The walk up the winding spiral staircase that evening was a very fraught one for Harry. He was a mix of weird, jittery nerves, at the prospect of meeting Hermione face-to-face in such an out of the way location, and concerned anxiety over what might have prompted her to demand this sudden conference with him. 'Urgent' could mean many things, but Harry was a natural worrier, predisposed to think that whatever the reason was behind this, it must be necessarily bad.

His disquiet was such that he barely ate anything at dinner, didn't really notice any food that he did force down, and in the end gave up trying and headed up to the Astronomy Tower in a very agitated state, arriving on the moonlit parapet ten minutes before Hermione was due to get there.

The thing was, she was just as restless as Harry and had been waiting for him for five minutes already.

"There's a lot to be said for punctuality in my book," Hermione whispered from near the wall at the back of the parapet. "So I'm glad to see you share that view. For some reason, it doesn't surprise me."

Harry jumped sharply and sucked in a breath at the shock. "Hermione! You startled me! Why are you lurking in the dark for?"

"I am not lurking," Hermione protested. "Just waiting quietly out of sight."

"Also known as lurking," Harry replied with a light smirk. "Have you been here long? I hope not."

"Only a couple of minutes," Hermione replied, conservatively.

They were awkwardly silent for a few seconds, then Harry suddenly remembered why they were there.

"Are you okay? You're not hurt are you? He hasn't hurt you, has he?"

"Who?"

"Viktor Krum."

Hermione blinked in surprise. "No, of course not. Why would you think he'd hurt me?"

"Well, your note said that you wanted to see me urgently," Harry explained. "And that was my first thought about it. What else could be so urgent?"

Hermione couldn't help but smile at the burst of protectiveness coming from Harry. It was so unexpected, but also very sweet. She didn't really know what to say to it. So she decided to put his clearly anxious mind at ease.

"No, I'm not hurt, by Viktor Krum or anyone else," Hermione reassured Harry, taking a brave step forward. "I'm fine. But thank you for being so concerned about me."

"Don't mention it," Harry replied, rubbing the back of his neck in his awkwardness. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to take gratitude from Hermione. Normally, he'd brush it off from anyone else, thinking they were just trying to ingratiate themselves to him, and he would be irritated by it. But this was different … he found that he actually welcomed the sentiment coming from Hermione. That was an entirely new sensation for him. "So, what did you want to see me about if not Krum?"

"Well," Hermione began cautiously. "It is actually to do with Krum, just not like you think."

"How then?"

Hermione took a big gulp of air. "Don't be angry at me - I wasn't listening on purpose or anything - but I overheard you talking with him in the library this afternoon."

Harry tensed as he heard the words. "Oh."

"I'm not mad at you, if that's what you think," Hermione replied quickly, sensing Harry's reactionary tautness. He visibly relaxed at her words, which was strange. "I was just surprised, that's all, and I thought we ought to talk about it."

"Are you miffed that I told him to back off?" Harry asked gruffly. "He's still going to ask you out, if that's what the problem is."

"Yes, I heard," Hermione mumbled. "But I have no intention of accepting his invitation. He's been very polite, in truth, but I was raised a Muggle … I still see things in Muggle terms. If we were in that world, I'd be a high school girl with a couple of years to go and he'd be in college or work. You went to Muggle schools, yourself, so I don't need to tell you how dubious that would look."

"Exactly," Harry agreed, his eyes shining at Hermione's declaration of intent, which didn't go unnoticed by her. "It's creepy and weird. Not that anyone admiring you would be astonishing … that's not what I mean at all, so please don't think that. It's just the age difference, you know?"

"I know," Hermione said in a warm voice, stepping half a toe closer again. She was smiling widely, inside and out. "But thank you for saying that, too. You're very kind."

"No, I think we've established that you are the kind one. That's why a brute like Krum needs to keep his distance from you."

"You really don't like him, do you?" Hermione queried. "I was surprised by how angry you were at his mispronouncing my name. It is just his accent, after all."

"That's the very point, Hermione … that isn't what it is, at all," Harry corrected her in a dark tenor that made Hermione shiver icily a second.

"What do you mean?"

Harry took a weighty breath. "I'd rather not say … I did say that I wouldn't. But I suppose I can trust you to be discreet."

"Is this about that other girl? Sally-Anne Perks?" Hermione asked lowly. "The girls in my dorm told me that you'd spoken to Viktor Krum about her, too … warned him off her, they said."

Harry's expression darkened even in the shadows. "Yeah … I've had a couple of dealings with Krum this year, none of them amiable. That's why I'm so concerned about you … I just want you to be careful, okay?"

"I can handle Viktor Krum," Hermione told him soothingly. This protective side of Harry was stirring that bothersome ache that he often generated in Hermione's belly. She had to battle to hold herself still. "But please … tell me about Sally-Anne. It sounds like something I ought to know."

"His accent is a tool," Harry began, sitting back against the stone handrail of the parapet. "He speaks English perfectly well, except when it comes to girls in his cross-hairs. It happened with Sally … he called her 'Sal-Lee-Annie'when he was targeting her, and before that - she told me - he did the same with Daphne Greengrass. He called her 'Dap-huh-ney'.

"It's cutesy, see? Makes him seem a bit simple, in need of gentle educating. But he's far from simple. He's very clever, he knows what he's doing . It's a trick to get close to girls … and you've seen that he knows how to simper and flatter for yourself. Add to the attraction of being an international Quidditch star and he's got quite the appeal."

"And he certainly seems to have been prolific with the girls here," Hermione frowned.

"You don't know the half of it," Harry muttered lowly.

"Then tell me."

Harry sighed angrily. "A group of the Durmstrang boys - including Krum - have set up their own sort of tournament, in parallel to the Triwizard … they call it the 'Four House Competition'. The rules are simple … points are awarded for various 'acts' performed with girls from Hogwarts, all on a sort of sliding scale. Prizes will be awarded for engaging in these with girls from multiple houses and years. They even have miniature versions of the House Point hourglass that we have in the Entrance Hall to record their conquests. It's all very disgusting."

"That's awful!" Hermione cried, scandalised. "How do you know this?"

"Sally-Anne told me," Harry explained. "She was spellbound by Krum and who he was from the start. She was easy prey to his intentions and allowed some lighter stuff to go on. But then he invited her to his room on the Durmstrang ship and she saw all of this stuff. They record all of their 'victories' on a sort of golf scorecard, if you've ever seen one of those.

"She was outraged and pushed him off when he tried to get a bit 'handsy' with her. Then, when she threatened to go to Karkaroff or Dumbledore, Krum's friends vowed to say that Sally had never been there, and if she did say anything they'd … what's the phrase … slut-shame her all around Hogwarts. So she kept quiet, even when Krum tried to blackmail her to do more things with him. He'd lost face with his peers when Sally rejected him, I think."

"That's terrible! I can't believe they'd do that!" Hermione yelped. "Is she alright?"

"She was very upset by it," Harry confessed. "Broke down in one of our Charms classes. I was sat with her and had to calm her down. That's when she told me all about what was going on. So I went to Krum that same night and had a very frank discussion with him. He didn't bother Sally again after that."

"Why? What did you say to him?"

"That'll have to remain between me and Krum, I'm afraid," Harry replied, evasively. "It's not the kind of thing a decent witch should have to hear."

"Wow. Sally is lucky to have you as a friend."

"She's not my friend," Harry retorted. "That doesn't mean she should have to put up with stuff like that, or that I'd let it happen once I knew. And I just hope you never have to … that would be a hundred times worse."

Hermione drew in a shaky breath before saying what she did next, the one thing she'd really come up here for tonight.

"So … is that why you told Krum that we were going to the Yule Ball together?" she mumbled. "Was it just to get him to leave me alone?"

"Partly," Harry replied, nervously, looking at his shoes. "But I also thought … I mean, well … I was thinking ..."

Harry's tongue had tied itself in knots. The words he wanted to say were stuck in there somewhere. He coughed to try and undo the twist, but it only served to tighten it further. Hermione watched him struggle with a little smile, before she could stand it no longer.

"I was thinking that, too," Hermione whispered softly. "And I will, you know … if you really would like to."

Harry looked up in surprise. "Oh, well … you would?"

"Uh-huh," Hermione nodded. "If we're talking about the same thing and you truly would like to."

"Yeah, I do … but it's sort of ruined now," Harry frowned.

"Ruined? How?" Hermione asked in a sort of desperation. She hadn't meant to ruin anything and was keen to make amends.

"Well, aren't I supposed to conjure a red rose and get down on one knee or something?" Harry asked. "That's what girls like, isn't it? You can tell I'm not good at this."

Hermione felt a warmth swirl in her chest. "That sort of thing only happens in books, I think. It's very melodramatic, isn't it? But nothing's ruined … you can still do that, if you want to."

Harry grinned at the challenge and drew his wand, twirling it expertly and conjured a single, deep-red rose. He thought getting down on a knee was a bit much, so he simply offered it to Hermione, noticing that his hands were wobbling slightly. He did his best to look Hermione in the eyes when he spoke next.

"So … will you go to the Yule Ball with me, Hermione?"

Hermione almost broke her face, such was the intensity of her smile, and she was sure she snatched the rose a little too eagerly. But Harry didn't seem to mind.

"Yes, I'd love to, Harry!"

"Great … that's great," Harry smiled back. "If you'd prefer to go with Krum, you can. I'm not going to say I don't mind - because I do - but you can choose to go with him, if you'd prefer."

"I don't prefer, not in the teensiest bit," Hermione insisted. "I was hoping you'd ask me. I've been hoping it all day, to be honest, ever since I heard you in the library."

"You have? Well, I'm glad I said it then," Harry replied. "Sorry that I said we were going before we were actually going … I just sort of blurted it out on the spot. But now we are going, so it doesn't matter so much, does it?"

"Have you been thinking about it then? Asking me, I mean?"

"A bit," Harry confessed. "I wasn't going to go at all, but then Luna said about us going together and it sounded nice. It will be nice, I think. The letters have been great, but it'll be nice to talk to you in person. I'll be looking forward to it."

"So will I!" Hermione agreed vehemently. "So, just to confirm … we are going to the Yule Ball together. That's what we are saying?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Great! Well … it's a date, then," Hermione sang. "I mean, it's not an actual date, but … you know what I mean."

Harry furrowed his brow. "Well, it is sort of an actual date. We're going as partners, and everyone else will call their partners 'dates', so that's what we are. Or do you not agree?"

"No, no, it's just that … I didn't think you would … oh, shut up, Hermione! … yes, okay, it's a date. A proper one. I'm going on a date with Harry Potter. Wow … I never thought I'd say anything like that in my life!"

"I didn't think I'd ever hear something like that, or like it when I did," Harry mumbled shyly.

Hermione blinked in surprise. "And you do? You do like it?"

"Yeah … because you're saying it. I don't mind that."

"Oh …" Hermione began, but words failed her completely just then.

"Can I ask one favour though?" Harry went on in the silence. "Can we keep this to ourselves, just till the night? It's not because I don't want people to know that I'm going with you, or anything stupid like that, but I'm worried about the gossip. I get talked about all the time, and most of it isn't pleasant. I just don't want you to have to experience anything like that. After the fact, you'll have no choice, but I'd like to protect you from it till it's unavoidable."

"Alright, I can do that," Hermione agreed. "It's sweet of you to think of me like that. Besides, it might be quite fun to see the surprise on people's faces when we turn up together! It'll be hilarious. And anyway, we can talk to each other about it till then, can't we? It'll be just another secret between us. But can I at least say that I do have a date if anyone asks, even if I cant say who it's with?"

"Of course you can," Harry nodded. "I'm not telling you what you can and cant do … but just trust me that it'll be easier this way. You'll understand after the Yule Ball, when you'll get so much attention you'll wish you never agreed to go with me at all!"

"No, Harry, I don't think that will happen," Hermione disagreed. "I may get a lot of questions and gossip, but that wont be enough to make me regret going with you. I'm going to be looking forward to it so much. It'll be a lot of fun, I'm sure."

"Yeah, yeah it will," Harry nodded. "Right, well, I think I'm going to go now. They'll be calling curfew soon and it's a long way back to Ravenclaw Tower."

"Do you want me to walk with you?" Hermione offered.

Harry considered it a moment. "Yes, but I'm not going to let you. You'll be caught out of bed by the time you get back. I'll be fine on my own."

"Well, if you're sure."

"I am. But thanks."

Harry smiled gently then took a few steps down from the parapet. Then he turned back to Hermione.

"Oh, and by the way, it's still your turn on the letters. Don't think that little note counts!"

Hermione laughed at that. "Don't worry, I wont forget. I'll have so much to write I'll run out of ink before I finish, I'm sure."

"I'll send Hedwig over with a fresh supply, if you like," Harry joked. "You really are rubbish with your stationery supplies!"

"Why do I need supplies when I can just steal yours?" Hermione funned. "Ravenclaws are always prepared, so I don't need to be! I'm not the brightest witch in Gryffindor for nothing, you know."

"True, true," Harry chuckled back. "But I think you're officially trailing me in the Best Student stakes now. I wrote my entire last Ancient Runes essay in the Elder Furthank … got 112% for it, too. Beat that, Miss Granger!"

"Oh, I will! Challenge accepted!" Hermione hooted. "You don't know me at all, do you?"

"No, not really, but I'm enjoying putting that right," Harry grinned. "So, I'm going to go now and let you fill in yet more blanks in my knowledge. So, goodnight … date."

Hermione couldn't help but swoon in her throat at that. She just hoped Harry didn't hear it, but accepted with a jolt of shame that he probably had.

"Goodnight, Harry."

Harry turned to go, but stopped again and faced Hermione once more. "Just one more thing … you look really nice by the moonlight. It suits you. Just thought I should tell you that. Bye."

Then he hurried away quickly, as if it had taken all the courage he had just to say the words and didn't want to stick around for the impact. And boy had they had impact! Hermione stood frozen by them for almost a full minute before her brain suddenly kicked back to life.

"Go after him! Give him a goodnight kiss. Just a peck on the cheek. Don't let it end like that!"

But it took another thirty seconds for Hermione to build up the spirit to go sprinting after Harry, and by that time he was long gone. Hermione fumed good-naturedly at Harry's tricksy little ways of escaping … at her date's tricksy ways! She couldn't think the words often enough! It began to send her a little dizzy after a while.

Though she had other words to say, lots of them, so she darted back to Gryffindor Tower, grabbed her writing things from her dorm, kicked a couple of First-Years from her table in the Common Room, then settled down to write.

It was going to be a long night.

"Mike! Mike! Come here. You too, Tony. Come over here a second."

The Ravenclaw Common Room had a strange atmosphere that night, as Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein returned from a Gobstones Club meeting. They could feel it as soon as they'd answered the riddle and the door opened for them. There was a curious sort of lightness in the air and they didn't know what to make of it at all. So they hurried over to Lisa Turpin, as she summoned them on sight, hoping she could explain this bizarre phenomenon.

"What is it?" Michael asked. "What's up?"

"Well, there's something wrong with Harry," Lisa replied. "We think he should go to Madam Pomfrey at once."

"Potter?" Anthony enquired.

"Are there any other 'Harrys' in Ravenclaw?" Mandy Brocklehurst, who was sat with Lisa, asked. "Yes, Harry Potter!"

"What's wrong with him?" asked Michael, looking over at Harry, who was in the centre of the room with Luna Lovegood. "He looks alright to me."

"Yeah, and that's the problem," Lisa hissed. "He's alright."

"I don't follow."

"He's been chatty," Mandy exclaimed under her breath. "And on purpose, I mean. He asked me how my dinner was, told Lisa he was impressed with her Summoning Charm when we practised earlier, things like that. He's not right."

"That does seem weird," Anthony quirked. "Potter being chirpy … I don't believe it."

"Go and see for yourself," Lisa prompted.

Anthony shrugged his shoulders and crossed the room. "Evening, Harry. What are you up to?"

Harry looked up with a pleasant expression, which unsettled Anthony at once. "Hello, Anthony. I'm just proofreading Luna's essay for her, then she's going to show me some of the big articles in this month's Quibbler. How about you?"

Anthony just blinked at Harry's unusual breeziness. "Oh, well, Mike and I just came back from Gobstones Club, you know."

"And how did you get on?"

"We won a few games, got some extra House points for Ravenclaw," Anthony nodded as he replied.

"Good for you, all extra points are welcome so good work," Harry returned. "Never been much of a player, myself. I tend to have tantrums and throw the Stones around when I miss a shot! It's best for everyone's health that I don't play."

"Harry … my Potions essay?" Luna cut in gently.

"Oh, right, sorry," Harry apologised, before turning his eyes back to the parchment scroll in his hands without another word.

Anthony backed away slowly until he reached the others. "Okay … that was weird. I don't think I like it."

"See what we mean!" Lisa squeaked. "He doesn't seem right, does he? He seems … almost … happy."

Michael hushed in a sharp breath. "What the hell do we do with a happy Harry Potter? Is there a spell for it? A potion? Has he taken a potion? I might ask for a sip myself if he has."

"I dunno, but we'd better keep an eye on him, just in case," Mandy hushed. "We don't know what caused it, or how soon it will wear off. The fallout could be catastrophic when it does."

And so on. But Harry heard none of this silliness. Even so, he was well aware that his mood was unusually good. This was the kind of exhilaration he only usually associated with flying … the way his stomach dropped on steep dives, the way the breeze made him feel so airy, the way his pulse sped as he gunned his broom faster and faster through the sky. This was the closest thing he could equate that to.

And it was all because Hermione Granger had agreed to be his date for the Yule Ball. He hadn't expected that to feel so good. But there it was, filling him up with just the nicest sensations. He wasn't used to them, they felt distinctly alien, as though he'd borrowed them from someone else. But he was eager to keep them for as long as possible.

So he chatted and joked and did all the things that regular people did … and found that he oddly enjoyed them for a change. That was weird. Harry couldn't remembering it ever happening before. He might have talked with Luna, or replied automatically to prompts from Lisa and Mandy, but they were arbitrary, reactionary. He'd never treated them as anything more.

But here he was, asking Anthony Goldstein how his Gobstones games had gone, not that he genuinely cared. Though that wasn't strictly true … he did care. Anthony had won Ravenclaw points, and Harry was rabidly fierce about his House proudness. He was desperate to one day see Ravenclaw triumph over Gryffindor and Slytherin to lift the House Cup.

Constantly finishing third was seriously annoying, considering Ravenclaw was the best House, really.

So Anthony doing his bit to help Ravenclaw's points tally softened Harry towards him today. He was usually a bit of an annoyance, too, but Harry let that slide in his good mood. He helped Luna with her homework, let her read stories to him about Nargles and Crumple-Horned Something-or-anothers from The Quibbler, and then went up to bed, content but not really sleepy.

That was when he saw the pigeon hole on the end of his bed glowing royal blue.

Curious, Harry opened it up to find a very thick letter inside. On the envelope was a single Penny Black stamp. Harry quickly tore open the seal and began to read.

Sorry, I know it's late but I just had to send this before bed. I hope you don't mind. Besides, I finally get to show you how the Penpal Club works for other members! Did I ever tell you that over a quarter of the school have signed up so far, and more join every week?

But what I am saying? I don't want to talk to you about mundane things like that! Not tonight, anyway.

Oh, Harry, I'm just so excited to be going to the Ball with you … I don't think I'll be able to sleep! Thank you, thank you for asking me. Can I confess that I've been hoping you might, ever since I first heard rumours about it going ahead? Well, I just have, so you don't really have a say in the matter! But I hope you don't think that's too weird. It is a bit weird, isn't it, considering we've barely known each other for five minutes? But then again, you said you'd been thinking about it, too, so maybe we can be weird together.

It's yet another thing we have in common. I'm losing track of how many things there are at this point. I'll need to make a chart.

Actually, scrap that idea. It makes me think of what Krum and his buddies are doing and that makes me throw up a little in my mouth. How despicable! And to think I was next on his list! Eww. And he was so polite too, but maybe I should have seen through that. Too smooth and artful by half. He may have a genuine interest in me, but he'll get over it soon enough … just as soon as I turn down his advances with dignified firmness.

As if he'd think I'd go with him over you … and as if you'd think that I might prefer to, too! I'm not doing a very good job of showing you who I am, clearly. Don't worry, I'll try harder. By the time we reach the Yule Ball, you'll be in no doubt. Or should that be 'Yule be in no doubt'!

Look at me! I'm in such a silly mood. This isn't like me at all. It's all your fault, you know. I blame you. But thank you for it … I sort of like me this way. Maybe it's the start of a new era for Hermione Granger.

It was really nice to actually TALK to you tonight, and it wasn't as awkward as I expected our first big meeting to be. Maybe because you came across as all concerned for me, which was just the nicest thing. I think that's what I'm really looking forward to at the Ball - being able to talk to you all night. It was nice to be able to look at you and hear your voice. It somehow felt more real than the letters, you know?

You can relax, though, I can look after myself in regards to Krum or anyone else. And the girls in my dorm are also keeping an eye on me, which is nice, though a little peculiar. They've never shown that much concern before, but it makes a change. I'm actually having conversations with Lavender Brown these days, and seeing that there's more to her than just gossip and make-up. I doubt we'll ever be proper friends, but it's better than being teased all the time.

Though they wont be teasing me once they realise that I have a date for the Ball before them. I don't mean that to sound like a contest, but they made it into one and half-expect me not to even play, let alone beat them at it. They'll be so surprised when they finally learn that I have a date, which they are persistent enough to annoy out of me in the end. But I promise not so say that I'm going with you, even if the words will be burning all parts of my tongue!

I just cant stop thinking those words ... I have a date for the Ball! And it's you! It's going to be so much fun. I'm already deciding about what I'm going to wear. I was thinking that maybe we could show inter-house unity in our colour choices. I saw a cute, periwinkle blue dress in one of Fay's catalogues earlier and I was thinking I could get that, and maybe you could go in something red? Or should we match colours, do you think?

Sorry, this is probably way too fast and silly for you. Please don't call off the date because I'm getting carried away! I'm just so excited that I'm having trouble reining myself in. I will, though. Probably …. in a few days … perhaps.

Just thank you again for asking me, Harry. This must be as odd for you as it is for me, moreso even, considering how adverse you are to company usually. I'm just not very good at it, rather than dislike it. I hope that doesn't put you off. Ooh, why did I leave my Tip-Ex at home this term!? I really need to erase that.

Anyway, I know that going to a Ball with a partner is a pretty big thing for you, and I'm surprised and flattered, as well as a little bit humbled, that you're prepared to go with me. I'll do my best to shield you from prying eyes as much as I can on the night, shout at anyone who gossips about us. Like I said before, I'm good at telling people off!

I suppose I should try and do some homework before bed, but I doubt my mind is in any state to think straight right now. This isn't normal, is it? We're only going to a party together. I really need to get a grip on myself. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow, though!

Okay, I'm going to leave it there. Crookshanks has brought me a dead mouse that I have to dispose of. What a lovely job! Shall I save it for your basilisk? I really hope you'll take me to meet her one day. I need to say thanks for watching out for me this week.

Speaking of thanks … what you said about me in the moonlight … just … just … yeah. I cant describe it well enough. You say the nicest things to me. I'm sure I don't deserve them.

Anyway, sleep well. Hope to hear from you soon.

Yours,

Hermione x

Harry stared a while at the end of the letter, his brow creased in wild concentration. He hadn't noticed how hard his heart was thumping, he was only focused on one thing …

An 'x' … didn't that mean … a kiss?

Enjoying this story? Check out some of the others in my portfolio and don't forget my crossovers! They're worth a go, honest! Thanks for reading, and stay safe in these wacky times!