I pulled my emerald green dress robes out of my trunk and held them up. Hannah looked up from her Herbology book. "They're great," she said absentmindedly. "Hannah!" I chastised. "The ball is two days away! Do you even know who you're taking?" She looked up at me and said, "George. Duh." I facepalmed, my robes falling to the floor. "I forgot to ask Ron!" I said, picking my robes up off the floor and throwing them hastily into my trunk. I bounded down the stairs to the common room, followed closely by Hannah. "Vicki! Do you honestly think you have to ask him? You guys have been dating for three months now!" I whirled around to face her. "You have no idea how little experience Ronald has with this kind of thing." I walked over to his favorite armchair by the fireplace, but there were only giggling first years there. I turned and surveyed the common room, looking for his telltale ginger hair. "Aha!" I yelped, green eyes alighting on a flash of orange in the corner by the windows. I rushed toward them, but Harry caught me off guard by yelling, "Blimey, Vicki, you look peeved!" loud enough for everyone in the common room to hear. Both he and Ron knew I hated public attention, regardless how big the crowd.

Ron wrapped his arms affectionately around my waist and pulled me into the safety of his lap. I turned and kissed him lightly on the cheek and said, "So, we need to talk." His ears reddened adorably, and he looked terrified. "W-What about?" he asked tentatively. "So, are you going to the ball with me or what?" Both he and Harry burst into laughter. Hannah and I exchanged a look, and she shook her head and walked away to join George by the portrait hole. I looked at Ron, then Harry, demanded to know what was so funny. Ron finally pulled himself together well enough to form a coherent sentence and said, "You honestly thought we were going?" I looked at Harry quizzically, but he was fighting not to laugh. "Yes," I said, clearly upset. "I know you're going." Ron's face suddenly turned serious. "I'm not wearing those awful maroon things I wore last year, love. They don't even fit any more!" I shook my head and said, "So… Harry!" He jumped at being directly addressed by me and said, "What?" "Go to the Owlery and get Hedwig. Quickly, please." I jumped off Ron's lap and ran upstairs and grabbed a Madam Malkin's order form off my bedside table. I went back down and Harry was back. I sat back down on Ron's lap and said, "Quill?" to Fred, who had appeared out of nowhere. He handed me one silently and I filled out the form for emerald green dress robes, just like mine. I tied the order form to Hedwig's leg and she fluttered out into the night. Ron sighed. "I can't believe you just did that. And you put it on Malfoy's tab." I smiled and chuckled darkly as I settled into Ron's arms for the rest of the evening.