Chapter 7

The Halloween ball begins

The next morning Harry awoke sweating again he looked next to him but Ron wasn't there. As he was changing the door flew open lucky it wasn't a girl, just Ron, he belly flopped onto the bed and put his head in his arms.

"Ron are...are you ok" Harry asked staring at the back of Rons head, as he was still in his shorts. "its Hermione she's being a real pain" Ron answered "why, I mean everything was going fine yesterday" "that's what I thought but I went down to sit next to her in the common room and she just stared at me, If we was going out I would of thought wed be a bit more touchy feely" Harry screwed his face up in disgust "Not like that"

Harry released his face "I mean she didn't even say hi she just stared right through me...I'm not dead am I?"

"Ron if you was dead you wouldn't be talking to me now" Harry reassured "well you can talk to nearly headless nick cant you, maybe its something about you altogether...have you seen the sixth sense" Ron asked

"No and we all see dead people but for Hermione not to talk to you...she properly would just burst out laughing"

"I don't understand Harry why would she laugh"

"Because if you went down in your boxers I wouldn't blame her!"

"It's a shame Halloweens on a Sunday really" Hermione said while she was spreading the jam on her toast,

Hard

"What if you get drunk or unwell you would miss lessons"

"Hermione its all about lessons with you isn't it were all hoping to get drunk or feel unwell so we do miss lessons"

"Yeah you might, but I'm not" she retorted just as Ginny came rushing over to them

"Hermione, oh Hermione please come with me I need to talk to you" she grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her off her seat making her drop her toast.

"Wonder what that's all about" Ron asked while he sipped his orange juice "it must be good because Hermione dropped her toast which she was working sohard on" he added still watching Hermione and Ginny

"I don't know" Harry replied as Hermione put her hand over her mouth. A few seconds later Hermione rejoined them

"Ron if I tell you something promise not to flip" Hermione said

"depends what it is" Ron answered leaning forward

"Dracos asked Ginny to go to the ball with him"

"WHAT I CANT BELIVE HIM"

"She hasn't said yes yet"

"Tell her to say no, im sure some misguided simpleton will have him instead" snorted Ron

"Ron! I think it's up to her"

"we'll just see about that"

Harry was really interested in this conversation until Luna entered the hall and started towards them "Harry oh im so glad you said yes" Luna threw her arms around him at the same time kissing him, Ron started to laugh quietly "Draco told me, that im going out with you and your taking me to the ball" she chuckled

"my friends calling me I'll see you later" Luna added as she hurried over to the girl.

"Tut, Tut honestly Harry I thought you had better taste than Looney lovegod, and I said Cho was a dog" Ron giggled until Hermione slapped him round the head

"Yeah, well Ron at least I'm not under the thumb"

The Trio had spent most of the afternoon helping Hagrid with his dragon which ended when one of the heads singed Ron's jumper leaving him topless so Hagrid lent him one of his old coats. The fact that this coat was miles too long didn't help, making him trip over it often.

They went back to the common room so Ron could change ready to go down for the Halloween feast. The hall had lots of sweets on the table and floating pumpkins but it didn't last long as the teachers had to set up for the ball and the students needed time to get changed into their dress robes Ron still managed to eat three plates full.

Ron and Harry said goodbye to Hermione and turned to their dormitories

"I like my dress robes now, surprisingly enough Fred and George bought me them the year before last...I'm still wondering where they got the money from" wondered Ron even more

"Hey they properly just got lucky, what do you think Luna will be wearing" Harry asked him

"Probly a tree of some sort" Ron chuckled.

Harry put his hands in his trunk looking for his dress robes, pulled them out and to his surprise he thought that might not match what Luna was wearing but he simply shook his head and proceeded in putting them on.

After they'd finished they went to meet Hermione outside the portrait hole, she was there looking outstandingly beautiful, she was wearing a silky white body hugging dress with no straps and white shoes with her hair hanging straight on her shoulders and a white furry scarf over them. Ron just stopped and stared. Harry noticed Ginny wearing a similar red dress, and Draco with his arm around her, Ron simply gave Draco the evils.

They arrived to the ball at half past ten; they grabbed a table for six and ordered some drinks then set off for the dance floor. Harry was dancing with Luna, she wasn't wearing a tree but a nice pale green dress with a green mask that went round her eyes he was really glad he didn't cancel this date.

Ron was dancing with Hermione but he wasn't looking at her his eyes were searching around the room for a reason not to look at her but she was staring at him without blinking and a very disgusted look it was. Harry's mind swapped over to Ginny and Draco leaving to go outside. Just as my heart will go on started to play on the stereo, this made Ron really nervous.

There was a massive crash and the windows smashed as vampires flew into the building.

The hall was filled with screams and everyone ducked under the tables. Ron pushed Hermione under a table, she tried to pull him under with her but he just slipped his hand out of hers and was running, shouting for Ginny.

Harry grabbed Luna and pushed her under a table too there was a loud yell that made Harry dart around and Ron was being carried up in the air by one of the vampires, Hermione shouts rang over them all and Harry ran towards Ron but the vampire had already bit into his neck

leaving Ron to fall to the floor.

Hermione crawled across the floor towards him. Harry was lost in thought how do you slay a vampire I must of learnt somthing from tonks...a stake! The doors flew open and arrows were zooming through the air, Hagrid was aiming with his bow at the vampires.

"HARRY" Hermione shouted there was a vampire trying to grab Ron and carry him outside but Hermione wasn't budging. Harry saw a arrow on the floor next to him it was'nt a stake but it would work. Harry swooped down clutched it in his hand and ran towards the vampire ramming it through her heart, the vampire turned to dust.

"SILENCE"

Dumbledores voice boomed from wall to wall

"Now if your not hurt go to your dormitories NOW, if you are stay, no more than one person to each injured" Hermione stayed with Ron and Harry went to find Luna she had a cut along her arm which was bleeding fiercely.

Ron was in the hospital wing for two weeks missing the last lessons of the term, he was only just stirring when the holiday started, which according to Harry and Ginny was not a coincidence, a Ron just thought he was lucky. The only students staying behind for the week was Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville which surprised everyone.

"I can't believe Neville's here" said Ron "And it's just because his Nan didn't want to see him, it's a bit out of the ordinary, don't you think"

"Ron perhaps Neville's Nan isn't well"

"oh Yeah, I'm sure that's it...if it is you would of thought Neville's Nan might want to see him more in case she dies"

"RON! I don't want you going around saying that, anyway what's your excuse for staying?"

"Well mum owled me saying I shouldn't come back because dad isn't getting the new minister of magic job, so he's gloomy, even Fred and George haven't been able to cheer him up, she said that he makes everyone depressed" Ron had only just finished this sentence when Ginny came rushing into the empty common room

"Ron! Listen, mums just owled me"

"Ginny I know you don't have to continue"

"No Ron its dad!"

"Yes, I know he didn't get the job"

"NO RON! HE'S HAD A CRASH!"