Chapter 14

Hermione POV

A few weeks had gone by since Ginny's accident, and Hermione was relieved to see that she had healed up perfectly fine, just as everyone insisted she would. They had gotten back into their routine of studying together at least twice a week, often times more, and Hermione had even allowed the two of them to talk a bit more during those sessions. After witnessing Ginny's accident, she couldn't help but want to be near her, to protect her and make her happy, and talking to her during these study sessions seemed to bring Ginny joy, so of course she obliged. Was it the best idea considering the feelings she still harbored for her? Absolutely not. But Hermione felt that for the time being, Ginny needed her, and that was most important.

Hermione hadn't seen Juliette since the accident. Yes, she had initially decided to take Harry's advice and give Juliette's offer a chance. Yes, it had seemed to be working to rid her of some of the feelings she had for Ginny. And yes, she did deep down realize that Juliette had tried to save Ginny from falling. But she just couldn't bring herself to see her. Getting rid of her feelings for Ginny weren't worth risking Ginny's safety, and that's exactly what had happened. It might not be logical, but for once, Hermione wasn't concerned. Ginny was her priority right now.

As the two were leaving the library one evening, they came across another notice:

Yule Ball

The Great Hall

December 25th – 8 o'clock

They looked at each other.

"A ball? As in a dance?" Ginny asked Hermione excitedly.

"Yes, it appears so."

"Wow… We've never had anything like that at Hogwarts before. That should be fun!" Ginny smiled.

"Yes… It should be." Hermione nodded absently as she became lost in her thoughts. She was imagining Ginny all dressed up, looking stunning. Then Demelza entered the picture, and Hermione was brought back to the harsh reality that she would not be attending this ball with Ginny, at least not in the way she would want to.

"Who are you going to go with?" Ginny asked. Hermione frowned.

"I – I have no idea, Ginny. Maybe Harry?" Hermione offered.

"Oh, I'm sure he would be a great date! But what about any of the boys on that list of people you'd want to date, hmm?" Ginny looked at her slyly.

Hermione looked at her, stunned. That damn Ginny Weasley memory, of course she was still holding onto "the list".

"I don't know what you're talking about, Ginny," Hermione said, feigning ignorance.

"Oh yes you do, Hermione Granger. Out with it – who's on that list?" Ginny jokingly demanded, smiling at Hermione with her best crooked smile.

"Herm-own-ninny?" Krum called down the corridor. He was walking towards them, a book in his hand.

"Oh, hi Viktor! I thought you had gone back to the ship for the evening?" Hermione asked.

"I had, but I had forgotten that I vos vonting you to haff this." He held out the book to Hermione. "Ginny, I apologize, but vould you mind if I vos to talk to Herm-own-ninny in private?"

"Of course not, Viktor, I'll see you two later!" Ginny quickly headed down the corridor towards the Gryffindor Tower.

"Thank you, Viktor," Hermione said, accepting the book.

"It is about magical buildings in Bulgaria and their histories. You are often reading the book about Hogwarts and its history, so I vos thinking that you vould find this interesting."

Hermione smiled, genuinely flattered by the kind gesture. "This is really thoughtful, Viktor, thank you."

"You are velcome. This is not the only reason I vos vonting to find you."

"Oh?"

"I vos vondering if you vould be my date to the Yule Ball?" he asked.

Hermione stared up at him, at a complete loss for words.

"As friends," he added, a small smile creeping onto his face. "Not as more. As friends. Ve are friends, no?"

Hermione laughed lightly. "Yes Viktor, we are friends. Are you sure you wouldn't want to ask someone else?"

He shook his head. "I have not connected vith many people since coming here. I vont to be comfortable ven I am at the ball, and you make me feel comfortable," he explained simply.

Hermione considered this. She had wanted to go with Harry, but Viktor was actually a great choice. He has kind, well-mannered, and only wanted to take her as a friend. And if he really didn't have anyone else, she wouldn't want him to go alone. Harry would surely find someone else to go with.

"I would love to be your date, Viktor." Hermione smiled at him.

Krum smiled back. While it was far from a big beaming grin, it was the happiest smile she had seen from him so far.

"Vell, I should be going. I vill see you again in the library?"

"I'm sure you will, Viktor. Have a good evening!"

Viktor nodded at her, and headed back down the corridor towards the lake. Hermione continued her journey back up to Gryffindor Tower. As she arrived through the portrait hole, it appeared as if word had gotten out about the Yule Ball, as that was all that was being discussed in the common room. As soon as she stepped into the common room, she was bombarded by Fred and George.

"Why hello there, Hermione, you're looking mighty illuminating this evening," Fred said with a bit of a grin on his face.

"Illuminating, picturesque, striking – don't sell her short mate!" George added catching Fred with his elbow.

"Right, right, what he said. Anyway, Hermione, would you like to attend the Yule Ball with me?"

"Or with me?"

"Or with both of us?"

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked, shaking her head at the two boys while laughing at their obvious bit.

"What? Wouldn't fancy a dance?" Fred asked.

"Well, unfortunately for the two of you, I've already got a date," Hemione informed them.

"You have?"

"She has."

"See Fred, I told you she'd be swooped up!"

"Should have sent an owl."

"Should have found her the moment we saw the notice."

"Oh well…" Fred shrugged. "Alicia! Angelina!" he shouted across the common room.

The two girls looked up, annoyed.

"Want to go to the ball with us?" Fred pointed at George, then to himself, and grinned.

Alicia and Angelina looked at each other, shrugged, then nodded yes.

"Alright then! No worries, Hermione, we're all set. So, who's the lucky bloke?" George asked with a nudge.

"Wait, you've already got a date to the ball?" Harry had walked up, and was now staring at Hermione.

"That is what our Hermione claims! Says she's already been snatched up!" Fred said, patting Hermione on the head.

"I – Fred, knock it off! Yes, I've already been asked to the ball."

Harry looked disappointed. "Oh… I was going to ask you. Thought we could go as friends?"

"Good luck, mate!" George called to Harry as he and Fred walked over to chat with Angelina and Alicia.

"I'm so sorry Harry. I said yes to someone who I didn't think would end up asking someone else. I didn't want them to have to go alone. I figured that you'd be able to find someone else," Hermione explained.

"Who is it, Neville?"

"No, it's not. Although…" Hermione looked over at Neville, who was looking expectantly in her direction. "Maybe I should have thought about that before saying yes… Oh, Neville will be fine. Will you be alright?" Hermione asked Harry.

"I'm sure Won-Won and Lavender would be thrilled if I were to ask Parvati…" he said a bit begrudgingly, before he lit up a little. "Actually, that might be fun. She can be a laugh. I'm going to go ask her."

Harry quickly walked over to where Parvati was sitting with Ron and Lavender by the fireplace.

Hermione scanned the rest of the room briefly, trying to avoid Neville's hopeful stare, and then made her way up the spiral staircase towards the girls' dormitories. She was almost at the top before she nearly ran into someone who was hurrying down the staircase.

"Sorry about that! Oh, hi Hermione!" Katie Bell took a step back from their almost-collision, and smiled. "Have you heard there's going to be a dance? Everyone downstairs is going mad trying to find a date. Have you had any luck yet?"

"Uh, I have, actually. I was asked by a friend," Hermione said.

"Good for you! I've got a girl back home, so I'm looking to go with someone as a friend as well."

"You've got a – what?" Hermione stared at Katie.

"I've got a girlfriend back home…" Katie said, a bit slower this time. "What?"

"I just – I didn't know that," Hermione said, blushing slightly.

"Most people don't know that about me. It's not really something I feel the need to advertise, you're never quite sure how people will react. I figured since you're such close friends with Ginny and she's with Demelza, you'd be accepting," Katie said, a hint of nervousness evident in her voice now.

"Oh, of course I am, Katie! That's great! Why doesn't she go to Hogwarts? Is she a Muggle?" Hermione asked.

Katie shook her head. "Her parents opted to homeschool her and her siblings. It's definitely a shame as I think she'd love Hogwarts, and of course I'd love to have her here, but her parents insist on homeschooling."

"That is too bad. So, who were you thinking of going to the Yule Ball with?"

"Someone nice, I suppose. Someone who would have a good time and not be too cool to dance. I guess that leaves most boys out." Katie laughed.

"You would go with a boy?"

"Sure. It's just as friends, what do I care?"

"Well, what about Neville? He's kind and thoughtful, and I'm sure he'd be willing to dance," Hermione suggested.

"Neville?" Katie smiled. "Actually, that's a great idea! Thanks Hermione!"

Katie moved past Hermione and continued down the spiral staircase as Hermione walked towards her dormitory and entered.

She walked over to her bed, stacked her books neatly beside it, and sat down. Crookshanks jumped up, nuzzling her hand and arm, begging to be pet. She smiled at him and scooped him up into her arms. He then decided that that was far too much attention and began to squirm, trying desperately to get away. Hermione reluctantly let him go after planting a big kiss on his head, and he ran off.

Hermione settled back against her headboard, thinking about the day. She chuckled to herself at the thought of Ron's surprised face when she showed up to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum. Just for that reaction alone, she decided she'd continue to keep who her date was a secret. Despite not being able to go with who she really wanted, she was actually looking forward to spending more time with Viktor, especially after how thoughtful he'd been in giving her that book. She moved to the edge of the bed so she could reach down and grab the book off the top of her stack. She flipped through it, taking in all of the beautiful illustrations and interesting anecdotes about each building. Her mind slowly drifted from the book back to the Yule Ball, eventually landing on Ginny.

No doubt Ginny and Demelza would look adorable together. Hermione really was thankful she'd have Viktor as a distraction, as she didn't want to imagine how painful it'd be seeing Ginny and Demelza together if she'd wound up going to the ball alone. Speaking of going to the ball alone, who would Juliette be going with? Surely she wouldn't go stag… She could have her pick of literally anyone she wanted as her date… Hermione shook her head, trying to stop her train of thought forcefully. She had found that every once in a while, her mind would drift to a certain beautiful and infuriating French witch who she was refusing to allow to take up any space in her brain. For some reason, she found she was fighting much harder against her thoughts about Juliette than her thoughts about Ginny – she just hadn't been able to forgive her for what she did to Ginny. And what was worse, she knew she was being irrational in thinking this way. Harry said Juliette had tried to catch Ginny, so Hermione had no logical reason to be upset with the girl.

Hermione buried her head in her hands, trying another tactic to push Juliette from her mind, but failing. Deep down, she knew what she was doing. She was placing all of her emotions for Ginny onto Juliette. All of her sadness, all of her fear, all of her hurt… She was turning it all into anger and placing it firmly on Juliette, who certainly didn't deserve it. Juliette had offered to help her and it had been working. More than that, Hermione was slowly getting to know a very different version of Juliette than what she'd previously been introduced to… But perhaps that was it… Had she been starting to possibly feel something for Juliette, beyond just one person helping another forget their feelings? But isn't that what she wanted, to be distracted from her feelings for Ginny? So why wouldn't moving on be a good thing? So what if she formed feelings for Juliette? Is that not what she wanted?

The vision of Ginny falling fast towards the solid ground of the Quidditch pitch flashed through her mind, followed by Juliette's dejected look as she told her to leave the Quidditch stadium, Harry explaining to her that Juliette had actually tried to save Ginny, the fact that Ginny was fine… Hermione could feel tears starting to form in her eyes, and she angrily wiped them away. Why was she making this all so difficult? Juliette was making her feel better, so why risk losing that? Just because Ginny fell and was now completely fine? That was ridiculous, and Hermione hated herself for still trying to cling to it as some rationalization for not allowing herself to get close to Juliette again…

Hermione wiped away her tears roughly and put her head on her pillow. She desperately tried to think about her classes, Viktor, Neville and Katie – anything she could to stop herself from thinking about Juliette or Ginny. Somehow she eventually managed to drift off to sleep, her pillow slightly damp from her tears, both girls still swimming through her mind.