Thanks for any reviews. I won't bore you guys with long explanations and excuses, suffice it to say that the computer was hereâ€then it wasn't. Anyway, I'll try to make up for it as much as possible. Lastly, High Serpent King, don't worry I haven't given up on your stories but I only just figured out that Year Three would be in another story, and obviously not under my favorites list. You should see a review in a few days once I catch up

And all, here's the much anticipated ball

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 22 – Rainbows

Ron scanned how he looked in the mirror, and for once was able to look at himself with a hint of pride as opposed to self-degradation. Shining, deep blue dress robes ran the length of his long frame. His hair was clean but not neat, red bangs stopping just above his eyebrows and long wavy hair curling slightly at the ends. Sure, I may not be the best-looking guy ever, but this is the best it's going to get. He looked backwards at Harry, and hid a smile.

"Harry? Alright there, mate?"

Harry started, looking up at Ron. Harry had been going slightly ballistic the whole day about the ball, and it had been driving Ron to the edge. Ron had never seen Harry in such an effort to look so impeccable, and it was definitely a subject of high comedy. Harry's hair was still wildly flying about but not to as great lengths, his shoes were shined and it appeared as though he had even cleaned his glasses, he had used about half a bar of soap during the shower today, and he was still agonizing about how he looked. It was completely ridiculous, and Ron had a slight suspicion that Harry knew so, but didn't care.

"Yeah, what is it Ron?"

Ron thought hard for a minute. He needed a way to get the two of them out of here, but this was going to be impossible if he didn't think he looked perfect for Parvati. An idea came to him.

"Well, you know, we wouldn't want to be late for our dates"

Harry's eyebrows shot into his hair and he tied his shoes at lightning speed, proceeding to almost sprint to the door before suddenly stopping and realizing what he was doing. In an unsuccessful attempt to regain his composure in front of Ron, who was shaking with laughter, he took what he intended to be a deep, calming, and barely perceptible breath. Got to be Mr. Cool. It didn't work, of course – Harry drew in a deep, deep breath that was far too audible. It sounded totally ridiculous. He decided to get out before he would give Ron another reason to fall on the floor laughing and stepped out into the dormitory. He quickly realized that he had virtually gone out of the frying pan and into the fire – now he would be giving Parvati a reason to fall on the floor laughing about him. It was too late now to go back up, though, he lamented. Better just stay here.

Harry and Ron scanned the common room with surprise. Small second-years and first-years littered the floor around them playing games of Exploding Snap and anticipating a night with the common room to themselves. Anxious Gryffindor boys were pacing up and down nervously on the common room floor, waiting for their dates. Most of the girls were in their dormitories, presumably about to get out. And about half of all the people going to the ball had dates in other houses, and had obviously arranged other meeting times. Harry noticed with some surprise that Neville didn't appear to be anywhere in sight. Guess he asked someone in another house, Harry thought to himself. He occupied himself with various guesses of who while waiting for Parvati and Hermione to come down. Ron simply glanced at his watch every now and then – appearing to be completely unconcerned but hiding the fact that his whole body was tingling with uncontrollable butterflies. After about ten minutes they came down together.

Hermione, interestingly enough, didn't look at all like she had at the Yule Ball. Her hair bore no signs of the straightening potion she had used at the Yule Ball, but was simply tied back behind her. She was wearing dark green robes and had applied minimal make-up. She looked different, and better, but still looked like Hermione. Ron decided that he liked her better this way anyway – She wasn't herself at the Yule Ball, he thought. Now she's easily recognizable as herself – the Hermione at the Yule Ball was artificial. Ron was still slightly unnerved though – why did she put so much work into getting ready for Krum?

Parvati was looking extremely pretty and in the spirit of the season too, with a white Christmas robe on and her hair tied back with sparkles in it. She was practically glowing as she saw Harry and secretly smiled. She had agonized over why Harry had asked her forever – avoiding the inescapable conclusion so as to not get her hopes up – but couldn't come up with an answer. Eventually she decided that she might as well not question it and spend the night dancing with Harry, which she knew she would undoubtedly enjoy.

Ron and Harry greeted their dates with smiles – Ron's comfortable and happy, Harry's nervous but excited – and their dates returned them in the like. They suddenly nodded in mutual agreement before wandering out the portrait hole together.

"You look really pretty, Parvati."

"Thanks, Harry!"

"Well, Ron?" Hermione spoke in a joking tone – they were obviously comfortable enough with each other to dispose of the formalities.

"Do you really need me to tell you?"

Hermione barely tinged pink and grinned at her boyfriend. The four found themselves at the Great Hall and stepped in. They all took in one collective gasp of astonishment.

Christmas decorations were typically all-out – despite the fact that almost no one was ever there – but it was simply remarkable this year. Enchanted snowflakes floated gracefully down from the sky – ceiling – and the place was bedecked extravagantly with wreathes, bows, trees, and a promise of making things interesting with the occasional sprig of mistletoe. Harry had a shrewd suspicion that Dumbledore had enlisted some outside help with the decorations in the form of a pair of red-haired whirlwinds, and it showed. Everything appeared to be moving all at the same time, the floors were changing colors, and snowmen walked around and talked to people. It was all too much to take in at once, but undoubtedly what was the most extravagant and interesting were the chandeliers. They were high up in the air, suspended just below the sky – ceiling – and they were moving around. Most impressive was the beautiful light they cast on everything. It was like a rainbow of colors, covering everything in every color imaginable, and it was decidedly the most impressive sight Harry – or anyone else there – had ever seen.

"It's beautiful," Ron spoke in an uncharacteristic show of emotion. No one noticed though, as they were feeling almost exactly the same. They simply stayed where they were for ten minutes, looking at all the amazing decorations, before finally sitting down at the table. The ball was, of course, going to be preceded by a dinner. Everyone settled down, and Dumbledore stood up in a pure white robe, with a bright smile on his face. Harry looked down the teacher's table and noticed that Snape wasn't there – but decided that on reflection, it wasn't a particularly surprising occurrence. Harry couldn't see why Snape would attend a ball, especially such a joyful one at that.

"Hello, all! Before we begin, I would like to personally thank Fred and George Weasley," he gestured to the Weasley twins, who were sitting at the end of the table with bright red robes on, "who provided most of the decorations for this evening."

A storm of clapping arose after this announcement, in particular from the Gryffindors. Fred and George waved and blushed with fake modesty for five minutes before Dumbledore finally spoke again.

"I would also like to thank the Weird Sisters, who have agreed to once again do another ball for us. I'm sure any of you who were at the last ball would agree that they did a superb job and are happy to have them here again." Another storm of clapping, before Dumbledore finally waved down the sound.

"And lastly, I would like to officially commence this year's Christmas Ball. Please order your food by saying clearly the food you wish to have and it will come."

Dumbledore sat down and almost immediately everyone ordered their food. Harry scanned the staff table while eating, and found out that nobody else was missing. But where was Snape? Harry pushed the thought out of his head and joined the conversation with Ron, Hermione, Parvati, and Ginny and Dean, who had recently joined them. Since five of them were Quidditch players, the topic of conversation was an inevitability.

"Who's the next game against?"

"Ravenclaw, isn't it?"

"They're tough, probably the second-best team this year"

"No problem we'll beat them"

"Yeah, we beat Hufflepuff last time, didn't we?"

Everyone's mind suddenly flashed back to the game when Ron had fallen off his broom. Hermione gave an involuntary shudder and opened her mouth to speak but suddenly Ginny gave a shriek. Everyone looked over in amusement to see that a snowman had unexpectedly clasped his hand on her shoulder and startled her. Ginny looked down at her plate in embarrassment and the snowman talked.

"Having a good time, everyone?"

"Great!" everyone replied in unison, except for Ginny, who was still staring resolutely at her plate and had flushed red.

"Awesome! Great decorations, right?"

"Incredible," Ron replied with resolution. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Well here's a card for Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes at Diagon Alley. Thanks, have a great night!"

Hermione grabbed the card and read it aloud to everyone.

"Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes – the best jokes in town now doing decorations for parties and celebrations too! Give us a call! Can be located at 4967 Diagon Alleyâ€Leave it to Fred and George to have advertisements here."

"I don't see the point anyway," Ron chipped in. "They've practically run their competitors into the ground."

"Suppose you've always got to stay on top though, right?" Everyone nodded in agreement to Dean's statement before pushing their plates away in unison. They had all finished. They talked for about fifteen minutes before the Weird Sisters kicked up the opening tune. Everyone rushed out to the dance floor, with the tables vanishing as everyone left them. Harry nervously placed his hand on Parvati's waist and his hand in hers, his nervousness finally fading away into sheer excitement while dancing with her. She was, once again, leading, and had a similar glow around her.

Hermione and Ron were incredibly happy. The thing they had been wanting for three years was actually happening, and it was simply amazing. The mood was also helped what with the decorations, the light casting a very romantic glow on everything around. Both of them thought that the other person had never looked better in their life.

"Stupefy!"

"Move, Neville, move!"

"Crucio!"

"AAAAAAAAAH!"

"Hermione! Come over here! Stupefy! Tarantellagra!"

"Neville! Are you alright?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine"

"JESUS CHRIST WHAT WAS THAT?"

"Calm down!"

"Stupefy! Tarantellagra!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Impedimenta! Stupefy!"

"Get back here – GET BACK HERE!"

"Move, Longbottom, move!"

"You, I should've know you were working against us – Avada Kedavra!"

"Where's Pettigrew, where'd he go?"

"I don't know Ron, I don't know where he went"

"You stay here, gotta go back out there!"

"NO, LUNA!"

"Neville"

"Parvati, stick with meâ€stick with me"

"Nevilleâ€he's not"

"Move back with me Lovegood, back with me!"

"Minerva! Get everyone out of here!"

"How'd they get here? How'd they get here? How'd they get here?

"Expecto Patronum!"

"Oh please no, god no!"

"Expecto Patronum!"

"Expecto Patronum!"

"Expecto Patronum!"

"Good one there Ronâ€was that a weasel?"

"I don't get it†I hate weasels"

"Ron, come with me! We need to get the third-years to the dormitories?"

"Malfoy! Should've known you were in on this!"

"That bastard! Parvati, you all right?"

"Fine, fine"

"Impedimenta!"

"Sibyll?"

"Expelliarmus!"

"Crucio!"

"Imperio!"

"Drop the wand, boyâ€drop the wand"

"NO SEAMUS FIGHT IT!"

"Expelliarmus! Diffindo!"

"Oh jesus, there goes my wand."

"Wandless magic!"

"Was that Park?"

"Jesus Christ, that man's like a freaking whirlwind"

"Avada Kedavra!"

"RON, NO!"