Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places or things like that. J.K. Rowling does. I only own the plot of the story and any characters that I may create. Enjoy the story.

Chapter 5: The Plan

Hermione sat in her room, quill in hand, writing quickly. She didn't have much time; it was two days before school began and they had to pick up some more things in Diagon Alley.

She stared down at the letter that sat next to the parchment she wrote on. She read one line in particular. I can get you some by mid October, if you want. Hermione continued writing, so fast that her wrist felt like it would fall off. She finished and rolled up the parchment.

Hermione ran down the stairs to see Harry and Ron watching a show on television. Ever since Ron came, he had fallen in love with the television, saying it was the most amazing muggle device that he every saw. He wrote several letters to his father about the muggle objects that he learned about.

"Harry, can I borrow Hedwig?" asked Hermione.

"Sure. What do you need it for?"

"Um, just writing to a pen-pal I met earlier this summer before you guys came to stay. She lives really far away though so Hedwig might be gone for a few days."

"That's okay Hermione. Go ahead." Normally Harry wouldn't let anyone use Hedwig, especially if it meant she had to travel long distances, which made him nervous. But for some reason, he decided to let Hermione use it. He wasn't sure why he didn't argue against it. It's because she let me stay here for the summer. I owe her for that.

"Thanks Harry!" Hermione ran up to Harry's room with the letter to get Hedwig.

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"What do we still need to get?" asked Ron as they walked down the streets of London to get to Diagon Alley.

"Potion refills and dress robes," said Hermione, looking at her Hogwarts letter.

"Dress robes? But there isn't a Triwizard Tournament this year, is there?" asked Ron.

"I don't think so. Maybe there is another event going on this year that involves a ball or something," said Hermione.

"As long as they don't cancel quidditch again this year, I don't mind," stated Harry.

"Well, at least my mum isn't here to pick out horrible, lacy robes again. I can get something decent. Besides, I grew another three inches since the Yule Ball last year and those robes don't fit any more. Thank Merlin!"

"I need a new robe too." Hermione looked at Harry. I hope he doesn't need new robes. He looked really good in those green ones last year.

"Why do you need new robes? You could fit in the one you wore last year?" asked Harry. He remembered the robes she wore last year. She looked great in them, or so he thought.

"I know, but I want a different one."

"Girls," muttered Ron to Harry. "Ginny's the same way."

"I heard that!" yelled Hermione and hit Ron on the head with her purse.

"Ouch!"

"Well don't complain about me and my clothes then!" They reached the Leaky Cauldron, walking inside, then to the back to get to Diagon Alley. "Let's get the robes first," Hermione suggested. That's the closest shop.

Half an hour passed before they met outside Madam Madkin's Robes for All Occasions, parcels in hand. "Next we have to go to the apothecary to get the potion refills," said Harry.

"I don't even want to think about potions. I hate that class. I don't see why Dumbledore doesn't fire Snape. I mean, nobody likes him other than the Slytherins and I heard that even some of them don't like him."

"Don't worry Ron. Maybe things won't be so bad this year." Ron gave Hermione a look, as if she were crazy.

After finally getting the potions refills, which included powdered mandrake leaf and ground phoenix talons, they headed back to the Leaky Cauldron to get some butterbeers. Sitting at a table in the back, they talked more about the possible ball sometime in the coming school year.

"Hey Harry, who would you ask to the ball?" asked Ron curiously.

"Um, well, I don't know." Harry hadn't any idea. He wasn't going to try to ask Cho again. He knew that she really liked Cedric, and she was probably still grieving his death. Besides, he wasn't all that sure he even had a crush on her anymore.

Harry actually felt like he wanted to take Hermione. He didn't know why. Maybe he was hoping that she'd get dressed up like she did last year. She looked quite beautiful then, and even now she seemed quite attractive. Stop thinking that! She's your best friend. She isn't interested in you like that and you're probably just imagining that you like her that way.

"How about you, Ron?" he asked.

"Well, I'm going to ask Lavender Brown."

"That's so sweet Ron. I didn't know you liked her. When did this happen?" asked Hermione.

"Well, you see, that day that I was late, the day I came to stay at your house this summer, Hermione, well, I wasn't late because of problems with the Floo system. I was with Lavender. I was in Diagon Alley that day before I came to your house. I met her at Flourish and Blotts, and we spent the rest of the day together. Well, um, we're going out now."

"Oh, that's great Ron. I always thought that she liked you," said Harry. "How about you Hermione; who would you ask?"

"Um, well, I don't-,"

"No one in their right mind would go to a ball with her," said a familiar voice behind them.

"I thought the room suddenly smelt like ferret. Go away, Malfoy." Harry had his hand on his wand under the table, in case things got out of hand.

"Alright, Potter. But you know it's the truth, Granger," he sneered as he walked away.

"Don't listen to him 'Mione. I bet he won't even get a date this year," said Harry sympathetically.

"Thanks, Harry." Hermione sat sipping her butterbeer. Harry was whom she wanted to take to the ball, if there was one. She had always secretly liked him, only truly realizing it after she nearly lost him to Voldemort at the third task of the tournament.

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Hermione sat in her room, piles of parchment around her. She wrote every word carefully. She read the letter three times to make sure there weren't any mistakes. Then, taking out her wand she muttered, " Cambien scripto." Her handwriting on the letter changed. She couldn't take any chances.

She put the note in a small letterbox, then took out a small muggle notebook labeled "The Plan". The plan was something she had been secretly working on all summer. She scribbled something quickly into the notebook, checked something off, and put the book back into the letterbox.

"Next week at school, the plan goes into effect. Goodnight, Harry," she said tapping the box with her finger. She walked over to her bed and went to sleep.

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Thanks to the following people for reviewing:

Emily: Thanks for reviewing. Sorry I couldn't come to your house for Easter. I mean, thank you complete stranger whom I do not know and am not related to in any way shape or form.

DreamWeaver: I finally have this new chapter. I hope you're happy, you've been waiting so long and bugging me about it. Enjoy sista!

Nora: Thanks for reviewing. I'll see you at school. I mean, thank you, another person whom I do not know.

A Sunny Person: Thanks, I hope you enjoy the rest of the story I'm glad that you find it interesting!

JenSquared: Hehe, thanks. I have no idea who you could be or why you'd like my story.

***** Please review this story and check out the combination story written by me and my friend DreamWeaver under the name JenSquared (where have I heard that name before?).