Professor McGonagall had just told the students about the Yule ball that was going to be held. Guys ask girls of course.
All the guys paced around the common room debating who to ask. Of course there were the ones who knew instantly, such as Cedric Diggory. Harry over heard him at dinner as he was passing by his table, he was going to ask Cho. And there was no doubt that Cho was going to say yes. Everybody knew she had a thing for him, as well as Cedric did for her.
"hey Ron", called Harry, "who are you gonna ask to the ball?"
" oh umm.. Err… I dunno Harry."
Harry started pacing the Gryffindor common room once more, concentrating so hard on who he should ask that he ran flat into Ginny Weasley as she was headed up to her dormitory.
"Harry!" said Ginny, a little surprised, "are you all right"
Ginny helped Harry to his feet again.
"oh sorry Ginny! I was just thinking. Your not hurt right?"
"no I'm fine." Ginny mumbled so softly as she turned bright red, just then realizing that they were still holding hands and were very close.
"err umm talk to you later Ginny" muttered Harry and he walked away.
Harry walked up to his dormitory and sat down on his bed. Could Ginny be the one to ask to the ball? She's Ron's sister, but she has had a thing for me I think, and I've always kinda liked her. Harry continued on this thought until he fell asleep.
Ron walked up the dormitory looking for Harry, he needed help. Harry knew he wanted to ask Hermione to the ball, but was just too embarrassed to admit it.
Hermione and Ron had been the perfect couple in Harry's mind for a long time, of course they didn't see it that way. To Ron and Hermione they were just friends.
Ron pondered on the thought of asking Hermione until he too, drifted to sleep.
The next day Ron woke up and as he was about to talk to Harry, he found out he wasn't there. He changed out of his pajamas and into his normal clothes and went down to the common room to see if he was there.
He was, but he wasn't alone, he was sitting on the couch, his arm around a red headed girl which he soon figured out was Ginny. Ron was very confused. He never even thought that Harry would get with his younger sister. Well maybe it wouldn't be that bad. Harry and Ginny were the only ones besides Ron in the common room, so he quietly crept back up into the dormitory, got back into his pajamas and pretended to go to sleep. He figured Harry would be back up in the dormitory soon and if he would tell Ron if Harry wanted Ron to know.
Harry crept back into the dormitory, his spirits high, as he had just asked Ginny to the Yule ball. He wanted to go tell Ron, hoping that he would approve of the match.
He walked over to Ron's bed and woke him up.
"Ron! Ron! Get up!" Harry said anxiously.
"what is it Harry? What time is it?"
"its almost nine thirty! And I have an escort for the ball"
Ron sat up immediately, glad to know that Harry was going to tell him.
"who is it mate?" Ron asked pretending like he had no idea what was going on.
"ok Ron, I really like this girl and I really hope you approve because-"
"c'mon mate. Just tell me already" Ron interrupted.
Harry told the whole story about what had happened last night in the common room and that he realized he really did like Ginny a lot. Ron to his surprise was completely cool with it.
"now," Harry said, "we have to figure how you are going to ask Hermione."
"what?? No.. err… ummm…. I never um.. Said that" Ron stuttered
"Ron, I know you like her, so now I say that you ask her. And don't deny you don't like her" Harry said smiling and patting Ron on the back.
Ron just sat there and grinned.
Harry had thought of a plan and it was to go into action when Hermione got back to the common room from the library, which should be around noon. Everyday Hermione had no classes such as weekends she would study in the library from nine in the morning to noon. Many time she had encouraged harry and ron to go, but each time they rejected the idea.
Hermione got back from the library and rushed up to her dormitory to put away her quill, scrolls, and books.
At noon exactly, ron got changed back into his normal clothes and walked down into the common room with a flower that harry had picked from hagrids, to save just in case anything like this happened.
Ron sat on the couch and when Hermione walked back down, he motioned for her to join him on the couch.
Hermione, looking confused, went and sat down next to him.
Harry was peeking and listening in from the stairs the led up to the dormitory.
"what is this all about?" Hermione asked sounding confused
Ron started speaking, trying to remember on what him and Harry had practiced saying, instead, he was so nervous all his words came out jumbled.
"'erminone, ball like you really will go with Yule me the I?" he said
"wait what? I didn't catch that" Hermione said still very confused.
There was a moment of silence as Ron was thinking of what to say, he finally pulled the right words together.
"Hermione, I really like you and I have really liked you, and I was just wondering if you would like to go to the Yule ball with me.?" Ron said nervously
They stared into each others eyes until Hermione finally said, or more like shouted a yes, and nearly toppled Ron over as she went to hug him.
"cool" Ron said, feeling accomplished.
Ron got up and started walking back to the dormitory when he remembered the flower. He ran to Hermione and gave it to her. She smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Harry met Ginny in the common room, right before dinner. He told Ron to wait for Hermione so as Harry and Ginny left the common room, hand in hand, walking down to the great hall, Ron stayed behind.
Harry and Ginny sat right next to each other all throughout dinner, as well as ron and Hermione. That night they had figured out all the matches for the ball. Dean asked Parvarti, Seamus was going with Padma, Neville was going with a Ravenclaw girl named Luna, Fred was going with Angelina Johnson, and George was going with Katie Bell. They had also over heard Draco Malfoy bragging about him going with what he thinks is the prettiest girl in the school, Pansy Parkinson. Crab was going with Millicent Bullstrode, and Goyle was going with Lavendar brown, which none of the Gryffindor or Slytherins were too happy about. As Harry looked up and down the table trying, overhearing peoples conversation, everybody was talking about the Yule ball.
Dinner ended with everybody very excite, the ball being only in two days. Harry and Ginny were getting to be closer and closer each day, while as Ron and Hermione n the other hand, well.. Ron and Hermione were doing great since Ron asked Hermione to the ball. That is until Ron's dress robes came. Ron's dress robes were very old fashioned and very ancient. All his brothers had worn them at least once in their life, and Ron absolutely hated them. Ron threw a fit when he saw them and acted as if he were two. Hermione could not stand this behavior and they haven't talked since then. Which was just this morning, but for them, that is a long time without speaking. Harry eventually convinced Ron to apologize to Hermione and accept the fact that he couldn't afford new dress robes. They actually did go quite well with his red hair, and freckles.
Finally Ron and Hermione started talking again. And just in time. The Yule ball was tomorrow. In just less than 24 hours they would be on the dance floor, dancing the night away.
Harry was having a hard time falling asleep seeing as the ball was tomorrow and he would be with, in his opinion, the perfect girl. Harry got up out of bed and when to his trunk. He got out his dress robes, brand new seeing has he had just bought them, and tried them on. His dress robes where nice and elegant, black and white, with lace on the color and the cuffs. He sat down and admired them, thinking about what the next day would hold. Harry heard something in the common room, got back into his pajamas, and crept down the stairs to see what was making the racket. When he got down there he saw Ron and Hermione on the couch talking. Not arguing, just talking and laughing. Then out of no where Ron flat out kissed Hermione straight on the lips. Harry saw his ears turn bright red.
"What was that for?" Hermione asked.
"oh umm err… it was nothing.." Ron stuttered, obviously embarrassed.
"no, it was nice." Hermione replied and grinned as she went and kissed him back.
They held the kiss for a good 5 seconds until they finally pulled away. Hermione scooted closer to Ron and rested her head against his chest, drifting to sleep. This made Harry think of Ginny. He had been wanting to kiss her for quite a while now, but hadn't had the chance. Tomorrow he told himself, before or after the ball tomorrow he decided he would kiss her. He wondered if Ginny had been thinking the same thing. Hoping that she wanted him to kiss her. Harry wanted to go get Ginny right now and kiss her in the middle of the night, but one, Ron would see him, and two, he wasn't allowed up in the girls dormitory. Harry decided that Ron would be getting up and back to the dormitory soon, so he crept back up the stairs as quietly as he could, and crawled back into bed. Soon enough he heard Ron open the door and get into his bed, and Harry fell asleep within a matter of minutes. He woke up early the next day, nervous, anxious, and excited all at the same time. He turned to his side and realized that Ron was still sound asleep in his bed, as well and Dean, Seamus, and Neville. He was the only one up. He got dressed, brushed his teeth, combed his hair and walked down in to the common room. There he found Ginny, sleeping on the couch. What she was doing there, Harry had no idea. He went and woke her up gently.
"What are you doing sleeping down here?" Harry asked, very curious. She hadn't been there last night when Ron and Hermione were.
"I couldn't sleep and woke up early and came down here. I guess I must have fallen asleep." replied Ginny in the middle of a yawn.
"Its five in the morning, we should probably get some more sleep, we are going to need energy for dancing tonight." Harry said as he too yawned.
Ginny stared into his eyes for a moment and then agreed to go up and get more sleep. As they both turned to go up to the dormitory they both looked back at each other. Ginny then ran as fast as she could with all the little energy she had in her and jumped into Harry's arms, hugging him tight. They didn't let go for about two minutes and finally got back into their beds and drifted to sleep. When Harry woke again, it was nine in the morning and he was still the only guy awake.
Wondering if Ginny was awake, he walked out of the dorm and into the common room. Ginny, he found, was still sleeping, but Parvarti, Hermione, and Lavender were awake.
"Hi Harry." said everybody in excited voices.
"Hi."
Hermione, was on the couch with her nose in a book, big surprise. He went and joined her. She closed the book and set it on the table, Hogwarts, A History.
"Hermione, how many times have you read that book so far? Haven't you got it memorized?" said Harry, astonished.
"Yes but its nice to refresh my memory every once in a while. Plus I'm too excited to do anything else."
Harry sat there for a moment talking to Hermione. He then started thinking. Wondering why his name had to be pulled out of the goblet, when he was underage and when the 3 competitors had already been chosen. It was a mystery. One where he wasn't sure he wanted to figure out.
By ten o'clock everybody, including Ginny, was awake. Everybody made their way to the Great Hall to enjoy a nice brunch, before all the girls ran up to the dormitories to get ready for the ball which started at four. Everybody exited the Great Hall when they were full, seeing as today, you were allowed to leave whenever you were done eating. Harry and Ginny left together, holding hands, while Fred and George gave their little sister a hard time about growing up too quickly. They walked to the Gryffindor common room so Ginny could start getting ready. She was starting to walk up her stairs, when she had to finally let go of Harry's hand. Harry didn't let go. Instead he pulled her closer to him, and took both her hands. They stared at each other for what seemed like a long time until Harry finally kissed her, right on the lips for quite a long time. He let go, and speechless, Ginny gave him one more quick kiss before going up to get ready. Harry sat on the sofa while waiting for Ron to get back from brunch. He picked up Hermione's copy of Hogwarts, A History and flipped it open, starting to read it. He got all the way up to chapter three when Ron and Hermione walked in. Soon after them, Lavender, Parvarti, Dean, Seamus, Padma, and finally Neville.
All the girls hurried up to their dormitory to shower and get ready. They boys all took turn taking showers and waited a while before finally deciding to get ready. It was exactly forty five minutes before they had to meet outside the Great Hall for the ball. After the boys got on their dress robes, and groomed up, they walked down into the common room, all of them looking rather stunning. Padma and Parvarti were the first of the girls ready. They were wearing matching dresses, elegant pink and blue, which went down below their ankles but not trailing the floor. They took arms with Dean and Seamus, and started heading down to the Great Hall. They were supposed to be down there in ten minutes. When Lavender was ready her and Neville walked down together, seeing as both their dates were in different houses. Finally, with 5 minutes left, Hermione and Ginny walked down together. Harry's jaw dropped at the sight of Ginny in her pale pink dress, perfectly curled hair, and rosy cheeks. Ron nearly fainted at the sight of Hermione. She had a gorgeous purple dress on that went down to her feet, ruffled and beautiful. As the guys got back into consciousness, walked down together. Harry and Ginny holding hands, as well as Ron and Hermione who walked just behind them.
When they finally got outside the Great Hall, everybody oohed and aahed as they saw Hermione and Ginny. Even Fleur, accompanied by Victor Krum, complemented them. Every couple and every teacher filed into the Great Hall and was amazed by the transformation to a ball room. It started off with a slow dance, Harry held Ginny close and guided her gracefully across the dance floor, Ron on the other hand.. Ron and Hermione were having a hard time not stepping on each others feet. Hermione was laughing though, and was having a great time. They went through many dances, fast slow and in between, before finally resting to get some pumpkin juice, and desserts. They sat down and rested while catching their breath. Ginny sat on Harry's lap, and Ron held Hermione close. As they finished their snacks, they headed back onto the dance floor when all of a sudden, the music stopped, everything turned cold. Dementors.