The next day, the school was buzzing in anticipation. Girls were talking
about the best way to do their hair to fit in with their costume, and guys
were talking about the most private areas of the school. The rose garden
was a popular choice for 'private conversations'. Teachers had no control
over their classes and most didn't care. Only Snape seemed to be a slightly
bitter mood. But he was like this every Halloween. The starting time of the
ball drew closer and closer. At 5 o'clock, all the girls in the common room
quickly filed out to get into their costumes, hair and makeup. The boys
stayed around talking until about 7, when most of them figured they better
have a shower.
At 8 o'clock, Ron and Harry were waiting impatiently at the bottom of the staircase, waiting for Ginny and Hermione. Ron, who was dressed as a Chudley Cannon's player, in the distinctive orange and black robes, was starting to get a bit nervous. He tugged at his colour.
"They'd better hurry" he muttered. Harry was thinking the same thing as he to was getting a bit hot and bothered in his costume. He was dressed as a vampire, in a shiny black cloak with his black hair slicked back with the same gel that Hermione had used the year before. A few seconds after the clock chimed 8, Hermione and Ginny appeared at the top of the stairs. Both Ron and Harry were speechless during their descent. Ginny was dressed as an angel, with a shimmery, floaty white dress, and shiny gossamer wings. Her face had jewels, and her entire body was covered in shimmer powder. She looked like she was glowing. She placed her arm lightly on Harry's crooked arm, and smiled gently. Harry grinned back, unbelievably happy that he had asked her. Ron was still gawking at Hermione, who looked even better then she had last year. She had come as a mermaid. One of the warmer-water, better looking mermaids! Her normally bushing hair was hanging down and although it wasn't perfectly straight, it still looked wonderful. It hung in loose waves, with a few twistings and plaits. It was pinned back on one side with a hibiscus flower. She also was wearing a shiny purple bustier and shimmering green tight fitting long skirt, which was fluted at the bottom, giving the impression it was a mermaids tail. Hermione approached Ron and nervously crossed her arms in front of her bare tummy. Ron wordlessly held out his arm, and Hermione smiled in delight. Both couples made their way toward the Great Hall, where they felt as if they had entered another world. Butterflies, policeman, Cinderellas, Werewolves and even an ogre whisked past them in a dancing flurry. Harry saw a girl dressed as a can-can dancer, with her date in a tuxedo. Ron was gazing puzzled, at a girl who was wearing a platinum blonde, long wig, and a short, tight mini-dress. Harry caught his look.
"She's a Barbie doll" Harry grinned.
"It's a muggle doll, very popular!" Hermione added. Fred and George, who had Angelina and Katie Bell as their dates flow past, doing a very fast, uptempo waltz. Fred was dressed as the devil, and George had died his hair black and had it scruffed up. Harry looked at his back, and for a moment couldn't work out who he was supposed to be. Then George turned around again. Harry could see that he had drawn a little red scar above his eye, and was wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He was dressed as Harry! Hermione caught his look.
"He came to me last week looking for advice. I couldn't think of anyone else!" she laughed. Ron looked over at them, and Harry could swear he saw a look of jealousy in his eyes. He was pulled away by Ginny, who was dragging him onto the dance floor. A fast song was coming on, and although harry felt he couldn't dance well at all, Ginny was very helpful and graceful, and taught him how to do some simple moves. He was just starting to enjoy himself when he looked around for Ron and Hermione. But he couldn't find them. Finally he spotted them whizzing past the band. Ron was actually a really good dancer, and Hermione was following his lead very well. Harry made a mental note to ask Ron about his dancing skills later. A few minutes later, Dumbledore stood up, and the music faltered. "Welcome to the Hogwarts Halloween Ball!" he started. Everybody cheered and whistled. Dumboldore chuckled.
"I see we have some very imaginative costumes out there. Well done to Mr George Weasley for his imaginative costuming skills." At this everyone turned to look at George, and laughed when they saw him push the hair out of his eyes, a common action of Harry.
"We hope to make the ball an annual event, so I hope we have everyone's promise of good behaviour." Dumbledore continued. He clapped his hands again, and the band started up.
Hours later, throat parched, Harry had to pull away from the throngs of people on the dance floor to get a drink. He saw Hermione over by the punch bowl. She was positively glowing.
"Having fun?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer. Ron came over, and actually put his arm around Hermione's shoulders. Harry raised his eyebrows.
"Ready to go back out on the floor?" Ginny came up behind Harry, who allowed himself to be dragged out onto the floor again.
Harry was dancing again, and having the time of his life, when he caught sight of Prof. Williamson. She looked beautiful, dressed as the Good Witch Glinda from the Wizard of Oz. She was talking to Snape, who was actually dressed in costume. Harry had to do a double take, to make sure it was really his Potions professor. He was actually dressed as the Bloody Baron. Ron caught Harry's eye, and silently laughed at Snape, who looked distinctly uncomfortable with a lacy ruff at his neck. Hermione suddenly appeared at Harry's side. She whipped out her camera, and took a series of photos of Snape. She grinned.
"These may come in handy one day!" Ron looked suitable impressed at her mischief.
The party continued on until about midnight, and even then, separate parties took place in each common room. When Harry finally fell into bed at 4am, he wasn't even thinking about the letter he had written Sirius.
Harry was just in the twilight stages of dreaming, when he heard Ron beside him, trying to be quiet as he got into bed. Ron was humming a song that had been playing at the ball, and although Harry couldn't see it, he sensed Ron had a silly grin on his face. Harry rolled over, and called out. "Ron?" in a rather groggy voice. Ron took this as in invitation to climb onto Harry's bed and sit at the foot. Harry could see now in the moonlight that his prediction was right. Ron had a dirty, great big smile on his freckled features.
"Why the stupid grin?" asked Harry. Ron looked bashful for a second.
"Well, you know how Hermione looked really good tonight?"
"Yeah" Harry said.
"Well, I guess I kinda got carried away and kissed her while we were dancing at the common room party" Ron almost whispered the last bit. Harry sat up like a bolt.
"You kissed.....Hermione. Our Hermione?" Harry interrogated Ron, enjoying how red Ron was going.
"Yes, is that bad, do you mind?" Ron asked him back.
"Well, no I guess it's not bad, and no I don't mind. As long as you don't mind if I ask your sister to go and get a Butterbeer with me, next time we're in Hogsmeade!" Harry trailed off at the last bit of his outburst. Ron raised his eyebrows.
"Well, it's not really my decision" he finally answered. At that, there was a bit of a contented silence, while Ron crawled off Harry's bed and into his own.
"G'night Harry" Ron mumbled.
"Night Ron".
At 8 o'clock, Ron and Harry were waiting impatiently at the bottom of the staircase, waiting for Ginny and Hermione. Ron, who was dressed as a Chudley Cannon's player, in the distinctive orange and black robes, was starting to get a bit nervous. He tugged at his colour.
"They'd better hurry" he muttered. Harry was thinking the same thing as he to was getting a bit hot and bothered in his costume. He was dressed as a vampire, in a shiny black cloak with his black hair slicked back with the same gel that Hermione had used the year before. A few seconds after the clock chimed 8, Hermione and Ginny appeared at the top of the stairs. Both Ron and Harry were speechless during their descent. Ginny was dressed as an angel, with a shimmery, floaty white dress, and shiny gossamer wings. Her face had jewels, and her entire body was covered in shimmer powder. She looked like she was glowing. She placed her arm lightly on Harry's crooked arm, and smiled gently. Harry grinned back, unbelievably happy that he had asked her. Ron was still gawking at Hermione, who looked even better then she had last year. She had come as a mermaid. One of the warmer-water, better looking mermaids! Her normally bushing hair was hanging down and although it wasn't perfectly straight, it still looked wonderful. It hung in loose waves, with a few twistings and plaits. It was pinned back on one side with a hibiscus flower. She also was wearing a shiny purple bustier and shimmering green tight fitting long skirt, which was fluted at the bottom, giving the impression it was a mermaids tail. Hermione approached Ron and nervously crossed her arms in front of her bare tummy. Ron wordlessly held out his arm, and Hermione smiled in delight. Both couples made their way toward the Great Hall, where they felt as if they had entered another world. Butterflies, policeman, Cinderellas, Werewolves and even an ogre whisked past them in a dancing flurry. Harry saw a girl dressed as a can-can dancer, with her date in a tuxedo. Ron was gazing puzzled, at a girl who was wearing a platinum blonde, long wig, and a short, tight mini-dress. Harry caught his look.
"She's a Barbie doll" Harry grinned.
"It's a muggle doll, very popular!" Hermione added. Fred and George, who had Angelina and Katie Bell as their dates flow past, doing a very fast, uptempo waltz. Fred was dressed as the devil, and George had died his hair black and had it scruffed up. Harry looked at his back, and for a moment couldn't work out who he was supposed to be. Then George turned around again. Harry could see that he had drawn a little red scar above his eye, and was wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He was dressed as Harry! Hermione caught his look.
"He came to me last week looking for advice. I couldn't think of anyone else!" she laughed. Ron looked over at them, and Harry could swear he saw a look of jealousy in his eyes. He was pulled away by Ginny, who was dragging him onto the dance floor. A fast song was coming on, and although harry felt he couldn't dance well at all, Ginny was very helpful and graceful, and taught him how to do some simple moves. He was just starting to enjoy himself when he looked around for Ron and Hermione. But he couldn't find them. Finally he spotted them whizzing past the band. Ron was actually a really good dancer, and Hermione was following his lead very well. Harry made a mental note to ask Ron about his dancing skills later. A few minutes later, Dumbledore stood up, and the music faltered. "Welcome to the Hogwarts Halloween Ball!" he started. Everybody cheered and whistled. Dumboldore chuckled.
"I see we have some very imaginative costumes out there. Well done to Mr George Weasley for his imaginative costuming skills." At this everyone turned to look at George, and laughed when they saw him push the hair out of his eyes, a common action of Harry.
"We hope to make the ball an annual event, so I hope we have everyone's promise of good behaviour." Dumbledore continued. He clapped his hands again, and the band started up.
Hours later, throat parched, Harry had to pull away from the throngs of people on the dance floor to get a drink. He saw Hermione over by the punch bowl. She was positively glowing.
"Having fun?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer. Ron came over, and actually put his arm around Hermione's shoulders. Harry raised his eyebrows.
"Ready to go back out on the floor?" Ginny came up behind Harry, who allowed himself to be dragged out onto the floor again.
Harry was dancing again, and having the time of his life, when he caught sight of Prof. Williamson. She looked beautiful, dressed as the Good Witch Glinda from the Wizard of Oz. She was talking to Snape, who was actually dressed in costume. Harry had to do a double take, to make sure it was really his Potions professor. He was actually dressed as the Bloody Baron. Ron caught Harry's eye, and silently laughed at Snape, who looked distinctly uncomfortable with a lacy ruff at his neck. Hermione suddenly appeared at Harry's side. She whipped out her camera, and took a series of photos of Snape. She grinned.
"These may come in handy one day!" Ron looked suitable impressed at her mischief.
The party continued on until about midnight, and even then, separate parties took place in each common room. When Harry finally fell into bed at 4am, he wasn't even thinking about the letter he had written Sirius.
Harry was just in the twilight stages of dreaming, when he heard Ron beside him, trying to be quiet as he got into bed. Ron was humming a song that had been playing at the ball, and although Harry couldn't see it, he sensed Ron had a silly grin on his face. Harry rolled over, and called out. "Ron?" in a rather groggy voice. Ron took this as in invitation to climb onto Harry's bed and sit at the foot. Harry could see now in the moonlight that his prediction was right. Ron had a dirty, great big smile on his freckled features.
"Why the stupid grin?" asked Harry. Ron looked bashful for a second.
"Well, you know how Hermione looked really good tonight?"
"Yeah" Harry said.
"Well, I guess I kinda got carried away and kissed her while we were dancing at the common room party" Ron almost whispered the last bit. Harry sat up like a bolt.
"You kissed.....Hermione. Our Hermione?" Harry interrogated Ron, enjoying how red Ron was going.
"Yes, is that bad, do you mind?" Ron asked him back.
"Well, no I guess it's not bad, and no I don't mind. As long as you don't mind if I ask your sister to go and get a Butterbeer with me, next time we're in Hogsmeade!" Harry trailed off at the last bit of his outburst. Ron raised his eyebrows.
"Well, it's not really my decision" he finally answered. At that, there was a bit of a contented silence, while Ron crawled off Harry's bed and into his own.
"G'night Harry" Ron mumbled.
"Night Ron".