A/N: Ron reflects on his argument with Hermione after the Yule Ball. Set in GoF. slight OOC Ron.

Submission for:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): Arithmancy Assignment #3 - Write a story about an argument between friends and the effect it has on their friendship

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"

Her words still echoed through his mind as he stared up at the ceiling above his four-poster bed. The other boys had fallen asleep one by one, each of them going on and on about how much a great time they had at the Ball. Even Neville couldn't stop blathering about how much punch he drank and almost threw up on Pansy Parkinson. Now that he was alone, all he could think about was Hermione.

"Next time there's a ball? There weren't going to be anymore balls soon", Ron thought moodily. Hermione always thought she was so smart and wise but she was talking rubbish then, wasn't she?

Hermione was one of the guys, one of his friends since First Year. Though they fought more than most friends did, they had been through so much together with Harry, that it completely slipped his mind that Hermione was indeed a girl he could ask to the Ball. But it was obvious that Neville had realized much earlier, and so had Viktor Krum who had beat both of them to the punch.

He growled into the dorm room as he felt an angry feeling rise in his chest again, the same one he felt as he sat along the wall and watch the two of them dancing.

Is it wrong if I wanted to keep her safe? Krum is the enemy. He's from Durmstrang, a school known for the Dark Arts. He doesn't mean Hermione any good. He's a celebrity and he's older than her. He's just going to string her along and then break her heart when he leaves.

Couldn't Hermione see he was trying to look out for her best interests and he didn't want to see her get hurt. She should be hugging him, praising him even. She shouldn't be mad at him.

But she was mad, she was absolutely livid, and Ron couldn't help but feel like she was completely justified somehow.

He could still see her spinning about the dance floor, her eyes bright and her smile wide. She looked amazing, definitely beautiful and had been having a wonderful night, the happiest he had ever seen her, and he had ruined it all for her in one fell swoop. In trying to keep her from getting hurt, he had been the one to do it.

"I'm an idiot," Ron said out loud as his hand rose to cover his eyes.

"Yes, yes you are," someone said in the darkness.

Ron sat up in bed. "Harry?" he asked. "You're awake?"

"What are you going to do about it?" Harry asked, ignoring Ron's question.

"I don't know," Ron said, throwing himself back onto his pillow. "She doesn't want to talk to me right now anyway."

"Well, you better think of something, Ron. She's your friend and you made her cry tonight," Harry said as he rolled over onto his other side.

Ron nodded into the dark. "I know," he groaned. "I'll make it up to her if she'll hear me out", he thought as he drifted off to sleep.