"So, Hermione, who do you want to go to the ball with?" Lavender asked, happily. She cast a quick glance at Seamus, and turned back to Hermione, a slight rose color in her cheeks. Seamus looked back at her, and grinned at Harry, giving him a thumbs up as if to say 'I'll ask her after lunch…'

Hermione kept a calm appearance in spite of the fact that the first name that popped into her head was Harry. "Oh, there is someone…but I don't think he'd ask me…" she sighed thinking 'The day Harry Potter asks ME to a dance, is the day Hell freezes over…'

"Really?" Harry asked, looking at his friend. "Well, there is someone that I'm thinking about MAYBE asking…but I don't know…" he trailed off, looking down at his now full plate. 'Yeah, the day Hermione Granger says yes to ME to go to a dance is the day Hell freezes over…'

Draco Malfoy strode importantly over to the Gryffindor table. "Ginny? Might I have a word with you?" he asked the red-head, who immediately rose from her seat and walked off with him.

Ron strolled down to a seat by Hermione, and sat down, glancing over at his sister and Malfoy. "Oy, what's my sister doing over there with Malfoy?" he spat the name Malfoy, as if it were poisonous.

"We think that he's asking Ginny to the Ball…but we're not sure…" Hermione said, looking over at the couple. 'Ugh, even MALFOY is gonna have a date, but not me!'

"He's doing WHAT?!" Ron cried, he clenched his fists into tight balls. "He'd better keep his mucky hands off of MY sister!" he snarled, restraining himself from going over to beat the living daylights out of him.

"Honestly, Ron! Calm down, its not like she has said yes or anything, and even if she does, she can handle herself. I taught her that Leg-Lock Curse, so she'll be fine!" Hermione said gently, placing her hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Its not the legs I'm worried about…it's the HANDS!" he said, glaring over at a now, very suave Malfoy. "He'd just better not hurt her…or touch her or even LOOK at her in any way that is ungentlemanly." Ron breathed, releasing his fists.

Malfoy returned to the Slytherin table smugly, and Ginny who was blushing profusely, returned to her seat opposite Hermione. "Malfoy just asked be to the Winter Ball!" Ginny gushed, her eyes looking dreamy.

"I bet Pansy is gonna choke when she finds out…" Harry grinned devilishly. "Now she'll have to settle for Crabbe or Goyle."

"And you said YES?!" Ron said, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Yes, I did. Draco's not half bad, once you get to know him…" Ginny said, quietly.

"Yeah, Well I don't want him 'getting to know' my sister!" Ron said, shooting daggers at Malfoy.

Ginny excused herself, and with one tear falling from her eye, rushed towards the Gryffindor Tower. Hermione shook her head at Ron, saying gently, "Now you've gone and done it…Ginny will be crying for hours over this, she looks up to you, Ron! What you think MATTERS to her!"

Harry groaned inwardly, watching Ron head towards the Library. "Well, wasn't that just lovely." he said sarcastically. "Who is this person you want to go to the Ball with?" he asked Hermione slyly, hoping she'd spill.

"Well…uh…ermm…you see…" she sputtered, 'Can I really tell him'?