Disclaimer: Unfortunately, none of the Weasleys or anyone else belong to us. Wah!
Authors' Note: Sorry again about the stupid asterisks. If anyone knows how to do italics in .txt files, please share in your review (hint, hint).
Chapter 4: The Hardest Lesson
The Great Hall erupted in cheers as soon as they entered, with the notable exception of the Slytherin table, where Malfoy's chair remained conspicuously empty. Ron was beaming as they made their way to the Gryffindor table amidst a chorus of congratulations and applause, and Harry couldn't have been happier. He knew Ron disliked always being in his shadow and thought it high time his best friend felt some appreciation of his own.
"Ron! Ron!" Neville stood up and waved frantically, gesturing to the seat next to him. The others followed as Ron sat down across from Fred and George, who were practically bursting with pride. All down the table, Gryffindors leaned in to get a better look at their new hero.
"We were just telling everyone what a big *hit* dance class was today, weren't we, George?" Fred winked.
"Yeah," George added. "It was a real *smash*." He made sure his voice was just loud enough to carry to the Slytherin table. They didn't seem amused.
That night there was more carrying on in the Gryffindor common room than the night they'd won the Quidditch Cup. Ron was enjoying his newfound celebrity immensely, though he confessed to Harry that he found the attention from all the younger girls a bit unsettling. For some reason Hermione didn't seem too pleased about it, either, but Harry only noticed this because Ginny pointed it out to him. Everyone else had a jolly time, with much reenactment of the fateful waltz incident and much laughter at Malfoy's expense. By the time they all headed off to bed Ron confided to Harry that it had been a most successful day indeed.
The next morning Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione went straight after breakfast to share the good news with Hagrid, and the giant groundskeeper gave such a whoop of triumph that the whole cottage shook. No one could have been happier to see Malfoy put in his place than Hagrid, and he let them know right away how impressed he was with Ron's bravery.
"I wish I coulda seen it," he said mournfully. "I don't normally abide violence, but in this case I think it was justified." Hagrid grinned and patted Ron on the back, nearly knocking him off the bench. "I'm just glad yeh didn't get inter trouble."
"Lucky for us the professors heard what Malfoy said," Harry agreed, "or he might have gotten away with it again."
"I still can't believe Professor Dumbledore made him apologize!" said Ginny rapturously.
"Neither can Malfoy, I bet," Hagrid observed. "You kids oughtter be extra careful for a while. He's not the type ter let somethin' like this go without tryin' ter get revenge."
Hagrid was very right about that. Malfoy stopped coming to dance classes and made himself relatively scarce around the castle--probably because his eye had swollen shut and turned a nasty shade of purple--but several times he was spotted conversing furtively with Crabbe and Goyle. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione agreed to watch each others' backs and not go anywhere alone, and the only time they really had to worry was during Potions with Professor Snape. On those occasions they were careful to keep a close watch on Malfoy and on his bodyguards, which wasn't too difficult since the latter apparently shared a brain.
Life at Hogwarts gradually returned to normal, though not a day passed without some reference to the most recent color of Malfoy's shiner, and spirits remained high in Gryffindor. Even Ron and Hermione seemed to be bickering a lot less. Dance lessons were splendid without the Slytherin head couple, and the class learned faster than ever. Neville especially turned into quite an accomplished dancer, much to his and everyone else's surprise, and no longer needed to fear a lack of partners at the Yule Ball.
As the Christmas holidays approached new excitement hung in the air. The students anxiously awaited the end of exams and the chance to celebrate at the Yule Ball, which promised to be even more spectacular than before. Mealtimes buzzed with gossip over who was going with whom, the latest fashions in dress robes, and how many Christmas trees Hagrid could fit into the Great Hall this time. Harry was certainly looking forward to it more this year than last, especially since he felt fairly confident about the dancing this time around. The only damper on the occasion was the embarrassing process of finding a partner.
Harry broached the subject with Ron as they were going to bed one night about three weeks before the Ball. Fred and George already had their partners, and Parvati had asked a thrilled Neville to be her escort, but he and Ron hadn't yet asked anyone.
"Ron?" Harry whispered, "Are you going to ask Hermione to the Yule Ball?"
Ron's ears went scarlet. "What?" He sat up and faced Harry sharply. "What makes you say that?" he demanded.
"N-nothing," Harry stammered, wondering about Ron's strange tone. "I just assumed you would since you're already dance partners and everything."
"Oh." Ron seemed to relax. "Right."
But Harry's curiosity was piqued. "Is there some other reason I should know about?" he asked.
"No, no, no reason," Ron answered a little too quickly, turning away to fluff his pillow.
Harry peered at him suspiciously. He couldn't be sure, but it looked like Ron was blushing. But that would mean--no, it couldn't be. Could it? Harry shook his head. He was probably imagining things. After all, Ron and Hermione were always fighting and getting on each other's nerves. Half the time they weren't even speaking to each other. But the other half of the time...
Suddenly Harry felt as if a light had turned on in his head, just like in a Muggle cartoon. Memories came floating across his mind in a blur of images: Ron attempting to curse Malfoy for calling Hermione a Mudblood, Ron's face when he first saw Hermione's petrified body in the infirmary, Ron trying to kill Malfoy for lamenting Hermione's escape from death. Then there was Ron braving Snape's wrath to defend Hermione, Ron's admiration when Hermione slapped Malfoy, and Ron's unexpected hostility towards Viktor Krum at the Yule Ball.
Harry's startling thoughts were interrupted by Ron's voice. "What about you? Are you gonna ask Cho again?"
Harry sighed, his speculation about Ron's feelings for Hermione forgotten. "I don't think so," he answered sadly. "Things are so awkward now after all that happened last year. I'm not sure she's even going to go."
Ron nodded thoughtfully. "You're probably right," he agreed. "Are you taking Ginny, then?"
"I'm going to ask her," Harry answered. "Do you think she'll say yes?"
"Hello-o!" Ron snorted. "You know she has a huge crush on you--of course she'll say yes." He chucked his pillow at Harry, who ducked just in time. "'Will she say yes?' Honestly!"
Feeling foolish, Harry tossed Ron's pillow back onto his best friend's bed and rolled over. He'd known about Ginny's feelings for him for years, but after being partners for so long in dance class he had thought--he had hoped--that she had gotten over them once she got to know him better. Ginny certainly wasn't as shy with him as she had been in the past, at least, and Harry actually thought they were becoming good friends. And that's how he planned to ask her to the Ball--as a friend.
The next morning Harry found Ron in the common room trying unsuccessfully to study for their Potions exam. The redhead looked up as he entered. "If you're looking for Ginny," he said, "she just left with Colin."
"Thanks," said Harry, turning to step through the portrait. He rounded the corner to see Ginny standing quite close to Colin, her face alight with laughter. Harry's stomach suddenly did a most unpleasant flip-flop. Colin and Ginny were holding hands.
Harry felt like a balloon that had just been popped. Of course Colin would already have asked Ginny, and now he'd have to find another partner. And it would be no easy task since almost everyone was already paired off. With a groan Harry spun around to go back through the painting, kicking himself for being so stupid.
"Harry!" Ginny's voice made him stop and turn.
"Hi, Ginny," he managed. "Hullo, Colin." He forced his lips into a smile, remembering vividly how annoying little Creevey had been in the past. How could he have forgotten?
"You have to see these," Ginny told him, pulling him over to look at something in Colin's hands. Her face was flushed with excitement as she held the items up for Harry's inspection. "Colin was just showing me the photos he's been taking of Draco's black eye over the past few weeks. Aren't they great? You can really see the colors changing."
"Yeah," Harry said automatically. "They're really good." So they hadn't been holding hands, after all. He smiled warmly at Colin, his annoyance forgotten. "You take nice photos," he said sincerely. "Have you shown these to Ron? He's in the common room studying Potions and could probably use a good laugh."
Colin snorted and shook his head, taking the pictures back from Harry. "Probably," he agreed. "See you later, Ginny. Bye, Harry."
Harry waved and turned back to Ginny. It was now or never. "I'm glad I bumped into you," he began. "I wanted to talk to you."
"You did?" Ginny looked up at him. "What about?"
"Well," Harry hesitated, "I was wondering if you were planning on going to the Yule Ball or not."
Ginny blushed and studied her feet. "I'd like to go," she said quietly, "but..."
"But what?" Harry prompted.
"But I don't want to go without a partner." Harry had to strain to hear her reply.
"No one's asked you yet?" he asked nervously, his hope returning.
Ginny flushed even redder and didn't look up. "No." It was almost a whisper.
Harry was so absurdly relieved he barely stopped himself from twirling Ginny into a dip in the middle of the hall. Instead he took her hand with a broad smile.
"Good," he told her, "because I was hoping you would come with me." Ginny's head snapped up sharply and for a moment Harry thought he had made a mistake. "That is, I mean, if you want to," he stuttered awkwardly.
"You're asking me to the Yule Ball?" Ginny breathed in a very small voice. Harry nodded slowly, a little frightened that she didn't look very happy about it. Ginny blinked and took a step back. "That's very sweet of you, Harry," she said finally, and Harry felt his insides drop. He was about to be turned down, he could feel it. "But you don't have to take me. I know there's someone else you'd rather ask."
Harry's mouth fell open. "Ginny--what--I want to go with you," he faltered.
Ginny shook her head, her lips compressed in a small smile. "I know you're just trying to be nice to me, and I'm grateful," she repeated, "but I can't go with you."
"Why not?" Harry was thunderstruck. "Is there someone else you'd rather go with?"
Ginny dropped her eyes. "No," she admitted quietly.
Harry didn't know what else to do. He grabbed her hands and looked her straight in the eye. "Ginny, I'm not asking you to be nice, I swear. You're my friend and I want to go to the Ball with you. There's no one else I want to ask."
Harry was amazed to discover that every word he said was true. He held his breath, a trifle shocked with himself, and waited for Ginny to say something. Apparently he looked pretty convincing, for she was staring at him with round, shining eyes.
"You really mean that?" Her voice was trembling.
Harry nodded firmly. "Will you go with me, please?"
Ginny's face broke into the biggest smile Harry had ever seen. "Yes!" she choked out at last. "I'd love to!"
Harry grinned, too, and pulled her back toward the common room. "C'mon, let's go tell Ron."
They were still smiling when they joined Ron by the fire and flopped onto the couch.
"I take it she said yes," Ron winked at Harry. "What a surprise."
Ginny blushed and chucked a pillow at his teasing smirk, but it was only a half-hearted effort and he dodged it easily.
"What about you, Ron?" asked Harry. "Have you seen Hermione yet?"
"Nope," Ron answered absently, turning the page of his Potions book. "She must still be upstairs or I would have seen her come down. I've been sitting here all morning." He looked up suddenly with a horrified grimace on his face, then dropped his gaze, slightly flushed. Harry glanced at Ginny, who cocked her eyebrows in amusement.
"So are you and Hermione going to the Ball together?" she asked her brother.
Ron assumed an air of nonchalance that didn't fool Harry in the slightest. "Yeah, well, since we're already partners and all," he shrugged.
"*And at what point exactly were you planning on telling me about this?*"
Harry spun around to see Hermione standing at the base of the girls' tower.
"Hermione!" exclaimed Ron.
She left the stairway and advanced on him slowly with blazing eyes, her cheeks pinched and colorless. "Were you even going to ask me if I wanted to go with you," she inquired coldly, "or did you just assume I wouldn't have a choice?"
"Hermione, I didn't--" Ron stuttered, panicked, but she silenced him with an icy glare.
"That's right," Hermione continued, trembling, "it never even occurred to you anyone else would want to ask me, did it?" Harry was startled to see tears in her eyes.
"No!" Ron shook his head, holding up his hands in protest. "You've got the wrong idea! Let me explain--"
"Of course not!" Hermione cried shrilly, cutting him off. "Why would anyone want to take me to the Ball?" She was really crying now, but more from hurt or anger Harry couldn't tell. When she rounded on Ron with clenched fists he decided to go with anger.
"How could you?" Hermione demanded in a deadly whisper. The expression on her face was one Harry had only seen once before, right after she had slapped Draco Malfoy.
Ron sat stone-still in the chair, his eyes wide in a look of utter horror. Before he could recover enough to reply, Hermione had turned on her heel to march back towards the stairs.
"You can find yourself a new partner, Ron Weasley," she said without looking back. Her voice was shaking with emotion. "I'm *never* going to the Ball with you."
No one moved. Ginny gave a sort of strangled gasp. Ron was staring open-mouthed after Hermione, his freckles unusually prominent against the sudden pallor of his cheeks. Harry leapt abruptly to his feet and crossed the floor to grab Hermione's arm.
"Hermione, wait!" he cried. "You've made a mistake."
Hermione's red-rimmed eyes looked reproachfully at him as she shook out of his grasp. Her gaze flicked briefly over Harry's shoulder to settle on Ron. "I don't think so," she said dully, turning away again.
Harry took her firmly by both shoulders. "Yes, you have," he insisted. "At least hear what Ron has to say."
"She doesn't want to."
Harry turned around. Ron stood perfectly still in front of his chair. There was a very hard look on his face that Harry didn't like at all.
"She's obviously not interested in hearing it," he said. "Let her go." Ron's lips had thinned into a determined line and there were two bright spots of pink in his cheeks. Harry stared at him in dismay as Hermione backed away again.
Ginny jumped up suddenly. "Hermione, Ron's been waiting for you all morning to ask you to the Ball!" she blurted breathlessly.
Hermione's tear-stained cheeks had gone completely white. "What?" she whispered shakily, regarding Ron with disbelief. "Is that true? You *were* really going to ask me?"
Ron crossed his arms sullenly and fixed her with an angry glare. "And what if I was?" he demanded haughtily. "We can all see you're not very keen on the idea, so just forget it. I'll get a new partner, like you said."
"Oh, Ron!" Hermione burst into tears. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that!" she gasped between sobs. "I thought--I thought--" Her face crumpled and she collapsed onto the couch, burying her head in her arms.
Ron blinked at Harry, looking quite terrified. Then Ginny poked him in the shoulder and nodded meaningfully at Hermione, and he moved to sit awkwardly on the arm of the couch.
"Don't cry, Hermione," said Ron at last. He seemed very uncomfortable as he reached out and placed his hand timidly on her shoulder.
Hermione raised her tear-streaked face and sniffed loudly. "Ron, I'm really sorry," she repeated miserably. "I should have let you explain. Can you ever forgive me?" Her watery eyes were bright with fear.
Ron managed a weak smile. "Yes," he said slowly, "but only if you come to the Yule Ball with me. If the four of us are friends we should go together, don't you think?"
Hermione couldn't speak. She threw her arms around Ron in a fierce hug and dissolved into tears again, spotting the front of his robes. Ron didn't seem to know what to do with his hands, and finally settled on patting them gently on Hermione's back.
"Well," said Harry as the last of Hermione's sobs faded away, "good thing that's settled." Ron, Ginny, and Hermione looked at him dazedly. "Who wants breakfast?"
Authors' Note: Well, if you thought that was awkward, it only gets worse in the later parts. To see what happens at the Yule Ball, what Malfoy is plotting, and how Ginny and Harry really feel about each other, you know what to do!
Authors' Note: Sorry again about the stupid asterisks. If anyone knows how to do italics in .txt files, please share in your review (hint, hint).
Chapter 4: The Hardest Lesson
The Great Hall erupted in cheers as soon as they entered, with the notable exception of the Slytherin table, where Malfoy's chair remained conspicuously empty. Ron was beaming as they made their way to the Gryffindor table amidst a chorus of congratulations and applause, and Harry couldn't have been happier. He knew Ron disliked always being in his shadow and thought it high time his best friend felt some appreciation of his own.
"Ron! Ron!" Neville stood up and waved frantically, gesturing to the seat next to him. The others followed as Ron sat down across from Fred and George, who were practically bursting with pride. All down the table, Gryffindors leaned in to get a better look at their new hero.
"We were just telling everyone what a big *hit* dance class was today, weren't we, George?" Fred winked.
"Yeah," George added. "It was a real *smash*." He made sure his voice was just loud enough to carry to the Slytherin table. They didn't seem amused.
That night there was more carrying on in the Gryffindor common room than the night they'd won the Quidditch Cup. Ron was enjoying his newfound celebrity immensely, though he confessed to Harry that he found the attention from all the younger girls a bit unsettling. For some reason Hermione didn't seem too pleased about it, either, but Harry only noticed this because Ginny pointed it out to him. Everyone else had a jolly time, with much reenactment of the fateful waltz incident and much laughter at Malfoy's expense. By the time they all headed off to bed Ron confided to Harry that it had been a most successful day indeed.
The next morning Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione went straight after breakfast to share the good news with Hagrid, and the giant groundskeeper gave such a whoop of triumph that the whole cottage shook. No one could have been happier to see Malfoy put in his place than Hagrid, and he let them know right away how impressed he was with Ron's bravery.
"I wish I coulda seen it," he said mournfully. "I don't normally abide violence, but in this case I think it was justified." Hagrid grinned and patted Ron on the back, nearly knocking him off the bench. "I'm just glad yeh didn't get inter trouble."
"Lucky for us the professors heard what Malfoy said," Harry agreed, "or he might have gotten away with it again."
"I still can't believe Professor Dumbledore made him apologize!" said Ginny rapturously.
"Neither can Malfoy, I bet," Hagrid observed. "You kids oughtter be extra careful for a while. He's not the type ter let somethin' like this go without tryin' ter get revenge."
Hagrid was very right about that. Malfoy stopped coming to dance classes and made himself relatively scarce around the castle--probably because his eye had swollen shut and turned a nasty shade of purple--but several times he was spotted conversing furtively with Crabbe and Goyle. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione agreed to watch each others' backs and not go anywhere alone, and the only time they really had to worry was during Potions with Professor Snape. On those occasions they were careful to keep a close watch on Malfoy and on his bodyguards, which wasn't too difficult since the latter apparently shared a brain.
Life at Hogwarts gradually returned to normal, though not a day passed without some reference to the most recent color of Malfoy's shiner, and spirits remained high in Gryffindor. Even Ron and Hermione seemed to be bickering a lot less. Dance lessons were splendid without the Slytherin head couple, and the class learned faster than ever. Neville especially turned into quite an accomplished dancer, much to his and everyone else's surprise, and no longer needed to fear a lack of partners at the Yule Ball.
As the Christmas holidays approached new excitement hung in the air. The students anxiously awaited the end of exams and the chance to celebrate at the Yule Ball, which promised to be even more spectacular than before. Mealtimes buzzed with gossip over who was going with whom, the latest fashions in dress robes, and how many Christmas trees Hagrid could fit into the Great Hall this time. Harry was certainly looking forward to it more this year than last, especially since he felt fairly confident about the dancing this time around. The only damper on the occasion was the embarrassing process of finding a partner.
Harry broached the subject with Ron as they were going to bed one night about three weeks before the Ball. Fred and George already had their partners, and Parvati had asked a thrilled Neville to be her escort, but he and Ron hadn't yet asked anyone.
"Ron?" Harry whispered, "Are you going to ask Hermione to the Yule Ball?"
Ron's ears went scarlet. "What?" He sat up and faced Harry sharply. "What makes you say that?" he demanded.
"N-nothing," Harry stammered, wondering about Ron's strange tone. "I just assumed you would since you're already dance partners and everything."
"Oh." Ron seemed to relax. "Right."
But Harry's curiosity was piqued. "Is there some other reason I should know about?" he asked.
"No, no, no reason," Ron answered a little too quickly, turning away to fluff his pillow.
Harry peered at him suspiciously. He couldn't be sure, but it looked like Ron was blushing. But that would mean--no, it couldn't be. Could it? Harry shook his head. He was probably imagining things. After all, Ron and Hermione were always fighting and getting on each other's nerves. Half the time they weren't even speaking to each other. But the other half of the time...
Suddenly Harry felt as if a light had turned on in his head, just like in a Muggle cartoon. Memories came floating across his mind in a blur of images: Ron attempting to curse Malfoy for calling Hermione a Mudblood, Ron's face when he first saw Hermione's petrified body in the infirmary, Ron trying to kill Malfoy for lamenting Hermione's escape from death. Then there was Ron braving Snape's wrath to defend Hermione, Ron's admiration when Hermione slapped Malfoy, and Ron's unexpected hostility towards Viktor Krum at the Yule Ball.
Harry's startling thoughts were interrupted by Ron's voice. "What about you? Are you gonna ask Cho again?"
Harry sighed, his speculation about Ron's feelings for Hermione forgotten. "I don't think so," he answered sadly. "Things are so awkward now after all that happened last year. I'm not sure she's even going to go."
Ron nodded thoughtfully. "You're probably right," he agreed. "Are you taking Ginny, then?"
"I'm going to ask her," Harry answered. "Do you think she'll say yes?"
"Hello-o!" Ron snorted. "You know she has a huge crush on you--of course she'll say yes." He chucked his pillow at Harry, who ducked just in time. "'Will she say yes?' Honestly!"
Feeling foolish, Harry tossed Ron's pillow back onto his best friend's bed and rolled over. He'd known about Ginny's feelings for him for years, but after being partners for so long in dance class he had thought--he had hoped--that she had gotten over them once she got to know him better. Ginny certainly wasn't as shy with him as she had been in the past, at least, and Harry actually thought they were becoming good friends. And that's how he planned to ask her to the Ball--as a friend.
The next morning Harry found Ron in the common room trying unsuccessfully to study for their Potions exam. The redhead looked up as he entered. "If you're looking for Ginny," he said, "she just left with Colin."
"Thanks," said Harry, turning to step through the portrait. He rounded the corner to see Ginny standing quite close to Colin, her face alight with laughter. Harry's stomach suddenly did a most unpleasant flip-flop. Colin and Ginny were holding hands.
Harry felt like a balloon that had just been popped. Of course Colin would already have asked Ginny, and now he'd have to find another partner. And it would be no easy task since almost everyone was already paired off. With a groan Harry spun around to go back through the painting, kicking himself for being so stupid.
"Harry!" Ginny's voice made him stop and turn.
"Hi, Ginny," he managed. "Hullo, Colin." He forced his lips into a smile, remembering vividly how annoying little Creevey had been in the past. How could he have forgotten?
"You have to see these," Ginny told him, pulling him over to look at something in Colin's hands. Her face was flushed with excitement as she held the items up for Harry's inspection. "Colin was just showing me the photos he's been taking of Draco's black eye over the past few weeks. Aren't they great? You can really see the colors changing."
"Yeah," Harry said automatically. "They're really good." So they hadn't been holding hands, after all. He smiled warmly at Colin, his annoyance forgotten. "You take nice photos," he said sincerely. "Have you shown these to Ron? He's in the common room studying Potions and could probably use a good laugh."
Colin snorted and shook his head, taking the pictures back from Harry. "Probably," he agreed. "See you later, Ginny. Bye, Harry."
Harry waved and turned back to Ginny. It was now or never. "I'm glad I bumped into you," he began. "I wanted to talk to you."
"You did?" Ginny looked up at him. "What about?"
"Well," Harry hesitated, "I was wondering if you were planning on going to the Yule Ball or not."
Ginny blushed and studied her feet. "I'd like to go," she said quietly, "but..."
"But what?" Harry prompted.
"But I don't want to go without a partner." Harry had to strain to hear her reply.
"No one's asked you yet?" he asked nervously, his hope returning.
Ginny flushed even redder and didn't look up. "No." It was almost a whisper.
Harry was so absurdly relieved he barely stopped himself from twirling Ginny into a dip in the middle of the hall. Instead he took her hand with a broad smile.
"Good," he told her, "because I was hoping you would come with me." Ginny's head snapped up sharply and for a moment Harry thought he had made a mistake. "That is, I mean, if you want to," he stuttered awkwardly.
"You're asking me to the Yule Ball?" Ginny breathed in a very small voice. Harry nodded slowly, a little frightened that she didn't look very happy about it. Ginny blinked and took a step back. "That's very sweet of you, Harry," she said finally, and Harry felt his insides drop. He was about to be turned down, he could feel it. "But you don't have to take me. I know there's someone else you'd rather ask."
Harry's mouth fell open. "Ginny--what--I want to go with you," he faltered.
Ginny shook her head, her lips compressed in a small smile. "I know you're just trying to be nice to me, and I'm grateful," she repeated, "but I can't go with you."
"Why not?" Harry was thunderstruck. "Is there someone else you'd rather go with?"
Ginny dropped her eyes. "No," she admitted quietly.
Harry didn't know what else to do. He grabbed her hands and looked her straight in the eye. "Ginny, I'm not asking you to be nice, I swear. You're my friend and I want to go to the Ball with you. There's no one else I want to ask."
Harry was amazed to discover that every word he said was true. He held his breath, a trifle shocked with himself, and waited for Ginny to say something. Apparently he looked pretty convincing, for she was staring at him with round, shining eyes.
"You really mean that?" Her voice was trembling.
Harry nodded firmly. "Will you go with me, please?"
Ginny's face broke into the biggest smile Harry had ever seen. "Yes!" she choked out at last. "I'd love to!"
Harry grinned, too, and pulled her back toward the common room. "C'mon, let's go tell Ron."
They were still smiling when they joined Ron by the fire and flopped onto the couch.
"I take it she said yes," Ron winked at Harry. "What a surprise."
Ginny blushed and chucked a pillow at his teasing smirk, but it was only a half-hearted effort and he dodged it easily.
"What about you, Ron?" asked Harry. "Have you seen Hermione yet?"
"Nope," Ron answered absently, turning the page of his Potions book. "She must still be upstairs or I would have seen her come down. I've been sitting here all morning." He looked up suddenly with a horrified grimace on his face, then dropped his gaze, slightly flushed. Harry glanced at Ginny, who cocked her eyebrows in amusement.
"So are you and Hermione going to the Ball together?" she asked her brother.
Ron assumed an air of nonchalance that didn't fool Harry in the slightest. "Yeah, well, since we're already partners and all," he shrugged.
"*And at what point exactly were you planning on telling me about this?*"
Harry spun around to see Hermione standing at the base of the girls' tower.
"Hermione!" exclaimed Ron.
She left the stairway and advanced on him slowly with blazing eyes, her cheeks pinched and colorless. "Were you even going to ask me if I wanted to go with you," she inquired coldly, "or did you just assume I wouldn't have a choice?"
"Hermione, I didn't--" Ron stuttered, panicked, but she silenced him with an icy glare.
"That's right," Hermione continued, trembling, "it never even occurred to you anyone else would want to ask me, did it?" Harry was startled to see tears in her eyes.
"No!" Ron shook his head, holding up his hands in protest. "You've got the wrong idea! Let me explain--"
"Of course not!" Hermione cried shrilly, cutting him off. "Why would anyone want to take me to the Ball?" She was really crying now, but more from hurt or anger Harry couldn't tell. When she rounded on Ron with clenched fists he decided to go with anger.
"How could you?" Hermione demanded in a deadly whisper. The expression on her face was one Harry had only seen once before, right after she had slapped Draco Malfoy.
Ron sat stone-still in the chair, his eyes wide in a look of utter horror. Before he could recover enough to reply, Hermione had turned on her heel to march back towards the stairs.
"You can find yourself a new partner, Ron Weasley," she said without looking back. Her voice was shaking with emotion. "I'm *never* going to the Ball with you."
No one moved. Ginny gave a sort of strangled gasp. Ron was staring open-mouthed after Hermione, his freckles unusually prominent against the sudden pallor of his cheeks. Harry leapt abruptly to his feet and crossed the floor to grab Hermione's arm.
"Hermione, wait!" he cried. "You've made a mistake."
Hermione's red-rimmed eyes looked reproachfully at him as she shook out of his grasp. Her gaze flicked briefly over Harry's shoulder to settle on Ron. "I don't think so," she said dully, turning away again.
Harry took her firmly by both shoulders. "Yes, you have," he insisted. "At least hear what Ron has to say."
"She doesn't want to."
Harry turned around. Ron stood perfectly still in front of his chair. There was a very hard look on his face that Harry didn't like at all.
"She's obviously not interested in hearing it," he said. "Let her go." Ron's lips had thinned into a determined line and there were two bright spots of pink in his cheeks. Harry stared at him in dismay as Hermione backed away again.
Ginny jumped up suddenly. "Hermione, Ron's been waiting for you all morning to ask you to the Ball!" she blurted breathlessly.
Hermione's tear-stained cheeks had gone completely white. "What?" she whispered shakily, regarding Ron with disbelief. "Is that true? You *were* really going to ask me?"
Ron crossed his arms sullenly and fixed her with an angry glare. "And what if I was?" he demanded haughtily. "We can all see you're not very keen on the idea, so just forget it. I'll get a new partner, like you said."
"Oh, Ron!" Hermione burst into tears. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that!" she gasped between sobs. "I thought--I thought--" Her face crumpled and she collapsed onto the couch, burying her head in her arms.
Ron blinked at Harry, looking quite terrified. Then Ginny poked him in the shoulder and nodded meaningfully at Hermione, and he moved to sit awkwardly on the arm of the couch.
"Don't cry, Hermione," said Ron at last. He seemed very uncomfortable as he reached out and placed his hand timidly on her shoulder.
Hermione raised her tear-streaked face and sniffed loudly. "Ron, I'm really sorry," she repeated miserably. "I should have let you explain. Can you ever forgive me?" Her watery eyes were bright with fear.
Ron managed a weak smile. "Yes," he said slowly, "but only if you come to the Yule Ball with me. If the four of us are friends we should go together, don't you think?"
Hermione couldn't speak. She threw her arms around Ron in a fierce hug and dissolved into tears again, spotting the front of his robes. Ron didn't seem to know what to do with his hands, and finally settled on patting them gently on Hermione's back.
"Well," said Harry as the last of Hermione's sobs faded away, "good thing that's settled." Ron, Ginny, and Hermione looked at him dazedly. "Who wants breakfast?"
Authors' Note: Well, if you thought that was awkward, it only gets worse in the later parts. To see what happens at the Yule Ball, what Malfoy is plotting, and how Ginny and Harry really feel about each other, you know what to do!