Another quickly-updated chapter! But I have to start going to school in a few days, so I might not be able to update as quick anymore. Oh dear... Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! (loves reviews) Yeah, for some reason I could not fathom, I've been putting cliffhangers... Pardon the grammar mistakes, being in Indonesia kinda ruined my English... (sigh) Lastly, enjoy reading this chapter, too!

(Hermione's POV)

'Uh… I…'

Ron looked at me hopefully. Ugh... whatever...

'Er… Yes. Yes I will, Ron,' I said, and then I forced a grin. 'Heh, it's good to know that I won't be a loner at the ball…'

'Great, 'Mione!' Ron said cheerfully. 'I knew you'd say yes, but I can't say I wasn't worried…'

Ron looked considerably more cheerful afterwards.

By lunch, Ron was still in his happy mood; he even sat on the Slytherin table, and changed his attitude. Then Lavender dragged me off.

'Hermione!'

'What?'

'I'm going to ask him today!'

'What?'

Lavender looked at me wearily. 'I'm going to ask Blaise to the ball! I don't care if it looks desperate, a girl asking a guy, but I'm willing to do what it takes!'

I felt a small tinge of envy towards her. 'That's great, Lavender!'

She smiled. 'Thanks. Wish me luck!' She waved, then went back to sitting next to Parvati.

Suddenly, a beautiful-looking owl zoomed towards Zabini.

'Oi, Granger, it arrived!' he called out to me.

'What arrived?' I asked, suspicious.

'Your dress robes! Remember, I said I'd buy you dress robes for the ball?'

There were wolf whistles and a Slytherin that I only knew by sight said, 'Are you sure you two weren't actually going out?'

'Zabini! Do you have to yell it out in front of people?' I whispered to him. 'This totally contradicts your statement, which was true, yesterday!'

'Well, sorry, Granger. But you'll be grateful. My personal tailor designed this. Then he chucked what seemed to be my dress robes towards me, and I caught it.

It was beautiful, but I had some complaints. 'It's green and silver,' I said.

'Well… uh… You see…' he started, then grinned nervously. 'It's cheaper if I bought a matching set…' He held out his own dress robes, which turned out to be green and silver as well.

'Thanks, Zabini. How much did it cost you, though? I'll pay you back…' I replied.

Suddenly, Theodore Nott popped up. 'Uh… Hermione, I think you're better off not paying for it… Blaise is known for spending a lot of money on everything… even the delivery owl…' Then he pointed at the owl, who was flying around the hall, showing off.

'It seems to have his personality, too,' I commented.

'I'm not a show-off, am I?' Blaise, no, what am I thinking, Zabini said to no one in particular. Then he tapped me on the shoulder, and gave me a piece of parchment.

'Read it later,' he said, and drifted away without saying anything.

(Blaise's POV)

As I walked towards my Muggle Studies classroom, suddenly Brown got in front of me, but wouldn't move aside.

'Um… excuse me?' I said.

'Yes?' she said dreamily.

'Can you move aside?'

'Not until you listen to what I have to say,' she replied.

'Okay, then, what is it?'

'Will you go to the ball with me?'

'Um… well…' I have this little trouble with rejecting. 'Sorry, but I'm already planning to ask someone else today… I'm so sorry…'

Lavender Brown's eyes filled with tears, and then she ran off.

'Look, I'm really sorry!' I yelled out to her, even though I had a feeling that she was too horrified to be able to hear me.

I sighed. 'Girls...'

(Hermione's POV)

In Arithmancy, I read Zabini's parchment for the fifth time, which said, 'Hey, Granger, meet me after Arithmancy outside the Muggle Studies classroom, and don't tell anyone.'

She turned the piece of paper around. 'I'm serious! Not even Theo, okay?'

'What is it?' Theodore asked, looking at the piece of parchment.

'Nothing much, just… uh… Arithmancy notes…' Then I folded the parchment, and put it into my pocket.

It seemed that Zabini might have been pulling a prank on me. He wasn't anywhere.

Suddenly, something tapped me on the shoulder.

'Aaaargh!' I screamed, only to find Zabini laughing his head off.

'Zabini, it's NOT funny,' I scoffed.

(Blaise's POV)

'Yeah, but that's only because you're the one who got scared! It's unusual that I'mthe one late...' I replied. 'Anyway, I need to ask you something…'

Be cool, Blaise, it's nothing big…

'Yeah?' she asked.

'I… uh… well…' I stuttered. 'You see… well… and… um… I was… I was wondering…'

Granger just watched, but she looked amused. Was she amused?

'I… well… I've been planning this, because we used to pretend,' I put strong emphasis on the word, 'to go out… so… I thought as a last-time thing… that you… uh…'

I cleared my throat. 'I was wondering whether you'd like… um… me… to take you to the ball.'

There, I finally said it! Good for you, Blaise!

'So… will you...?' I asked timidly.

(Hermione's POV)

Merlin's beard. I got my wish granted too late.

'Well… really, I would, Zabini…' he beamed. 'But… I've already said yes to Ron…'

His grin slipped off his face. 'Oh. Well, it's cool, really. I'll just ask someone else. I mean, I just had the idea and all… but, who cares? It's okay, seriously!'

'Look, Zabini, I'm sorry that–'

'No, no, what are you sorry for? It's no big deal. It would've been nice, though, since we had a matching pair of dress robes, but it's nothing. Honestly, I'm fine with this. Well, bye, Granger.'

Then Zabini walked off just like that.

(Blaise's POV)

I can't believe it. I was even practicing in front of the mirror, only to find out Weasley asked her first. I would've thought I was the first guy to ask anyone, asking this early.

But noooo, she just had to say yes to the idiot. Not my lucky day.

In the common room, I saw Daphne walk past. 'Hey, Daphne!' I called out.

'What is it now?'

'Have you asked anyone, or been asked by anyone to go to the ball?' I asked.

'I was thinking of asking someone, but I found out that he already went with someone else from Ravenclaw… So… no, I'm still free.'

'Then how about giving me a pity date?'

(Nobody's POV)

Lavender gave another wail. 'I can't believe that –hiccup– he was planning to ask someone else! Whoever it was, I'm so gonna kill her!'

Hermione grabbed her shirt collar nervously. 'Eh… of course, Lavender… heh heh…'

'Who am I supposed to go out with now?'

'You went with Seamus last year…'

Lavender wailed again. 'I did ask him as a back-up plan… In case I got –hiccup– rejected! But– but… he's already going with a seventh-year Slytherin girl!'

'Dean?'

'He's already going with someone, too!'

'What? Who?'

'P–Padma Patil!' Lavender said, then sniffed. 'And Parvati got a date, too. She's going with– with Theodore Nott!'

'You mean people are already asking around this early?'

Lavender hiccupped. 'Yeah… people started doing it… like, days ago!'

Hermione was surprised. She thought Ron asked her pretty early.

'I know! I'll ask Ron Weasley! I know for a fact that Harry's taken…' Lavender beamed.

'Um… he's taken too… He asked me to go with him today after Potions…'

Lavender looked at Hermione. Then she gave her loudest wail yet.

'Come on, Lavender, it's not too late! You can ask people from a different year level– different house! The possibility is endless!' Hermione soothed.

Lavender sniffed. 'You're right. A girl like me could get at least one guy from the whole school! Thanks, Hermione!'

Hermione watched Lavender exit the common room, fuming with determination to get a guy just in time for the ball.

Then Hermione went up to the dormitory, and stared at her new, green and silver dress robes.