（4）

The oak doors opened, and the contestants and their dance partners walked into the ballroom hand in hand, and the Hogwarts students applauded the protagonists.

First up was Karkaroff's Durmstrang players, and at the forefront were Krum and Hermione. Krum was a stout man in a striking red gown, and he wasn't used to this kind of public (except at the Quidditch pitch), but now he smiled very brightly; Hermione was wearing a flowing conch blue dress, her sleek hair was tied with a noble bow, and her front teeth were normal size, and she was nervously smiling sweetly.

After Beauxbatons and Hogwarts players entered, the hall was filled with lifelike fairies sitting among roses, and the rooftop, which had always been the night sky, was now running around with Santa Claus and reindeer - after all, it was a Christmas ball, and there had to be more than just the Christmas tree.

"Gentlemen, please come here!" Under Professor McGonagall's arrangement, the boys and girls were separated from each other on the long red carpet, and each sat in their respective positions.

Although Durmstrang was also co-ed, the patriarchal Karkaroff only brought boys to the competition this time, so Hermione was joined at the same table by Beauxbatons and Hogwarts girls, who were staring at Hermione with deep disgust.

"............" was okay, they had been with Krum for so long, and Hermione had been able to ignore the look. On the other hand, Krum was the one who cared the most about these looks, and he turned his head again and again to cast concerned glances, worried that Hermione would be bullied by his own supporters.

Since the top leader of the Triwizard Tournament slipped away to the Muggle world with his own harem group, and now his place is replaced by Patcy Weasley, who was exceptionally promoted because of Barty Crouch's downfall.

Dumbledore never liked to make long stories, and in front of those shiny, empty plates without any food, he would demonstrate to his guests what a 'wizarding buffet' was, and that would be the start of Christmas dinner - but Hermione hadn't eaten much, and the girls at the table were similar, they knew what they were here for tonight, definitely not to fill their stomachs and then make a splash in the swing!

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take a few steps back." After the sumptuous Christmas dinner, Dumbledore took the lead in standing up, making sure everyone was in their proper place, and with a wave of his hand, all the tables were retreating to the wall and the floor was clean. Then he magically raised a stage from the ground, with a set of drums, guitars, a lute, a cello, and some Scottish bagpipes.

The well-known bands invited by Dumbledore took the stage to the stage to a frenzied applause, all wearing deliberately torn and shaggy black gowns, which made Hermione think that their music was going wild, but it was actually a slow, mournful route...... Well, Hermione didn't think there should be 'grumbling music' at this time, but she didn't have time to think about it that much.

Theoretically, everyone is an equal contestant, but everyone knows that there are only three focal points on the scene, the savior Harry Potter, the most popular Cedric Diggory, and the world star Victor Krum, and now Krum is walking with the eyes of the whole audience.

“…… Miss Granger, do you want to see it? "The Bulgarian star, making gentlemanly moves that don't quite match his macho physique.

"Of course!" Hermione happily placed her delicate hand on Krum's hand.

At the prompting of someone who was 'Professor Unscrupulous' to Malfoy and 'Professor Unbeatable' to her, she saw a lot of things, and then she came up with what she now thought was the right answer - honestly, she didn't think she would choose another answer unless a wizard named 'JK Rowling' gave her a Imperius Curse!

As a result, Hermione had only said hello to Harry a few times that night, completely ignoring Ron, who had been looking at her almost like Karkaroff's.

Finally, after the Yule Ball, Hermione officially becomes Krum's girlfriend.

—————————————— conversation that no one knows———————————————

Leeds: I want to reiterate, I'm a professor of wizarding simulations, not wizarding relationships, can you girls stop talking to me all the time? Although I was really idle, I wanted to be asked a motivated question like 'How can I beat a werewolf to death with my fist?'

Hermione: Professor......

Leeds: Alas...... Okay, okay, you've got you...... Say, what's going on this time? Because he was involved with Krum, he was attacked by other girls? This is not saved, it can only be just positive, I personally recommend the 'oolong out of the hole spell', a snake can scare away a group of girls, it's invincible!

Hermione: Professor! It's not like that! …… No, it can't be said that it has nothing to do with Krum at all, but it is Ron......

Leeds: Another kid with a bad personality, but not as hopeless as Malfoy? Let me guess...... (looks Hermione up and down) ...... Is he maliciously slandering Krum?

Hermione: W- Professor, how did you guess?!

Leeds: Keep the answer for now~ Tell me how he slandered that stupid guy with big muscles?

Hermione: He said I was the smartest student in the school, ah, that's just what Ron said...... Ahem, and then Krum approached me, just to get some good ideas out of my mouth, good ideas for the Triwizard Tournament.

Leeds: Wow~ This sewage is too spilled, I really don't want to admit that he is Fred and George's younger brother......

Hermione: (hangs his head) Ron also said that I was greedy for vanity and only approached Krum for the sake of fame...... By forming a friendship with Krum, I'm helping the enemy deal with Harry and all the Hogwarts participants! …… But Professor, I really haven't told Krum about it! Krum had never asked about such a thing!

Liz: No, that's wrong in itself, even if you make a suggestion to Krum? That's your personal business...... Make it clear to me that you were Hermione Granger first, then a Hogwarts wizarding apprentice, then a member of Gryffindor, and finally a friend of Harry Potter.

Hermione:???

Leeds: I don't understand it now, and if I go back to my dorm room and lie in bed, I still can't think about it, so I'll be bound by an identity imposed by others for the rest of my life...... Now, I'll announce the answer, listen carefully~

Hermione:!

Leeds: Your good friend, Ron Weasley, has a crush on you.

Hermione: Huh?

Leeds: I mean, he's got a crush on you.

Hermione: W-how is this possible?! He was still thinking about inviting Flemban Delacul!

Leeds: yes, if he had Fleur as his dance partner, he wouldn't have liked you, it's very logical.

Hermione:............ Slow, slow, Professor, you mean!

Leeds: By the way, if you didn't start paying attention to your appearance because you were going to the Santa Ball, but you made your front teeth smaller, and your messy hair straightened, and suddenly you became a lot more beautiful, Ron wouldn't think of you as a girl~ Think about it yourself, when did he suddenly change his attitude?

Hermione: What did he think of me?! (Tears of anger)

Leeds: Well, in fact, most men are like that, and I like beautiful women, Ron, that's a normal reaction...... It's just that in order to walk with you, he smeared his rival in this uncomfortable way and broke you and Krum, which is his personality problem.

Hermione: Ah...... He shouldn't be in Gryffindor! He's supposed to be in Slytherin!

Leeds: You're just in the mood for now, maybe you turn your head and think Ron is better...... So, this is a small theater involving a love triangle, so it's hard for me to interject~~ Hermione, which one do you think is suitable to choose, maybe the last two are not your real sons, but the protrusion of Neville's different peaks! In your circle of friends, Neville's character is the best, and you can bully him for the rest of your life~~

Hermione:...... Professor......

Liz: Haha, I would like to give you a final sentence that all the decisions of each person will affect their own lives, therefore, everyone must be responsible for their own lives~~ In the future, they can only resent themselves.