Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe. The incomparable J.K. Rowling deserves all the credit.

CHAPTER 3

Romance was always in full bloom at Hogwarts. In the gardens, couples walked together while they whispered sweet nothings to their lover's ear. By the lake, the sight of a wizard sprawled on the grass with his head on the lap of his witch was quite common. And for those daring exhibitionists, well, there was always the broom cupboard. These were all the follies of our youth and no one was immune from it.

I say that our third year at Hogwarts may have marked the existence of our "hormones", if I may use the scientific term, but it was our fourth year at Hogwarts that marked the beginning of the subtle (and not so subtle) romance between our protagonists. However, before the shocking realization, before the huge awakening, everyone was "in love", if I may use it so lightly, with the absolutely wrong person. But then, as the great muggle playwright said "the course of true love never did run smooth", and our protagonists were not spared from this.

Countless stories sprouted from the lives of our protagonists, and most of these stories were about their "tangled" and very much interesting love lives. Everybody wanted to know who these protagonists dated and busted. And to end the rumors that circulated about them, I would be separating fact from fiction and finally tell the interested public about the truth. But these stories are not limited in this section alone. They would be scattered all throughout this manuscript of my youth, inserted between fights, prophecies and deaths. The reason being was that love was the power that bounded their lives to their fate.

Our fourth year at Hogwarts was a year of life changing events and decisions. Some of these events were very crucial to what happened during the war, but there were also the events that changed the lives of the protagonists and possessed them with a new perspective in life. And the most significant of these events was the Yule Ball. That magical evening where everyone danced, dined and discovered new things. It was an evening of happiness and sadness, an evening of love and jealousy, and an evening of great realizations.

I was seated in one of the tables with Ginny as I tried to make a conversation that diverted from the usual "it's a lovely evening don't you think?" when the doors of the hall opened and in came two of the most anticipated people of the evening, Viktor Krum and his date. I heard Ginny gasp. For a split second I thought that she was admiring Krum in his rich textured robes, a magnificent sight indeed, but then I soon realized that she was staring at the girl Krum was with. Hermione Granger. She was a sight to behold. She was wearing a periwinkle robe that shimmered with every move she made, her hair magnificently fixed, her complexion glowing. She was beautiful. But what stood out the most, her crowning glory, was the way she carried herself. She exuded confidence and grace. She was radiant. And I knew that I wasn't the only one in the room who realized this. Girls stared at her in shock and incomprehension and boys stared at her in admiration and wonder. But not one can compare to the priceless expression plastered on Harry Potter's face.

Harry Potter stared at his best friend with his mouth open. Just moments ago, his eyes were fixed on the Cho Chang, the girl he has pined for since third year, but when Hermione entered the hall, stunning and ethereal with Krum on her arm, Harry couldn't stop himself from gaping at Hermione. It was as if he had just discovered his best friend in a new light, detached from the old Hermione he knew. His face was a collage of expressions that ranged from amazement to disbelief to admiration. He was really another sight to behold.

Later on, everyone sat down for dinner. Harry, Ron, Hermione and their dates were all in one table. I could hear Hermione trying to teach Krum how to pronounce her name, I could see Ron throwing angry looks at Krum, and I could see Harry furtively glancing at Hermione, who caught his eye later on. And the longer I stared at them, the more the things became clearer. I realized something that evening.

I realized that Ron finally became aware of his feelings for Hermione and regretted not asking her to the ball. I realized that Hermione was really one-of-a-kind; that any man she professes her love for would be "one lucky bastard", as Seamus Finnegan puts it. I realized that Harry finally saw Hermione in a new light but was still quite unaware of why exactly he was seeing her in a new light. I realized a lot of other things, but I felt that it was too early to tell. If I had known that my other realizations would happen, I would have gone straight to Professor Trewlaney that evening and tell her that I was gifted with the inner eye.

While I pondered about the famous trio, my date for the evening, Ginny, actually noticed my preoccupation. She kicked me on my calf, a stern expression on her face.

"What?" I asked, wincing in pain.

"Well, it looks like you're more preoccupied with my brother and his friends rather than me! It would have been much better on your part if you asked Ron instead of me!" she answered. I stared at her in shock. Where did the naïve and shy Ginny Weasely go?

"Ginny, I don't fancy your brother!" I finally muttered under my breath, in fear that someone might here me.

"Well then why were you staring at him then?"

"I was observing your brother along with Harry and Hermione,"

"Really? I presume that they're much more interesting than me?"

"Ginny! Stop it! You are interesting too," I retorted rather weakly.

"Oh yes, I can see that. I am definitely interesting to you!" she said, sarcasm dripping in every word that came out of her mouth.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry Ginny! It's just that some things caught my attention." She gave me a very curios look. "Things out of ordinary," I continued, trying to save myself.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Neville, don't keep me hanging! What things are you talking about?"

"I don't think I'm the right person to divulge these things,"

"Really? Oh well, I could always talk to Fred and --" I knew what she tried to imply. Bring Fred and George Weasely into a conversation and you know that trouble's not far behind.

"Fine!" I gave in. I recounted to her my thoughts and for a moment I feared that I sounded like a trashy tabloid. But when I saw the expression on Ginny's face I knew that I had nothing to fear.

"Oh, I thought so! I thought so!" she kept on repeating.

After I divulged my realizations, our conversation was no longer on the shallow side. And as I conversed with her, I soon realized just how much interesting Ginny Weasely was.