Harry awoke early the next morning. He sighed, the day of the ball...this is going to be an interesting day.... Harry got dressed and went down to the common room to find Ron and Hermione talking...well Ron was talking, Hermione was laughing as he spoke. He approached them and turned to Hermione, "What's so funny?" he asked.
"Oh nothing really, Ron was telling me about how he wanted to be keeper on the quidditch team, you know since that new third year broke his arm?" She laughed a bit more. "Ron the keeper! Just imagine what he would look like." Hermione finished smiling. Ron just scowled.
"Whatever...for your information I can play Quidditch quite well, thank you very much." Ron said coolly
"Yeah sure, whatever you say Ron." Ron glared at Hermione playfully.
"So, Hogsmeade weekend and the ball. You guys wanna go to Hogsmeade and visit the three broomsticks and stuff?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I gotta pick up the dress robes I ordered in Hogsmeade." Hermione said.
"I need to stock up on my sweets so a trip to Honeydukes can't hurt." Ron said shrugging. So they all walked down to the bustling Great Hall and ate a quick breakfast. Then they made their way through the throng of students and got their own private carriage which brought them to Hogsmeade. Harry, Ron, and Hermione first went to Honeydukes where they joked around and bought bags of sweets. After that they all went to the dress shop where Hermione bought her dress robes. Then they were off to the three broomsticks. They found a table in the corner and settled in.
"Come on Hermione...let us see your dress robe." Ron whined.
"Yeah, Hermione let us see it." Harry chimed in.
"No." Hermione said smiling.
"Why not?" asked Harry now smiling too. Hermione's smiling made him smile as well.
"Because, it's a surprise." she said simply
"Whatever Hermione." Ron said defeated. "I'll go get us some butterbeers." With that Ron walked up to the counter leaving Hermione and Harry alone.
"So are you excited about the ball tonight, Harry?" asked Hermione.
"Yeah...a lot." Harry said watching Hermione tuck a few strands of hair. Ouch Hermione thought. He's excited about going with Cho? bloody hell...
"So.." Harry said. Hermione leaned down to the floor and pulled something out of her bag. Some hair had fallen across Hermione's eyes shading them again.
"Yeah...so..." Hermione said in reply. Harry couldn't help it, when he reached across the table and gently pushed the hair away from Hermione's face. His bottle green eyes met her cinnamon brown ones. But the moment was quickly spoiled when Ron came back placing the butterbeers on the table and Harry abrubtly sat back. Ron sat down next to Hermione and put a friendly arm around her. Harry suddenly felt a pang of jealousy, but reminded himself Ron was just being a good best friend to her. For the rest of the time in the Three Broomstcks they joked around and talked. Harry and Hermione conveniently avoided each others eyes.
"We better get back to the carriages, before they leave without us." Said Ron. Harry and Hermione nodded and made their way back to the carriages and back to Hogwarts. When they arrived back at school it was about 5:00. Our trio made their way up to the common room and went their separate ways.
"I'll meet you guys down here at 7:00, ok?" Hermione asked.
"Ok." Harry and Ron chorused. Harry and Ron stayed in the common room and played a few games of exploding snap until 6:30 when they went up to the boys dormitories to get ready. Harry got into his deep evergreen dress robe and Ron in his royal blue ones, that Fred and George had bought him with the money from Harry. After Harry tried desperately to get his hair to lay flat they went down to the common room. After about five minutes Ginny came down dressed in sea foam green dress robes.
"I would like to introduce the new Hermione Granger..." Ginny stepped aside did sort of a Vanna White move with her arm and Hermione appeared on the stairs. Harry's jaw dropped. This certainly was a different Hermione. She was dressed in silk, lavender robes, her hair was smooth and not frizzy, it was down pushed behind her ears except for two curled strands of hair on each side of her face. She even had a little makeup on; some lavender eye shadow and shiny lipgloss. To Harry everything seemed to fade away except for Hermione who was standing in front of him now, until she spoke and everything appeared around them again.
"How do I look?" Hermione asked raising her eyebrows.
"Hot." Ron said not realising what he had admitted. Both he and Hermione blushed.
"I have to admit I agree." said Harry smiling. Hermione turned even redder if it was possible. Harry and Ron bowed playfully and offered her their arms.
"May we escort you to the ball m'lady?" asked Ron with a grin.
"Of course you may." said Hermione as she linked arms with the both of them. They walked down to the Great Hall cheerfully, where the music could be heard over the students chattering voices. The hall was decorated in Orange and Black decorations and the house tables had disappeared and been replaced by hundreds of small round tables with five chairs each. Harry thought it couldn't get any better...and unfortunately he was right. Just then Cho walked over and tore Harry away from Hermione. Hermione's convivial smile slowly faded.
"Come on Harry. Let's dance." Cho said and pulled him onto the dance floor. They danced for 5 songs and Harry's feet were starting to ache a bit. During the sixth song while Cho was holding Harry tighter than ever, he glanced around the hall over Cho's shoulder and noticed Ron and Hermione dancing. But Hermione wasn't smiling anymore at all. She was talking to Ron in what seemed to be a serious conversation as they danced. Finally as the song was about to end she shook her head as she spoke and walked away.
"Hey, Cho?" Cho raised her eyebrows. "I think I need to take a rest." Harry said trying to sound tired.
"Ok, Harry. I'll go get some punch and cake." Cho said. Harry nodded and Cho went off to get the drinks and he went to go find Ron. Harry found Ron a moment later, at a table in the corner by himself.
"Hey Ron." said Harry sitting down. Ron looked up, but didn't greet him.
"You gotta talk to Hermione." said Ron.
"Why?" Harry inquired.
"Because you have to tell her how you feel about her." Ron explained.
"But how do I know she has the same feelings for me?" Harry replied.
"Harry...she does. I was talking to her and I asked how she felt about you and Cho. She sorta fell silent and looked at her feet. Then I said 'You like him don't you?' and she said 'Yeah but I don't think he likes me.' So I said 'You don't know that' then she just shook her head and said 'Trust me he doesn't' and walked away."
"Where did she go?" Harry said with some urgency in his voice.
"Out in the courtyard I think..."Ron said and with that Harry rushed out toward the courtyard and found Hermione sitting on the side of a fountain.
"Hey." Harry said softly. Hermione turned around and smiled slightly at him.
"Hey." she said in return. Harry sat down next her.
"Hermione...we need to talk."
"Ok, about what?" she said.
"Herm." Harry inhaled and continued. "I-I...I have feelings for you. I mean...what I'm trying to say is...Hermione, I love you." Harry stared into her warm brown eyes.
"Harry, I love you too." Hermione said, finally letting her feelings out. Harry brushed her hair gently from her face, put one hand on the side of her neck ,the other on her waist and kissed her deeply, with all of the warmth and love he had inside of him. As they kissed he felt Hermione put her arm around his back. The kiss they shared was sweet and loving but over in a few moments when a voice from nearby broke the silence.
"Harry?" said a girl's voice sounding hurt. Harry and Hermione sprang apart. Cho was standing there in front of them. All Harry could do was stutter. "I thought you loved me." said Cho. But then Cho's face spread into a pure evil grin. "Now you're going to have to pay." A cloud of black mist appeared and once in faded Voldemort stood in front of them.
"Finally, Harry Potter I've got you right where I want you." he said and a wicked smile. Harry's scar was hurting him more than it ever had. He heard Hermione scream and felt as if something heavy had hit him on the head. Then all Harry knew was blackness.
Harry awoke slowly. His surroundings were blurry and dark. He blinked a few times and the world came into view. He was in a very dimly lit dungeon type place. He looked in front of him and saw a frail bundle of lavender. Then realization hit and he understood what he was seeing. "Hermione..." Harry breathed. He went to stand and rush forward and found himself pulled back. Harry saw what was holding him down. He was held to the wall by steel serpent-shaped shackles, that held his hands tightly to the wall. Harry looked desperately at Hermione who was lying only feet from him. She wasn't dead...was she? Harry fought at the chains desperately to free himself.
"It's no use Harry." he heard a girls voice from a corner. Cho walked into the dim light. "You can't free yourself, Harry. And for her sake," Cho nodded toward Hermione. "I wouldn't try to get yourself out of those chains." Harry slowly stopped fighting.
"Why'd you do it Cho? You of all people should know how bad the dark side is. I mean he killed Cedric." Cho flinched as Harry spoke Cedric's name.
"He said he'd bring Cedric back." Cho said.
"How the hell could he do that?" Harry asked bitterly.
"I don't know Harry. I met him over the summer I didn't know who he was, he was disguised. All he said was that if I helped him he would bring Cedric back...I didn't know what he wanted help with. For some reason I said yes and he put me under a spell. I didn't know what he wanted me to do until I got to Hogwarts and by then I was so immersed in the spell I didn't know right from wrong, all I did was follow orders. I'm so sorry Harry... but you have to believe me, I wouldn't do that on my own. But now the spell is off and I'm a prisoner here just as much as you are." Cho said truly looking sorry. Harry looked up at her.
"Help me out of these chains." Harry pleaded.
"I can't those things are chained to the wall by more than just one simple spell." Cho said. Suddenly the dungeon door flew open with a bang. Voldemort was back.
"Sorry, you won't get out of those chains with anyone's help, Potter." said Voldemort cruelly. "Say your last words boy. Because your life will be over quite soon."
A/N: There it is the 5th chapter. Sorry it took so long to get out but I have been busy almost every night for the past 2 weeks. There should be about 3 or 4 more chapters...so don't worry. It's sort of a cliffy. I will also, most likely make a sequel to this story which will take place in their 7th year. If you didn't know this is their 6th year. Well I hope you enjoyed it. R/R. I am soooo sorry I didn't get this out when I said I would. I had 3 final exams to study for ( I passed! Yeah!) so I'm very sorry.