Harry sighed as he sat in the library.

Hermione sighed as she sat in the library.

Ron sighed as he sat in the library.

Why you may ask. Well, Harry sighed because he is in love with Hermione and hasn't worked up the guts to tell her yet, Hermione sighed because she was in love with Harry and was tired of waiting for him to do anything about it, Ron sighed because he knew that both of them were in love with each other and was sick of seeing them doing sod all about it.

Ron wrote a note to Harry and threw it over.

Oy Harry!

Either you tell Hermione about your thing for her or I will! You have two days to decide and act. You have two days to ask her to the Yule Ball, before I do! Just do it, mate, for all of our sakes.

See you

Ron.

Ron was only going to ask her to the Yule Ball as a friend because she didn't have a date yet. He liked her certainly, but she was like a sister to him and he had never felt anything other than that for her, despite all of Harry's teasing to the contrary. Harry didn't know that though.

He got up and left the library and walked slowly back to the common room. He flopped down on a chair next to Ginny and the Weasley twins came and sat on the arms of the sofa. All the redheads stared into the fire.

"Well, Ron?"

"Phase one complete. Phase two will be up to Harry. I don't think I'll have to take her after all. He doesn't know that I don't think of Hermione like that."

"Really?"

"Yes. It would be as weird for me to take her out as it would be for me to think of you romantically, Ginny. Hermione's like a sister to me, it would be too weird."

"Well said." George said while Ginny shuddered.

"Just the mere thought of you- ew!"

"Exactly, Gin. Harry won't leave her to me. He'll ask her to go before the time limit is up."

"I guess we'll find out in a week."

"Why do you say a week?"

"Because that's the time limit, isn't it?"

"Bugger!"

"Oh god! What have you done?"

"Ronald…how long did you give him?"

"Two days." Ron replied in a small voice.

"WHAT! No way can he work up the courage to ask her out in that little time."

"You've spoilt the whole plan now!"

"There has got to be a way of fixing this mess."

At that moment Harry burst into the portrait hole looking gleeful.

"You asked her didn't you?"

"Nope. She asked me! We're going to the ball together!"

"YES!"

"Finally!"

"Goody! Now I can take her shopping!"

"Yes and we need to go shopping, too, Harry."

Hermione entered, smiling sweetly.

"Thank you for your note Ron. It was most helpful. Who said something about shopping?"

"I did! Tomorrow we're going to Hogsmede!"

"Do you have dates?"

"Yep! Angelina and Katie said they'd go with us." the twins said simultaneously.

"I'm not revealing who my date is until the night." Ginny said with that sneaky glint in her eyes.

"How about you Ron? Or do I need to set you up with someone?"

"Ron doesn't have a date." Harry said.

"Yes I do! I was bluffing earlier. I'm going with Luna."

"Aww!" everyone sighed.

"I'm paying for all of our new dress robes." Harry said, still with that insane grin on his face.

"No, I'm paying for myself and Ginny. If you pay for ours then you'll have to see what we're wearing. We want it to be a surprise for you."

"Are we getting the hair gel out again?"

"God no! The Patil twins are doing all of our hairdo's. The ball is a week away and we're having a meeting in the prefects bathroom at five on the day. We'll get ready then." Hermione went into her usual method of organisation.

"The other houses joining us too then?"

"Oh yes. And Pansy, if that's alright by you?"

"Oh yes, dear Pansy. I haven't spoken to her in days. I should so love to have another chat with her. She's taking Vincent, by the way. He asked her today." Ginny bit her lip, presumably to prevent herself from letting anything else slip.

"Aw, how sweet. He's such a darling. Such a gentleman."

"Gregory is too. Who's he taking again?"

"Padma, of course. They've been dating for, like, ever."

"I thought they had a huge fight and broke up?"

"No. Well, yes. But he got her flowers and everything and it was all sorted out."

"Are you talking about the Slytherins?"

"Yes, Harry, who did you think we were talking about?" and the girls laughed.

The boys looked on as the girls gossiped about their friends and their dates.