So here it is. The new chapter. Enjoy it!

Chapter 2

Hermione made it to common room in a record time. She entered panting and clutching her book bag.

"I made it…"

"Made it where?"

The common room was still packed with people. Just her luck.

"Err… The curfew. It is almost curfew I made it back."

"So 'Mione…"

"Whatever it is I am not helping you, Fred. And it is Hermione."

The Gryffindor girl sat in one of the armchairs to rest her legs.

"I am George."

Hermione took one more time look at the Weasley twin sitting on the couch with Lee Jordan.

"Nice try, but wrong person, Fred."

The boy grinned and showed thumbs up.

"You're good. Even our mum mistakes us. How do you do it?"

"Natural talent, I guess." Hermione looked around. Ron and Harry were nowhere to be seen. She stretched and tried to erase the run in with a certain Slytherin.

"Just don't teach our mum that or we'll be in big trouble."

"If you'll stop getting to me I will consider your request."

"You're evil." Hermione only smiled at that. "So 'Mione…"

The brunette said nothing just looked at the Weasley twin with narrowed eyes. Fred cleared his throat and tried again.

"How was your day?"

She chuckled. 'He must be desperate.' It wasn't like she didn't talk with the twins from time to time. Simply hanging around the boys so much she developed a sixth sense where it comes to the Weasley males. And right about now something in Fred's posture was saying to her 'I need something but don't know how to approach you with that.'

"Satisfactory." Hermione half smiled from the book she picked from her bag.

Fred sat on the arm of the chair she was sitting and gave his best I-am-an-innocent-little-boy-so-you-have-to-help-me face.

Hermione cocked a brow but said nothing. 'I am not falling for it, Frederick Weasley.'

When ever the twins got that look on their faces it usually meant that they were planning something, everyone get curious and ask questions falling right into the twins' trap of some kind. But after seeing it more than often Hermione developed immunity to it. So the girl kept her mouth shut and waited.

The redhead teen couldn't keep it for very long. Seeing as the expected questions weren't coming tried another approach while glancing in the direction of boys' dorm waiting for reinforcement in a form of his twin.

"Have I told you how good you look today?"

The corners of Hermione's mouth twitched upward, but she still said nothing.

"Well…"

'Fred doesn't know what to say. It must be good.'

Finally Hermione decided to be generous and put the boy out of his misery. Besides people were starting to look at them.

"So what do you want, Fred?"

"Now that you mentioned it, our dear best friend."

At this Lee's ears perked up.

"Hey, Fred. I thought that I am your best friend."

"That was before we knew that 'Mione here excels in Potions."

For a minute Lee looked at his friend and then shocked his head.

"We all knew that since her first year and you noticed it only now?"

Fred just scowled at his friend and turned his attention back to the girl.

"So where was I?"

"You wanted me to brew something for you."

"How did you know?"

Hermione laughed lightly and brushed her hand over his hair ruffling it.

"My inner eye told me. So what is it?"

"Very funny. I need a bath of Mirmineto."

"No."

"Why?"

"Why do you thing? I don't even want to know where you are going to use it."

"Oh come on. We are not going to use it on anyone."

"Right and I am a blond. You are not that bad in Potions why don't you brew it yourself?"

Fred sat back on the couch next to Lee.

"We could brew it, but I really doubt that any living soul will drink it. The side effect of brewing it wrong is not pleasant. Two weeks with elephant ears doesn't sound good to me."

"I am still not brewing it for you."

"Please!"

"Why do you need it?"

"That's a secret."

"Than I guess it's too bad. Now if you'll excuse me. Good night, Fred."

"Night. Think about it. Ok?"

………………………………………………………………………

Finally Hermione dragged herself up the girls' staircase.

'Home sweet home…' Her roommates were somewhere of so the room was blissfully empty. The last thing that Hermione needed was to hear all the moaning about robes, boys and make up.

'That reminds me…I still don't have a date. Damn…'

It was just not fair. The only person that asked her was Marcus Flint. An arrogant Slytherin. His name was written in a category of 'Not an option.' With capital letters and double underlining.

The problem was that she wanted to go to the ball. Sure she wasn't like the majority of Hogwarts' female population that was living only on that thought, but still she was fifteen and a girl.

Hermione snuggled into her pillow trying to fall asleep.

She wanted to go to the ball. Put a nice robe on and dance. Be actually noticed for once not only as Harry Potter's brainy friend.

'I am a girl damn it. Why can't he notice me? ' Hermione sulked a little into the dark. Life was not fair.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Morning came too quickly for Hermione's liking. She wasn't an early riser by a far shot.

The Gryffindor Golden Girl made her way thru the morning crowd in a half asleep state.

"Hermione!... Hermione Granger, wait up!"

The girl turned to the direction of the voice and noticed something bright walking her way.

'Weasley hair. Too short to be any of the boys…'

"Ginny… Good morning…"

"Gods, Hermione. Every morning you are like sleep walking."

The brunette only shrugged.

"Almost, Ginny. It is seven thirty , for Merlin's sake. All sane people should be asleep."

"I thought that as a fourth year you should be used to it."

"Well, you were wrong. I don't fall asleep during the first classes only because I have breakfast with Harry and Ron. That never fails to wake me up."

"I must agree. It is never dull around them. Dark wizards, dangerous tournaments."

"I would kill for one more hour of sleep…"

Ginny laughed at her friend and pulled her thru the crowd faster. Just to think that people thinks that Hermione Granger wakes up early every morning to have some reading done. She would probably hex the person for suggesting such a thing at five in the morning.

"So, Hermione, what are you doing tomorrow?"

Hermione looked sleepily at her friend.

"Sleep till noon , have lunch and go to the library. Why do you ask?"

"Don't tell me you are not going to Hogsmead!"

"Ok, I won't."

"Hermione!"

"What?"

"You must go to Hogsmead."

"What for?"

"You still don't have a dress robe for the Ball."

Hermione sighed.

"I probably won't go."

"Don't be a grouch. Somebody will ask you. Mark my word."

"Somebody already did. Kind of… "

"Really? I am so happy for you! So who is the lucky guy? It is not my brother, is it?"

"No, it is not Ron."

"Why the long face, Hermione? You have a date!"

"I said no."

"But…"

They reached the Great Hall and Hermione didn't want to talk about last night's encounter with so many ears around.

"Why don't we talk about it after classes? I will humor you then. Ok? "

"After classes? But that will be hours later. Why can't we talk now?"

"After classes, Ginny. It will be over early today."

"Well, ok. But can't you at least give me a hint of who he is?"

"You won't guess it anyway."

"Please."

"Ok. Think Quidditch and not Gryffindor."

"Oh, the possibilities."

"See you later, Ginny."

By the table girls parted and Hermione sat with Harry and Ron. While Ginny went to join girls from her own year.

As soon as Hermione started filling her plate she felt a gentle nudge in her side.

"Hermione?"

"No, Ron. I will not check your essay."

"Please."

"Don't even think about it, Ronald." The Weasley boy sulked a little and started eating again looking unhappy..

"Morning, Hermione."

"Morning, Harry. How did you sleep?"

The teen smiled at his friend and passed some toasts to her.

"Better than the night before. The Dreamless Sleep potion does wonders."

"It is not Dreamless Sleep potion, Harry. It is weaker in its effect, but it calms and clears your mind instead of just putting to sleep."

"Madam Pomfrey should give it instead of Dreamless."

"How about you tell her that when the next time you'll visit the Infirmary?"

"Very funny, Hermione. If I recall it correctly you usually came along so the mediwitch could patch you up too."

"What can I say? You are a horrible influence on me, Harry James Potter."

"Yes, but don't tell anyone. It might ruin my image."

Hermione swatted him on the arm playfully.

"What would you do without me?"

"Be dead and buried along with Ron, somewhere in the Chamber of Secrets."

At the mention of the Camber of Secrets Ron stopped stuffing his mouth with food and turned his attention to the conversation.

"Whammp twuop armf ambt?"

"Honestly, Ron. Haven't you ever heard of chewing? And we are talking how you two would be lost without me."

Ron swallowed the content of his mouth and grinned.

"We are the Dream Team, aren't we? The Chamber of Secrets was a piece of cake. But we would have stacked by the Snape's riddle if not you. Who needs logic these days anyway?"

Harry coughed politely into his hand to cover the laughter. Pureblood wizards and logic didn't get along. Hermione rolled her eyes finishing the toast.

"Who indeed, Ronald?"

"That's why have we you, 'Mione, the smartest witch ever. When you bother to get the nose out the books."

Harry rolled his eyes at that and muttered 'Ignore him' to Hermione when he stood up.

Ron's comment left Hermione half offended half amused. 'What do you know? An almost compliment from Ron. When it comes to Ron and me everything is almost, though.'

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Well? Who is it? Is it someone from Ravenclaw?"

Hermione glanced at her hyper active friend and shocked her head.

"No? I don't imagine you going with any of the Hufflepufs that still doesn't have dates. Not a Gryffindor. We all know that Slytherins has sticks up their arses. It must be someone from Ravenclaw."

At the mention of the rival house Hermione winced a little what didn't go unnoticed by Ginny.

"You got to be kidding…. "

"Not this time."

"A snake asked you out? Who?"

"Guess."

The redhead didn't think too long and said the first name that came up in her head.

"Malfoy?"

"God, No!"

"Then who? I mean they are Slytherins."

"Like I haven't noticed."

"So who is it? He must to have a good taste and strong back bone to go against everything and ask you out."

"Think Quidditch Captain for the Slytherin Team, Ginny."

" Flint ? Marcus Flint? This tall, dark hair and not bad looking? Are you sure?"

"Of course I am sure, Ginny. I couldn't have mistaken him from that close even if I wanted to."

"What do you mean from that close? How close was he to you?"

Hermione bit her lip and glanced at Ginny, before turning back to look at the lake.

"Promise you won't tell anyone, Ginny. Ever."

"Your secret is safe with me. Well?"

"He… Well… Kind of…"

"Spit it out already."

"He tried to kiss me."

After that was a prolonged silence. Ginny looked at Hermione for a while then shocked her head and swallowed.

"I am sorry, Hermione. It must have been the wind, because I just heard you say that Marcus Flint, Slytherin's pride and joy, their star Quidditch payer that has nothing but broomsticks and occasional shag on his mind tried to kiss you."

"He did."

"Hold me. The sky must be falling."

"It is not funny, Ginny. I am having a problem here."

"Yeah. Tall, dark and handsome."

"Also an arrogant Slytherin prick with a stick up his arse."

"I don't think that I have ever heard you swearing so much before. Actually I don't think I have heard you swearing at all." Ginny pretended to wipe a tear. "My little Hermione has grown up. What will I do?"

The older Gryffindor hanged her head and whimpered.

"You are not helping, Ginny."

As if only now remembering what for she really was there Ginevra turned serious.

"Right, I got a little side tracked here. What were we talking about?"

"That a guy that thinks only about Quidditch and such almost snogged me in a dark hall."

"Yes, that. So what is bad in that again?"

Hermione almost slid from the stone she was sitting on and glared at the younger girl.

"And how it is a good thing? Do in light me."

Ginny cleared her throat wrapped tighter into her coat.

"He is not a bad looking."

"That depends on the taste."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I am not talking about the handsome like an angel type of good looking, but about bad like a devil type of good looking."

"I don't go for the bad boy image, Ginny."

"Yes, right. You go for the brainless type like my brother."

Hermione's cheeks went pink a little bit more then it was supposed to.

"I don't like your brother."

"Sure and I don't like Harry. We're all just good friends."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Well you are at least able to talk coherently in Ron's presence."

"Ginny, why he doesn't like me?"

"He does."

"Really? He said so?"

"No, he doesn't know that yet."

"I don't fallow. He likes me, but he doesn't know that yet? How is that possible? "

"It is possible because he is dense as the rocks we are sitting on as it comes to things like that." Ginny pulled a bar of chocolate from the inside of her robe and gave half of it to Hermione. "I love him to death, he is my brother and all, but lets face it. Ron is not for you."

"Why? I like him he likes me."

"He doesn't appreciate what he has till he looses it."

"Ginny, you really should stop reading those self discovery articles in Witch Weekly. You are starting to sound like my mum."

"Ahem. Anyway. I will put it short."

"You can do that?"

"Really funny. As I was saying. Give it up. Be friends with him, but nothing more."

"And why is that?"

"Because my brother is an idiot. That's why. When it comes to things like this he is blind, deaf and stupid. You will pin for him while he will run after every skirt in sight. "

"He wouldn't…"

"Oh yeah? Sorry, but I haven't noticed him asking you to the Ball yet. Instead he is running around yapping about how he doesn't want to go with a troll. Where does that leaves you?"

"Alone?"

"And hurt. Listen, Hermione. Ron will see you as a girl only when you'll go with someone else. And then will be clear how he feels about you."

"You think so?"

"Yes. Waltz into the Hall on some guy's hand and Ron will sing like a lark just what he thinks about everything."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Of course and it's where Flint might come in handy."

"Are you insane? I am not going with Flint even as an experiment. It is my first ball I plan to have fun. Dance, enjoy myself and for that I need a guy that wouldn't creep me out."

"You might be right there."

"What is up with him anyway? Asking me out like his?"

"Isn't that obvious? He likes you, Hermione."

"Why can't a normal guy like me?"

"Normal guys don't inhabit Hogwarts. It is like sky is blue and snow is white. You won't find a man in Hogwarts worth your time. It is a common known fact."

"Then why are you fishing around? For research purposes?"

"No, for the same reason as you. Gryffindors were never known for their logic. We are optimistic souls that are willing to test all facts and find fouls in them."

"We don't listen to reason in other words."

"You can say that too. So what are you going to do with Flint boy?"

"Nothing. I will just pretend that nothing happened."

"What if he will approach you again?"

"Let's prey that it will never happen, Ginny."

"Amen. How about we head inside? The wind is picking up."

"Sure."

Joking they headed back to the castle. In both of their opinion the day was good.

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