A/N: Sorry that it has been awhile since I have reposted but I have been truly busy all summer! And now that I have started the school year, I have been busier than ever! Instead of writing stories, I have to write college essays and applications… not fun. Unfortunately, I have also been having a sort of writer's block, for I know what I am going to do later in the story, but getting there seems to be my problem. But don't worry we will get there! So, a little recap: Harry has a plan that no one knows of, and Ron needs one to ask Hermione to Hogsmeade. On with the story!

Wait, I first want to thank my avid readers, reviewers, and people that favorite/alerted the story: you guys are seriously awesome and are the reason why I keep writing!

Disclaimer: View other chapters for one if you are so entitled.

Practice Makes Perfect

Ron walked Hermione to her first class of the day: Ancient Runes. He had a break first period and tried to walk Hermione to her classroom as often as he could. He hoisted her bag further up his shoulder as they took the longest route possible, hoping to spend as much time with each other as they could.

Ron's gaze occasionally dropped to Hermione's swinging hand, longing to hold it within his own. However, he knew that in order to do so, he would have to ask her to go out with him first, and that was no easy task.

They chatted about everything and nothing as they often did when they were alone together. They had learned the most about each other through their long talks on Prefect rounds. Today's topic of discussion revolved around dentistry, her parent's occupation.

"So let me get this straight," Ron stated with obvious disbelief in his eyes, "people go to your parents on a daily basis…to get their teeth cleaned?"

Hermione giggled in amusement, "Among other things, yes, they clean people's teeth."

"Oh," Ron responded, still not understanding why people needed to make an appointment to get their teeth cleaned when they could do it on a daily basis at home.

"Well, actually," Hermione began, and Ron groaned, "their assistants usually clean the customer's teeth."

"Well then what do your parents do?"

"Well, they check for cavities, gingivitis, and they often perform surgeries." Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"Muggles are crazy I swear! I mean, why would anyone want to have their teeth drilled? It doesn't sound like fun to me!" They approached the Ancient Runes classroom and came to a stop.

"Well," Hermione started again as she grabbed for her bag, "most muggles want to have their teeth straight and healthy. So if that means their teeth have to be drilled, then so be it." In order to end the conversation she continued, "I have to get to class, Ronald, but if you wish to continue this conversation later, let me know."

"All right, all right, I get it," Ron flashed her a smile, "you go and learn about crazy symbols and I will go to the common room and beat Harry's arse in wizard's chess."

"They are not crazy symbols," Hermione cried indigently, "it's an important and fascinating subject and-" Ron interrupted her rant by pushing her forward into the room. He could hear a slight "humph" from her and let out a chuckle as he turned around to head back to the common room.

He didn't want to get in a fight with her over this, but sometimes he just loved to rile her up. She always looked extraordinarily sexy when she was in "battle mode."

Ron hurried to the common room hoping that Harry would like to join him on his mission of procrastinating and putting off their homework until the night before. Sure Hermione would get mad at them, but last night proved that she would help him no matter what now.

Ron finally reached the portrait hole and delivered the new password. He was glad to see that Harry too had only just arrived from dropping Ginny off at her class.

"Did you ask Hermione to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked the moment he saw it was Ron who had entered the common room.

"No, was I supposed to?" Ron answered with another question.

"Yes, you idiot," Harry plopped himself down on the couch grabbing his head and tugging on his hair, "You had her all to yourself as you walked her to her class, no one was going to interrupt you!"

"Bloody hell! I am an idiot!" Ron declared as he collapsed onto the couch next to his best friend. "What am I supposed to do now?" Ron moaned as he mimicked his best friend's pose.

Harry looked up at his friend and stared him straight in the eye, "You ask her out, the next time you see her, before anyone else does."

Ron's eyes narrowed in anger, "Before anyone else? Who else is planning on asking her? I thought we made a pact that no one would ask anyone else's girl out! Is it Seamus? I knew he was staring at her during Charms the other day, that arse-"

Harry cut Ron off, knowing he had to stop Ron before he did something rash. Ron had a crazed glint in his eyes and his fists were clenched to his side. His face was set and looked murderously around the room for that Irish prick. "Ron! Seamus isn't going to ask Hermione out, don't you trust our friends?"

"Of course I trust them, but when it comes to girls you never know what is going through their brains!" Ron forced out between clenched teeth. Then a look of sudden realization swept over Ron, and he suddenly collapsed back onto the couch. He appeared to be worn out from all the anger he had just exhausted. "And why wouldn't anyone else ask her out? I mean, bloody hell Harry, she is so gorgeous, and smart, and nice… any guy would be stupid not to ask her!"

"Like you?" Harry asked, happy to see that his friend had finally calmed down. Ron raised one of his eyebrows in question, a trait that he had picked up from Hermione. "I mean, you almost lost her once, who's to say it can't happen again? You might not be so lucky next time if say, Terry Boot asked her out. McLaggen may have grossed her out, but not all guys here are like him. You need to show the school that you are a Gryffindor and just ask her out already."

Once Harry finished his speech, Ron let out an exaggerated sigh. "Easier said than done, mate. I don't know if you remember, but I never really asked Lavender out, it just sort of…happened. I don't think I can just go up to Hermione and ask her without upchucking everywhere."

"And I don't think that would help your chances!" Harry chuckled, but soon stopped once he saw the pointed look Ron threw his way. "Okay, what you need to do is practice." Harry explained to Ron.

"Practice." Ron repeated the word as if trying it out for the first time, "Practice… asking someone out?" Ron repeated again, hoping that Harry would correct him.

"Of course!" exclaimed Harry, "you have to make sure you get all the words right, you don't want to sound like more of an idiot than you already are!" Harry concluded with a slight smirk on his face.

"So, are you saying that you have personally practiced asking a girl out before?" Ron asked with a tone of disbelief.

"This is not about me," Harry waved his hand away from him, as if pushing the thought aside; "this is about you asking Hermione to Hogsmeade."

"Alright, let's just pretend that I take your advice and… practice. What should I do, stand in front of a mirror saying the same thing over and over again until I get it right?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders in response, "Yeah, you could either do that or practice on me."

"You want me to ask you out?" Ron whispered loudly, "Aren't you, I dunno, dating my sister!"

"That's not what I meant, you idiot!" Ron visibly sighed in relief at Harry's response, "What I meant is that you are going to pretend that I am Hermione, and then ask me, 'Hermione,'" as Harry supplied air quotes with his fingers, bending them up and down, "to go with you to Hogsmeade." Harry finished with his idea, sat back and folded his arms waiting for Ron's reaction.

"Harry," Ron started, "I don't know if you are aware of this, but you look absolutely nothing like Hermione, and there are a ton of people around. I don't want any rumors floating around that I am swinging towards the other side!" To add emphasis Ron looked around at the various people in the common room.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about them; they are too preoccupied with their homework and stuff." Harry claimed. Harry then stood up and tucked his shirt into his pants, fastened his robe, grabbed a random book off the table, placed a brown blanket on top of his head, and proceeded to sit down pretending to be absorbed in the book.

"What the bloody hell are you doing, Harry?" Ron asked with clear disbelief written all over his face. Were they not just talking a minute ago of practicing asking Hermione out? But now Harry decided that he would like to study with a blanket on top his head?

"Honestly, Ronald," Harry answered in a somewhat scary-close impression of Hermione, "I am trying to study! And close your mouth, you look like a fish!" Harry berated, snapping his book shut in exasperation.

Ron's mouth was wide open, and he hastily shut it as he realized what was going on. "That," Ron asked, pointing to Harry's 'hair' and fallen book, "is the best impersonation you can do of Hermione?"

"Are you kidding me!" Harry exclaimed while picking the book up back off the floor, "That sounded just like her! She is always saying 'Honestly, Ronald!' Oh and, Ron, you are already starting off on the wrong foot. If you want her to say yes to your offer, you would probably do best to not start an argument with her, just a suggestion."

Ron sighed for the umpteenth time since he started this conversation with Harry, "Alright, your right let's start over." Harry did as Ron asked and opened his book to a random page, flipping a page every few seconds as if he finished reading.

Ron took a deep breath before he started, "Hermione, I was wondering-"

"One second, Ron, I am in the middle of reading, can't you see?" Harry cut in, his voice a whole two octaves higher than it normally was.

"Okay, I understand," Ron then stood up and ruffled his hair, "I guess I will see you later then." He then gave a short wave and turned his back on Harry.

"Oh no you don't!" Harry grabbed for Ron's wrist and forced him to sit back down on the couch. "Ron, she is always reading! That has never stopped you before from going up to talk or argue with her."

"Yeah," Ron argued back, "but I wasn't asking her out before… this is different! If I stop her from reading, then she will be angry. And if she is angry with me, she will say no!"

"Ron, trust me, she will not remain angry with you if you ask her out." Ron merely rolled his eyes at Harry, making it plain that he did not believe his words. "Okay, so try again, and I am giving you fair warning, I will be reading." Harry then returned to his book and tucked the blanket behind his ear.

Ron counted to three in his head before he tried again, "Hermione, can I interrupt you for a second, I have a question."

Harry gave Ron a slight nod in approval of his manners, "Well, Ron, is it important because I need to have 500 pages read by tomorrow." Harry huffed out.

"Yes, actually, it is kind of important-… it is actually… about books!" Ron practically shouted by the end.

"About…books?" Harry questioned, eyebrows scrunching together in confusion. They were still discussing Hogsmeade… right?

"Yeah, I was wondering if you wanted to get books…in Hogsmeade… with me…?" Ron trailed off, silently praying in his head that he did an alright job.

Harry, however, burst out laughing. Between laughs he choked out, "Get books…with me… in Hogsmeade…" Harry continued laughing and only stopped once Ron punched him in the shoulder.

"What was wrong with that?" Ron cried indigently, "she loves books!"

"I know she loves books," Harry had finally calmed down, but continued to clutch his side, "but that's not how you should ask her out."

"Well how should I ask her out then? All you have been doing is laughing at my attempts and making poor Hermione impersonations, you haven't really been giving advice to me at all!" Ron folded his arms and huffed, his ears turning a slight red in annoyance.

"Okay, I'm sorry, your right. You are thinking too much, just come out and say it!" Harry said simply, but suddenly added, "But don't yell at her like you did to Fleur in fourth year, that was scary."

"Okay, okay, I get your point. Just say it," Ron said to himself as he rolled his shoulders back, "Just say it." He cleared his throat and looked right at Harry imagining that it was Hermione sitting on the couch beside him, "Hermione," Harry nodded and smiled encouraging him on, "will you go with me to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

As Harry screamed a "yes" in response, they were both unaware of the smirking figure that approached the couch behind them.

A/N: Oh no! Who could it be? Sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger, but I felt like it was the right spot to end. I already have ideas for the next chapter, so hopefully the update won't be months after. I have decided to update my profile with either a new chapter or a new story at least once a month. I am a bit of a procrastinator, so hopefully this idea will encourage me to write more. As always I beg you to REVIEW, it simply makes my day!

Hearts,

Twinley

p.s. check out my poll on my profile, it concerns this story, and it would be AWESOME if I got a good response so I know how to continue writing this story.