Chapter 1
He stared at her across the table- vaguely aware that Professor Dumbledore was making a speech, but too preoccupied with his own thoughts to care. Hermione had her faced turned away from him, but he could still see how soft her skin was, and he was still affected by her messy brown curls.
A smile suddenly appeared on Ron's face, as he began to daydream about the last couple of months he had spent with Hermione. Ok, well, Harry had been there too, but all Ron remembered was her. Things had started to change during the last months of their 4th year. When he realized he was jealous of that moron Viktor Krum. However, Ron had pushed that aside in his brain as shock. Shock that she would ever date Harry's worst enemy (except maybe Draco).
Then again, over the summer, Hermione had come to stay with his family. Harry had been kept at home by the Dursleys, which left Ron and 'Mione alone for a good portion of the summer. He was amazed by how different she had been. She wasn't constantly worrying about studying, or passing her NEWTS. She didn't even spend her time working on S.P.E.W. Hermione just took a break for a couple weeks, so that she could be herself. She even let Fred and George perform their experiments on her, for their new joke shop.
Once they returned to Hogwarts she became her usual self again, but it didn't matter to Ron. He had seen a side of her that no one else had. The loose, silly, playful part of her that must hibernate for three-quarters of the year.
Then there was the butterbeer incident. On a class trip to Hogsmeade they had visited the Three Broomsticks. Hermione had a few too many butterbeers (the direct result of eating a few too many sugar cubes) and the combined effect put her to sleep. Ron was stuck with. ok, quickly volunteered. to carry Hermione back to the school. He never told anyone, not even Harry, how good it had felt to have her fall asleep on his arm.
Harry hadn't been able to go on that trip to Hogsmeade- Dumbledore had arranged a meeting with him to make sure that he was still doing ok after Cedric Diggory's death 2 years before. Besides, Voldemort was still out there, and it wasn't safe to have Harry leave Hogwarts grounds.
"Ron!" someone whispered. That someone was Harry, and when Ron snapped out of his daze he realized that not only Harry, but the entire school was staring at him. Or rather him and Hermione. She was blushing furiously, and he did too when he heard Professor Dumbledore's next words.
"Please, everyone. Let's try to get along just a little better than at our last ball, ok?" He was glancing at Ron and Hermione with a twinkle in his eyes. Everyone knew they were the famous fighting couple, and everyone remembered their fight during the Yule Ball in their 4th year.
"Now, remember. You cannot tell anyone what your costume will look like. This is not a ball you take a date to; we want your costumes to be a complete surprise. In fact, you will be learning how to disguise your voices in Charms this week."
Professor McGonagall continued. "The dance is for everyone in their 4th year and above. It will take place a week from Friday. You may all continue your meals now, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask Professor Dumbledore or myself."
As Ron grabbed for a chicken wing, he looked at Harry. "Um, what exactly did I miss?" he asked, "I kind of zoned."
Harry laughed. "I noticed. Apparently there's going to be a ball. A masquerade ball. We all have to dress up and wear masks. You might want to disguise your red hair, it's rather. noticeable."
"You think?" Ron was still the same sarcastic person he had always been. He looked at Hermione, expecting her to retort with some comment about his hair. However, she was sitting there mumbling to herself, something about new robes, straightened hair, and a colored mask.
"'Mione?" Ron asked.
"Huh?" She jolted. "Oh, sorry, I was. RONALD WEASLEY, STOP LAUGHING!!!" Ron was sitting there, mumbling to himself. "New robes. straightened hair. a colored mask."
"Ron!" Hermione was definitely aggravated by now. "At least I didn't daydream during Dumbledore's speech! I mean, what if he had said that there would be a Potions exam tomorrow? You would be totally unprepared! You wouldn't even know it existed!"
"Why, that's what you're for, 'Mione," Ron said, laughing. "To keep me on track."
Hermione, completely exasperated, left the room, promising to see the boys in the common room later. She was going to the library to study (she'd freaked herself out by talking about a potions exam).
~~*~~***~~*~~
She needed to have her head checked. Hermione was beginning to seriously believe that. Was it her imagination, or had Ron been watching her during Dumbledore's speech. In truth, she hadn't heard much of the speech herself, no matter what she'd said to Ron. She'd been too busy paying attention to Ron, who.
No. She had to stop this. There was no way Ron had been looking at her. He probably had been looking at Lavender over Hermione's shoulder. Or maybe he was thinking about that dreadful Fleur Delacour. Whatever it was, it hadn't been her. She needed to stop thinking that way.
As Hermione wandered the hallways, she realized how tired she was. "Wow, I need something to keep me awake." She thought to herself. "I think I'll make a little stop in my room before I go to the library, I might just have to load up on sugar cubes."
Hey guys!!!! Please, read and review! How do you think the story is going so far?
He stared at her across the table- vaguely aware that Professor Dumbledore was making a speech, but too preoccupied with his own thoughts to care. Hermione had her faced turned away from him, but he could still see how soft her skin was, and he was still affected by her messy brown curls.
A smile suddenly appeared on Ron's face, as he began to daydream about the last couple of months he had spent with Hermione. Ok, well, Harry had been there too, but all Ron remembered was her. Things had started to change during the last months of their 4th year. When he realized he was jealous of that moron Viktor Krum. However, Ron had pushed that aside in his brain as shock. Shock that she would ever date Harry's worst enemy (except maybe Draco).
Then again, over the summer, Hermione had come to stay with his family. Harry had been kept at home by the Dursleys, which left Ron and 'Mione alone for a good portion of the summer. He was amazed by how different she had been. She wasn't constantly worrying about studying, or passing her NEWTS. She didn't even spend her time working on S.P.E.W. Hermione just took a break for a couple weeks, so that she could be herself. She even let Fred and George perform their experiments on her, for their new joke shop.
Once they returned to Hogwarts she became her usual self again, but it didn't matter to Ron. He had seen a side of her that no one else had. The loose, silly, playful part of her that must hibernate for three-quarters of the year.
Then there was the butterbeer incident. On a class trip to Hogsmeade they had visited the Three Broomsticks. Hermione had a few too many butterbeers (the direct result of eating a few too many sugar cubes) and the combined effect put her to sleep. Ron was stuck with. ok, quickly volunteered. to carry Hermione back to the school. He never told anyone, not even Harry, how good it had felt to have her fall asleep on his arm.
Harry hadn't been able to go on that trip to Hogsmeade- Dumbledore had arranged a meeting with him to make sure that he was still doing ok after Cedric Diggory's death 2 years before. Besides, Voldemort was still out there, and it wasn't safe to have Harry leave Hogwarts grounds.
"Ron!" someone whispered. That someone was Harry, and when Ron snapped out of his daze he realized that not only Harry, but the entire school was staring at him. Or rather him and Hermione. She was blushing furiously, and he did too when he heard Professor Dumbledore's next words.
"Please, everyone. Let's try to get along just a little better than at our last ball, ok?" He was glancing at Ron and Hermione with a twinkle in his eyes. Everyone knew they were the famous fighting couple, and everyone remembered their fight during the Yule Ball in their 4th year.
"Now, remember. You cannot tell anyone what your costume will look like. This is not a ball you take a date to; we want your costumes to be a complete surprise. In fact, you will be learning how to disguise your voices in Charms this week."
Professor McGonagall continued. "The dance is for everyone in their 4th year and above. It will take place a week from Friday. You may all continue your meals now, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask Professor Dumbledore or myself."
As Ron grabbed for a chicken wing, he looked at Harry. "Um, what exactly did I miss?" he asked, "I kind of zoned."
Harry laughed. "I noticed. Apparently there's going to be a ball. A masquerade ball. We all have to dress up and wear masks. You might want to disguise your red hair, it's rather. noticeable."
"You think?" Ron was still the same sarcastic person he had always been. He looked at Hermione, expecting her to retort with some comment about his hair. However, she was sitting there mumbling to herself, something about new robes, straightened hair, and a colored mask.
"'Mione?" Ron asked.
"Huh?" She jolted. "Oh, sorry, I was. RONALD WEASLEY, STOP LAUGHING!!!" Ron was sitting there, mumbling to himself. "New robes. straightened hair. a colored mask."
"Ron!" Hermione was definitely aggravated by now. "At least I didn't daydream during Dumbledore's speech! I mean, what if he had said that there would be a Potions exam tomorrow? You would be totally unprepared! You wouldn't even know it existed!"
"Why, that's what you're for, 'Mione," Ron said, laughing. "To keep me on track."
Hermione, completely exasperated, left the room, promising to see the boys in the common room later. She was going to the library to study (she'd freaked herself out by talking about a potions exam).
~~*~~***~~*~~
She needed to have her head checked. Hermione was beginning to seriously believe that. Was it her imagination, or had Ron been watching her during Dumbledore's speech. In truth, she hadn't heard much of the speech herself, no matter what she'd said to Ron. She'd been too busy paying attention to Ron, who.
No. She had to stop this. There was no way Ron had been looking at her. He probably had been looking at Lavender over Hermione's shoulder. Or maybe he was thinking about that dreadful Fleur Delacour. Whatever it was, it hadn't been her. She needed to stop thinking that way.
As Hermione wandered the hallways, she realized how tired she was. "Wow, I need something to keep me awake." She thought to herself. "I think I'll make a little stop in my room before I go to the library, I might just have to load up on sugar cubes."
Hey guys!!!! Please, read and review! How do you think the story is going so far?