When they get to the ball, they find almost everyone is there.
Ron says "Poor kid, she's probably up in her room crying - and I bet Bloom's trying to console her."
"Who?"
"Hermione! Come on Harry, why do you think she wouldn't tell us who she's coming with if she had someone?"
"Because we'd tease her to no end?"
"No, silly! Because she hasn't got anyone! I'd have taken her myself if she wasn't so bleeding proud."
Professor McGonagall comes over and says the Champions of the Tri-wizard Tournament traditionally start the ball by dancing - but Bloom's nowhere to be seen.
When Professor McGonagall walks off, after Harry says Bloom's probably on her way right now, they hear Hermione hiss at them from around a corner.
"Harry, Bloom says she's not coming out. She's here, but she's invisible. I managed to drag her all this way like this - little help!"
Hermione's got a firm grip on what looks like nothing, but Harry can guess it's Bloom's wrist.
Hermione is in a pink sheath dress with ruffles and a magenta ribbon around her waist.
Her hair is in a half-updo, and she's got poinsettia earrings in.
Bloom whispers "This is far worse than facing a dragon, Hermione! Let me go!"
Harry moves closer to the sound of her voice, and whispers "Bloom, come out already. After everything else we've faced, a dance is nothing."
Harry doesn't mention the fact that Bloom has to dance first, along with the other champions, for the dance to begin - he can tell that won't help matters in the slightest.
"Bloom, it's a dance. That's all."
"Yeah, well, a dance is a lot harder than a duel Harry! I don't have to worry about stumbling and making a fool of myself when I'm just flinging spells! Especially because I'm wearing practical shoes instead of these ridiculous heels!"
Harry chuckles, and says "Well, would you feel better if Draco started more of his nonsense then?"
Bloom says "Don't even joke like that. I'll cast one spell then trip and fall."
His hands find her arms, and Hermione drops her wrist in relief when she stumbles closer to Harry's chest.
"Bloom, Professor McGonagall is looking for you. You can't stay invisible forever."
He can feel the heat radiating off her skin, a sign that her magic is active and at the surface.
Bloom takes a breath and says "Fine, I'll do it. But if I trip, I swear, I'm turning invisible as soon as I'm around the corner and going back to figuring out the egg."
Harry smiles, and Bloom breaths out the reverse incantation for her invisibility.
She fades into view, like she's trying to draw it out as long as possible, and Harry's jaw drops when he sees what she's wearing.
She's in a dark blue mermaid-sheathe dress combo, it has straps but fits her form perfectly and has ruffles going down the length of the dress.
She's wearing a diamond necklace and earrings with orange gems that look like fire - and her hair is completely down and curled slightly, making it look like a waterfall of fire going down her back.
Her makeup could only have been done with a spell, it looks too perfect for any other explanation.
Harry's face turns bright red, and Bloom instantly looks worried and takes a step back.
"I look ridiculous, don't I? I should just go-"
She turns to leave, but Harry grabs her hand before she can start walking away and pulls her back.
"No Bloom, you don't."
He looks at Ron for help, but Ron's staring at Hermione like he's brain's melted - no help there.
"Come on Bloom, one dance at least."
The room falls to near silence when Hermione walks in - but the silence is so thick someone could hear a pin drop when Bloom walks in at Harry's side.
Half the boys look like their brains have just melted - and Bloom spots Draco's expression for an instant and nearly cracks up.
Viktor Krum takes Hermione's hand, and Fleur walks over and gets Ron's attention.
Somehow, the four friends are dancing with the champions of the Tri Wizard tournament - and one of those friends is a champion.
Cedric is dancing with Parvati Patil, and for a minute the entire school is watching the four couples dance - and then, much to Bloom's relief, others start coming in.
Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall are dancing together, Hagrid and Madame Maxime, even Filch and his cat!
As the slow dance ends, the music takes a decided shift in tone - now its rock music.
Bloom sputters a laugh out, and says "Teenagers being teenagers. Even magic can't change that."
Fleur is dancing in the crowd, and Ron is sitting on the sidelines, looking miserable.
They both agreed him taking her to the dance wasn't working out, and parted ways on good terms.
Harry and Bloom come over, and Ron asks "So, what was the whole problem of coming out before?"
"Shut up Ron."
"Bloody hell, Bloom! I don't think half the population of this room could think when they saw you!"
Harry smacks Ron on the arm, lightly enough so it doesn't hurt.
Ron suddenly grins, and asks "Did either of you see the look on Malfoy's face? I bet it was priceless."
Harry grins, having seen it while they were dancing.
"Absolutely priceless, Ron. I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head."
Bloom turns red again, and murmurs "Quit it guys. I'm two seconds away from going back to my screeching egg puzzle."
Harry grabs her hand, just as Hermione comes over.
"Hot, isn't it? Viktor's getting drinks, would you like to join us?"
Bloom mumbles "Sorry, that might be from me."
Ron says "No Hermione, we'd not like to join you and Viktor."
Hermione frowns, along with Bloom, and says "What's got your wand in a knot?"
"He's a Durmstrang, your fraternizing with the enemy."
Bloom rolls her eyes, and says "Ron, you're just kicking yourself because you didn't ask her first. I'll join you Hermione. Harry, I'll see you in a few minutes."
Harry watches her hair like a waterfall of fire going down her back as the two girls make their way through the crowd.
Harry mutters "At least she won't get embarrassed and try to leave the ball now."
Ron says "Your girlfriend can stare down a dragon, but she gets embarrassed about a dance?"
Harry shrugs, and says "Never said I understood girls, Ron. Bloom's…complicated, to say the least."
After the ball, Ron and Hermione are arguing.
"He's using you, Hermione."
"How dare you? I can take care of myself you know!"
Ron scoffs and says "Doubt it, he's way too old for you."
Hermione whirls on him, completely angry now.
"What? What? Is that what you think?"
"Yeah, it is what I think, Hermione!"
"You know the solution then, don't you?"
Harry and Bloom are staying out of this, they can tell it's already bad enough.
"Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage to ask me before someone else - and not as a last resort either!"
Ron says "Well, that's completely off the point. Harry…"
Harry sighs and walks up - which just makes Hermione mad.
"Never mind! Off to bed with the both of you!"
She storms off, and Bloom goes to calm her down.
Harry and Ron walk to the boys dormitory, and Ron says "They get scary when they get older."
Harry rolls his eyes, and says "Ron, I'm thinking you need to tell Bloom you're not afraid of her."
"Harry, you weren't ever on the receiving and of her glare! She is bloody well scary when she gets like that."
"Ron, she was stressed from being chosen when she didn't put her name in and didn't want to do it in the first place. And besides, that was one of the things bothering her earlier."
"You mean during the ball?"
"No, before the ball. She said everybody's afraid of her because she's got powers the rest of them don't."
"Harry, if everybody's afraid of her, why does Draco Malfoy keep egging her? He's got to have no survival instinct, if that's the case. Or a death wish."
Harry shrugs, and says "Well, in any case, the idea was bothering her. She heard you tell Hermione she's scary - it kind of got to her, more than a little."
"Harry, you've heard her yelling at Draco when he goes too far. You've seen the stuff that can happen. But you've never been on the end of one of her glares with fire in her eyes and looking like she's going to murder you any moment. I'm telling you, she's scary when she wants to be."
"Well, we're her friends Ron, we don't have any reason to be scared of her."
"Harry, she scared off a Hungarian Horntail!"
"Yeah, but that doesn't change the fact that we're her friends."
"Yeah, I guess so. I'll tell her tomorrow - after she stops looking like a freaking fire goddess."
Harry has to stifle his laughter, he's sure Bloom would hear that.
"You know its true Harry! The entire school was staring at you two!"
"Maybe, but they started dancing soon enough."
"Yeah, after a full minute of staring directly at you two. If you wanted to get the rumors that you two are dating going again, this is the way to do it Harry."
Harry rolls his eyes, remembering the newspaper that had a picture of them hugging on it.
People have been saying they were dating since Lockhart forced them to take a picture that made it seem like they were hugging.
There've been more newspapers coming out since then, all the Daily Prophet, and all of them stories about Bloom.
Some miraculous control of fire, mysterious and unnatural powers, and worse.
Bloom always takes one look at them and throws them into the fireplace.
Anyone who stares at her for more than a minute, she looks at with a raised eyebrow until they either leave or ask her their question.
The stories are getting more fantastical by the day, and all of them are attacking Bloom's credibility.
Bloom thinks it's Rita Skeeter, they didn't exactly part on good terms during the first trial.
It sounds exactly like something she would write, and she likely has an inside person leaking enough truths to get people to believe the stories.
Harry seriously wishes he'd kissed Bloom even once during the ball, give people a reason to say they're dating - because, wow, she practically melted his brains when he looked at her.
That night, Neville accidentally wakes Harry when he comes in extra late - and he's excited as heck about the fact that he's so late coming in, he made a new friend and spent a lot of time with her.
AN: Yes, Bloom had a massive case of nerves - she can handle herself great in a fight, but a fight is different from a dance in every way. Also, the dress was mermaid-style, but had thick straps like that of a sheath dress, if anybody was wondering.