1997.10.20

Entry 9

Harry and I are planning a masquerade ball. I don't know why but we are. Well, I know sort of why. Ron planted the idea, I believe. He wants to take Susan, actually he's already asked and she accepted so he is taking her, but he wanted to take Susan to a ball so he said something to Harry. And Harry, being the gullible git he is, agreed. I think he wants to take Ginny. Well, he wanted to take Ginny but she'd already been asked. So guess who he asked.

: A knock thundered through the room and Hermione wished for a doorbell as she walked over to the panel. She slid it open to reveal Harry looking a little apprehensive.

"Oy, Hermione," he said walking into the room. He held in his hand another piece of parchment. He walked over to the couch, Hermione trailing close behind, and the two sat down, their bodies pushed close together.

He handed her the note and watched her intently as she read it.

Hullo Lils!

Potter.

Don't forget about me!

Yes, can't forget Padfoot, can we?

No, never. What do you want this time?

Well, my sarcastic Lily-flower, would you care to spend this Hogsmeade visit with the one and only James Potter?

I'm glad there is only one, and no.

Not one date? What if I'm the love of your life and you never give me a chance?

I DOUBT that, and I'll live.

One date and I'll stop bothering you if you don't enjoy yourself.

For how long?

I suppose the date would last a few hours.

No, how long will you leave me alone?

Forever.

Alright then.

Is that a yes?

Yes.

Smashing.

What's Black doing?

That's his happy-dance!

Has he lost the plot?

No, he's just happy for us. He also needs a date, the girls love that.

He's dancing around a chair.

Well, yes.

He's gone mad. How does that attract girls?

I don't know, but they like it.

No they don't, girls aren't that thick.

I wouldn't say that, especially since your best friend went up to the Astronomy tower with him last Saturday.

She did not.

Did too.

Did not.

Ask her.

She was tutoring him.

I suppose that's how she got the large purple mark on her neck as well?

She wasn't attracted by some stupid "happy-dance".

He did it in Divination a day before their date.

Did not.

Ask her.

James Potter, you and your big headed friend need to spend some time associating with sane people.

I'm associating with you; does that mean you're not sane?

WE ARE NOT ASSOCIATING WITH EACH OTHER.

You're going on a date with me, what do you call that?

Means to an end.

Either way it's still a date.

Is not.

Is too, or the deals off.

Fine, it's a date but I will NOT enjoy it.

Will too.

Will not.

Will too.

Sod off, Potter.

Alright, but I won.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the bickering couple. They'd almost had a civil conversation, it was adorable the way Lily was changing throughout the notes.

Hermione looked up at Harry and handed the parchment back to him.

"Erm, Hermione," Harry said taking a big gulp, causing his Adam's apple to bounce. "I was thinking, would you, would you like, what I mean to say is would you care to join me to the ball?" he spit out.

Hermione was shocked, "You're not asking Ginny?" she blurt out. She wondered why he hadn't asked the girl he liked. Maybe she'd turned him down and she'd just brought up a touchy subject. She wish she'd thought before she spoke.

Harry laughed nervously, which Hermione didn't notice, "She's going with Neville," he said with a smile. Hermione also didn't notice his cheeks turning a soft pink, "So, you don't want to go with me then?" he asked his worry about her saying no escaping her radar.

"I'd love to go with you, Harry," Hermione said with a smile before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. :

He asked me. I wonder if he asked her force or he just never got the chance to ask her. I don't get why he asked me, it isn't as if he couldn't have any girl he wanted. I've seen many girls fawning after him, so why not ask one of them? Maybe he just wanted to go with a friend.

I suppose it will be nice going with Harry as I forgot that I too needed a date. I wasn't even thinking about it, but who does? It worked out for the best then, I'm glad.

He showed me another note from his parents when he asked me. It was beautiful; I think it would've been romantic if Harry had brought it along to sort of set the mood for him asking me to the dance. I suppose he would have done it that way if he'd liked me. I wonder if he would have shown it to Ginny when he asked her, maybe he did.

The note, which was what I was talking about before I distracted myself, was different. They sort of bickered but didn't. They flirted I'd say in an innocent way. But then, I doubt James Potter was ever innocent, nor Sirius black from the things James said.

It did show a different side to Sirius. A happy dance, who'd know that Sirius Black would have something as insanely immature and odd as a happy dance! He's Sirius for Merlin's sake! Sirius, the worst pun ever, doing a happy dance! What had the world come to?

I suppose he was more energetic before Azkaban, but you would never think, after knowing the old Sirius, or should I say new, that he'd be that mad. He was mad, that's all I can think of. He was also definitely a heartthrob, seeing as he gave one of Lily's friends a hickey but was trying to attract more girls.

Maybe Sirius never fell in love; maybe he never got his chance to find someone. Maybe he did in his seventh year, maybe he'd waited to get married, till after James did, and then when Harry was born put it off again until his best friends were killed. Maybe he hadn't, but maybe he had.

I sort of hope he didn't, I hope that someone didn't love him and that he didn't love someone, because if they'd been in love then they'd have been torn apart by a lie. But, she'd have to know. Harry and Ron are best friends, and even if I don't love them romantically, I'd know if they would betray each other. So maybe someone loved him and sent him letters and kept him alive, kept their love alive.

Sometimes I wish I knew everything. No, I always wish I knew everything, but sometimes the reasons are different. Sometimes I want to know just to know, but sometimes I want to know because in my heart, I care. Deep down in my soul, I wonder if Sirius ever knew true love. I don't know why.

I wonder about Harry a lot as well. He's something that stirs questions in my soul, even if I can never get them answered. It seems like Ginny knows the answers, though.

: Hermione sat across from Ginny at a table in the library, both focusing on the work in front of them. Hermione wasn't that focused though, she was thinking of something else, thinking of someone else.

"Ginny," Hermione said looking up at her friend, "have you noticed Harry acting strange lately?" she asked softly, not wanting to disturb the other students who were studying.

Ginny looked up at Hermione, a cheeky smile across her face, "Of course," she said before looking back down at her work.

"Do you, do you know something?" Hermione asked wondering if the girl in front of her knew that Harry liked her. She wondered if Harry had told Ginny of his true feelings.

"Like what?" Ginny asked not looking up.

Hermione drew a few small circles on the edge of her piece of parchment, "Like, why he's been acting so strange." Hermione felt odd asking about Harry, like she was just another girl wanting to hear gossip.

Ginny looked up, holding back laughter, "Hermione, I should think you of all people would know," she said before letting a soft giggle escape. "It's not as if isn't obvious." :

She knew Harry liked her and still she agreed to go to the ball with Neville! I never thought of it that way, and I don't think it was very nice of her. I suppose if she really likes Neville then it makes sense, but she's always fancied Harry. How ironic it seems, Harry finally liking her and Ginny developing feelings for someone else.

But it still wasn't nice of Ginny to do that to Harry, especially if she knows he likes her! Either way, I'm glad to have Harry as a date to the ball.