It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 42: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Finally, today was the day Harry was going to ask Hermione to the Yule Ball.

He was rather ashamed of himself, as it had taken him almost a month to pluck up the courage to even consider it, but now he was ready and he could hardly contain his excitement. Not telling Ron he wanted to ask Hermione to go with him had been almost as hard as trying not to blurt out the question in front of the class. But none of that mattered now; Christmas was only a week away, and the whole school was buzzing with excitement and nerves.

It seemed that Harry wasn't the only one who had waited for so long to find a date to the Yule Ball, as many students were to be found jumping with joy at being asked or being accepted by the person they most wanted, or crying that they had been rejected or hadn't been asked by who they had hoped for. If Harry hadn't been so desperate to go with Hermione, he probably would have thought everyone was overreacting.

Taking a deep breath, Harry climbed out of the portrait hole and set off towards the library, only to bump into Viktor Krum.

"Ah, Harry Potter. Jus' ve man." The Bulgarian led Harry down a side corridor, so as not to be overheard,"Vis is...not easy to say, but...vell, I notice vat you is very close to Her-my-own-inny, no?"

Harry swallowed nervously,"Uh...yes, I am. Why?"

"Vell, you see, I vanted to ask her to vis Ball ve is hasing next veek. I see vat you is much like a broser to her and I vish for your pe-miss-ing to take your Hermy-own to vis Yule Ball."

"Oh." Harry's heart dropped like a stone,"Well, you see, Viktor, I was sort of...um...I was actually just going to see if," Harry hesitated,"Hermione wanted to...well, go to the Ball...with me...so..."

Viktor's face displayed the same anger it had shown to Rita Skeeter as he placed a forearm on Harry's chest, forcing him back against the wall.

"Er...but if you...if...you were wanting then...maybe...we...you...I...she..."

"Spit it out!"

"YES!" Harry shouted accidentally,"Just...do whatever you want."

Satisfied, Krum released him,"Vhy, I zank you, Harry Potter. I vill show much niceness to your Herm-own-ninny."

"Yeah, thanks." Harry grumbled. Great, he thought, just bloody great.

Luckily for Harry, it was Sunday, so he was free to mope back up to his dorm and lie face-down on his bed, re-thinking his entire existence.

***********

Later that afternoon, Harry woke up. He jumped up upon realising he had slept all through lunch and was absolutely ravenous. Sitting down on his bed grumpily, Harry pulled out his half-completed Divination homework. Trelawney had told the class to map the stars every night up until Christmas and try and decipher their fates from them. Great fun. Harry hadn't completed his translation of the stars from the previous night, so grabbed a quill and some ink and hastily began scribbling some made-up story about how he was going to be thoroughly let down the following day, and would miss something important that meant a lot to one of his friends. After all, you can see the future if you are in the future.

"Harry James Potter!" Hermione suddenly flung open the door to the boys dorms and stormed in, looking furious,"Viktor Krum just asked me to the Yule Ball."

"Yeah, congratulations." Harry said bitterly, not looking up from his Divination work.

"No, not congratulations!"