Disclaimer: Oh dear God. How many times do I have to say that I do not own Harry Potter? Gosh!

Chapter 11: The Impression

Ron was walking on sunshine (appropriate song, 'Walking on Sunshine' by Katrina and the Waves; love the song, as you can clearly tell, reader). He and Hermione would be going out today, the Saturday Hogsmeade trip. Ron was very excited.

Harry was happy for Ron and Hermione. He was also a little frightened; what would happen if they started arguing? But hey, they were okay right now.

Ginny thought it extremely amusing that Ron and Hermione were now planning to go out. Unlikely couple. My swearing, obnoxious, possessive brother is going with the sophisticated brains of Hogwarts. How hilarious is that?

As much as Hermione did not want to admit it, she was extremely excited to go out with Ron. She was floating on air. She really felt as if she could just fly out the window. Yes! I've gotten a date! What should I wear?

Hermione's forte was not quite clothes. She dressed well, but very casually. This day was important. This day was the day to make the impression. This needed…

"Ginny? Can you help me?"

Ginny beamed. She wanted this date to be very successful. It would be incredibly sweet and hilarious at the same time. Plus, Hermione was her friend. She would help her.

"Sure, Hermy."

"Stuff it."

"Hmm, testy, testy, are we not? Okay, what do you have?"

Three tee shirts later, Ginny was frowning. "You know what, Hermione? Don't use the tee shirts. They just don't work. Today is the day. The day to make the impression. You get me?"

"Okay fine. What do you think?'

"Get the tank tops. Those will probably work better."

Hermione came out from behind her bed a couple minutes later. She wore a hot pink tank top that was much too low and had skinny little spaghetti straps. When she emerged, Ginny gasped and jumped about a foot into the air.

"Good God, Hermione, you'll scare him! Ron isn't ready for that! His mental capacity just can't take it! Gosh! Even I can't take it. And… that is definitely NOT the impression! As a matter of fact, it's entirely the wrong impression! Now go put on something decent!"

Hermione flushed and came back a moment later with a white top with much thicker straps and was higher in the neck. Yay modesty.

Ginny nodded her approval. "Better, better. Hang on a minute. I want to try something." She riffled through Hermione's trunk and found a grey V-neck sweater. "Try that."

With a simple, casual pair of jeans and the more elegant top, Hermione looked gorgeous.

Ginny was proud. "Excellent. That is the impression."

Ron was nervous. He was babbling away to Harry, saying stuff that he stored at the back of his mind, in general, and stuff that Harry really shouldn't have been hearing. You'll see what I mean in a moment. It was a good thing that Harry was Ron's best friend, because anyone else would have been much less tactful than Harry and started laughing. And Harry would surely not repeat what Ron was spouting out.

Still, Harry was looking thoroughly constipated from suppressing his laughter. He near wet himself as Ron gabbled away.

"Oh God, what did I ask her out for? She'll start discussing grades…and don't we look kind of weird together? I mean, she's much shorter than I am, and I am really tall…what'll Lavender say? What'll I do during the catfight? Will Lavender snog me randomly to drive Hermione away? But I don't like Lavender…Hermione's cooler—and I really like Hermione; I never really liked Lavender…I was only with her to get Hermione's attention…she's not here, listening, is she?" Ron looked around wildly.

"No. Don't worry."

"How can I not worry? My first date with someone I really like! This is scary…hold me!" He grabbed the back of Harry's robes.

Harry grabbed them back. "Ron, mate, I understand your nervous state, but really, the little kid thing has got to stop."

Ron controlled himself a little. "Sorry Harry. But I'm scared! What if Lavender DOES snog me? Oh no! What if Hermione snogs me! Ah! Does she expect me to snog her on the first date? Harry! How do you snog!"

Harry snorted "Ron, you have had MUCH more experience than me; don't even ask. Remember Lavender?"

"But seriously! And what if she doesn't like the date! She'll never speak to me again! What if we do keep going out, though? Will I get sick of her? And what if I propose to her? Will she accept? But we look way too different, and the kids, what'll they look like? Will they have red bushy hair? Or will they have straight brown hair? And will they be tall…or short, and intelligent…or into Quidditch? Will they swear a lot? Will they…?"

Harry never heard the rest. He'd excused himself and laughed hysterically in the bathroom for a full ten minutes.

Hermione soon came down from the girls' dormitories. Harry saw her first. He smiled. "Hey Ginny. Hermione, you look awesome."

"Thanks…where's Ron?"

Harry laughed. "Trying to make himself look really good for the first date. Don't worry. He said he'd be out in about ten minutes."

Ginny piped up. "Is he okay?"

Harry wondered how to answer this one. "Put it this way…he's a little nervous."

Ron came downstairs about five minutes after that. Ginny, Harry, and Hermione gasped in surprise.

Ron's clothes were interesting. He was wearing a maroon sweater (obviously knitted by his mother), jeans (that had previously belonged to Fred and were, therefore, too short), cowboy boots (okay), and was carrying a card that seemed to say, "Happy Birthday" (very strange). But most odd was Ron's hair.

It seemed as though every hair care product on the face of the planet had been applied to Ron's hair. It had been so slicked, gelled, watered, combed, you name it, that it seemed completely solid. It was also waved, which scared Ginny very badly. She fainted from the smell of all his interesting hair care products (which did smell very, very awful).

Ron looked concernedly at his sister. Harry shoved both Ron and Hermione out the portrait hole. "She'll be fine. Have fun." As soon as they left, Harry laughed hysterically for another ten minutes, thus waking Ginny, who found it odd that Harry was slumped over a chair, cackling loudly.

A/N: I am sorry about the fact that this totally does not sound British, but I have only been to England for one week! Gosh, people, give me a break! I can't help it! Anyway, read the next chapter. It's interesting, so to speak.