Chapter 1
Ron's P.O.V. "Ron, what the hell are you saying? You're mumbling." Hermione asked, her face incredibly close to mine. Or so it seemed to me. Things we have done together since the first year seem incredible now, as if they were meant in a different way than they had for the last six years. I even overlooked the fact that she swore.

"Sorry, got something in my throat. I... er... think I got... think I don't get.... problem twenty two." My throat was dry as sand paper and I was croaking out the words. What I had meant to say was will you go to the Christmas Ball with me but somehow I asked about question twenty two, which I hadn't so much as looked at yet, and as I glanced down at my paper, realized I understood fully.

"You're joking. That's review from like, the second year. She was kidding but I felt explicitly stupid.

"Oh yeah, sorry... er..." I paused as I quickly skimmed the paper for something that I might possibly not get. I saw a new question that I in fact, did not get and tried to tell her, again croaking. "Question thirty-one. I don't remember the second ingredient."

"Oh. I believe it's rat's spleen." I smiled.

"What are you smiling at?"

"Nothing." Actually, I was wondering how she could make such an ugly word like rat spleen sound so sexy when she said it.

Harry was oblivious to the whole thing. He was deeply absorbed in a book entitled Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul which had been assigned by Professor Trelawny who teaches divination. Harry had endured even more death fortunes this year, with a whole book of them for the Professor to consult to.

Hermione wrinkled her nose, another thing that she's done since the first year that's now extremely sexy. "Have either of you got dates to the Christmas Ball yet?" I think I had a small heart attack at that moment.

Harry finally snapped back from the book. "Huh?" he asked, not even aware which of us had asked it.

"I was just wondering if either of you had found dates to the Christmas Ball yet." She sounded casual. But I was silently choking, desperately fighting my throat from asking her in front of the entire common room.

"Yeah." Said Harry off-hand. To my great relief, she looked completely non- abashed and turned her head to me.

"How about you?" She asked me. I cleared my throat several times and answered with a meek, "No."

"Mmmmmmm." She made a sign of understandment.

Hermione's P.O.V.

For some reason Ron seemed rather stiff. And maybe it was just me but he seemed to be sitting as close to me as possible. There were several feet of couch left beyond him so I could think of no reason for this. But it made me feel good; he was warm and comforting. I frowned. What was I saying? I liked Ron practically sitting in my lap? I certainly didn't not like it. I shook my head. I must be really tired.

I asked about the Christmas Ball just then. I wasn't surprised Harry had a date; I had a pretty good idea who it was. But I was dreading the answer from Ron. What if he already had a date? I shook my head again. What was I thinking? Why did I all the sudden care?

Then I believe Ron choked on something because he grabbed his neck and made a small sound in the back of his throat.

"No." He said quietly, then went quickly back to his papers, and turned red. Which I assumed was from almost choking to death.

I blushed. I had this desperate urge to ask Ron. But there's no way I would because I'm a wimp. Well, you've known him for six years, you freak, why would it be embarrassing to ask him to some stupid little dance? Huh? Do you LIKE him? Shut up! Of course I don't like him! Well... maybe a little bit... I hated it when I had to argue with the voice in the back of my head. Because it always seemed to win. I hit my forehead and got up.

"I'm gonna go finish in the library. See you at dinner. Bye." I picked up my bag and walked out, and gave a small wave to Ron because Harry obviously didn't even know I was leaving. Ron smiled and waved back.

Harry's P.O.V.

I was trying to involve myself in my book because it was so funny to watch Ron and Hermione sit there and be embarrassed. It was so obvious to me, at least, that they fancied each other and they seemed like they were trying to ignore it. Ron was choking. Hermione was shaking her head over and over, staring at the floor.

A couple minutes went by with me trying not to laugh and then Hermione got up and left. She waved and said good bye but I pretended I did not notice.

As soon as she was out of the room, Ron leaned back on his couch and took a deep breath. I couldn't help it anymore. I threw my book down and started laughing hysterically. Ron glared at me.

"What?!" He asked, blushing.

"You two are so funny! Why don't you just get on your knees and beg for her to go to the ball with you?"

"Shut up!" His face was redder than his hair which was strange because there are few things redder than Ron's hair.

"I'm sorry! It's just so funny!"

"Well, you don't have to talk so loud!" He was glaring, but a small smile was at the corner of his mouth.

"You bloody idiot, there's no one in here!"

He couldn't find anything to say to that and we both went back to what we were doing.

After a good half hour, I spoke again. "Ron, go ask her to the ball. Just ask her and if she says no you shouldn't feel stupid because she's your friend and you've known her for so long.

"Oh, yeah, I won't feel stupid. It'll be fine, I won't feel stupid." He said sarcastically but he walked out the door anyways muttering I won't feel stupid, of course I won't feel stupid.

I laughed and went back to my book, now reading about how you could tell if someone's death was coming by watching how they walk into a room. I knew this would come up with Trelawny; it was only a matter of days.

Hermione's P.O.V.

I was sitting in the library, staring at the wall. The last thing on my mind was my homework. I was, for some insane reason, picturing me and Ron at the ball, dancing and Harry and his date dancing next to us and we were all talking and laughing and stuff. It was stupid, really, we always laugh together. Or at least we have before. Lately I've been feeling very stupid around Ron lately. He always seemed so much better, so... not mine. I hated it when he talking to any other girl. Yesterday I had thrown some kind of plant at this Ravenclaw in Herbology and it had wrapped her up and she was sent to the hospital wing to be cut out of the viney trap. I had thrown it from behind a shelf of large flowers and they had hid me from view of the Professor. Ron hadn't even looked affected by it and went straight back to work so I had felt much better and went back to planting my Harumplfuss.

Someone came around the corner and I looked up. Yeeeeeees!!! I screamed silently. Outwardly, I just smiled and said hi.

"Hi." Woooooooo! Smooth Hermione! I hate that voice! I shook it away and concentrated on Ron.

"Um... hi. What are you doin?" He shoved his hands in his pocket and looked at my bag sitting at my side with everything still in it.

"Nothing... I was going to some homework but I got distracted." Oooooooooohhhhhhhhh my god! I feel so stupid...

"Hey... willyagotheballywitme?" I believe he had said something in a foreign language. But Ron didn't know any foreign languages. I knew what I would have liked him to have said. But that was too much to hope for.

Ron's P.O.V.

How come Harry noticed everything? I thought I was being totally unobvious but he still guesses. I wouldn't feel stupid. I almost laughed at the stupid remark Harry had made. He was right about the part that I shouldn't feel stupid but I defiantly would. Hermione could already have a date for one thing. She had never said she didn't. Or she might think it was weird to go to the dance with one of her best friends. Or... I couldn't think of anything else.

I crashed into a suit of armor and it flung me against the wall. "Be a might more careful, ye student." I think I mumbled an apology. I don't remember.

I realized I had walked right past the library door and I retraced my steps back for two whole corridors. I walked in and Hermione was in a small poufy chair staring at the floor. She looked up when I walked around a shelf of books and I asked her about what she was doing. If she was doing homework, why is she staring at the wall with all of her school things in her bag still? She just said she got distracted, you freak! Oh yeah? By WHAT, may I ask? No, that's none of your business! Rigggggghhhhht! Grrrrrrrr. I hate arguing with that damned voice!

Then all the sudden it just came rushing out of my mouth. "Willyagotheballywitme?" Well, okay, it kind of came tumbling out of my mouth... rushing implies smooth.

She looked at me blankly for a moment. Then something filled her eyes... hope? No, I believe it's called disgust, Ronnikins. Shut that gaping hole in your face! The gaping hole in my face?! Look at your face! You still haven't closed it from that oh-so-smooth comment about a...what was it? Bally? I meant to say ball! And you know it!

"Will I- will I what?" She was still looking at me with her wonderful eyes and it didn't rightly look like disgust. I decided to just say it.

"Sorry. Will you go to the Christmas Ball with me?" I was leaning against the wall, with my arms folded and to my almighty surprise... she grinned.

"Me?! No! I mean yes I would, but me?" I let out a huge sigh of relief and straitened up.

"You mean- you will?" I was smiling too and she had stood up also, her hair over one shoulder.

"Of course! Thank you so much!"

"Er... thank me? for what?"

"Yeah, well I'm a wimp and I'd have never asked you and-"she gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. "Woops." She blushed. It looked cute.

I couldn't even say anything. I just kept on grinning like an idiot and we both walked out of the library together, attracting odd looks from some Hufflepuff first years, who were trying to study.

Harry's P.O.V.

The portrait hole opened and I looked up, expecting to see Ron come in, all alone and tell me how he wimped out and stood at the door and watched her instead of asking her.

Instead, he walked in with Hermione directly following, and both were smiling. George had heard the entire conversation and when they walked in, he let out a loud cat call and even Ron laughed. Hermione glared at George and came down to sit by me, along with Ron. I don't think they actually realized they were sitting by me though. I was completely ignored and after a while, I got sick of it and left. After all, it was a Hogsmead weekend and I had my own date to attend to. Of which Ron knew nothing about for my safety.

I went up to the dormitories and changed into warmer robes, for the cold winter weather I knew there would be in the village. I had to get Ginny a gift. Well, I had to get everyone else a gift too, but I wasn't worried about that. I had no idea what so ever about what to get her. I wasn't going to get her something like candy or flowers that would be gone in a couple days time. I wanted something lasting, which would stay with her even if for some reason I wasn't. I shivered, remembering how the Death Eaters were getting more and more powerful, and the Dark Lord was stronger, even, than his first reign of terror, which had stopped suddenly sixteen years ago. I could tell that Voldermort hated me more than ever, because my scar hurt at least once a day. And in hating me, he also hated anything I would happen to grow fond of, including Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys of which I held so dear. Voldemort would do anything to get me, I knew and if he had to kill the entire Weasley family, plus Hermione, he wouldn't so much as blink. Maybe I shouldn't do this. I forced those thoughts to the back of my mind.

My problems returned to what to get Ginny. I thought of jewelry. A very nice piece might do good but only if I could nothing else on the face of the planet. It would have to be very beautiful to even be worthy of the wonderful, bright, smiling face lingering in my mind.

During all this thinking, I was ready to go. I went down the stairs hoping Ron and Hermione hadn't left yet. They hadn't, both still leaning back on the couch, incredibly relaxed and not bickering. They were talking calmly, a thing I barely remembered.

"Come on guys, Hogsmead awaits the loving-"Ron chucked a heavy Arithmacy book at my head, and I ducked, laughing.

"Okay, just a moment." He turned toward Hermione and said something quietly, and she nodded. They both got up.

"By Harry! See you in a bit!" She waved and made her way up the girls stairway.

"Well well! That went well didn't it?! See? And if wasn't for me, you wouldn't have done it!" We were both walking up the staircase now, and Ron smiled at my words.

"Yeah, very well. And yes, thank you for making me go do it. I'm really glad now. But for a second there, I thought I was going to choke to death before I could do it." He shook his head.

"No kidding! You were like, hacking and you have NO idea how much will power it took for me to keep from laughing until she was gone. What happened in the library?" He seemed to suddenly remember something and his look went grave.

"Harry, could I talk to you for just a minute... about Ginny?" He looked concerned, not mad so that was a relief but how did he know?

"Well, yeah... why?"I tried to sound casual.

"Do you like her? I mean... I don't know, it just seems like..." he stopped. I decided to just tell him and hope to escape with my life.

"Okay, Ron, I'm gonna tell you this but you have to swear not to hurt me to bad. Yes, I do like Ginny. A lot. And we... have been, kinda, going out for like, a month now and... don't hurt me." He looked absolutely deadly for a minute and I was sure I was going to get clobbered. Then his expression changed to thoughtful.

"So, I'm not mad or anything but I was just wondering... how serious is this? I mean, between you and my baby sister? You're my best friend and all but it's still a little..."

"Well..." I didn't really know what to say. I didn't suppose it would go over to well if I said I loved her.

"Go ahead, you can say it." He looked completely understanding, not angry and looked almost calm.

"Okay... well, I... I love her, Ron. She's so beautiful and wonderful and great and..." All the sudden I blushed. Please don't let Ron murder me. But instead, he smiled.

"Now, if you had told me that two hours ago, I would have laughed in your face... but after me and Hermione... ya know... well, anyways I completely understand. Just know that if you hurt her in any way shape or form, I will kill you my god damn self. You will wish you had never been-"I cut him off before this got ugly.

"Ron! I have no intention of hurting her! In any way shape or form! I would never do that!" I waited and watched his face. He looked like he desperately wanted to finish his threat but he restrained himself on account of the fact that he knew full well I would never do anything like that.

Since he looked contented after a few moments... I went on. "I know you've only officially been with Hermione for like, an hour now but while you were sitting on the couch, did you get this incredible urge to kiss her or hug her or... or... anything? Anything just to be a bit closer, anything to make sure you weren't dreaming? Cauz no matter what those rumors are, and mind you, in a second I'll want to know what they are, but that can wait. No matter what those rumors are, I would never disrespect your sister. Ever. She's not just my girlfriend, Ron... she's..." I stopped. I didn't have a way to finish that sentence. But Ron looked completely overwhelmed, yet pleased with my answer.

"Okay. And yes, that whole mushy thing about hugging and kissing and shit on the couch is true. But lets get down to Hogsmead so I can... never mind." Ron seemed to have had enough with the 'mushy' stuff, although I could have continued for a good hour.

Ron's P.O.V.

After talking with Harry, I felt really stupid. He had a way with words, because I had been thinking almost the exact same thing but had no ideas how to say it then he just goes and says it. About Ginny. Of course I didn't believe the rumors, but they bugged me none the less. I always felt like cursing whoever I heard spreading them into next week.. Harry actually did... love my little sister. Love. Before this year, love was some word we paired with good food or candy ('I love that kind of chocolate!') or other incredibly stupid things. But I actually did love Hermione. For longer than I probably knew, I realized. I thought about Ginny. It seemed just a little tiny bit ago that she was the little girl with a crush on Harry. It seemed just a little bit ago she was my little sister who was mouthy and yes, obnoxious, but now I could tell that she was way older and more mature than that. She had a boyfriend, (my best friend) that had just he loved her. It was so weird.

My thoughts went back to Hermione. She was great. Oh no! I remembered I had to get her a Christmas present. Me and Harry were walking down the path toward Hogsmead, so I asked him panic stricken.

"Harry... I just thought... what am I going to get Hermione for the Christmas?"

"Yeah, I was thinking that a while ago too. I don't want to get flowers or candy cauz they'll be gone in a couple days. It needs to last."

"I never thought of that... I agree. But I can't think of a thing." We were both silent... thinking as hard as we could about what to get our girls. I thought of jewelry. "What about jewelry? We could get something really cool. But there's only one place in Hogsmead to get jewelry and it's really expensive, I think. I only have the eight galleons that I saved."

Harry thought for just a moment. "Well, if we buy something expensive, that doesn't mean it'll be better or more meaningful so I bet we can find some cheap things." He was rubbing his chin, with his other hand stuffed deeply in his pocket, and staring at the ground ahead of us.

"Yeah. But we should look in all the stores before we decide on anything. And how are we going to... not have them around us? We'll need to tell them we have holiday shopping to do. But then they'll know it's for them. Oh well. It's not like we wouldn't get them presents or anything anyways..." I was more thinking out loud than actually talking to Harry, and Harry wouldn't have heard some guy spouting the secrets of life, let alone me.