Disclaimer - Same as before. Except Eye of Newt is mine and Silvana's date J

A/N - promised you at least two new chappies while I was in SPAIN

Brilliant by the way!

Mione-Girl.x - Thank you for all your help, in reviews and in personal messages.

Hpchick1516 - I was glad to help... Musical Mayhem! Is gonna be bloody wicked! Thanks for all you help in this story. You are a great author!!!


Chapter 7: What a Ball!

Hermione woke, rubbing her eyes. She had not had enough sleep, after last night. But never the less she pulled herself out of bed and dressed herself. Yawning, she packed her back slung it over her shoulder and brushed her hair back into a ponytail.

Closing the door to her dorm she heard footsteps going down the staircase. She followed them and found out they were being made by Ginny Weasly who was grinning madly.

"Good morning Hermione" she beamed walking over to the window. "Looks like it is going to be a bit chilly today." She said still beaming madly.

"G'morning" Hermione mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"Tad tired?" Ginny smiled.

"You could say that," Hermione replied.

"Well I am ready for breakfast coming?"

"Yeah" Hermione climbed out the Portrait Hole following Ginny.

Once they left five boys came running down the staircase.

"Ronnie I am so proud," sarcastically said Seamus.

"Yeah you finally did it." Dean grinned patting him on the back.

"I only asked her to the ball," Ron blushed.

"Only the ball," Harry, Seamus and Dean mocked him while climbing out of the Portrait Hole.

"Well done Ron, and don't worry I won't tease you." Neville grinned at him.

Ron looked at him hopefully and smiled back. "Thanks mate."


Friday night in the Griffindor Common Room

Over the next few weeks, things between Hermione and Ron became more... weird. They blushed even when they weren't saying anything and wouldn't look each other in the eyes. But Harry and Ginny's relationship began to blossom, they spent more time together and become more comfortable in each others company. They laughed and flirted with each other allot and didn't even care.

Harry and Ginny were sitting with each other on the sofa while Hermione was doing her Transfiguration essay and Ron was practicing chess.

Ginny decided to break the silence, "so only 2 weeks until the ball, aren't you excited?"

Ron grunted while Hermione mumbled something along the lines of "yes."

Harry tried to help her out, "and Hogsmeade tomorrow. Should be brilliant?"

Again Ron grunted and Hermione mumbled.

Gotto think of something... Ginny wondered. Something clicked in her head. "So Hermione I saw you reading that book yesterday, ermm... Flying With the Cannons. Was it good?"

Ron's head shot up, Chudley Cannons were his favourite Quidditch team. Hermione giggled putting her quill down, "I took it out so I could educate myself on Quidditch. You all play it now so I thought it wouldn't do any harm."

"What you learn?" Harry asked her. Ginny and him could see Ron's interest in the conversation.

"That Quidditch is a dangerous sport!" Hermione said, concerned, "you shouldn't play it. You could get really hurt."

"Well you know us dare devils." Ron joked, they all chuckled and before they knew what was happening Ron and Hermione were staring at each other. Sharing a moment.


Hogsmeade

"Bye then," Ginny smiled, her fingers interlaced with Harry's.

"Yeah," Harry grinned at a now blushing Ron and Hermione, then turned and walked off with Ginny.

Seamus and Dean walked past, following the Harry and Ginny, slapping Ron on the back. Ron turned brick red. Lavender and Parvati giggled, waving goodbye to Hermione, who started staring at her feet. Once the six of them was out of sight, Ron attempted to break the silence.

"So where to first?" He weakly grinned.

"Hmm... Madam Malkin's? We could look there first?" Hermione suggested, still looking at her shoes.

"Uh, o-ok." Ron and Hermione began to walk.

- In Madam Malkin's -

Hermione was looking through racks of dresses, trying to look interested but honestly she wasn't. Her eyes couldn't focus; they kept switching from Ron to the rack. He, himself, couldn't be more confused. He had no idea how to shop for clothes, nether the less dress robes. Ron gave up and walked over to Hermione.

"I am totally stuck, you had any luck?" Ron asked her, smiling, embarrassed.

"Err... yeah, kind of" She looked up at him, he smiled at her. That lop-sided smile that just makes her heart melt. (A/N - or me and my sister... Rupert Grint... mmm. Anyway!)

Hermione began to blush; she pulled out a dress from the rack she thought looked quite nice. "I'll just go-" She walked over to the changing rooms while Ron sprawled himself across the sofa.

The curtains opened and Hermione walked out. Ron's eyes looked as if they were going to pop out of his eye sockets, he began to feel flushed and the blood rise to his cheeks. Hermione, looking at his reaction, thought the dress must have looked horrid and began to turn.

"I-it's very... b-beau-t-tiful Hermione," he grinned at her, still blushing.

She spun around on her heel, "really?" Ron nodded, lost for words.

Hermione was wearing a white slim fitted dress. The top half of it was embellished with salmon pink flowers, it was strapless. Showing off her shoulders. It was made in a boob tube style, the bottom flowed down passed her feet so it, elegantly, dragged behind her but not too much. "Come here then," Don't... but it burst out before she could stop, she blushed. To her surprise, Ron shot up and began pacing towards her. "Erm- yes well stand there," she placed her arms around his neck, keep calm they both thought. "Let's see if you can do this." They began to sway to know music, but to them it felt like there was.

"Of course I can do this!" Ron boasted, he began to show off. He took her hand and span her around, she laughed.

"Ron stop, stop!" She begged but he didn't. "I am getting dizzy, RON!" This time he listened and leaned her back on his other arm. They stared into each others eyes, why did she find those eyes so attractive? The two teens stayed in the same position until they were interrupted by a small witch, Madam Malkin.

"That dress looks absolutely perfect on you dear." Madam Malkin squeaked, they tore from each others eyes and Ron put her back on her feet.

"Doesn't it?" Ron said under his breath, Hermione heard but he didn't know. She spun around.

"Thank you," Hermione smiled.

"Are you buying it for the Hogwarts Yule Ball, dear?"

"Yes I am, ma'am." Hermione giggled.

"Well, I think because it is such a special occasion," Madam Malkin looked from Hermione to Ron and then back again. "I am going to sell it to you for a lower price."

"Oh no, no you don't need to," Hermione pleaded.

"No, dear, it is my pleasure! Go get changed and I will call you up." Hermione sped off to the changing rooms. "And you boy, are you buying anything?" Madam Maklin giggled.

"Well I was b-but, I well I don't know which one to choose." Ron looked at his shoes.

"Aha!" Madam Maklin pointed at him, "Need to impress someone, eh?"

Ron's mouth began to move, but nothing came out.

"Oh no needs to tell an old witch like me!" Madam Maklin laughed, "But I can help you?"

Ron began nodded continual.

"Yes, yes well come on then." She took him to the men's racks. The owner looked through the racks but began to speak, "I take it you are taking that lovely young lady in there then?"

Hermione had finished changing and was going to come find Ron when he heard the conversation he was having with Madam Maklin,

"Yes I am taking her,"

"Aw how lovely. You are one lucky young man."

"I know." Both teens' cheeks began to burn.

"Yes, yes. Here is the perfect one for you." Madam Maklin took out a black suit, black trousers, black blazer, a white shirt with a grey/silver chest pad and white bow tie.

"Oh wow, ermm..." Ron began; Hermione took a deep breath and walked around the corner.

Madam Maklin placed the suit in his hands, "go, go try it on."

"Ron, it looks very handsome," Hermione smiled, "try it on!" So he did.

The curtains opened for a second time,

Madam Maklin had left Hermione to go help a few 1st years at the Robe section.

"Ron!" Hermione stood up and laid down her dress on the sofa. "That looks lovely... I mean very handsome."

"T-thanks." He straightened himself up in the mirror.

"How much is it?" Hermione asked now standing next to him.

"Maklin gave me a bargain too 2 Sickles and 20 Knuts." Hermione still looked at him. "Don't worry, I told mum about the Ball and she gave me some extra money to buy new robes." He pulled out a small sack and shock it. Hermione gave him an apologetic smile. He put his arm closest to her around her shoulder and pulled her into an embrace. Hermione slid her arms around Ron's waist and snuggled her face into his chest, he leant his chin on her head. "So should I get it?" He asked, she felt his chest vibrate as he spoke. She liked the feeling and nodded in his chest. He laughed and pulled away from the hug, but she kept hold of his blazer, pulling him back into the same hug as before. "Hermione I need to get changed."

"Oh!" She let go. He laughed and turned to get changed. Hermione walked back over to the sofa picked up her dress and went to pay for it. Followed by Ron.


The Day of the Yule Ball

Over the next few weeks the Christmas holidays arose. This year only some students were leaving to see their families. Many decided to go back after the Ball. Hermione, Ron and Ginny were some of them. Harry was invited to go to the Burrow and accepted.

It was the day of the Ball and spells were flying across the Great Hall. It was being magically re-arranged for the Yule Ball this year. Many prefects were helping, Hermione and Ron among them.

- In the Griffindor Common Room -

"Ginny, Ginny, GINNY!" Hermione squealed as she ran into the Common Room. She found Ginny resting her head on the shoulder of a black haired boy, Harry. Her head shot up and found Hermione. "Guess who the act is this year, GUESS!"

"Ermm-"

"Eye on Newt!" Hermione squealed.

"No way! Really? Oh my... this is gonna be amazing!" She and Hermione both giggled.

"Isn't it? And guess what? They are going to be playing muggle songs at request!" Hermione beamed, Ginny raised an eyebrow and eyed Harry.

"Really?" Ginny asked- still looking at Harry, Harry caught on. But then Ginny spun her head round to face Hermione, "wait how you know?"

"Well, the prefects," Hermione began, gesturing to her and Ron, who now was slouching on a chair around a table. His face and arm sprawled across the table, nodding of to sleep. "Had to help out and well, Dumbledore told us."

Both girls squealed, this noise awoke Ron from his nap. He shot up, nearly falling off his chair, Hermione rolled her eyes. Ginny glanced at her watch "Is that the time? Hermione we've got to get ready!"

"Oh yeah! Bye boys." Harry smiled giving Ginny a peck on the forehead while Ron just waved, dropping back to sleep.

- Later on...-

Harry was watching his watch, "where are they?"

"Harry, they are girls!" Ron laughed along with Seamus and Dean, who were waiting for Lavender and Parvati.

Just then they heard a door shut and footsteps. Lavender was the first to arrive, she walked over to Seamus. Parvati following, heading towards Dean. Lavender was wearing a red dress that stopped just above her knees; it was glittery and had spaghetti straps. Her hair was down and straight with two diamond clips on one side and she had on a silver chain with a red heart pendent attached to it. Lavender had light make-up on but bright red lips. Parvati was wearing a long purple dress that trailed along the floor after her, the straps were around her neck and she wore silver bangles. She wore her hair half up and half down with a purple bow tied keeping half her hair up, her make-up wasn't light or heavy just right, but she had purple glitter on her eyelids. They set off together, leaving Harry and Ron to wait for their dates. Once to couples were out of the Common Room, they heard the door close again. This time it was Ginny, she walked down the staircase in silver high-ish heals, she wore a silver and white dress that stopped just before her knees, the dress was white with a silver transparent layer over the top. The straps on her dress where classic, one over each shoulder. Around her neck she wore a plain silver chain and her hair was down straight with small plats around her head, her make-up was simple yet beautiful. Ginny walked towards Harry and arrived, linking her arm in his. After it was Hermione's turn. Ron looked up the staircase, and saw her, Hermione? Ginny and Harry walked off towards the Ball.

"Good luck mate," Harry said, patting a memorialised Ron on the back with his free hand.

Ron gulped, "y-you don't have to s-stare you know. You s-saw this dress earlier." Hermione spoke, nervous. She was walking to him.

"Yo-ou look beautiful," he choked out.

"Thankyou Ron," Hermione smiled her cheeks turning a tint of pink. She was wearing the dress she had bought and her hair was down. It wasn't as bushy as normal but it was not straight either, it was in lose curls around her head. Her face had a bit of make-up on but not much and around her neck a chain with diamonds around it. She looked like she did at the last Ball - but better.

"Er-rrm." Ron mumbled, he held out his arm and she hooked hers in his as they walked out the Common Room.

- At the ball -

The Griffindor gang were sitting around a table and in walked Silvana Duncan hand in hand with a first year Slytherin boy but let go when they came across the Griffindors. She looked at her pink shoes and tried to walk past but was stopped,

"Silvana!" Ginny smiled and Silvana turned to face her. Hermione glared at Ginny while Harry and Ron drank their butter beers. She cursed Ginny, so why is Ginny talking to her?!

"Oh hi," Silvana's eyes met Hermione's stare which was now looking at her.

"Ginny?" Hermione questioned.

"Yes?" Her eyes met Hermione's, "oh erm well," Hermione nudged Ron in the ribs, he began to listen. Ginny fiddling with the table cloth. "Silvana here, didn't do anything wrong."

"She cursed you," Ron spoke up.

"Ha, er yeah about that," Ginny was turning pink. "It was a set up."

"What?!" Ron and Hermione said in unison.

"Well I got Silvana to look like she was going to curse you, Hermione, but make sure she would silence me. And then why you two where singing, Silvana came back and lifted the curse."

"What why?" Hermione asked.

"Well-"

"-We were trying to get you and Ron together." Harry said, thinking Ginny could need some helping.

"You were in on this?" Ron asked, "you knew I would sing?" Harry nodded nervously.

Hermione's eyes were buldging, "you tried to get me and R-Ron together?" Harry and Ginny nodded.

"We thought it would work," Ginny mumbled, "and it nearly did." Only Hermione heard the last bit. She was about to speak when Ginny raised her voice, "but, heck, am I thirsty? Yeah, Harry?"

"Uh-huh me too!" He said a little too cheerfully. Ginny and Harry shot up and quickly strolled over to the drinks.

"Well..." Hermione began but something snapped inside Ron's head.

"Want to dance?" He asked offering his hand, she smiled and took it. They walked over to the dance floor and began to dance to one of Eye of Newts #1 song, 'Pull out your wands!' with some other Griffindors.

Ginny spotted them and nudged Harry, "I have an idea." She beamed.

"Not another one," he sighed.

"Yeah, but this one is full proof!" She winked and walked off.

- At the stage -

"Alright love, it will be up next," the lead singer, Johnny Jet grinned at Ginny. The female band member set down her bass and pulled up a microphone after hearing the request.

"Thanks," and Ginny walked back over to Harry. "You wait..." He rolled his eyes.

After the song finished, Johnny Jet called into the microphone, "Request people, get ready." The music began to play. Heads turned towards Hermione and Ron. It was the song, the song they sang together, their song. The teens turned pink and other students where coming onto the dance floor to dance together. Ginny and Harry among them, Hermione glared at Ginny who stopped besides her and whispered,

"Good luck," then walked off with Harry and placed her arms round his neck. They began to sway.

Good luck...? She thought, Ron cleared his throat which made her jump, "Wanna dance?" He mumbled.

"O-oka-ay." She croaked. Hermione copied Ginny's movements. She placed her arms around Ron's neck and he placed his hands on her hips which made a shiver run down her spine. Then they began to sway.

I'll be there when the world stops turning,

I'll be there when the storm is through

In the end I wanna be standing,

At the beginning with you

Ron bent down to her level and whispered in her ear. "So having fun?"

"The most I have ever had," the words crept out of her mouth, she bit her lip. Ron smiled, regaining his original position.

We were strangers,

On a crazy adventure

Never dreaming how our dreams would come true

"Oh I am so good, I must be the cleverest person in the world." Ginny giggled, while glancing at her brother and best friend.

"You are the best person in the world to me," Harry was now looking at her; she met his gaze and leant in and pecked her on the cheek. Ginny could only smile.

Knew there was somebody somewhere,

That made love in the dark

Now I know my dream will live up,

I've been waiting so long

Nothing gonna tear us apart

Hermione's head was now nestled into Ron's chest. Ron remembered performing this part and taking Hermione's hand. He moved back and looked at her.

The words Nothing gonna tear us apart had just past and he took a deep breath. You're a Griffindor, he repeated in his head and leant down to her ear and whispered, "I mean that 'Mione, I really do."

She froze, he meant is, HE MEANT IT!! She was mentally screaming, he began to speak again, "Hermione I lo-" but he was interrupted by a child's scream. His head shot up and saw two death eaters holding Silvana. Everyone began to run. Screaming, shouting, crying soon took over the Great Hall. He was coming, Voldemort was in the building. Harry suddenly fell to the floor. His scar was burning so much. Hermione and Ron ran to his aid, Ginny was crying.

"Harry, get up, please." Ginny begged. Just then Neville, Luna, Seamus, Dean, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid turned up besides Harry, Hagrid lifting him up.

"We're here mate," Seamus told Harry.

Ron spun around to face Hermione, Ginny and Luna. "Go," he demanded, Hermione had never seen him so upset. She saw fear, hate, hurt and angry in his eyes.

"Ron we hav-" Ginny complained.

"No, this could be the final battle. I don't want any of you to die. Now just go."

"I am coming," Hermione protested trying to barge past him.

"No please, look Harry wouldn't have wanted any of you hurt. I will look after him." By now Death eaters were lining up outside the windows of the hall. "Run, go now, please."

Luna sensed something, "Ginny, Hermione come on," she grabbed Hermione's hand but missed Ginny. She was running to Harry, who was now awake standing with the others. Ginny grabbed him and pushed her lips onto his; he kissed her back but quickly broke away.

"I love you Harry,"

"I love you Ginny," tears were threating Harry's eyes because Ginny's were spilling out. She ran to Luna and Hermione and began to run out the hall. Hermione glanced back, Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna, Seamus, Dean, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid were all in a line. At the same time Ron looked back, she turned. "GO," He shouted, "Hermione please, I don't want you hurt!" She looked into his eyes and turned back and ran after Ginny and Luna.

- The entrance to Hogwarts -

"Where is everyone?" Luna panted.

Just then three figures stood at the door way, "Girls, get outside and in a carriage." It was Tonks; all three arose from the shadows. Tonks, Lupin and Mad-eye. All Ginny could do was point them in the direction of the Great Hall, her finger trembling. They sped past and the girls ran to the carriages.


Bloody hell

Very weird chappie

LOVE IT THOUGH

REVIEEEEEEW

AND I NEED VOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alica x