A/N: Sorry for the long time without any updates but I don't have school for another week and a half and I promise I will post another chapter by then.

Love you all and thank you for all the lovely reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or Harry Potter.

September – December 1994.

Going back to school was different for Hermione than it was for Harry or Ron. Harry never liked it at his aunt and uncle's house, and Hogwarts was the only home he ever knew - it was the first time he felt as if he belonged. And Ron had so many family members at Hogwarts it was like being at home for him, he was never alone.

Hermione, however, was.

She did have Harry and Ron at Hogwarts, but all of her other friends were left behind. She terribly missed Dean and Sam, Bobby and even John. And at the beginning of her fourth year, she also missed Sirius.

The Animagus became an integral part of her life during the summer, sometimes laughing with her, occasionally teasing her. They would sit for hours upon hours, patting Buckbeak or discussing one thing or another they read on one of the books in Bobby's library.

She agreed to come to the Quidditch World Cup mostly for Harry and Ron's sake, as she herself didn't like Quidditch all that much, and she had to admit it was indeed fun. She had also bonded with Ginny during her time at the Burrow, which was only expected since the two shared a room.

But as the Triwizard Tournament had begun and Harry and Ron stopped talking to each other, she suddenly felt alone again.

It was a different kind of loneliness than it was last year or during her first year at Hogwarts. She wasn't really alone, she was speaking to both Harry and Ron, but they weren't speaking to each other. And that was what made the whole difference.

After the first task – in which she could barely breathe, she was so scared for Harry's safety – Ron seemed to realize that Harry was not, after all, the one who put his name into the Goblet of Fire. The two best friends were speaking again, and Hermione felt pleased.

That is, of course, until Professor McGonagall informed them that the Yule Ball will be taking place in Hogwarts this year.

"Dress robes will be worn," McGonagall said, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall."

Harry told them that dates should be brought to the Ball, and Hermione couldn't help but feel something twitch inside her. The next day, she stayed after class to speak to her favorite professor.

"Yes, Miss Singer?" McGonagall asked.

"I was just wondering," Hermione said uncertainly, "if there is, by any chance, an option to bring to the ball someone who isn't… enrolled as a student here," she finished carefully.

"A friend from home?" McGonagall asked and Hermione nodded. "A muggle?" Hermione nodded again, starting to think this was a bad idea. "I am sorry, Miss Singer, but there is no such option. Is there not anybody here at the school you might be interested in?"

"There are," Hermione said, ashamed, "but… I don't think any of them would like to go with me. Thank you, anyway. I should head to class." And with that, she exited the classroom as soon as she could, not even realizing it was lunch until she reached the Great Hall.

She didn't feel like eating. She didn't feel like anything, to say the truth. She knew it might be okay for boys to arrive at the Ball without a date, but not for her.

Slowly, she walked to the library where she opened her Potions book, not even reading what was in it.

She shouldn't have asked Professor McGonagall about bringing a date. She felt so embarrassed and ashamed – why did she ever think she could bring Dean to the Ball and even if she could, why would he want to be with her?

She was nothing more than an obnoxious, bookworm, know-it-all that nobody liked, as if anyone would want to –

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

She raised her head at the sound of a heavy accent, meeting the eyes of the famous Victor Krum. Usually, she left the library as soon as she saw him coming, as his fans were unbearable and disturbed her studying. But she wasn't doing much studying today as it was, and it would be awfully rude to get up and walk away when he was this close to her.

"Not at all," she said, clearing some of her books to allow him to sit. She returned her eyes to the book, but still couldn't focus on reading it. Everything was just too much.

"I'm Victor," the boy – no, definitely a man – next to her introduced himself.

"I know," she said, cracking a smile. "It seemed like everybody knows."

"Everybody knows I'm Victor Krum," he said, empathizing his last name. "People forget I am just Victor sometimes."

Her small smile turned face-wide by now. "I'm Hermione," she told him. "Hermione Singer."

"I've been seeing you here sometimes," he said. "You are a lot vith Potter and your other friend."

"Ron," she supplied.

"Are you…" He hesitated, looking uncomfortable. "Are you vith Ron or Potter?"

Blush started rising unto Hermione's cheeks. "No," she said shyly.

"So you are not going to the Ball vith any of them?"

By then, Hermione was completely and entirely red in the face, hoping that nobody she knew would come into the library and thanking everything she held dear that she chose an empty corner.

"No," she repeated, finding it rather hard to speak all of a sudden.

"Vould you…" He hesitated again. "Vould you like to go vith me?"

"I would love that," she said shyly.

Victor was smiling as well now. "Great," he said happily. "I vill pick you up from the Entrance Hall the night of the prom."

He stood up and walked away, not before curtsying politely, and Hermione was left sitting baffled at the table, the Potions essay long forgotten as all she could think was, "Did this really happen right now?"

Dad,

I'm sorry I wasn't there for Christmas, but between the Tournament and everything else that's going on, pretty much everybody stayed so I decided to stay as well.

The Yule Ball was so amazing, I just had so much fun! You'll never believe who asked me out – Victor Krum! He's the Quidditch player I told you about, the Bulgarian one. He's also Durmstrang's Champion. I'm usually not into sports so bad, but he was really nice and so shy it was actually cute, so I said yes and I had so much fun.

Colin, one of the students here, took about a million photos of the Ball and I asked him to develop one of them with Muggle instruments so I can send it to you. He did, and I attached it, in case you didn't see.

I met Snuffles the other day. He's at the cages next to the school and I probably shouldn't have told you that but never mind. Harry was really happy to see him here, and that's all that matters. He asked me to let you know he's fine, even though, as he said it, "As much as I hate Bobby's cooking, I'll take that over what I'm eating lately."

I hope everything's alright back home, and that if it wasn't, you'd tell me. I miss everybody.

Wish Dean a happy birthday for me, and tell him that he got it easy because if I were there, he'd get a full on Sweet Sixteen. With a lot of pink things.

Don't let Dean do anything stupid when he's hunting, and don't let John do anything stupid like sending Sam on a hunt – he's not even twelve years old, he's way too young.

Lots of love and hugs,
Mya.

Bobby sat by the kitchen table, rereading Hermione's letter for the tenth time when John arrived to drop off Dean and Sam. The two teenagers ran in happily, certain Hermione was still there on her winter holiday, but were met with nothing but silence.

"Bobby, where's Mya?" Dean asked, clearly disappointed.

"She stayed at her school for Christmas," Bobby replied. "They have this big interschool tournament they're hosting, and there was a big Yule Ball."

"A Ball?" Dean asked. "Like, with dresses and dates and everything?"

"Yeah," Bobby said. "She sent me a picture, look."

Dean looked at the picture Bobby passed him. Hermione looked truly beautiful, wearing a blue dress and matching heels as her hair was… not as fluffy as it usually was. She looked truly stunning, and it took Dean a couple of minutes to stop looking at her and divert his attention to the person next to her – her date.

"He looks like he ran into a wall," Dean said. "Or took too many footballs to the head."

More like Bludgers, Bobby thought but didn't say.

"He's a pretty famous sports player, apparently," he said instead. "And he's his school's champion at the tournament."

"He could be the Queen of England and he still wouldn't be good enough for Mya," Dean muttered.

"They're not really dating," Bobby said, smiling. "At least, she didn't say they were. And I'd think she'd tell me something so important so that I can go and threaten him myself. He's just her date at the ball."

"How is she, other than that?" Dean asked, sending another odd glance at the picture.

"She's alright," Bobby said. "Met Sirius a couple of weeks back. He went back to England to watch over Harry. He's one of her school's champions at her competition."

"Are all her friends famous and I somehow missed it?"

"Only those two," Bobby laughed. "Unless I missed it, as well. She asked me to wish you a happy birthday in advance."

"That's the only reason I'm glad she's not here," Dean laughed. "She'd probably insist on having a Sweet Sixteen."

"She did mention pink things," Bobby said thoughtfully and Dean froze on his spot with fear. "Just kidding, kid. No way will anything pink enter this house as long as I have a say about it. But I heard John did gave you a couple of special presents for your birthday."

Dean's eyes lit with happiness. "He gave me the Impala," he said. "And his jacket. And a fake ID saying I'm twenty one."

"Well, I'm saying that if you're old enough to kill a vamp, you're old enough to drink," Bobby said, pulling out two bottles of beer and handing one to Dean. "Now, tell me how your year has been so far."