Hey everyone! Hope you like the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing…nothing. Unfortunately I'm also not J.K. Rowling.

Thanks to all my reviewers:

Kayla: Thanks for reading my story (after I made you anyway.) I don't believe you. I think you were just saying it's good because you don't want me mad at you (you know how bad my temper is…) (especially if Tibbkins is interrupting me every five seconds while I am trying to watch my favorite movie of all time!) lol

snHP892: Thanks for reviewing! I promise they will get longer eventually; actually, I think this chapter is a bit longer. I love Harry/Hermione fanfics too!

heahrune: Thanks! Here ya go…

Korval: I will work on adding depth and stuff in the future chapters. Thanks for the advice!

SmrtDancrGrl: Future chapters will be longer, I promise! This one for instance…

Destany Mitchell: Yeah, I guess Ron wouldn't read Hermione's diary. I guess I was just having a bit of writer's block and put down whatever popped into my mind. Sorry. Here, I updated…Hope you like this chapter!

Aggiekid12345: Hope you like this chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

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Chapter Three:

Following Ron's Advice

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The next two weeks flew by. Every night after Hermione went to bed, Ron asked Harry if he had done it yet.

"Done what, Ron? I have no idea what you're talking about." Harry usually said something along these lines, with mock innocence. Luckily, Ron knew not to press him any further than this; he could see the warning in Harry's emerald green eyes.

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At last, one night when the Ball was less than a week away, as Harry was sitting in the common room playing chess with Ron while Hermione was looking over their Transfiguration essays, he decided he couldn't wait any longer or Hermione would already be going with someone else.

The common room slowly emptied, and finally even Ron decided to go to bed. He winked at Harry as he walked up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Harry pretended not to notice. Finally it was just Harry and Hermione left in the common room.

"Well, I guess I better go to bed, too. I have an Arithmancy exam first thing tomorrow," said Hermione, starting to put all her school things in a neat pile.

As she turned to leave, Harry mustered all his courage and said, "Hermione, wait. I have a question."

"What is it, Harry?" Thinking he was about to ask her a question involving one of their classes, she turned around and was surprised to see that he was avoiding her eye and starting to turn red. When he didn't speak, she said again, more gentle this time, "What's your question, Harry?"

Harry finally met her eye and still trying to find his strength, said quietly, "Will you go to the Spring Ball with me? I mean, we have to dance the first dance together anyway, so we might as well go together, right?" he added quickly.

"Of course, Harry, I'd love to," she said in an equally quiet and shaky voice.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," she said in a more dignified voice.

With that, she said, "Good-night, Harry," and walked dreamily off to her dormitory.

"'Night, Hermione," replied Harry softly, staring after her.

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Up in the girls' dormitory, Hermione was deep in thought about Harry. Did he really just ask me to the Ball? Are my dreams finally coming true? Hermione smiled. At the next thought, her smile disappeared. Or did he only ask me as friends? Or worse yet, as a last resort; maybe no one else would go with him.

But she quickly pushed this thought out of her mind and fell asleep, dreaming about Harry.

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Meanwhile, up in the boys' dormitory, Ron was badgering Harry.

Harry had hoped Ron would be asleep by the time he went to bed, but alas:

"So did ya do it? Did you? Come on, Harry, just tell me!" Ron begged.

"Ron, do you ever shut up?" said Harry exasperatedly.

"I promise I'll shut up if you'll just tell me if you asked her yet or not! I have a right to know; after all, I'm the one who gave you the idea, since you were too dumb to think of it yourself."

"Okay, okay, yes, I asked her."

"And she said…?"

"Yes," said Harry calmly. "She said yes."

"Told you so, told you so," shouted Ron. "I told you she would say yes!"

"Wha—what's going on?" asked a very sleepy Neville.

"Harry asked Hermione to the Spring Ball and she said yes!" explained Ron excitedly.

"Oooh, good job, Harry! You guys are perfect for each other."

Harry mumbled something about, "Don't know about that, and don't shout, Ron," but by now Dean and Seamus were awake, too.

"What's this about Harry and Hermione?" asked Seamus curiously.

"They're going to the Ball together!" said Neville, just as excited as Ron.

"You guys are a perfect couple!" said Dean.

"We're not a couple, it's just a dance, it's not like we've snogged or anything."

"Not yet you haven't," said Seamus and Ron together.

"You know what, guys?" said Harry, quite embarrassed by all this talk about snogging. "I'm going to bed."

And he fell asleep dreaming about Hermione.

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"Ginny, you have to help me!" said Hermione the next morning, rushing into the youngest Weasley's dormitory. "I have no idea what to wear to the Spring Ball!"

Knowing how good Ginny's fashion sense was, Hermione naturally turned to her best girl friend in a crisis like this.

"Oh my gosh, Hermione, who asked you?"

Hermione blushed a brilliant shade of red before mumbling, "Harry."

Ginny gasped, "Hermione! Congratulations!" She knew how much Hermione liked Harry, and was really happy for her.

"Thanks, Gin. Now help me find something to wear! The Ball's in three days!"

"Don't worry, we'll go to Hogsmeade tonight, and I promise we'll find you the most beautiful dress we can. And we'll do your hair, and your make-up…" Ginny went on and on with plans for her and Hermione's wardrobe.

The Ball is going to be the best night of my life, thought Hermione, as she began to tune Ginny out. The best.

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So'd ya like it? Tiny bit longer this time, and next time it'll definitely be longer, cuz it's the Ball.

Please review!