Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Ron and Hermione ran into each other at the bottom of the stairs. Both stared blankly at each other for a minute, and then burst into apologies.

"I'm really sorry Hermione, I was tactless and I shouldn't have just asked you right after hurting your feelings like that," said Ron.

"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have expected you to be able to read my mind," said Hermione.

"So, are we friends again?" asked Ron, giving her his adorable lopsided grin.

"Actually," Hermione took a deep breath and went in for the kill. "I was hoping we could be more than friends…if you want."

"You mean, like, boyfriend and girlfriend?" asked Ron, his eyebrows raised.

Hermione nodded, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

"I'd like that," said Ron.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around him.

"So, does this mean you'll go to the ball with me?" asked Ron, wanting to make sure he got this right.

"Yes," said Hermione, smiling at him.

Finally! thought Ron, very happy with the progress they'd made.

Ginny and Harry came into the common room to find Ron and Hermione holding hands.

"Oh my gosh, you're holding hands!" exclaimed Ginny, rushing over to the couple. "Are you two…?"

"Yes, we're a couple," said Hermione, smiling. She liked the way it sounded. She and Ron were a couple.

Ginny shrieked and grabbed them both in hug, thoroughly scaring Ron.

"Congratulations guys," said Harry happily.

"Thanks mate," said Ron, his arm around Hermione. "What about you and my little sister? Are you two a couple?"

Ginny blushed. "Er, I don't really know, we haven't talked about it," she said, not meeting Harry's eyes.

"I'd like to, if you, you know, want to," mumbled Harry, looking down at his feet.

"Yes," said Ginny simply. "I would love to."

Harry grinned and reached out to hold Ginny's hand. Ginny smiled, and placed her hand in his.

"Aw, how sweet," said Ron, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. "They grow up so fast."

They all laughed and spent the rest of the afternoon playing exploding snap and wizard's chess.

At supper, the two new couples came in holding hands. Hagrid noticed this first, and came up to them beaming.

"Finally!" he boomed, causing people to look up in alarm. "I bin sayin' it fer years, I knew you'd end up fallin' fer each other!"

The four teens started to blush because almost everyone in the Great Hall was staring at them. Hagrid pulled them all into a bone-crushing hug, almost lifting them off the ground.

"Er, Hagrid, I can't breathe!" gasped Hermione.

"Sorry 'bout that, I'm jus' so happy!" exclaimed Hagrid, walking back to the teacher's table.

They sat down at the Gryffindor table and were congratulated by everyone.

"You guys are finally together! I'm glad my advice worked!" squealed Lavender.

"Took you long enough," said Seamus, his mouth full of mashed potatoes.

"Ew! Seamus don't talk with your mouth full!" exclaimed Parvati, shooting him a look of disgust.

Dean laughed at him, but was silenced with a glare from Parvati. He quickly went back to eating his supper.

"So, are you guys looking forward to the ball?" asked Ginny, while buttering her potatoes.

"Definitely, I can't wait!" said Lavender. "I bought new dress robes last Hogsmeade weekend."

"I got new ones last summer," said Hermione. "I liked my old ones, but they were too short for me this year."

"Bill got new dress robes for me for Christmas last year," said Ginny. "He got them in Egypt."

The boys weren't interested in this conversation, so they ate mostly in silence.

I know this short, but the next chapter will probably be the ball, so I wanted to stop here. I hope you liked it! I'll try to post the next chapter tomorrow, if I can!