Masquerade Ball
Hermione went down the stairwell with Estella, Angie, Alicia, Katie, Lavender and Parvati; all of them were ready to meet their dates for the ball. Hermione had been really annoyed when Ginny insisted that she and Luna help her and Estella get ready for the masquerade in the Room of Requirement. She remembered that conversation clearly.
"... Estella is our friend and since the fight with George, she's been all weird like last year. Plus, she doesn't have Mel to help her get ready, and she can't come to Gryffindor. Come on, I know you always put your friends first, even dimwits like my brother," said Ginny.
"That room is for YPS secret business."
"This is secret business... The secret business of making you so pretty my brother will get a clue! And we'll also get Estella to be irresistible, so George fixes whatever issue they have."
"She won't come if you say that."
"She's coming and I didn't say a thing."
Hermione gave Ginny a confused and concerned look. "What did you do?"
"Nothing. I just asked Draco to talk to her. That boy has a gift when it comes to "persuading" people to do as he wants... must be a Slytherin thing. Anyway she's coming."
"How did you get Draco... never mind, I don't think I want to know."
"I just talked to him. I'm allowed to get help from my YPS branch leader, right?"
"Is help all you got from him?"
"Yeah, unfortunately..."
"Ginny! Michael is..."
"...my so-called boyfriend who has been acting like an arse for ages."
"What?"
"He's a sore loser! My job is to catch the snitch whether I'm playing against Ravenclaw or any other team! If he's going to sulk about it, then he should find a different witch."
"Did you two brake up?"
"I don't know," said Ginny sounding a little sad.
"Why didn't you tell me? The match against Ravenclaw was days ago."
"You've been busy saying yes to your own Ravenclaw, working with Ella and Draco on those memories and consorting with the enemy even after he called you a troll."
"Gin! He's one of my best friends!"
"Right... like Harry," said Ginny in a sarcastic tone that expressed how clear it was that Hermione felt very differently towards Ron.
"Shut it!"
Ginny's frown over Michael was replaced with a teasing smile.
"Michael and I are not the issue, so stop dodging. Are you going to let us get you and Estella ready? Come on. Just this once, let's use the Room of Requirement for fun."
"The Room of Requirement is not for fun - it's for requirements!"
"Hermione!"
"What?"
"I admit that it was kind of worse how sweet and all over each other Estella and George were before the fight, but I rather have that than this. I can't stand to see one of the twins sulking; it's unnatural. Even I can tell them apart right now. That is just wrong! Come on, for me, my brother and Estella."
"Fine but you owe me! And this won't happen again. I'll agree to use the Room of Requirement to get ready for the ball thisyear and that's all."
"Yes!"
The worst part came right then as Lavender, who overheard them, shrieked in delight. She quickly invited herself and any other Gryffindor female who was in the YPS. Thank goodness she had only heard the part about helping Ella and George and using the Room of Requirement to get ready.
Well that was that and Hermione was by now ready to meet her date, get to the ball and have it over with. She had been in the Room of Requirement for ages and put up with girlish fussing coming from all directions. If anyone touched her hair or put make-up on her one more time tonight, she would hex them!
'At least I don't look at all like a troll,' she thought as she and the rest of the girls descended.
Once they reached the ground floor, Lavender and Parvati went into the Great Hall to meet Seamus and Dean. The rest of the girls had to go to a small antechamber to wait for the special entrance of the seventh years and their dates.
Ron stood in the great hall with Harry, Hannah and Susan. His date, Susan Bones, looked quite beautiful in her fairy costume, but his attention was just not on her. In fact, his main focus was finding Hermione. He had looked around the entire room and there was no sign of her. It was maddening!
"Attention!" called the headmaster using a Sonorus charm that was so loud it got all students to look directly at him.
"It is tradition to take time during our annual masquerade to honour the seventh year students who are on the path to graduation. Tonight they will not only open the ball but also get our praise for their achievements over the past six years. We encourage them to give their best in their final months at Hogwarts and in their N.E.W.T's. Now, it is my pleasure to introduce our future 1996 graduates!"
The entire hall applauded and the seventh years walked in through the main doors with their dates. There she was! She was a mermaid in blue and white dress robes, which were a bit tight, but brilliant! She had a seashell holding back some of her hair. Her hair! It was sleek and shiny and she looked even more beautiful than she did daily. The only awful thing about her was the tosser whose arm she held. Thaddeus Boot, Terry's older brother, was her date. The tall seventh year Ravenclaw brandished ridiculously perfect brown hair held back in a stupid ponytail that girls loved. He was in her YPS group and now bowed before her and took her hand.
Ron's jaw clenched as he watched Hermione also bow before beginning to dance with the older boy. His jealousy completely took over his mind. 'Bloody Boot! Who the hell does he think he is twirling her like that! He doesn't even know her! Does he know how to help when she's sad over her parents? Or that she spends so much time on the YPS because she doesn't want anyone else to lose their families like she did? NO! He doesn't know she worries about everyone and everything! That no one is better at helping me or Harry and always doing the right thing! That she likes her tea with two sugars and no milk and that the library is actually not her favourite place in the world! Dammit! He's so much older! What if he tries to snog her? What if she likes it? SHIT! What if he tries more... if he touches her… no way! She wouldn't let him, would she?'
"Hermione looks beautiful. Why didn't you tell us she was coming with Thaddeus Boot?" asked Hannah looking at Harry and Ron. Harry shrugged and Ron simply stood quietly and stewed in his anger.
Susan giggled and then said, "She definitely knows how to pick them. He's..."
"An absolute dream," finished Hannah.
"What are we? Nightmares!" said Ron, finally unleashing his rage on these girls who had not really done anything to put him in this state.
"No. Let's dance," said Susan taking hold of one of his hands and dragging him to join the seventh years and their dates on the dance floor. Hannah also dragged Harry and the girls definitely led them as they tried to slowly sway to the music.
After a bit of dancing, everyone settled for dinner in the seats of the beautiful round tables that were arranged for the special night. The atmosphere was warm and cosy. Candles lit the Great Hall and the ceiling brandished a perfect starry night. Accents of orange and black made the white tablecloths quite interesting while still looking elegant.
Hermione brought Thaddeus to the table where Ron and Harry were with their dates and she sat right in the empty chair next to Ron. They were also joined by Neville and Padma Patil. Hermione moved a bit to look at Susan Bones. To her displeasure, Susan looked really beautiful; her purple fairy costume definitely suited her. Then Susan looked even prettier as she giggled when Ron got turned into a large red bunny. Bunny biscuits had apparently been concealed among the Halloween candy that was at the centre of everyone's tables and bunnies sprouted everywhere. Hermione turned to the table next to them and noticed Fred and Angelina laughing hysterically.
'Better not eat anything but the dinner that appears directly from the kitchen,' she thought.
She looked at that table more and noticed George and Estella also laughing but definitely not wholeheartedly. Next to Estella sat Draco, with a surly looking Pansy Parkinson at his side.
Dinner arrived and they finished that amiably enough. Thaddeus talked to her about all sorts of spells and then the latest win of the Pride of Portree against the Chudley Cannons. "Put the Prides at the top of the league!" he said excitedly.
She overheard Ron murmur, "That's because their owner overpays and steals the best players from other teams, you git."
"Ronald," scolded Hermione moving closer to him so that others would not hear.
"What?"
"I would appreciate if you acted like a civilized person with Thaddeus."
"Thaddeus? He hasn't asked you to call him Taddy yet?"
At this point, the lights in the hall dimmed and music began to play. Within seconds Estella Swanson was grabbing each of their arms and pulling them out of their chairs.
"Dance!" ordered Estella.
"What are you doing?" said Hermione as Estella pulled her and Ron to the dance floor.
"I'm having issues with George and if I have to keep sensing all the feelings between you two on top of that I'll go mad," she whispered to Hermione's ear.
"Dance and get it over with!" she ordered leaving Hermione and Ron standing awkwardly by the dance floor.
They never danced. Instead Hermione looked at Ron with annoyance and walked away. Ron walked fast after her.
"Where are you going?" asked Ron as he followed Hermione.
"I don't know, but it's none of your business!"
"Well. Of course it's not! That would be Taddy's business."
"No, it wouldn't! And stop calling him that! What is wrong with you?" she yelled opening the door to the Transfiguration classroom.
"With me? Nothing! I'm not the one that wouldn't even dance with her friend because she wants to strut around with a posh and older bloke."
"What?" said Hermione as Ron slammed closed the door to the classroom they had just entered.
"You heard me."
"You don't get it!"
"Oh, I get it! I'm sorry I bothered asking you to the ball! Why would you want to be seen with me when you can have Taddy Boot twirling you around and making other girls envious! That's what you want isn't it? A seventh-year who's going to make you the centre of attention!"
"That's what you think?"
"Yeah, that's what I think!"
"Ginny is right! You are daft!"
"What!" answered Ron feeling angrier than ever.
Suddenly the walls of the classroom began to tremble. A few of the items that Professor McGonagall had on shelves for students to practice fell. Ron pulled Hermione to him. They kneeled and covered their heads with their arms though the shaking was mild.
Then it just stopped.
"Are you alright?" asked Ron.
"Yeah, what was that?" asked Hermione.
"Dunno. Come on," said Ron helping Hermione stand.
"Thanks."
Hermione quickly levitated the items that had fallen and put them back in the shelves. Nothing was broken, but she still wondered what had happened.
"Maybe the castle just changed something. I read in Hogwarts a History that sometimes new rooms are created or existing rooms are modified. It's like the castle does its own remodelling," said Hermione.
"Makes sense," answered Ron.
Then they faced each other and fell into an awkward silence.
"Umm… Ron,"
"Yeah…"
"Did it ever occur to you that I didn't come with Thaddeus because everyone thinks he's nice and handsome... that maybe there were other reasons."
"What reasons?"
"Well... I chose to come with him because he asked me very nicely. He didn't call me a troll or a know-it-all or whatever other awful thing you think I am. I just..."
"Hermione, I never meant..."
"No, let me finish, please."
He thought about the advice from the book for a second, 'Listen. That is the best way to understand a witch; just try to listen.'
"Alright," Ron said.
"Ron, I needed to have someone around that would be nice to me, because he wanted to have me with him, not because I'm the easiest or closest girl to ask or because he feels sorry for me."
"Hermione, I don't..."
"No Ron. I've been thinking a lot lately about last year and how you helped me after mum and dad died. Even the year before when we became friends, it was always you helping me. All those times, when I was in danger, you protected me. When I was sad, you were there all because you felt sorry for me. I also think the amulets make you feel like you owe me, but you don't. You don't have to pity me Ron. I can take care of myself, and find a date, and make my own life work."
They were silent after she said that. Ron could not believe that was what she thought.
He then recalled some more advice from the book. 'If she misunderstands something about you then explain it. Tell her how you feel. Be honest and make sure she understands. Even if she still doesn't want to get with you or forgive you, if she's worth it, she'll be kind.'
"Can I talk now?" he asked.
"Yeah..."
"I didn't ask you to the ball because I felt sorry for you. I mean... I am sorry your parents died, but that's not why I asked."
"Why did you ask?"
"Because… because you're beautiful, and smart, and brave, and the most wonderful witch I'll ever meet," he said so fast that it left him breathless.
She looked at him and her eyes seemed to be sparkling in a way he had never seen before. Then without any warning he felt her lips against his. Those lips were warm, soft and moist. Feeling them slowly caressing his own lips was the most wonderful thing in the world... even better than eating chocolate frogs or winning a Quidditch match.
Hermione could have sworn she had a million butterflies tickling the pit of her stomach. It got even stronger when Ron's hands moved to her waist and he embraced her fully. Her entire body was practically on fire. Her heart was beating so fast that it was a miracle it stayed inside her chest.
They parted their lips shyly at first, but within seconds instinct got them to inexpertly insert their tongues in each other's mouths. Ron pulled her even closer and held onto her waist for dear life. Hermione's arms moved to his shoulders and she kissed him fiercely, like he was the source of all the good in the world.
In the midst of their kiss, Ron managed to mutter, "I love you."
Hermione put a bit of distance between them and for a second he worried that he might have stuck his foot in his mouth again. But her smile and the look of sheer joy in her eyes clearly denied that idea.
"I love you too," she said and then hugged him tightly.
He was so happy... happier than he could remember being in a long time. He lifted her and twirled her and could hear her giggling softly, in pure mirth. After a few seconds, he put her back on the ground and they just stood staring at each other joyfully.
"Why did you call me a troll?" she suddenly asked.
He paled and looked scared as he swallowed hard.
"You don't have to tell me. It's alright Ron."
"Oh... no, Hermione... I'll tell you…"
"Okay."
"Well… I was nervous… And I saw George asking Estella to the ball. He said some stupid thing about wanting to go with her even if she was a troll. Then I went to ask you and I was even more nervous… and it all went bloody wrong!" he admitted.
"That was it? You were just nervous?"
He nodded and suddenly her lips were on his again. She kissed him with such excitement that his body reacted. He knew that even though he was wearing an armour because he was supposed to be a knight, he still needed to put some distance before she felt it. But everything was so bloody amazing, he didn't know how he could part from her when she was all he wanted.
For the first time in his life, Ron was thoroughly snogging a girl, and not just any girl, he was snogging Hermione. They kissed for what felt like forever and when one would put distance between them; the other would pull close again and resume kissing.
All in all, they were in there, just snogging, for a good fifteen minutes, until they heard a voice calling them by their last names. Then they noticed the silver falcon in the room.
"McDavol is here. Come to the dungeons," said the falcon clearly in Malfoy's voice.
Ron and Hermione quickly straightened their costumes and headed to the area.
I know it was a shorter than usual chapter, but I think I got all I wanted across. It took a lot to keep it concise I swear it was like 5,000 words of plain drabbling for the longest time. This was definitely one of the hardest chapters I had to write so far and I re-read the chapters of the ball in GOF and watched the GOF movie again to get inspiration, so I hope you liked it. Also, you can visit my profile and see a picture of Hermione in her costume.
Next Chapter: Second Viewing of the Memories