Chapter 11: The ball

In the Great Hall about a week after the prank, Professor Dumbledore stood up to the whole school and announced that there was going to be a Spring Ball the next week. Everybody started talking at once.

"Oh, what will I wear?"

"Ugggh...this means I have to ask some girl..."

"I just have to go to buy new dress robes!"

"Why...why me? Asking a girl is sooo embarrassing!"

"So...who are you asking?"

"So, Ginny, will you go with me?" asked Harry with a smile on his face.

"Hmmm, I don't really know, I'll have to think about that." Said Ginny sarcastically. "Of course I'll go with you, you doof!"

"Uh, Hermione,uh" stammered Ron.

Hermione sighed. "Just say it, Ron." She said, looking at him with an exasperating look.

"Ok, wwell, will you go with me to the ball?"

"Yes, of course, Ronnie."

"HERMIONE! You know I hate that name!"

"Yes, I do know that."

"Well, than don't call me that, Hermy."

Hermione glared at him. "Never call me that again, Ron." She said in her most dangerous voice.

"Oh, you can call me Ronnie but I can't call you Hermy?"

"Yes, that's exactly right, Ronnie."

"Arrrggghh!"

"So who are you asking, Alex?" Harry asked.

Alex looked gloomily at his plate. "I don't know. I don't really know a lot of girls here."

Suddenly a girl with long, wavy, brown hair came up to him.

"Hi." She breathed.

"Uh, hi." Stammered Alex while Harry was beginning to snigger uncontrollably.

"Well, um, I was sort of wondering if youwouldliketocometotheballwithme?" She said in one breath, turning very red. (Now Harry winked at him.)

"Uhhhh." Alex turned very red, too. "Yes, I guess so." (Harry gave him a thumbs-up while Ginny poked him in the side.)

The girl looked relieved. "Oh, good, meet me today at the lake at 4." She said, and she walked away.

"Way to go, Alex!" whistled Harry. Ron and Hermione hadn't noticed anything because they were too busy arguing.

"Yeah, but I've never seen her before." Said Alex. "I guess I was too surprised to say no."

"Well, I guess she's seen you before." Winked Ginny. "Just give her a chance. Her name's Melanie and she's in Ravenclaw. She's really nice."

"Yeah, I guess. What time did she say?"

"4 o'clock, Alex, my boy." Replied Harry with a grin.

"What's at 4 o'clock?" asked Ron, puzzled. He and Hermione had finally stopped arguing.

"Oh, nothing, Alex has to get to know his date to the Spring Ball." Said Ginny casually.

"Really? Who?" asked Hermione excitedly.

"Melanie from Ravenclaw, according to Ginny." Replied Harry, taking a bite out of his piece of toast.

Hermione frowned. "Never heard of her."

"Me neither."

"Me neither."

"Me neither."

"But, Alex, she asked you, how can you not know her?" asked Ron.

"Well, I don't know! She just came up here and asked me!" Mumbled Alex.

"Well, we better go to class now, or we'll be late." Said Hermione, standing up and grabbing her book bag.

"Yeah, let's go." Said Harry, cramming the last bit of toast in his mouth. "We don't want to keep Trelawney waiting. But she'll probably know if we're going to be late, after all, she does know the future, right, Ron?"

"Yes, Harry old chap, she knows exactly everything that lies before us." Replied Ron, stuffing bacon in his mouth and standing up.

"Oh, shut up you two. Just go." Cried Ginny exasperantly.

"Okay, okay, we're going." Grunted Ron. With that the two boys headed to Divination on the North Tower while Hermione and Alex went to Arithmancy and Ginny to Muggle Studies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You know what to do....just click the little review button.....pretty please with sugar and strawberries on top?

| |

| |

| |

V

V

V