"Second Choice" by Quidditch, Anyone?
Another Ball
Ron snorted. With crossed arms he sat down on a rather large armchair near the Common Room door, Harry following close behind.
"Oh, come on, it's not that bad," Harry admitted, still standing and looking at Ron lightly.
Ron just rolled his eyes and sank deeper into his chair. Sure, it's not that bad for Harry, who would have no trouble finding a date for the next ball. Harry could go with whoever he wanted, whether it be Cho or Parvati or (Ron's stomach got a strange knot in it) Ginny, or just about any other girl. Harry didn't nearly have his head bitten off when he told the girl he wanted to go with last year that he would have liked to be her partner. But then again, Ron told Hermione this after the ball was over, which may have made her a little, er, testy.
Harry looked around for any eavesdroppers and leaned in towards Ron. "Just ask her, mate, if it bothers you so much," he whispered.
"Easier said than done, Harry," Ron said stonily.
Getting in the middle of this row with his friends was the last thing Harry wanted to do. Besides, he had more things to worry about... like a date for himself. Doing what he thought was best at the time, he simply rolled his eyes and left Ron alone to sulk.
·~··~··~·
Hermione sighed as she placed her bag on a chair next to her in the library. Being Hermione, this was the only place she thought would be comforting. When Professor McGonagall had announced at the end of Transfiguration that there was going to be another Winter Ball held this year, Hermione was excited. Her joy didn't last long, however- about as long as it took for her to see Ron's face turn the color of the violets they had turned into violins. Now things couldn't be worse, knowing Ron was never going to ask her, not after last year.
Not being able to keep her mind on work, Hermione took out scrap pieces of parchment and started to draw silly sketched absentmindedly. She wasn't a very good artist, but it pleasantly took her mind off things.
She was so absorbed in her misery that she didn't even notice when Ginny came over until she snapped her fingers sharply in Hermione's face.
"Heard about the ball, have you?" Ginny asked when she finally had Hermione's undivided attention.
Hermione simply nodded.
Ginny picked up the drawings Hermione had been working on and allowed herself a small giggle. "Guess doodling hasn't exactly helped you forget, now, has it?"She pointed to the pictures of a tall, red-headed boy of about 15 and even a small heart that had 'H+R' in the middle.
Hermione blushed and snatched the paper back as Ginny laughed again.
"Cheer up, Hermione. Everyone knows my brother's a huge git. If he doesn't ask you, then he's such an idiot, you're better off without him."
The corners of Hermione's mouth broke into a weak smile. Ginny and her had become practically the best of friends since last year, and if anyone could make her feel better right now, Ginny could.
"Yeah, you're right. But if he's such a git, then how come I want to go with him so badly?" Hermione pointed out.
Ginny bit her lip out of concern, but then quickly shrugged it away nonchalantly. "Wouldn't worry about it, Hermione. Everything'll turn out okay." Even Ginny didn't believe that.
I know it's been done before, but maybe that's even more of a reason for me to create a story of my own with this plot. Things get better (as in more complicated, of course) later on. And by the way, I'm being a hypocrite and saying that JK Rowling would probably not make another Ball in this series, so it's sort of unrealistic for me to write fics with them as their basic plot line. But anyway, I'll try to update soon. As for my other stories... I need suggestions, because I sold all mine on eBay. Thanks!
