'Potter, the champions and their partners-'

'What partners?'

'Your partner for the Yule Ball, Potter. Your dance partner.'

'But I don't dance-'

'It is tradition, Potter.'*

'But- I don't-'

'You heard me, Potter.'

--

Harry sat down on one of the chairs in the Gryffindór common room, groaning to himself at the sheer exhaustion he was overcome with. His conversation with Professor McGónagall continued to plague his mind as the days went by, and with the Yule Ball coming closer.

But it wasn't the sheer obligation that weighed on him. It was the sheer humiliation that followed afterward. Especially when he had just asked Cho Chang, his crush, and was rejected. She had looked apologetic and perhaps guilty when she told Harry that Cedric had already asked her. Harry couldn't even be angry at her. Cedric was clever, tall, and endearing- plus, as the other Hógwarts champion, he had every reason to ask her out first.

He was running out of time, though. Every other girl Harry had tried to begrudgingly approach after that would either have already been taken, burst into fits of giggles, or be surrounded by at least five other girls who would watch and whisper. It was madness trying to get just one date.

"Still sulking?" Hermione's voice cut through his thoughts. The young girl took the sofa next to him, propping up her textbook with her knees.

"I'm not sulking," Harry muttered.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Harry, her hands stopped flipping through the pages. "You've got the emotional range of a teaspoon when it comes to this stuff."

"Thanks," Harry grumbled, burying his face in his hands.

A moment of silence passed between the two friends. Harry tried to think. He wouldn't dare go alone; that would be too embarrassing, especially when Professor McGónagall emphasized that he must not let Hógwarts down as its champion. Maybe he can try and skip it? Feign some illness or ask Hermione or Ron to jinx him. What to do, what to do-

But Hermione interrupted his thought with a slam of her book shutting. "You're lucky I'm your friend, because I am giving you one last shot at this."

Harry looked up from his hands. "What do you mean?"

"I know someone who might be available to be your date." Hermione slowly explained with a knowing smile. "A friend of mine. They're someone you haven't talked much with, but they're brilliant and normal. That's rare around these parts." Hermione said, waving her hands at the nearby giggling girls who were eying Harry from the other side of the common room.

"Wait, you'll do that for me?" Harry asked, astonished by this sudden change of heart from Hermione.

"I'll do it for you, seeing how Ron likes those with a dead-center nose." Hermione scoffed. But her eyes glared at Harry. "So don't ruin this. If you so much as mumble, act like it's a favor, or do anything that makes it seem it's an obligation, they will see right through it. You'll be back on square one if this goes wrong."

"Alright, I get it." Harry nodded, wanting her to stop. But a grin rose on his lips, relieved that he would finally have a date. "So, they agreed to meet me?"

"I said they would consider it." Hermione snipped back. "Go to the library in ten minutes. They'll be there."

"Library, right!" Harry got up from his seat, hoisting the strap of his schoolbag over his shoulder. "Thanks, Hermione, you're a lifesaver!" He yelled out before he ran out of the common room.

The walk to the library felt like the longest one Harry had ever taken. He was fidgeting with his hands, trying to flatten his messy hair as he strolled into the library. Madame Pínce gave Harry her usual suspicious squint from behind her desk, but otherwise, the room was mostly bare, save for a few students buried in books.

And then Harry saw them. Sitting right next to the windowsill with their nose buried in their book. Robes neat, expression relaxed, not too eager, or even showed the hint of curiosity as Harry began to approach them.