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Ch. 10- Hogsmede Horrors

The first Hogsmede weekend arrived and Harry and Ron could not have been more excited. Instead of dressing as slow as humanly possible, like they normally did, they were up in a flash and waiting for Hermione in the Common Room in a matter of minutes.

"There you are Hermione!" said Ron. "You were taking forever getting ready."

"C'mon! Let's go!" said Harry eagerly.

"What's the matter with you two? You're acting as if this is going to be the last Hogsmede weekend of the year," Hermione said crossly. She obviously wasn't much of a morning person.

"Hey, mate, check out the notice board," Ron said to Harry.

A large piece of parchment that read 'School Dances' in big, bold letters had been put up next to the Quidditch season schedule.

"School dances? What's with that?" asked Harry.

"Dumbledore is probably just trying to relive some of the tension everyone has, what with the war and all," replied Hermione.

They looked closely at the list. There was to be a Halloween dance, a Christmas dance, a Winter Formal, a Valentine's Day dance, a Sadie Hawkins dance, an end-of-the-term dance, and a Graduation dance for the seventh years.

"That's a bit much, don't you think? I mean, how does Dumbledore figure all these dances are going to relieve tension? Didn't he consider the fact that some guys might have some trouble asking girls?" complained Ron.

"Well, at least you don't have to worry about the Sadie Hawkins dance," offered Hermione.

"Oh, yeah, that really helps."

"Well, why do you find it so hard to ask a girl anyway? It's not as if we bite. Just go up to the girl you want to ask, and get it over with. It really can't be all that bad," responded Hermione.

"Easy for you to say. You only have to ask a guy once. Once. I have to find seven dates." Ron groaned at the thought. " I don't even know who to ask."

Harry fought hard to suppress a grin. He knew very well that Ron had admired Hermione since their fourth year. Come to think of it, he figured Ron probably started liking her before then. He pondered this on his way to breakfast, Ron and Hermione bickering behind him. Upon reaching the Great Hall, the three sat down at the Gryffindor table and ate as quickly as possible.

"Let's go," Harry said as soon as they had finished eating. On their way out, Flich stopped Harry and, to Harry's amusement, sniffed him before letting him out.

"What was that about?" asked Ron.

"He's been doing that every Hogsmede weekend since our fifth year when someone told him that I was ordering dungbombs," said Harry.

"What a nutcase," grinned Ron before resuming his argument with Hermione.

An hour later, when Ron and Hermione still hadn't finished arguing, Harry lost it.

"That's it!" he yelled as he slammed down his butterbeer. "Ron, you know you like Hermione, and Hermione, you know you like Ron. So why don't you two go together and be done with it?!"

"Okay," said a scarlet Ron.

"Why not?" smiled Hermione, who had turned slightly pink.

"So all these years…you really did like me?" Ron asked Hermione. She nodded slowly, and a huge grin broke out on Ron's face.

"So, Harry, who are you going to ask?" asked Hermione with a small smile.

Harry turned red. He knew who he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure if her could get enough guts to ask her.

"Oh…I don't know…"

Hermione, sensing major discomfort, changed the subject.

"When d'you think Ginny will get here with her new boyfriend?" asked Hermione. Major mistake.

"What new boyfriend?" yelled Ron and Harry together.

A few tables over, Pansy, Lavender and Parvati sat in disguise. They had met to plan a conspiracy, and didn't want anyone to recognize them.

"I hate that Jewels girl," complained Pansy through gritted teeth. "Ever since she came here, she's been getting all of Draco's attention."

"Well, we hate her friend Gemini," said Lavender. "Just because she's a Seer, she's now Trelawney's favorite instead of us."

"I hate that Jewels girl too," added Parvati. "When Malfoy ripped me off on a quill, she came up with excuses, just because I didn't have any proof, and McGonagall let them off."

"I say we join forces and plot their downfall," said Pansy. "Are you two in or not?"

Lavender and Parvati looked at each other for a second. "We're in," replied Lavender.

Jewels, Chris and Eve wandered around Hogsmede.

"So…what d'you guys want to do?" asked Chris.

"I dunno," said Jewels.

"Oooooh…. let's go in Honeydukes…. I've been craving chocolate frogs," said Eve.

"Somebody has her you-know-what," teased Chris before following Eve and Jewels into Honeydukes.

"I'm gonna stock up. I ran out of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans weeks ago. And I'm in the mood for some fudge," said Jewels.

Twenty minutes later, the three girls walked out of Honeydukes weighted down with about twenty bags. "On to Three Broomsticks. I promised Gemini we'd meet her in there," said Jewels. They managed, with some difficulty, to get into the pub and seated at a table. Gemini burst in a few moments later.

"Where are Blaze and Taurus?" asked Chris.

"Buying out Zonko's, or at least attempting to," replied Gemini.

"What's up?" asked Jewels, sensing that something was wrong.

"Uhh….nothing…..umm…er…well, have you heard about Malfoy yet?"

"What about Draco?" asked Jewels, trying to mask the concern in her voice.

"Nothing."

"Tell me right now before I'm forced to jinx you," said Jewels fiercely.

Gemini didn't have time to respond before Draco came walking in Three Broomsticks, one arm around none other than Ginny Weasley. "No…" whispered Jewels and she bit her lip.

Harry spotted the couple and stared in disbelief. Ron looked as if he was about to clobber Malfoy any second, when the two walked over towards their table.

"Hi," said Ginny uncertainly. Her simple remark was met by a few moments of silence.

"Hey," said Harry slowly.

Malfoy caught Harry's eye and gave him a smirk that obviously said 'Got the girl you wanted, didn't I?'

"Well, see you around," said Ginny and she and Draco walked away. Ron and Hermione were as shocked as Harry and they just stared at each other for quite some time.

"Well…." said Hermione.

"I'll kill him," said Ron. "Kill him!" He started to get up, but Hermione shoved him back into his chair.

"Don't, Ron," pleaded Hermione. Harry just sat there staring. 'I just might help Ron,' he thought.

Draco and Ginny walked over to where Jewels was sitting. "Hey," said Draco.

"Hey," replied Jewels coolly.

"You guys know Ginny, right?"

There were a few murmurs of assent followed by silence.

"So….you don't mind if we join you, do you?" asked Draco.

"No," said Jewels with a fake smile.

"So, Jewels," Draco whispered as he sat between her and Ginny, " you don't mind my dating Ginny, do you?"

"Why should I care who you date?" asked Jewels using every ounce of Slytherin in her to hide her feelings. Draco's face fell.

"Ohh…er…okay then."

"I'm gonna see Blaze over at Zonko's," said Jewels, putting a little too much emphasis on her friend's name. She gathered her bags and rose. "See you all later," she added and walked calmly out of the pub, leaving Draco and Ginny amongst three glaring girls.

A/N: So…wha'd ya think? Hated it , loved it, something in between? Tell me any response in a review. Oh yeah….VOTE!!!! I've only had 1 vote so far. I NEED MORE!!! Now VOTE!!

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