A/N I thought I'd get another chapter up as I haven't got much to do at the moment. I've been sitting here watching the snow go past my window. (Though I'd prefer to be out in it, I'm really a big kid at heart). Well thanks for all the reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Chapter 26

"Who should we go as?" Harry asked as he and Hermione sat in front of the common room fire late that night, waiting for the last few stragglers as they finished their homework (or chess game in Ron's case) and dragged themselves up to their waiting beds.

"Well as Dumbledore said at dinner the theme is 'famous people'. So we'll have to buy or make our costumes. Making them would be best as we can almost guarantee that no one will have our costumes." Hermione answered from the chair next to the fire watching as they were left alone in the common room noticing that it was officially two hours in to Saturday.

"Great fancy dress" he muttered darkly from his position on the sofa opposite the fire, causing Hermione to laugh at him.

"Aww poor baby," she cooed sitting next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder she continued, "is Harry scared of looking silly?"

"No" he smiled as he putting his arm around her shoulders in a loose hug, "Bad experience"

"Wanna talk about it?" she asked relaxing into the half embrace.

"Let's just say I was given the 'honour' of going trick or treating so I could carry Dudley's bag as long as I made my costume, which I did… a wizard in fact complete with a black bin bag for a cape. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon weren't very happy about it. I got three days for that one." Harry answered gazing in to the flickering flames dying in the fireplace.

Tilting her head to face him she questioned, "three days of what?"

"Being locked in the cupboard" he answered automatically.

Hermione used up most of her self-control fuming silently over this new information while Harry's eyes never left the fire place.

A little while later they began to talk about the dance again;

"So obviously we need to decide who to go as" Hermione yawned sleepily

"Anyone, I don't care who, as long as it doesn't take long" Harry said looking at Hermione.

"Harry!" she gasped at the thought of not taking her time to do her best at something.

"I mean, after the Yule ball there'll only be … six months till exams" he recovered quickly

"Mmm that's true"

"We could go as erm… Merlin and Morgan, Godric and Rowena," Harry trailed off as he noticed Hermione had fallen asleep using his shoulder as a pillow. He slowly tried to ease himself of the couch only to be pulled back by a sleeping Hermione. Grinning he summoned a blanket and covered them before closing his eyes and pulling her closer.

That is how the rest of Gryffindor found them the next morning. Hermione was awoken from her peaceful slumber by stifled laughs, yawning she opened her eyes fully expecting to see Lavender and Parvati giggling over the newest edition of 'Witch Weekly'. That was not however what she saw, a sea of grinning faces was what she did see though. With a squeal of surprise she hid her crimson face under the blanket as the stifled laughs increased in volume.

"Harry, Harry wake up" she hissed shaking his shoulder.

"Five more minutes" he mumbled wrapping his arm around her, oblivious to the giggling and whispering that was happening outside the blanket.

"Harry I'd love to let you sleep for a little while longer honestly, but the whole of Gryffindor is watching" she whispered.

"What!" Harry said shooting of the sofa. Rubbing his eyes and getting his first gaze around the common room and it inhabitants he grinned sheepishly, "Err…hi?" his greeting was returned by an out break of laughter. "'Mione?" "Hermione?" the young lady in question however was nowhere to be seen. "Where'd she go?" he asked the sixth years as everyone had dispersed to go about having Saturday fun.

"I think she went upstairs" Lavender said, " So what's with you two?"

"Noting Lavender we just sat up talking late last night" He said as he climbed the stair case to get changed.

Harry, Hermione and a disgruntled Ron were sitting in the library researching their defence essays: 'Research and discuss how animated objects can be an advantage in a duel'

Hermione was currently making notes form her defence and transfiguration books, Ron was hidden behind a mountain of Hermione's books sleeping, and Harry had gone to find another book from Hermione's list"

"Hermione, psst Hermione."

"What is it Mandy?" she said turning to face Mandy a seventh year Ravenclaw and Tracey from Hufflepuff.

"Is it true?" they asked together

"Is what true? I'm sorry but I rarely pay attention to gossip" she said marking her page.

"That you and Harry slept together and are engaged?"

"WHAT!" she shouted earning a glare from Madam Pince, "No, it is not, not that is any of your business, but we are best friends nothing more. We fell asleep talking in front of the common room fire." She hissed, "Honestly don't people have better things to do than make up rumours"

"Sorry Hermione, that's what Cho was saying in the common room." Mandy said as she and Tracey turned and walked away.

"Ron, Ron wake up " she said smacking him lightly round the head.

"Wha.. I'm up." He said sleepily.

"I'm going to find Harry, keep and eye on our things please."

"Sure" he mumbled as Hermione walked quickly to the back of the library where the defence books were kept.

"Harry, Harry where are you?" she whispered walking between the towering stacks, when she found him she pulled him to an empty part of the library.

"Harry, the rumour mill has been working again, I have just been asked if we, me and you are engaged and did we…" Hermione trailed of.

"Did we what?"

"Sleep together"

"Great what do we do?"

"Act normal, I've told Mandy and Tracey the truth." Hermione stated, "But now we need to finish our essays don't forget we have a DA meeting tonight.

Harry nodded before they walked back to the table.

"Hey guys," Ron said cheerfully, "When were you gonna tell me"

"Tell you what?" they asked in unison

"That you two were engaged."

"Not you to" Hermione said

"Look Ron its" Harry started

"Not what you think"

"It is, we fell asleep"

"in front of the common"

"room fire"

"That's all" they finished together.

"Okay that was freaky, Just like" Ron began

"Fred" Hermione started winking at Harry

" And George"

"Or should that"

"Be Gred and"

"Forge" they finished together.

"Yeah them" Ron laughed.

The day continued in much the same way, people kept asking them if it was true or not, and they denied everything telling the truth where possible.

Unfortunately for them the rumour had grown. Now according to who you listened to they were either:

1) Engaged and going to marry at Christmas

2) Hermione was pregnant after a drunken night

3) Engaged, due to marry at Hogwarts during the next Hogsmeade weekend where Ron would be the best man and Ginny a bridesmaid.

So it was in a foul mood that the pair and an amused Ron made their way to the room of requirement for the DA meeting.

A/N so what do you think, here are a few review responses

Lord of Darkness13: I did have a few more ideas but ran out of time to write them they might make a future appearance tho.

OCDboutHarry: Thank you I hope you enjoyed this one to.

Gweneviere-Oxford: Keep your eyes peeled for more of these moments to come.