This is for the lovely Joanna (DobbyLovesSocks) for the June Gift Giving Extravangana. I used the prompt 'wishes'

Waiting, Wishing

The Yule Ball

She'd never intended for Viktor Krum to ask her. Not once. It hadn't been in her plans, and frankly, she didn't like him all that much. He seemed much too arrogant, he was too old, and he wasn't all that attractive to her.

But he'd come to the library almost every day, watching her, waiting for the right moment to ask her.

And he'd caught her in a bad mood. No, not bad mood, a sad mood. So she'd agreed.

That'd show him, she thought.

Ever since Professor McGonagall had told them about the Yule Ball, she'd hope he'd ask her (and by he, she didn't mean Viktor). She'd given him so many chances, too. Been there when he was wondering who to ask, been there when he'd accidentally asked Fleur Delacour.

She was there all the time, yet it never seemed to occur to him that maybe all that worrying could be put aside if he looked past the end of his nose and saw that she also had no one to go with.

But he didn't; not until he was desperate.

And by then, it was too late.

She'd already agreed to go with Viktor, and she wasn't that mean to turn him down because she'd had a 'better' offer. And was it really a better offer? He'd only asked her in the first place because he couldn't think of anyone else.

Maybe she really was better off with the Bulgarian Seeker. He'd actually asked her because he liked her.

That same day, Ginny Weasley found her crying in her dormitory.

"You know," she began soothingly, "you could just ask him yourself."

She'd looked to her friend with wide, confused eyes. Hadn't it been her, giving Ginny, relationship advice just the other day?

Now the situations were reversed.

"My brother's an idiot," Ginny continued, without even being told why she was crying, or whom she was crying about. "And oblivious. He probably does want to ask you, he just doesn't know how."

"How…?" she began.

Ginny shrugged. "I just guessed," she said. "Do you want Ron to ask you?"

"Well… I don't… Viktor's asked me already… I have to go with Viktor. He's nice."

Ginny nodded. "Ron's a git; you'll do better with Viktor."

Although Ginny's words rang true, her heart disagreed. He'd finally managed to find a date – Padma Patil – and although he didn't look too happy about this choice, he agreed to it.

Even when dancing with Viktor – as she pretended to have a good time to spite Ron – jealousy coursed through her veins, and then satisfaction when she saw he was looking miserable.

Serves him right, she thought as Viktor placed a kiss to her cheek. If he'd had more courage – or if maybe she had – it could have been him kissing her tonight.

Or she him.

It didn't really matter.

They got into a fight that night, he going on about how he was too old for her and she was fraternising with the enemy. She didn't want to tell herself it was jealousy that was making him angry, but he never had been one to hide his emotions very well.

Her mind flashed back to not so long ago, where Ginny's words were still firmly in her mind:

He probably does want to ask you, he just doesn't know how.

She hadn't believed it to begin with, but now as they yelled at each other, tears threatening to fall, she couldn't help but think that maybe… just maybe… she had been right.

But it was too late now. Both of them had made their decision, and what was done, was done.

Viktor was nice to her, and he was rather sweet. And he certainly didn't make her as angry as Ron did.

But, still, there was some part of her that wished the night had turned out differently.

Gryffindor Wins!

He knew Harry had given him Liquid Luck, but he didn't care. He'd played brilliantly as Keeper and had won for Gryffindor.

That was all that mattered. No one would know, and no one would dob them in.

No one in Gryffindor, anyway.

The last effects of the potion were still coursing through his body, and he felt luckier than ever. After saving many points on the Quidditch pitch not so long ago, maybe it was now time to test out the rest of his luck.

He'd wanted to for ages now, but he'd never had the courage.

After all, what chance did he have? She was brilliant and the top of every class, where he needed a luck potion just to win a bloody Quidditch match.

They'd been friends for ages now, and she'd never once suggested she was after anything more.

But today… today he had Felix to help him, so there was no better moment than right now.

She was standing by the fireplace, talking to Ginny and Parvati. She was laughing, smiling and Merlin… had she always been pretty?

The firelight glowed on her and his heart pounded against his chest as his feet – or was is Felix? – drew him nearer to her.

He was going to do it. He could do it. He would just walk up to her, snog her, and then hope she would want to snog him too.

He just hoped that by then, there was enough of the potion left in him for it to work.

He was only a few feet away now, and his view of her was clouded by a head of blonde hair. He took a step back, startled.

"Oh, hi, Lavender," he said absently, trying to push past her. Every second counted in this case. Soon, he wouldn't have the courage.

"Great game today, Ron!" she said cheerfully, refusing to let him past. "You played wonderfully."

He didn't even look at her. His eyes remained firmly on the one he wanted to see… or snog.

"Er, thanks," he said. "I've just got to… do something." He made one last attempt to get past her, but rather than moving aside, her hands cupped his face, and her lips met his.

The next time he bothered to look up, Lavender was the only girl he could see.

The Battle

They were hurrying back to find Harry again, Basilisk fangs in hand.

They had the map with them, but they kept losing sight of him.

"Where is he, Ron?" she asked, worry etching her features.

"Somewhere here," he assured her. "We'll find him."

They were running now; running out of desperation and fear. They needed to find their friend. They had the solution for the Horcruxes, but if they didn't get to him in time, maybe it would be too late.

They rounded a corner, and without realising, were face-to-face with a Death Eater. If it wasn't wearing the mask, they were sure it would be sneering in victory at them.

She drew her wand, but he put his hand over it. "Don't," he said.

"It's two against one, Ron!" she replied. "We can do it!"

But it was too late. Their moment of hesitation had given the Death Eater an advantage. A flash of green light hurled towards them, and would have got them too, had he not pushed her back around the corner just in time.

He Stunned the Death Eater and they then hurried along.

"Ron." She stopped mid corridor.

"Yes?"

"Thanks!"

He gave a shrug. "Better them than you, right?"

She smiled, and even though it was the most inappropriate time, she came closer to him, brushing her lips against his. "Thanks," she said again.

Looking completely bewildered, they continued on their way, finally finding Harry in the Room of Requirement.

Finally… finally… the wait had been worth it.

I know you won't see this for a while, Jo, but I hope you like it when you get back!

I hope everyone liked it! Please don't forget to leave a review :)