"I will ask her."
"I will ask her."
"I will ask her."
"I will ask her."
"Good," said Ron. "Now repeat that six thousand more times, and you should be ready to go."
Harry glared at Ron. "Don't you have a date to go on?" he snorted.
"Yes, but I'm avoiding it," said Ron. "That's why I'm here. We both have problems, see?"
Just then, Hermione burst into the boy's dorm. Harry went red and sat quickly down; he hadn't faced her since he had tried and failed to confess his true feelings to her earlier.
"Ron, are you ready to go yet?" she asked, her face flushed from the run. Harry thought she had never looked better.
Ron heaved a sigh and reached for his jacket. "Do I have to?" he asked again.
"Ron, don't be a wuss." Hermione reached forward, grabbed his arm, and pulled him out of the boy's dorm. Harry followed, unable to keep a grin off his face.
Ron caught the look. "Don't you dare laugh. I'll get you for this. I'll - I'll set you up with Parvati."
"Don't!" Harry laughed, following them downstairs.
Lavender was standing there, looking extremely dolled up. She had on a jacket over pale blue dress robes, and was wearing an extremely violent shade of lipstick. Ron stared a second, then moved forward and took her hand. "Hello, Lavender," he said politely if not enthusiastically.
"Hi Ron!" squealed Lavender. "You look - great!" He was decked in Percy's discarded navy blue dress robes.
Taking her arm resignedly, he threw a backwards look at Harry as they left into the snow to visit Hogsmeade.
Harry and Hermione stood together watching them go.
Harry's mind leapt. Now! he thought. "Hermione-" he started.
"I know! Let's follow them!" Hermione grinned hugely, then grabbed his arm and pulled him out after them.
Missed chance number three, Harry thought miserably, and squinted into the falling snow to see Lavender and Ron. They were heading for the Hogwarts Express. Lavender was already snuggling close to Ron, who was fidgeting.
"Come on, Harry, let's go!" Hermione said, taking his hand.
"All right," he breathed, the warmth of her hand on his taking his breath away.
"Now, we can't be seen.." Hermione giggled once they were outside. "We'll have to wait until they're out of sight."
"There's a tree," he said, pointing one out. "Hide!"
They dashed forward in the snow and hid behind the tree. Hermione giggled wildly, watching Ron struggle to escape Lavender.
Harry touched her hand, then said, "Hermione-"
The loud whistle of the Hogwarts Express cut right through his words. Hermione's eyes widened. "We can't miss it!" she cried, leaping out from behind the tree. "We'll never get to see!"
She dashed forward and Harry followed, mentally beating himself. Missed chance number four, he thought. Will this day never end?
They tumbled onto the Hogwarts Express just as the conductor closed its doors.
"Now, where's an empty compartment?" Hermione said, looking at the rows of doors. Harry's heart almost skipped a beat. Empty? Compartment? Just the two of them?
"I don't see any open doors," Hermione continued. "We'll have to check and see which ones are full already. But which one did Ron and Lavender go into?"
"I don't know!" Harry whispered, feeling the ridiculousness of the situation and wanting to laugh. The conductor was staring at them and Harry couldn't blame him.
"Hold on, I'll check the little windows," Hermione whispered. She got up and started to peek along the rows of windows, trying to seem casual. At about the fourth one, she ducked quickly and giggled. "There they are!" she whispered, beckoning Harry forward.
Harry peeked in as casually as possible. There on the seat were Ron and Lavender. Ron was gazing longingly out the window as Lavender snuggled against him. Harry stifled a laugh and had to quickly duck down again.
Hermione was in convulsions of giggles.
Harry straightened out of view of the little window .. and suddenly caught sight of the one across the aisle.
"Hermione!" he gasped, then burst into laughter so hard he nearly split his side. "Look!" he urged, pointing at the door.
Hermione peeked in. There, on the seat of the Hogwarts Express, was their lady Herbology teacher, Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick, the short little Charms professor. They were kissing.
"Oh, dear God!" Hermione gasped, then began to laugh uncontrollably too.
Harry straightened suddenly up. "Did you hear something?"
"No," Hermione said, wiping tears from her eyes.
But Harry was right. One of the doorknobs was turning. Someone was looking out.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other.
"What do we do?" Hermione whispered.
"Hide!" said Harry, pushing her behind a miniature Christmas tree and hurling himself behind an elf display just before the door turned and Draco Malfoy looked out.
"Him!" Harry said in disbelief.
"And look - Pansy Parkinson!" Hermione whispered, giggling.
Draco looked suspiciously around. From inside the compartment, they heard a high simpering voice trill, "Draaa-coooo, what are you doing?"
"I thought I heard something out here.." Malfoy said.
"Oh, it's nothing. Come back in, dear.." Harry and Hermione looked at each other and burst into silent laughter.
"All right." Draco finally pulled his head back into the compartment and closed the door.
*
In fifteen minutes they were at Hogsmeade. They could feel the gears grinding beneath them as the Hogwarts Express slowed to a stop, and couples began to emerge from the compartments. Ron was the first to stumble out, looking sickened. Lavender followed, clutching tightly to his arm. Harry and Hermione broke into stifled sniggers.
"Wha' are you two doin' behind there?" said a voice from behind them.
Harry and Hermione turned. "Oh! Hagrid!" Hermione said, her voice relieved. "It's only you!"
Hagrid surveyed them suspiciously through beetle-black eyes. "Jus' who were yeh expectin'?"
Harry and Hermione rose quickly, embarrassed. Harry felt his face go red. "Nobody."
Hagrid looked at them a second more, then broke into the widest grin Harry had seen on him in quite a while. "Go on, then," he said mischeviously. "An' stay out of trouble! You two behave yehselves!" he called after them as they raced out after Ron and Lavender.
Ron and Lavender headed for the Three Broomsticks. Hermione and Harry, trying to control their laughter, followed them as inconspicuously as possible - hiding behind trees and snowy bushes, until they reached the Three Broomsticks.
"What do we do?" Harry whispered. "We can't go in - they'll see us!"
Hermione paused, tapping her finger on her chin thoughtfully. They watched as waiters rushed in and out, looking harassed, and the place bustled with customers yelling and laughing and ordering and talking.
"I've got it!" Hermione said, her face lighting up. Harry looked at her.
"We'll disguise ourselves as waiters!" she cried, breaking into laughter again. "That way, we'll get an eagle-eye view of their date and seem inconspicuous!"
"You've got to be kidding," said a voice from behind them.
Harry and Hermione both jumped. Fred and George stood behind them. "Why do people keep doing that to us?" Hermione complained, grinning at the Weasley twins. "What are you doing here?"
"Same thing you are, mate," George said cheerfully, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Wouldn't be a date if we weren't spying on him. After all, what are big brothers for?"
Fred added, "Think they have an opening for four waiters?"
"We sure do," said yet another voice. This time, all four jumped around.
Madame Rosmerta, the Three Broomsticks waitress, stood there, smiling at them. "I overhead everything," she said with a wink. "And I couldn't help but want to help out. Here," she said, handing Hermione a pile of white fabric. "Uniforms. And you guys'll be gone by the end of the day, right?" she winked.
The four stared at her. Then slowly, they all broke into grins. "Right!" Fred said, saluting.
Madame Rosmerta grinned. "See you in the kitchens!" She turned and strode away, turquoise heels flashing against the snow.
Hermione held out four white aprons and nametags. She tied one around herself and pinned the nametag to her chest. With a flick of her wand, she transfigured the nametag to read, "Hermione."
"Here," she said, handing out the other three aprons.
When they had finished, they hurried off in the direction Madame Rosmerta had gone: the kitchens.
A/N: Okay, I wasn't originally going to write a sequel, but so many people asked for one that I just had to. Plus, the sequel to Hermione's Big Day is not coming along very well - don't worry. I'm just a little tired of it. Writing this was fun, though. As always, review if you want more! ;)