Disclaimer: You know already, all HP characters don't belong to me.

Author's Note: This is an alternate universe where there's no Voldemort, Hermione is a pureblood and Harry's parents are still alive.

Author's Note: Those words in italics represent French.

Thank you for your reviews!

Chapter 3: The Princess and the Prince

November went and December came. Soon it was two weeks before Christmas and Hogwarts was going to enter its Christmas break.

"Guys? I want to ask all of you a question." said Hermione suddenly to her friends during lunch break on the day before the break.

"What is it?" asked Ron.

"Are all of you free on the evening of Christmas Eve?" asked Hermione.

Immediately, notebooks and organizers appeared as everyone checked their schedules on that day.

"My family and I need to go and visit my other relatives, sorry." said Ron.

"I will be free, Hermione, because I don't want to go with my family." said Ginny.

"My parents will drag me to go and visit my grandmother if I have nothing else on, so I will be available to do whatever you want me to do." said Neville quickly.

Soon, Hermione got all her answers from everyone, except Harry. Hermione looked at Harry hopefully as he checked his organizer.

"Let's see… hm, I'm fully booked in the morning and the afternoon…" said Harry, without looking up from his organizer.

Hermione had a sinking feeling that Harry was going to say that he was not available at that night.

"In the evening…" Harry suddenly smiled. "I'm free from 6pm all the way."

Hermione broke into a smile. "Good, then I would like to invite all of you to my family's Christmas Ball."

Ginny's mouth dropped open. "A ball?"

Hermione nodded and said quickly. "It's just a ball, those kinds that the rich people give, I don't really like it, they dance the whole night, Mum says I can invite my friends to keep me from getting bored at the party."

"That's nice, Hermione. But where am I going to get a decent dress? You know my family is, well…" said Ginny slowly and looked uneasy.

"It's okay, I can lend you one of mine." said Hermione.

"Really? Then count me in!" said Ginny excitedly and she turned to Neville. "You are going, are you?"

"If you are, then I will go." said Neville.

"Great! Harry, what about you?" asked Ginny.

Harry looked as if he was thinking. Then he smiled. "Okay."

Hermione gave a squeal of delight and hugged Harry. "Oh, thank you!" she said in French. "I definitely won't get bored with you around!"

"To make you restless is what I should do as your boyfriend." said Harry mischievously back in French and grinned.

"Right." said Hermione sarcastically and she giggled.

"Those two are driving me nuts. I can't understand a single word what they are saying to each other recently." grumbled Ron.

"Ignore them, it's their private language." said Ginny as they watched Harry and Hermione talking happily in French.

Later, Harry went to the boys' dormitory to get his schoolbooks for his next class. Then he stopped at the tall mirror that was provided by the school.

Harry stared at his reflection. Since Hermione invited him to a high-class party, Harry thought that he should at least dress up to Hermione's family's standards. Harry silently grumbled that he got his father's messy hairstyle instead of his mother's neat hairstyle.

He ruffled his hair, flattened and straightened it, trying to make it look better. In the end Harry gave up. His hair would still be messy no matter what he did to it.

Oh well, since his hair wasn't going to look better… Harry took off his glasses, trying to see what he looked like without glasses.

Harry smiled in delight. He actually looked more handsome without his glasses. Maybe he could remove his glasses at the ball… But how was he going to see his way through if he didn't have his glasses? There must be some way…

Then Harry blinked and grinned. "How could I be stupid!"

He quickly put his glasses back on. Seeing that there was still time before his next lesson, Harry rushed off. He had some research to do at the library.

On Christmas Eve, at Hermione's residence, the ballroom was filled with guests, all in their formal attires. A huge Christmas tree stood at the far end of the room. Guests were drinking either champagne or red wine and were talking quietly. A mini orchestra was playing at a corner to provide music.

"Ginny, you looked great tonight." commented Neville and he blushed slightly at the sight of Ginny in a pale violet dress. Her red hair had been tied up into a bun.

"Wait until you see Hermione." said Ginny. "She looks like a princess. Speaking of princess… where's her prince?"

"You mean Harry?" Neville shrugged. "I haven't seen him."

Suddenly the lights went dimmed in the ballroom and a spotlight appeared at the top of the staircase. Everyone, included Neville and Ginny, looked up and saw Hermione's parents, smartly dressed and standing on the second floor. They all clapped.

"Everyone," started Mr Granger in a loud voice. "Welcome to my family's Christmas party, just enjoy yourself tonight!"

The guests clapped again.

"As a part of my family tradition, when the oldest child in the Granger family reached 16, he or she is required to pick a dance partner and start the party. So tonight my daughter Hermione will pick her dance partner out among all of you young gentlemen out there."

"Hope she picks me." said Neville as the other teenage boys whispered to each other excitedly.

Ginny glanced at Neville but found him grinning. "Just kidding. I just hope that Hermione manages to find Harry among all these people."

"Everyone, please welcome my beautiful daughter, Hermione." said Mr Granger and the lights came back on.

Everyone stared in awe as they saw Hermione standing on the top of the stairs. Hermione's evening gown was dark blue and it was low neck, showing off her creamy neck and bare shoulders. She had long, black gloves made of silk that reached her elbows. Hermione's hair was pinned up and fastened by a diamond clip.

"She's gorgeous." said Neville dreamily. "Better than Gin…"

Ginny reacted by pinching her boyfriend's arm.

With everyone looking at her, Hermione swallowed nervously before she lifted her dress to walk down the stairs in an elegant way. She was worried that she couldn't find Harry among the guests in the crowd. If she couldn't find him, she had to dance with someone else.

As she walked down the stairs, Hermione scanned the crowd for Harry, but there was no sight of her bespectacled boyfriend anywhere.

When Hermione reached the first floor, she searched for Harry again anxiously. Ignoring the eager faces of other young male guests, Hermione looked at the guests carefully.

Still, no sight of Harry.

Hermione bit her lower lip. She checked the guest attendance just now and she swore that she saw Harry's name on the attendance list.

Just when she was getting panicked, she spotted a boy in the crowd.

Hermione's mouth dropped open at the boy, who smiled at her and gave her a small wave. His hair was black and stylish tousled. He didn't have glasses on his face, which made his eyes more beautiful and greener. He was wearing a black suit with a dark blue bow tie.

Hermione pictured the boy with glasses and realised that she was staring at her boyfriend himself. Excitedly, Hermione made her way over to Harry.

"Harry?" she asked.

The boy smiled and nodded. Hermione covered her mouth, trying not laugh in delight. Harry looked so handsome and well-dressed that he looked like… well, a prince.

Suddenly, Hermione remembered what she was supposed to do. "May I have a dance with you?" she asked politely.

"Of course." said Harry and he held out his hand.

Blushing, Hermione took it and Harry left the crowd. Hermione led Harry into the middle of the ballroom, and Harry started the dance. The orchestra started playing a slow piece of music.

"You looked more handsome than usual tonight." said Hermione to Harry in French as they danced. "What did you do to your glasses?"

"Dump it. I used a potion to improve my eyesight." said Harry, grinning.

"And your hair?"

"I use a potion for it too, but to be honest, it's no different than a muggle's hair wax." said Harry and Hermione giggled.

"Why go through all the trouble?" asked Hermione.

"So that I can be the perfect prince for a beautiful princess like you." said Harry softly.

Hermione smiled slowly and leaned her head against Harry's chest comfortably. "You're already perfect."

The music ended and Harry and Hermione stopped dancing. The orchestra continued to play music to entertain their guests.

"Hermione?" asked Harry.

"Hm?"

"Why don't we go outside, to your garden? I have something to give you in private."

"Okay."

Smiling at her lovingly, Harry pulled Hermione's hand and they went outside.