This story is an alternate take on the Yule Ball from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Please comment and let me know if I should continue this story. Also, many of the quotes are from the movie and I don't own those either!

    Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the Gryffindor common room talking about the upcoming Yule Ball. They were discussing Harry's recent failure with asking Cho Chang to be his date for the ball. Ron was trying to reassure Harry that they were not the only fourth year guys without dates. " This is mad! At this rate, we'll be the only ones in our year without dates! Well, us and Neville." Hermione who hadn't really been paying too much attention to the boys' conversation decided to defend Neville. " It might interest you to know that Neville's already got someone." Harry and Ron didn't really like the sound of the idea that even Neville had a date before them. Just as Hermione was settling back into completing her work, Ron decided to say something really dumb. This was not going to end well for him.

    Ron looked over at Hermione and suddenly an idea popped into his head. Now Ron was one of those individuals that did not really believe in filtering his thoughts before speaking. Usually, this did not work out well for him and this time wasn't going to be any different. "Hermione... you're a girl." Hermione looked up from her book with an annoyed expression crossing over her face. "Well spotted." she said in a very sarcastic tone. Ron couldn't really sense Hermione's displeasure and decided to continue with his oh so brilliant idea. "Come with one of us! It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone, but for a girl it's just sad." Hermione stood up, grabbed her books and her bag and was almost out the door when she turned around and yelled in Ron's general direction. " I won't be going alone, because believe it or not, someone's asked me! And I said yes!" She then stormed out of the common room and headed down to the library. Ron and Harry turned and looked at each other; "She's lying right?" Ron asked Harry. Harry looked at his friend and answered "if you say so." The boys went back to talking about Harry's idea of taking the Patil Twins.

The night of the Yule Ball arrived and Harry, Ron and their respective dates, Padma and Parvarti Patil, were in front of the Great Hall waiting for the Yule Ball to start. Professor McGonagall was explaining to Harry and Parvarti that they would open the ball by participating in the Champions Dance. As they were waiting to be allowed into the hall Ron and Harry were speculating about who Hermione's date was going to be. "She's probably crying her eyes out in the common room because she hasn't got a date." Ron said. Harry was about the tell Ron off when all of a sudden the boys heard identical gasps from their dates. "Is that Hermione Granger?" Asked Parvarti. "It is! She looks completly different. "Yeah, she does" Harry agreed although he was looking at Cho when he said it. He turned around and saw Hermione. "Ron and I were starting to wonder when you were going to show up." Hermione smiled at her friend and began explaining what took so long. "I had to use two bottles of sleekeeze potion to get my hair under control." "So Hermione who is your date?" Asked Parvarti. Hermione turned to look at the Gryffindor Patil twin and said "You'll see, he said he was going to meet me in front of the Great Hall." Just as she finished her comment a certain blonde Slytherin walked up to the group. "What do you want Malfoy?" Harry and Ron shouted at the same time. Draco looked at the pair and said "I'm here to pick up my date for the ball, ready Granger?" "Sure Draco, let's go in." Harry, Ron and thier dates just stood there in dumbfounded silence as they watched Hermione walk arm and arm with Malfoy.

After the opening dance had finished Harry and Ron went to sit down with their dates. They spent the remainder of the evening this way much to the annoyance of their dates. "Are you ever going to ask me to dance?" Padma asked Ron. Ron made a sort of shrugging movement and said no. Parvarti turned to Harry and asked him the same question and she got the same response. The boys were too busy watching Hermione and Malfoy dance the night away together. Hermione came over to sit down with the boys.

"Hot isn't it?" She asked "Draco went to get some punch, would you care to join us?" As she was saying this Ron's face turned the exact same shade as his hair. "No we would not care to join you and *Draco*" "What's got your wand in a knot?" Asked Hermione. "He's from Slytherin, you're fraternizing with the enemy!" Ron shouted. "The enemy? The whole point of this tournament is to make friends!" Hermione shouted back. "I think he's got a bit more than friendship on his mind. He's using you!" Ron shouted back. "You know the solution then, don't you? Next time there is a ball pluck up the courage to ask me before somebody else does!" "You've ruined everything!" and with that Hermione stormed outnof the Great Hall with Draco running behind her. "Well... that's beside the point..." Ron mumbled to himself.

Hermione was completely distraught over Ron's behavior and didn't even notice that Draco had followed her outside. "You know what he said isn't true right? I'm not just using you Hermione. I genuinely like you." Draco said. Hermione looked up at him with blurry tear filled eyes and asked "Really? because I was a bit shocked when you first asked me. I always thought you hated me because of my blood status." Draco took a moment to think before he spoke "That is how my father feels about mud- muggleborns. I have decided that I shouldn't write anyone off because of who their parents are. I hope that people would extend me the same courtesy. And I have liked you for ages, even after you punched me in the face last year." Hermione blushed, thinking about the memory " I am sorry about that, although you did deserve it. If you are being truthful now, I guess we could give this a chance. The only thing that I worry about is your father." "I can see why you would be concered about him, but trust me he won't find out and my mother will be thrilled that I have more sense than to date one of those empty headed girls from my house." Hermione smiled at this statement and decided to take the plunge. "Okay, I guess that means that Draco Malfoy is my boyfriend." "And I guess that means that Hermione Granger is my girlfriend. I really like saying that." Maybe, Hermione thought, the night wasn't ruined after all.