Disclaimer: If you've read the other chapters, guess what? It's the same as them. And since I'm too lazy to make them for all later chapters, this goes for all later chapters.

Eleven

By the time I got back to the potions classroom, everyone was filing out. I stood by the door with a smirk on my face, waiting for my friends. Hannah and Susan smiled at me as they passed. Malfoy, however, wasn't as pleased.

"What'd he do to you?" he asked.

"Oh, he beat me," I said sarcastically. He raised his eyebrows, and in response I said, "Actually I got off."

"You got off? How could you get off? You left a mark!" he screamed, pointing to the red mark I had left on his cheek.

"Sorry, Malfoy, but you've got to learn that you can't always get what you want, and that includes girls," I sneered. He simply glared at me and muttered some words under his breath that I couldn't hear before turning back to Crabbe and Goyle. Last to emerge from the throng were Harry and Ron.

"You're alright!" Ron exclaimed, a bit too much enthusiasm in his voice.

"That was an act of bravery, Hermione – slapping Malfoy while Snape was watching you!" Harry added. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Well, not only did I change physically over the summer, I grew some sense. It was about time that Malfoy was brought down to reality," I sniggered.

Still amazed, Ron exclaimed, "You're alright! What did he do to you?"

"To be honest, nothing. He said the same thing I did – it was about damn time."

"Hermione!" Ron said, raising his eyebrows at my cussing. "I guess you have changed."

Together, we walked down to lunch. I had a new sense of pride – both Harry and Ron respected me for my brave acts during potions class, and Malfoy feared me a bit. Also, I knew that Operation Jealousy had potential – that is, as long asMalfoy didn't hate me for slapping him.

And luckily for me, an opportunity to go through with my plan was about to be thrown into sharp relief.

As we sat there at lunch, Ron talking through gobs of food in his mouth, Professor Dumbledore stood up at the front and addressed us all.

"Students and Staff of Hogwarts School!" he shouted, to get everyone's attention. Every eye turned to him. Ron swallowed his food and looked back to me before looking at Dumbledore.

"We have decided that you people need some fun this year. You haven't had any real fun since the Triwizard Tournament, but even that went astray. We have come to the conclusion that we should allow the Holiday Ball that was a tradition many years ago in our school, a tradition that your parents may remember if and when they went to this school. The Ball will be held on Christmas Eve, and will be formal.

"We have, however, added something new. In the interest of adding academics to this Ball, we have decided to make it like a Muggle 'prom' that they have in many high schools (as suggested by the Muggle Studies Professor). You will be required to wear a 'prom dress' or 'tuxedo,' as they call them. Do not worry – I am certain you will be able to find something at Hogsmeade. As a special treat, we will have time shifts for the next Hogsmeade visit in which everyone, including students below the third year, may be allowed to find a dress or tuxedo."

The students were absolutely stunned. Only the people like me, the Muggle-borns, knew what he was talking about. We, of course, were excited and giddy. I had dreamed of having a prom when I was younger, and now I was finally going to get one.

The new problem, besides finding a dress, was who to go with. Everyone was uptight about their dates, or lack thereof. I noticed quite a few people blushing when members of the opposite gender passed them. It was as though Valentine's Day was coming early.

Although I could have had pretty much any date I wanted, no one had asked me yet, and I was not about to ask someone myself. I wanted him to ask me.

Luckily for me, I didn't have to wait that long.

"Let's go, guys," Harry said the day before the ball. They were picking me up outside my dormitory before dinner.

"One sec, Harry, I wanted to talk to Hermione for a moment," Ron said. "D'you mind?" he asked, turning to me.

"Of course not," I said. My heart skipped a beat.

"I'll meet you in the Great Hall, then," Harry replied.

Ron touched my arm gently, guiding me away from the huge torrent of people streaming into the Great Hall.

"Well, this may be a little, er, unexpected or whatever and um, you might, um, laugh in my face or something, but . . . ." He stopped, his mouth half open, at a total loss for words.

"Ron, we both know what you're about to say, and you know what my answer is going to be, so just say it and get it over with," I said, a hint of a smile on my face.

For some reason, he still seemed nervous. He looked at the ground, took a deep breath and said, "Would you go to the Holiday Ball with me?"

I didn't say anything. The smile that had been threatening to break on my face shone through completely as I threw my arms around him. At first, he seemed a bit surprised, but then he hugged me back.

"Of course I will, Ron," I said, still hugging him. I knew in my heart that this would be the best night of my life.