Summary: Hermione keeps getting anonymous love notes and roses. When a Red, White, and Blue ball is announced after a couple Americans make their way into the Hogwarts student body, She is determined to seek out her admirer, but she begins to think… Is someone just playing a trick?
Disclaimer: I do not own ANYTHING (except Tim and Sarah). Everything is J. K. Rowling's.
~~SURPRISE!~~
When Hermione stepped off the train, she immediately gazed into the distance, at the castle, at Hogwarts. The towering turrets, the grand arches, the dark stone, it was all home to her. Yet to the girl who was close behind her, it was spectacular and terrifying. "Is that the school?" Sarah asked in a shaky tone of voice, which Hermione couldn't tell if it was excitement or fear.
She turned her head, gave her a large grin, and said in a cheerful voice, "Yup. You got it!" She heard Sarah gulp, then make a whimpering noise.
"Firs' years! Firs' years! O'er here! Gath'r roun'! Don' be shy!" Hermione heard Hagrid roar over the confusion. Sarah's eyes got wide. "Who is that? Do I go over an' see him? I'm lost."
"I think that Hagrid would have said something if you were to see him, but let's just go check."
They both weaved their way through the crowds, heading for the giant of a man, who was trying to round up the eager first years. "Hagrid! Hagrid!" Hermione called.
He waved. "'Ello 'Ermione!"
"Hagrid, does Sarah here go with you or does she stick with us?"
He examined her through his wild, bushy hair, eyes twinkling.
"Are ye' one of them new 'Merican students?"
She nodded, looking absolutely petrified.
"Well, Dumbledoor told me t' jus' let ye' go with th' other students. He said that there'd be a special sortin' fer ye'."
She nodded again and quickly stuttered a thank you.
Someone calling her name.
She turned to see Tim's hand furiously waving above the rush of people. She raced over to him, wanting to be with someone she knew was about as confused as she was. Hermione smiled as she slowly followed her.
Her smile slowly grew larger and her cheeks pinker when she saw some red hair peeking out over the sea of students.
After they entered the Great Hall, watched the Sorting, and lost the Americans to Dumbledoor's office, Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione were talking about the new arrivals. "They're going to be in fourth year, you know," Ginny boasted in a matter-of-factly tone, absolutely beaming. Hermione turned to her with a confused sort of look.
"I thought she said that they were only thirteen."
Ron broke in, "Tim's going to be fourteen on the 26th, and her birthday has to be before New Year's-"
"December 27th to be exact," Ginny interrupted.
"Yeah, so they can still be fourth years."
Hermione nodded.
She suddenly found herself staring at the person sitting right across from her. Ron certainly has grown, she thought. Well, not really. He looks taller. Maybe its just because he's buffed up a bit. He doesn't look like a little boy, anymore. He's actually quite good lo-
"…Hermione?"
She snapped out of her thoughts. "Huh?"
Ron had a worried look on his face. "I asked you if you wanted the rest of that chicken."
"Oh, sure. I mean, no, I don't want it. You can have it," she said quickly turning red. She pushed her plate towards him, which he took with a raised eyebrow.
God, he's cute when he does that.
What was she saying? He was her best friend! You don't go around thinking that your best friend is cute or something. Unless he's more…
Nasty voice in her head.
"Hey guys!"
They all turned around to see Tim and Sarah coming up, in full uniform, with Gyffindor emblems. Tim was grinning ear-to-ear, Sarah was smiling with her round cheeks glowing.
Ron and Harry were instantly like, "Bloody Hell! Great job!", shaking Tim's hand, and patting him on the back, while Ginny was squeezing Sarah to bits and Hermione was trying to save her from suffocation. She sat down, her ponytail and robes a bit disheveled, in between both the girls, and Tim was dragged between the guys.
Conversations blossomed and continued until it was time to head for the dorms. Hermione was relieved when she collapsed onto her old bed and fell asleep, dreaming about Ron Weasley's freckled face, spiky red hair, and gorgeous blue eyes she drowned in every time they locked with hers.
*~*
Ron, Hermione, and Harry sat down at breakfast, examining their schedules. Ron was complaining very loudly. "Why does it seem that every year we have Double Potions with the Slytherins?"
"Maybe, it's because every year we do," Harry said sarcastically, a smirk playing across his lips. Ron's eyes lowered and he punched him in the arm. "Hey look," Harry chuckled. "History of Magic is right after lunch, Ron. Looks like you can get your afternoon nap after all."
Taking a swig of her orange juice, she rolled her eyes and continued to read her agenda. Ron grumbled, "Oh, great, Transfiguration's first. You think you're up to it, 'Mione?"
"Of course I am. I review over the summer, so that I remember everything. The question is, are you Ronald Weasley?"
"Hey, I was just asking."
He slowly stood up, stuffed the rest of his toast into his mouth, and threw his bag over his shoulder. "Cuf-min?" He asked with his mouth full. Hermione gave him a disgusted look and quickly got up and took his side. Harry followed suit and the trio made their way towards their first class of the year.
When they chose their seats, Ron and Harry began fighting over who sat in the middle.
"You know Harry, this year I think that I should be the one who sits in the middle chair. I mean, you've sat there for four years straight and I think you should pass on the honor," Ron said with a snobbish tone.
"Oh, really? Because I think that I should sit in the middle so that I can be protected in case Voldemort decides to show up in the middle of class."
"Harry, why would Voldemort interrupt class? He's evil. He would be doing us a favor if he barged in on one of McGonagall's lectures, don't you think?"
"Yes, well, I think that my sitting in the middle has become tradition."
"Well, it's one that I don't think we should keep."
"You're only saying that because you want to sit next to-"
"Oh, shut up and I'll sit in the middle!" Hermione shouted, obviously annoyed.
Both turned to face her, with shocked expressions upon their faces. Ron quickly smiled and pulled out the chair she had claimed. In a faux cheerful voice, he gestured for her to sit and said, "Here you are, my dear."
"Thanks," she muttered darkly.
But as class began, Hermione's mood picked up quickly. Her hand continued to shoot up, and she was always ready with the correct answer. Suddenly, the door opened and two students walked in.
Sarah was gripping her books tightly, a nervous gleam was in her eye. Tim strutted forward, and haughtily handed Professor McGonagall a note. She read it, eyed both of them, then told them to choose their seats.
Everyone stared as they made their way to the back of the room, which caused Sarah to turn bright red. They stumbled into two empty spots next to Ron, which cause Harry to grumble.
"What are you guys doing here? I thought you were fourth years," Ron asked Tim.
"So did we, but it seems that we learned the fourth year stuff last year," he said with a huge smirk on his face.
"Really?" Hermione asked over Ron's shoulder.
"Yeah, well, we were in advanced classes."
"Hmm."
As the lesson went on, Sarah and Tim's hands flew up every time that Hermione's did. Ron leaned over and whispered, "Looks like you've got competition for class know-it-all." She noticed how her ear tingled, and how her stomach felt like a thousand butterflies were let loose in it when he did this. Why does it do that? It's just Ron.
*~*
The trio, accompanied by Tim, met up with Ginny and headed over to sit at the table for a bit of lunch. Hermione notice a flyer was at all of their seats. She quickly unfolded it, glanced at it, and gasped. Her eyes darted to Ron, who's face was changing to a color that was beginning to match his hair. Harry moaned, Ginny giggled, and Tim sighed.
Sarah came back from the bathroom and stared at everyone. "Wussup with everybody?" she asked Hermione, looking extremely puzzled. Hermione handed her the flyer.
RED, WHITE, AND BLUE BALL In light of our new students from America, Timothy Hasselhoff and Sarah Hunter, Headmaster Dumbledoor decided to hold a ball welcoming them. Everyone is to be dressed in either red, white, blue, or a combination. A seamstress will visit one day to take all of your measurements and a form for your gown or suit will be provided. We hope that you will have a splendid time. THANK YOU.Instantly, all the color was gone from her face, and she looked absolutely horrified.
She grabbed a hold of Ginny and Hermione's robes and dragged them out of the hall and into the girls bathroom.
"What's going on? Aren't you happy? This is great! A whole ball in honor of you!" Ginny inquired with an excited manner.
Sarah quickly shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, sounding worried.
"I… I-I never get asked to anything like this. Not to dances, not even to parties. If… if I don't go with anyone, people are going to think that I'm…"
"That you're what?"
"That I'm…" she choked. "That I'm a loser!"
Hermione shook her head. "You're going to get asked. I got asked to the Yule Ball last year, and I'm more of a loser than you."
"Well, you're, like, ten times prettier than me. And Ron keeps flirting with you, so I mean, you'll easily get asked."
She looked down at her feet. "No one flirts with me…"
Ginny put a hand on her shoulder, "Come on, no one? Please! I bet tons of guys liked you at your old school."
She shook her head. "All my friends have had at least one boyfriend, and I can't even get a guy to like me, not even…"
She bit her lip.
Hermione was lost in thought. Did she say that Ron keeps flirting with me? Ron doesn't flirt with me… He's just a friend, yeah. He likes… Hang on, who does he like? Well, he's probably too immature for girlfriends anyway. He's just being my best friend, not flirty. No, not flirty at all. Nope. Wish he was though.
I didn't just think that.
"Come on, Hermione. Let's get some lunch. Maybe that'll make Sarah feel better."
"Oh, right. Coming."