Disclaimer: The characters are not of my creation, (although perhaps certain personality traits are); they are property of one J.K Rowling.

Chapter Three

They were about a month into the new year at Hogwarts, and the excitement that usually comes with a new year had already withered. Ginny was swamped with homework due to it being her O.W.L.S. year. She already longed for the lazy comforts of the Burrow-badly.

"Don't these people realize that sleep is an important necessity for growing children?" grumbled Ginny to herself as she half-carried, half-dragged her bulging bag of schoolbooks back toward the Gryffindor common room. She ran over her list of homework assignments in her head, searching for one that she could skip so she could get an extra few minutes of sleep, which was precious to the fifth years.

'I have to do my transfiguration essay; Mcgonagall would have a bloody coronary if I showed up with it incompleteMy astronomy chart doesn't have to be wonderfuloh damn! Potions! I have to do that; I'm practically failing the cursed class. But, what If I----'

Ginny's inner negotiation was off when she cracked open the door to the common room. She heard three familiar, if muffled, voices speaking. As she looked through the small opening of the door she saw that Ron, Harry and Hermione were alone in the common room, meaning that they were more than likely having one of their secret discussions. Ginny knew that it was extremely rude, but as she had not been noticed she strained her ears in an attempt to distinguish some part of the conversation that was taking place.

She sighed in disappointment when she realized that she was too late; their "meeting" was over. She saw Harry walk up the stairs, and heard the faint sound of his dormitory door being closed. Hermione and Ron took seats at a nearby table and began to work on some homework. Ginny was about to enter, as she saw that everything was normal, until she noticed an extremely nervous look upon her closest brother's face. His eyes kept darting to Hermione's form, which was across the table, while he repetitively drummed a quill on the table with one hand, as he scratched his flaming hair with the other. Ginny glanced back and forth from Ron to Hermione, and made the connection.

'Just ask her Ron!' she urged in her mind, hoping for some sort of power that would communicate her thoughts to Ron. 'She'll say yes! Just grit your teeth and do it, man!'

Ron seemed to be breathing quite deeply; his freckles stood out on his pale, tense face. He looked as if he were considering the personality of his friend Hermione, which was quite humorous since he had been her friend for almost six years, and knew her inside and out. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision. Ginny thought that he looked like a man who had struggled with a thought for too long, and was finally desperate for a result of some sort, whether it be good or bad.

"So, uh, Hermione. It's about that time" spoke Ron rapidly. He focused on an open page in front of him; as if the topic of conversation was typical homework talk.

"What time is that Ron? Dinner?" replied Hermione passively as her quill scratched out an essay.

Ron swallowed, and Ginny was afraid that he would back out and say that 'it indeed was time for dinner.' He, however, surprised her.

"Well, I mean, that Ball will be coming up quite soon, will it not?"

Hermione visibly stiffened at mention of the ball from Ron. Ginny could tell that no matter how nonchalant Hermione was trying to act, he whole attention was on the words that were being passed between herself and Ron.

"I suppose it will; it's in a little less than a month."

"I was kind of wondering if, you knowI was wondering if you would like to go to the ball with me. But, not just 'together'. I mean, as a date." Spoke Ron timidly. His voice, while almost fully developed into one of a man, cracked drastically at the word 'date'.

Hermione's head shot up; her eyes widened in a mixture of shock and joy. When her mind seemed to register that Ron had asked her a question, she nodded quickly.

"Yes?" asked Ron gratefully.

Hermione's voice then came back to her. "Yes! Oh Ron, I would love to! That would be wonderful; yes!" exclaimed Hermione as her voice shook with excitement. Ginny, in her hiding place, had to cover her mouth with her hands to stifle the giggles she was producing from witnessing Hermione say yes about five times.

Ron let out a breath of air that he was holding, and grinned widely at her; his tense body began to relax. He abruptly stood and said "Brilliant. I guess that I'll go and tell Harry that you're mymy date."

Hermione tilted her head to smile up at him, and they stayed in that position until she finally questioned him.

"Ron? Why did you ask me so far ahead of time?"

Ron tapped his temple as he answered. "Well, you do like to plan things after all. Besides, I didn't want to ask you later and have you think that you were a last resort. You're the only person that I'd dream to go to this ball with." Ron shot her a cheeky grin before he finally made his way up to the boys dormitory. When he was out of sight, Hermione lifted her fists to her mouth, and let out a small squeal of happiness.

Ginny giggled to herself as she witnessed Hermiones display of girlish enthusiasm, and then decided to make her way into the common room. She opened and closed the door loudly, so Hermione would know that she had company. Hermione jumped at the small noise, but smiled when she saw that it was Ginny.

"Hey!" greeted Ginny. She had to bite her lip so that she could keep her giggles to herself; she knew that of either Ron or Hermione knew that she had listened to their brief exchange they would be furious.

"Hello Ginny."

Ginny walked to the table where Hermione sat, and dropped her bulging bag to the floor before she took the seat that her brother had recently occupied. She observed Hermione for a moment and then said, "You're looking quite cheerful today."

"Yes" Hermiones cheeks began to flush as she glanced down at her wringing hands. She looked back up at Ginny; her eyes shining with a brightness that only came to someone when they were truly enthused. "He asked me to the ball! Ron actually asked. It was so unexpected; I was just sitting here writing an essay for Potions, and then all of the sudden he asked me to go to the ball. He even emphasized that he wanted it to be a date Ginny! It was marvelous." Hermione was practically bursting with the news. Her wide grin turned into a soft smile as she obviously replayed the event in her mind.

Ginny finally released her laughter, and grabbed Hermione's shoulders from across the table. "See! I told you that he would! Before long the two of you will be sneaking kisses in the closets between classes!" Ginny shook her friend's shoulders as she spoke, but then stopped and made a face at the thought of her brother and her friend kissing one another. Hermione looked quite pleased at that particular image. She again let out a small squeal, and then wrapped her arms around herself; probably imagining that they were Ron's arms. After she had calmed down, she directed the conversation towards Ginny.

"Who do you think you'll go with?" asked Hermione innocently, obviously not predicting Ginny's distress at the thought.

Ginny let out a sarcastic laugh, laced with bitterness. "Gee Hermione, I haven't yet picked. You know how there's just a line of guys fighting to go with me."

Hermiones brown knitted together in a frown at Ginny's response. "Don't underestimate yourself. Somebody will ask you; just wait and see."

"Oh, I'm sure. And, who may I ask will do such a thing?" Ginny rolled her eyes as she spoke. She was trying to seem at least a bit indifferent to the topic of conversation, but the feelings of self-loathing and rejection that flooded into her when she thought of the fact that no boy would ask her was evident in her shadowed eyes.

"There are plenty. Just in our own house there's Seamus, Dean and Neville. Why, in your year there's Colin Creevy; he seems nice enough. I'm sure that you could even go with a Ravenclaw, or a Hufflepuff boy" replied Hermione with assurance.

Ginny snorted when she listened to Hermione's list. "Hermione, you obviously do not pay that much attention to our housemates. Dean and Seamus are practically fated to escort the fair Lavender and Parvati to the ball. I'm pretty sure that Neville will be taking Luna as they have quite strong feelings toward one another. Trying to get in the way of that would be horrible! I don't know about Colin, but I would have to get to know him quite well in less than a month if he were to ask me. As for the Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs, how in the world will I get to know them? The only person I'm even comfortable speaking to is you; I doubt that my "charm" will attract our fellow schoolmates in such a small space of time." Ginny breathed in deeply when she finished massacring all of Hermione's ideas.

Her friend was deep in thought after listening to her statement. She abruptly sat up straight as an arrow as she gasped loudly; she had a horrified look on her face.

"Oh Ginny! Talk of the ball made me realize a terrible thing. What if Harry is upset because of Ron and I going together? Now of all times in not a good place to have Harry feeling left out; especially after what happened toyou know, Sirius." She whispered Harry's departed Godfathers name. "He probably assumed that we would go in a group, just the three of us. I don't want to offend himbut (I'm so selfish!) I want to be Ron's date so badly!" Hermione groaned after he statement.

'Just the three of you, of course' thought Ginny sadly. Even though she had told herself that she could never be the fourth member of the tight knit group, every time she heard a confirmation of the thought made a wounding impression in her heart.

Hermione all of a sudden snapped her fingers and announced an idea that she obviously felt was ingenious.

"Hey! Perhaps you and Harry could go together. Then, neither of you would be lonely, and you could accompany Ron and I! Why, it would be perfect!" exclaimed Hermione with a bright smile.

'Hermione, sometimes you do not think like the brightest witch in school' thought Ginny. As ideal as Hermione's plan was to Ginny, she knew it could not happen.

"Perfect, except he won't ask me" shot Ginny simply. Ginny briefly covered her face with her hands, and then pushed her crimson hair behind her ears as she spoke.

Hermione looked stunned at being contradicted so quickly. "You don't know that! Why wouldn't he?"

"Believe me, he won't ask me!" said Ginny firmly, almost hysterically. Putting that wonderful fantasy in her head only made her more sorrowful of what wouldn't be. Hearing another person proclaim her dream only made it worse. "Why would he, anyway?" she added softly as she envisioned herself the way she imagined others saw her.

"Ginny"

"He's probably asked Cho, just like last time. Maybe if she says no, Ron will suggest me as a last resort. I seem to remember the events before the last ball well." Ginny sighed to herself, and looked at her knees as she spoke. Even though she longed to be Harry's date, she did not want to be a last resort. She wanted him to be happy that she was with him, and not wish for stupid Cho the whole time he was with her. As Ginny thought this over an unusual, shrill voice in her head suddenly said 'How dare you WANT to be asked by him!" Ginny shuddered at the voice, but her brief episode went unnoticed by Hermione.

"Ginny! I don't think he even likes Cho anymore!" said Hermione strongly; she wanted to see her friend cheerful again.

"Oh please! Almost every boy loves pretty, crying Cho!" Ginny's eyes were beginning to get misty, and the strange voice was still troubling her.

"You can't be sure of what Harry---" Hermione's sentence ended shortly as her mouth opened, and her eyes focused on something behind of Ginny.

Ginny did not even have to turn; her brown eyes widened and her lily skin lightened even further. Her intuition was proven correct when Harry emerged from behind her, closely followed by Ron. The volume that their voices had reached had blocked the sound of the boys coming down the stairs. Knowing that they were seen, they slowly walked to the couch that paralleled the girls, and sat down; judging by the awkward expressions on their faces, they had heard enough to distinguish what the conversation between the girls was about.

Ginny sat in her chair stiffly, making sure that her eyes did not leave her knees. She was horrified that the main player in them now knew her pathetic fantasy. The sagging of her shoulders and then tilt in her head seemed to illustrate one whose pride had been unexpectedly torn from him.

"Harry and I were just wondering if you could explain a potions formula to us," said Ron softly, with his eyes downcast. His face held a touch of sadness and sympathy for his sister. It looked as if he wished to help her with this particular difficulty, especially considering the boy who put her through such anguish was his best friend, But, previous experience had taught him that it was best to stay out of Harry's personal business.

Hermione slowly glanced at Ginny, for once at loss of what to do. Then, as if in a daze she nodded while saying "I'll try to help you Ron"

Ginny's head was buzzing with self-reproach for being so careless when discussing her personal feelings. Her cheeks were beginning to redden with a deep sense of shame; she dipped her head even further so that a curtain of her hair would hide her face.

The tension in the air was too thick; Ginny was suffocating from it. She stood from her seat, grabbed her bag, and then sprinted up the stairs to her dormitory; disregarding the words that were about to spring from Harry's lips as she rushed away.

When she entered the room she threw her tremendous schoolbag (because of its weight, it only moved a couple of feet) and then sank down onto the floor with her back being supported by the door. She could still feel the heat that had burned her face lingering in her cheeks.

While taking deep breaths to calm her fragile nerves, she rested her head against her hands.

"Why did that have to happen?" she whispered to herself shakily. She jumped when the strange voice answered her, saying 'Because you deserve it!'

*****

Ginny was ashamed of herself. For almost all of the next month she avoided Harry as much as humanly possible, considering they were in the same castle all day. She gulped down her meals, and remained in slight corners in the common room, always being sure to sit far across the room from him, Ron or Hermione. Part of her told herself that she was over reacting to the situation that had taken place; but she could not bear to witness the look of sympathy that would flash in his emerald eyes if he observed at her pathetic form.

She sat in the almost deserted common room, with a book on her lap. Everyone was upstairs, dressing themselves for the ball. She checked the clock, and marked her page; deciding that she should go upstairs and dress her self for the event. So, she stood up, and walked up the stairs and into the dormitory to get ready for the Halloween Ball that she was to attend. Alone.

Authors Note: I am sorry that it has taken so long for me to update. I had this typed up two days ago, but when I saved it, something happened to the file; it deleted itself. I am not very good with computers, so I had no choice but to type up the chapter (which is long!) again. Thanks to those who have reviewed; it is appreciated. Please review more; I would really like to know what everyone out there thinks!