Friday evening had come at last—the weekend had arrived, much to the relief of every student at Hogwarts. The students were noisier than usual clearing the Great Hall after dinner that evening, and for Gryffindors at least, even more rambunctious in the Common Room. Eventually, the games of Wizard Chess and Exploding Snap drew to a close, and the students drifted back to their dormitories, many ushered by Hermione, who went above and beyond what was expected of her as a Prefect.
Ron lingered in the Common Room as Harry headed towards their dormitory. He pretended to straighten one of the games of Wizard Chess until Hermione came back down.
"Well Ron, I think that's enough," she said, pushing a strand of her brown hair back behind her ears, "We'd better get to bed too."
"Actually," croaked Ron. "Ahem. Actually," he said again, "there's something I'd like to ask you." He stopped.
"…Yes?" Hermione prompted him.
"Er… well, with Hogsmeade tomorrow, you know, Harry's going to be with Padma, I thought maybe, I mean, if you want to, you could come to Hogsmeade with me?"
"Well, sure, Ron," said Hermione casually. "Actually, since Ginny was heading off with Dean, and Harry was going to be with Padma, I just kind of assumed we'd be doing something together."
"Oh," said Ron. "Right."
"Anyway, good night, Ron."
"Right. Good night."
It seemed to Ron that Hermione floated back up the staircase, while he on the other hand, lumbered up his with great difficulty. Of course they would go to Hogsmeade together. They always did stuff together. That's what friends did. *I hope,* Ron thought wishfully, as he finally tucked himself into bed, "that she doesn't want to stay friends forver.* With that he closed his eyes, and found not blackness, but instead the same figure dancing across his eyelids that had danced through his dreams since his first year at Hogwarts.