Disclaimer: I can't write like J.K. Rowling, all I can do is use her characters.
Not Another Bloody Ball By, Caitlin
Chap. 1. Almost a good day
'What is that annoying noise?' Hermione Granger thought to herself, as she opened her eyes to find her magical alarm clock faithfully displaying the neon light show she had charmed it to play whenever she dared to sleep past 8:15. As she tried to wake up enough to turn the alarm off Hermione reflected that the clock, which was a gift from Krum, would be much improved if she could get it to stop playing the Bulgarian national anthem. After wreaking sufficient punishment on the snooze button, Hermione closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of sleeping in on a Saturday morning.
Lying with her eyes closed she reflected on the odd dream she had had just the night before. She remembered in surprisingly clear detail coming into her dorm to find Ginny Weasley sitting on her bed. The dream had taken a rather odd turn at this point and seemed to involve an upcoming ball and Ginny's opinion that Hermione should go with Ron.
Hermione's bliss was suddenly shattered when she remembered that the whole scenario wasn't a dream but had actually happened, including Ginny's strange idea.
And why had Ginny been so insistent that Hermione and Ron should go to the ball together? She and Ron were just friends and sometimes not even very friendly. 'Oh well' thought Hermione, subconsciously dismissing Ginny idea as induced, by either, lack of sleep, or chocolate, as she got up, to shower, and prepared for the day.
Down in the common room waiting for the boys to come down for breakfast Hermione noticed a poster tacked to the bulletin board that was literally shouting the time and date of the upcoming ball. For some odd reason Hermione found herself staring at the poster. She had just convinced herself that she was only interested in the spell work when she was startled by a voice that brought her back to reality.
"Oh bloody hell not another ball" moaned the unmistakable voice of Ron Weasley.
"Really Ronald watch your swearing" Hermione said instinctively.
"Well I'm sorry" replied Ron in a tone that sounded less then sincere "but when a man is provoked in such a manner before he's even had his breakfast, it's a wonder that he doesn't start cursing like a sailor."
Hermione, seeing Harry's resigned look, decided that the morning would be better off argument free, and countered Ron's remark with a mere "well, shall we go down to breakfast?"
Everything went smoothly at breakfast until Ron fell asleep in his eggs.
"Really Ronald you should take better care of yourself" Hermione said as Ron tried desperately to wipe egg of his newly laundered robes.
"Well it's not my fault," said Ron indignantly. "If my bloody sister didn't feel it necessary to wake me up at 3:00 in the morning I would be very well rested, if not still asleep."
Hermione, assuming that Ginny's "talk" with Ron had had the same purpose as her accosting of Hermione, decided not to push the subject further for fear of bringing up "uncomfortable subjects." Harry however, who had had a wonderful nights sleep fully uninterrupted by redheads, had no such qualms and immediately asked "What could Ginny have possibly wanted that early in the morning?"
Ron blushed confirming Hermione's worst fears.
"Well," Ron stuttered, with a look that made it unclear whether he wanted to laugh or cry. "It was quite odd, she had somehow heard about the ball and had come to tell me…" Here he became even more uncomfortable. "Well, she wanted me to invite you, Hermione." This last part was said with a kind of a choked laughter and a tone that implied how truly crazy his sisters remark had seemed to him.
Hermione was completely unprepared for the tsunami of mortification and disappointment that engulfed her. She took what seemed the only logical course of action, and ran quickly from the hall before anyone could see her tears.
Across the hall, talking with two good friends from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, Ginny saw Hermione running and gave her brother a confused and exasperated look. Harry caught her eye and gestured for her to go after Hermione which Ginny did immediately. (A/N As Ginny left the Hufflepuff smiled at the Ravenclaw and pocketed a galleon with triumph)
Without stopping to think about how cliché it was, Hermione had ended up crying in a bathroom stall. Once she had calmed down she began doing what she did best: namely analyzing and studying. She kept wondering why Ron's cavalier attitude towards the ball had upset her so much. She thought long and hard when suddenly the answer hit her like a herd of Hippogriffs.
When Ginny found her 30 minutes later she was still reeling from her discovery. Ginny was worried at first when Hermione didn't say anything but then she saw the look on her face, gave her a knowing smile and waited for Hermione to say something.
"Have I really been that stupid all this time?"
"Yes. But we all understood. I for one would rather bat-boogy hex myself then admit I'd fallen for someone like Ron."
Hermione looked shocked at this and then started to laugh. And from that moment on Hermione and Ginny trusted each other and were good friends and allies against the confusing world of boys.