A/N: Sorry I took so long to write the next installment of this story, I've been busy with the start of school and everything much like many of you, I'm sure.
It was the next day and while having dinner Hermione told Ginny about what Ron had done when the latter was on her date with Harry.
"Well, you do know what's next don't you?" Ginny asked excitedly.
"No, what?" Hermione said, forgetting one of the most important things a girl must take to any kind of party.
"Your gown!" Ginny said, jumping up and down, she couldn't contain herself.
"Of course! But isn't it a little late to go gown hunting?" Hermione said looking out the window at the night sky and the bright lights of London.
"First thing tomorrow, we'll go alright?" Ginny said, forgetting one thing.
"But Ron and I took yesterday off, remember? We need to go to work, or at least I do." She said, thinking that Ron was the kind of person that if he had the chance he wouldn't go back to work.
"Oh, right I forgot. How long is your lunch?" Ginny said, smiling again.
"Two hours. Why?" Hermione asked her, not knowing what to expect.
"Mine too!" She said, hopping from joy. "Well, we can take our lunch simultaneously and we can go dress-shopping or at least have a look 'round. What do you say?"
"Perfect! Is Harry going to the ball too?" Hermione asked thinking of Harry and Ginny.
"Of course, and yours truly is his date… naturally." Ginny proudly stated.
"Well, we can look for your gown too, right?" Hermione thought that if not it would be unfair for Ginny.
"Uh-huh. What color are you thinking of?" Ginny said, changing the subject once again. She was too excited to think straight.
"I was thinking blue or purple in different hues…" Hermione said bashfully.
"Well, I was thinking like grey or even pewter." Ginny said happily. "Hermione, are you nervous?" She asked quizzically.
"Kind of. I mean this is the first time that Ron and I go to a ball together. I don't want to screw it up, and then there's Lavender. Did I tell you that she came today?"
"What?! Are you serious?!" Ginny exclaimed incredulously.
"Yeah, she wanted to have a little talk about Ron. We saw her yesterday when he took me to a club." Hermione said, telling Ginny for the fist time what had happened in the last twenty-four hours.
"And you didn't tell me this before?!" Ginny said, somewhat hurt.
"Ginny, I'm sorry it's just that I didn't feel like talking about it, and you were fast asleep. When I woke up this morning you were already gone." Hermione tried to explain.
"Um. It's called 'lunch'." Ginny said, icily.
"Ginny please! This is no time to argue." Hermione said exasperated. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I'm sorry!"
Ginny looked mad, but slowly the ice melted. "Fine I'll forgive you if you promise never to hold stuff like this from me again."
"I promise." Hermione said, relieved that that was over. "So are we going shopping tomorrow or no?"
"Yeah, ok. But remember, anything having to do with that bitch trying to bug you tell me," she said, her index finger in Hermione's face, "'cuz I'll kill her ass, you got me?" Ginny said, trying to sound grave.
"Yes Mum." Hermione said amused.
"Ok then, let me tell you about something that you might want to know for the ball." Ginny said coming closer as if to tell her a secret even though they were alone in their flat. "You have your wand, flick it then while pointing it to your naval say: munimentum parvulus and presto, everything's perfect!" Ginny said, unashamed.
"Ginny did you just tell me how to-" Hermione said shocked.
"Yup, you never know what will happen. I mean think about it," She said starting to count with her fingers, "it's a ball. There is alcohol. Ron likes alcohol. You don't drink as much as him but when you get into it, especially with Ron, you drink more than the sober Hermione would be happy with." Hermione clicked her tongue at his, "don't deny it, and finally, there's dancing and more drinking and well, nobody is going to really know cuz it's going to be dark and lots and lots of hormones will be raging." Ginny said, smiling.
"Ginny it's not the Yule Ball; it's the Minister's Ball!" Hermione said, feeling the need to point this out.
"You really think that all the old people are going to stay the whole night? Mum and Dad are only going to the ball for an hour. You know be seen and run for it?" Ginny said confidently.
"Wait, your parents are going?" Hermione asked, she felt a cold bucket fall on her.
"Yes, of course. After all the Minister's Ball is for all of the Ministry's employees to have fun and not talk about work for a change when they see each other." Ginny said, as it was the most obvious thing in the world. "But don't worry Dad and Mum are going at the first hour. We'll jut wait until we know they're gone and that way we won't feel like they're watching us." She said as if she had thought about this before.
"You planned this out didn't you?" Hermione said, laughing
"Of course!" Ginny said, smiling. There was a knock at the door; Ginny went to open the door.
"Harry!" Ginny flung herself at him, forgetting Hermione. The couple shared a long kiss until,
"Ahem." Hermione cleared her throat as if she was Mrs. Weasley. Ginny separated herself from Harry and while still her arms around him she looked at Hermione embarrassed. "Sorry." She whispered.
"It's ok; just give me time to leave the room. I need to get back to work, nice seeing you again Harry."
"You too, by the way," he added coyly, "you look better than ever, is it because of a certain someone?"
Hermione blushed and hastily retreated to her room without responding.
"Looks like your plan worked." Ginny said, looking at the newly opened and closed door.
"Of course, they practically give me the answers if this were a test." Harry said, looking back at Ginny and kissing her. She obliged... of course.