Disclaimer see fist chapter (we are lazy so we don't type it over and over) Deal with it! You won't gain anything by trying to sue two teenagers, one of whom is soon to be a starving college student.
As the ball approached any conversation you might over hear was about dresses or who was taking whom. And of course our favorite couples were unconcerned now that all of the "problems" were solved; and they were relaxing under the beech tree by the lake.
"Harry do you know who the chaperones for the ball are?" Hermione asked. She was the only one who really ever cared about any thing like that.
"Why would I know or care? They will only stop me from snogging the love of my life," Harry said while sliding even closer to Ginny, which was quite a feat considering they were already alarmingly close.
"Harry I told you not so much charm, I appreciate it but I forgive you for asking the tramp." Ginny had taken to calling Romilda a tramp any opportunity she got.
"Sorry, but you know even if I didn't have to make up for asking said tramp out, I still like to be close to you," Harry said as he leaned over and gave his girlfriend a quick kiss.
"Oye, you two! No PDA!" Ron said. He was still a little disgruntled and agitated that they were still in the suck-your-face-off phase of a relationship.
"Deal with it Ron! We- correction I made it quite clear that we were not going to cut back on snogging to appease your weak stomach. And it's not like we were really going at it!" she said a little too calmly for Ron's liking before muttering, "Like when I caught you and Hermione in the broom cupboard…."
"We have to get ready for the ball, we'll see you guys later," Hermione said as she grabbed Ginny's arm and forcibly led her away from the two boys, her face turning a brilliant shade of magenta as they went.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Harry asked Ron, "So what happened in the broom cupboard?"
"Maybe I'll you on your wedding night. Give you some pointers mate!"
"Please, as if there's anything that I haven't already tried with Ginny. Make-ups make fore great-"
"Harry!"
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry cordially invites you to
The winter formal
Black and White: A fool for love
In the Great Hall
Starting at six o'clock
On the evening of the 24th of December
Dinner and refreshments will be served
This is the invitation that was sent to each individual above fifth year, it was the same one stuck into the mirror of Ginny's vanity set in the sixth year's girls' dormitory. It was 5:30 and the last minute preparations were chaotic in all the girls' dormitories.
Ginny was putting in her dangly diamond earring that she found on sale in the most adorable shop before school had started. She had her dress mostly on, but it still needed to have the strap that went across her back latched on, so she asked Hermione for help.
"Can you help me with this strap I can't get it to hook on." Ginny said frantically she was getting nervous about what Harry's thoughts would be on her choice of attire.
"Ginny the strap is to short it won't fit all the way to the other hook!" Hermione cried.
"Why NOT? Make it longer or do something." She screamed as she tried to turn around and help Hermione "make" the strap fit, only succeeding in smacking Hermione with the long curls hanging out of the elegant knots on the back of her head. "HERMIONE YOU ARE A WITCH! Use magic!"
"Oh yeah I sometimes forget that," she said apologetically, and then fixed it by enlarging the length a little, just enough it was in place.
Ginny's dress was white with one shoulder strap that went up over her left shoulder and came down again by her right shoulder blade. It was princess cut and fitted around the bodice, with rhinestone beading all over. Its satin bottom trailed a little behind her enough to give the impression that it was a wedding dress.
Hermione's was black, strapless with a long slit up the sides to the middle of her thighs. It too had a little bit of rhinestone beading around the top, and the bottom. In short it was a little more revealing than it had been when she had tried it on in the store. (This is because Ginny had done that to the dress after she had bought it. She couldn't wait to see Ron's face) The top was now cut in a much more cleavage showing V than before; and the slit was most definitely higher up than it was before.
"Did you hear that Luna and Neville are going to coordinate their outfits?" Ginny said.
"No I can't say that I have; what are they wearing?" asked Hermione.
"Tweed dress robes. I don't see any conceivable way that she convinced him to wear that to a ball of places! But they are adorable." Ginny said
"Please you are just saying that because you got off easy when Neville asked Luna and left you." Hermione said.
Now in the boys' dorm it was the opposite of what was happening in the girls' dormitory. It was a laid back atmosphere and the boys were all talking about their dates in such a way that if their dates had been there, the boys would not be alive much longer. All except for Harry, mostly because Ron was in there, and he knew better than to talk about girls like that, especially when their older brother is in the same room.
"Hey you guys as much as I love listening to you talk about your dates that way, shouldn't we go to the common room and see if our dates are ready. The ball is about to start any time now." Harry interrupted them. They all agreed to go down stairs and not to talk about what they had been saying in the dorm. Ron of course was wearing new dress robes bought by Fred and George. There were black, and not a bow or ruffle in sight.
As the girls came down the staircase to meet their dates, one by one the boys' jaws dropped.
"Oh-"
"My-"
"Gosh!"
"Harry look at Hermione's, Hermione's," Ron tried to gesticulate where he was talking about but was smartly smacked upside the head by Harry, "OW! What was that for?"
"Don't talk about Hermione that way! She's like my sister, and if you get to talk about her that way then I can say what I think of Ginny's, well her, umm…you know…"Harry finished off lamely.
After each girl came down, they found their dates and wrapped their arms around theirs and walked down to the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was decorated intricately with black and white curtains draping over the walls; black tablecloths with a diamond shaped white one over the black adorning all twenty little tables around the dance floor. On top of each table there was a mirror with a candle sitting in the middle of it giving off reflected light to the occupants of each table. Also on the table was a three page menu where the couples were to order from, with items ranging from a burger and fries to cordon blue with white wine.
"Great! I will finally get to try fire whisky!" Ron said excitedly "No one can stop me now!"
"Ron you are a prefect why do I have to remind you constantly!" Hermione said angrily. "Please let's not argue tonight I really don't want to give everybody a replay of what happened at the Yule ball." Hermione said.
"Harry what are you going to get?" Ginny asked.
"Hmm. . . I think I will have a steak. That sounds good at the moment," Harry said. Ginny who had recently become a vegetarian scowled at Harry, "Darling just because you gave up meat doesn't mean I have to. I support your decision but I don't agree with it, so please let me have my steak." Harry said ending with a puppy face.
"Oh fine as you wish." Ginny said as she ordered the salad.
They ate their dinner with no real disruptions except Ron dropping spaghetti down the front of his dress robes, which was promptly cleaned by Hermione. As they finished off the desserts the music that was quiet before suddenly stopped all together. Then Professor McGonagall stood up.
"Good evening everyone I hope you are having a good time thus far. Let the dancing begin!" she finished.
"May I have this dance madam?" Harry asked Ginny as they got up to walk to the dance floor Ron stood up.
"Would you grant me the honor of letting me have this dance?" Ron asked Hermione in a rather official voice.
"It would be my pleasure." She said, as they strode off to the floor.
As this was happening they didn't notice that some of the chaperones were talking about the four of them.
"Well Remus I win the bet, I said that they would all be together by the time the ball started. And look here they are I win you owe me two slow dances and one fast one, So ha!" Tonks said triumphantly.
"Darling you know I would dance with you any way," he said, "and I said that Harry and Ginny would break up at least once between when they announced the ball and would get back together before the ball so I win and you owe me three slow dances and no fast ones so ha ha!" Remus replied. "Well do you think we should go poke fun at them. Can you change into other people?" he asked.
"Yes, once in fifth year I changed into Professor McGonagall and gave Bill a detention. It was the most hilarious thing" She was then cut off by Remus and then he whispered something in her ear and she laughed so loud that everyone in the vicinity turned to stare.
A/N: we decided that the ball is going to be split into two chapters, as much too much happens at the ball. Oh, if you can tell where one author stops and another starts, you win a prize! (Don't know what but we'll think of something! )
