Hermione and Her Prince

Hermione entered the Great Hall, looking around. She saw Ron dancing with--Eloise Midgen?! She brushed this thought aside, however, when she saw Harry. Sitting alone. He hadn't bothered to ask someone--there wasn't anyone he truly wanted to ask.

The song ended just as she was walking in, and there was silence for a few moments. She watched Ron look at her, then rush over to Harry and say something. Harry looked up from his table and followed Ron's gaze. They didn't seem to recognize her.

She walked forward, as to not block the door, and noticed that quite a few people were looking at her. She smiled nervously and tried not to meet anyone's eyes. The music started up again, a fast song, and everyone came back to reality and started to dance again.

She stood near the middle of the dance floor, unsure of what to do. She hadn't planned past the creation of her dress.

Hermione felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw Harry. "Hi," he said. "Er, I'm...I'm Harry."

"Hi," she said, slightly breathless. He was dressed as some sort of prince. "I'm...flattered."

"Would you like to take a walk?"

"Um, okay."

He took her hand and led her outside. She couldn't believe this was happening. It was like a dream... She pinched herself quickly. It hurt.

They began strolling along a path obviously created just for that evening. "What's your name?" Harry asked her.

"You don't know who I am?"

He looked surprised. "Should I?"

She smiled. "I'll let you ask...oh, say, ten questions. Yes or no answers."

"Okay...are you in Ravenclaw?"

"No."

"Hufflepuff?"

"No."

He looked uncertain. "Slytherin?"

"Of course not."

"You're in Gryffindor then?"

"Yes."

He thought. "Are you older than me?"

"Not by much."

"Do you know me well?"

"Pretty well, I suppose."

"Are you friends with Parvati and Lavender?"

She shrugged. "They're nice, but they're not my best friends. Okay, three more qustions."

"Do you consider yourself smart?"

"I get good grades."

"Did you come with a date?"

"No. One more."

The path ended in a small clearing. "Would you...like to dance?"

She looked deep into his eyes. "Yes."

"Okay," he said, smiling. "Just...wait one minute..."

He jogged off, back towards the castle. Hermione found a bench on the edge of the clearing and sat down, thinking. She was here. She was alone, with Harry.

He ran back, and she could hear faint music. "I propped the front doors open," he explained. Then he took her hand again, putting his other hand on the small of her back. She reached up and put her free hand on his shoulder.

The fast-paced song ended, and a slow one came on. Hermione recognized it--it was a Muggle song!

"Have you heard this before?" she asked.

"Er...no, " he said. "This isn't wizarding music, though. I can tell."

"No," she agreed. "It's a Muggle song. 'I'll Be' by Edwin McCain."

"You're a Muggleborn."

She nodded as they began to waltze slowly and the vocals started up.

The strands in your eyes,

That color them wonderful,

Stop me, and steal my breath...

Emeralds from mountains,

Thrust towards the sky...

Never revealing their depth...

Harry was unsure of exactly how to waltze, but it seemed this mystery girl knew the basics. He quickly caught on, still wondering who she was.

"You look beautiful," he murmered.

"Thanks," she whispered. "Honestly, you don't recognize me?"

"No," he said. "I wish I did."

"If you knew who I was, you'd think I was crazy."

"I wouldn't. You're amazing."

She laughed softly. "Not as amazing as you'd think."

"How could I have not noticed you before?"

"You have."

He looked puzzled.

"We met in first year," she explained. "Seven years ago..."

He smiled, remembering. "I was so scared when I first came here. Everyone staring at me, at my scar...on Halloween, my friend Ron and I saved this girl from the troll, Hermione Granger. We thought she was such a know-it-all. She's really not, though. Do you know her?"

"I've met her."

The song was almost over.

...I'll be,

better when I'm older...

I'll be,

The greatest fan of your life...

"Do you like this song?" he asked.

She nodded. "Do you?"

"It's very...romantic."

They danced in silence until the song was over.

"Listen," Harry said, pulling away, though he still held her hand. "Would you like to come meet my friend Ron?"

She opened her mouth to say she already knew him, then decided not to. "Sure."

They walked back to the castle, going through the already opened doors. Hermione looked down and saw Harry'd propped it open with a small statue of a reindeer.

They entered the Great Hall and Harry led her over to where Ron was sitting alone, sulking.

"What happened?" Harry asked, the two of them sitting at the table facing him.

"I can't even get Eloise Midgen to spend a whole evening with me, that's what," he said. "She left me to go dance with what's his name...Terry Boot. Who's this?"

Harry smiled. "This is...a mystery girl."

"Hi," Hermione said.

"Hi. I'm Ron. Ron Weasley," he replied. "You know, you're very pretty...just commenting, though, it seems Harry's already gotten hold of you."

Hermione blushed pink, and Harry's face turned red.

"Well, I think I'm just going to leave you two alone," Ron said, winking at Harry and causing him to turn an even brighter shade of crimson.

"Hi," came a voice from behind them.

Harry turned, but Hermione became rigid. She could tell who was.

"Er...hi Cho."

"I see you've got a date," Cho said sweetly. "But where's your precious Hermione Granger?"

Harry's face reddened again, this time with anger. "I can't believe you're still mad about that. It's been, what, two years?"

Cho ignored him and turned to Hermione. "I love your dress. Where did you get it?"

"Um, I made it."

Cho smirked. "Ah, yes, I can tell."

Harry stood. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing." Cho wasn't finished yet. She sat next to Hermione and set her butterbeer on the table. "I had my costume made to fit only me."

"That's nice."

"Yes." Cho took another look at Hermione's velvet blue gown. "Is that dry-clean only?"

"Well, I don't think it's supposed to get--" But she never got to finish. Cho had purposefully knocked her full bottle of butterbeer into Hermione's lap. "Oh, no!"

"Oh, look how clumsy I am," Cho said. I'm dreadfully sorry."

Harry knew she'd done it on purpose. As Hermione grabbed a handful of napkins from the table next to theirs and began trying to clean herself up, Harry stood up again. "How dare you--"

"It was an accident," she protested. "I didn't mean to completely ruin her costume--"

"You liar--"

"It's the honest truth--"

"You only did that because you're still upset that I wanted to meet Hermione that day we went to Hogsmeade--"

"And you probably wanted to meet more girls after that--"

"That's not true, Hermione just--"

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione!" Cho shrieked. "You're obviously in love with her, you wanted to meet her so badly that day, on our date--"

"That's not true! You're just jealous--do you think I was having a wonderful time, you crying all over the place about Cedric, talking about Roger Davies and watching him kiss the girl at the table next to ours--"

"I thought you'd want to talk about Cedric--"

"Why would I want to talk about someone that I'd just recently watched die, because I didn't want to talk about it, I didn't want to relive it--"

"Forget this," Cho said, shaking with anger. "I'm not wasting my time talking to you." She stalked off.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked as Harry sat down and put his head in his hands.

"I'll be fine..."

"Oh, Harry..." She put her arms around him and gave him a big hug. "It'll be okay..."

He ran his hands through his untidy black hair. "I'm sorry. Is your dress okay?"

"It's fine, don't worry." In truth, it would end up with large stain, but she didn't care--she knew Harry felt terrible now.

"I'm really, really sorry...Cho's just...she's..."

"It's okay, Harry. Really."

He smiled at her. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

He looked into her deep brown eyes. After a few moments, he began to lift up her mask, and she let him. He started to pull it up, and--

Dong.

She pulled away. Midnight!

Dong.

"I'm sorry, I...I really have to go..."

"What? Wait!"

Dong.

Hermione picked up the skirt of her dress and ran.

Dong.

"I don't even know your name!" Harry ran after her, but when he got to the entrance hall, she was gone.