*EDITED* A/N: Sorry guys, I know it sent out an email saying I updated the story, but I just went through an edited this chapter as I slipped from third person to first at one point and then just felt the need to polish up some of the writing. Don't worry though working on chapter 9 soon ;) Love you all. Thanks for hanging with me.

Chapter 8: Bookshelves and Quaffles

Harry peaked around the corner of the bookshelf in the library and looked on as her bushy brown hair hung loosely around her as she hunched over her paper. Books surrounded her, covering the majority of the table. Some lain open while others were piled out of the way.

He chuckled at the sight. She had created a wall of books around her, nearly shielding her from anyone's view but hadn't quite built the pile high enough to block her from his view. He smiled to himself, adoring the little quirk that made her so special to him.

The light spilt in through a nearby window and lit up the blonde highlight hidden in her light brown hair. Harry watched Hermione pull her hair over her left shoulder, freeing the light behind her and spilling into her mini fort. The light illuminated the details of her face as it caught the edge of her high cheek bones and bringing out the freckles on her face. Harry's breath caught as he ate every detail of her as he felt his stomach clench and flip in the way it always did when she walked into the room. He looked at here and knew he was falling for her more every day.

He didn't quite know when it had started, but it didn't matter to him when it had but that it had. She stole his heart and when she did seemed trivial knowing she had; he just knew it was happening. He didn't quite know what to do with it when it started, but he had finally come to terms with it. It had started with a smile but grew past that as he spent more time with her.

After years of friendship, he realized what Hermione truly meant to him. She always seemed to show up when it really, truly mattered, and after his name came out of the goblet, she really was the only one still there for him. She believed him every time no matter how guilty he looked. After all, she was the only one currently talking to him.

Watching her head to bed a month ago had forced him to realize he wanted something more than what was currently between them. When McGonagall announced the Yule Ball, he knew it was his chance to begin changing things between them. He knew she might just think he was asked her as a friend but saw it as an opportunity to open the door towards a future with her.

The only problem is Harry kept chickening out when he managed to be alone with Hermione — not to mention Ron's terrible timing. Harry had nearly asked her three times, and like an alarm had gone off, Ron had always walked in as Harry started to ask, forcing him to divert his question.

Harry hid back behind the books and leaned against the oak bookshelves. He closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. Ron. He was another problem in itself. Ron hadn't every distinctly said it but Harry knew Ron had feelings for Hermione. He was terrible at saying it or expressing it to her, but Ron definitely had developed a crush on Hermione since their third year.

Harry hadn't cared originally. After all, Harry hadn't known his own feelings for Hermione yet and had assumed the moments of anger that appeared when Ron would come around was just the brotherly side of him coming out — Or not. He'd been wrong, but he didn't know the difference originally since he didn't have siblings to compare the feelings to. He tried to tread carefully with Hermione and Ron since figuring everything out, but he was tired of hiding his own feelings in an effort to spare Ron's momentarily.

Harry opened his eyes and puffed out a deep breath, steeling himself to go ask Hermione to the Yule Ball. This was it. This was his moment, and he could do it. He hopped out from his hiding place only to find the table empty.

Harry quickly swept the room for her unmistakeable bushy brown hair, desperate to make sure he followed through finally. He couldn't believe his luck as he looked on to a perfectly cleared, empty table. He had waited too long and lost her in the moments he spent wasting preparing to ask her. She had just been here, and he had let her slip out during his narrow window.

He continued to scan the room for Hermione, but she didn't appear anywhere nearby. Finally, he caught sight of her — barely — slipping out the library door. He sprint out after her, ignoring Madam Pince's scolding calls at him for running through her precious library, but he was out the door before she could catch up to give him a detention.

"Hermione." Harry yelled down the hall after spotting her.

Hermione turned around with a confused look on her face. The confusion quickly melt away and was replaced by a smile after seeing Harry. He jogged to catch up to her.

"Hello." Hermione said as she let a giggle escape her lips, "In a rush much?"

"I-I-I. I was jus-just coming to see you—" Harry puffed out a breath of air — "and just — just missed you leaving the library." Harry struggled to talk through the short spurts of breath .

Harry leaned onto his knees as Hermione replied, "Oh. Why were you looking for me?"

Harry held up a finger asking for a second to gain his breath. He closed his eyes and focused on slowing his breath and gaining his composure. This was it.

Harry stood back up and smiled at Hermione when he heard the pitter patter of steps heading this way. Oh no not again, groaned Harry in his head. He suddenly became desperate to get his question out. "I was just needing to ask you something."

"Oh, well, if you had homework questions, we can just go to the common room. I'll be able to show you —," rambled Hermione.

Harry saw the glint in her eye she got when she became excited over explaining the homework to someone. He had to stop this before she got to far.

"I can see where you need help though. I had a particularly tricky time with the transfiguration essay too. The theoretics of turning a weasel into a scarf was particularly complex in m—"

"Hermione, that's not what my question," interrupted Harry, desperate to stop her before he lost his nerve.

"Oh." Hermione looked slightly taken back and a bit disappointed that he didn't want to hear about her latest thoughts on the subject. However, her disappointment didn't last long as it turned to confusion. "What did you want to ask me then?"

"I just wanted to know if you wa—"

"Hermione." Grant Page champion, interrupted Harry. Harry recognized Grant from the quidditch pitch. He played keeper for the Ravenclaw team and was in the same year as Harry and Hermione. He stood around Harry's height with short dark brown hair and an athletic build. Harry stood shocked that he was talking to them and alone for that fact.

Grant was often surrounded by Ravenclaws especially the girls. He seemed extremely popular in his house and was set to be one of the contenders for head boy and Ravenclaw captain by the time he reached seventh year.

"Sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. I only have a moment so this won't take long." Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Grant turned to Hermione and continued before Harry could utter a word. "I was wondering if you'd go to the Yule Ball with me, Hermione? I've been trying to ask you all week, but it's hard to get time away from everyone and ask. So will you go with me?"

Harry's mouth dropped open, and he couldn't believe this. He was just about to ask when this blunder head swoops in and steals his glory. Worst yet, he couldn't believe Hermione's answer.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yeah, I'd love to go with you." Hermione answered him with a slight blush on her face. Both Grant and her seemed oblivious to Harry's reaction.

"Great. I'll meet you outside the Gryffindor dormitory next Friday night then. Is 7 too early? I figured we could go for a walk before the ceremony starts at 8 and just talk."

"That sounds perfect."

"Great. I'll see you later then." Grant ran off with a new hop in his step. Harry watched him turn the corner in disbelief. He had lost her to someone else by a matter of seconds. He was asking her when Grant had interrupted him. He had nearly had her and now stood like an idiot not believing his luck. How in the world had this happened? What were the chances?

"Who would've believed that? He's the catch of our year, and I'm going to the Yule Ball with him." Hermione said with a small smile as she looked at where Grant had disappeared. "I can't believe this."

"Yeah, neither can I." Harry muttered under his breath as he slumped off toward the Great Hall, knowing Hermione had been planning to grab dinner when she left the library.

"I was thinking I'd be going alone. I'll never hear the end of this now when everyone finds out. I can't believe he asked me. He has nearly every girl in our year pining for him, and yet he asked me. Can you believe it?"

"Since when do you care?" Harry knew his question had a bit of edge to it, and Hermione winced in response.

"Contrary to what you and Ron think, I am still a girl, and sometimes it's just nice to feel appreciated. What's your problem?" Hermione called him out for his tone.

"Nothing. Sorry, just have a lot on my mind with the second task." Harry lied.

Hermione's frustration melted into compassion as she believed his lie. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Harry. I forgot about that. What did you want to ask? I'm sure it was important, and Grant interrupted you. I'm so sorry."

Shoot. Harry realized he needed to make something up quickly. He couldn't ask his original question anymore. He needed something else to ask and soon.

"I-I. uh. I. uh I wanted to ask if you wanted to help me figure out a way to breath under water. I found out that I have to breath under water for the second task, and I've run into a bunch of dead ends."

"I thought you figured that out ages ago."

"Well, I told you I did…I just didn't actually figure it out, and now I need your help or not be able to compete." Harry said as he looked at the ground and rocked on his heels. That wasn't entirely a lie. He had told her he had figured it out weeks ago in an effort to get her to leave it alone. He had been struggling between homework, the task and detention with Snape at the time and couldn't handle her constant reminders.

Hermione shook her head but seemed too good in a mood to let it get to her. "Yeah, I'll help you. No worries, we'll find something starting tomorrow, but hey, I'm going to go find Ginny and tell her the exciting news. I'll see you later."

Hermione gave him a quick hug before running off and disappearing around the same corner Grant had disappeared.

"Yeah. Exciting…" Harry mumbled to himself with a hint of bitterness to it but mostly a hollow melody of disappointment. Harry shouldered his bag and began walking back toward the Gryffindor common room. He didn't feel much like dinner anymore.

Harry turned the corner, thinking hiding in his room alone while everyone else was at dinner sounded like a much better idea. He was disappointed and knew people would just make him feel worse. He'd lost her. He'd really lost her. . . by a matter of seconds, and there was no one to blame but himself.

Harry climbed the stairs to the common room upset over missing his chance with Hermione once again. He set his bag down beside the couch before plopping onto the grace of its cushions. Was this the beginning of Hermione of finding a new dance partner?

"What's got you down?" A voice chimed through the air beside him.

Harry looked over and saw Ginny curled up with a book against her knees in the chair beside the couch. He looked at her confused. "Where's Hermione? She ran off saying she needed to tell you something?"

A glint of humor filled her eyes and as a mischievous smirk fainted across her face before she answered. "She was telling me about Grant asking her to the Yule Ball. Lavender and Parvarti overheard her and forced her to go to dinner with them. She looked miserable, honestly."

Harry smirked before asking the question she wanted him to ask, "And you didn't save her?"

"I was too amused," reminisced Ginny. "Plus I have no desire to spend time with those two."

Harry chuckled as he pictured Hermione had quietly plead Ginny to save her while Ginny just waved with a smile, calling "I'll see you later" as Hermione was dragged through the portrait. "Well, can't blame you. They're probably the two most annoying people at Hogwarts."

"Absolutely," agreed Ginny. "So what's got you down?"

Harry shook his head in disbelief. Ginny wasn't one to let things go, and she always seemed to remember even after you managed to get her off a topic. "Just been a long day. Ready for it to end," Harry vaguely confessed.

Ginny didn't question it as she turned back to her book and, to Harry's surprise, concurred, "Yeah, isn't that the truth."

Not wanting to give Ginny the chance to press the topic — not that he thought she would — he casually chanced topics, "Aren't you going to dinner?"

"With those two down that harassing Hermione? Not a chance. Figured I'd grabbed something on the tail end after most people had headed off to study."

Harry had a sudden inkling that Ginny was avoiding someone. He didn't want to push the topic, but he was curious what could have her hiding away like this. Ginny Weasley just didn't hide. She wasn't afraid of anyone and often put everyone else in their place when she thought they were wrong. Then it clicked.

"You broke up with Brandon."

"Technically, he broke up with me." She didn't look up from her book, but I saw the edge of her mouth twitch, playfully trying to keep the smirk off her face.

"You didn't."

"I did." This time she didn't try to hide the smile and sneaked a look at me out of the corner of her eye. I shook my head, but the smile tugged at me own lips as a chuckle escaped.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that."

She shrugged and flatly stated, "He was too clingy. He always needed to be right beside me and would get upset when I talked to another guy. It was suffocating."

Harry didn't know what to say and just nodded even though he knew she couldn't see him. He leaned back against the couch and looked at the fireplace as the embers began to fade from hours of neglect. Ginny had been a small distraction from Hermione but talks of Ginny and Brandon breaking up caused Hermione to bubble back to his mind.

He didn't quite know what to do about the Yule Ball now. He needed a date or would have to dance alone in front of everyone. As a champion, he would open the ball with an honorary dance with his date. Unfortunately dancing alone seemed a bit more pathetic as a champion, and it would be unlikely they'd allow him to hide against the wall.

Ginny suddenly snapped her book shut, and Harry jumped — momentarily pulled from his thoughts. "I'm tired of reading and being cooped up here. Want to go to toss the Quaffle around?" Ginny suggested.

"Absolutely." Harry didn't need to think before answering. Quidditch had always made him feel better and helped him clear his head when things were bogging him down. "Meet you here in five minutes?" Ginny nodded and began to collect her stuff before heading up to the girl's dorm.

"Wait." Harry said as a thought struck him. She gave him a quizzical look as her arms sagged under the weight of her books and bag. "Do you want to go to the Yule Ball with me? I know you just broke up and could probably use a fun night out."

"Yeah. I'd love too." Ginny's eyes lit up as a huge smile illuminated her face.

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely."

"Great." Harry smiled at her, happier than he thought he'd be. "We'll figure out details as we head to the pitch."

Ginny nodded and ran up to her dormitory. Harry watched her go and almost swore he saw a skip in her step now. She wasn't Hermione, but he liked Ginny. He enjoyed spending time with her and found her easy to talk to about everything.

Harry felt relief sweep over him, knowing there'd be no pressure with her. She wouldn't expect anything from him and would make the night fun and carefree. If he couldn't go with Hermione, he'd still be able to enjoy the night with Ginny.

Harry smiled to himself, surprised by how relieved and excited he felt about the Yule Ball next week. This will be great, he thought before running up to his room to change clothes.