All You Had To Do Was Ask: A Harry Potter Fanfiction

All You Had To Do Was Ask

This is just a ficlet of how I think Harry would have gone about asking Hermione to the Yule Ball. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Hermione Granger sat on the couch in the Gryffindor common room with her best friend, Harry Potter, for company. He was seated in the armchair closest to the window, and she was sure he hadn't heard a single thing she had said about their assignment next week.

"Harry," Hermione said.

He didn't respond and kept staring out the window.

"Harry!"

"Huh? Oh sorry, Hermione. Got lost in my thoughts."

"Trying to figure out when to ask Cho out?" She said with more enthusiasm than she felt. "You'd better get on it or someone else may get there first."

"No, I don't want to ask her," he said.

She cocked one eyebrow. "Since when? She was all you talked about last week. They just announced the Yule Ball today."

"Yeah, well."

"Well what?" She frowned. He was so exasperating when he barely talked.

"I, uh, thought about asking someone else," he said finally.

"Oh," she said, feeling the tiny spark of hope rise inside her but managing to mostly snuff it out. He hadn't noticed that she was a girl before now so what was the point in hoping?

"I'm not sure what she'll say though."

"Honestly, Harry. You're handsome, kind, generous and thoughtful. I'm sure now that the Ball's been announced, you'll have witches throwing themselves at you."

"Really?" There was hope in his voice at it killed her a little to hear it. Was he that happy that multiple girls will be fawning all over him?

"I'm surprised you'd like that, Harry." She stood, gathering her books. "You always seemed to hate your fame, but I guess defeating a dragon changed your mind."

"What?" Harry's said in perfect imitation of Ron with the dazed look of confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that the second I mentioned that girls would be all over you, you suddenly changed your tune on how you feel about being famous." She couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice and knew she had to get out of there before Harry saw her cry.

"I never said that," he said indignantly.

"You didn't have to. I heard it when you said, 'Really?' as if you were happy."

"No, Hermione. You've got it all wrong."

He sounded sincere, but she didn't want to give him any more edge in this argument to hurt her more than he already was. Harry, wonderful as he was, could be quite dense with matters of the heart and probably had no idea why she was upset.

"Oh really?" she asked. "Then why don't you just explain it to me, then. What did you really mean?"

Harry rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I erm, that is . . . I wasn't happy about the other girls. I was happy about the stuff you said about me."

Hermione tilted her head to the side, playing back her exact words. "Wait . . . that means . . ."

He looked at her expectantly. "What do you think it means?"

She straightened. "Well Harry, of course I would give you compliments. They're all true too, and you know it. I know you have problems with self-esteem. Merlin knows, we all do, but you didn't exactly have a good upbringing to know your own worth."

A slow grin spread across his face. "Thank you, Hermione."

"For what?"

"Just being you. That really meant a lot to me, especially coming from you."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Why am I so different from everyone else's opinion?"

"Because I'm in love with you."

Out of everything she expected him to say, that was the very last thing. Was he serious? She couldn't breathe for a moment and wasn't sure if she should sit down.

"Hermione?" he said after a few moments of silence.

"H-how long?" she asked.

"I just figured it out today actually. When they announced the Yule Ball, I first thought of Cho. Then I looked across the way because I was thinking of asking you for advice about it. When I did, seeing you on the other side of the room with all of those other girls, it made me realize that you were a girl too."

She rolled her eyes.

"I know it's stupid," he said with a light chuckle. "It's not romantic or anything, but it's the truth. I just started thinking about you all day and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to be with you."

Hermione felt her heart thundering in her chest.

"You're pretty, brilliant and you never doubted me about putti1ng my name in the Goblet of Fire. You don't see the Boy-Who-Lived. I can be just Harry with you and it's something special. What other girl could offer me that?"

"Harry," she breathed.

"So," he said with a resigned sigh. "You'll probably shoot me down and not talk to me for the rest of the year but . . . Hermione, would you go to the Yule Ball with me? And if you're willing, would you also be my girlfriend?"

Her eyes bulged, and she could see the nervousness on his face become more and more pronounced for each second that she didn't answer. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and wrapped him in a gentle hug. This was unlike any hug she had ever given him. Normally, her patented Harry-hugs were the bone-crushing bear hugs that would have him wheezing. This one was special. It was warm and she hoped, inviting and assuring him that the feelings were returned. He always seemed to understand actions better than words.

Harry pulled away and placed both hands on the side of her face. He hesitantly leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. An explosion of emotions and thoughts flared through Hermione. The rush was unlike anything she had ever felt. He tasted like pumpkin juice and something else. With a start, she realized it was just what he tasted like. That was always going to be there when she kissed him. It was better than she had ever hoped for and she was beyond happy that her first kiss had been with Harry.

"Wow," he said.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"So, is that a yes?"

She punched him playfully in the chest. "You think I'd kiss just anyone, Harry Potter? I've liked you since you saved me from that troll."

"No, of course not. I was just asking. I was just asking my . . . girlfriend?"

"Yes, and your date to the Ball. Don't forget to get your dress robes." She sat back down and patted the cushion next to her on the couch.

She twirled a strand of her bushy hair as he sat beside her. "I'll have to do something about this mess."

"I like your hair, Hermione. It's kind of like you. It won't be held back by anything."

She blushed. "Thank you, Harry."

He hesitantly sat down and stared at her for a moment. "Are you really my girlfriend, Hermione?"

Hermione's face lit up as she let him see the joy that she felt. He could have anyone, but he wanted her.

"Of course, Harry. All you had to do was ask."

He grinned and leaned in to capture her lips again.