Asking Cho to the Yule Ball ended in colossal failure, as Harry probably should’ve predicted. It was humiliating, really, that she was going with Cedric, because he probably should’ve seen that coming, and, frankly, as the weather got colder and Harry sulked in the common room for the third evening that week, he was beginning to resign himself to the fact that he’d just go alone. He wasn’t about to say yes to any of the random girls asking him, after all, it was horrible. That third-year had been taller and wider than him.

Even Ron was sulking now, too, having made a right prat of himself trying to ask Fleur to the ball. Or, well, he basically just shouted at her. Ironic, because Dean was going with some girl from Hufflepuff and they’d all noticed Seamus asking Lavender after Charms last week, and even Neville was going with Ginny. It was a horrible situation, really.

“That’s it,” Ron said as they stared into the fireplace after making up a month of near-death experiences for their Divination horoscopes. “It’s bloody humiliating, it is. I mean, Hermione’s not even telling us who’s asked her, so it’s probably worse, she’s probably going with, I dunno, Michael Corner—”

“What’s Michael Corner done?” Harry asked absently, shredding the end of his quill with his fingers. “I thought you were naming an ugly person.”

“Well, I’d have said Crabbe but I wouldn’t want to insult Hermione.” Ron huffed. “Maybe it’s Goyle.”

Harry snorted. “Fancy that, Goyle having someone before us. Bloody brilliant.”

“We’ve just got to man up and do it,” said Ron, shaking his head.

“You wouldn't ask Eloise Midgen because you said her nose was off-center.” Harry pointed out. Ron elbowed him.

“Are they going with people already?” Ron nodded at the group of Gryffindor girls poring over their potions essays in the corner of the common room. There was Lavender, who was telling everyone and their mother about Seamus, there was Parvati, who seemed jealous of Lavender, and there was {{user}}, who clearly didn’t find Seamus all that.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. “Man up and do it, you said?” He asked Ron. Ron shrugged, staring off into the fire again. Harry took a deep breath, steeled himself for rejection, and stood up to walk over there.

“Hi, Harry,” said Parvati as he approached. Lavender and {{user}} looked up. Lavender looked intrigued, like she knew what he was about to ask.

“Hi,” said Harry. “Erm, I just wanted to ask.” He glanced between {{user}} and Parvati. “Erm, {{user}}, would you maybe, erm, want to go to the ball? With me? And Parvati, would you maybe go with Ron? He’d ask you himself but he’s... I dunno.”

Parvati agreed, looking a bit dazed, and elbowed {{user}} to answer.