(VERSION 2) - I just didn't like the way chapter five turned out so I decided to change it a bit more drastically than my last few revisions.

First of all, thank you so much for all your reviews, and just for taking the time to read in general. I always think about them when I write. :)

And here are my responses to the asked questions.

carolquin - I actually posted chapter five, but then deleted it because I felt it needed a few revisions. I did it like three times but I'm finished now. Sorry it took a bit.

Elyse90505 - Just a little while ago EW magazine released three special Harry Potter covers. One each with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. There are avid fans out there who'd probably collect them all. I just got the one with Ron because he's my favorite.

kaypgirl - I hope you like this version better.

Now, on with the story...

Chapter 5

"Harry. Harry!"

Harry Potter grumbled in his sleep and swatted at the hand shaking his arm.

"Come on, get up!" cried the voice, more sternly this time. "We don't have much time."

Harry mumbled incoherently as he fumbled for his glasses on the stand next to his bed. He groaned at the sudden bright light and rubbed his eyes.

"Good, you're awake," replied a familiar voice.

"Hermione?" he croaked, his eyes still half closed.

"You're as hard to wake up as Ron."

Harry squinted, taking a few seconds to adjust to the light. His best mate, Hermione Granger, was standing at the side of his bed looking down at him with pursed lips. She shook her head disapprovingly as she surveyed his worn shirt, shorts, and sleep mussed hair. In contrast, he stared at his friend in her strapless black dress, which tightly clung to her body, revealing her curves. Harry frowned and blinked his eyes. Surely, he was dreaming because this was a nightmare.

"What are you doing here? Where's Ron?" he asked quickly, pulling up the bed cover, his face still frozen in shock.

Hermione gave him a puzzled expression before looking down at herself. She rolled her eyes.

"Boys," she muttered shaking her head again. "I'm going to pick out a suit and tie for you. In the mean time take a shower. Really, Harry, you should tidy up more often, and stop looking at me like that." She went about the room as she talked, picking up dirty clothes on the floor and bed before placing them inside a laundry basket near the door.

Harry gawked at her, completely confused and still not sure if this was real.

"Whaa?.."

"There's no time to explain. Now, go!" she commanded.

Harry got up and ungraciously fumbled to his drawer. Hermione handed him a clean towel and quickly shooed him out the room down the hall. He swiftly turned around, frowning at her when they reached the bathroom.

"Hermione, what's going on?" he asked, scratching his neck. "Is everything alright?"

"I'd rather not say, at least not as this very moment. I'm sorry, Harry," she replied, looking at him pitifully, her mood suddenly sober. "You have to trust me. It's very important, okay?"

Harry hesitated for a moment but then nodded thoughtfully before opening the door.

"Oh, and after you dress apparate to my place," said Hermione, already half way down the hall to his living room. "Don't forget your shoes."

Harry yawned and turned on the water, pausing when he suddenly remembered something important. He opened the bathroom door and frantically called out his friend's name. There was no answer. He wandered around his flat looking for Hermione, but she was gone. Harry cursed silently to himself. In the confusion and grogginess of being rudely awakened he'd completely forgotten to ask her how her conversation with Ginny went.

After a quick shower he dressed in the shirt, suit, and tie the bushy haired brunette had picked out and walked towards the front door, where he found his shoes already neatly placed on the mat. Harry smiled despite himself, not at all shocked. This was Hermione after all.

When he arrived he bumped into Ron, who had just marched into the living room grumbling to himself.

"Completely mental…Harry!" the red head exclaimed at the sight of his best mate, "It's about time you got here. Hermione's driving me up the wall."

His demeanor quickly changed and he looked at the auror somberly. "How're you doing? Feeling alright?"

"Uh, yeah, sure.." Harry trailed off, not really paying attention. He stepped back, staring at Ron, who was donned in a dark blue suit.

"What's going on?" he asked, shocked to see his normally casual friend dressed up in formal attire.

Ron snorted and rolled his eyes. "Hermione's fixing her hair. I told her it was fine and that it was no big deal, which of course made her go insanely mad and she kicked me out of my own room," ranted Ron. He shrugged. "But then she hasn't gone completely mental like Ginny, so I guess I should count my blessings."

"What?" Harry interrupted abruptly, alert and his expression suddenly serious. After the mess he caused he'd been wondering how much time he should give Ginny before trying to talk to her again. Exhausted and emotionally drained he had fallen asleep only an hour after Ron left. Harry mentally slapped himself. He was so preoccupied with his own needs that he didn't think properly about hers. Ginny was strong and capable inside and out, he knew that, but to hear her own brother describe her as having gone 'completely mental' considering everything that happened today was too much to handle. "Is she alright?" he demanded.

The red head furrowed his brows in confusion, but his eyes quickly widened when realization and surprise hit.

"Hermione didn't tell you?"

"No," Harry responded, his frustration growing from a combination of the day's events and lack of sleep. "Did she do something? And why are we dressed up?"

Ron frowned, as if he was deciding whether to tell his best mate what exactly was going on, or more correctly, what exactly was going to happen tonight.

"She's fine, Harry," he finally said at the exasperated look on his friend's face, "and we're going to Parisienne tonight. You know, that fancy new French restaurant in Hogsmeade. Hence the…" Ron gestured with his hand at the two of them.

Harry narrowed his eyes skeptically. What did that have to do with Ginny?

"Why?" he drawled.

The red head stumbled as he tried to further explain, pausing a few times, his most articulate words being 'uh', 'erm', and 'well'.

"Ron!" called Hermione from the bedroom. "Did you put on your tie?"

The young keeper turned around towards the hallway, seemingly relieved at the interruption.

"No, not yet, honey. Just give me a minute." he answered back.

"Ronald Weasley, do you realize how important….," demanded an irrated Hermione as she appeared in the living room, hands on her hips in an authoritative manner. When she noticed Harry she cried out his name excitedly and quickly rushed over, hugging and then holding him out at arms length to examine him. Hermione looked him up and down and the young auror frowned confusedly under her intense review. She smoothed out his hair as best as she could before finally nodding her head in approval

"Better," she said. "So far so good, but we only have about fifteen minutes left till it starts so we're in a rush. Ron, hurry and put on your tie."

"Hermione, it's bad enough I have to wear this," replied the Quidditch keeper, tugging at his suit jacket. "I'm not putting on a bloody tie."

"Wait, what?" Harry asked, interrupting the impending row, his mouth hanging open in shock. "Fifteen minutes till what starts?"

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other, then back to their friend, before looking away quickly. The red head cleared his throat.

"I'll just leave you two alone then," he said as he swiftly breezed past them towards the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Hermione called out in disbelief.

Ron glanced back his shoulder. "I'm gonna go put on my tie. It's in the bedroom so..." he trailed off before disappearing from sight.

"Coward," the brunette muttered under her breath. She bit her lip, ignoring her friend when he stepped towards her.

Harry forced a smile. He knew the news was bad, but he still just had to know. This was Ginny after all. His ex but also the love of his life.

Harry had only been to Parisienne twice but both visits left a big impression on him. It was large, grandiose, high class, and only the rich dined there, with reservations of course. He had been forced to go the first time with Ron and Hermione in celebration of the dark lord's defeat at a private party hosted by the top Ministry officials. Unfortunately, he had to return a short while later for a very public Daily Prophet press conference. The food was great, but his memories of the place were less than pleasant. The young auror frowned. His best mates and even Ginny knew how much he disliked the restaurant. It didn't make any sense that they were all going there. Or were they?

Harry glanced at Hermione, who was patting her tight bun of hair, making sure it was secure. A few curly tendrils hung loosely down the sides of her face, which bore a serious, determined, yet uneasy expression.

"Is Ginny going to be there?" he asked cautiosly.

Hermione stayed silent, not facing him. Harry grew more alarmed at each passing second.

"Please, you have to tell me what's going on."

The brunette shook her head and sniffed. The young auror pursed his lips in thought, deciding to change tactics.

"Did you make reservations?" he asked gently. "I mean, where are we gonna eat? Outside on the front steps?" he joked.

Hermione turned her head and Harry saw her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. She made a clumsy effort to wipe them away before embracing him in a tight hug.

"Okay, I'm ready," announced Ron as he walked back in. "Bloody hell, I hate this thing," he commented as he made a few final adjustments to the necktie. He paused when he saw his girlfriend and best mate together in the middle of the room holding each other. He frowned when he heard a loud sniff and immediately went up to Hermione, resting a hand on the small of her back. She gave a loud sob and let go of Harry before grabbing onto the tall red head.

"It's alright," Ron whispered gently.

"Sorry, I didn't tell him yet," Hermione mumbled, barely coherent as she sank further into his warm hold.

"Don't worry, I'll do it," replied the young Quidditch keeper. "Go and wash up. We'll wait for you."

Hermione nodded her head and gave Harry a weak smile before she left.

Ron sighed and scratched his head.

"Look, Harry," he started, "I hate leaving you in the dark like this, we both do, but you have to understand it's just really hard for us to tell you. I told Hermione what you said earlier, about..." Ron scrunched up his face, "how you're in love with Ginny. I meant it when I said you two are perfect for each other, and that's why I don't want you to be...uh...discouraged with what I have to say, okay?"

Harry nodded silently and Ron let out a deep breath.

"Ginny's on a date."

A/N: The beginning part is still the same, but the middle and ending have been revamped. I think the dialogue flows better in this one than the other. For people who have just read this chapter five and not the first one just ignore this a/n.

And yes I know, poor Harry, but keep in mind this is fluff and for the good of the story, so please bear with me.

BTW, I mentioned this in my last a/n, but for anyone who hasn't seen the international trailer for OOTP, it's online now and also available for download. Watch it, it's good. And yes, it looks like Ron doesn't have to make those stupid looking faces anymore...hope it stays that way.