THE NIGHT OF THE YULE BALL

Disclaimer: I just checked my face in the mirror. I'm not J.K. Sorry. (For those of you who actually don't know, Jo Rowling owns everything you recognize, not me!)

Chapter 1: Hermione-12:14 a.m.

Hermione stormed upstairs, tears stinging her eyes. Stupid Ron. Stupid stupid Ron!

She could hear Ron talking to Harry. She thought she could hear the words "Herm-oh-ninny, vait!" But she didn't stop. She passed the girls grouped on the stairs, huddled together, sobbing. Stupid girls. They think they have it tough because their stupid dates didn't like them as much as they wanted. They really think they have it rough.

She stomped up the great marble staircase, totally ignoring the sobs.

Dammit! She had forgotten the trick step. With a strength she never knew she possessed, she yanked her foot out and continued her silent march.

She reached the portrait hole, concealed behind the portrait of a very fat lady in a pink silk dress. She said the password then tore inside, dashing up the stone steps to her dormitory. She threw herself onto her bed, finally releasing the sobs she had bottled up inside her. Parvati and Lavender, both already in bed, whispering and giggling, looked over at her. Hermione didn't look back at them. They had, ahem, never exactly been the closest. She had always preferred hanging out with Harry and Ron to all the girly stuff that those two did.

Ron. Another pang stabbed her, but she pushed it away.

She almost jumped in surprise when she felt two hands on her back. She looked up. Parvati and Lavender had seated themselves on the edge of her bed and were gently rubbing her pack, looking down at her with pity.

Parvati whispered, "Are you all right?"

Hermione shook her head, another wail escaping her mouth.

"What happened?" Lavender inquired.

"R-R-Ron!!!!" Hermione wailed.

Parvati and Lavender looked at each other in confusion. "But you went with Viktor Krum!"

Hermione shook her head in a movement that was neither a 'no' or a 'yes.'

"He r-ruined everything! H-he made fun of Viktor, and m-made me cry! I didn't want Viktor to see my like that, so I left! All because of Ron!"

Parvati and Lavender looked at each other, and then both immediately started harping on with all the negative gossip about Ron there had ever been.