Viktor Krum was going to ask Hermione Granger to the Yule Ball. The legendary young Qudditch champion, the most famous teenager in Bulgaria, the champion of Durmstrang, was going to ask the Gryffindor Hermione Granger out to the Yule Ball. Viktor had made up his mind on it. He had thought about it for a while. He had a few quiet little chats with her, and they had got along well. She made him feel comfortable, a rare feeling, especially in a foreign country.

Viktor Krum was seldom defeated. Even when strategies were made to counter his use of the Wronski feint, he would always improvise a subsequent maneuver that punched him through the opposition's defense. He'd played his way to winning cup after cup for his team in Durmstrang , then to the Vultures themselves. They had told him he couldn't get past the Tengu chasers.. They had told him not to dive in front of Speedy Singleton. They had told him not to go up against Wronski's picked successor Wójcik in Goblin Stadium. They had told him not to try to balance professional Qudditch with academics. He'd proved them wrong.

The greatest adversary of Viktor Krum turned out not to be Aiden Lynch. It wasn't any of the other Triwizard Champions. It was Crookshanks the Cat. The shuffling Bulgarian found himself tripping over a large orange blur on his way to the Great Hall. A near lifetime on broomstick doesn't give you a good sense of balance on the ground, it turns out, and Viktor sprawled on the cold stones. As his ever-present flock of groupies yanked him to his feet and brushed him off, Hermione Granger was already being joined by a friend of hers.

Hermione was reading, lost in thought at The Dark Forces chapter on Unforgivables, remembering Neville's horror at Professor Moody's grim demonstration. She didn't know why he had a particular reaction to the curses; was it him being his usual sympathetic self or did he had a traumatic memory? She jumped in her seat with a little yelp when, coincidentally, Neville Longbottom sat beside her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just me. " he apologized

"Oh, it's just you, Neville" Hermione sighed in relief, "Sorry about that. I was busy reading."

"Don't let me interrupt you then.

"It's quite all right. This is a bit of an awkward question, but is there a particular reason Moody made you so afraid with the Unforgivables lesson?"

Neville looked sheepishly at his fried eggs. "It's…something personal. I…I'm not sure you want to hear about it."

"I would very much like to know, Nev. If you don't want to talk about it I understand, though, but I really do want to find out what could possibly have happened"

"I….it's about my parents." He said simply

"Oh. I see." The ramifications of his statement sank in and she suddenly regretted the question.

"It's all right. You haven't been in the Wizard World, although you know more than most wizards. 's not your fault you don't know about…" he trailed off.

"I'm sorry I brought it up. Oh Neville, if I had known…" Hermione felt genuinely in pain.

"'s all right" He said again, "not even close to what happened to Harry and his parents, but usually I don't have to talk about it"

There was an awkward pause as Hermione tried to return to her book but couldn't concentrate.

"I guess it's my turn…..Hermione, can I ask you a question?"

"I don't see how I can refuse considering what I just asked you" She forced out a smile, "what do you want to know?"

"Well, it's this Yule Ball…are you…planning on going?" he managed to ask.

"Oh, I suppose so" she hadn't really thought about it herself.

"Are you...going with someone?" His pale, round face fell in fear and anticipation of what would come next.

"I might. I haven't been asked. I haven't even thought about it" she shrugged.

"Hermione, " Neville took a deep breath, "wouldyougowithme?"

"I'm sorry?" she raised an eyebrow

"Wouldyou. Liketo. Gototheball. Withme. " He managed to gasp out, then said it one more time, "Would you like to go with me to the Ball?"

"Oh" There was another brief pause. Neville's heart thudded harder and harder to the point he could only hear it.

"Of course I will. I'm sure it would be fun" Hermione smiled thoughtfully, breaking the pause.

"I understand, I know I'm-" Neville did a double take, "What? Really?" His hazel-blue eyes widened.

"Why not? It's not like anyone else is asking me" She shrugged, still smiling.

That's when someone else asked.

"Her-mo-ninny? May I speak to you?"

Hermione recognized the voice and looked up.

"Oh, hello Viktor. You're up early. Can I help you with anything?"

"I was thinking," the older boy said slowly, awkwardly, "There is the dance for Christmas, and champions must participate; would you be my guest to the dance?" He punctuated with a courtly bow.

"Oh..." Hermione sighed, wondering how to say it

Neville said nothing, suddenly horrified. He was suddenly competing with THE Quidditch champion. The greatest seeker who ever lived. The one bloke he spent hours talking about with Ron, Seamus and Lee. And this hero, the man who almost defeated Ireland in the world cup, was interested in Hermione.

Hermione ranked even higher. Higher than Krum, Higher than the Irish players, higher even than Harry Potter. Over the past few months, he was slowly coming to the conclusion he was in love with her. She had saved him, guided him, given him a hand to hold and shoulder to cry on and someone who genuinely appreciated him. Someone he could appreciate and comfort and help in return.

And now it looked like she would choose someone better. He had always assumed it'd be Ron or Harry. He knew this moment would come. He knew she'd let him go for someone who had something to offer, someone finally worthy of her.

"I'm really sorry, Viktor, but Neville just asked me first, and I told him I'd go with him" She interrupted his thoughts.

Neville opened his mouth but nothing came out. His eyes dilated again and he froze in place.

"I am very sad to hear that. I vas looking forward to it, and I know you deserve a date for the dance. I didn't know I wasn't the only one who saw what you have" Viktor sighed, "Who is this Neville?"

Hermione's smile returned, bringing comfort and joy and relief to the aforementioned student, "He's an old friend of mine. We've been friends since first year and I do like him a great deal. We've been close for years, and he was thoughtful enough to ask me just a minute ago"

Viktor suddenly noticed Neville sitting next to Hermione and put two and two together.

"Mr. Neville?"

"Neville L-Longbottom, Mr. Krum" he squeaked.

"Take care of Hermio-niny. Please give her a good time at the dance for me." Viktor Krum managed to see past the crushing defeat to be a gracious loser and gave him a rare, unique smile, "I am glad to know there are other boys who know wat ve have in her and can appreciate her"

"I wouldn't do anything less" Neville blurted out, faced turned absolutely crimson, "I-I-I-I hope you're all right with this. I mean, I'm sorry if I'm ruining-"

"You're not ruining anything" Hermione put her hand on his, "We'll be fine. Thank you so much for asking, Viktor"

"You are very welcome" and then Viktor waddled off.

"Hermione, I don't know what to say-"

"You don't need to, as usual." At that moment, Hermione Granger felt like the luckiest witch in the world.

Suffice to say, Neville was dreamily floating around for the rest of the day. At least until they left Potions.

"Just what are you on about? Did you finally grow a spine? Snape didn't make you flinch once" Ron was asking him.

"Oh, I guess I'm just having a good day" Neville didn't dare look at him in the eye.

"Well, I hope I get something like that myself. I'm going to ask Fleur at lunch"

"What?"

"You know, the Yule Ball. I think I'll finally go and do it" Ron sighed dreamily.

Neville smiled back at him in relief, "Well, I hope she says yes. I mean, she's gorgeous. "

"Oh yeah" Ron didn't notice he was drooling, just smiling dumbly straight ahead of him.

"Lav said yes!" Seamus yelled, skipping down the hall.

"Has Harry asked anyone yet?" Neville asked Ron

"Dunno. Probably off to ask Cho right now. Hope an upperclassman doesn't beat him to it."

"It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

"Suppose it is. Hey, have you asked anyone yet?"

"Well, yes…." It came out pained and sprained, the words being slowly drawn out of him like a splinter.

"Really? Who?"

Neville looked down at the ground, "Hermione"

"Come on, man, you're pulling my leg. Hermione? Seriously?"

That touched the nerve.

"Why not Hermione? She's been a big help to me in class, and she's a great friend, better than you sometimes. Like right now, for example" He snapped back suddenly

"But come on! Really?"

Neville stopped, aiming a glare at his friend. He wasn't Ron's height by far, but taller than Harry and tall enough to shoot daggers at him without a wand.

"You never noticed Hermione's a girl? You never noticed that she's beautiful, and smart, and kind, and loyal, and always helping us when she had no right to? You never noticed how special she was? You never noticed that she can teach the class half the time? What, does she need to have blond hair and big bristols to catch your attention? We've known her for three years and you still don't get it?!"

By now, the other Gryffindors had stopped to look in shock.

"Oh, like Hermione's anything like Fle-"

"She isn't! She doesn't need to be! She doesn't need to be born with it! She didn't need to be born to wizards, either, and look how brilliant she is! If you don't get it, that's your problem, Ron!"

Then Neville ran off in a huff, frustrated at Ron, frustrated at Harry, frustrated at himself.

"You just said that to get rid of Neville!"

"Oh, did I? What makes you assume I 'got rid' of him? What makes you think I would say no? Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted that I'm a girl!"

"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl. That do? Will you come now?"

"I've already told you, I'm going with someone else!"

That's when that someone else stumbled right into the row. Oh bugger, he resigned himself with a wince.

"Neville, did you ask me to the Yule Ball?" Hermione spun around to ask him, this time with her voice raising in both volume and pitch

"Yes" he said as simply as he could.

"And did I say yes?"

"You did"

"The case is closed, Ron! There's the evidence, right in front of you! Are you convinced now?!" She pointed a shaking finger at Neville as she spat at Ron. Harry's jaw was still dropped.

"Wait, this actually happened? You are going to the Ball with you" his own finger quivered as he pointed from Hermione to Neville.

"YES" they said in unison, exasperated.

"Neville, I'm sorry about putting you on the spot. I'll see you tomorrow" Hermione turned to him, her voice temporarily polite and gracious, then returned to her wrath, stomping up the stairs into the girls' dorms.

"I told you" Ginny said quietly.

Neville made a quick getaway to the boys' dormitory to change into his pajamas.

"Trevor, I'm either going to have the best Christmas ever or the worst." He admitted to his toad.

Hermione had blushed when Neville told her she looked amazing with her incisors shrunken and straightened. Neville had blushed in turn when she defended him when Lee told her that she should have just dropped him and gone with Viktor.

The day of the Ball saw everyone in their dress robes, and only Ron looked truly miserable in his frilly nightmare and even Parvati couldn't cheer him up. Neville didn't bother asking him how he looked.

"How am I supposed to know?!" Harry responded.

"Come on, I want to look my best for Hermione. I don't want to be the same Neville with the same frumpy robes and messy hair and-"

"We did the hair, we did the nails; you done." Dean insisted

"She went and had their teeth fixed, Dean. How do I match that?"

"She said yes to you as is, right? And she's taking 3 hours getting herself ready right now, right?" the other boy tried to calm him down

"Right?"

"So why get your knickers in a twist when there's nothing you can do, right? You've made your potion, just drink it"

"That's a bad analogy" Harry groaned.

That's when the girls finally left the dormitory.

Neville was in awe. She knew Parvati and Ginny were lovely but their dresses made them stand out even more. They were quickly overshadowed when Hermione came down the stairs.

For a moment, Neville wasn't sure it was her. No bushy hair, no distraught fretting, no worn robes and book underneath her arm. Was the girl he had fallen for there?

Then she smiled at him, a smile that was both nervous but very excited. Hermione's bright brown eyes twinkled; it was the same twinkle he saw whenever there was a test she had prepared for, whenever she received a new book, whenever Harry pulled through being Harry in one piece. That's when he saw Hermione.

Hermione's eyes scanned up Neville. He looked slimmer in the black robes and neat white shirt, his hair combed, his suit looking used but still quite well maintained and made. She never really thought of Neville at this tall, dark, and handsome cavalier before, but ever since he had asked her, she was coming around to that idea, and found it more than a little appealing.;

Neville had to blink a couple of times to get his jaw to raise back up and his eyes to stop staring at the ethereal periwinkle dream.

"Hello Harry, Dean, Seamus" She decided not to talk to Ron under Parvati had taken his arm yet. Meanwhile Ginny had practically adhered herself to Harry and was gazing at him dreamily and Seamus and Lavender were fixing each other with sultry looks.

"You look great, Hermione" Harry grinned at her.

"Great isn't enough" Neville murmured.

"You look quite coming in those robes, Harry. And you're simply too much, Neville" she found herself saying as she reached out with a blue-gloved hand.

Neville took her hand mutely, his eyes still wide and full of stars, but couldn't help grinning like an idiot as they walked out to the main hall.

Fleur, Cho, and Natalie Fairbourne (a Seventh Year from Gryffindor that immediately snapped up Viktor for the dance) looked stunning as they made a grand entrance, but Neville found his eyes torn from them. He still couldn't believe he was going to dance with Hermione Granger. Hermione was holding his hand. Hermione was dressed up like a princess…to dance with him.

"Are you all right, Neville?" Hermione cocked her head in concern as the Weird Sisters began their tune and they stepped onto the floor.

"Sorry. I'm still not sure if this is a dream or not." Neville danced extremely slowly and carefully, afraid to step on Hermione's feet.

"I hope it's a good dream then. "

"Oh, sometimes you're in my nightmares"

"Really?"

"Yeah-usually it's that troll or an evil wizard attacking you, or when that Basilisk got you. When you're in trouble. And I never can help you"

"You'd be surprised how often you've helped me. You don't have to fight a giant snake or dark wizard to help me out." Hermione chuckled.

"Really? How?"

"Carrying my books, helping me with my notes, especially with Herbology. You lend me books, and you'll listen to me whenever Ron's a prat"

"That counts as saving you?"

"Neville, what I wanted from Hogwarts to learn to be a witch. What I realize what I needed were Ginny and Harry and Ron and the twins and well, you. I needed friends"

"I know that's what Harry always wanted too" Neville nodded, "And I guess that's what I needed to. We don't have brothers or sisters"

"Would they really have helped, though?" Hermione argued, "Look at Ron and Ginny"

"Right now one's doing better than the other" Neville muttered, looking to his side where Ginny was gazing adoringly at Harry (who was scanning around the room instead) and Ron was staring at his feet to Parvati's annoyance.

"I guess it'll be a learning experience for him" Hermione's smile faded, "I can't believe what he said about us"

"Honestly I wasn't sure it happened myself. I thought you were going to say no. "

"And why would I say no, Neville? I've known you for years"

"Well, this is a dance. And it's rather romantic"

"I guess it is. I never thought you had an idea what would be romantic"

"I still don't. It's just all I can think of when I'm here with you"

Hermione blushed.

They danced faster as the tempo sped up drastically.

"Watch out, I'm losing control of my feet!" Neville apologized, but with a grin.

Hermione giggled as she danced around Neville's feet, "You're really not doing too bad. Have you been practicing?"

"Yeah. I wasn't going to ruin your evening"

"With who, one of the girls?"

"Trevor in the evenings, and sometimes McGonagall if I got on her good side"

Hermione laughed again, this time Neville joining her. Soon they were sweating from the heat of the room, the dancing, the laughter, and their own beating hearts.

"I'm already thirsty" Hermione wiped the sweat off her brown

"I'll get a drink. Any preference?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Something strawberry then"

Unfortunately, when he came back, he stepped into another fight

"Why don't you go find Nevvy; he'll be wondering where you are"

"Don't call him Nevvy!"

Neville winced. Hermione was storming away, as if her evening was already ruined. This was his fault, he knew it.

"Am I Nevvy now? Why am I Nevvy?" Neville asked quietly.

"Ohhhh, that Ron! Why is he so angry?! What is his problem with me dancing with you?!" Hermione's fists were clenched and her face bright red.

"I don't know, I'm rather sad about it"

"I was being rhetorical"

"Sorry"

"No, I'm sorry, Neville. I'm so sorry I have to bring you into this"

"Want to go outside?" he lamely offered, handing her the strawberry ice cream fizz.

"I think we should" Hermione sighed.

They found a bench facing outwards from the beach, the moonlight illuminating the black lake with an ethereal glow. Hermione was reminded that no matter how petty and human their concerns were, this was still a magical world.

"Hermione, I think Ron likes you" Neville blurted out as they sat down.

"Would a person who likes me yell at me like that? Think so little of me like that? Call me a liar and a traitor and a desperate…idiot" Tears began to well up.

"I don't know. Maybe he wishes he was with you instead of me." He looked down at the ground.

"He would be jealous, wouldn't he? Jealous of you in this case"

"I think this is the first time anyone's been jealous of me" Neville tried to joke.

"I don't know about Ron, but I know I'd like for him to be more like you" Hermione found himself smiling.

"Usually I'm the one wishing I was more like him. He's tall, good looking, funny, brilliant at chess, got a big amazing family-"

"And he's shallow, petty, and also clueless at how girls work. That alone makes you worth ten of him. "

"I'm clueless too. You're the first girl I've…..felt…about"

"And yet you're not acting like he is. Could it possibly be that I made the right choice?" She couldn't resist sarcasm.

"I don't know about right choice. But you made me happier than I could ever imagine" Neville found himself holding her hand again.

To his surprise, she leaned her head against his shoulder, her head just high enough to reach it.

"Glad I'm good enough for someone. Glad I'm making someone happy" she sighed

"Never doubt that, Hermione. If you mess up your teeth and your hair and your dress, you'll always be special to me." To his horror, he realized he was wrapping his right arm around her. Please don't hex it off, please don't hex it off….

Instead she just snuggled up against him.

"Don't feel sorry for Ron's mistakes. It's not your fault he didn't see what he had" Neville murmured

"And you shouldn't feel sad about the fights; it's not your fault he didn't care"

"Hermione…if Ron ever changes his mind….I mean, and you want to be with him, I'll be okay. I'll be fine with the memory if it means you'll be happy."

"I don't intent to wait", she whispered, "I'm going to let him sort out his own problems. I'm tired of fighting. Tired of fighting him, tired of fighting myself"

"Fighting yourself is hard. I mean, I'm a tough opponent for myself-I can't imagine how tough fighting you would be like. "

She laughed at this, sliding her arm up. Neville suddenly froze as if she had body-bound him again, but found his hand place itself on her back to help pull her up.

Neither of them felt like they had initiated the kiss. It just happened. Suddenly his hands were on the bare part of her back and on her waist. Suddenly her hands were in his hair and against his chest.

When Hermione opened her eyes again, Neville was breathing hard-face flushed, lips trembling and swelling, hair mussed up, skin beginning to sweat even in the cold Scottish winter. She liked seeing Neville like this, she concluded. And pulled him in for another kiss.