Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by JKR.

(Malfoy dropped out of the bidding, but Harry's still going strong, think JK is writing him more money just to keep him in:D)

Thanks to my awesome Beta Karma, without whom this wouldn't be nearly as good.

This is a repost of Chapter 14, as it has now been beta'd

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

As the three teens approached the castle, returning from the Hogsmeade weekend, Harry noticed that Fleur was sitting by the Black Lake, looking sad. Pointing her out to Hermione and Luna, they turned and went to talk with her. As they drew near, they could see that Fleur looked somewhat worried and unhappy.

Speaking softly so as to not alarm her, Harry asked, "Hey Fleur, is something wrong?"

The French Champion looked up somewhat startled. "'Arry? Oui, people, zey 'ave been avoiding me for ze most part. At least until today," she replied.

Luna and Hermione sat down on either side of the pretty blonde and took one of her hands. Harry sat down on a bench opposite Fleur. Hermione asked "What happened today Fleur?"

Fleur sniffed sadly then replied, "My friends and I were going to ze Great 'All for lunch when zis boy starts down the stairs, and he blurted out somezing about ze Ball before running away."

The three Hogwarts students shared a glance that practically screamed "Ron", then Luna asked "Was this 'boy' a little taller than Harry, and did he have red hair?"

Fleur glanced at the three in shock, and then asked, "Yes, do you know him?"

Harry sighed and shook his head before replying. "Yeah I know him, if it's any consolation; he wasn't trying to be rude or cruel most likely. To be sure though, I'll go talk with him. If he was trying to do what I think he was, I bring him back here. Even if I have to drag him."

Standing up Harry offered a hand to Hermione before continuing, "Luna would you keep Fleur here some company for a few minutes, 'Mione and I need to go find a certain ginger prat."

Harry and Hermione headed for the Gryffindor dorms and found Ginny, Dean, Seamus, and Neville around Ron who was just sitting on one of the couches with his hands in his face. Looking around, Harry asked, "What's wrong with Ron?"

Ginny looked at the duo, and replied, "Oh the prat was headed down to Lunch, and ran across the French Fireball. Being the boy he is, he tried to ask her to the ball."

Hermione quirked an eyebrow, she didn't remember Ron being able to speak coherently the last time through, so asked, "How'd he do that?" curiously.

Ginny blushed then admitted, "Well more like he blurted out 'You Ball Go Me?' before running in fear."

Hermione sighed while Harry shook his head. "Alright you guys, clear off, let the guy get some air," Harry said authoritatively.

Glancing at each other, Harry and Hermione gave each other a small nod, and then each grabbed one of Ron's hands. Pulling him to his feet, they started to hustle him out of the Common Room. As they left, Hermione called over her shoulder, "We're taking him outside, and he needs some fresh air."

As they headed back outside, Harry asked, "So Ron you tried to ask Fleur to the ball?"

Ron replied, "Yeah mate, I figured I might have a chance everyone else was avoiding her".

Hermione asked from the other side, "And why'd you want to ask her out?"

Ron replied without thinking, "Well she's a hot bird isn't she."

Harry and Hermione both just shook their heads. Harry continued, "Well then why'd you run? If you thought you had a chance I mean?"

Ron stopped to think, literally stopped walking and tried to think.

"With Ron, lost in thought appears literal," Hermione thought to Harry, who had to fight to keep a smile from his face.

After a few minutes of what appeared to be a painful exercise, Ron said ,"Well she's very pretty, why would she want to go to the Ball with me?"

Both Harry and Hermione seemed slightly shocked that Ron (who was widely regarded as not being the sharpest claw on the dragon) had come up with a valid concern.

Hermione replied, "Well as you said Ron, everyone else has been avoiding her. She's a nice girl, despite what happened at dinner last week. Most people just don't see that I guess, it's good that you do Ron."

Ron started walking again. "But what if she turns me down?" he asked finally admitting his fear.

As the trio approached the benches, Harry stopped them again and turned to his friend,"Ron. Mate, Gryffindor up and ask her. If she says no, we'll spend tomorrow in the Hogshead getting to know Mr. Ogden. If she says yes, though I'll make tomorrow's dinner epically priceless."

Ron looked confused, "How ya going to do that mate?" the redhead asked.

Harry whispered something in his ear. Ron's eyes grew wide and his eyebrows disappeared into his hair. "DEAL mate!" Ron shouted, and then stalked around the boulder hiding the benches.

Seeing Fleur and Luna sitting together talking, Ron glanced back at his two friends, and then turned back to the pretty blondes gathering his courage. "Gryffindors charge forward" he thought to himself.

"Ms. Delacour, I apologize for earlier, I was awed by your beauty and lost my train of thought. My name is Ron, and I would like to ask if you would do me the greatest possible honor and allow me to accompany you to the Yule Ball?" Ron asked the nervousness evident in his eyes if not his voice.

Fleur's eyes widened in shock, he hadn't been mocking her, the bo... no the young man had been trying to ask her to the Ball. "Yes, Ron, the honor would be mine." Fleur replied slowly still in shock.

Ron blushed hard enough to match his own hair, before grinning.

Harry stepped up and said, "Okay I can see some of us guys are going to have to go back to Hogsmeade tomorrow," Harry then continued and asked "Fleur, Luna what color are your robes going to be?"

Fleur replied, "Mine will be ice blue, but why do you ask"

"Simple," Harry replied, "us guys will need to get our robes trimmed to match our dates."

Luna then replied, "Oh well in that case mine are going to be silver".

"Deep Emerald Harry, like your eyes," Hermione thought to her boyfriend, keeping their secret.

"Cool," Harry replied, "now we just need to get Neville and Krum to go with us, tomorrow, right Ron?"

"Neville I can understand, he's one of our mates, but why Krum?" Ron asked confusedly.

"Because he asked me to go to the Ball with him," Luna chimed in, looking extremely pleased.

Ron looked a little more confused. "But who are you going with Hermione? I know Harry's going with someone, but he's not said who with."

Hermione blushed prettily remembering that class. "It's a secret Ron; my date wants it to be a surprise"

At this point, Ron's stomach rumbled, distracting him and announcing dinner.

Harry held an arm out for both Luna and Hermione, asking, "Ladies shall we?"

"We shall," both girls replied in stereo, before giggling.

Ron, not being quite as clueless as most people believed, offered Fleur his arm as well.

As the five-some approached the Great Hall, they spotted Krum nearing there as well. Luna left Harry's arm and took Krum and the 6 students headed to the Gryffindor table to eat. Seeing Neville heading to the Hufflepuff table with Susan, Harry raised his hand and said ,"Oy Nev, bring your girl and sit with us, we've got stuff to discuss."

Neville looked a question at Susan who blushed then nodded as they joined the group sitting around Harry.

"What's up Harry?" Neville asked as he seated Susan before sitting down himself.

"Susan, have you gotten your dress robes yet?" Harry asked the pretty Hufflepuff.

"Yes Harry," Susan replied glancing at Neville before blushing again.

"Great what color are they?" Harry asked "I'm only asking because some of us guys are going back down to Hogsmeade tomorrow so we can get our robes trimmed to match our date's robes. I figured since all of us here already have our dates, and they got their robes today, us guys could do it tomorrow morning," Harry continued.

"Oh," said the redhead blushing yet again, "They're a creamy jade Neville," Susan replied glancing at her date again.

Harry pulled out a scrap of parchment and a self inking quill, and began to write

"Susan/Neville: Creamy Jade

Luna/Viktor: Silver

Fleur/Ron: Ice Blue

PLE/Harry: Emerald Green"

Seeing what Harry had written in for his date's name, Ron asked, "PLE? Who's that, I don't think I know anyone with those initials."

The rest of the group and most of the table seemed to lean in to hear Harry's reply, "It's not a person's initials Ron, it stands for Prettiest Lady Ever," Harry replied with a small smirk.

The girls in earshot all sighed, except for Hermione who blushed and rolled her eyes, and Luna who giggled. The guys all just looked at Harry then glanced at Fleur.

Harry chuckled then shook his head before replying. "Nope not Fleur. Ron finally Gryffindored up and asked her," Turning to Fleur Harry said, "Sorry Fleur, this isn't meant as an insult, but to me, my date is far prettier than you."

The whole table heard this and immediately started whispering amongst themselves.

"This is going to be such a pain you know that right?" Hermione thought to Harry

"I don't know, I think it's kind of funny myself. Watching them scurry around and try to figure out who I mean. What's funnier is that if they had a lick of sense most of them could figure it out," Harry thought back with an evil grin on his face, as he started to eat.

/

The next morning the 4 young men met up after breakfast and headed into town. Harry, Neville, and Viktor all had garment bags, while Ron looked a little embarrassed. Rightly guessing the reason (those hideous maroon robes) Harry just clapped his hand on Ron's shoulder and said. "It's okay mate, come on."

When they got to town, they headed to Gladrags, and started in. Harry stopped Ron, and pulled him into the nearby alley.

"Alright Ron, I know your Mum sent those robes with you, but seriously mate, I've got you covered. Can't let one of my best friends show up next to the second prettiest girl at the school and one of the Triwizard Champions in those. We'll have the sales Lady pick you out something nice that'll match Fleur, and you can count it an early Christmas present from me," Harry said.

"Mate, I can't let you do that. I'll figure something out. Just wish I had money like you," Ron sulked.

Harry shook his head. He had to get Ron past the jealousy otherwise things would never get better for him, "Ron. You're my best friend. I consider you nearly a brother. Do you know why I have my money?" Harry said.

"Yeah you're folks left it to you," Ron said totally clueless.

Harry just shook his head, thinking Ron was thicker than thestral shyte. "That's right Ron. My parents DIED, I've got no family other than the bloody Dursleys. I'd happily trade every Galleon, Sickle, and Knut in my vault if it would bring them back," Harry said roughly. "Now you, my somewhat thick friend, have a wealth beyond measure. You have both parents, and a shyte-ton of siblings. Merlin mate, I'd hack off a testicle to trade places with you some days," he continued sadly.

Hearing the sadness in his friends voice, something finally penetrated the bone Ron called a brain and he began to realize, that yeah sometimes it sucked to be Harry.

"Then why?" Ron asked, actually listening for once

"Like I said mate," Harry replied "You're like a brother. Brother's help each other out like this. Besides don't you want to look good for Fleur?" Harry continued.

"Yeah, mate. I figure I finally get it. And thanks," Ron said abashed.

"Cool, lets go get prepared for our girls," Harry said dragging Ron into the shop.

/

As the four young men trooped back towards the castle each with a garment bag hanging over their shoulders, they all looked forward to the dance, now less than a month away. Even Ron seemed somewhat more mature and less jealous of Harry, which had the benefit of improving their friendship.

/

A/N

Harry is starting to write himself a little more independent and possibly darker than I had initially intended. Now when I say darker, I don't mean evil. Just more of a "you hurt my friends or Hermione and you will suffer" kind of thing. This can be seen in the library scene when talking to Krum "You hurt her and I'll end you" as well as when he kicked Draco. What I'm wondering is do you guys want to see him start down an independent or darker path? He'll still be his usual kind and caring Harry to the people he cares for, but less forgiving and more prone to 'dispensing chastisement' or do you guys want him to stay a little calmer and less prone to 'punishing' others?