Six Days Until the Yule Ball
Hermione Granger had always been smart; not only in school, reading books and acing exams, but also in life. Over time, she had become good at reading faces and dissecting complex emotions. That’s how she’d known that her two best friends were secretly in love with their sworn enemies.
It wasn’t hard to tell. As much as the boys hid behind masks of enmity, they were quite obvious. They stared at each other across the Great Hall, constantly engaged in flirty, almost twistedly romantic banter, and were so entirely consumed by only one thing: each other. Still, they refused to come to terms with their attraction, only using it as fuel to double down on the rivalry. She decided to get involved with a friendly bet.
Of course, she couldn’t do this unless she knew it would work. She loved her boys too much to screw them over like that.
So, less than a week prior to the ball, Hermione decided that she was going to confront the only girl who might have the answer (and the guts):
Pansy Parkinson.
Five Days Until the Yule Ball
Hermione found Pansy by the Black Lake, sitting alone and reading what looked like a water-damaged novel. Now or never, she decided, and walked right up with no plan, which was a first for her.
“Parkinson.” Hermione tried her best to keep it civil, since Pansy may turn from her rival to her co-conspirator in the next few minutes. She even spied what the brunette was reading: Ancient Runes and Their Many Uses, and used that to thaw the ice evident on Pansy’s face. “That’s a great book.”
“Hence why I’m reading it, Granger. Need something?” Pansy wasn’t being nice, exactly, but she had asked instead of immediately running off, and that was good enough for Hermione.
“I know this is a weird question, and you don’t have to answer, but is Draco…into Harry?”
Pansy choked, despite her mouth being empty, before trying to stutter out an answer, to no avail. That was answer enough for the Gryffindor, who grinned and whispered, “Don’t worry. I won’t tell. I assume the same for Blaise about Ron, then?” Again, Pansy was speechless, eyes wide and fearful. To her credit, she didn’t say anything, granting her some plausible deniability, and Hermione respected that.
After a minute of processing, the book abandoned on the ground, Pansy said, “Why do you need to know?” At the smirk Hermione flashed her, dread filled her stomach, mixed with a mischievous flurry of excitement. “You have a plan.”
“Damn right.” She held out her hand, waiting. “You in?”
They shook.
Later, Hermione planted her dare in the middle of lunch, giving the boys no out. Sure, she felt bad for a moment, but then she remembered that she was literally guaranteeing them boyfriends, and her pity vanished. Oh, how she loved her friends.
Four Days Until the Yule Ball
“So the bet is on.” Hermione and Pansy met in an empty classroom at midday, ditching their Potions period. “I swear, those two have such big egos that their brains have been taken over.”
Laughing, Pansy remarked, “Are you sure they had brains in the first place?”
They stayed like that for nearly an hour, plotting to get the boys together. In that time, Pansy had decided that she would go out of her way to make sure Blaise and Draco didn’t get dates. Sure, it was cruel, but it had to be done. For love. She had a list of people she knew the boys would approach, like Astoria Greengrass and a Hufflepuff girl named Millie who Blaise had coffee with sometimes, and sent them all letters threatening them—TELLING them why they couldn’t say yes, if asked.
Pansy also repeatedly asked Hermione who she was going with, though her lips were sealed.
“Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Please, please, pretty pleaseeee.” She poked Hermione incessantly while talking, annoying her into submission. At first, she didn’t budge, but Merlin, Pansy could be annoying when she needed to be.
“If I tell you, will you stop annoying me?”
“I think you know I will never.” Pansy smiled, still poking the other girl in the arm as if to enforce her point.
“Fair. Viktor Krum.”
Pansy gasped, too consumed by shock to poke Hermione anymore. “The Quidditch player? No way.”
Hermione turned sharp in the blink of an eye, suddenly removing herself from Pansy. “What? Just because I’m smart doesn’t mean I can’t pull a guy like that.”
“Merlin, that’s not at all what I meant. You’re gorgeous and smart, of course he likes you. I just…I thought you were being so secretive because you’re into girls. I am.”
“Oh.” Hermione’s face flamed, but she didn’t know why. Certainly, it couldn’t be because a pretty girl had called her gorgeous and smart in the very same breath she came out as lesbian. Hermione was straight. Right? To take the attention off of herself, Hermione said, “Parkinson, did you just come out to me?”
“Huh. I guess I did.”
Three Days Until the Yule Ball
“Hey, Pansy! Since when were you letting Milicent Bullstrode ask Malfoy to the ball? That wasn’t part of the plan.” Hermione strode up to her randomly at lunch, staying quiet when she spoke of Draco. According to the multiple glares that followed, she wasn’t very welcome at the Slytherin table, but Pansy answered nonetheless.
“I don’t know, Hermione, when did you start using my first name? And about Bullstrode, it’s a non-issue. Draco hates her.”
“For good reason.” They stifled their laughter, Pansy elbowing Hermione in the side when she realized Millicent wasn’t far away.
Laughing with her now, Hermione realized that over the last few days, they had grown pretty close, sharing ridiculous inside jokes and a convoluted sense of humor. Hermione found herself enjoying Pansy’s company immensely. There was just one thing she wanted to know, and she decided to ask. Screw subtlety.
“By the way, do you have a date?”
“Why would I tell you that? I’m a woman of mystery.”
“Oh, please. Let me guess.” She glanced around the table, making note of which girls sat closest to Pansy as well as their general vibes, before settling definitively on an answer. “You’re going with Daphne, but only as friends.” Hermione smirked when Pansy gasped, knowing she had the other girl figured out.
“Damn, Granger. First try?”
“Guess you’re not as much of a mystery as you thought, Pans.” She winked and walked away, taking Pansy’s dignity with her.
Pansy sat, frozen and mortified (and maybe just a little turned on). Hermione fucking Granger just winked at her. She may just pass out.
Just then, Draco walked up, grinning. “What’s got you so flustered?” he teased.
“Nothing.”
Two Days Until the Yule Ball
The Yule Ball was only in a couple of days, and Hermione and Pansy were spending their afternoon in the room of requirement, all comfortable on a fluffy couch and curled up like they were at a sleepover. They were playing Kiss, Marry, Kill and giggling at each absurd combination, drinking pumpkin juice that stained their jumpers.
Hermione tried her best not to think about how this had nothing to do with their agreement, tried not to believe that Pansy would ever hang out with her outside of their scheme. This arrangement was nothing more than transactional, a silly little deal made by two hopeless romantics. Surely it would never work, and Pansy would once again fade into the background of the Golden Trio’s lives, nothing more than an occasional laugh shared over a potion in class.
But what if they could be more?
Pansy laughed, cutting the other girl out of her spiraling thoughts. “Okay. Kiss, Marry, Kill: Ron, Cedric Diggory, and…me.” Hermione’s breath was short, feeling like Pansy could read her mind. Should she answer honestly? After a beat, she settled on a half-truth.
“Uh, kill Diggory, sorry man. Marry Ron, even though he’s insufferable sometimes. And I guess that means I’d kiss you.” She blushed, avoiding Pansy’s eyes.
“Would you?” Pansy pulled in closer, her breath soft and unsure. Hermione didn’t object, and Pansy’s lips brushed on hers for just a moment, tasting of lilacs. Hermione was practically high on the taste of her, wanted to bring her closer and closer until they couldn’t tell where the other began–
This was a bad idea. “I–” She ran out of the room of requirement, immediately bringing her hand to her mouth. Had she imagined that? The floor seemed to sway beneath her feet, but all she could think about was her.
Later, what might have been minutes or hours, Hermione found herself in the common room alone. She had a brief memory of slipping to the floor at some point in the corridor, of getting back up and trudging here, dazed after Pansy kissed her.
Oh, Merlin. Pansy had KISSED her.
One Day Until the Yule Ball
It was nearly 2 AM, but Hermione sat awake in the common room, mulling things over. Krum had asked her to the ball, and she thought that was what she wanted, but then Pansy, a girl and a Slytherin, had kissed her, and she didn’t know how to feel.
Sure, she had liked guys before, even daring to kiss them occasionally, and that was fine, but none of it felt how Pansy’s mouth had felt on hers, how everywhere she’d been touched still scorched with the memory of it. Thinking back, Hermione can’t remember really ever being in love with a man. She had liked them because they were kind, or smart, or funny, but never had she wanted them like she wanted Pansy, like Pansy wanted HER.
Oh, fuck, she likes Pansy.
Great. She was alone and on the verge of a panic attack. Her friends were asleep and in the boys’ dorms, and there was no way for her to get up there.
Unless…
Hermione frantically grabbed a scrap of parchment and scribbled down a note, before running up to her dorm and asking Lavender Brown if she could borrow her owl. The girl agreed, thankfully ignoring the tears that had somehow appeared in her eyes, and Hermione prompted the owl, named Daisy, to bring the note up the boys’ stairs to Harry. Then, she returned to the common room and waited until she heard familiar footsteps.
“Mione, are you alright?” Harry immediately tossed her a blanket and a stuffed lion (Ron’s) he had brought from his dorm. “Hey, what’s going on? Talk to me.”
Sniffing to drive the tears away, she began. “So, I was planning on bringing a guy to the ball, but, erm, I…well, a girl kissed me. And I–”
“Oh, Hermione, I know that might’ve been scary.” He pulled her into a tight hug, and she held on for dear life. One thing she’d loved about him since day one was his awesome hugs, which he was happy to provide at any time. “Did you like it?”
“A bit too much, Harry. I really like her. I think I might be a lesbian, if that wasn’t clear already.” The laugh she let out was bitter and nervous, but she couldn’t help but feel like this was her first real crush, and it sent a thrill through her.
“You don’t have to label it just yet, Mione. But if it helps, I’m pretty sure I’m bi, maybe ace, with a huge preference for dudes.” It was then that he released her, still keeping a tight grip on her hand. They laughed and congratulated each other on their sort of coming out, then agreed to tell Ron in the morning.
“For the record, I think he isn’t straight, either. Huh. Guess the whole trio is a little fruity.”
Harry snorted dramatically, glad the tears had left his friend’s eyes. “Go to sleep, Mione. And about the ball, it’s up to you. If you decide to still take Mystery Man, that’s cool. If you want to ask the Mystery Kisser instead, that’s cool too.”
“I love you, Harry.”
“I know. Now sleep!”
The Day of the Yule Ball
After a lot of thinking (a lot), Hermione decided she would indeed still go with Viktor, but would tell him outright she didn’t like him like that. Then, depending on how daring she was feeling (and how much punch she drank), she would approach Pansy and confess.
Not her craziest plan this week, by far.
She also told Ron, which went about as one would expect. He was totally cool with it, and glad Hermione felt comfortable enough to be honest. However, it did prompt him to bother her even more about her date.
“C’mon, Mione. A girl?” He paused, considering. “Nope. If you just realized this, you wouldn’t have asked. A dude, then. Likely not a Hogwarts student, since you’re so damn secretive.” Hermione blushed, confirming his guess, but he said nothing more.
“Alright, Ronald. Or should I call you Sherlock? Have fun with Blaisey.”
“Never.”
When he arrived, Viktor looked great, all regal stature and thick accent, and she admitted to herself that he was, objectively, very attractive. He just wasn’t exactly the person, or gender, Hermione was looking for.
Not wanting to lead him on, she had told him right away, and he took the news relatively well, so they went.
Two Hours Until the End of the Yule Ball
They set off, shocking the majority of Hogwarts as she appeared with him on her arm. She didn’t fail to note that Pansy was practically drooling at her arrival.
Good. Hermione wasn’t sure when this had become a flirting competition, but it was now. Point: Hermione.
True to her word, they had danced to three songs, sweaty and laughing by the end. Viktor was having a great time despite being rejected, and they were making the best of it. That was until Hermione spotted Pansy with her hands all over Daphne, drifting lower down on her hips.
Merlin, how she wished to be in Daphne’s place. (If we’re still keeping score, then point: Pansy.)
Nope. Hermione was not going to be jealous, not now, and certainly not of Daphne Greengrass. Anyways, Pansy had told her they were just going as friends; who was she not to believe her?
“Jealous, Mione?” Harry whispered, snaking his arms around her from behind. “Just go talk to her.”
“I’m not jealous. How dare you? Go back to Malfoy, Haz.”
“If I have to go back to my Slytherin, you should go back to yours. Deal?”
“Fine.” Harry held out his hand for a pinky promise, and Hermione accepted, rolling her eyes. “Go on, Prince Charming.”
One Hour Until the End of the Yule Ball
She didn’t keep her promise. Well, she did, but only because at the very end of the ball, Pansy approached her, grinning loosely. Hermione prayed she was sober as she wrapped her arms around her neck, leading her into a slow dance. With no other choices, Hermione embraced her waist tightly, her jealousy from earlier lifting.
“I’ve been thinking about the other night,” Pansy said, eyes suddenly in full focus. “Since you love scheming so much, here’s a bet for you. We’ll call it payback for what you did to our boys.” The Gryffindor’s heart leaped, savoring Pansy’s touch and the mischief in her eyes.
“What do you propose?” she challenged.
“I kiss you again. If you like it, you take me on a date. If not, I’ll go away, and you can enjoy Krum. Deal?”
“Deal.” She leaned in quickly this time, desperate for it. Pansy giggled as their lips met, just as fiery and wonderful as the first time. This time around, though, she didn’t flee. She just kept her hands on the other girl’s hips and sighed into their kiss, finally feeling that fluttery sensation from the books.
They broke apart eventually, just in time for Hermione to hear someone cheering behind them. She turned to find Viktor Krum, smiling broadly. ‘Get some’, he mouthed, making them both cackle. ‘Thanks, Viktor’ she mouthed back, pulling Pansy impossibly closer.
“So where are we going?”
Hermione laughed brightly, noticing Harry and Malfoy dancing, too. Two for three, not bad. Oh, wait, there’s Blaise snogging the shit out of Ron. Nice.
“How about a triple date?”