A/N: Okay this is the chapter that has the most changes and is much more R rated with the language and stuff.

Harry likes to swear a lot here and both Ron and Harry might seem a little O.O.C. Sorry dudes.

Chapter 5: Something more unexpected

Harry and Ron woke up the next day with high spirits not knowing what was in store for them that day.

It was the eve of the Christmas Ball.

It all started as they arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast and to Ron's annoyance he saw many of the boys in their year hovering around where Lavender sat.

Fortunately Ron managed to squeeze through the crowd of disappointed and hormonal 17 year olds.

'Why do they look so depressed?' Ron asked already knowing what the answer would be.

'Well, they were all turned down by me because I said I was waiting for someone else to ask me out to the ball.' Lavender coolly answered.

'Oh I see.' Ron replied wondering who she was waiting for to ask her.

'Who are you planning to ask?' Lavender suddenly asked anxiously.

'I did want to ask this 'certain' girl to the ball but she might want to go with someone else.' Ron answered trying not to sound 'too' obvious.

'What are you two talking about?' Harry butted in as he sat next to Ron.

'We were talking about the Christmas Ball!' Lavender answered excitedly.

'Oh that, but I don't know why people are so hyper about it, I mean it's just another way to try and show off to each other with dates and what they're wearing.' Harry said negatively (probably referring to the disastrous Yule Ball the few years before).

'Oh, what a harsh thing to say of course it's not all about that; it's about a boy who asks the one girl he truly cares about to a ball as they dance around elegantly catching the moon's shine and at the end they both share a kiss goodnight.' Lavender expressed dreamily.

'Ah, very poetic or should I say pathetic? What a load of fucking CRAP!' said Harry. Ron snorted in his breakfast.

'Oh, very funny you two, but I think I know who Harry's asking to go to the ball with!' Lavender exclaimed haughtily. 'Who is it?' Ron asked.

'It's Hermione Granger isn't it?' Lavender glared at Harry for commenting on her expressive self.

'Oh, great genius when did you figure that out?' Harry remarked sarcastically trying to hide his embarrassment.

'Oh, yeah I could see that especially last week, how you and Hermione went out flying.' Ron said.

'How did you know about that?' Harry asked taken aback.

'Well now that you ask…' Ron said and continued to explain.

'I was rummaging through my trunk and found those old omniculars we bought from the Quidditch Cup in our 4th year and decided to test them out. So I went over to the window sill and started looking up at the sky, it was pretty boring actually but anyway I saw you and Hermione flying on the Firebolt and just started to watch you guys.' Ron explained and laughed at the look on Harry's face.
'So you were spying on us?' Harry said his eyes darkening and his cheeks turning into a bright shade of red.

'Oh nah, I was just perving on you!' said Ron sarcastically.

For the whole day Harry and Ron became extremely anxious and desperate about asking the two girls.

'I've never felt like this towards a girl before.' Harry confessed to Ron while they were at the library.

'You're lucky! At least you've had sex!' Ron said a little too loudly which made Madam Pince (the old bat) look their direction.

Harry rolled his eyes.

'Yeah, five girls that I didn't care about. They were just flings, you know. It's not like I loved them or anything.' Harry explained. Ron stared at him in awe.

'Wow Harry! I heard only three and they got knocked up pretty good as far as I know with one being pregnant and all.' said Ron casually.

'You didn't happen to hear all this from Lavender, did you? Cause if you did then it's all wrong.' asked Harry, eying Ron suspiciously.

'What if I have? Anyway don't get too worried, Lav never breathed a word to our Hermione about your little extra curricular activities.' answered Ron slyly.

Suddenly the bell rang.

'So, ready Ron?' asked Harry nervously.

'For what?' answered Ron stupidly.

'You're such a dick.' said Harry shaking his head.

'All we got to do is find them.'

'Yeah that should be real easy.' said Ron as they started to look around for Hermione and Lavender.

'Wow, I'm finally going to break the number one rule of friendship and she's no where to be found.' said Harry as they started walking to the Great Hall for lunch.

'You were definitely bending the rule anyways.' said Ron.

Finally they spotted Lavender and Hermione sitting at the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ron sat opposite them.

'Hey Hermione.' said Harry.

'Hey Lavender.' said Ron.

'Hey.' they both said eagerly.

There was a very awkward silence between the four of them.

'So…'

Then Harry said something very stupid to break the painful and deafening silence.

'Wassup Hermione?' asked Harry not really knowing what he was on about.

'Nothing's up.' said Hermione rather defensively.

'It's just that you've been acting a bit different today, you know. Is it time of the month or something?' Harry asked tactlessly and immediately winced at realising what he just asked. Hermione gave him a stony look and abruptly stood up and walked out of the Great Hall. Lavender rounded on Harry glaring at him.

'What the fuck was that about?'

'Yeah Harry, what are you on?' said Ron equally taken aback.

'I don't know, but it must be pretty strong stuff.' said Harry even though he knew it wasn't the time for jokes.

'Yeah I want some.' said Ron grinning stupidly.

'I can't believe you Harry! That was totally uncalled for! What the hell were you thinking?' said Lavender indignantly.

She too walked off without saying a word.

Later that day Harry and Ron were still trying to get a word out of Hermione but she wouldn't budge.

'I've got an idea, why don't you corner her Harry and tell her that she'd better tell you what's wrong or else you'll give her a session of snogging!' Ron suggested stupidly.

'Yeah Ron, I'll just offer her to shag and make up.' Harry said sarcastically.

'Actually that ain't a bad idea! Do you get what I mean mate? A little bribery.' said Ron winking.

Harry rolled his eyes.

Just then Ginny popped out from nowhere beaming brightly.

'Why are you so happy for?' Ron asked suspiciously.

'Oh nothing, I just got asked to go to the ball with Draco Malfoy!' Ginny announced a little 'too' overwhelmed.

'You, go out with that dickhead Malfoy! What is this world coming to?' Ron said furiously.

'No he's not that bad now, well not to me anyway.' Ginny retorted defensively.

'I thought Draco Malfoy was going with Parkinson.' Lavender butted in happily.

'That's what he said to me and then told me that Pansy was an ugly, stuck up cow so he went with me instead!' Ginny exclaimed proudly.

'Oh I see well, Draco does seem quite attractive in a bad boy sort of way.' Lavender agreed leaving Ron scowling icily in complete silence at the two girls.

'Harry I think you should go with Hermione to the ball!' Ginny suggested (she's always been trying to pair them up ever since she got over Harry and everyone's seemed to follow as well to Harry's 'great' annoyance).

'Well, see you guys later!' Ginny said and disappeared around the corner.

'What's gotten into her?' Ron said still not able to believe the news about his sister and 'Malfoy'.

'But that's the ugly truth isn't it?' 'We'd just have to bear with it.' Harry commented.

'You two are just so insensitive you know!' Lavender sniffed indignantly.

'What's so insensitive about that?' Ron retorted. Lavender walked off to catch up with Ginny.

Ron says it's all 'Girls Stuff' and went to the common room with Harry to play a bit of chess.

'I can't believe you blew that chance to ask Hermione to the ball!' said Ron after he won the eighth game in a row.

'I know! What the hell was I thinking?' said Harry burying his face in his hands.

'Well, at least I've still got a chance!' exclaimed Ron as he stood up.

'Yeah, good luck mate. You'll need it.' said Harry, sinking back in his armchair.

'See ya' Harry!' said Ron happily nearly skipping to the portrait hole.

'Lavender, Lavender, where the hell is Lavender…' mumbled Ron under his breath in a sing-song voice.

Suddenly as he turned the corner he heard slurping noises coming from an empty classroom.

He decided to have a little look see and immediately wanted to kick himself for making that decision.

He couldn't imagine a more horrible scene; it was Lavender being pinned to the wall by Malfoy both of them snogging frantically. Half of him wanted to go up to them and tear them apart from each other and start beating up Malfoy with both magic and his fists, but he thought better of it.

He stormed off down the corridor so fast that he didn't realise who he bumped into.

'Sorry.' said Ron absently.

The person got up which turned out to be Hermione.

An insane and completely brilliant idea came over him.

'Hermione, do you want to go to the ball with me?' he asked desperately.

First Hermione gave him a baffled look then something changed in her expression which told Ron that she too her own scheme.

'Yeah, of course Ron! At least you wouldn't go off and shag five other girls.' she said defiantly.

'Oh so that's why you were so pissed at Harry today!' said Ron finally realising.

Then they both heard footsteps coming down the corridor.

'Hey Ron! Come to ask how it we—'

Harry stopped mid-sentence realising that Hermione was there.

The silence was almost suffocating that you could here a pin drop three floors away.

Then the three heard another pair of footsteps coming down the corridor.

It was a very dishevelled and distressed looking Lavender.

Suddenly Ron took Hermione's hand and they both stormed out towards the Fat Lady's portrait.

Harry raised his eyebrows, his eyes widening.

'What the hell is going on with them?' he asked Lavender.

'I think I have an idea. You see Hermione's really pissed with you because she found out about those girls you've slept with and Ron probably saw me snogging Malfoy.' explained Lavender miserably.

'Why the fuck were you snogging Malfoy for?' asked Harry frowning at her.

'Well, one minute I was walking down the corridor and the next I find myself being pinned to the wall by the bloody dickhead!' Lavender exclaimed shrilly and threw her arms around Harry.

'What a fucking bastard!' Harry said while patting Lavender lightly on the back.

'So what do we do with no dates to the ball?' she asked while sobbing into his shoulder.

'Ask each other.' he said simply.