AN: This is a Harry Potter fourth year fic.

AN2: Alright, as I said in my last story update I am now working on a Video Game review Channel on Youtube with my college buddies and my first video is now up. I would really appreciate it if you would go to check the video out and a link to the channel is on my profile. Please watch the video and leave some comments and suggestions on it.

The Cornered Animal is the Most Dangerous (Working Title)

Chapter 1

-Harry-

Walking to the library, Harry nervously wiped his sweaty palms on his pant and tried to calm his nerves for what he was about to do. As he walked he thought about what had led him to this situation.

-Flashback-

Quickly entering the library he found a fuming Hermione and he cautiously approached his female best friend. "Hey Hermione." he said cautiously as he probed the possibly dangerous waters.

"I'm not angry at you Harry." She told him without even turning around but he could hear the exasperated amusement in her voice.

"Just Ron?" he asked wanting to be sure.

"Just Ron," she assured him before he felt her scowl as the temperature seemed to drop "that bigoted prejudiced idiot.".

"I didn't hear what all happened," he began as he sat down "care to tell?".

"Well you know how I recently became friends with that Ravenclaw third year, Luna?" she asked and, when he nodded, continued "Well she and I decided to go to the dance as friends, mainly because I doubted that there would any guy actually interested in us who would ask us and Luna couldn't go without an invitation so we decided to just go together. Ron decided that it would be impossible for me to ever get a date so he decided to 'take pity on me and take me so I wouldn't embarrass myself'.".

"What you do?" he asked curiously after wincing at the stupidity of his first friend.

"After he made that comment I chewed him out and told him that I did in fact have a date and he got angry at that. When I told him that Luna and I were going as friends he got furious and started ranting, yelling about how it was unnatural for two girls to go together and he then tried ordering me to be his date.".

"I'm guessing that got a different response." he deadpanned.

"I punched him in the nose." She said with a shrug as she turned in the page in the book she was reading "And it felt good.".

Laughing he shook his head and patted her on the back, "You seem to have a habit of punching bigoted idiots." He pointed out, referring to the time she had punched Malfoy the previous year.

"Yeah, yeah." She chuckled, swatting his shoulder playfully "But what about you?".

"Huh?" he asked eloquently making her giggle.

"Do you still need a date for the dance?" she clarified with a faint smirk.

"Yeah," Harry replied dejectedly, still upset that he hadn't managed to pluck up the courage to ask a girl yet.

"Do you mind if I ask around to see who else needs a date?" Hermione asked as she gave a comforting squeeze to his shoulder, "You'll still need to ask her of course."

"Thanks Hermione," Harry said in relief as he quickly hugged her, "I really appreciate it."

"What are friends for Harry?" she asked playfully as she hugged him back.

A couple days later he was sitting on the couch in the common room, working on his potions essay when Hermione flopped down beside him. "Hannah Abbot." She said simply as she pulled her books out.

"What?" he asked confused as he looked at his friend.

"Hannah Abbot," Hermione repeated, not looking up "she doesn't have a date and she thinks that you're cute.".

"Really?" he asked eagerly as he realized what she meant.

"According to rumor anyway," she admitted shrugging, "but you better ask her quick before someone else does.".

"You wouldn't happen to . . ." he began before she chuckled and cut him off.

"She's sitting in the library with Susan," Hermione interrupted, "good luck.".

"Thanks Hermione." he said as he quickly sprang to his feet and rushed to the library.

-End Flashback-

Walking into the library he didn't see Hannah, but he did see her friend, Susan, sitting at one of the tables. "Um . . . hi Susan," Harry said nervously, as he walked up "do you know where Hannah is?".

"She's in the loo at the moment," Susan replied, "why?".

"I just wanted to ask her something," Harry answered with a blush.

"Oh." he didn't see her expression turn predatory, "What did you want to ask her?".

"I heard she didn't have a date to the ball and I was going to ask her to go with me." Harry replied, his blush deepening by several shades as he admitted it.

"Do you like her then." Susan demanded.

"She seems nice." he began before he was cut off.

"That didn't answer my question." Susan interrupted firmly.

Harry just shrugged helplessly in reply before saying "Well I haven't got a chance to really know her. But I-".

"Do you know how to dance," Susan demanded as she cut him off again, "Have you ever even been to a ball before?".

"No." he admitted as he drooped.

"Then why should Hannah go with you?" Susan was relentless as she tore him down, "You don't like her, you don't know how to dance, what can you do? What can you offer? What makes you think you're good enough for a Huffle…Hannah." he almost missed the slip at the end but caught it and dropped even more, knowing that even after the majority of the school had accepted that he hadn't entered himself, he was still hated by the House of the Badgers.

"I don't know," Harry said dejectedly, trying to keep the tears from falling at being torn down when had finally plucked up the courage to do something he hadn't before "never mind. I'll leave you alone." he quickly turned and fled from the library, unable to stop the first few tears from falling, and never noticed a confused Hannah Abbot staring at him as he passed.

-Hannah-

It was a confused Hannah Abbot that reentered the library after seeing Harry Potter, nearly in tears, running out of it. Walking over to her friend Susan, who was smirking for some reason, she asked "Do you know what upset Harry so badly?".

"Arrogant bugger tried asking you to the ball," Susan replied still smirking as her heart rate increased "but he had no clue how to dance, admitted that he doesn't know you enough to really like you, and didn't have anything to offer so I told his arrogant arse off.".

"What exactly was said?" she hissed, furious at what her friend was implying. Surprised, Susan quickly relied the conversation and what had happened. When the red head had finished she was thunderous, "What is wrong with you?!" she demanded furiously "A boy came here to ask me out, a boy you knew I liked, and you drove him off in tears! What kind of Hufflepuff are you?".

With that she slammed shut her books and stormed off to try and find the boy who she had seen leave. It took her another twenty minutes to track him down and when she found him he was crying quietly in the corner of an abandoned classroom. As soon as she saw him she ran in and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

-Harry-

H-Hannah?" he asked shakily as he felt a pair of arms wrap around him and saw the Hufflepuff colors.

"Yeah Harry," the voice of the girl he had intended to ask out said softly "It's me.".

"W-what are you doing here?" he asked confused.

"Susan told me what she said to you." Hannah told him and he was unable to read the expression on her face.

"I-I know it was stupid to try and ask you," he admitted as he dropped his head in his hands "what could I possibly offer that would make any girl go with me let alone one as beautiful as you.".

He felt the arms around him tighten considerably, "It wasn't stupid Harry," she said softly as she held him "it was very sweet of you to ask me and the answer is yes, I would like to go with you to the ball.".

"But I even dance!" exclaimed in shock, "I'm not good enough for you.".

"Don't you dare repeat what Susan said!" Hannah snapped at him with a surprising amount of anger, "She was wrong to say that. If you don't know how to dance we can get lesson from my mother. If you don't know me enough to start a committed relationship, then we'll learn about each other. If you don't think you're good enough for me then let me prove that you are.", as she said this Hannah had been inching closer and closer to him until she finished and pressed her lips against his.

He was shocked for a moment before he began to return the kiss, wrapping his arms around the Hufflepuff girl as he held her close.

-Hannah-

Walking back to the Hufflepuff common room, Hannah wore a badge proudly on her robes stating 'Support Harry Potter!' for everyone to see. She had found a discarded Potter Stinks badge and altered the enchantments on it so it spelled out its new slogan. As she walked into the common Room, ignoring Susan who seemed to be looking at her pleadingly, she headed back to her dorm when she was stopped by Cedric who was eyeing her badge.

When Cedric stopped her the entire Common Room went silent as the House waited on their Champion's verdict on the badge that declared support for his opponent. After staring at it, and her, for a few seconds Cedric grinned, "Know where I can get one?" he asked chuckling causing the rest of the House to look at him in shock.

"Seriously?" she asked incredulously.

"Seriously." Cedric confirmed "I know Harry didn't enter himself in this tournament.".

"But he's still your opponent!" one of the seventh years next to the Hufflepuff Champion exclaimed in shock.

"If it wasn't for Harry I wouldn't have survived the first task!" Cedric snapped back making the rest of the House gasp out in shock, none more so than Susan Bones.

Quickly taking a spare badge out of her pocket, having made a few, she handed it to the Champion and watched as he happily pinned it to his robes. "What brought this on anyway?" Cedric asked curiously once he had the badge situated.

"Why wouldn't I support my date to the Yule Ball?" she asked playfully before walking up to her dorm, leaving a stunned common room behind.

Almost immediately after she got in and sat on her bed Susan rushed in, "Hannah I…" the red head began before being cut off.

"You are a disgrace to Hufflepuff Susan Bones." Hannah said coldly and watched as the girl she had considered to be her best friend recoiled as if struck "This is the second time you have accused Harry without any information, bloody hell it's worse than that! Both times there was evidence to contradict your accusations yet still you made them. You knew my feelings about him and you still tried to ruin it for me. I would recommend that you send a letter to your Aunt, tell her that I will no longer be coming over this summer… or any other for that matter.".

With that she closed the curtains around her bed, and ignored the pleading she heard from her once best friend as she went to sleep.