The ball is told from Harry's point of view. He makes a MAJOR mistake, which I'm sure most of you will pick up immediately. Please don't hate me for my evil deed! I have revenge on Harry for being an idiot, I promise! And I don't own Harry Potter.

"Ron!" Harry shouted, prodding the sleeping form of his best friend.

"Wha?" Ron sat upright, looking at Harry in annoyance. "What's wrong?" He closed his eyes and reached blindly for his covers, and made to go back to sleep.

"We slept in!" Harry shook Ron.

"We always do on weekends, mate," Ron yawned, turning over. "That's what they're for."

"RON!" Harry pulled the blankets off him with such force that they fell on the floor. Ron sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"WHAT, HARRY?" Ron shouted.

"We slept in!" Harry repeated. "The ball starts at noon," Harry showed Ron his alarm clock, which read 11:23, "and you have to meet Hermione downstairs in twenty-two minutes!"

"Gah!" Ron jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom, leaving Harry frozen over his bed, still pointing to his alarm clock.

Ron came out of the bathroom five seconds later, brushing his teeth with one hand and pulling a comb through his hair with the other. Harry copied him, taking less time with his hair, as it was pointless.

They changed from their pajamas into their costumes quickly. Ron was self-conscious, as he was not used to wearing fake hair and a beard. He had no need for a mask, for the fake beard and wig covered his face very well.

Harry had just adjusted his mask when his alarm clock read 11:40. With five minutes to spare, the two of them ran down to the common room.

The two friends had to stifle laughs as they looked around at the various costumes. Two seventh years were dressed as Tarzan and Jane (Ron ducked out of their line of sight and guffawed until Harry poked him sharply in the ribs) and a few first years were dressed as various superheroes (Harry did his best to describe who they were to Ron).

They spotted Hermione near the girls' staircase. They waved as they fought their way through the growing crowd towards her.

"You look really nice, Hermione," Ron took her hand, not blushing like he had been during his visit to Hogsmeade with Hermione.

"Thanks Ron," Hermione removed her mask and pushed aside Ron's fake beard so she could kiss him on the cheek. "You two look nice."

"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked, noticing her absence.

"I don't know," Hermione turned her head around enthusiastically, but she did not seem to be looking.

"Shall we go down?" Ron pointed to where the Fat Lady's portrait was. People were slowly trickling out.

"All right," Hermione said. The trio started to join the queue around the portrait hole. They recognized a few people on their way over. Harry waved to Neville, who was wearing a crown on his head and carrying Trevor.

"Nice costume," Harry said. He noticed that Neville was wearing elaborate burgundy robes.

"Thanks," Neville squeezed next to Harry. "My gran made it for me. She said she wanted to make it rather than me getting it from the Room of Requirement." He shrugged. "Your costume's great."

"Thanks," Harry replied. He spotted Seamus over Neville's shoulder. He was standing close to Parvati; they were wearing Asian costumes. Seamus looked embarrassed, for his pale complexion and sandy colored hair did not suit the robes he wore. Parvati, on the other hand, looked as happy as ever. Noticing that he had fallen behind Ron and Hermione, Harry sped up, accidentally knocking into someone and making whoever it was fall.

"I'm so sorry," Harry forgot all about catching up to Hermione and Ron and bent down to help the person up.

"It's all right," The person straightened up. Harry gasped. He was staring at a girl who was dressed almost exactly like him.

'Well, a female version of my costume,' Harry corrected himself. The girl had long, wavy red-brown hair that cascaded halfway down her back. She wore a blue dress and a purple cape, the exact opposite of Harry's purple tunic and blue cape. Her mask was blue outlined in black sequins, again, the exact opposite of his. She wore the same silver amulet that fastened the cape to the shoulder, and she also sported the same amulet as a necklace.

"Wow," He chocked out, for he was still in shock.

"You're King Arthur," The girl smiled, "and I'm Guinevere."

"Do I know you?" Harry knew he had seen this girl somewhere before; if she removed her mask, he would be able to tell who she was.

"You might," The girl said mysteriously.

"Do you know me?" He asked.

"I might," The girl echoed her previous answer. She lifted the hem of her skirt a few inches off the ground so she wouldn't trip, and walked out of the common room, which was now almost empty.

Harry walked after her, trying to place where he had seen her before. Her voice sounded familiar, but in another sense he had never heard it before.

Then it clicked. He had seen the Celtic amulet before. His costume's amulet had just copied it. That girl was Luna! She had colored her hair and snuck into the Gryffindor common room to confuse him.

He ran after her, hardly believing it had taken him so long to figure out. He entered the Great Hall, looking around for her, but Luna seemed to have disappeared.

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione were dancing to the music Harry had been completely oblivious to until that moment. Luna was standing next to them, grinning.

"Harry, mate, look at her costume!" Ron seemed not to know who Luna was, and was just genuinely surprised. Harry approached them, and held his hand out to Luna. She took it and began to dance with him.

For the first few minutes, Harry looked around the Hall in amazement. The pumpkins Hagrid grew lined the walls in intervals of about ten feet. One wall was completely devoted to a table filled with all sorts of food. Chairs filled the spaces along the walls where there were gaps between the pumpkins. The only source of light was the pumpkins; the Great Hall ceiling seemed to have been covered for a darker and more dramatic dance. Even the windows were blocked.

Harry turned his attention to Luna.

"I didn't know you were coming to the ball as Guinevere," He was amazed at how she had known he would be going as King Arthur. Perhaps Ginny had told her; they were in some of the same classes.

"Well, I figured I'd have to confess sooner or later," Luna laughed, but then became serious almost immediately. "To tell you the truth, Harry, I've liked you for a very long time. Longer than you know. I decided to come as Guinevere to catch your attention."

"Well, you certainly did catch my attention," Harry winked, which made the part of Luna's face he could see, though cast in shadow, turn pink. "In fact, you've caught my attention for the entire dance." Luna smiled shyly. They danced for a few more minutes, then Harry, noticing his empty stomach, asked, "Do you want to get a drink or something?"

"Sure," Luna began to walk over to the table. Harry gave Ron, who was dancing with Hermione, the thumbs up. Ron looked very pleased that Hermione was dancing with her head on his shoulder, and grinned back.

Luna handed Harry a butterbeer, then took one for herself. They sat down in two chairs along one wall. Harry remembered the priceless moment when he had talked Luna into trying a butterbeer.

The two of them watched their fellow students dance. Harry looked around for Ginny, and although many people had removed their masks, he could not find her. He noticed that Luna had not removed her mask (and neither had he, he suddenly realized as he reached up to scratch his eyebrow, to scratch a lightweight metal instead of his face). He glanced up at the front of the hall, to see several of the teachers dancing.

Harry recognized Professor Dumbledore right away, who was dressed as Father Christmas. He was dancing with Professor McGonagall, who was wearing what seemed to be regular robes with tabby cat markings on them. Snape was dressed in his usual black robes, and he was standing alone in a corner, his tapping foot barely visible. A muggle-clothed Professor Flitwick was levitating himself so he could dance with a mandrake Harry recognized as Professor Sprout. Harry pointed them out to Luna, who laughed openly.

Harry then noticed more people he knew. Dean and Lavender were dressed as Romeo and Juliet. He supposed they knew about the famous romance story because they were both muggle born. Malfoy was being tailed by Pansy Parkinson. Malfoy was dressed as a vampire, and Pansy was wearing black robes with spider webs all over them. Harry hoped on wouldn't see them. He watched them for a few seconds as they began to dance.

Cho and Michael Corner were dressed as fairies. Harry laughed as he looked past them and recognized Colin and Dennis Creevy. Dennis was dressed as Godzilla, and Colin was wearing a Superman suit.

Harry turned his gaze back to Ron and Hermione. They were dancing very close together, and Harry could see a pinkish tinge in Hermione's face, though whether it was from being close to Ron or from the enclosed space, Harry didn't know.

Harry finished his butterbeer, and, after noticing that Luna had as well, took her bottle from her and vanished both of the bottles with a flick of his wand.

"Would you like to dance?" Harry asked Luna.

"Of course," Luna pulled him into a space next to Ron and Hermione.

The two of them started dancing at a modest distance apart, but by the time another song had started, Harry could feel Luna's breath on his neck. He grinned.

'I know I'm thinking like a girl, but this is truly the most romantic moment of my life,' Harry thought. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione again. Ron, who was facing him, smiled nervously. Harry's already large grin widened, as he remembered how he had kept nagging Ron to tell Hermione how he felt, and vice versa. He traveled back to that day no more than two weeks ago…

"Ron, mate, I just heard that Dumbledore is turning the Halloween Feast into a costume party!" Harry had burst into the dormitory after finishing his Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. "You can ask Hermione to go with you! I know you like her, don't deny it."

"No way, mate," Ron had sunk onto his bed. "I could never do that."

"Why not?" Harry asked. "Hermione's down in the common room now, finishing her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. Just go down and ask her! I'll go with you."

"Easy for you to say," Ron said jealously. "You asked Parvati to the Yule Ball and asked Cho to go to Hogsmeade with you last year. I've never asked a girl so much as, 'Want to sit next to me in class?' before."

"There's always a first time for everything," Harry reassured him. "If you knew what my stomach felt like both those times…" He trailed off, then picked up again. "Besides, I think, no, I know Hermione's been waiting for you to tell her how you feel for a while now. She just can't tell you how she feels herself."

"Really?" Ron asked, perking up a bit. "Well, I could give it a go…"

Harry returned to the present, smiling even more broadly (if that was possible) at the memory. He recited this story to Luna, who smiled sweetly up at him as he told her.

"Harry, that's so sweet," Luna glanced over at Ron and Hermione. "They look so happy."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "They do."

The two of them watched as Hermione stood on tiptoe and kissed Ron underneath his fake beard. She set her heels back on the floor quickly, and smiled up at Ron. Ron grinned at her, his face wearing a shocked but pleased expression.

'About time,' Harry thought, laughing to himself.

"I don't know how this could have happened without the ball," Harry muttered to himself, but Luna heard him.

"I won't be surprised if they both come right over to you and thank you," Luna told him, and, sure enough, Hermione and Ron danced closer to Harry and Luna.

"Harry, thank you for telling me to ask Hermione to the ball," Ron clapped Harry on the back.

"Yes, thank you, Harry," Hermione smiled at him.

"I didn't want you guys to wait until your deathbeds to tell each other how you felt," Harry joked. "So I gave Ron a push in the right direction."

"Thanks again," Ron and Hermione said together, and began to dance again, staring at each other.

"They're never going to forget what you did for them," Luna told Harry.

"Yeah," Harry said modestly. "I'm glad." Then he changed the subject abruptly. "And I'm glad that you decided to come as Guinevere. I honestly think that if you hadn't, I'd be sitting by myself."

"Thanks you for the most romantic day of my life," Harry and Luna told each other in unison. The both laughed, Harry a little embarrassed about his girlish thought.

When their laughter had faded away, Harry tilted his head down a little bit and kissed Luna. When he straightened his head again, he left Luna standing as if hypnotized.

"You made my dream come true," She said dreamily. "I had a dream – this will sound stupid – where you and I really liked each other, and we kissed." Luna smiled up at Harry nervously.

"It didn't sound stupid at all," Harry assured her. "I'm so glad you decided to come, Luna."

Luna stared up at him, her mouth open in chock. Harry noticed a tear run down the part of her cheek that was not covered by her mask.

"Is something wrong?" Harry stared at her, his eyes full of confusion.

She began to back away from him, her hand covering her mouth. Luna's breath came in short, hiccoughing gasps. She tore her eyes away from Harry and put her face in her hands, crying.

"Luna, what's wrong?" Harry put an arm around her shoulders, but she immediately pulled away and ran out of the hall, still sobbing.

"Harry," Hermione whispered, for she had plainly seen and heard the whole thing, "that wasn't Luna."