Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her world.

A/N: Another Hermione one. What can I say? She's one of my favourite characters. Like every other sane person, I hate this pairing (Viktor's a bum), but this just had to be written. (:

Title: Invitation.
Genre: Romance
Rating: K+
Warning: N/A
Pairing/Character:Hermione/Viktor
Word Count: 383

I escaped from the Gryffindor dormitories as quick as I could, book held flat against my chest as I took the familiar route to my safe haven. The girls in my dorm had began giggling about the upcoming Yule Ball. Lavender even went out of her way to call it a royal ball. It's Yule, girls, not Royal.

Oh, well, what's a royal ball, anyway?

It was an extravagant event that many people stressed over, wasted money on an outfit they'd never wear again, and dance as they sipped wine leisurely, talking in posh voices, and all that nonsense. Well, that's what it seemed like. The Yule ball wouldn't be quite so formal, though the ballroom dancing was still a must, along with the expensive costume.

I suppose it would be frightfully dull, I thought as I pushed open the door to the library, breathing in it's welcoming scent of books and ink. And boring. I sat down and put the thick tome on the table in front of me. As I opened it roughly in the middle, I thumbed backwards a few pages until I found the one I had marked.

And completely …

But my thoughts were interrupted by the scraping of the chair opposite me. I raised my head and jumped slightly when I saw none other than Viktor Krum.

"Um, hello Viktor, can I … help you with something?"

"Vould you like to come to the Yule Ball wiv me, Herm-own-ninny? I vould greatly ah-preee-she-ate it."

I managed to break through the shock quick enough to smile, nod and say the one word that I had been hesitant to say ever since I found out about the event. "Yes."

… completely wonderful.

I was only a girl after all – a boy-deprived, teenage female. I was bound to be a sucker for romantic things, as much as I detested myself for it. They were sort of my guilty pleasures, my dirty little secrets. I fantasised about a big white wedding, and numerous elegant dances. I just kept such fantasies to myself.

Yes, I was only a girl.

"Oh well, what's a royal ball? I suppose it would be frightfully dull, and boring. And completely ... completely wonderful." - Cinderella.

A/N: Meh. I hate Cinderella. And Viktor. But this turned out alright, didn't it? Also, I think I may have gotten some of his accent wrong. Sorry if I have.

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