Hey its time for chapter 3! Thanks to all you guys who reviewed and waited ever so patiently (coughcoughcough) for me to update. Oh and thanks again to Sam for doing an awesome job editing! Anyway here's chapter 3!

Disclaimer: Um yeah…there's a reason why this is posted on FANfiction.

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling rather lighthearted. Her homework was done, and she had the rest of the day free to do whatever she wanted. Perhaps she could go visit Hagrid after lunch. Lunch. Then she remembered. She had to discuss the details with the other prefects about the ball. She sighed and the bubbly feeling only free time can bring popped. Hermione got dressed and went down to the common room where she found Harry and Ron playing Wizard Chess.

"Crush the bishop! Come on, just crush it! Hey, Hermione, why the long face?" Ron asked.

Hermione flopped down onto the couch.

"It's nothing!" She snapped. There was no way she could let Ron know that a prefects meeting had ruined her day. She was the one that was always going on about how much of an honor it was to be a prefect. Ron, however, seemed to see right through her.

"You remembered the meeting. Yeah, same here." Ron said as his pawn demolished Harry's bishop.

"Do you think there's still a chance of being able to persuade McGonagall to not hold the ball?" Harry asked as his pawn moved forward discreetly forward one space.

"I don't know. But even if she didn't, the others fell in love with the idea of holding the ball." Hermione said with a small sigh.

"Yeah and remember Flitwick's face at breakfast, Harry? He was practically jumping for joy." Ron said.

"Breakfast? Wait what time is it?" Hermione asked.

"Almost noon. You overslept." Harry replied, sneaking another move while Ron was distracted.

Hermione groaned.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" she asked Harry and Ron.

"Remember the last time we tried going up to the girls' dormitory?" Harry asked, knocking Ron's rook off the board and hiding it in his pocket.

"And besides, the morning is so much more pleasant without you nagging at us." Ron teased.

"Oh, be quiet!" Hermione said, as a small smile tugging her lips upwards.

"Checkmate!" Harry said, much to Ron's bafflement.

After lunch Harry went to the library for a while, and Hermione and Ron walked over to McGonagall's room.

"Hermione, you don't really think we're going to have to plan this thing?" Ron asked.

"Ron, we're prefects. Of course we have to plan this ball!" Hermione said forcefully. And that's whether we like it or not." she added under her breath.

Ron grimaced, following Hermione into the classroom, and discovering they were the last to arrive.

"Well, well. Weasley made it on time." Malfoy, smirked.

"Shut it Malfoy." Ron muttered

"Will you all take a seat?" Professor McGonagall asked not noticing what Malfoy or Ron had said. "Now, before Professor Dumbledore makes the announcement at dinner we should have some things planned out. Will you all take notes?"

The other prefects nodded and promptly took out parchment and quills. Ron searched in vain through his bag, and, coming up empty-handed. He turned to Hermione with a slightly sheepish, questioning look on his face. Hermione rolled her eyes and shoved a piece of parchment across the table to him.

"We need to discuss where it is going to be held, when, and at what time. The other details we will discuss later."

"We should have it start and seven and end at midnight!" Padma Patil suggested enthusiastically.

"That seems a long time to hold a ball." Ron commented under his breath, as though he didn't want it know he was taking an active part in the discussion.

"Well, people agreed that the Yule Ball was too short, so we should extend this ball for another hour." Padma bossily stated. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Who the bloody hell said the Yule Ball was too short?" Ron muttered to Hermione. She shot a glare at him, and continued with her notes.

"All in favor of seven to twelve for the ball?" Professor McGonagall asked. The other prefects nodded, while Hermione and Ron grudgingly gave their consent.

"Good. Now where shall we hold it?"

"The Great Hall of course." Malfoy said.

"I agree." Hannah Abbot said.

"Everyone agree on holding the ball in the Great Hall?" Professor McGonagall questioned in her strict manner.

The prefects nodded.

"Now, on what day should this be held?" The head of Gryffindor house asked, getting right to the point.

"Well, it should definitely be on a weekend, so it won't get too much in the way of homework" Ernie McMillan said.

"How about Christmas?" Anthony Goldstein offered.

Hermione shook her head. "That would lead people will think of it more as a Yule Ball or a Christmas Ball."

"How about New Years?" Hannah suggested. "So we could start off a new year with unifying

the school."

There was silence while people thought this idea over.

"Makes sense to me." Malfoy said uncaringly.

Ron glared at him.

"That slime is planning something." he hissed to Hermione. Hermione ignored him, focusing on what Anthony was going on about the idea. Ron nudged her and poked her until she whirled around and glared at him.

"Right now, we have other things to worry about." She whispered back.

"Yeah like what?"

"Like paying attention to what they're saying! New Year's is a dreadful day to hold this ball! That's a Sunday and the last day of winter vacation!"

"Does anyone not approve of this idea? If not, we can get on with our free time, I cannot stay here all day, you know." Professor McGonagall looked about and seemed ready to dismiss them, but Hermione spoke out.

"Professor," she said with a businesslike tone, "I think we should hold the ball on another day."

Professor McGonagall looked at her.

"And do you have a certain day planned in mind, Ms. Granger?"

Hermione turned pink. "Well, I—"

"Come on Granger. Surely you must have some day planned out? I mean you out of all people should have some good idea when to hold it, right?" Malfoy asked wearing an evil grin.

Hermione's face turned a bright red. She cast her mind for a good day to hold the ball.

"Well...I…"

Hermione was about to say she hadn't thought of a day when an idea popped into her head.

"Well I thought it would be a good idea to hold the ball…the day Hogwarts was founded." She looked at everyone to see what they thought.

Everyone stared at her.

"An excellent idea!" Hannah Abbot exclaimed, grinning.

"What better day to hold a unification ball?" Padma Patil said.

Hermione tried to hide a triumphant smile.

"Well, I do believe that day does fall on a Saturday this year." Professor McGonagall said thoughtfully.

"Brilliant! So all in favor of holding the ball on that day?" Ernie McMillan asked.

The decision was unanimous, even Malfoy and Pansy resentfully agreed to it.

"I believe that would make enough information for Dumbledore to announce it this evening. Meeting adjourned." Professor McGonagall said.

The prefects left the classroom, going about their business as if the meeting had never happened.

Hermione and Ron made their way to the door

"You just had to support the stupid idea, didn't you?" Ron grumbled. "Oh well it was a good idea anyway."

"Thanks, Ron." Hermione said a bit preoccupied. "But I wonder when…Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked as her as she was making her way out the door.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Just out of curiosity, what was the day Hogwarts was founded?"

"February 14. I'll see you at dinner."

Professor McGonagall left as Hermione began to pale.

"Hey that's not a bad day is it Hermione? Hermione? Why do you have a weird look on your face?" Ron asked.

Hermione turned to Ron.

"Because February 14, Ron, is Valentines' Day."

Ron gaped at her.

"Remember when I said it was a good idea anyway?" he asked her.

"Yes."

"I take it back."