Pride and Polyjuice Potion

Chapter 20

The start of December was approaching, meaning that the Yule Ball was only some three or four weeks away. Quite naturally, there was flood of new couples forming and funnily enough, most of them turned to Hermione for advice.

The first was Harry.

Hermione was studying late in the library when Harry Potter approached her nervously. He was shaking a little and quite visibly uncomfortable.

"Hermione," he spoke, causing Hermione to look up from her textbook and give her friend a smile.

"Hi there, Harry, what are you doing here so late?" She asked.

"Looking for you, actually."

"Oh," she said, looking puzzled. "What could you possibly need me for at this time of the night?"

"I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking of this one thing that I really need to get off my chest."

"Oh goodness, it's nothing bad I hope? I don't want to be too invasive, but do you mind telling me what it is?"

"Nothing bad, I promise. It might have been easier to deal with, actually, had it been bad."

"Harry you're confusing me now, just spit it out."

"I'm scared, I'm scared to admit it. You know how shy I am," he croaked. "But I guess I ought to say."

Hermione gestured for him to continue and with a deep breath he complied.

"I am in love with Ginny."

She could not help bust gasp; she had not seen that coming at all. She had always thought Harry had a thing for one of the Ravenclaws, Cho Chang.

"You look worried, oh no, what, does she not like me back?"

A thought then struck her.

Butter beer, crocheted scarves and ink-stained parchment.

At the time, she thought Ginny felt something for Neville, but her amortentia smell had confused her entirely. And then she realised: Ginny had been describing Harry.

"Completely the opposite, I think you'll find," she assured him. "But I cannot say too much. Go find her, tell her how you feel and ask her to the Yule Ball."

"Thank you, Hermione," he cried, overjoyed. "I am going to go do it right now."

"Harry, Harry, calm down," she chuckled. "Ginny's sleeping - you really don't want to wake her up in the middle of the night or she will definitely reject you. Plus, you're too excited right now. Sleep it over and ask her with a fresh, well slept mind tomorrow morning."

"You're right. Thank you so much, Mione."

"No worries."

The next morning, Ginny and Harry broke the news that they were now each other's dates for the Yule Ball and everyone congratulated them warmly, despite being rather surprised at the pairing initially.

"Who asked who?" Seamus inquired.

"Oh, I had been planning on asking Ginny - I even went to Hermione for advice - but in then end..."

"I asked him," Ginny beamed.

"It was the strangest thing," continued Harry. "Because we both met in the common room this morning, looking at each other strangely."

"I was obviously the one to speak first. Harry isn't very good at these things."

"No, I suppose not," he admitted.

"But anyway, we're now dating!"

Everybody cheered and gave their personal congratulations to the couple. Every day that passed, anticipation for the Yule Ball increased.