Everything's going pretty well these days, almost Christmas Holidays (in two weeks that is) and I've updated my other fic, Chobsession, as well! I hope you still enjoy this crap here! - Nanja

AND REVIEW! - it's for your own good.

Chapter 15: Preparations for the Ball

"Ron, we have to get up!" Harry shook his friend from left to right.

"W-why?" Ron asked dumbly, still half asleep.

Harry let him go "It's SA-TURRRR-DAY!"

Ron opened his eyes widely in shock "THE BALL!"

Hermione was in an uppergood mood.

"What's your problem?" Ron asked while having breakfast.

"Nothing" she smiled. "Absolutely nothing"

Harry raised his eyebrows. Everytime she said there was nothing, there was a lot of stuff going on.

"So,... who are you going to take to the ball?" Ron started.

Hermione giggled, but didn't answer.

Luna came running towards them. "You all have no one to the dance, have you?"

Harry and Ron both almost choked on their food and Hermione swallowed a too big piece of bread.

"I know." Luna crossed her arms. "Ginny told me Harry hadn't asked her yet"

Harry threw her a confused look "Ginny expects me to ask her?"

"What did I just say?" Luna gave him a confused look.

Hermione rubbed her eyes. "I think I see something very strange"

She pointed to Draco and he was talking to Ginny. Ron's face turned confused and he swore. Harry turned around so he could see too and his face slightly saddened.

"Is that pesky little ferret REALLY asking Ginny to the ball!?" Ron swore again.

That evening neither of them had found someone. Luna had been around them for a while and Ron almost wanted to ask her.

"You can get better" Hermione said brisk.

"Yeah, like WHO?" Ron said, while falling into a chair.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and gave both boys a dark look.

Harry frowned a bit "I have absolutely no one to go with and the ball is in 3 hours,..."

Hermione crossed her arms. "Well Ron, I suppose you SHOULD take Luna,..."

Luna just came walking in their common room. Ron, Harry and Hermione seemed to look surprised, because no one other than Gryffindors and sometimes teachers, entered their common room.

"I am apologizing later on, but I wanted to tell you that Ron and I are going to the ball with eachother" Luna said quickly.

Ron gulped "We are?"

Hermione smiled "You're absolutely right Luna!"

"That leaves us with one more problem,... you two" Luna started "O wait! You can go together! Problem solved!"

Harry and Hermione looked at eachother.

"Uhm...." Harry couldn't find his words.

"Well,...." Hermione seemed to have lost hers as well.

"That's settled then, I see you guys tonight" Luna said while walking out of the room, together with Ron, who she dragged along.

"Are we?" Hermione asked Harry, who slightly nodded

"We have no other option,..."

Hermione seemed to feel a bit dizzy "I'm,... I'm going to prepare,..."

"Do you need three whole hours to prepare?" He asked curious. Hermione waved off his question.

Hermione stood in front of her mirror. What WAS she going to wear? All of her dresses where a bit too,... normal. With a deep sigh she sat down on her bed, turning the pages of a magazine. With a little 'o' she stopped at a page.

The page showed a girl, probably from her age, with long, shining brown hair, a bit of purple make-up and a pretty purple dress.

She got an idea. An idea that made her smile.

That night, Harry quickly dressed into his suit. He felt rather stupid. Two years ago at the Yule Ball he had been a very nervous and a very bad dancer, but this time he was going with a friend, not with a,... a girl.

He quickly swallowed that thought when he saw Hermione enter the common room. Her hair had no curls, but was straight, hanging like silk next to her face. She had a bit of make-up, just a little, but it made her look older and she wore a light coloured purple dress and she smiled at him.

God, he felt uncomfortable.

"Hi,... nice suit! Did you borrow that one from Dean? I can tell" Hermione said, while examining his suit.

"Y-yeah,... I did" Harry wanted to run and hide behind the closet or somewhere.

"Shall we go then? It's pretty late,..." Hermione started.

Harry gulped. He knew he had to... hold her hand or something. He wasn't good with girls. Did he say girl? Hermione was a girl. O god.

Ron and Luna came walking towards them immediatly after they had entered the Great Hall.

"Hermione! You look so different than you first did!" Luna said amazed.

"Thank you,... you look pretty different yourself too" Hermione said while looking at Luna, who had her hair in a high ponytail and was wearing a green dress.

Ron seemed to be speechless. Harry couldn't find many words either. "Uhm,.. so,... nice party, right?"

Ron nodded and Luna frowned. "You are strange" she said while pulling Ron closer to her "Let's dance instead of talking to strange people"

Ron gulped.

Hermione and Harry were left alone. Harry tried to start a conversation, but Hermione smiled "We could dance too you know?"

Harry wanted to say no, but his head nodded. The music was slow and he heard professor Hamasaki sing, accompanied by professor BoA. The music was TOO slow. He wanted to run. AGAIN.

And why, WHY was she staring at him so,... so not-Hermione-like?