The first dance was at the Yule Ball in fourth year after the infamous argument between Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
~Flashback~
Hermione sat on the stairs crying after her row with Ron. She had been enjoying the Yule Ball as Victor Krum's date, a night where she was actually feeling beautiful and like a princess, until Ron had to go and ruin it for her with his jealousy. Now here she was practically curled into a ball while she cried her eyes out.
"Don't let him get to you." A voice told her as a hand held out a handkerchief to her. "Here."
Hermione sniffled and looked up in surprise to see Neville before she takes the offered handkerchief with a murmur of thanks. After drying her eyes, she looked back at him.
"Shouldn't you be inside the hall with Ginny?" She knew he'd shown up at the ball with Ginny and it did confuse her that he was there with her instead of with Ginny.
Neville shook his head. "She's currently giving Ron a piece of her mind. I figured while she was doing that, I'd come make sure you're okay. Especially since Harry's pretty out of it and Krum…." He broke off, not quite wanting to tell Hermione what he had last seen her date, Viktor Krum, doing before he'd come out to check on her.
Hermione had looked a bit hopeful when Neville said mentioned Victor, but hearing Neville break off and not finish his sentence dashed any hopes there. "Did he just not know what happened?" She asked before sighing and looking down. "He didn't really care either, did he? He's talking up some other girl, isn't he?" She looked to Neville again.
Neville bit his lip and nodded silently. "I'm sorry, Hermione." He whispered as he sat down on the stairs, being mindful of her dress.
Hermione shook her head. "I should have known really. Of course he wanted to get close to me. Everyone knows I'm Harry's best friend and Harry is his competition. He was hoping to get some sort of dirt on Harry. It's no surprise really that he'd end up chatting another girl. They're all prettier than me. I'm just a plain, frumpy, know-it-all bookworm."
"You're wrong Hermione. You're beautiful. And not just tonight. Your beauty is natural, something most of the other girls can't manage without make-up and hair products. If Krum couldn't see the wonderful person you are past your friendship with Harry, then he didn't deserve your presence at his side tonight." Neville smiled at her reassuringly.
"Thanks Neville." She blushed gently with a soft smile.
"Anytime Hermione." Neville listened for a moment before standing up with a grin. He held a hand out to her. "The music is still playing. May I have this dance, Miss Granger?"
Hermione smiled and gently placed her hand in his outstretched one. "It would be my pleasure, Mr. Longbottom."
He carefully helped her up and pulled her close, being mindful of where he placed his hands and still allowing a little bit of space between them as they danced to the music of the slow song playing in the hall. Neither teen noticed as they unconsciously moved closer while they the time the song was halfway through, the two had ended dancing much closer than they originally had started. Neville's arms were around Hermione's waist while her arms were around his neck and her head was resting against his chest. Neville had, for some time, been harboring a crush on Hermione. She had, after all, been constantly helping him since the day they first met on the Hogwarts express at the beginning of their first year when she helped him go up and down the train in attempts to locate his toad, Trevor. He had himself wanted to ask Hermione to the ball but Victor had beaten him to it. So he had asked Ginny instead. He wasn't going to ruin this little moment, even if he didn't quite have the courage to tell her how he , on the other hand, was quite content with the positioning herself. She knew she could always trust Neville to remain the song ended, the two teens slowly pulled away and looked at each other.
"Thank you for that Neville. I really needed it." Hermione smiled.
"You're welcome, Hermione." Neville smiled back.
"I think I'm going to head back to the dorms. Get ready for bed before the other girls get back and hog the bathrooms." She chuckled and turned to start walking back to Gryffindor tower.
"I'll go with you. At least now I might have a chance to get to sleep before Ron's in there snoring." Neville easily fell into step with her.
"So that's why you've been looking so tired lately? Ronald's snoring has kept you up?" She asked in concern.
"You have no idea. Only reason I haven't tried silencing him is because I would be more likely to use a pillow due to having better luck with it." Neville half-chuckled.
"Well then, let's make it a little more fun while we try to beat our dorm mates." She smiled and lifted her dress slightly before starting to run slightly, not going too fast due to her aching feet in the heels and to keep it an easy pace for them both.
By the time the two reached the Fat Lady's portrait, both were laughing and out of breath from the run up to the seventh floor from the Great Hall. Neville caught his breath long enough to give the password before helping Hermione through the portrait. They walked over to the staircases that led up to the separate boys' and girls' dorms.
"Guess this is where we say goodnight. So, goodnight Hermione." Neville smiled.
"Goodnight Neville. Thanks again for cheering me up." Hermione kissed his cheek and headed up to the girls' dormitory.
Neville watched her with a smile, a hand touching his cheek where she'd kissed him. "Never washing this cheek again." He murmured to himself before he headed up to the boys' dorm to go to bed.
~End Flashback~