Time for the next chapter!!! Yeehaw!!

A/N: Sorry this one's a little shorter (:cough cough: MUH!: cough cough::) (I loooooove you MUH!!!) but I really wanted to get to the ball, it's fun! So I wrote as quickly as I could…anyway, you'd all better like this chapter or I'll come after each and every one of you and…I'm really not much of a threatening person, am I? Okay then, while I lower my head in shame, here's the disclaimer…

Disclaimer: Okay all of yas, since Christmas is coming up, I know you want to get me a present. Okay, all I want is to own Harry Potter!! Seriously, that's it! That's all I ask! I will be perfectly content with that. What's that? You mean, I can't have Harry Potter for Christmas? Well why not?!?! WHAT?!?! Somebody else owns him??? Well, bloody hell!!! My Christmas is now ruined…

I guess that means I really don't own Harry Potter…

*sobs* Well, I guess we should, sniff, carry on then…

Chapter twenty-one

Sneaky Shoes

Hermione was sitting with Ginny upstairs in their dorm when they heard a tap on the window. Hermione looked over to see an owl carrying quite a large package. She leapt up with excitement and opened the window to let him in. As soon as the owl left, they opened the package to find two gorgeous dresses. Hermione's held hers up and looked at it admiringly. It was black satin with lace cap sleeves and a black lace over-slip. The lace pattern was made of small black flowers, and it fell mid-calf. She was so incredibly excited for that night that she could barely stay still.

Ginny laid hers on her bed and smoothed it out. It was light blue, with thin straps and a small elegant bow in the back. It fell to her ankles and on the bottom, was a little higher in the front than it was in the back.

They both looked at their dresses, and imagined walking down the steps to meet their dates...

The ball started in only an hour, and anticipation and anxiety ran all throughout the Gryffindor tower. Ginny was so nervous she would have fainted had Hermione not been keeping her up. Ginny didn't know how Hermione was keeping her cool so well, but she didn't ask. She was too mentally preoccupied. Hermione was plenty nervous as well, but she tried her hardest to remain calm. Besides, it's just a ball, what is there to be so worked up about? I'm only going with my best friend, the guy I've liked for just about forever. So no pressure, really. Just as soon as she had her dress on, she noticed that she couldn't find her shoes...

Okay, they were here a minute ago...alright, this really isn't funny, where are my shoes?

She really couldn't find her shoes anywhere. Ginny hadn't seen them, and neither had any of the other girls. Lavender smiled evilly as Hermione searched frantically under all of the beds. Haha, looks like Granger can't find her shoes...what a pity. Lucky for me then!

Meanwhile, Ron was waiting with Harry downstairs. They had been ready for about ten minutes, because frankly, guys don't have much to do to get ready. Harry was circling around the room like a vulture, and everyone was watching him strangely. Odd how Harry and Ginny were the nervous ones, when they were already dating and really had nothing to be nervous about...Harry's pacing was making Ron antsy, so he got up to stop him. He followed Harry around the room (Harry refused to stand still) when he noticed a pair of black shoes halfway under the chair. He stopped and picked them up, and wondered who they belonged to. He sat down again and held them, somewhat drawn by them. He heard a commotion at the top of the stairs and looked up. It sounded like someone was being pushed or pulled, and suddenly Ginny appeared, looking spectacular. Harry stopped pacing and looked at her with marvel in his eyes.

"Er, we have a bit of a problem...Hermione can't find her shoes." she murmured.

Ron looked down at the shoes in his hands and chuckled.

"Could these be them?"

Ginny couldn't help but laugh. She headed back up the stairs and managed to get Hermione downstairs. Ron's heart stopped for a brief moment as he looked at her. Wow, she looks...amazing...Hermione blushed when she saw Ron look down at her feet. Instead of laughing, he bent down and held out one of the shoes. He gently lifted her foot off of the floor and slipped in into the shoe. He slipped on the other one, stood up, and took Hermione's hand.

Harry and Ginny watched as Hermione slid her arm around Ron's. They couldn't help but be happy for them, it was about time they realized how they felt about each other! Hermione could feel the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She was so nervous that she tightened her grip on Ron's arm without knowing it. Ron noticed though, and smiled. she really does like me, doesn't she.. He looked at her, and he could see the excitement in her eyes.

Ron and Hermione walked down the stairs, arm in arm. Ron wanted more than anything to just swoop her away from everything and just kiss her again, and everything would dissolve into thin air like it did before...but now was definitely not the time. So instead, he kept his hopeful dreams in the back of his mind and continued down the stairs.

When they entered the Great Hall, it was beautifully decorated with floating candles, wreaths, a gigantic Christmas tree, and...What was that? Ron and Hermione both thought to themselves as something tiny and red flew by. But as soon as they asked themselves, they heard Seamus from a few feet away talking about how he had helped them catch fireflies for the room. There were hundreds of them, and they were of all different colors: red, blue, white, purple...and they were exquisite. Hermione watched in awe as they simply floated in the air like free Christmas lights, zooming around and sparkling. She was already thinking how romantic it all was, especially with the stars floating above their heads on the ceiling. The night sky was perfect, without a cloud in the sky. Ron was thinking about it too. In fact, even Harry and Ginny were thinking about it. Not only about each other, but also about Hermione and Ron. Ginny knew that Ron had something planned. She could tell; he was just like that. She smiled thinking about it; it was about bloody time something happened.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!! I'm so glad you all like my story! Lucky I have a heart, cause for a second I was considering waiting a few more day until I updated…haha, I know, I'm cruel! But no, I didn't do it! Why??? BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ALL!!! Okay, but next time, you all might not be so lucky…MWAHAHAHA!!!

Ah, who the hell am I kidding? I'm like a slave to you guys, if I don't post everyday I'll feel bad!!! I'd also be scared that you guys might pelt me with rocks relentlessly…