Happy Birthday, Unk! I hope you like this one-shot I made for you song addict!

The idea I used to create this came to me the other day to use it in a new fic, and it is based on a personal event that happened in my life.

P.D: The events that happen here in this one-shot have no relation to my main story, the Tournament of shadows.

"You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter. "

"But - I don't -"

"You heard me, Potter," said Professor McGonagall in a very final sort of way.

Harry thought once more with annoyance as today's classes finally came to an end and that left him once more to think on McGonagall's words, as uncertainty filled him as to what to do. He couldn't believe he was being forced to do this, another horrible thing this dreadful tournament was making him do. Didn't he just recently almost managed to get himself killed by flying a broom against a dragon?

A dragon! Not a monstrous spider, not a gigantic snake, not a hippogriff but a living fire-breathing deadly dragon.

And a very fierce one at that, a Hungarian Horntail. Couldn't the tournament judges have some measure of pity for him?

It seems not, Harry thought bitterly as he continued down the hall and began climbing up the stairs.

A week ago he would have done anything for being able to not have to face the first task. Now with McGonagall telling him, he had to ask a girl out for dancing, he just rather have another round with the dragon.

He didn't know the first thing about dancing, he knew sometimes the Dursleys attended some parties and danced, even taught Dudley but of course, why would they teach anything like that to the freak they had in the house, he scowled at the thought as he continued climbing up the stairs towards the common room.

Who could he ask out?

Cho?

She was pretty with that long shiny dark hair and freckled nose. Harry thought as he felt his cheeks reddened as he imagined himself asking her to dance.

Would she say yes? Or would she just laugh at him?

He couldn't be certain and she seemed close to Cedric, maybe he should try and talk to her when she is alone and ask her. Maybe she would agree or maybe she was already going with someone else.

Agh girls couldn't be harder to understand Harry sighed as he finally reached the portrait of the common room and gave the password to enter.

Once inside he saw that there weren't many people present as probably most of them were either already up in their beds or still down in the great hall eating more of the delicious food they had been served tonight. As Harry continued walking towards the stairs to get to his bedroom he didn't pay any attention to his surroundings as he just lost himself to his thoughts of who to ask.

"Harry!"

He immediately stopped and turned his head around to see who had called him, he saw that it was Hermione who was waving her hand from their usual couch by the fire. He then walked over to her to speak a bit maybe he would just forget about this partner thing for a while.

"Hey Hermione, are you okay?" he said with a somewhat frustrated voice as he left himself to fall to his seat. Hermione just looking at him with concern on her face.

"I'm fine, are you okay?" She asked as she stopped working on a parchment that probably was some homework he should be doing, instead of worrying over some silly dance he thought.

"Yeaah," He said with uncertainty in his voice as he rubbed his hand on his neck.

As he turned to look at Hermione he saw she was looking at him with that I don't believe you look as she just gave him his complete attention.

" It's nothing" As he saw that she was going to retort to him he continued "it's just McGonagall told me to….. get a dancing partner for the ball."

Hermione immediately closed her mouth and just looked at him with her eyes completely opened and tightened her grip on her parchment.

"Oh," She said with a quiet voice as she looked to her feet.

"Yeah, I ….I don't know what to do, or who to ask, it's just I… I don't want to do this" He sighed as he turned to look at the fire roaring in the fireplace.

Silence just filled the room and after what felt like some minutes Hermione put her things away and sat closer to him, Harry continued looking to the fire no really wanting to look at her pity or whatever words of comfort she was going to say. He just wanted to do nothing, just worry over homework or anything really, and be free. Instead, he was forced to think about all this.

"Have you… have you thought of anyone yet?" She asked with what sounded like a small tremor

"No. Not really" He lied, he couldn't bring himself to tell her about his fantasy about Cho, after all, he didn't have high hopes for her agreeing to go with him.

He then felt Hermione sigh as she then put her hand on his arm to which he turned around to look at her. She was looking at him with a serious face but with her dark brown unblinking eyes as she then spoke

"I know Harry it's not something you wanted to be a part of…" he snorted as he looked away from her eyes.

"But… but," she said as she gently cupped his chin and turned his face to look at her

"It doesn't need to be bad for you, it's just one dance…. it's not something catastrophic, just a time where you can relax instead of fighting a dragon for instance and….maybe you can even enjoy it who knows?" She said gently as she looked intently at him

Harry just sat there looking at her and thought about what she said. Another silence fell over them where she just looked at him without saying anything. He thought how could this ever feel relaxing when he had to worry over who to bring, maybe…. maybe if he just found someone quick then he could start feeling it might be fun, or well at least he could try to see it that way, Hermione was hardly wrong.

"Maybe you're right, I .. just don't know who would like to go with me"

She smiled as she just looked at him

"Someone you just feel comfortable to go with," she said as she turned back to writing in her parchment. Harry kept looking at her as he felt stunned. She was right as always, someone I feel comfortable always but who? he couldn't figure yet who that could be but he knew he needed to act soon.

The next two weeks were the worst. After finally plucking somewhat the famous Gryffindor courage he had asked out Cho and well… it's better not talk about it. He never felt so embarrassed in front of a group of girls, at the very least Cedric wasn't present there.

He just wanted the ground to swallow him. there were a lot of girls in this castle, probably a hundred and none of them he finds as he could go and not embarrass himself more than he would normally do, in a dance.

It was just one dance, just one miserable dance, that he couldn't find a partner. He knew he had to work to get to ask any girl it's not like one wouldn't just appear right in front of him. His thoughts were interrupted as someone sat in front of him abruptly and he turns his head to see it was Hermione.

"Agh honestly, why must we have a lot of fangirl crazy girls in this place, or at least in the library present," She said as she opened her textbook and began reading, they were the only ones in this part of the common room, and there weren't many girls around.

"Ehh what?"

"Agh it's just Krum Harry, always carrying his fangirls around in the library, I don't why he spends so much time there. He has been all week there more than ever." she rolled her eyes as she looked at him

"Yeah but at least he has girls interested in going with him"

Hermione stopped and looked directly at him, before speaking,

"Not every choice everyone thinks at first is the best one, Harry." Harry turned to look at her as he continued with her face set.

"And it's just one dance, after all, they should just be direct and ask him or don't giggle like maniacs for just wanting to go with him. It's supposed to be fun and if they can't realize they won't be having that kind of fun with who they're going, then what's the point in going after all." She said with a somewhat resigned voice as she lowered her face and continue reading.

Harry just continued looking at her, thinking and thinking hard as he thought of what Hermione had said. Of course, he didn't have any idea nor cared what Krum was doing but what she said about having fun, about just being one dance…. she was right. Things were supposed to be fun and just enjoy the moment, she certainly could unlike Cho who just wanted nothing with him. She had been right a week ago, and it did help him feel better.

Always helping him, always making him feel comfortable, and that everything was going to be alright. She has been so far the only girl he has seen to speak like that, his best friend ….could he? …. maybe...

Harry felt as if a lightbulb turned itself on over his head, and as he looked at his best friend and realize all these things he finally felt he had found the answer.

Someone you just feel comfortable going with

And it was in front of him this whole time. Would she want to?

God this may be a stupid idea but …

"Hermione?"

She immediately looked up at him as he spoke with a bit of nervousness.

"Would you…. I mean if only you want- it's just...right." He stumbled through his words as she just looked at him with patience and kind eyes.

"Yes, Harry?"

"Would you like.. go to the ball….. with me?" he finally managed to say as he looked at anywhere but her face.

Silence immediately fell over them, in his anxiety he quickly added

"As friends, of course, it's just I feel like everyone is crazy in this place really" Hermione snorted at that a bit "And you're right it's just one dance, and we could have both of us some fun if you want… that is" he looked away nervously afraid he may have gotten things wrong again as he did with Cho

"I would like that, yes Harry" Hermione answered some seconds later

He couldn't believe what he heard he turned to look at her. She was just staring at him with a smile on her face

"Really?"

"Really" She nodded as she beamed at him with a big smile

"Great! I-I think yeah it will be fun" he stammered with a grin on his face as well

"Absolutely, after all... it's just one dance right?" she said as she turned with a bigger smile on her face as she looked down on her textbook once more.

"Yeah, just one dance" He smiled as he repeated the same sentence he had thought earlier and that she was repeating it without knowing it.

Maybe this one dance will be fun

Professor McGonagall's voice called, "Champions over here, please!"

He was fidgeting so hard. Hermione couldn't be found anywhere and he was shoved into the line as he waited for her to arrive or to the doors to open and have the shame of everyone looking to see him alone. That feeling didn't last long as he heard gasps and everyone pointing behind him, as he turned around he also found himself stunned and with an open mouth.

It was Hermione.

But she didn't look like Hermione at all. She had done something with her hair; it was no longer bushy but sleek and shiny and low in waves. She was wearing robes made of a floaty, periwinkle-blue material. She was also smiling - rather nervously while looking at him directly.

"Hey Harry," she said in a shy voice

"You look... very beautiful," He said

"Thank you," she said as her cheeks turned red, Harry felt as well hot in the face.

As the minutes passed by they were all led inside to the Great Hall, and after another couple of moments where he faintly heard Dumbledore speak the four champions were lead towards the center of the room for the great dance. He only managed to process this as he felt they were being watched by everyone, he had been distracted elsewhere otherwise he would have been tenser much earlier than how he felt right now.

"Time to dance don't you think" He heard Cedric say and Harry couldn't help but feel nervous.

wha- how - How could he dance as he did with Hermione looking as she did, she was so stunning, so pretty.

Wait pretty? where did that come from

"Harry"

He turned his head and saw that Hermione was looking at him with a kind face with a small smile as she gave his hand a small squeeze.

"It's going to be okay"

"But won't it be weird, I .. could step on your toes"

"It won't be and you won't. It will be perfectly fine trust me, just follow my lead" she said as she grabbed his hands and laid gently his right one on her hip and took his left one on her hand.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because it's just you and me, and it's just one dance, a comfortable dance remember?" She said as she beamed at him with a smile so warm, that he couldn't help but return.

As the song started he couldn't help but stiff a little as they began swaying. He felt nervous, how could she have agreed to this, this didn't seem to be fun, he didn't want to ruin her night.

But all those doubtful thoughts began to disappear as they began to move more fluidly and kept in tune with the songs they were playing. The minutes passed and he began to not care what was happening around him, he just focused on looking at her face. At those familiar brown eyes that were just looking at him, like two shining brown orbs staring at him with a range of emotions that just spoke to him like everything was going to be alright.

They danced and just laughed the night away, he made crazy twists and sometimes almost felt himself stumble through the dance but Hermione just laughed and kept dancing with him and smiling as he also laughed and continued to try to dance with her. He hadn't had much fun in such a long time, and here he was having it with his best friend, his very beautiful best friend. She was right, this is how they were, and as he faintly heard some of the lyrics of the song they had just begun to play he couldn't help but agree more with his thoughts, as he heard a very powerful line as he twisted Hermione over his arm once more.

I once was blind but now I see

Have you left a seat for me?

And yes he had been blind, he had been blind for not asking her straightway. For waiting a week to just realize how right of a partner she was. It was just a dance he was having tonight with his best friend but he couldn't help but feel that tonight had been as fun and as special as she had said it would.

It was more than just a dance.