Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K Rowling. As you do.
A/N Thankyou reviewers! Seriously, you guys that review basically every chapter that I put up are appreciated more than you know.
Harry and I had grabbed our own compartment on the Hogwarts Express at ten to eleven the next morning. At two minutes to eleven, Ron burst in the door.
"Harry! Herm-own.ninny!" he yelled with a grin. I rolled my eyes at him.
"I'm considering calling you guys 'Arry and Ron" I quipped, imitating Fleur Delacour's thick French accent. Ron looked at me.
"Sorry Ninny, but you're no Veela" he smirked at me.
"Well perhaps I should walk around like this?" I asked, and then strutted around the compartment, swaying my hips and tossing my hair over my shoulder. Harry raised his eyebrows.
"Perhaps you should. If you did, and there was a ball this year, I would ask you right now!" Harry laughed. Ron glanced at me.
"Ninny, will you go to the Halloween Ball with me?" he asked with another smirk.
"What?" I asked. What is he talking about?
"Dad says there's going to be a Halloween Ball this year, one of Dumbledore's ideas to take our minds off Voldemort and everything. It's going to be fancy dress. Anyway, Harry just reminded me that you demanded last year that I ask you first, next time there was a ball" he said with a grin. Argh. Well, at least he did ask. And I think I still fancy him. Bloody boys.
"I don't know Ron. You did just tease me," I said with a smile.
"I'm sorry Hermione. So will you go with me?" he persisted. He had looked sincere. This was the second time in a week I'd instantly accepted his apologies. He must have some power over me.
"Okay, I'll go with you" I said with a smile. Harry had remained silent the whole time, staring out the window. What's wrong with him? I hope he doesn't mind me accepting Ron's invitation. Hey, if he doesn't wan t me to go with Ron, he could have said something. I'll talk to him later…
Fred and George Weasley came in and started a game of Exploding Snap with Ron and I. Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, 7th Years and Chasers on the Gryffindor with Harry, joined us soon after,
"Where's Katie?" Fred asked Alicia, referring to Katie Bell, their friend and the team's other Chaser. Alicia let out a laugh.
"Oh, writing a letter to Oliver, you know how those two are". The mention of Oliver sparked my interest.
"'Those two'? What do you mean?" I asked. Alicia looked at me like I was an idiot.
"Katie and Oliver have been dating since we were in 5th Year"
Uh-oh. I have been thinking lustful thoughts about a boy with a long-term girlfriend. Oh well, he probably still thinks I'm dating Harry anyway, as much as we denied it. After trying to convince Oliver yesterday that we were not dating, we had chatted to him for a bit about life at Puddlemere, the he hurried off to buy some parchment. Probably to write to Katie with.
"Oh" I said, flushing red.
As Hogwarts neared, we changed into our robes. As the train jolted to a stop, we lurched towards to door of our compartment. As we were getting off the train, Ron turned to look at me.
"You know Hermione, you do resemble a Veela sometimes. But only when you're angry. I sometimes think you're going g to sprout scaly wings too!" he said with a wink, and then ran away so I couldn't hit him.
When he laughed, it was the first sound I'd heard from Harry in at least an hour. Boys.
Dumbledore announced the Ball to the school that night at the feast. Like the Yule Ball, it would only be attended by 4th Years and above. It would take place on Halloween night, after the Feast. Dumbledore also added something else:
"In hope of keeping up relations, we will also be inviting delegates from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, who all above first year will remember. We have already received confirmation that the two competitors from those schools that participated in the Tri-Wizard Tournament will be attending"
What?
"Viktor can't come," I hissed at Harry and Ron. They looked at me, puzzled.
"Why not" Ron asked.
"He's almost nineteen, he was in his final year at Durmstrang last year"
"He's coaching Quidditch there when he's not busy with the Bulgarian team" Ron said off-handedly.
What? Why hadn't he told me this? Didn't we promise to owl each other?
When Dumbledore had made all the announcements and we had all eaten, we stood up to go. Everyone was exhausted. Katie Bell walked over to us.
"Hey guys. I'm a Prefect this year" she said with a grin.
I had a poster of your boyfriend on my wall. I think he's sex on legs.
"Anyway, the password's "dress robes", in spirit of the Ball" she said and then ambled off.
At that moment I decided to stick to boys my own age. Easier to tell if they're attached.
When we entered the Gryffindor common room, Harry immediately slinked off to the boy's dorm. I needed to wind down a bit.
"Hey "Ron, fancy a game of chess?" I asked him. He looked at me like it was a strange request, but sat down at the table.
After about half an hour, the common room was almost empty. Fred and George, the last people in the room, came over to us.
"We're going to bed. You two going to crash soon?" George asked.
"Got to finish the game" Ron muttered as I stifled a yawn. They looked at us like we were crazy but went up the stairs.
Within five minutes, the game was over, with Ron winning. We got up to go to bed. At the foot of the stairs, Ron stopped me.
"Hey Ninny, where'd you get that necklace?"
A/N All reviewers get a kiss from Oliver! Well, that's a lie but I invite you to spend copious amounts of time imagining it ;)