The work they were getting now was immense. Every single teacher was giving them hours worth of homework, in preparation for the O.W.L's. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were working in the Gryffindor common room one night when Parvati Patil came bursting in through the portrait hole.
"They're going to have a dance!" she cried out. "In June, just like the Yule Ball." She turned to her friend, Lavender, "What do you think I should wear?"
"Great a dance. Guess they think it'll relieve the nerves." Ron said grumpily. "Relieve our nerves! Ha!"
"You're just like that because you had a horrible time at the Yule Ball," Hermione said. "I bet this time you'll have a wonderful time."
"Yeah. Now I've got to do all this homework and try to find a date. Great, really it's wonderful."
"What if I asked you to the dance?" Hermione said in a small voice. Harry pretended to be very interested on his oracle bones chart.
"Um-" Ron was bright red. "Well, all right."
And they all went back to their homework, Ron smiling slightly.
Harry really didn't care about the dance in June-after all, he did feel there were more pressing issues, such as passing Potions.
"Potter I have no idea how you even made it to your fifth year," Snape said silkily in Potions one day.
"This potion is green. It was supposed to be purple, don't you understand that? Detention next Tuesday for sheer stupidity!"
Harry glared at Snape who turned away to admire Malfoy's very purple potion.
Harry stormed out of class as soon as the bell rang; Ron and Hermione had to walk fast to keep up with him.
"It's all right, you'll find a date to the dance,." Ron said.
"That isn't what I'm mad about," Harry said through gritted teeth. "Snape just gave me a detention because of that stupid potion."
"Oh, Harry, if you need help-"
"I don't need help," Harry said. "I just want to rest." And he went off to lunch.
That night in the common room Harry was trying to turn his hair blue, practicing a Hair Spell that McGonagoll hinted that they'd need to know for the O.W.L's. Ron and Hermione were talking quietly at the other side of the table.
"Harry,' said a small voice. Harry jumped, sending red sparks through the common room.
"Sorry!" he called out. He looked behind him, to see the keeper of the voice. It was Ginny.
"I was just thinking, about the dance." Harry felt his stomach turn about.
"Do you want to go with me?" they both said in the same breath. Ginny laughed.
"Um-well then," Harry said.
"See you at the dance!" Ginny turned and left, her face bright red.
"You're going with Ginny?" Ron asked. "My sister?"
"So?' Harry said gruffly, looking down.
"Nothing, I just never thought you liked her," Ron said.
Harry was in too much of a good mood to snip at Ron, "Well I…do, a little," he said quietly. "I mean, she's very nice."
Hermione was glowing at Harry, "Good job, now you two will have fun at the dance instead of skulking off.'
Harry smiled weakly, but feeling rather happy, he went upstairs and to bed.
"They're going to have a dance!" she cried out. "In June, just like the Yule Ball." She turned to her friend, Lavender, "What do you think I should wear?"
"Great a dance. Guess they think it'll relieve the nerves." Ron said grumpily. "Relieve our nerves! Ha!"
"You're just like that because you had a horrible time at the Yule Ball," Hermione said. "I bet this time you'll have a wonderful time."
"Yeah. Now I've got to do all this homework and try to find a date. Great, really it's wonderful."
"What if I asked you to the dance?" Hermione said in a small voice. Harry pretended to be very interested on his oracle bones chart.
"Um-" Ron was bright red. "Well, all right."
And they all went back to their homework, Ron smiling slightly.
Harry really didn't care about the dance in June-after all, he did feel there were more pressing issues, such as passing Potions.
"Potter I have no idea how you even made it to your fifth year," Snape said silkily in Potions one day.
"This potion is green. It was supposed to be purple, don't you understand that? Detention next Tuesday for sheer stupidity!"
Harry glared at Snape who turned away to admire Malfoy's very purple potion.
Harry stormed out of class as soon as the bell rang; Ron and Hermione had to walk fast to keep up with him.
"It's all right, you'll find a date to the dance,." Ron said.
"That isn't what I'm mad about," Harry said through gritted teeth. "Snape just gave me a detention because of that stupid potion."
"Oh, Harry, if you need help-"
"I don't need help," Harry said. "I just want to rest." And he went off to lunch.
That night in the common room Harry was trying to turn his hair blue, practicing a Hair Spell that McGonagoll hinted that they'd need to know for the O.W.L's. Ron and Hermione were talking quietly at the other side of the table.
"Harry,' said a small voice. Harry jumped, sending red sparks through the common room.
"Sorry!" he called out. He looked behind him, to see the keeper of the voice. It was Ginny.
"I was just thinking, about the dance." Harry felt his stomach turn about.
"Do you want to go with me?" they both said in the same breath. Ginny laughed.
"Um-well then," Harry said.
"See you at the dance!" Ginny turned and left, her face bright red.
"You're going with Ginny?" Ron asked. "My sister?"
"So?' Harry said gruffly, looking down.
"Nothing, I just never thought you liked her," Ron said.
Harry was in too much of a good mood to snip at Ron, "Well I…do, a little," he said quietly. "I mean, she's very nice."
Hermione was glowing at Harry, "Good job, now you two will have fun at the dance instead of skulking off.'
Harry smiled weakly, but feeling rather happy, he went upstairs and to bed.