A Spark of Gryffindor Courage

A Spark of Gryffindor Courage

By

Teen-Typist

Neville stood in front of the mirror in his empty dorm room. He straightened his robes, fixed his collar, and made sure that all of his pockets were tucked. He was ready. He could do this. The Sorting Hat must have put him in Gryffindor for a reason, right? Right. But he wasn't so sure about that.

Oh come on, Nev, this isn't that hard. You're just taking to a girl. A girl who's your friend. A girl you don't even like. You just want a date for the dance. It's Hermione Granger; if Ron hasn't already asked her, is she going to get any other offers? His palms were sweaty. There was no way he could do this. It just wasn't possible.

Draco Malfoy's voice taunted him inside his head, Longbottom, have you got a date yet? Oh that's a stupid question. Of course you don't. Maybe that Hufflepuff twit who hexed off her nose will take you...if you help her with her Herbology homework. Malfoy had walked away laughing, calling Pansy to him and asking her to the ball. He'd go down now and ask her. She'd be doing homework in the common room.

Neville had found that spark of Gryffindor courage in him and walked down the stairs and into the common room with his head held high. He found Hermione sitting in a chair by the fire with her books spread out in front of her. He paused a second before going and standing in front of her. "Hermione, I need to ask you something," he said. Good! He hadn't stuttered or stumbled once yet.

"Yes?" she asked, looking up from her work.

"Would you--er, would you," he felt his nerve failing him. "Would you gudanwidme?"

"What?"

"I asked, er, would you...w-would you help me with my potions homework?"

"Of course I will, Neville." She sounded a little tired. "Let me just clear up this mess and I'll help you."

"That's okay. I have to look for my potions book. Probably under my bed. I'll be back in about 15 minutes."

"I'll be right here."

Neville turned to go and went back up the stairs, slouching. His spark of courage had disappeared. What had happened? This time he'd rehearse it. He stood in front of the mirror to practice.

"Hermione, will you go to the Yule Ball with me? Hermione, you're one of my close friends and you're always so nice in helping me, I was wondering if you'd go with me to the Yule Ball." He practiced several variations of these, thinking about why he'd chosen Hermione as his date.

Hermione was decent looking, not stunning, but pretty enough. Even more so now that her teeth and shrunk. He'd noticed after that beaver spell had hit her that she came back with smaller teeth. More importantly, she was his friend and he felt comfortable talking to her. Going to a dance with a friend wouldn't be nearly as awkward as going with just any girl. Poor Hermione. Unless Ron had finally woken up to the fact that Hermione was a girl and that she was interested in him Hermione probably wasn't going to get any other date offers. It wasn't that there wasn't anything attractive about Hermione, just that the other girls overshadowed her as far as superficial things were concerned (mostly because Hermione just didn't care). But that was fine with Neville; he didn't care about that sort of stuff either.

He practiced his speech a few more times and went back downstairs, his spark of Gryffindor courage returning. He could do this. It wasn't that hard.

Hermione looked up as he approached. "Where's your book?"

"Hermione, I don't really need your help with the potions homework. Well, I do, but that's not why I'm here right now." The words tumbled out of his house at breakneck speed. "I was wondering if you'd go to the Yule Ball with me, that is if you want to. Just as friends. You're one of my best girl friends. No, I'm um, not like a girlfriend, but er, uh, you're always so nice to me and you always help me when I need it but, so, I was wondering, if you don't have a date, do you want to go with me?"

Hermione blinked.

Neville wondered if he'd overdone it. He was about to say something when he noticed she looked unhappy. Oh, no, she doesn't have a date but she can't think of a good excuse to say no. Idiot, Neville! Why would she want to go with you?

"I'm so sorry, Neville, but I've already got a date for the Ball."

"Oh, you do?" he asked weakly. Ron must have asked her after all.

"I'm so sorry."

"Who are you going with?"

"I can't tell you. I want to keep a secret so I can surprise Harry and Ron."

So Ron wasn't the date. "Do you know if there's anybody else who doesn't have a date?" he asked miserably.

"I can't think of anyone really in our year. I'm sorry, Neville. I'll let you know if I hear something. If you come back down in a little while, I'll help you with your potions."

"Thanks." He trudged back up the stairs again. Hermione was his lifeline for a date, and she was already taken. He ran through a list of girls. Even if they didn't have dates, Lavender and Parvati wouldn't go with him. Neither would Padma, or Sally, or anyone else. Hannah might have gone with him if he'd asked earlier, but she was already going with Justin. Okay, so it didn't have to be a 4^th year. He could pick someone else. Of course, no self-respecting 5^th, 6^th, or 7^th year would go with him. That left 3^rd years. Who did he know in the third years? He'd rather not go at all than go with a first or second year.

Gathering up his little bit of self-confidence, he went back downstairs, scanning the room for someone he knew who might not have a date. There! He found her. Perfect. A little young, but reasonable looking and almost on friendly terms. The only problem was that she was Ron's sister. Ron might be apt to get upset. Neville reminded himself that if Ginny said yes, he'd have to be careful not to do anything that might offend Ron. Then again, anything that might offend Ron would probably be something Neville was too chicken, er, too respectful to do. He'd do it now. He'd go ask her.

"Ginny, can I talk to you a minute?" asked Neville nervously.

"Sure. I'll be back in a minute, Colin, just make sure you keep the star chart right side up or you'll mess up all the signs." Ginny followed Neville to a couple of chairs a few feet away.

"I was wondering, er, are you going to the Yule Ball with anyone?"

"No..."

"Would you, could you maybe, go with me?"

"As friends?"

"Of course."

"Good. I'll go. It'll be fun."

She didn't sound very sure of herself, but Neville wasn't going to argue. He had a date. That was the important thing. He had a date with a girl he was friends with. He knew that Gryffindor courage was in there somewhere. Feeling bold with his success, he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Blushing furiously, he gave her a sheepish grin and left the common room, running down the hallway. He had a date!

Grinning from ear to ear, Neville wondered if maybe the Sorting Hat was right when it said he had some courage in deep down inside him that was waiting to come out.