Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

I solemnly swear I'm up to no good!

A Tragic Night in Godric's Hollow

Year 4: Yule Ball

December 1994
Scotland
Hogwarts

Harry POV

We sat at the table in the Great Hall for lunch as a piece of parchment flew towards Ron and I from further down the table. It read 'if you two don't hurry up all the good ones will be gone,' and we looked down towards Fred.

"Who are you going with?" Ron asked threw the parchment back at him. Fred crumpled it up and threw it at Angelina. He then made a show to ask her to go the dance with him. She nodded giving him her answer with a smile. "How do you do that?" Ron grunted. "And Harry, how have you not got a date? You're the bloody champion!"

"Yeah, I think that's the reason I don't," I sighed eating some of the food that was in front of me. "Anyway Hermione, Ginny, maybe you can tell me why girls come in packs? Honestly, I think I'd rather go another round with the dragon…"

"Really Harry," Ginny said.

"Anyway Hermione, you're a girl, would you like to go the dance?" Ron asked.

"Well spotted Ron," she said with a glare.

"Ow…what that for," Ron grunted in pain as she kicked him under the table.

"And for your information I have already been asked," Hermione said getting up and walking away. She then came back before storming off again. "And I said yes."

"Ron you are an idiot, and Harry, you are not much better. Girls are not that hard to ask," Ginny spat as she got up and followed Hermione.

"Girls, who can understand them?" Ron grunted.

"Found a date yet?" Hermione questioned bringing me out of my own world while starring at the fireplace. She sat on the sofa beside me and waited.

"No," I answered with a sigh.

"Do you at least have any idea?" she asked I shook my head. "I can think of a Third Year that would love to go with you of all people."

"I'm not following," I asked still looking at her confused.

"You are an idiot," Hermione sighed.

"At least you call me an idiot, Ginny…oh…Ginny…." I stopped talking while Hermione stared at me. "She's a Third Year."

"Caught on, have you? Took you long enough," Hermione sighed with a shake if her head.

"…Well, it's not like I haven't thought about asking her," I admitted. "But would she really say yes to going with me?"

A swift kick to my shin was my answer…

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" she asked. "Fine, yes she will. Got that? Good, now go ask her already,"

"Do you know where she might be," I asked I could tell she was getting annoyed with me.

"Do I have to do everything for you? Just go find her," Hermione barked I ran from common room before I annoyed her anymore.

I walked around the castle before heading outside walking towards the Quidditch pitch finding her sitting beside a tree. I became nervous all a sudden as I walked over to her.

"Hi Ginny," I smiled.

"Hi Harry," she smiled back.

"Willyougototheballwithme?" I rambled out my words.

"What?" she asked confused.

I took a deep breath and started again. "Will you go to the ball with me?" I asked properly this time.

"…Really?" Ginny blinked in surprise.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," I added hastily.

"Yes I'll go with you," she answered with a smile. "Of course I want to you big idiot,"

"Oh okay good," I mumbled

"See Potter that wasn't so hard," she smirked. "Now you can walk with me to the common room."

I nodded and we walked in comfortable silence. Getting to the common room, Ron was currently bugging Hermione to find out who she was going to the ball with.

"I am not telling you Ronald," Hermione shout back at him.

"I think you don't have a date and that's why you will not tell me," Ron answered her back I could tell she was getting annoyed.

"Oh shut up Ronald," she screeched back at him they notice that me and Ginny were standing behind them.

"Oh there you are Harry, did you find a date?" Ron asked, oh Merlin's sake I forgot that I would have to tell Ron that I was going with his sister.

"Yeah I did," I answered. Ginny smiled at me then went up the stairs to the girl's dormitories.

"Oh yeah, who did you end up asking?" Ron asked. I gave a weak smile to Hermione as she watched on.

"Ginny," I answered bluntly, his face looked shocked.

"What? Why? Why would you do that?" he rambled.

"We are friends you know," I said.

"No, me and you are friends. Not you and my sister," he shot back.

"Oh shut up will you Ronald?" Hermione laughed. "They are friends,"

"You dare get feelings for my sister and I will kill you," Ron threatened before storming off towards the dorms.

"You having feelings for Ginny would not be worst thing in the world," Hermione smiled.

"Nothing like that will happen," I smiled back. Could I really see myself having feelings for Ginny?

"We will see, good night, Harry," she smiled walking up the stairs.

It was getting late, and I was starting to get a bit worried. The sun had already set, and I could hear the sounds from the Great Hall even from outside. Most of the students and faculty had already gone in and all I could do was try and calm my nerves. Damn it, pull yourself together Potter, you can do this.

Hopefully those dancing lessons Sirius taught me last weekend in Hogsmeade would be enough…

"Don't look so nervous," Ron told me. "They'll be down any second now, I'm sure."

"I'm just nervous," I explained. "I've never even danced before."

"Me neither," he shrugged.

Cedric was standing against the wall talking to his date—a fifth year I recognised as the Ravenclaw Seeker Cho Chang. Victor Krum was surprising by himself leaning against one of the pillars and Fleur Delacour was being fed grapes by George Weasley of all people, much to Ron's horror and my amusement.

"Who did you say you were bringing to this?" I asked him.

"Padma Patil, she's waiting for me inside," he answered. "I asked Lavender Brown first but she said that she already had a date."

"Was this before or after you asked Fleur to the ball?" I asked with a grin.

"After," he grunted in embarrassment. "I don't know how George is resisting her mate, seriously you know."

"Oh I know," I agreed as I'd had trouble resisting her Veela aura myself and at times.

Suddenly the area fell quiet as two sets of footsteps echoed from the stairs and we all looked up. For a second I felt my mind go blank and I could swear that in that moment I was a Master Occulmens because there was nothing in my head. Not even Snape could have read my mind because there was nothing to read but the burning image of perfection descending the stairs in front of me.

Ginny Weasley wore a long red dress, her hair done up in a style and curling around to drape over her shoulders. She smiled almost shyly as I slowly made my way to the bottom of the stairs and offered her my hand. She took it and I slowly bent to one knee, kissing the back of her hand as I did so.

"Good evening my lady," I said as I stood back up.

"…And to you good sir," she returned with a smile.

"…Hello to you too Harry, it's nice to see you too," a familiar voice spoke up from the side.

I blinked and turned my attention to the other beautythat had come done to the stairs. I nearly doubled over when I realised that stand beside us was Hermione whom was also wearing a dress albeit this one was light purple and her hair had been done differently, more folded in on itself. She had an amused look on her face and couldn't help but shake her head as she looked between us.

"Erm hello Hermione," I managed to say. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Oh I know," she nodded obviously amused by something. "Hello Ron," she added with a wave before turning away from us all.

"Mione," Krum spoke calmly as he approached. "You vook veautiful tonight."

"Thank you Victor," she responded as he took her hand in his hand kissed it in a similar way to I did with Ginny earlier.

"Wait…Hermione…Krum…what-" Ron stammered unsure what was going on.

I could understand where he was coming from…

"Are you all ready?" asked McGonagall as she seemed to appear from the doorway. "Ah good, everyone is here. Mister Weasley, would you kindly take your place in the Great Hall and while the champions and their companions prepare for the opening dance."

"But-" he tried to speak but she quickly ushered him inside leaving us all there.

Without another word we hastily organised ourselves into a line so that Cedric and Cho were first. They were followed by Fleur and George. After them were Krum and Hermione. Finally at the back were Ginny and I.

"Are you ready for this?" Ginny asked me quietly.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I answered truthfully. "What about you?"

"I'm the same," she replied with a small smile.

Finally the music started to play and the doors in front of us swung open. We could make out faces of our schoolmates as we all strode into the Great Hall. The whole room was decorated with various floating ornaments and snow was lightly falling from the illusionary sky above. After a few seconds were in the middle of the floor with everyone giving us room, watching on as we settled into our proper placements.

"Harry," Ginny spoke quietly as she looked up at me. "Just try not to step on my toes and we'll be fine."

"No promises," I whispered back.

I hesitantly placed my hand on her waist and took her hand in mine. Her other hand rested on my shoulder as the music changed to a more soothing song. I took a step and then we were off. What followed was a blur of movement that I didn't even realise I was doing as we moved across the floor as one. I'm proud to say throughout the entire dance I did not stand on Ginny's toes even once, and that was something I considered an achievement in itself on par with the First Task.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw that the others were doing the same, keeping their distance from us as they did so. After a few moments Dumbledore stepped forward and started dancing with McGonagall. Others followed them onto the dance floor and after a few seconds we were lost in the sea of students and staff. Hours passed before we stopped to take a break and sat down at one of the tables. We were tired and were breathing heavily but we couldn't keep the grins off of our faces.

"I think George is having a good time," Ginny commented and I turned my gaze to the side. He and Fleur had also taken a break and were sitting at one of the tables. They were laughing and carrying on as they sipped the glasses of enchanted wine they were serving tonight. "Good for him."

"Yeah," I nodded in agreement before standing back up. "Hey, would you like a drink?"

"Just pumpkin juice, thank you," she replied with a smile.

"One pumpkin juice coming right up," I said as I strode away towards the drinks table.

Could this night get any better?

"Hey Harry," I heard from the side as I picked up the drinks. "Have you seen Ron?" Hermione asked as she stopped beside me.

"Not for awhile," I answered truthfully.

Honestly, I hadn't seen him since the night started and even now as I looked around the room he was nowhere to be seen. Did he leave? I glanced at Hermione who shrugged and then started walking back towards her date for the evening. Krum was standing a little further away talking with one of friends from Durmstrang.

Oh well…

I returned to where Ginny was still sitting and took the seat beside her. I handed her the pumpkin juice that he asked for and took a drink of my own. Damn I was thirsty, and my lungs still felt like they were on fire after how the night had gone so far.

"Hey, take a look at Percy," Ginny spoke up and nodded towards one of the tables.

True enough Percy Weasley was sitting next to the man I recognised as the one accosted me before the First Task. For the life of me I couldn't remember his name—Baggy something or other—but they appeared to be in a rather heated conversation judging by the few words we could hear from where we sat.

"I don't think I want to know what they're talking about," I said shook my head at the sight.

"Me neither," Ginny nodded in agreement. "Do you want to head back out there?" she asked as she gestured towards the dance floor.

Just then the band started playing a song with a fast beat…

"Oh yeah," I answered as I stood once more. "Shall we my lady?" I asked as I offered her my hand.

"We shall," she replied as she took my hand once more. "Lead on good sir."

We danced through the night, just lost in each other's presence as the world passed us by. The music, the sights, the atmosphere, it was all almost overwhelming, and we loved every second of it. It was early morning by the time we finally decided to call it a night and we were one of the last ones to leave.

"So did you enjoy yourself?" I asked as we entered the common room.

"It was brilliant," she answered. "Merlin I'm shattered, I don't know how Neville and Luna are still back there."

"I don't either," I nodded in agreement.

Ginny was about to walk towards the stairs to the girl's dorm rooms when she stopped and turned slowly towards me. I felt my heart leap into my mouth as the morning sunlight seemed to hit her through the window and her hair seemed to waver.

Without realising what I was doing my body moved on its own as I stepped forward. My lips found their way onto her cheek and I felt as if I was on fire for a moment before I pulled back. She stared at me in surprise and brought her hand up to where I had kissed her.

"Well erm…" she trailed off unsure what to say as he cheeks seemed to redden. "G-good night Harry, I had a wonderful time."

"Good night Ginny," I smiled back.

She turned and started walking up the stairs to her dorm room. I watched her go with what felt like my heart pounding in my chest and a grin that would not leave my face. I didn't even realise that I was whistling as I made my way up to my own dorm room. Finally upon reaching my bed I kicked my shoes off and fell face first on top of it, not even bothering to change before I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up a what felt like a couple of hours later to a bang. Opening my eyes I saw, Ron tripping over shoes my shoe to be exact.

"Fuck! Shit! Mother fucker!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "Damn it Harry! Why are your shoes in the middle of the floor?!"

"Ron," I groaned as I rolled over and pulled the pillow over my head. "I'm tired."

"Yeah well…" he trailed off. "What time did you get back?"

"I don't know," I groaned lifting the pillow off my face to see Ron standing at the bottom of my bed. "Late."

"Sorry my sister gets over excited and carried away," Ron spoke as I got up to my feet.

"It's fine I really enjoyed last night," I smiled.

"You better not have enjoyed it too much, as I said no catching feelings for my sister," Ron threated.

Maybe too late or maybe not…

Author's Notes:

I

Please Read and Review.

Mischief Managed