Cedric had been planning to ask Hermione to Yule Ball, but he'd kicked himself when Viktor Krum beat him to it. That was the last time he would procrastinate on something important. He'd ended up asking Cho Chang, since their friends were dating.

He was still berating himself the day he found Hermione in tears in some obscure corner of the castle.

"What's wrong?" he questioned as he traced circles on her back

"Ron's a prat," she spat out. "He had the nerve to tell me I was a girl, get mad when I turned him down for the Yule Ball, and then suggest I was making up actually having a date. He's unbelievable."

"He is," Cedric agreed.

"You'd think more than one person would notice I have two X-chromosomes off the bat. Am I supposed to be just one of the guys forever?"

"I was planning on asking you," Cedric said casually.

"What happened?"

"Krum beat me to it," he said sheepishly. "Save me a dance?"

"Of course." She wiped her tears

Though he sat next to Hermione at the Yule Ball dinner, it was nothing compared to dancing with her. He didn't think he'd been as nervous facing the dragon as he was asking her for the next dance. She was radiant and she was his until the song ended. As Cedric pulled her close, he resolved that would be the last time he ever put off anything that important.