frowned slightly at Ron's tone and decided to intervene. "Have a seat Victor. If you stay in one place she'll find you easier." Harry pulled out the empty seat to his right and waited for Krum to sit down.

"I do not wish to... that is to say, if I'm not welcome..."

"Well I'd like you to join us. Girls?" Harry looked up at the twins, both of whom were smirking slightly.

"Ooh, yes, please sit." Krum cast one more glance at Ron before taking the offered seat.

Nearly half an hour later found Harry in conversation with Padma, Parvati and to a lesser extent Krum about family and where they had all grown up. Harry was doing his best to join in without saying anything to dampen the festive spirit and all the while aware of Ron's brooding silence. Krum was loosening up and was describing the town he's grown up in when Hermione reappeared.

She glared at Ron before sitting down next to Krum, Harry lent closer to her in order to quietly ask, "Hey, all right?"

She looked up at him, her eyes slightly reddened, though she smiled before turning to her date to accept the drink he offered.

Ron shifted in his seat, a frown etched on his face, "Mate, come for a walk with me, yeah?" He was out of his seat before Harry could even consider it.

"Oh." Harry looked to Parvati, "Would you mind?"

Parvati smiled, seemingly at her sister more than at Harry, but then answered, "No its fine, though you will owe me a dance when you get back."

So Harry grimaced playfully at her while nodding. As he left his seat he addressed Krum, "Onerous a task as it might be, could I possibly ask you to look after these three fine ladies until our return?"

Krum smirked ever so slightly, he had obviously heard the playfulness in Harry's voice, "I am sure I will manage."

Harry and Ron walked out towards the outdoor grotto, which was lit with actual fairies. "What does she think she's playing at? Coming to this thing with the likes of him?"

"Well," Harry reasoned, "It explains why she wouldn't tell us who she was going with."

"Huh?" Ron had obviously not expected a response so early in his rant. Harry however had learnt something, that as the twins told him, worked on Ron as well as it did with their mother. That was it was best to head him off early before he built up a head of steam. "Well yeah. Proves she's feeling guilty about it, doesn't it?"

"Well maybe..." Harry frowned, "Or she suspected me and you would react the way you are right now."

"Same thing isn't it? Anyway she's not the only one. You were being pretty friendly back there too."

Harry thought he knew what Ron was getting at but he was in no mood to help him get there, "So?"

"Well... he's from Durmstrang!"

"Yeah, I know. So?" Some part of Harry, a part he didn't wish to examine too closely, was rather enjoying annoying Ron further.

"He's the enemy!" Harry thought for a moment or two in the silence left after Ron's exclamation before sighing.

Shaking his head slowly and deliberately, "No, Ron. My only enemy is Voldemort," He paused watching the shudder pass through his friend at the feared name. "And maybe Snape..." Harry flashed a cheeky grin at this thought, and was happy to see it mirrored on Ron's face. Neither lasted long though as if you speak of the devil often he will appear, and so it happened that Snape and Karkaroff rounded the corner of the path they were on.