THE END OF THE EVENING – Ron

The Yule Ball had been what you might call an eventful evening. Ron and Harry had both managed to lose their partners fairly early on in the night (although Ron felt that this was something of a bonus as it got him out of dancing), they had overheard a rather bizarre conversation between Snape and Karkaroff and then discovered that Hagrid was a half-giant. And to top it all off, Ron and Hermione had had a huge row in front of a large proportion of the school. Arguments in front of Gryffindors were nothing new, but this had taken it to a different level.

Ron and Harry had spent the remainder of the Ball discussing giants, which, Ron discovered, Harry did not know a lot about. So, with Hermione off dancing somewhere with Krum, Ron was left to adopt her role and explain the mistrust between humans and giants. Every now and then, Harry would glance over at Cho and Cedric and a frown would settle across his face. Ron would use these moments of distraction to search for Hermione, although he soon stopped doing so after he had spotted her, laughing happily as Krum whirled her round the dance floor.

When the Weird Sisters finished playing at midnight, Ron half-heartedly joined in with the last round of applause as he and Harry headed out into the Entrance Hall. Although many people were wishing that the Ball could have gone on for longer, Ron was very glad to see the back of it. Hermione had got him into a bad mood, and all he wanted to do was go to sleep, wake up in the morning and forget that this stupid Ball had ever happened.

The two boys crossed the Hall to the marble staircase, walking past Hermione saying good night to Krum in the process. Ron glared at them, with a sinking feeling that Krum might any second give Hermione a good night kiss. However, Hermione turned to leave, and her eyes met Ron's. She fixed him with a very cold look, which made the heavy feeling in Ron's stomach intensify, and swept past them up the marble staircase. Hesitantly, Ron and Harry started to follow her back to Gryffindor Tower.

'Hey – Harry!'

Turning, Ron saw Cedric Diggory running towards them.

'Yeah?'

Cedric looked as though whatever he wanted to say, he didn't want to say it in front of Ron. It's probably something to do with the Tournament, thought Ron, and, glad for any excuse to get to bed, Ron carried on towards Gryffindor Tower. Hermione had been walking so fast that Ron only saw her briefly before she turned round a corner at the end of the long corridor. He watched her disappear; still unable to understand how she could have gone to the Ball with Vicky.

He passed a group of boys from Beauxbatons who were talking animatedly with Parvati and Lavender. Ron had barely begun to wonder what Seamus would think of Lavender's behaviour (Honestly, what is it with girls tonight?) when the two Gryffindor girls dropped into low whispers. Ron clearly heard the words 'arguing'and 'Hermione'. Glowering at the group, he stalked off towards the portrait hole. Why couldn't any one else see how stupid Hermione was being?

'Fairy Lights' Ron grumbled as he reached the portrait hole.

'Well, someone isn't very happy this evening!' said the Fat Lady.

'Yes, I thought Balls were meant to be fun!' chimed in her friend Vi, who had been visiting the portrait for Christmas Day, 'Had a row with your girlfriend have you? Only, she just stormed in here with a face like thunder,'

Ron had no idea what she was talking about. 'I haven't got a girlfriend,' he answered irritably, 'Fairy lights!'

'Now, now, there's no need to be rude!' said the Fat Lady as the portrait swung open and Ron climbed into the common room, and felt a stab of annoyance when he saw Hermione looking over at him from the sofa in front of the fire.

'You not gone to bed yet?' he snarled. Hermione did not answer, but stared resolutely into the flames. It was just typical of her not to admit she was wrong.

'Oh, I see, I'm getting the silent treatment am I? Vicky forbidden you from talking to me has he? Are only Durmstrang students good enough for you now?'

Her head shot round and she stared at Ron, her eyes narrowed dangerously, 'How – how dare you? How can you say that? Do you honestly think I would do such a thing? You and Harry are my best friends!'

'Well you've got a funny way of showing it!' Ron seethed.

'And what's that supposed to mean?' she cried, standing up from the sofa.

'You know full well what it means!' Ron shouted. He could feel his ears turning red, but he didn't care. He walked closer to Hermione as he carried on shouting, 'Turning up with – with him like that, without telling us. Not that it's any wonder you didn't want to tell us! Franternising with the enemy – I'd be ashamed if it was me!'

'My going to the ball with Viktor has got nothing to do with you and Harry!' exploded Hermione, her cheeks burning red and her eyes glistening. 'It doesn't change anything – or it shouldn't! But you seem determined to make it into a huge issue!'

'It is a huge issue!' Yelled Ron, as she headed towards the girls' staircase. How could she not realise that? 'He's from Durmstrang! Don't you realise what they teach there! And choosing him over me and Harry – '

Hermione stopped, suddenly and span round to face him. She looked angrier than he had ever seen her before. 'I did not chose him over you or Harry!'

'You went to the ball with him, didn't you! Obviously you prefer him. You could have gone with anyone else from Hogwarts! '

'Oh could I? Only, I thought from what you said the other day that you didn't think I was good enough for anyone to ask me to the ball!'

'Neville asked you! And I did! But no, you turned us down. Vicky more your type is he?' Ron was so angry he was unaware of how bitter he sounded.

'Well if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?' Hermione shot back.

'Oh yeah?' Ron yelled, 'What's that?'

'Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!' With that she spun on her heel and stormed up the girls' staircase, leaving Ron standing with his mouth hanging open in shock. He turned, and saw Harry standing by the open portrait hole.

'Well,' he spluttered, 'well – that just proves – completely missed the point –'

Harry didn't answer. Ron stood motionless for a few seconds, then, as the chatter of voices approached the portrait hole, he silently made his way up to his dormitory, leaving Harry in the common room.

Thankfully, he was the only one in the dormitory. Still fuming, Ron kicked his trunk as he went over to his bed. Sitting down, he put his head in his hands. He had just had the biggest argument with Hermione since third year. But this time, this time he knew he was right! That was the trouble with Hermione, she could never admit when she was wrong. Trying to make out that it was all his fault, that he was jealous of Vicky... But he wasn't jealous. Clearly, it was Hermione who wanted to have gone to the Ball with Ron, not the other way around...

This thought made Ron sit up straighter. Hermione's words echoed round his head 'Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does...' Was that what she wanted? To have gone with him instead of Krum? A glimmer of excitement prickled inside Ron, but he soon shot it down. Of course Hermione didn't want to go with him – she turned him down! And he certainly didn't want to have gone with her, did he?

Not after tonight...

Looking up at his nightstand, he saw his miniature Viktor Krum glowering up at him. Feeling a surge of anger, Ron snatched up the figure and crushed it hard in his fist, feeling a grim satisfaction as he heard the parts cracking.

'Stupid git!' he seethed, and he threw the mangled figure hard onto the floor, not caring where the pieces went.