I've had a few reviews saying that Harry seems a bit "dumb". I agree, but only in regards to girls and reading emotions. I remember him as being not very savvy in regards to Cho Chang's feeling and emotions in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and that's what I've based it upon. Perhaps it's been taken to the extreme here, but it works for my story :) Updates will be as frequent as I can. I have an 11 month old son, and I've just started back at university so I'm super busy at the moment! Thanks for the reviews, favourites and story alerts :) This next chapter is filled with a lot more thoughts and a lot less dialogue. I didn't plan it this way, but the chapter took on a life of it's own.

Of Infatuations and Realisations:

The school term was officially over and the holidays had begun. In all Hermione's years at Hogwarts she had never seen so many people elect to stay for Christmas. It seemed that the entire castle, 4th year and above, were calling Hogwarts home these holidays. Gone was the peaceful Gryffindor common room Hermione usually attributed to this time of the year (those cosy seats by the fire were almost always taken too); if anything, the common room seemed louder and more rambunctious than during the school term, despite the significant lack of first to third years. Hermione supposed it was to be expected; schoolwork was put on hold (why though, she could not fathom), in favour of endless games of Exploding Snap, chess and one particularly messy game involving most of the Gryffindor boys and a hell of a lot of Every Flavour Beans. She still shuddered at the memory of Harry eating that small, seemingly harmless black bean. It had turned out to be cow manure - something that she, and most probably he, would much rather forget.

She wasn't particularly disturbed by the extra noise in the Common Room. Truth be told, she had learned to work in all sorts of environments since coming to Hogwarts. In Gryffindor tower at least, she seemed to be the only one completely dedicated to her school work, and thus was often forced to work with some level of hubbub. Throw in the Weasley twins, and well, she doubted whether fireworks could distract her. Come to think of it, she was sure that she had studied during some fireworks that Fred or George had managed to set off for one reason or another. Grudgingly, she admitted that they were intensely talented wizards… if only they would apply themselves to less playful affairs.

So Hermione couldn't blame the extra noise for the fact that she was behind on the homework schedule she had so rigidly set for herself at the beginning of term. It was specifically the noise being made by a certain green eyed best friend of hers. For some incredibly frustrating reason, every time Harry spoke, whether directly to her or in passing conversation, little butterflies erupted in her tummy. Hermione had no time for this fanciful nonsense; she had enough school work to be getting on with. But the butterflies didn't listen and continued to torment her every time Harry was near. And Merlin, she didn't want to even remember when he had accidentally brushed her arm at dinner that night. The butterflies had turned from little summersaults into all out gymnastics, and it was all Hermione could do to keep her head down and hide the faint red spreading from her forehead to her neck.

This simply wasn't her. Hermione Granger didn't act like a lovesick fool. She was reason and logic and she most certainly didn't crush on her best friend, no matter how dazzling his smile could be. And that's all this was, she was sure; a small crush, triggered by his proposal to the Yule Ball, and her desire to be seen as something other than his bookish sidekick. This was exactly the same as when she had that infatuation with Lockhart.

Liar, liar, she thought to herself. If she were truly honest, the feelings had been coming on for some time. As much as she hated to admit it, she thought she had felt a faint flicker at the end of last year, following their adventure with Buckbeak and rescuing Sirius. She had thrust the feelings down during the summer holidays and she had thought that was where they would remain. But apparently, spending so much time with Harry during his falling out with Ron, not to mention being in awe of the pure power he possessed during the First Task, had caused the flicker to become a full burning fire.

"Bloody hell," Hermione muttered to herself. She rarely cussed, and never in public, but she felt this realisation warranted a few expletives, albeit the tamest of ones. "Stupid, heroic, gorgeous Gryffindor. Stupid bloody Harry Potter."

"What have I done now?" an indignant voice asked from behind her.

Hermione jumped a foot in the air, spilling ink all over her Transfiguration assignment. Although, it wasn't really a loss as she had only managed to write the title (How Transforming Spells are adapted for Cross- Species Switches). A second glance showed her that the ink seemed to have spilled across something else on the parchment as well. Squinting a little, Hermione saw a small doodle of some truly remarkable fireworks. And something that looked remarkably like "HP 4 HG". Grimacing at how 'un-Hermione' she was becoming, throwing an arm across her stained homework and sighing out loud, she turned to face Harry.

"Hey Harry, how did the chess go?" she asked nonchalantly.

"You know as well as I do," he replied in a resigned tone. "Ron thrashed me as per usual. Now, tell me, what have I done to earn the title of 'bloody Harry Potter'? I thought only Snape and Voldemort referred to me as that. I'd much rather you call me 'school Champion' or even 'The Boy who Lived'…" he added with a smirk.

"Ha ha", Hermione said dryly. "I could think of a few other names for you right now. But no, you haven't done anything really. I was just thinking of how everything always happens to you…" It wasn't a very convincing lie, but she was sure that it'd fool him.

Harry smiled wryly. "I think that all the time, 'Mione. All the bad and not much good. Apart from getting to take you to the Yule Ball, of course." He gave her a small wink.

"Don't be silly Harry, I know you wanted to go with Cho…" Why, why, why did she have to go red now?

"Nah, I was thinking about it 'Mione. I'm kind of glad I didn't get to ask her. I'd much rather make a fool of myself dancing in front of someone who I already know," he smiled impishly.

"I doubt you'll make a fool of yourself, Harry," she replied.

"I'm only coordinated on a broom," Harry mumbled.

Hermione grinned with sudden inspiration. "Tomorrow night, after dinner, empty Charms classroom. We'll practice in there. We've got three days to get you ready. Shouldn't be much harder than teaching you the summoning charm…"

Harry paled. "Three days to get me ready for what?" he asked nervously.

"You'll see," was all he got in return.

Long after the Common Room had cleared out, and Harry and Ron had said their goodnights, Hermione still sat in front of the fire. She couldn't get the small smile off of her face or out of her heart. Harry had given her a faint glimmer of hope and she would hold onto that for as long as she could. She would continue to be his best friend, and teach him how to dance, but at the Ball she hoped to stun him with how she looked, and hopefully he'd begin to see her as more than that. She sighed. It was time to swallow her pride and ask Ginny for some tips. And maybe even Lavender and Parvati too. Merlin knew, she needed all the help she could get to tame her bushy hair. It was going to be a long few days. She could only hope that it would be worth it.