Author Note: So this is one of my alternate universe kind of fictions, where my muse comes out with a 'what if' question and then refuses to leave me alone until I write it. The initial idea is, what if Harry hadn't gone straight back to the tower after failing to get Cho as his date for the ball. I also wanted to explore some of the unanswered niggles I had with the cannon version of the ball, mostly that not only was Ron quite unpleasant during it all, but Harry kind of was too. I hope to remedy this, but not have anyone too OOC. I am not sure how far I am going to take this story, but it may span to the summer following Harry's 4th year. Also I do not currently have access to my copies of the books, so things I would've checked I have often been unable to, therefore feel free to nitpick in reviews.

Enjoy
Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever had any claim to the ideas of Harry Potter they are the intellectual property of our queen JK Rowling.

Harry wandered back to Gryffindor tower, nursing his ego, disappointment raging through him, and generally feeling sorry for himself. He wondered in a detached way whether Ron will have been any more successful, but was stirred from his thoughts by noting the two girls ahead of him in the corridor, seemingly in deep hurried discussion.

"Hey Hermione, Ginny. What's up?"

"Hi Harry. Ah its just.."

"Hermione!"

"What?" The older girl looked at her friend in confusion, "He might be able to help."

Ginny snorted, "Maybe but its embarrassing!"

Harry watched this exchange, "Hey, if you don't want me to know, that's okay" He smiled gently at both girls.

"Fine. But I don't see how he can help, his transfiguration can't be better than yours!"

"Well, Ginny has been asked to the ball, but obviously she doesn't have any dress robes, being a third year, so she has a conundrum over what to wear."

Harry nodded with a thoughtful look on his face, to the surprise of Ginny who'd expected him to laugh at her 'problem'. "And transfiguration came into this where?"

"Well I could cast a spell on Ginny's school robes or even some of her casual clothes to make them look like dress robes but I don't think it'd last until midnight."

"Hmm some fairy godmother you are" Harry grinned at Hermione and she rolled her eyes at the Cinderella reference, while Ginny looked between the two, confused.

Had it been any other girl having this issue, Harry likely wouldn't have cared too much, or would've just suggested they write home for some robes. Knowing the Weasleys though Harry knew that the latter was not an option, and anyway he'd seen Ron's robes. He had an idea what could work, but he'd been known to speak before he had found the right words, so he bargained for time.

"Hmm, I see the problem. Leave it with us, yeah? Hermione and I spend that much time in the library these days, I'm sure we can find something."

Hermione nodded enthusiastically, although that may have just been the mention of the library.

"So where were you just coming from?" The three were by now walking back to the tower, and Harry squirmed at the question but decided that as Ginny had been honest with him...

"I'd been trying to get a date for the ball. I finally got the courage and the opportunity to ask the girl I wanted to go with, but she'd already been asked." He tried for a casual shrug.

"Oh Harry I'm sorry." Hermione wrapped an arm around his back, "Who was it?"

"Cho, but Cedric beat me to it." Trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice, thankfully being spared from his failure to do this by their arrival at the common room.

"Ron?" The redhead in question was sat by the fire, pale-faced and blankly staring, as Seamus and Dean spoke softly to him. The three newly returned students rushed to his side.

"You okay mate?"

After revealing his inside scoop about Fleur to his assembled friends Harry returned to his problem of finding a date. He watched Hermione storm away, and felt a discomfort at the beginning of another fight between his best friends, he doubted Ron's claim about the existence of Hermione's date, but refrained from saying so. He didn't want to fight with Ron any more, even if he hadn't fully forgiven him for his behaviour the past few months. Looking up as the portrait hole opened again, he pushed aside these thoughts and rose from his chair to meet the two girls who had just entered.

Reassured that he now had a date, and that Ron too might be sorted, and so might stop antagonising Hermione, Harry turned his attention back to Ginny's problem. After a few days considering he realised that the only solution was the one that came to him originally. So before he went to sleep on that Tuesday night he sat and worked out a plan. He then sat even longer composing a small note to Ginny, suggesting his solution, and telling her where to meet him, the following Saturday to set it into motion.

So the next morning when he sat down at breakfast he turned to Hermione who was sat between him and Ginny and simply asked, "Pass this to Ginny, would you?"

Hermione barely looked up from her paper as she did so, but Harry felt eyes on him and looked up to see Ron giving him a suspicious frown.

Realising, slightly impishly, that he had an audience, he asked "Problem?"

At which is mate jumped and looked shifty, shrugged slightly, "Nothing." He kept his eyes on his plate for the rest of breakfast. Harry spent the rest of breakfast trying not to laugh.

Saturday rolled around faster than Harry could have thought, and the morning found him grabbing his school bag, and stashing inside it his invisibility cloak, his money pouch and the marauder's map. After a quick breakfast he met Ginny in the entrance hall and led her to the statue which guarded the Hogwarts side of his favourite passageway to Hogsmeade. He activated the map to check the coast was clear and then tapped his wand on the statue, "Dissendium"

He helped Ginny climb into the entrance and then followed straight after her.

"Right off we go." He lit his wand to guide there way but was stopped by a gentle touch to his arm.

"Wait Harry, before we go any further..."

"Yeah?"

"Erm, well... you do know that I don't have the money for dress robes, right?"

"Yeah. I'm paying. Didn't I say that in the note?" Harry frowned in a puzzled manner.

"Well you hinted at it. I just wanted to make sure we were both on the same page."

"Okay. Shall we?"

Ginny started walking again but obviously wasn't satisfied, "But Harry... why?"

" 'Why' what?"

Ginny gently shoved him as they walked, "Why are you paying for me?"

"Oh." Harry thought for a minute before speaking again, in an undertone as if to himself, "Well you'll probably get it more than Ron did..."

"Well I am smarter than him." Ginny said this is such an off-hand casual manner that Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay okay. Well I guess..." Harry paused to get his thoughts in order, "I have all this gold, I don't really need it, most of it anyway, and it can't buy me the things I really want."

"Such as?"

"A family... People who care... a place to belong..." Harry looked up suddenly looking stricken, "And that's not what I'm doing... I mean... I'm not trying to buy..." He stuttered to a stop unable to find the words in his panic.

Ginny chuckled softly, "I know. Calm down. And besides you'd never need to with me."

Harry nodded and took a breath before picking up his original thought. "So I can't spend my gold getting things I truly want and well, I know what its like to go without. I mean you've seen the muggle clothes I wear, right?"

"Yeah. That's the stuff your relatives give you to wear?"

Harry nodded, "Stuff Dudley doesn't want any more, or that no longer fits him." Harry smirked to himself, "But what I mean is that is all I had to wear before Hogwarts, so if I can help people out why shouldn't I?"

Ginny nodded and smiled softly before he continued.

"I would've done this for Ron but..."

"He's determined to be a jealous idiot this year?"

Another huff of laughter from Harry, "Yeah pretty much."

As the two had talked they had travelled along the tunnel and now found themselves facing the staircase that led up into Honeydukes.

"Right. Here, put this on and I'll head up, once we're both out I'll join you under the cloak."

Ginny took the invisibility cloak gently, admiring it for a second before wrapping it around her shoulders.

Once the pair had sneaked out of first, the basement and then the quiet shop, Harry turned to Ginny under the cloak. He went to hand over his money pouch, but stopped halfway, "Oh! Hang on..." He fished out three galleons and pocketed them before handing the pouch to Ginny. "There should be enough in there for anything you need. Right, Gladrags." They walked along the street and stopped outside the shop. Harry pointed to a bench on the opposite side of the road. "I'll be there when you're done. Take your time."

Ginny gripped Harry's arm briefly, "Seriously, thanks for this Harry."

His brilliant grin made her day more than any shopping trip could've managed. "You're welcome. See you in a bit."

She nodded and slipped from under the cloak and straight into the shop.

After checking that the cloak fully covered him, Harry walked towards the Three Broomsticks, plan firm in his mind. He made his way carefully through the room until he reached the far end of the bar, thankfully avoiding treading on anyone's toes. Once there he let his fingers show outside the folds of his cloak, at chest height, "Madame Rosemerta?"

"Hello?"

Harry waggled his fingers to attract her attention. "Good afternoon."

"Oh hello, who's that under there then?"

"It's Harry Potter ma'am, but I'm not supposed to be out of the castle so I'd rather not be seen. You won't report me, will you?"

"Well you be careful dear and don't get caught and we won't have a problem will we? Come through the back, eh?"

As he followed her through he saw her stop just inside the back room and put her hands on her hips, she seemed to survey him, despite being unable to see him. "That'll be your father's old cloak, will it? Eee, the number of times he popped up from under that thing, took years off my life I swear!" She shook her head as if to dismiss the memories, "So what can I do for you then, dear?"

"I was hoping to buy a crate of Butterbeer from you Madam. I thought my friends and I may need something to steel our nerves before the ball next week."

"Oh the Yule ball, of course! Well a crate is 24 bottles and that costs 2 galleons and 9 sickles, will that be okay?"

"Sounds perfect, thanks." Harry handed over three galleons.

"Righto dear, you wait here and I'll get your change and the crate for you."

A few minutes later found Harry sat on the bench facing Gladrags Wizarding Wear still under the cloak with the crate perched on his knee. He allowed himself the luxury of daydreaming slightly, though still aware enough of his surroundings should trouble appear. Funnily enough he did suddenly find a figure slowly approaching him. Well, figure is perhaps misleading, as it was in fact a shaggy black dog. The skinny scruffy dog jumped up on the bench next to him and sat looking directly at him.

"Snuffles?" Harry said in a soft voice.

The dog let out a low whine and continued to stare at the patch where Harry sat. In the past he had wondered if his cloak rendered him invisible to Mrs Norris, but he's never had cause to wonder about its effects on dogs. "Can you see me?"

The dog let out a huff that could've been mistaken for laughter, and then proceeded to sniff around on the bench.

"Oh. You can smell me? Charming that is, Snuffles."

The dog once again huffed and looked back up at him, resuming its low whining.

Harry studied him for a minute, puzzled, before his thoughts were interrupted by Snuffles jumping off the bench and vanishing between two buildings behind the bench. Harry looked up to see the rapid departure had been due to Ginny's approach. She sat down next to him, paper parcel in her arms, "Been making friends while you waited have you?"

Harry snorted before whispering back, "Stand up, we'll put the cloak back on until we get to outside Honeydukes, but then I'm going to take it back off us, wrap it around this box and hand that to you..." As he had been speaking Ginny had followed his initial instruction and so was under the cloak by this point.

"Is that Butterbeer?"

"Yeah, I thought we could have a few when we're all getting ready for the ball."

"Sounds good. Here if I put my robes on top of the box, then... there we go." Ginny had arranged it so she was carrying the crate now.

Harry frowned softly, "Is that okay? I'll take it back before we begin the walk back up to the castle, its not too heavy is it?"

"Quit your fussing will you? Its fine." She stuck her tongue out at him for emphasis.

Harry grinned and made for Honeydukes, Ginny only half a step behind him. Just outside the shop Harry looked up and down the street, finding it suitably deserted he whipped the cloak off the two of them, and with Ginny's assistance wrapped it around the crate of bottles. He grinned at her than walked into the shop, made for the rows of their own brand of chocolate bars and looked until he found Hermione's favourite, then after a moment picked up a bar of the regular milk chocolate, he then turned to Ginny, "What's your favourite? Grab a bar."

"Harry. You don't have to..."

"I know." He called from where he'd approached the counter. "Hello sir," He addressed the proprietor of the shop who was watching the scene with veiled amusement, "May I have a pound of your Fizzing Whizbees." Harry placed the bars down, then turned to check on Ginny who approached with a bar only just in her grip, obviously made awkward by her current burdens.

Harry walked the short distance to take the bar from her, to hide the more-obvious-than-an-invisible bundle-should-be problem. "Oh good choice." He took it over to the counter where the bag of sweets was now with the other items. "Could I get a small bag for them, please?"

He turned to Ginny, "Erm my money pouch...?"

"Oh, it's in the front pocket of my cloak." She grinned at him, almost daring him.

"May I?"

She nodded unable to hide her giggles. Harry just gave her a strange look before turning back to pay for the items.

After they had made their way out of the shop, into the alley to the right of the shop, they shuffled their bundles. Ginny insisting to be allowed to carry something ended up with her robes and the sweets, and the job of wrapping them both in the cloak. They then sneaked back into the shop, pausing in the corner when the owner re-emerged from the back room to investigate the bell above the door. He left again quickly muttering, "Bloody thing."

After that the pair carefully made their way back down into the cellar and from there into the secret passageway.

As they made their way back towards the castle, cloak carefully tucked under Ginny's arm Harry raised the subject of her sudden giggles back in the shop.

"I mean I probably wouldn't have asked but I seem to notice girls giggling more at the moment. The other day I decided it should be outlawed."

Ginny gave him a strange look to equal the one she'd received earlier, "Riiight. Well I guess I just thought it was funny the way you were speaking, I've heard you do it a few times. Generally around adults I guess?"

"Not sure I'm following you here Ginny..."

"Oh. Its just you have this mode of speaking, I dunno if its when your nervous or what, but where you suddenly become very polite and kind of... 'proper'. Its quite funny to hear it, when I'm used to how you usually speak."

"Huh." Harry was silent while he considered that, "I'd never noticed that I still do that..."

Ginny must've sensed something dark in his tone of voice as she left that subject behind them. "So. Have you thought of a cover story for yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

Ginny grinned at him, "Well the two of us have been out of sight most of the day, yes?" Harry nodded slowly, not getting it, "And Ron at the least saw you hand that note over earlier in the week... What's the odds he's not told the twins?"

"Right... but what's wrong with telling them the truth?"

Ginny chuckled, "Well you can if you like, I have no objections, but it might not be the safest course of action for you."

Harry didn't get a chance to ask further though as they'd arrived at the Hogwarts end of the tunnel. Not wanting to linger too long, with Ginny's obscure warning about her over-protective brother's ringing in his ears, Harry set about organising their assent.

"Right I think the best way... 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good.' … is to send you up first, under the cloak, that way I can help you on the slope part from down here..."

"Good thing I'm not wearing a skirt..." Ginny muttered under her breath, smirking at Harry's discomfort.

Harry attempted to continue as if he hadn't heard her, though the blush creeping up his cheeks suggested otherwise, "And then I can pass the packages and the crate up to you, then climb out myself... that sound okay?"

Ginny nodded and lent over to check out the map, which she had rarely seen in action, "Looks clear to me."

Harry nodded double-checking where Filch, McGonagall and Snape all were before wiping the map.

When the two returned to the common room, Harry handed Ginny her wrapped robes and her bar of chocolate, and before she skipped away up to her dorm she stood on her tiptoes and pecked him on the cheek, "Thanks Harry."

Harry blushed furiously, noticing that most of the common room was watching them. Deciding a quick exit was the best solution he headed for his own dorm to put down the crate, which was starting to make his arms ache. He thought vaguely to himself that Ginny must either be stronger than she looked or just as stubborn as he was. Wrapped in these thoughts he did not realise that he was being followed up to the 4th year dorm by three Weasley brothers. He walked over to his bed and carefully laid down the crate, still wrapped in his cloak, and the sweets that were balanced on top. He turned around to find himself flanked by the three redheads, the twins smirking at him, with just a hint of disapproval on their faces, Ron however looked annoyed.

"Merlin! You three trying to give me a heart attack?"

"If it protects our sister's honour..." George grinned, though calmed as he saw Ron rankle.

"Erm what?"

"Where have you and Ginny been all day?"

Harry paused for a fraction of a second, but despite Ginny's advice, lying under pressure never seemed to work out well for him and Ron was definitely close enough to thump him if he was riled any more. "Hogsmeade. I was careful that she wouldn't get caught and get in trouble I promise."

"Are you two dating then, I thought you were all wrapped up about Cho?" Fred looked more disapproving now.

"No. Not dating, I just offered to help her with something." Harry was starting to feel pretty uncomfortable now that only George seemed to find the situation funny.

"What sort of something, eh?" Ron sounded more annoyed now, not that Harry could figure out why exactly.

Sighing, as he hadn't wanted to straight out admit his actions to Ron, knowing how sensitive he was on the subject of his family's finances. "I was buying her some dress robes. She didn't have any, since she's a third year it wasn't on her letter at the start of the year, but she's been invited. I thought she should have a nice set."

"You... you..." It seemed Ron was unable to get his outraged expression out, so Harry turned to the twins.

"I think what has Ron in such a flap is the idea that you saw Ginny half-dressed..." George was now examining his youngest brother with an air of interest, like he thought he might explode.

Harry reddened rapidly, "What? I... No! I was outside the whole time... I didn't even go in the shop. You can ask her."

"Well... well..." Ron seemed to be struggling to find an objection now his original had been quashed, "Who exactly has asked her to the ball then?"

Harry gave Ron an odd look. "Erm... Neville I think she said... weren't you sat there when she told us?"

"So why is it you taking her shopping, huh?"

Harry looked at the twins, almost pleadingly, before answering, "Well I'd guess she hasn't said anything about it to him. She only told me because I came across her and Hermione discussing it last week. Look I swear nothing inappropriate went on, so I don't see why I'm facing the Spanish Inquisition here."

Harry was made suddenly aware of Dean's presence by the door as he muttered, "No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition" and started to chuckle to himself, earning him odd looks from not only the Weasley's but Neville and Seamus who followed him into the dorm.

"Everything all right, Harry?"

Harry didn't answer but turned back to Ron, his eyebrow raised in question. The youngest redhead nodded and backed up a step. "Yeah thanks, fine. Its actually kind of good timing of the three of you..." He turned back to his bed, pulled his cloak off the bundle on his bed, moved the package of sweets aside and revealed to the assembled boys his prize.

"Nice one Harry! How did you get that?"

"Ah I couldn't tell you that Dean." Harry grinned and winked at the Weasleys, "But I thought we could all have one or two before the ball, when we're getting ready you know? Something to steady the nerves."

Seamus walked up and slapped Harry on the back, "Good plan mate. What do we owe you for it?"

Harry waved his hand dismissively, "Ah just call me Father Christmas."

Dean smirked, "Maybe when you can grow a beard. Thanks Harry, think I'll need one before folks see me dancing." He gave a dramatic shudder.

"Yeah at least you don't have to do the first one like me!"

"That's true. Have you found a partner Harry?" Neville spoke up from the back of the group, softly spoken as ever.

"Yeah luckily Parvati has agreed to go with me. And her sister Padma is taking this prat." He landed a heavy hand on Ron's shoulder. "Oh which reminds me..." He turned to the crate and went to lift it off his bed, the twins moved forwards and picked it up for him.

"Under your bed you think?"

"That'll do it, thanks guys." Harry quickly stowed the bag of sweets away in his trunk, picked up the bars of chocolate, and while he was in his trunk he grabbed his transfiguration homework. "Oh and George, Fred? Lee is welcome to the pre-party too, if that's okay with this lot..." Harry looked around the room at his dorm mates. They all looked at each other and shrugged or nodded, finally Seamus spoke up, "Aye, Lee is cool. But let's keep it to just the lads, there be enough girlishness later that night, no?"

"Sounds like a plan." Harry nodded as he walked out of the dorm and jogged down to the common room, glancing around for a few minutes before spotting Parvati and Lavender sitting in a cosy corner of the room.

He approached them and cleared his throat, "Sorry to interrupt." He smiled at each in turn before he turned to Parvati, "I... erm I just wanted to show that I'm thankful that you agreed to go to the ball with me, so I got you this. Hope you like this one, wasn't sure which one to get you." He handed over the milk chocolate bar to her.

"Ooh! Thanks Harry. You didn't have to do this!" Lavender was looking on with eager eyes and a slightly jealous look on her face.

Harry shrugged, feeling increasingly awkward, "Well I am grateful you said yes, imagine what an idiot I'd look in that first dance without a partner!" With that he smiled at the two now laughing girls and excused himself. In his previous survey of the common room he'd spotted Hermione by the fire, trying to do some homework around the furry mass of Crookshanks. He made his way towards her now.

"Hey Hermione."

"Hi Harry, did you and Ginny have fun?"

"Yeah, I'd say the trip was a success, though given the reaction I just got off her brothers I wish she hadn't kissed my cheek in front of the whole common room."

Hermione smiled up at him, "Yes I think she did that on purpose. Ah that's better."

On seeing Harry sitting down Crookshanks had spied a possibility of more ear-scratching and had jumped ship to his lap. Knowing from past experience what happens if Crookshanks wishes are ignored, he put his book, quill and parchment down, but put his final bar of chocolate down on top of Hermione's homework.

"What's this?"

Harry started petting Crookshanks before he dared answer, "Well consider it a 'don't let Ron being

a prat get to you' present."

Hermione threw herself at Harry to hug him, much to Crookshank's displeasure. As the cat leapt off his lap and onto the adjacent armchair, Hermione pulled back, "Thanks Harry. You didn't have to do this."

"Why does everyone keep saying that today? I know. But I wanted to." Harry looked up to see that the people closest to them in the room were watching him, most of them grinning, he turned back to Hermione, "I'm going to get a reputation with the way things are going today!"

She just grinned at him, opened the wrapper and offered him the first square.