A/N: Part of this was originally written for Harmony & Co's Flash Fiction Friday, but I decided to expand it and publish as a one-shot. Harmony was the first pairing I wrote and I am excited to be writing them again! Let me know what you think xx

Disclaimer: All canon characters, plots, dialogue, and situations from the Harry Potter series belongs to JK Rowling. I am not profiting from this work.

"Why won't he leave me alone?" Hermione thought to herself, rolling her eyes. Ever since the Yule Ball was announced, Viktor Krum had been not so subtly following her around the library with a gang of giggling girls tagging along. Initially, she ignored it, hoping that he would get the hint that she didn't wish to speak to him and he would move on. Hermione had no such luck. She became more and more uncomfortable each day.

Hoping to escape from his piercing gaze Hermione made her way out of the library and made a beeline for the restroom. Looking behind her, she saw that he was trying to follow, but was hindered by the girls grabbing at his robes.

When she turned back around, she ran into a body and almost fell to the floor before she felt a strong pair of arms grab her around the waist.

"Hermione, are you okay?"

She sighed in relief. It was Harry.

"I'm fine Harry," she assured him. "It's just Viktor Krum again."

Once she was steady on her feet, Harry let go, and the blush on his face didn't go unnoticed by Hermione. He had been holding her quite close and tight to his body. But she just shook her head and brushed it off for the time being. She had more pressing matters at hand than teenage hormones wreaking havoc.

"Let's get out of here before he catches up with me," Hermione said, grabbing Harry's hand. They took off at a run and didn't stop until they reached Gryffindor tower. It was the one place she knew she would be absolutely safe — Viktor Krum wouldn't be able to gain entrance to the tower.

"What are you going to do about him?" Harry asked as they made their way to the empty chairs by the fire.

"I'm not sure. I thought about going to Professor McGonagall about it, but I don't want to cause a scene."

"I don't think it would be causing a scene, Hermione. I think it's kind of creepy the way that he follows you around. He's an adult wizard, and we are still teenagers. Isn't there something against that?"

"Unfortunately, the wizarding world is behind on the times. Hundreds of years ago, students our age would be married and have children already. Not to mention, sometimes they were married to their professors," Hermione told him.

"Ugh, that's disgusting!"

Hermione nodded her head and shrugged. "The practice became outdated, but it doesn't mean it was ever ruled against. I'm sure it could happen again, and no one would blink an eye."

Just thinking about that history left a bad taste on Hermione's tongue. And the fact that an adult wizard, an international Quidditch player was trying to pursue a child wanted to make her straight up vomit.

She was at a loss of what to do, not really wanting to confront the man or run to a teacher about her problems. Not to mention, Sirius had warned them about Durmstrang's Headmaster — Igor Karkaroff. If she caused any problems for his star pupil, she would no doubt need to fear for her life. She wouldn't put it past an ex-Death Eater to try to harm a student, even if she was under the close eye of Albus Dumbledore.

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked again.

"Well, I need a way to get Krum to leave me alone. He's been following me around since the Yule Ball was announced at dinner last week."

"Hermione, that's it!" Harry practically shouted.

"What?" she asked, confused on what he was getting at.

"Come to the ball with me. I need a date; you need a date. It's the perfect plan! As much as I hate the fame, just saying my name could get him to back off."

"Harry, that's brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?"

Harry just shrugged. "I'd meant to ask you for ages anyway. I was just a little afraid you would prefer Ron over me."

Hermione hid the look of disgust on her face before answering him. "Harry, please. I might have had a little crush on him one time, but that was the extent of that. We are much better off just as friends. Besides, I've had a bit of a crush on your since the end of last year."

Hermione blushed after her admission and bit her lip. She hadn't meant to go and admit her feelings to her best friend! She had just wanted to tell him that she only wanted a friendship between her and Ron.

"Really?" Harry asked.

Hermione just nodded, releasing her lip from in between her teeth. If she didn't let go, she was sure to bite her lip right off.

"Me too," Harry admitted. "You've been with me through everything. Even when Ron called me a liar along with everyone else, you stuck around."

"Because you're my best friend, Harry. I believe you. I couldn't so easily abandon you as Ron did."

"I know. Thank you." Harry said as he stood from the chair offering her his hand. She grabbed it and stood where he enveloped her in a hug. She felt safe in his arms like every worry was washed away.

Finally, he pulled away. "Goodnight, Hermione. See you tomorrow, yeah?"

She nodded and smiled. "Goodnight Harry," she whispered as he walked away. She collapsed back into the chair and pulled her head from the clouds — she had homework to do.

—

Harry, Hermione, and Ron were sitting in the Great Hall during their mandatory study hours. Snape was the professor keeping them in check this time, and he had already stopped by several times shushing and threatening them with months of detentions.

It wasn't their fault. Harry was convinced all the professors took a crazy potion over the last few weeks. The fact that they had them studying for their O. was ridiculous; they had over a year and a half until they sat their exams.

But, Hermione was studying, so Harry was too. The real problem was Ron. Harry knew he had a crush on Hermione and was wanting to ask her to the ball. Fred had just sent him a note from across the table that read: get a move on or all the good ones will have gone.

"Oi, Hermione…you're a girl."

Harry sucked in some air and looked toward Hermione. He could tell she was telling herself to take deep breaths. If Ron didn't take a step back, Hermione was likely to blow up in his face.

"Very well spotted," Hermione said, haughtily, slamming her notebook closed.

"Come with me to the ball then! It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone, but for a girl, it's just sad," Ron said, shrugging his shoulders.

Harry gulped as Hermione's curls crackled with magic, her anger about to erupt out of her body like a volcano.

"I won't be going alone, because believe it or not, someone's asked me! And I said yes!" she barked. She then stood up and walked in between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables, storming out of the Great Hall.

"Well done, mate. You've gone and made Hermione an enemy for the time being," Harry said, clapping his friend on the back.

"Bloody hell. She's lying, right?" Ron asked, his face turning the color of a tomato.

Harry averted his eyes to his homework and began scribbling away, not wanting to look his friend in his eyes and tell him the truth.

He decided on, "If you say so."

The morning of the Yule Ball dawned bright and early. Hermione always had a hard time sleeping in and today was no different. It especially didn't help when she was nervous about the ball later on. She knew her and Harry were in for a rough night with Ron once he found out they were attending the ball together.

Hermione crawled out from underneath the covers and pushed the worry from her mind — it wouldn't do any good to dwell on it. It was going to happen regardless.

Several hours later when the sun was setting, Hermione trekked back into the school to start the long process of getting ready. She sat for several minutes in front of the Gryffindor fireplace, trying to warm up from the all-house snowball fight that had lasted at least two hours. It had been intense, and Hermione felt that it some ways, it had helped with house unity. She had never seen Draco Malfoy smile so much. Come to think of it; she didn't think she had ever seen him smile — only smirk.

Once she could feel her fingertips, she pulled the gloves off and left them hanging by the fireplace to dry. When she entered her dorm room, Lavender and Parvati both screeched and surrounded her offering their help on her hair and makeup.

Hermione pushed them off, telling them she would ask if she needed help and got to work. First, she smoothed Sleekeazy's Hair Potion through her hair, trying to tame the girls. She watched in awe as the potion worked its magic; the change happened almost immediately.

Once she had the curls under control, she pinned them at the back of her neck, letting her curls fall in front of her left shoulder.

When she got to make up, she was at a loss. She wasn't patient enough to sit and apply makeup the muggle way, but she was inept at makeup charms.

"Lavender!" Hermione called. The girl popped up on the other side of the bed, her hair pulled into a tight knot at the top of her head, the blonde hair falling in curls behind her.

"I need some help," Hermione told the girl. Lavender brightened up at that fact.

"Let me finish my makeup quickly, and then I will be over to help you," she practically shouted.

While waiting for Lavender, Hermione pulled out her dress robes from the closet. She had gone with dress robes, much fancier than her school or everyday robes. It was made of a floaty, periwinkle-blue material and clung to her body in all the right ways.

Lavender made her way over to Hermione and told her to sit. She was nervous about the outcome but trusted her roommate to enhance her features rather than cover them up.

Meanwhile…

"Harry, who're going with?" his freckle-hair friend asked him for the millionth time that day.

"No one," Harry insisted. He knew that Ron realized he was lying but still couldn't find it in himself tell him the truth.

"Bloody Hell, Harry! I'll know within the hour anyway. Why don't you just tell me?"

Harry was starting to lose his temper. Ron had been pushing his buttons since his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire in October.

"Because you're going to be angry, okay? I'm your friend, and your feelings might be hurt."

Ron looked shocked that he had finally gotten a reaction out of Harry. He opened and closed his mouth several times and just shook his head. Harry had a feeling he knew exactly who Harry was taking to the ball — he just didn't want to admit it out loud.

Ron just continued to look in the mirror, attempting to remove the fringe from his dress robes. Harry turned away from his friend and tried to get his hair to lie flat one more time. It was useless; it looked as messy as ever.

"I'm going down to the entrance hall for starters. I'm starving. You coming?"

"Yeah let's go. This is pointless," Ron said, gesturing to his robes. "I can't believe my mum sent these before attempting to make them wearable."

Harry just nodded his head and held his tongue. Their argument earlier seemingly forgotten, they joined Fred and George in the Entrance Hall at their standing table, plates laden down with starters and punch.

"Ickle Ronnikins, did you get a date for the ball?" Fred asked, attempting to imitate Mrs. Weasley's high pitch screech.

"Shove off," Ron said grumpily. Harry frowned. Take it from the twins to turn Ron's mood sour once more.

"Don't take it personally, Harry," George whispered in his ear. "He'll be okay after a while. But look up, I believe a certain witch is looking for you." George nodded his head toward the staircase and Harry jerked his head so fast, he probably gave himself whiplash.

"Do I have anything in my teeth?" he whispered, turning back to the twin.

"You're good mate; go get her!" George said, clapping him on the back.

Ron looked at him questioningly but instead turned back to his starters, drowning his obvious hurt in food; as he had always done.

He walked off to the stairs to greet his date. To be honest, he was nervous despite the great friendship he and Hermione had.

He walked up to her when she was facing the other way. As not to scare her, he said her name first before touching her shoulder.

"Harry!" she said excitedly, hugging him. "I'm glad I found you so quickly. I was worried that Viktor Krum might try to come up to me again." She nodded in his direction and Harry looked, seeing a blonde on his arm as his date. It wasn't someone he recognized, but thankfully it looked like someone close to him in age.

"Mister Potter!" he heard a voice shout. He turned around once more, and McGonagall had just appeared next to Hermione.

"Professor," he said, nodding his head, trying to remember his manners.

"I've been looking for you everywhere. Are you ready?"

"Ready for what, Professor?" Harry asked, confused.

"Well to dance, of course. The champions and their partners will be opening the ball with a dance. Didn't I tell you?" McGonagall told him, looking almost troubled that she had forgotten to inform him.

"Uhhh, no Professor. You didn't," Harry responded, pulling at the neck of his dress robes. He was a horrid dancer, and now he had to dance in front of the whole school? His heart was racing with nerves and sweat began to bead on his forehead.

Before he started full on panicking, he felt a small hand grasp his. He felt calmer immediately, and when he looked up at Hermione, she gave him a reassuring smile.

"When does it start?" he heard Hermione ask.

"It will begin momentarily, Miss Granger. I suggest you and Mister Potter make your way over to join the rest of the champions," Professor McGonagall said, gesturing to the doors to the Entrance Hall where they saw Viktor, Cedric, and Fleur, their dates in tow.

Harry and Hermione hurriedly walked over to join the others and nodded at each one in greeting before taking their place behind them.

"Students! I suggest you quickly finish your starters and start making your way into the Great Hall via the side doors," Professor McGonagall shouted from the Entrance Hall stairs. Harry pulled Hermione out of the way when students started moving quickly, not wanting to start the night off being caught in a stampede.

Before he let go of Hermione's arm, he saw Ron, and by her short intake of breath, Hermione had seen him too.

He brushed past them angrily, giving them both a glare.

"Just like the muggle saying, if looks could kill, we'd be dead…," Hermione said, before trailing off.

Harry then looked at Hermione, and before he knew it, they were both trying to stifle giggles.

"I know we shouldn't be laughing, but…" Harry said, trying to find the right words.

"But he's a prat," Hermione finished for him. "He's our friend, but sometimes, more often than not, he's an arse."

"Too true," Harry agreed. Before they could continue the conversation, the Great Hall doors opened, and the deafening cheering made Harry's ears ring. He couldn't help but smile at all the positive energy, momentarily forgetting about the row they were having with Ron. He was competing with people several years older and succeeding. Not to mention he had a beautiful witch on his side. At this exact moment, all his worries left his mind, and he was excited for what was to come.

If you are interested in reading more of the Harry x Hermione pairing, join Harmony & Co. (18+)! Feel free to leave a review! xx