Disclaimer: As usual I don't own the books or characters they all belong to J. K. Rowling and I promise to put them back where I found them once I'm done playing with them :P

And I've borrowed part of the movie dialog when McGonagall explains about the Yule ball – which I obviously don't own either.

This is going to be a three-shot - I'm currently finishing up the second part.

When Hermione entered the common room she was greeted by loud excited chatter. She quickly spotted Ginny and Neville sitting on one of the couches and made her way through the unusually crowded room.

"Hey Gin what's going on?"

Ginny smiled and moved to make room for her friend "There's a message on the notice board, we're having a ball!"

"Oh? Like a real ball with dinner and dancing and stuff?"

"We don't know yet we'll be getting more information later on" Neville shrugged.

He didn't seem nearly as interested in the idea as ginny was.
Casting a quick glance around the room Hermione noticed that the same trend applied to the majority of the other students; most of the girls seemed excited while the boys seemed uninterested or downright worried.

As the portrait of the fat lady swung open and revealed Harry and Ron, she wondered where they'd been, but honestly she didn't really care she was just glad they were talking again.

She motioned for them to join her by the notice board where the crowd had finally thinned and together they read the message.

Tri-wizard Tournament: Yule ball

All 4th year students and older are permitted to attend the traditional Yule ball along with the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students.
Younger students are allowed to attend if they are the date of a 4th year student or higher.
The ball will be held on Christmas eve and last until midnight.

The Head of houses will each hold a meeting for their students where additional information will be given out.
See below for dates and meeting places:

Ravenclaw: 8th of december, 5 o'clock in the empty room next to the Arithmancy classroom.
Gryffindor: 9th of December, 4 o'clock in the transfiguration classroom
Slytherin: 9th of December, 4:30 in the Slytherin common room
Hufflepuff: 12th of December, 3 o'clock in the old charms class room on the 3rd floor.

"Do we have to bring a date?" blurted Ron.

"Well it doesn't say so but I guess Professor McGonagall will tell us more on the 9th" she answered and eyed her two best friends. She didn't think either of them would be eager to ask a girl out, Harry was too shy when it came to girls and Ron... well he's Ron.

Silence fell over them until Harry shook his head and bid them both goodnight and Ron quickly followed his example.

Alone once again Hermione decided that she might as well call it a night and head to bed like the boys.

On the 9th of December the Gryffindors had gathered outside the transfiguration classroom and was noisily chatting away when at precisely 4 o'clock the doors swung open.
When they entered they noticed that all the desks had been removed and the chairs had been lined up at either side of the room. This left a large open space in the middle where Professor McGonagall was patiently waiting for them.

Almost as if by instinct the boys gravitated towards one side of the room and the girls towards the other.

Hermione shrugged as she took a seat she would really have preferred to sit with her friends, but at least she had a front row seat.
Her thoughts screeched to a halt. Why would that even matter? It wasn't like they would be doing anything where she could show her intelligence to her professor. That was all she had time to think before Professor McGonagall addressed the students.

"The yule ball has been a tradition of the tri-wizard tournament since its inception. On Christmas eve night we and our guests gather in the great hall for well mannered frivolity. As representatives of the host school I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward, and I mean this literally because the yule ball is first and foremost... a dance."

Loud groans could be heard from the boys on the other side of the room. Hermione smirked as many of the girls started discussing dresses and dates – she wasn't really surprised at this, she knew for a fact that at least at handful of them even owned bridal magazines and the boys... well they were really in for it this time.

She smiled as the professor alliterated her warning to behave. Babbling, bumbling band of baboons indeed. Judging by the sporadic laughter and whispers from the boys, that was exactly how they were gonna behave about the whole thing.

"...Mr Weasley, will you join me."

Hearing this, her eyes snapped up and landed on Ron, he looked like he would rather spend an extra hour tending to the Blast-Ended Skrewts than get up and join professor McGonagall.
Harry and the twins physically had to push him to his feet.

She rolled her eyes it was so typically Ron. It was not like it was a death sentence, it was just a dance with their gorgeous professor.

"Now, place your right hand on my waist."

Ron visibly paled "Where?"

"My waist" McGonagall repeated ignore the wolf whistles as he did so. "Now bend your arm." She motioned for Filch to start the music and slowly lead Ron in a waltz while counting the steps.

Hermione glared at him. How dare he look so sullen dancing with Minerva. She would quite happily have helped her demonstrate the waltz.
She blushed and glanced at Parvati and Lavender next to her hoping that they hadn't seen her angry glares. She knew her jealousy was irrational, but she really couldn't seem to get over it.

"Everybody come together." McGonagalls voice filtered into her brain and she got to her feet along with the other girls, the boys however didn't seem inclined to participate.

She ended up paired with Harry which really wasn't all that bad except he kept stepping on her feet.

"Sorry Mione"

She winched "It's okay, this is for learning after all right?"

He looked relieved that she wasn't annoyed at her "Yeah I guess you're right" he grinned at her "as always."

She smiled and as they spun around she noticed Minerva leaning against the wall keeping an eye on all of them. Minerva would never crush my feet, in fact I bet she's an excellent dancer she mussed.

Harry noticed her far away expression and spun them again to see what had his friend so occupied.

"I take it you would rather dance with McGonagall?"

She starred at him in shock "I... I don't... what are you talking about Harry?" she hissed trying to keep her voice down. She definitely didn't need anyone overhearing this.

"It's alright Mione. I've seen the way you look at her" he said, seeing the rising panic in her face he quickly added "I doubt anyone else will have noticed though."

"I... Well it's just a crush right?"

He looked at her as if to say don't be stupid "Really and how long have you liked her?"

"Umm since the middle of my third year I think." She hesitantly meet his eyes "It'll pass... it has to."

"Why does it have to pass? It's okay to love someone."

His friend was supposedly the brightest witch of their age, but sometimes she could be really dumb.

"I'm not suggesting you should date her or anything, because you're only 15 and still underage."

He spun her once more and watched her face light up as Minerva came into view.

"I'm just saying you're like a sister to me and she makes you smile, so forget about the rest and just go with the flow."

She huffed but couldn't quite hide the relief in her voice "Thank you Harry! I was worried it would freak you and Ron out that I'm gay and have a crush on a teacher".

She eyed him "When did you get so smart anyway?"

He laughed "It's pretty easy to give advice to others, it's just hard to listen to your own advice sometimes I guess".

When the lesson finished she couldn't help but feel infinitely better about everything, she was glad she'd spoken with Harry.

The day of the Yule ball had approached quickly.

As far as Hermione knew neither Ron or Harry had maned up and found a date until the day before, not that she could blame them. Now that she'd started to accept her crush on Minerva, she'd realized how terrifying talking to someone you liked could be, at least she didn't have to worry about getting the date she really wanted.
So she'd been surprised but grateful when Viktor had asked her to be his date. He hadn't even changed his mind when she told him they'd only be going as friends.

When Hermione had joined Viktor and the other champions in the entrance hall, she had noticed how Harry couldn't keep her eyes off of Cho. Once he noticed her looking he sent her a sad smile.

"Hey Mione you look really good tonight".

"Yeah you look beautiful" said Parvati a slight note of jealousy evident in her voice, while ogling Viktor.

She had known half the girls in the school would probably have given their right arm to be on Viktors arm tonight, too bad she wasn't one of them.

"Champions if you could please get into position" McGonagalls voice rang out somewhere behind them.

She felt her heartbeat speed up and pixies seemed to have taken up residence in her stomach. She slowly turned and for a second she thought her heart would stop.
Minerva looked divine tonight, she'd exchanged her normal emerald robes for a beautiful black dress and Hermione couldn't seem to drag her eyes away. Merlin she's beautiful.
She'd been so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Minervas jaw nearly hitting the floor when her eyes fell on the muggle-born witch.

One "Boy-who-lived" however did. He had a feeling the two brilliant witches would be a good match someday. But he wasn't going to say anything, they'd figure it out sooner or later.

McGonagall cleared her throat "Everybody line up, it's time to introduce the champions and open the ball".

As the doors opened Viktor took hold of Hermiones arm and led her inside. She had felt very self-conscious when they first stepped into the great hall, everybody had been starring at them and whispering.

Once they got into position for the first dance however she discovered that Viktor was a rater good dancer and she began to relax as others joined the champions and their dates on the dance floor. As they danced she caught a glimpse of Dumbledore leading Minerva onto the floor, she frowned when she lost sight of the professors.

"Her-many are you okay?" Viktors voice finally penetrated her thoughts.

"umm yeah I just..." she wracked her brain trying to come up with an explanation for her passiveness.

Viktor turned his head and saw McGonagall and Dumbledore dancing, he smiled he'd seen the two witches checking each other out earlier.

"Why don't you ask her to dance?"

"I... what? Who?" she almost tripped in surprise.

"Professor McGonagall. You can't take your eyes off of her."

"She's a teacher, I can't just ask her to dance."

"Why not? Look around several of your teachers are dancing with their students."

She looked around and she realized that he was right. Madam Hooch was dancing with a girl from Ravenclaw and Neville was happily twirling Professor Sprout around.

"Could I have the next dance Miss Granger?"

Hermione turned surprised eyes on Dumbledore "Umm sure" she looked at Viktor who nodded and left to join some of his fellow students.

Dumbledore was a decent dancer, she still hadn't had her feet stomped on, thank Merlin for small blessings.

"You're a rather good dancer Miss Granger. How are you enjoying the evening?"

"I'm finding it pretty delightful professor, it's nice to see everybody have fun together."

He nodded a twinkle in his eyes and she just knew he was up to something.

"Would you care to dance with Minerva?" he asked.

She gaped at him until she realized how ridiculous she must have looked. "Why would you ask that headmaster?"

"Oh she's refused to dance with most people tonight, she claims she has no desire to have her feet stepped on. Seeing as you're not going to do that, maybe you could convince her to dance and have a little more fun tonight."

All of this was said as if it was the most logical explanation in the world.

She hesitated until she caught another glimpse of Minerva "Well we should all have fun tonight shouldn't we?"

"Indeed"

With that he waltzed them closer to where Minerva stood.

As they came to a stop she saw Minervas eyebrows shot up. Albus merely smiled.

"My dear Minerva, why don't you have a dance with Miss Granger."

Sensing the upcoming protest he added "I assure you she's a great dancer, who wont step on your feet. Besides you need to have some fun tonight."

He kindly handed her hand over to Minerva. Hermione could already feel the blush threatening to spread across her cheeks.

"You don't have to if you really don't want to professor."

Minerva sighed and stepped closer, before placing her other hand on Hermiones waist.

"Do you mind if I lead Miss Granger?"

Hermione shook her head, she didn't trust her voice right now. She could feel the heat of Minervas hand through her dressed and feared she might faint.

"Albus wont get off of our back until we've danced, he's like that once he's had an idea."

"Oh well we better indulge him then."

Minerva smiled at the younger woman and swiftly lead her across the floor.
Hermione couldn't hold back her own smile, Minerva was so beautiful and intense and it was truly a privilege to dance with her.

As the song ended and another began neither considered stopping, instead Hermione decided it was her turn to lead and swapped their positions.

As she lead Minerva through the steps, she had a sudden idea and her famous cheshire-cat grin made it's appearance. She took a second to gather her Gryffindor courage.
Then she stepped back, spun Minerva around and dipped her.
She only held the dip for a few second, but she had time to watch Minervas eyes grow large in utter surprise, but to her delight she could also see the beginning of a smile.

She pulled the older witch back up and lead them both back into the pattern of the dance.

"Oh my Albus was being truthful when he said you were a good dancer."

She smiled at Minerva "Yes well the same can be said for you."

Minerva raised one eyebrow "I dare say no one else would have dared to dip me Miss Granger."

Hermione shrugged as best she could without interrupting the dance "Gryffindor courage" was all she said.

She was shocked to hear Minerva laugh.

The usually stoic professor looked even more beautiful slightly breathless and with sparkling eyes.
She really wished that she could kiss her, but she knew that would be wrong, she was after all still considered a child and to her professor she was just a student.

None the less it had turned out to be an amazing night – and a very memorable first dance.