The Gryffindors awoke the next morning to the gray clouds left over from the previous night's storms looming over the castle. The retreating thunder rumbled in the distance as Ron and Harry dressed and made their way down to the great hall for breakfast. They would receive their class schedules today and they were both eager to find out what the day had in store for them.

They got to the great hall fairly early and seated themselves across from Hermione, who had been pouring over her own schedule while finishing up her breakfast of eggs and toast. She looked up at them as they sat down.

"Morning," she smiled, reaching for her glass of pumpkin juice.

"Should've known you'd be here already," Ron said.

Hermione gazed at him over her glass, "There's nothing wrong with an early start."

"Pass the toast," Harry said, interrupting Ron from the staring contest he was having with the top of Hermione's head, as she was once again going over her schedule.

"Right," Ron handed Harry the platter of toast.

"So, what do you think about this ball, Ron? 'Spect you'll go?" Asked Harry.

Harry knew that as far as Ron was concerned, talking about the ball with Hermione present was as unthinkable as preforming one of the unforgivable curses. But by the look Ron was giving him, Harry was sure that Ron was seeing those curses in a whole new light. Lucky for Harry, this question seemed to spark Hermione's interest as well and she looked at Ron expectantly. Taking notice to Hermione's inquisitive expression, he stopped glaring at Harry and looked down at his toast.

"I dunno," he said, his ears slowly turning scarlet, "remember all the fuss about the Yule ball, and you see how that turned out."

Hermione tutted, taking another sip of her pumpkin juice.

"What's that about?!" Ron asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Nothing."

"Oh, right. I'm sure it's nothing. I'm sure you're looking forward to the ball. I'm sure you've already sent an owl to Vicky asking him if he's free that night so he can take you!"

"Ron, I–"

"Don't waste any time, do you? 'Nothing wrong with an early start', right?!" Ron was now standing up in his fury. Hermione looked quite speechless. Harry looked amused. "Well, that's just fine, Hermione! See if I care!" And with that he stormed out of the great hall, leaving Hermione, along with the other Gryffindors, staring after him in shock and confusion.

"What in Merlin's name was that all about?" Hermione whispered to Harry.

"If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not going to spoil the fun." Harry smirked, biting into his piece of toast.

That day the Gryffindors had Care of Magical Creatures with the Hufflepuffs. Hagrid had them paired up looking after Gupticks. They were water creatures no bigger than 6 inches that had the movements of a fish, but the look of a scaly kitten. Hagrid had seemed to take notice of Ron and Hermione's riff and had paired them together in hopes of getting them to speak again. For every pair of students there was a small tank with a Guptick inside.

"Now, feed 'em the berries if they seem hungry," Hagrid explained, "an' if they jump out of their tank jus' pick 'em up an' put 'em back in. They can't 'urt you."

Ron and Hermione settled down on the grass in front of their tank and looked inside. The Guptick was racing around excitedly, it's tail seemed to be propelling it in every direction.

"Energetic little buggers, aren't they?" Ron said.

Hermione looked at him, not sure what to say. He was getting more and more confusing by the day. One minute he was screaming at her in the great hall, and the next he was trying to make conversation.

"Hermione, I'm sorry about earlier. I just got a little carried away is all," he said apologetically.

"Ron, you really had no reason to."

"I know, but it's just Victor is all. That stupid git bothers me," Ron mumbled, picking a berry off of the ground and feeding it to the Guptick, which happily poked it's head out of the water to receive it.

"You were the one that brought up Victor though," Hermione was speaking calmly, in all attempts to avoid another argument over the famous Quidditch player.

"Well, Harry brought up the ball, and I just figured you'd want Vicky to take you."

"Well, I don't," this came out a little more blunt than Hermione had wished.

Ron looked back into the Guptick's tank, hiding the look of pure relief that took over his face upon hearing Hermione's last statement. He picked up another berry and held it out to the Guptick.

"Ouch! Stupid bugger," Ron quickly pulled his hand up out of the tank and peered at his finger, which the Guptick had seemed to think was food as well. "Glad you think my pain is funny," he snapped at Hermione, who was snorting with laughter.

"Oh, let me see then," she rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand in her's, peering down at his finger. "It look's fine," she said, slightly touching it with her own fingers.

Ron didn't seem to be listening to her though, he wasn't even looking at hand anymore. Hermione noticed his silence and looked up, meeting his eyes. Ron's ears immediately turned red from being caught staring. Hermione looked embarrassed as well, and promptly let go of his hand. They both stared back at the Guptick, not really even noticing it. After a few moments, Hermione spoke.

"Ron, you never did answer Harry's question this morning."

Ron jerked his head up at the sound of his name, "Huh? What question?"

"He asked if you're going to go to the ball," Hermione said, her cheeks going a little redder.

"Oh, well, er.. I'd like to, but, well, the thing is, er," Ron was having great difficulty speaking all of a sudden.

"Ron?"

"I-I can't dance," he finally blurted out.

Hermione just stared at him for a moment, and then bursted into a fit of giggles. Ron looked highly annoyed, and his ears turned an even deeper color of scarlet. Hermione spotted the look of embarrassment mixed with pure annoyance on his face and tried to stop laughing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she said, gasping for air.

Ron huffed and turned back to the tank.

"Ron," she sighed,"I can teach you how to dance."

"Really?" He looked back at her with peaking interest.

"Really. But you have to be serious about it, and you have to actually go to the dance. I'm not wasting my time teaching you when you're not even going to use it," she said.

"I'll be serious about it, Hermione. I promise." Ron wasn't aware of it, but the annoyed expression that had covered his face moments ago had entirely turned into an expression of sheer excitement.

Hermione smiled up at him, "Okay, then we'll start tonight after dinner. I'll need to find a reasonable place to practice though."

"The Room of Requirement," Ron suggested.

"Yes, that sounds alright," she smiled, looking forward to this just as much as Ron was.