(A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I kind of got stuck on this one and it's taken me this long to get unstuck. Enjoy.)
Chapter 2: Do I have to wear tights or a dress?
The next day Ron continued to think of ways to tell Hermione his feelings, but with each idea that came to him, a problem arose. He couldn't tell her in class, he might get caught. He couldn't just say it out in the open, there were too many people around, and he couldn't pull her aside to tell her because she might catch on before he was able to get it all out. He was stumped; he couldn't find a single way to tell her the truth without something getting in the way. By dinner he'd almost given up hope when Dumbledore silenced the Great Hall.
"May I have your attention please? I am please to announce that due to the success of last years Yule Ball, Hogwarts will be adopting it as a new tradition," the hall roared with applause, "but," Dumbledore continued, "with a slight twist. Instead of holding a ball for Christmas, we will now make it part of our Halloween celebrations. Now," he said over a new round of applause, "as you know Halloween will soon be upon us, so I would suggest you all prepare you costumes."
"Costumes," questioned a particularly loud Hufflepuff.
"Yes, costumes. Many of you may not be familiar with the Muggle tradition of dawning costumes on Halloween, but we will be incorporating this into our Halloween ball. The ball is open to all students 4th year and above and will begin promptly at eight in the evening Halloween night."
Without another word Dumbledore sat down and let the Great Hall buzz with excitement. In the chaos that surrounded him, Ron began to smile to himself. Next time there is a ball Ronald Weasley, ask me first instead of as a last resort. She'd said it herself last year. He had his solution.
An hour later, the Gryffindor common room was full of students talking about the ball. Girls sat and gossiped about costumes and which boy they wanted to have ask them, while the boys sat laughing at the girls' excitement.
Ron looked around the crowded room for Hermione and found her sitting in the corner reading. Slowly he approached, hoping to get close enough to speak before she noticed.
"Need something," she asked without looking up.
How does she do that? Ron cleared his throat. "Um, kind of, I was just wondering if…" Ron lost the ability to speak as Hermione looked up at him.
"You were wondering if, what?"
"I was wondering if you were going to the ball with anyone."
"Ron, it was just announced an hour ago."
"I know, but I thought maybe someone had already asked you."
"No, no one has asked me. Why?"
"Well…um...I was hoping you might…I mean if you don't want to that's ok…but I was thinking we could…um…go together."
Hermione's eyes twinkled as she smiled. "I'd love to, I mean, of course I'll go with you."
She tried not to seem too excited. He's just asking as friends, she told herself, He probably feels bad about the fight we had last year. But what does it matter, I'm going with him all the same.
"Really? Great," Ron let out a big sigh as he sat down next to her, "now we just have to figure out this costume thing."
Hermione laughed, "I forget you've never had to do this before, any idea what you want to be?"
"Not a clue. What about you?"
"I don't know. I suppose if we're going together we should dress as a pair. Dates usually do that at muggle parties." Hermione gulped, she hadn't meant to use the word date. She was flustered now, but forced herself to go on. "Perhaps a famous Wizarding couple." Couple, she thought, another word she shouldn't have used.
"Or a famous muggle couple," he suggested, "You'd have to pick it of course I don't know of any."
"Muggles? Really? Why muggles?"
"Well, the way you and Dad talk about it I figured I'd see what all the fuss was about."
"Ok then," she said, "Let's see what is there? Off the top of my head there's…Romeo and Juliet, but you'd have to wear tights." By the look on Ron's face she knew that was a no. "Anthony and Cleopatra, you'd have to wear a toga."
"What's a toga?"
"It's kind of like a bed sheet wrapped around you and off one shoulder, for men at least."
"So it's basically a dress."
"Well, not really."
"Yeah, it is," he laughed, "anything else?"
"Oh," it came to her suddenly. "I've got it. It's perfect."
"Ok then, what is it?"
"Sir Lancelot and Lady Guinevere. He was a knight in the court of King Arthur and she was the Queen."
"I don't understand. If he was a knight and she was a queen then how are they a couple?"
"Well, it's really quite scandalous. She was betrothed to King Arthur when she was vary young and had no say in the matter. When she met Lancelot, it was love at first sight. They tried to resist their love, for the sake of the kingdom, but in the end their affair was the downfall of the King."
"Sound horrible."
"When you think about it, in a way it is. I've just always seen it as terribly romantic."
"Do I have to wear tights or dress?"
"No," she laughed, "you wear armor and a sword."
"Then I'm in."
"Good. I'll got to the library tomorrow and see what I can find to give us some ideas for the costumes. Once we have it figure out I'll write to our Mum's and get them sorted out."
"So, what do I do," Ron asked as Hermione place the bulk of the work on herself.
"Um," she thought for a moment and then laughed, "show up and dance I suppose."
"Sounds good." He said slowly backing towards the stairs. "Anyway," he said nervously now. "It's getting late. I'm going to go to bed." He felt his heel hit the bottom stair. "Um…night Hermione."
"Goodnight Ron."
She smiled looking back to her book, though she didn't continue reading. She bit her lip stifling an excited scream. Lancelot and Guinevere, what a perfect costume. He'll look so handsome. As she stared blankly at the page her thoughts dance with ideas for her dress and how lovely they'd look together.
Once Ron was out of sight of the common room he dashed the rest of the way up the stairs and slammed his dormitory door.
"Something wrong," Neville asked from across the room.
"I'm so stupid. How could I forget dancing? It's a bloody ball, of course there's dancing. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"
"Worried about not being about to find a date to the ball," Neville asked not quite following.
"No," Ron plopped down on the bed, "I've got a date. It's the dancing I'm shite at."
"But you learned with the rest of us, for the Yule Ball…didn't you?"
"No. I wasn't paying attention. I didn't have a date and when I got one I didn't dance with her." Ron groaned and fell back on to his pillow. "I'm done for."
"Not necessarily," Neville said sheepishly, "I could teach you."
"Yeah, right."
"No really. I mean my Gran made me learn ages ago. I could teach you. We could do it bit by bit, when ever we had a chance…so no one else would see."
"That would be a must," Ron said not believing he was actually considering this.
"It wouldn't take long. Half an hour each night and you'd be sure to be ready by Halloween."
"We can't tell anyone."
"No, if anyone asks we could tell them I'm tutoring you in Herbology."
"Hey, I'm pretty good in Herbology."
"I know, but it's a believable excuse."
Ron swallowed hard, still amazed that he was agreeing to this. "Ok." He extended his hand. "It's a deal."
"Good," Neville said shaking his hand. "Tomorrow after dinner we'll find an empty classroom and begin."
(Hope you like it so far. Hopefully things will pick up now and chapter 3 will be finished sooner than chapter 2. Read and Review.)