Disclaimer: It's JKR's not mine.

The days immediately following the first task were spent avoiding the scores of silly girls that thought they had to be Harry's date to the Yule Ball. Apparently all of them had forgotten the article about Harry and Hermione and they completely ignored Hermione whenever she was in Harry's presence.

Hermione received a multitude of howlers from several less that reputable witches, and also a few wizards much to Harry's horror. They were all deluded enough to think that Harry was just going out with Hermione until he met one of them. The one howler that perplexed and upset Harry and Hermione the most came from Mrs. Weasley who called Hermione a "scarlet woman" and "gold digger". The message conveyed by the howler upset Hermione quite a lot, and when Harry glanced over to Ron he was already getting verbally berated by Ginny for not straightening their mother out on what was really going on.

The next day it was Ron who received the howler and Hermione was given a profuse apology letter from Mrs. Weasley. Harry and Hermione continued to avoid the majority of the fan girls by sticking to the library as much as possible as they continued their deal of exchange.

Krum had stopped spending time in the library after the article came out. Harry had made great progress in teaching Hermione the theory of creating a patronus and they practiced in the common room late at night. Harry immediately liked Arithmancy but Ancient Runes were proving to be somewhat confusing because each rune was very similar and they all shared similar names which made memorization difficult and Harry had to learn them through study which took much longer.

Hermione also promised to work on flying lessons when the weather warmed up in the spring; which according to Harry wasn't nearly soon enough. They also spent many late nights alone in the common room with Hermione teaching Harry how the various dance steps for the ball.

Hermione and Harry each had to turn down several last minute desperation pleas for dates to the Yule Ball. Surprisingly, Ron asked Hermione to the ball despite the fact that he had punched Harry for snogging Hermione less than a month earlier. They both agreed that this either made Ron exceptionally inattentive or exceptionally dim. Hermione was inclined to believe the latter while Harry kept his thoughts on the matter to himself. They each continued to tell every person that asked either of them to the ball that they had promised their date to not tell anyone else who they were going with.

The few observant people in the school were well aware that Harry and Hermione were going together, because they could be spotted walking to class holding hands. But, far too many students spent more time staring at Harry or Hermione's faces than their hands. For this reason alone it remained a secret to the painfully delusional masses amongst the student population.

Finally, Christmas morning Harry awoke and found a note from Sirius lying at the foot of his bed.

Harry,

I apologize for taking so long to get a hold of you following the 1st task but I have been busy getting settled into a new place where I can keep a good eye on you. You did very well on the task but you need to remember that even if you think you have won doesn't mean your opponent does. It's a valuable lesson to learn and I am glad you have already.

Treat Hermione well at the Yule Ball and you might get rewarded for it. I'm just kidding; I know Hermione isn't that kind of girl but I can never hope too hard for my godson now can I? Remember to keep an eye open for suspicious people. I'm sorry I didn't get you a Christmas present but I promise I'll make it up to you next year.

Love,

Sirius

Harry yawned mightily and opened the curtain around his bed to see Dobby standing just outside where his curtains had been with a pair of colorful mismatched socks in his hand. Dobby said, "Dobby is giving Harry Potter his Christmas presents because Dobby knows how generous and great of a wizard he is."

Harry blushed at the praise before he remembered he hadn't gotten Dobby a present before he lied and said, "Thanks Dobby these are great. I erm, have my present for you in my trunk." Harry opened the trunk and found the nicest pair of socks he had. They were an old pair he had gotten from the Dursleys that had gone gray from their constant use because they were one of the few pairs of socks that had no holes in them.

Dobby squealed and woke everyone else in the room up when he said, "Mr. Harry Potter is so nice to give Dobby two matching socks. Now when Dobby makes another matching pair he will have two new pairs of socks." Harry smiled and Dobby vanished with a pop leaving a befuddled Harry glancing down at his new purple and orange socks that had snitches stitched on to them.

Harry woke Ron who had awoken from Dobby's shrieking but went back to bed immediately afterwards again. Ron mumbled, "Aw come on Harry let me sleep."

Harry chuckled and said, "Alright Ron I guess we'll just take your presents then."

Ron popped out of bed and was out the door and down the stairs faster than Harry thought humanly possible before he walked down the stairs behind him. They met Hermione and Ginny in the common room as they each had wrapped their presents the night before and placed them under the tree in the corner.

Harry gave Hermione and Ginny a hug before he handed them their presents from him. Harry had gotten Hermione a charm necklace he had found in Hogsmeade the last trip they had before Christmas. It had two charms in it being a book and a heart. Harry told her that he would put more on the necklace as time went by. Harry had also gotten Ginny a full package of her favorite sweets, cauldron cakes. Harry had gotten Ron a new book on the Cannons called, Chudley Cannons: Lovable Losers. To say the least, Ron didn't find Harry's present nearly as funny as he or the girls had.

Harry had received an Ancient Runes book from Hermione that was supposed to help the reader decipher the subtle differences between the runes. It was titled Ancient Runes: Help for the Non-Deciphering Eye. Hermione thought the title was hilarious while Harry chuckled a little and Ron and Ginny looked like both Harry and Hermione had gone crazy. Ron had gotten Harry a full compliment of Chocolate Frogs while Ginny had gotten Harry a full supply of dung bombs.

After they finished opening their presents and picking up their mess they took their gifts up to their rooms and went down to get some breakfast in the great hall. Ron was still grumbling about not having a date to the ball yet and it was the day of the ball. Harry shrugged and suggested he ask Parvati Patil to see if she had a date yet. Ron came back with a big grin on his face and said, "Well mate, I got myself a date now. Sorry, it looks like you and Hermione are the only ones who couldn't get a date."

Harry shook his head at Ron dismissively before he glanced over at Hermione and winked at her which caused Hermione to giggle. Harry still had a hard time seeing Hermione do something so inherently girlish but since it also was endearingly cute so he quickly dismissed the other thoughts.

After they finished breakfast Ginny and Hermione went up to the Gryffindor common room to get ready even though Ron was still in denial about Hermione having a date. Harry challenged his intellectually challenged friend to some wizard's chess and after he was beaten for the 5th straight time he decided to spend some time with the egg because he hadn't really found any time to open it beforehand. Harry opened the egg and it began to emit a head splitting shriek which caused all of the boys in the common room to yell at Harry. Harry shut the egg and returned it to his trunk before he decided it was time to get dressed for the ball.

Harry had gotten a set of plain black dress robes with a white undershirt, while Ron had gotten a set of hand me downs from his mother that were a pale red with frilly undershirt. Ron wailed, "Why couldn't I have a set like yours Harry?"

Harry merely shrugged not wanting to get into an argument with Ron about yet another of his insecurities, his family's lack of money and merely said, "I don't know mate but it matches your hair." Harry chuckled at Ron's indignant expression before Ron cracked a smile and hit Harry in the head with a pillow. Harry feigned shock before he said, "Aw come on Ronniekins I just got my hair perfect."

Ron chuckled and snorted before he said, "Sure Harry, your hair is perfect, just keep telling yourself that."

Harry ran his hands through his unruly hair in front of the mirror before he said with an exaggerated sigh, "I just don't know what to do with it." They both laughed after Harry said this and then finished up their limited preparation. They both walked down to the common room about an hour before the ball was to begin and waited for their dates. Neville was already down waiting for them in a nice set of brown dress robes as he nervously waited for Ginny to come down. Ron had initially reacted poorly to his little sister going to the ball with Neville before Harry told him that it was better Neville than someone like Malfoy which promptly shut the redhead up.

Parvati came down the stairs and looked very pretty in a traditional Indian dress with a sash over her exposed shoulder. Harry smiled at her and waved before Ron stuttered, "H-Hey Parvati you look nice. Shall we?" Parvati nodded as Ron shot Harry one last sympathetic glance as they exited through the portrait.

Ginny was next down and she was dressed in a pretty green dress as Neville offered his hand and said in a very un-Neville like, "My lady shall we go to the ball." Neville then kissed Ginny's hand which caused the diminutive Gryffindor to giggle and wink at Harry.

Harry waited five more minutes before Hermione finally, made her way down to the common room. Hermione looked like a million galleons as she made her way down to Harry. Her hair was no longer bushy but it was straighter with a little curl in it and had been placed in an elegant bun behind her head as a few loose hairs framed her face. She was wearing an elegant but form fitting periwinkle blue dress that was made of some shiny material as she wore the largest smile Harry had ever seen her wear.

Harry offered his hand and simply said, "You look even more beautiful tonight then you usually do."

Apparently this was the proper thing to say as Hermione wrapped Harry into a tight hug and whispered in his ear, "So Harry I think I am ready to be the envy of every girl in the ball with you as my date." She broke the hug and kissed a now blushing Harry on the cheek before she took his offered hand and they made their way down to the great hall.

As Harry and Hermione walked down the stairs to the great Hall, Ron and Parvati waited for Harry and whatever girl he had gotten at the last minute for the ball and the 1st dance. Ron spotted Harry and he was walking with a beautiful girl in a blue dress. Ron's jaw dropped open at the gorgeous girl with the curly brown hair before he realized it was Hermione and sputtered at the beaming couple before he glared and said, "You guys could have told me you were going together."

Harry sighed and quietly said, "Ron, if you pull this tonight, don't bother ever talking to either of us again."

Ron indignantly screamed as he drew the attention of everyone else in the room, "I don't bloody care. Like it matters, especially when you have friends that are always lying to you."

Hermione hissed at him as she quietly said, "For once in your life you daft git you need to realize, that just because you aren't privy to every detail of our lives it doesn't mean you are being lied to."

Harry added, "Ron you've went all of one month since you attempted to bludgeon me to death. Did you not notice how Hermione and I have been holding hands for the last month? Doesn't that seem to be a little bit of a change to you?"

Ron could only stutter, "I guess I wasn't thinking."

Harry shook his head sadly and replied, "No mate that's the problem. You never do take time to think of anyone else's feelings."

As soon as Harry got those words out Ron was being led from the room by McGonagall who muttered something about having a talk with Molly Weasley and also detention for the rest of the year.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and took deep steadying breaths before McGonagall reappeared and softly said, "Mr. Potter, and Ms. Granger I fail to see why you put up with the fool."

Harry and Hermione merely shook their heads to indicate that tonight was the final straw with Ron before Professor acknowledged this and said, "Very well, you both look very nice tonight and are representing Gryffindor in a fine manner. Please line up behind the other champions and their dates and you will enter when you are announced."

As the other champions entered Harry and Hermione entered and there were various whispers that indicated how surprised everyone was that Hermione looked like she did and how the article had been right after all. The only ones who had managed to look poorly upon the couple were Ron and Malfoy as everyone else wore a combination of speechless and enamored looks at with the youngest of the champions and his date.

The great hall was decorated in all of its glory with shimmering elegance and was made to look like a giant ice castle. All of the judges were sitting at a large round table at the front of the hall.

Dumbledore was watching Harry and Hermione with his eyes twinkling madly and almost appeared to have his eyes misting with some unshed tears. Karkaroff looked at the couple with contempt because had known Viktor had planned on asking Hermione to the ball himself. As it was Krum had brought some non-descript girl from his ever adoring fan club. Fleur had gone with Roger Davies from Ravenclaw and Cedric had brought Cho Chang as his date.

Harry suddenly became exceedingly happy that he had dismissed the idea of taking Cho Chang to the ball. It became quite apparent that he had made the correct decision in asking Hermione as they carried on a very nice conversation about what they had each gotten snuffles for Christmas. They could overhear Cedric exasperatedly trying to get Cho to talk about something other than how this girl and that girl looked. The amusement of the situation was readily found in the young Gryffindors' faces as they occasionally rolled their eyes at something Cho had said.

Dumbledore took some time to strike up a conversation with the two young Gryffindors as he asked, "So Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger, what do you plan on eating tonight?"

Hermione answered, "Something simple headmaster, we don't believe in making the slaves of the castle work any harder than they already do." Harry smiled at the answer while Albus' eyes belied he was amused by the response as well. The other wizards around the table were a combination of appalled and insulted by the insinuation but not a single one could provide a valid counterpoint and they slowly quieted down to only simmering indignation at Hermione's claims. Harry ordered a club sandwich and Hermione had gotten a roast beef sandwich. They enjoyed their meal in quiet companionship as they held hands underneath the table and shared several private laughs as they observed the various people in the hall.

Hermione was simply glowing with happiness as she had put the earlier confrontation with Ron behind her. She knew that she wouldn't feel so at ease dressed like she was in front of everyone unless she was with Harry. Harry had the ability to make seemingly extraordinary things seem rather ordinary.

She had been wondering a lot lately about when he had told her that she was the 1st person to ever tell him that they loved him and how such a horrible statement couldn't be true, could it? Surely he must have been exaggerating and yet with Harry and the genuine look on his face when he said it she found herself horrified that it could actually be the truth. She knew now wasn't the time to be thinking about something so heavy and sad so she deposited it in the back of her mind and prepared herself to enjoy the remainder of the night.

Harry was basking in the glow of Hermione as they sat and discussed what they had gotten his godfather for Christmas. Hermione had gotten him a very nice knife that would be useful while Sirius was still on the lam. Harry had gotten Sirius a necklace that when transfiguration takes place while wearing it the necklace would be transformed into a dog chain complete with a fake registration and owner. Harry had made the gift after researching the necessary charms and transfigurations to make it possible.

After the finished their sandwiches, they sat in silence while they listened to Fleur complain about everything Hogwarts to Roger Davies who was so obviously enamored with her that all he could do is nod dumbly while his brain was working overtime to prevent him from drooling.

Finally the champions and their dates took the dance floor for the ceremonial opening dance. The hours they had put in practicing various different steps immediately showed themselves. Harry and Hermione gracefully twirled along the floor as the other champions tried to match the effort but were failing miserably. Even Fleur was being upstaged as she was desperately trying to get her love sick date to snap put of the trance that she had placed him under.

Most of the students watched in awe as Harry Potter the shy and awkward Gryffindor shed all of those traits as did his bookish and plain looking dance partner. They had been transformed for the night into an elegant couple that were both beautiful and graceful. They were the belles of the ball and it had just begun.

Eventually the opening dance ended and the floor flooded with the other students with several other students wishing to break in. Harry and Hermione merely ignored them as they continued to dance to whatever song came up. After they had danced for an hour Hermione decided they needed a break so Harry volunteered to grab some drinks for them.

Hermione came out of the crowd and was dismayed as she spotted a scowling Ron sitting at a table in the back of the hall with an exasperated Parvati. Hermione tried to walk past them without Ron noticing but he couldn't avoid saying something decidedly Malfoyish as he said, "What's the matter mudblood, your partner finally get the good sense to leave the dance." Soon after Parvati had soundly slapped Ron and left a glowing red handprint on his face.

Parvati sneered at the staggered redhead before she said, "The only reason I agreed to go to the ball with such a childish jerk is because I know Harry wanted you to have a date so you wouldn't feel left out. Now I wonder why he would be so thoughtful to someone so childish."

Hermione smiled warmly at Parvati thinking her words got right to the heart of the matter before Harry returned and exchanged a worried glance with Hermione. She reassured him with a smile and they went and sat down at another table with Neville and Ginny.

The remainder of the evening was very pleasant as Harry and Hermione did eventually dance with someone else as they switched with Ginny and Neville for a few songs. Neville and Ginny appeared to both be enjoying the others company which surprised Harry a little because Neville was typically so timid but tonight he had been very amiable and at ease with himself. Harry found he enjoyed Neville's company much more than he ever did with Ron because Neville seemed to have a quality that he never attempted to intimidated anyone when he was talked to and made the other person feel at ease accordingly when he did talk.

Harry led Hermione back to the common room and they shared a short kiss on the lips before they went to sleep for the night in their respective beds. Aside from Ronald Weasley's swan song signaling the end of their friendship, it had been a perfect night.

A/N: Please Review and tell me what you think. Ron has effectively ended his friendships with Harry and Hermione but that doesn't mean they'll be enemies. This also gives Ron the opportunity to prove himself outside of Harry's shadow we'll see what he does with it.