"You don't mind if I go talk to some other friends for a while, do you Neville?" Ginny asked sweetly, her eyes straying to Michael Corner.

"No," Neville said quietly. "No. I don't mind." Neville muttered, but she was already gone.

Neville sighed heavily, leaned back in his chair, and watched the other couples dancing around the Great Hall. He was happy enough taking Ginny to the Yule Ball but he wasn't kidding himself into thinking they'd ever work out together. He hadn't lied to Ron when he told the angry redhead that he was only taking Ginny to the Ball as a friend and really only saw her as the sister he never had. She was always nice to him and listened to him when he needed an ear, but he just didn't feel anything more than brotherly towards her. 'Besides,' he thought with a wry smile, 'she just ditched me.'

He sat and watched the other dancers a little longer before he allowed his gaze to drift to Hermione and Krum. 'She's so beautiful,' he thought to himself.

"Even more than usual," he said softly, standing up from his lonely spot at the table.

A slow song had just started and Hermione and Krum were walking back to their table. Neville took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and walked up to Hermione. He tried not to flinch as the surly man next to her glowered at him as he approached.

"Hermione," he said and waited for her to turn around. "Would you dance with me?"

Neville beamed with delight as Hermione accepted and gracefully brushed off Krum's attempt to keep her with him. For the next few minutes he held her close to him, softly breathing in her scent, and wishing he could find the words to tell her much he cared for her. When the song ended she smiled warmly at him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks for the dance, Neville."

It wasn't until after he sat back down he realized he hadn't stepped on her toes once.