This Christmas was not the best one she'd ever had, Hermione mused. She'd run all the way up to the castle and managed to hide behind a statue as Harry ran past, evidently looking for her. She'd had half a mind to step out from behind the statue and give him a piece of her mind, but she realized that if she did, she'd burst into tears and give him more reason to laugh.

And so Christmas passed. The two exchanged no more conversation, though Ron tried to make them talk to each other at the Christmas dinner. Hermione got up halfway through and left the Hall. Harry glumly watched her leave until she had disappeared, then buried his head in his hands. How could he have been so stupid? She'd confessed to him that she'd liked him. And he'd angered her so much, he'd be lucky if she ever spoke to him again.

He'd laughed, true, but it had only been with relief. He hadn't meant to be so rude, he'd just thought that this confession meant that he'd finally be getting together with her. And on Christmas too! What better a day than that?

New Years Day came and went. The rest of the school came back to join them, and they soon began their classes again. Homework was building up now, and the rush for study time was beginning to get to everyone. Strangely, the only person not seeming to have any trouble getting all her homework done was Hermione. Since she no longer had to help Ron and Harry with their homework, and Lavender and Parvati avoided her, she had nothing to bother her apart from her gradually increasing workload. She would sometimes stay up well into the early hours of the morning, and it would show the next day, but she was never heard to complain. And in all honesty, it wasn't the homework that was keeping her up.

It was the fact that she'd bothered to tell this boy how much she liked him, and all he'd done was laugh at her. Her face burned with humiliation every time she relived the experience, and she cringed when she thought about it. And since she was thinking about it a lot, she spent an awful lot of time cringing and turning pink. She looked so strange that Professor Flitwick sent her up to the hospital wing to get checked over.

The next big school event was going to be the Valentines Day Ball. Hermione didn't know if she wanted to go. There was always practically a queue of girls who wanted to dance with Harry, and she didn't think she could bear to watch him dance with other girls while she sat alone on the sidelines. No, maybe she'd just skip it altogether.

* * *

But Hermione's outlook on that was changed one day in the library. She was working on an important piece for Care of Magical Creatures on the correct way to handle and feed Blehts, tiny cat-like creatures with horns growing on either side of their ears.

She was working alone at a table when she decided to find a particular book she'd had before that would be useful. She knew just where to find it, and was heading directly towards the bookshelf when she was suddenly knocked to the ground.

A hand appeared in front of her face and she took it. A strong arm hauled her to her feet and then a masculine voice asked her, "Are you all right?"

Hermione took in the face of the boy who'd attacked her. It was Daniel Gillian, a Ravenclaw. He was much sought after by other girls in their houses, but Hermione had been too caught up in her own love life to notice him. However, now she was in such close proximity with the boy, she couldn't help understanding why so many girls swooned over him.

His strong jaw line and fluffy brown hair were admirable, and the blue eyes looking at her with concern were clear and bright. He was strong and toned, very tall, and all up, sincerely handsome.

Hermione realized she was taking an awfully long time to answer, and was staring with an open mouth at the guy. Closing her mouth in embarrassment, she smoothed her hair down as best she could and flashed him a smile.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine." She picked up the quill she'd been carrying, and reached for the book. Daniel knelt beside her and his hand reached it first. He handed it to her with a flirtatious smile.

"Sorry I knocked you down."

Hermione laughed lightly. "Why were you in such a hurry?"

He scratched his nose. "Well, I was supposed to be meeting a friend about five minutes ago."

She gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I've kept you from your friend!"

Daniel grinned and took her arm. "I think he will live without me."

He led her back to the table and sat beside her where they talked late into the night. When at last they were shooed out of the library by the librarian, Hermione headed to the Gryffindor common room with a broad smile on her face.

It wasn't until she reached the girls dormitories that she realized she hadn't thought about Harry once since meeting Daniel properly.

* * *

The next few days were glorious for Hermione. She spent most of the in the company of Daniel, and had to admit she was enjoying it very much. Harry still popped into her head from time to time, but it was hard to think about him when someone else was treating her so well.

He'd invited her to the Valentine's Day Ball, and she couldn't wait to show him off. She knew a lot of girls would be incredibly jealous, not to mention how Harry might feel...

She had to admit she was kind of hoping to make Harry jealous. She wanted to show him exactly what he was missing out on. She'd thought he'd liked her... she'd really, really hoped. But it was all a fools hope, and she didn't know why she'd bothered in the first place.

Harry was pretty much untouchable. At least for her he was.

* * *

The day of the Valentines Day Ball approached. Hermione was not alone in her rapture. Many girls would stand in close little cliques and whisper excitedly about their dresses and partners.

When the night came, Hermione spent hours making herself look presentable. She was joined in the girls dormitories by Lavender and Parvati, who had for the night put aside their awkwardness about the whole Harry issue, and were helping Hermione look good. They were of course incredibly jealous that Hermione had snagged Daniel, but were very happy for her as well.

Hermione was positively glowing. She had great friends, and she had a wonderful boyfriend as well... Tonight was going to be wonderful!

* * *

As Hermione descended the stairs to the Entrance Hall, she caught sight of Daniel, standing and waiting for her beside the stairs. She smiled and went to meet him.

When he caught sight of her, his face burst into a brilliant smile. "You look beautiful," he told her.

Hermione blushed and smiled. "Well, you don't look to bad yourself, spunk!" she teased him. He laughed and linked arms. Together they walked into the Great Hall.

Decorations were plentiful and all were pink. The sight of an ocean of girls and boys dressed in every colour imaginable greeted Hermione, and she couldn't help giggling at the sight of Ron and Seamus standing together, both looking positively repulsed by the sight of so much pink in the decorations. The image reminded Hermione of a Valentines Day in their second year, when Ron had been disgusted by the sight of Professor Lockhart's decorations.

Daniel led her out onto the dancefloor right away, and they swirled and danced together for at least six dances in a row. She'd been right when she thought there would be a lot of jealous girls, especially in Ravenclaw. Several of them looked as though they would like to claw her to pieces, and others just scowled at her. She smiled innocently and waved back.

When she and Daniel had danced their seventh dance, they decided it was time for a drink. Daniel went off for some Butterbeers while Hermione joined Ron and Seamus.

Ron looked at her with an arched brow. "So ... Daniel Gillian, hey?"

Hermione smiled bewilderedly. "Yes..."

"Haven't you heard about his reputation?" Seamus asked.

Hermione frowned. "Reputation? No..."

Seamus opened his mouth to elaborate, but before he could, Ron said loudly, "Hi Daniel."

Seamus turned to see Daniel had come up behind them. Completely oblivious to the fact that they'd been discussing him for the past few minutes, he handed a drink to Hermione and put an arm around her waist while he drank.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Seamus and shook her head before sipping her own drink.

She caught sight of Harry. He was dancing with Parvati, but was looking directly at her. She looked at him without smiling for a very long time before turning back to Daniel and continuing their conversation.

Harry was crushed to see her there with someone else. He knew about Daniel's reputation for being a player, and hoped to God that he wouldn't hurt Hermione... but at the same time hoped that Hermione would dump the guy. He couldn't believe that she'd pick Daniel to go to the Ball with. He would have asked her...but he didn't think she'd say yes. In fact, he was pretty sure she wouldn't.

Hermione, though, was having a very good night. She had danced nearly every song, and Daniel was a fantastic dancer. He'd excused himself while he went to the bathroom, and Hermione was waiting by the door. Looking at the clock, she realized he'd been gone for over twenty minutes. She was starting to worry, hoping that nothing had happened. Leaving the Hall, she went looking for him.

Harry saw her leave and decided to go after her in the hopes she'd talk to him this time. He followed her quickly and quietly. She was evidently searching for someone, probably Daniel. Harry swallowed a growl as he thought about the creep.

Then he saw Hermione round a corner and she stopped still and gasped. Clasping a hand to her mouth, she looked both horrified and shocked.

With a sense of foreboding, he stepped forward too. Hermione was too upset to notice him. He looked at the sight in front of him and his stomach lurched. Oh bugger, he thought.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Read and tell me what you think! I'll update soon, probably on Sunday if not before that. Please review!