"Ugh!" Hermione groaned in frustration as she entered the Common Room with you. "I cannot believe him!"

You stayed quiet as Hermione continued her rant. "How dare he? How dare he assume and tell me that no one would ask me out?" She huffed as her ears and nose turned red in anger. "If he wasn't my friend, I could've cast a spell right then and there."

"You could still do it even if he is your friend." You suggested with a smile. "You could shut him up for all I care."

Hermione turned to you and stifled a laugh before sitting down with you on the couch. "Boys are insufferable." She sighed.

"Ah, they'll learn and grow up." You shrugged while taking a book to read. "It takes a long time for them to mature, honestly."

Hermione looked at you before looking down at your book. "You worried me, you know. You worried all of us."

You lowered your book and looked at her. "I'm sorry for worrying all of you. And thank you for staying with me when I was really down. I never meant to worry and hurt all of you."

Hermione smiled. "It's alright. You're my best friend and seeing you suffering alone pains me." She held your hand. "You are never alone, remember that."

You placed your book down and hugged Hermione causing her to hug you back. "Thanks, Mione."

"Anytime, (Y/n)."

You pulled away and smirk. "So, who's the lucky person?"

"(Y/n)!"

"I'm serious, who is it?" You asked Hermione as you tapped your fingers quietly on your book.

"It's a surprise." Hermione sighed as she stood up and took her book again. "Besides, you might tell Harry and Ronald."

You pouted as you stared at her while Hermione opened her book to check if her answers were right. "Don't be silly. You know I can keep secrets." You stated.

Hermione stopped on whatever she was doing before her eyes searched around first if anyone was in the Common Room. When it was clear, she leaned a bit closer to you. "Don't tell anyone about this. It's Viktor Krum."

You felt frozen and your eyes went wide until a smile appeared on your face. "Viktor Krum?"

Hermione nodded and looked back at the book she was reading. Her eyes were fixed to the text inside. "He asked me if I could be his date at the ball and I said yes. I'm guessing you've been asked by Malfoy?"

You stifled a laugh and shook your head. "Yeah, no." You replied. "He didn't ask me."

Hermione slammed her book shut and sat beside you. "He didn't? But has anyone asked you already?"

You nodded as you opened your book again. "Quite a few actually. One from Durmstrang, two from Hogwarts, and one from Beauxbatons."

Hermione gasped and slightly nudged you. "You got the three schools falling for you! Did you say yes to them?"

"Not yet. The Ravenclaw guy backed out because his parents insisted that he should come home for Christmas while the girl from Beauxbatons found the right girl for her."

"What's her name?"

"Vanya." You answered. "She's the Beauxbatons girl I'm talking about. She eventually met Sissy Cooper so I guess they're now each other's dates for the ball."

"And that leaves you with..."

"The guy from Durmstrang and a Gryffindor boy."

"The other guy is a Gryffindor? Who is he?"

You furrowed your eyebrows as you looked at her. "Um, excuse me. Enough about me. I've told way too much."

Hermione shrugged. "If Malfoy would've asked you already, I wouldn't be asking you a lot of questions about the others who asked you out."

"Yeah." You softly chuckled and went back to reading, your eyes were following the words that were printed on the book. "To be honest, I thought he was going to go with Pansy or maybe even a student from Beauxbatons."

"And why?"

"I don't know." You shrugged as your eyes were fixed on the book. "Look at the girls from Beauxbatons. They're literally perfect especially Fleur Delacour."

"It sounds like you fancy her."

You smirked. "Maybe. But I do have someone else in my heart."

Hermione smiled. "And that someone is Malfoy, yes?"

A soft chuckle escaped from your lips. "I thought you hate him? He literally made your two years like a living hell or at least I think he did."

"Oh, I still do," Hermione replied. "I just don't want to get in the way of your love for him."

"I don't lov--" You sighed. "Nevermind."

"Sure, sure."

°•○●○•°

"Thanks for helping me study in Potions, (Y/n)," Cedric said as he helped you placed back the book on their bookshelves. "I couldn't think of anyone else to go to."

You smiled. "No problem. But isn't Peter good at Potions? You didn't ask him to come and help you?"

"He's with your sister," Cedric replied causing you to gasp. "Wait, really? Peter and Megan know each other already?"

Cedric nodded. "Yeah. They got pretty close this year."

"Huh." You smirked to yourself as you thought about Peter with Megan. You cleared your throat and inserted a book between the other books on the bookshelf. "Why didn't you ask Cho or Hermione?"

"I couldn't find Cho," Cedric answered. "I'm not even close with Hermione so it'll be awkward for me to ask her to help me with Potions."

Cedric smiled as he watched you tiptoed to place the book on top. He helped you by grabbing the book and placed the book in its right place. "Besides, I wanted to ask you to come and help me not only because you're really good with Potions but because I also want to spend time with you."

You turned to him and patted his head. "Well, I'll just be around whenever you need me, Diggory."

Once you two were finished placing the books you two have borrowed to their rightful shelves, Cedric headed back to the Hufflepuff Common Room while you headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room. While on your way to the Gryffindor Common Room, you spotted the Durmstrang boy, who asked you as his date for the Yule Ball, turned to a corner with his friends, and saw you. Your eyes slightly widened. 'Oh no, I still don't have an answer.'

You turned around and looked for another way. 'If I don't look at him, maybe he won't see me.' You bit your lip. 'Hopefully.'

"(Y/n) Stark?"

'Shit.' You closed your eyes and stopped walking. You gave him a cheesy smile as the Durmstrang student approached you. "Look, I know the Yule Ball is coming up and you're still waiting for my answer--"

The Durmstrang student chuckled. "It's alright. I know you might be waiting for someone to ask you to the dance."

You blinked in surprise. "Oh." That was the only thing you said. "Um, I don--well, I..."

"It's okay to say no, really. You even don't know my name."

You frowned. "I didn't get the chance to ask."

"Alexei." The young man introduced. "Anyway, you can really tell me no. I understand."

"Alexei, come on!" One of his friends shouted. "Тя не си заслужава!"

Alexei glared at his friends. "Да тя е!" He looked back at you. "I have to go. See you at the Yule Ball, my friend." Before you could say anything, he walked away to join his friends. You watched as he slightly punched his friend's arm in annoyance before walking away with them.

You suddenly heard a noise from the broom closet causing you to stop in your tracks and turned to the noise. The door abruptly opened and someone from inside took you inside causing you to yelp.

You bumped into someone's chest as the person closed the door. You rubbed your head and looked up to see Draco Malfoy. "Hey! What was that for?" You asked.

Draco nervously smiled. "Sorry! I didn't mean to surprise you. I don't know what came over me to bring you along here."

You looked around and raises an eyebrow. "And... why exactly did you bring me here? You could've just gotten out and talked to me."

"See, here's the thing: it would be stupid to let everyone see a Slytherin lad coming out of a broom closet just to talk to a Gryffindor girl. And, people won't approve that we are talking together."

You crossed your arms. "Do they not approve?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know. You said it yourself that Starks and Malfoys aren't meant to be together and Slytherins and Gryffindors don't get along. Meaning people will always see us as enemies."

You looked at the door. "I suppose you're right." You looked back at him and tilted your head in curiosity. "So, what is it that you want to tell me?"

Draco cleared his throat and fixed his necktie. "I know that the broom closet isn't ideally a good place to ask this but I really have no choice. I saw you with that Durmstrang student and I knew I had to ask you this so..."

You waited for his question as Draco took a deep breath. "(Y/n) Stark, d-do you, uh, want to go to the Yule Ball with me?"

You stared at him as you hid your excitement and joy. A sly smirk formed on your lips as you held your head high. "Did Draco Malfoy just stuttered to ask a Gryffindor out?"

Draco's eyes blinked repeatedly and his mouth was hung open in disbelief. "I asked you out and that's your answe—no. I asked you and you instead questioned me if I stuttered right in front of you? You answered me with a question?"

You shrugged. "Just asking."

"Then the answer is no." He immediately answered. "Now, do you accept or not?"

A grin showed up on your face. "You just lied to me, Draco. You stuttered."

"(Y/n), come on."

"Not until you admit that you did stutter."

"I did no such thing, Stark."

"Then you won't get an answer from me." You teased before grabbing the closet's door until Draco grabbed your hand and sighed. You looked up to him. "So?"

He huffed. "Yes, I did stutter."

"See? Why's that such a big deal?"

"Because I never stutter."

"Lies."

Draco playfully rolled his eyes. "Now what's your answer."

Your eyes stared at him as your finger lifted up. Draco cocked an eyebrow as he stared at your index finger. You brought it in front of him and poked his nose. "Yes."

You immediately ran out of the closet and closed the door, keeping Draco inside. Draco gasped and lightly slammed his palms on the door. "Wha—hey!"

You snickered as you leaned against the door, smiling to yourself. You felt him leaned against the door as well, sighing in relief. Your hand lowered down as you felt the pressure of his through the door and it felt like you were holding his hand.

"(Y/n)?"

"Hm?"

"We're gonna make it." You heard him say. "We'll prove that we aren't our ancestors."

You chuckled. "I wish that was easy."

"One step at a time, darling."

His words marked on your brain as you slowly nodded. "One step at a time." You repeated. You glanced at the door and slightly knocked. "I have to go. See you later, Slytherin." You smiled and walked away while Draco leaned his head against the door and grinned. "See you too, Gryffindor."

You walked inside the Common Room and saw Harry spacing out like he just experienced heartbreak and rejection. Maybe both. He was hugging his golden egg, breathing shakily.

You approached him until the door behind you opened.

Ginny was helping a speechless and queasy-looking Ron to sit on the couch. "It's okay, Ron. It's alright. It doesn't matter." She reassured him.

You furrowed your eyebrows and walked towards him and so did Hermione. "What happened to you?" You asked in surprise to see Ron's pale face.

Ginny sighed. "He just asked Fleur Delacour out."

"What?" Hermione asked in worry.

Harry placed his golden egg down and walked towards Ron, sitting down beside you while Hermione knelt in front of Ron. "What did she say?" Harry asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes and glanced at Harry. "No, of course." Ron shook his head in pained embarrassment. Hermione widened her eyes and gasped causing her to cover her mouth with her hands. "She said yes?"

Ron shook his head again and sighed. "Don't be silly. There she was, walking by. You know how I like it when they walk..." He glanced up at Harry who nodded as if it was obvious. "I couldn't help it. It just sorts of slipped out." Ron whimpered.

"Actually, he sort of screamed at her. It was a bit frightening." Ginny corrected as she rubbed Ron's back in comfort.

"What did you do then?" You asked, crossing your arms.

"What else? I ran for it!" Ron exclaimed then looked at Harry. "I'm not cut out for this, Harry. I don't know what got into me. I always liked looking at them from behind. She's never gonna forgive me, ever."

You suddenly noticed the Parvati sisters walking beside each other, grinning at Harry. "Hi, Harry." They both greeted in unison. Your eyes landed on Harry who was having second thoughts and hesitating before chasing after them. You raised a brow before shrugging and continued listening to Ron's rants.