Chapter 12

A/N- Why yes, my awesome readers, another chapter has arrived for you to read and critique. I'd like to thank all of my reviewers from my last chapter, fanjimmy, Usha88, Jini, Arcanine aka Hermione Girl, DewDrop Sapphire, yukistar2, ladybird, bizzy reader, tsukasa321, twinkle25, grantsbeetle, DarkHuntress, Hermione Graner Potter, and Angel0fHell. I'd also really like to thank my constant reviewers. –E-HUGS FOR ALL!!!- I think you know who you are. Your reviews have ignited a spark in my brain that comes to you in form of another chapter.

A/N 2- I'd like to hive a well-deserved round of applause to my buddie Maria (her username is Jini) for helping me out a whole bunch with the ending of this story. –claps- WOO!!! –gives out an e-hug-

Now, on with the story, dood!

Ron Weasley bounded down the steps to the Common Room. He had just spoken to Harry up in the boy's dormitories.

Harry likes her! Yes! Of course now he can't let down the Mystery Girl, considering it is Hermione. But he doesn't know that, yet.

Ron was happy that his two best mates would finally be getting together.

Blimey, I've been so busy worrying about those two, I haven't gotten myself a date for the Ball. Ron quickly scanned the Gryffindor females, looking for an eligible date for the Ball.

Parvati? No.

Jennifer? Nah, she's quite the annoying little bugger. Reminds me too much of Ginny, anyhow.

Lavender?

Ron considered Lavender. He did think that she was quite pretty and he knew that she didn't have a date yet. Rumour had it that she turned down every guy who asked. Over the years, Lavender had gotten quite attractive. Her tan never seemed to fade, even during the winter months. And they were no where near a beach where she could tan.

I guess I will take her. She is quite good-looking...

Ron hadn't noticed that Lavender was staring at him as intently, smiling slightly. It was her smile that had magneted Ron instantly to her side, even though he was somewhat nervous.

"Hi, Lavender!" Ron said as he stood by her side, attempting to look manly and older.

"Oh, hey Ron," Lavender said, grinning. Her smile was quite large, and it could compete with the Chesire Cat's smile any day – and win. Ron tried to act suave and debonair.

"So, erm," Ron began, "Would you like to go to the, ah, um, Ball with, er, me? That is, if you're not already going with someone else, cause then, you know, I could get another date,"

Ron noticed he was rambling and decided to end his bizarre 'proposal' as quickly as he could, "So, uh, yeah, er, no pressure!" Lavender, however, thought that his squirmish nature was actually quite cute and she smiled another famous smile. She agreed, "No, no one is taking me. I'd love to go with you to the Ball, Ron! I'll meet you here at six, okay?"

Ron nodded his head as Lavender smiled for the billionth time, giggled, and walked away. Ron then celebrated. "Ka-ching!" and of course, he did his little jig in celebrance of getting a date for the Ball and not sounding like a complete prat doing it. "Go me, go me!"

He was pulled back down to Earth, however, when a mortified Ginny finally came up and tapped Ron sharply on the shoulder. "Ron! What are you doing??? You're embarrassing me!" Ginny hissed in an almost inaudible whisper. Ron stopped his dance and looked around the Common Room to see that every Gryffindor in the room had stopped whatever they were doing and were gawking at him, all trying to stifle their laughter.

Ginny smiled apologetically for her brother's antics and pulled Ron quickly out of the spotlight to the side of the Common Room towards the couches. "Nice moves, Weasley. You gotta teach me that jig before the Ball," said Neville.

"You got it, Neville," said Ron, giving him a thumbs-up. Ginny just shook her head and sat him down on a couch where she had her homework laid. She gave him a look and sighed. She went back to her work for a few minutes until Ron broke the silence, remembering what Harry told him earlier.

"Gin, guess what?" Ron said.

"What?" Ginny replied, still a little exasperated at her brother who still acted like he was four years old.

"You know how I was talking to Harry earlier, right? Well, he confessed something really, really big to me,"

"How big?"

"Very big. To Hermione, it will be as-big-as-Grawp big!"

"What's a 'Grawp'?" Ginny asked, not knowing about Hagrid's little (yet big) brother.

"That's not my point, Gin. But this news will make Hermione absolutely faint,"

Ginny thought about it for a moment and said, "He likes her, doesn't he?" Ginny screamed and hugged her brother. "You better not be lying to me, Ronald Bilius Weasley. I'll put spiders in your bed. I swear I will,"

"Honest, Gin. It's not joke. He likes her. And I don't want to tell her. They can both confess to each other on the night of the Ball,"

Ginny, for once, agreed with Ron. "We officially know that this plan is going to work out. No one will be heartbroken for sure."

One week later, Harry was sitting in the Common Room, doing Transfiguration homework. McGonagall never eased up in the homework, but Harry wanted to become a good Auror, just like his father, so he refused to give up.

Harry was finishing up when he came across a difficult question. He glanced at his watch. It was eleven PM, the Common Room was slowly emptying, and knowing Hermione, she would probably still be up, triple checking a Potions essay or something. Harry decided that it would be alright if he went to her room to ask for help. Of course, his decision was made much easier since he liked Hermione a lot.

Harry picked up his parchment, quill, books and wand. He shoved them haphazardly into his book bag and went up to his dormitory to grab his invisibility cloak, as it was past curfew, even for him, a seventh year. He threw it on and stooped low so it would conceal him completely. He went back to the now empty Common Room and trekked to Hermione's Head Girl room. He crept along the corridors slowly and sneakily, but he didn't meet up with and teachers or Peeves along the way, and for that, he was thankful. As he walked closer to Hermione's room, Harry saw a poster depicting the Ball. It was now in five days. Harry thought about Hermione and how he wished he was able to accompany her to it.

She's probably been asked already, anyway.

A few feet ahead, Harry saw Hermione's portrait entrance. "Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes," Harry said. The man in the portrait yawned and swung open. Harry clambered in quickly. Like he thought, Hermione was at her desk, slaving over the day's homework.

"Oi, Hermione!" Harry said, startling her a little.

"Oh, hey Harry. What are you doing here?"

"Sorry for bothering you, I need some help with the homework McGonagall gave us today,"

"Okay, what question are you on?"

Harry took out his wand and the other items in his bag. "I'm on number nine, the one about changing humans into large inanimate objects,"

"Oh, that one's easy, Harry," Hermione said as she explained it further for Harry. Harry scribbled the answers onto his parchment and soon they were both done their work. Harry took the opportunity to ask Hermione about her plans for the Ball.

"So, are you going with anyone to the Ball, Mione?" Harry asked.

Hermione bit her lip. Oh no. I can't believe he's asking me this. I can't say yes, even though it is the truth, in a way. Then I'd have to explain that I'M the anonymous person who's sending him all those letters...

"No, I'm not going with anyone," Hermione said quickly, "You're going with the mystery girl, right?"

"In a way, yes," Harry said. But I wish I wasn't. I would much rather go with you. Harry did not say that and he decided to leave. He yawned and said, "I better go, Hermione. It's getting late and I have Quidditch practice tomorrow morning. The team will kill me if I'm delayed. Thanks for all your help. I couldn't have done it without you,"

"Oh, no problem, Harry. I owe you for all those times you saved my life anyway, heh. Goodnight,"

"G'night, Mione," Harry said as he lingered in her room for at least ten seconds in silence, staring at her before he left.

Oh my goodness. Was Harry staring at me? Could he possibly like me back?

Hermione pushed back her thoughts as her logical mind kicked back in. There was probably just something on my face, that's all. Hermione wiped her mouth a little and displaced her previous thoughts into the 'Wishful Thinking' category of her mind. Hermione sighed a little as she packed away her books and parchment into her bag. She got ready for bed and blew out the remaining candles in her room. She was very exhausted and promptly fell asleep.

She dreamt of a tall, burly fellow. His face was blurred, but she could see that he was very athletic. His muscles were very well defined beneath his slate grey dressrobes. She recognized herself to be at a party in the Great Hall. There were decorations around on the walls and a number of balloons hovering above everyone's heads. She then saw her dream self. Her dream self's face was the only unblurred one in the room. She was dancing with a boy wearing black dressrobes and the muscular fellow was looking in their direction. The dream Hermione looked very happy and so did the boy, a wizard with messy black hair.

The muscular wizard walked towards them. He tapped the boy on the shoulder and spoke to him in a hazy voice but the real Hermione could clearly hear a foreign accent. She saw the boy's face fall as he let go of the dream Hermione and stepped aside. The muscular wizard took his place as he began to dance with the dream Hermione, who was staring at the other boy with a sad look on her face. The boy with the dark hair frowned as he walked away, looking quite lonely and very saddened. The real Hermione took one last look at him and she faded away as she began to dream a different dream.

The next morning, Hermione had no recollection of what she dreamt and she continued on with her day normally. Ron and Ginny were both acting strangely at breakfast and were throwing both her and Harry little smiles. Hermione wondered what had gotten into them, but she just brushed it off when she heard that Ron was taking Lavender to the upcoming Ball. She knew Ron liked Lavender a bit and that Lavender also liked him. She was happy for them both.

Harry also wondered what was going on with the two redheads but he, like Hermione, shrugged it off. He was more anxious about meeting the mystery girl. The Ball was coming too quickly, only four days away, and he needed dressrobes that fit.

Last year, Hermione and Ginny had showed him a simple lengthening charm for his robes so he didn't have to go and buy new ones. He snuck a look at Hermione, who sat across the table, reading Hogwarts: A History and muttering to herself. Her hair was a little disheveled and damp from her shower that morning. She looked up from her book and saw Harry staring at her. Hermione grinned at him slightly and went back to her book. Harry melted at her smile and he felt that no one could put a damper on his day.

Ahoy there matey! Here's the end of chapter 12! Hope you enjoyed it! Guess what? Only THREE more chapters left until the grand finale! Want them to come sooner? REVIEW your SOCKS OFF!!! Thank you! =)