Hey, sorry it took awhile for me to update. But I was really busy and so yeah. Anyway here's chapter 2! Oh by the way huge props to my editor (hi Sam!) for being able to salvage chapter 2!

Disclaimer: Umm…yeah…

Oh and before the story thanks to all you people that reviewed I really, truly appreciate it!

Hermione was looking anxiously at the clock. Only one more minute till the meeting started. There was no Ron in sight, just as Hermione had expected.

"Are you sure he's going to make it?" Hannah Abbot asked her quietly.

"He will. I'm positive." Hermione said, her usual assurance in her voice, though there was none of the sort in her mind. She knew that Ron was going to be late. Typical.

The clock struck four.

"He's late." Professor McGonagall spoke clearly irritated.

"I'm sure he'll be here any moment now, Professor." Hermione said, trying in very hard to ignore the smirk on Malfoy's face.

Ron where are you?

Five after four…

"Maybe we should just start the meeting without him." Padma Patil suggested.

Hermione said nothing, but her eyes disapproved.

Ron should be here. It would do him good to be in active discussion with some responsible students.

Professor McGonagall seemed to agree, for she added quietly, though not without obvious disgust, "Perhaps we should wait a few more minutes."

Ten after four…

"Professor?" Hermione asked tentatively, giving the clock a meaningful glance, "I think I just saw Ron outside. Let me get him."

Professor McGonnagall gave a tight lipped nod. "Five minutes." She said, "or else and we'll start without the both of you."

Careful to not look too worried, she walked out of the classroom, looking as though she knew for certain where Ron was. She had a pretty good idea, but she hadn't actually seen him out of the window. What she had seen was a charming red butterfly she had named Ron while waiting. It seemed to suit her needs well.

Now to find Ron. The Quidditch pitch seemed a likely spot for Ron to be. Maybe his practice had run a bit long? With this thought at mind, she began sprinting off towards the Quidditch pitch. Skidding around a corner, she found herself slammed into a certain redhead. The two of them collided and fell apart. Ron had one arm in his robes, the other halfway there. His hair was disheveled, as though he had just gotten off a broomstick (which obviously he had) and he had his shirt on backwards.

"Ron..." she began, standing up quickly, "I—what happened to you?"

"Well you see I was at Quidditch practice and then—"

"Never mind. We're late!" She then turned around and began another run back towards the designated meeting room with Ron was right behind her. The two of them opened the door, panting, just as the meeting was beginning.

"You're late." Professor McGonagall said coldly at Ron.

"Professor, you see I had Quidditch practice and—"

"You call what you were doing out there practice?" Malfoy said, Pansy gave a shriek of laughter.

"Enough, Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Parkinson please be quiet. Mr. Weasely–excuses will not be tolerated. But then again, if you were on time in the first place, excuses would not be necessary. Now, will you two take a seat?" Professor McGonagall asked Ron and Hermione.

Ron went pink at the ears, but he and Hermione obliged.

"As you all know, this meeting has been called in order to discuss the new suggestion box Professor Dumbledore instigated." Professor McGonagall said.

"No offense, Professor," said Padma Patil, "but it really doesn't seem to be doing anything."

The other students murmured their agreement.

"Hufflepuff has only had two suggestions. And well neither were any good." Hannah Abbot said.

"And as you know, Professor, the suggestions from Gryffindor weren't helpful at all." Hermione added.

"And that comes as a surprise?" Malfoy asked loudly, and Pansy doubled over in silent laughter.

"10 points from Slytherin. Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said harsly, "I must ask you to hold your tongue when it comes to words demoralizing your classmates, particularly ones in my house."

Ron took this opportunity to sneer at Malfoy.

"Anyway," Hermione said while giving a reproving look at Ron, "Professor McGonagall, I think its best if we... well…" Hermione wasn't sure how to express what she wanted to say.

"I think what Hermione is trying to say Professor McGonagall is, I think its best if well we sack the suggestion box." Ron spoke cheerfully, contrary to Hermione's hesitant, polite approach. Hermione shot him a glare.

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Professor McGonagall looked at everyone for a moment.

"To tell you the truth, I originally called this meeting to announce that." she said.

"Told you." Ron muttered to Hermione, who rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean originally, Professor?" asked Hannah Abbot curiously.

"Well this morning the heads of houses, as well as Professor Dumbledore, held a meeting about it. We all agreed it seemed to be a complete failure and we were just about to agree that the suggestion box would be removed."

"Maybe you should have had that meeting sooner." Malfoy muttered. Ron, privately though grudgingly agreed.

"Well it was a good thing we didn't. Before we officially removed the suggestion boxes we looked at the suggestions put in. All were rather, well, unhelpful. All but one."

Everyone gave Professor McGonagall a questioning look. It was easy enough to write a suggestion, but to write a suggestion helping promote school unity was quite another thing.

"What suggestion could possibly help promote school unity? We're not going to have one of those Muggle cheerfeeders are we?" Ron asked.

"Cheerleaders, Ron." Hermione said correcting him. "And that promotes school spirit."

"There's a difference?"

"Yes!"

"Well what was the suggestion?" Anthony Goldstein asked.

"It was… well, the suggestion was for Hogwarts to hold...another…ball." Professor McGonagall said stiffly. The first ball had not gone over well with her.

There was silence in the room.

"Wait a ball, like a dance?" Malfoy asked.

"With dress robes?"

"And food?"

"And dates?"

Everyone shot an angry look at Padma who asked it, even though it was the first thing that came to mind when Professor McGonagall announced it.

"Clearly you all still remember the Yule Ball." Professor McGonagall said.

"And just how is that going to help Hogwarts' unification?" asked Ron.

"I must admit Professor McGonagall," Hermione said slowly, "Holding another ball seems to be a…a—"

"It's actually not a bad idea." Padma Patil said.

Ron's mouth fell open. "What are you talking about? Of course it's a—"

"You know the more I think about it," Hannah Abbot said, "I think it's an excellent idea. Think about it. In each house there are an uneven number of girls and boys."

"So?" asked Malfoy, seeming to agree with Ron on this one. The idea of a ball was sheer rubbish.

"So that would mean that people would have to ask other people from different houses. Therefore students would get a chance to mingle with different houses." Ernie concluded.

"That's precisely what the teachers realized. So we thought that perhaps a ball is one good way of unifying the school." Professor McGonagall said, though the look on her face proved that she didn't rather like the idea of another ball held at Hogwarts.

To Ron and Hermione's horror, the other students seemed to have forgotten about the part where they have would have to bring dates, and murmured their agreement. Even Malfoy agreed, a wicked grin forming as he raised his hand in assent.

"Can you believe this? They want to hold a ball!" Hermione whispered to Ron.

"I bet Malfoy jinxed them." Ron whispered back.

"Ron…"

"Well then why else would McGonagall agree to the idea of another ball?"

"Why would Malfoy want Hogwarts to hold another ball?"

"Maybe he wants to kill us."

"What?"

"All he has to do is request some old Muggle dispo—"

"Disco!"

"Right, dispo, and when he does those mad hand motions he'll end up hitting someone's—"

"Gryffindor?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Hermione and Ron looked up.

"What?" asked Ron rudely. Hermione kicked him discreetly.

"Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley kindly pay attention to what we are doing in the meeting. We are taking a vote to see who approves of the ball. We need your vote to make it unanimous."

"Wait, a unanimous vote approving the ball?" Hermione said, repeating Professor McGonagall's words.

"Yes, Ms. Granger. The other three houses approve the idea. How does Gryffindor vote?"

"Even Slytherin approved the idea?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley." Professor McGonagall was once again getting rather irritated.

"Draco Malfoy approved the idea of Hogwarts holding another ball?"

"Mr. Weasley…"

"Are you sure he's the real Malfoy?"

"You know Professor I think Weasley here has wasted enough of our time." Malfoy said with smirk.

Ron's ears turned red.

"Even if Gryffindor doesn't approve the idea, majority rules! So, if that's all, let's call the meeting adjourned. I think it's almost dinner time." Malfoy leered at Hermione and Ron, before turning smugly to Professor McGonagall.

"I would appreciate it if you would allow me to adjourn the meeting. However, I suppose you are right, we will have our first inter-school ball." McGonagall spoke warily.

"You have got to be kidding me." Ron muttered.

"I suggest the announcement be made at dinner tomorrow. We can discuss the details tomorrow, say after lunch?" Ernie Macmillan asked.

The other prefects, including Malfoy, agreed. The meeting was officially adjourned and Hermione and Ron walked back to the common room.

"I just can't believe it! How could Professor McGonagall possibly agree to an idea like that? I mean that's just…just…"

"Utterly bizarre?" Ron offered.

"Yes! I mean another ball? And just how is that supposed to unify the school?" Hermione asked.

"Wait. You didn't you hear what Hannah and Ernie said?" Ron asked

"Of course I did!"

"Then you should know how a ball is going to help. There's an uneven number of girls and boys in each house, right? That means that the boys will have to ask a girl from another house. Then students will be mingling with students from other houses." Ron said.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Hey, I can listen pretty well when I want to!" Ron said indignantly.

"Then how come you don't listen in classes? Pixie potion." Hermione said as they walked through the Fat Lady's portrait

"Listen to Snape? Now you're starting to sound as mad as the others."

"Potions is a very important subject, Ron!"

"Yes and Malfoy's favorite color is pink. Actually--"

"Are you two bickering again?" Harry was waiting for them, saving the best chairs in the common room for them. "You know with all the arguing you two do, it's a wonder you aren't married yet."

"Come off it!" Ron said angrily, but blushing.

The trio went inside the common room.

"So Ron, what happened?" Harry asked. You didn't even say goodbye to me!"

"He was fifteen minutes late for the Prefects meeting." Hermione said shaking her head at Ron, "Fortunately, he must have realized McGonagall would have been immensely upset had he not shown within a quarter hour of the designated time."

"So what happened at the meeting?"

"Well, we didn't sack the suggestion box." Ron said sounding a bit depressed. "That's what she intended the meeting to be for in the first place, though."

"So then what did McGonagall want?"

"Well, she wanted to tell us about a suggestion that came from one of the suggestion boxes." Hermione said.

"Really? What was the suggestion?"

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other.

"Do you really want to know?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, I do!"

"Not unless you want to hear about dancing, dancing dress robes, and dates." Hermione said depressingly.

"But I—wait." Harry looked at Hermione and Ron. "You don't mean…it's not…Hogwarts isn't going to—"

"Hold another ball? That's exactly what its going to do." Ron said dully.

"A ball?"

"Yes."

"Like with dancing?"

"Yes."

"And dress robes?"

"Yes."

"And dates?"

"YES!" Ron and Hermione yelled.

"Are they mad? It's going to make much more then a ball to unify Hogwarts." Harry said, aggravated.

"Well, unfortunately there is going to be one. The other three houses voted for it. Dumbledore's going to announce it tomorrow at dinner when we have more details." Ron said.

Hermione gave another sigh. "This is awful."

"Don't know why you're complaining. It's harder on the boys than the girls." Ron said.

Hermione glared at him. "I'll have you know that balls are much more stressful for girls then it is for boys!"

"What makes you say that?" Harry asked.

"Well for one thing they have to wait for boys to ask us! And since you lot are so dense, we girls end up waiting for weeks and then we start to panic!"

"Right. I'm sure you were panicking on if someone was going to ask you." Ron said sarcastically.

"I'll have you know that Victor didn't ask me until the ball was a few days away! I was seriously debating whether or not I should ask—"

"Who did you want to take you to the ball?" Ron asked sharply. He received another glare from her.

"None of your business! All I'm saying is that the Yule Ball was very stressful! I really don't want to go through the anxiety of it again!"

"Well then why did you vote for a ball anyway?" Harry asked.

"We didn't!" Ron and Hermione said in unified annoyance.

"Other than ourselves, the vote was unanimous." Hermione explained.

"Wait, Slytherin voted to hold a ball?" Harry asked shocked.

"My thoughts exactly! I mean why would Malfoy, of all people vote to hold a—"

"Will you two just quit it about the Slytherin vote! I can't believe you, Ron!" an exasperated Hermione said to Ron.

"What?"

"You don't seem to realize that Hogwarts is going to be holding another ball and that we will be planning the whole thing!"

"Wait, what do you mean we will be planning the ball?" Ron asked stupidly.

"Eurgh never mind! I'll see you at dinner!"

Hermione stomped up to her dormitory and fell on her bed. How could Professor McGonagall agree to the idea of holding another ball? It just meant weeks of annoyance and stress! Worse, since she and Ron were prefects, they would be planning it. The prospect of working with Ron to plan a ball, a ball of all things, was just too miserable to think about. Hermione began screaming in her head. How could one suggestion bring such trouble? But little did she know of just how much trouble that one suggestion was going to bring.

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