I walked into the Great Hall one morning to discover a white ferret bouncing around.

When McGonagall stormed in behind me, turning it back into Draco Malfoy, I felt a warm glow inside of me as I happily sat down to tuck into my toast.

Next time Draco decided to taunt me with tales of past humiliation, I finally had something to throw back at him.

Perhaps things were looking up, after all.

*****

Viktor Krum is at our school! Viktor Krum is at our school! Oh my god, oh my god.

"How will I ever be able to leave this room again?" I trembled breathlessly to Hermione the morning after our new guests had arrived. "I'm sure to make a fool of myself in front of him."

"Oh, don't be so silly, Neve," Hermione tutted, roughly hacking a comb through her frizzy hair. "Viktor Krum is no more special than you or I."

"But he's beautiful," I sighed, staring dreamily up at the ceiling.

"Really?" Hermione said, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "Each to their own, I suppose."

I was practically squealing when we entered the Great Hall for breakfast, grabbing onto Hermione's arm when I spied him at the Slytherin table. He was being talked to death to by Draco, who was no doubt wittering on about his father.

"Calm down, Neve!" Hermione hissed as I almost wet myself with excitement.

I clapped the loudest when Krum put his name in the Goblet of Fire.

And I practically fainted with happiness when he was picked as Durmstrang champion.

And despite Cedric Diggory being picked for Hogwarts champion, it was no surprise to anyone when Harry's name popped out of the Goblet too.

I was starting to understand that Harry was like a magnet to drama, and I'd given up feeling anxious about his life.

Besides, he never seemed that bothered about being in these situations himself.

"I've nothing to fear as long as Dumbledore is here!" He drunkenly announced loudly during the impromptu celebrations in the common room that night.

I was unable to make a comment as I had somehow turned into a canary after stuffing a custard cream into my mouth.

Thank Merlin Viktor Krum hadn't been there to witness that.

*****

"You should have seen Viktor!" I sighed dreamily to Trevor as I lay on my bed, cradling him to my chest. "He was amazing! So powerful, yet elegant. Strong, yet lithe. That dragon had no chance."

I knew Trevor wouldn't mind. He seemed happy just being my toad these days. And of course, nothing could replace him as my best friend.

I quietly whispered to Trevor my secret wish; my wish that Viktor Krum would ask me to the Yule Ball to be his date.

But sadly Viktor didn't even seem to know I existed. I needed to get him to somehow notice me before he asked someone else.

"That Viktor Krum is always in the library, it's frustratingly annoying," Hermione said, sighing heavily over dinner one evening.

"What's wrong with him being in the library?" I asked, making a mental note to start hanging in the library.

"It's not him," she spluttered, "it's the girls that follow him around. It's beyond pathetic!"

I felt my heart grow heavy. If all the girls wanted to be with him, then I didn't stand a chance.

"Rumour has it, Krum's already asked someone," Ron mentioned one night by the common room fire with only a week to go.

"Who?" I asked at once, my head shooting up from my Potions essay.

I noticed Hermione shift slightly behind her book.

"Dunno," Ron shrugged, "no one seems to know."

"Oh no, I'm going to be the only one going all on my own," I wept fearfully. Not one person had asked me.

"Hermione hasn't got a date," Ron said rather pompously.

"Actually, I have," Hermione said slowly, glaring at Ron over her book.

"Who?" He snapped.

"None of your damned business Ronald Weasley!" Hermione bit, standing up. "And don't look like that. If you wanted to go with me then you should have asked."

She stormed off as we all looked at her wordlessly.

"Who'd want to go with her?" Ron scoffed, his eyes shifting slightly.

"Who are you two going with then?" I asked, looking between Harry and Ron, praying that at least one of them might be free.

"We scored ourselves a couple of twins," Harry smirked, rubbing his hands gleefully together.

Oh no, I thought, disappointment flooding me.

"I'll go with you,"

I looked up to see Seamus climbing in through the portrait hole. A beaming smile stretched across his face as he eagerly crossed the room to me.

"I mean, if you want to, that is?" He hesitated slightly, thrusting his hands nervously in his trouser pockets.

"Of course!" I said, relief sweeping through me. Seamus was nice. He was always kind to me where the other kids taunted me.

I didn't need a date date. It would be good to go with a friend.

Now, all I needed was a dress. If I could find something stunning enough, then maybe I could get Viktor Krum to notice me.

Despite the fact that he was taking someone else to the ball, I had a good feeling about the Bulgarian champion.

Because I was pretty sure he was the prince I had been waiting all my life for.

*****