Chapter 3

A/N Sorry it has been so long to update. I thought that I would write more in the summer, but I have been sadly wrong. S

I also have to apologize for another thing. This chapter has been written for a while, and so is chapter 4. However, I am banned from Fanfiction for a while, so I can't really update it freely, only when allowed. Sorry again!

Also, we are going on holidays for two weeks. I hope that they hhahve computers and internet where we are going to, otherwise iw ill just handwrite the next few chapters! I will update ASAP!

Ok, here it is!

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"Finally! The weekend!" exclaimed Hermione.

"I know, it has being such a busy week, I can't believe that was only 5 days!" said Harry.

"Hey Harry," said Hermione, as the two walked past the lake in the Hogwarts grounds. "You know the Halloween Ball? I was thinking, seeming as how Ginny was so excited about it, we could all pitch in some money to help her buy a costume. Ron is already doing it, and so am I."

"Sure, I guess that would be fine."

Hermione beamed at Harry.

"Great! Thanks so much Harry! She will be so happy." Hermione said.

Harry looked at Hermione, but then quickly looked away, and began slowly, obviously trying to pick his words carefully. "You know, in Hogsmeade tomorrow…"

But before he could finish, Ron came sprinting down the hill to meet them.

Hermione shot a questioning look at Harry, and then turned to Ron. "Why are you so late?"

"Sorry guys. Someone nicked my Defense book. Unfortunately for her, Parkinson isn't very good at hiding things, or looking innocent." Ron said, grinning evilly. "And now, she has detention with McGonagall, for a whole week!

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. Noticing Malfoy striding into the castle she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Stupid git, thinks he owns the place" Hermione muttered darkly under her breath.

Scowling she shooed a giggling group of girls in side the castle.

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Ginny slipped into the Great Hall, half an hour after dinner had started.

'Good thing they are so caught up in their conversation' she thought. It would be a hard job explaining why I wasn't here on time, if they really wanted to know, then they could get it out of me. Thankfully now it looks like they won't question me.

Ginny gulped guiltily as she neared the end of the Gryffindor table, where the trio was seated, thinking of her secret from them; the recently emptied chest of gold in the Forbidden Forest.

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Their stomachs full, Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny set off for the common room.

"Why are teachers so intent on giving us so much homework?" Ron said, passing Snape in the corridor.

Hermione laughed. "Well, guess you're in luck, 'cause we have plenty to do tonight!"

"At least tomorrow you can go to Hogsmeade and have a work free day." Ginny said, as they stepped through the portrait in to the common room.

Hermione dashed up the stairs to her dorm, returning just as fast, except this time with a load of books.

She glanced meaningfully at Ron and Harry, and they left to get their own homework.

"Here Ginny, I grabbed your books too." Hermione said, as she dumped the pile onto a table.

"Thanks."

"Hey Ginny, I was wondering if you would like to come into Hogsmeade with me, to go costume shopping together, you know, for the Halloween Ball."

"Sure! That would be great! I bet I will need to use your help, and lots of it." Ginny said.

But inside, her mind was racing. How will I conceal the gold from her? It would be easy enough to get rid of her for a while, but surely if I was looking at a costume, she would see the price.

Then and again, I guess it would be more fun then going alone…

Ron and Harry appeared down the stairs, carrying what looked like the bare minimum of books, to do the bare minimum of homework. Ginny smiled; somehow she could find the answer to her problem.

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The answer came to Ginny sooner than she had expected.

Just after they had completed the piles of work, Ginny was just heading up to bed, still thinking of how to smuggle the money into Hogsmeade.

"Hold on Ginny, I have something for you!" Hermione called.

Ginny slowly turned to face the other girl. "What?"

Hermione beamed, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement.

"We all know –"

Ginny interrupted. "We?"

"Well, Harry, Ron and I have a present for you." Hermione reached out behind her, towards the table.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Ginny leaned to the right, trying to see around Hermione.

Hermione found what she was looking for, and she handed Ginny a small, extremely heavy sack.

Ginny eagerly pulled it open, but then stopped abruptly, and stared at the contents. "Hermione, this is – wonderful. What can I say?'

Ron smirked. "Wow Hermione, you made her speechless. A first!"

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The next morning Ginny was woken early by the sound of people getting up. Puzzled as to why, she soon remembered the day, the trip to Hogsmeade. Jumping out of bed, she showered and changed.

Ginny grabbed her list of things to buy, and her money bag, leaving Hermione's one buried in her trunk.

She then ran to Hermione's room, and, upon finding it empty, leaped down the steps two at a time, to meet her in the common room.

Hermione was waiting there. The room was empty, aside from the first years, who were sitting in groups, looking sourly at Hermione and Ginny.

"What is wrong with them?" Ginny asked Hermione softly.

"I bet it is because they aren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade. Even the second years were allowed to go, to buy a costume for the ball."

Ginny laughed. "Come on, we'd better go get Harry and Ron. Otherwise we will have no time in Hogsmeade!"

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Hermione and Ginny waited just outside the Hogwarts gates, as was agreed.

"Where are they, they said they would only take a moment!" Ginny said.

"No idea." said Hermione, tapping her foot on the ground impatiently.

A couple of seconds saw Harry and Ron running down towards the girls.

"Before you can ask, Filch thought he would have a bit of fun, and decided to pretend we didn't have permission to go." said Harry, still catching his breath.

"Yeah, we had to wait for Mcgonagall to come and check the list."

"Anyway, what are we going to do today? Ginny and I have to get costumes, and you have to come too." Hermione said.

"OK, give me and Harry-"

"Ron, it's 'Harry and I'. " corrected Hermione automatically.

"Right, well give us an hour at Zonko's, and then we'll meet you at where ever you plan to go." Said Ron

"Gladrags Wizardwear." said Ginny. "So we'll see you there in an hour!"

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"Great. Half and hour, no progress." Ginny commented, putting back yet another gown.

Hermione held up a bottle green dress. It was elegant, with , but Ginny shook her head.

"I love it, but I would look like a Christmas ornament. Green and red." She said, gesturing from the dress, back to her long, flaming red hair.

"Right…" Hermione grimaced, "I didn't think about that!"

While Hermione continued to browse the bargain racks, Ginny walked over to an expensive looking corner.

Looking longingly at the beautiful, costly materials, a corner of pink fabric caught her eye. She pulled it out, admiring the dress.

It was perfect; it was as good as her's.

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The shop door was pushed open by Harry, followed by Ron.

Hermione grabbed them, showing them a large pile of costumes she had pulled out for them.

Ginny grinned as the boys backed away, looking nervously from Ginny to the daunting pile.

"Here Hermione, I will get one for Harry, if you do Ron."

Ron looked rather pleased with this deal.

Hm… is that because he gets to be with Hermione, or because he escaped me?

Ginny pushed her thoughts away as Harry approached, and began to help him find a costume.

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Back in the deserted common room, Ron collapsed on comfortable chair, and Harry plopped onto a couch.

"Tired?" Ginny said jokingly.

Harry and Ron both lay there. No reply.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Glad I made you come back early now?"

Still no reply.

Ginny laughed. "Oh well. See ya later. " she said, already heading upstairs.

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Once away from her friends, Ginny took out her dress.

"Wow. Oh my god… I love this dress! This ball is going to be so much fun." Ginny exclaimed, her eyes roaming over the magnificent fabric.

Ginny smiled, thinking again of Harry. When she was younger, she had always been so shy around him, hardly talking at all. Now that she had taken Fred's advice, she acted more like herself around him. She acted like his friend, and in return he treated her like a friend. But she wanted more than that. She wanted him to notice her.

And in this dress, he would have to.

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A/N Ok, I have will start the whole replies to reviews thing. I know that I really like it when other authors acknowledge your time and effort to review, to here they are.

Fire-and ice89- Lol, of course you liked the ending. D Anyway, thanks for the review, even though you never really have anything to say I haven't heard already! Thanks!

Chiro Child- I know, the year placements are hard. I have already decided not to tell you what year they are in, I don't even know! But It does make it easier, because if they are in a year that has already been written (1,2,3,4,5,6) then you have to tie the story into JK's. Hope that this chapter wasn't a disappointment.

Draginphlie- Yes, this is my first fic. Sorry though, I am not to good with the updating though. I hope that as the story progresses, it will kinda write it itself, and I can update more frequently. Glad you like it!

D Chapter 4 is already underway, so I hope I can update sooner!

Hope you all enjoyed HBP! Was anyone actually expecting that ending?