– Chapter Twenty Three –

The Hard Secret

Romi, Ginny, Luna and Neville were quiet pleased with themselves the next couple of days. It was hard to feel stressed when they had success with another horsemen, classes were going well, no one seemed to be trying to kill Harry lately, and Christmas was approaching.

It was at the Transfiguration the next Monday that everyone was given a startling new task.

Professor McGonagall had just started talking about Christmas approaching and traditions during the Triwizard Tournament when she interrupted herself, her eyes landing at the back of the class.

"Potter! Weasley! Will you pay attention?!" McGonagall barked and Romi glanced behind her and tried to stifle a smile. Harry and Ron had been having a sword fight with two of Fred and George's fake wands. Ron's had burst into a tin parrot and Harry's was now holding a rubber chicken.

"Now that Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age," said Professor McGonagall, bristling slightly. "The Yule Ball is approaching – a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialise with our foreign guests." Romi and Neville shared a glance as every other girl in the room attention heightened. "Now, the ball will be open only to fourth-years and above, although you may invite a younger student if you wish–"

Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle. Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs, her face working furiously as she, too, fought not to giggle. They both looked around at Harry. Professor McGonagall ignored them, and ploughed on with her speech.

"Dress robes will be worn," Professor McGonagall continued, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day finishing at midnight, in the Great Hall. Now then-," Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class. "The Yule Ball is course a chance for all to – er – let our hair down," she said in a disapproving voice.

Lavender giggled harder than ever, with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound. Romi could see why this was funny, Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she had never let her hair down in any sense.

"But that does NOT mean," Professor McGonagall went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."

The bell rang, and there was the usual scuffle of activity as everyone packed their bags and swung them onto their shoulders.

"Wow," Neville said, as they made their way out of the class with Ron and Hermione, Harry had been called over by Professor McGonagall. "This is going to be fun," he said it without any enthusiasm.

"Well, you never know!" Hermione said, grinning broadly. "Who do you think you'll go with, Romi?" she asked.

"Well, whoever they are, I'm sure they'll regret asking me," Romi answered.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione said, "You're pretty and friendly – for the most part."

"Thank you," replied Romi dryly.

"My point is, I'm sure plenty of boys will want to go with you," Hermione said, linking arms with Romi, "Right guys?" she said pointedly to Neville and Ron. Both suddenly looked very awkward and red.

"Right, sure," Ron muttered, looking around the corridor. Romi laughed.

"Don't tease them," Romi said, looking at Hermione, "They will have enough of a time asking a girl as it is."

"Thanks for reminding us," Neville said with a sigh.

"I could ask for you if you like," Romi replied, hooking her other free arm with Neville, dragging him over to her side.

"Now who's teasing them?" Hermione said with a laugh.

"Let's change the subject and go and get dinner," Ron said forcefully.

"Sorry, I have to go to the library, I need a book on Diverticular Disease," Romi said, "Madam Pomfrey wants a report on it by tomorrow."

"What is Diverticular Disease?" Ron asked.

"It creates like a small outpouching on the large intestine wall which is-" Romi started.

"Okay," Hermione interrupted, letting go of Romi's arm, "I really don't want to hear about anything like that before dinner."

"Sorry, well, I'll just go and look up lovely bowel issues by myself," Romi said smiling. "I'll see you guys later!"

Neville opted to go with Hermione and Ron to dinner, so Romi made her way by herself to the library. It was fairly empty when she got there, and she headed towards the medical section of the stacks.

She was in there for barely three minutes when she heard someone else enter the row of books.

"Excuse me," said a thick accent behind her. Romi turned from taking a book off the shelf. Krum was standing behind her, looking rather uncomfortable.

"Hi," Romi said and waited. "What?" she said finally.

"Oh, sorry, I just expected you to say something," Krum answered.

"I did, I said hi," Romi answered, folding her arms around her books. "Do you need help with something?"

"I'm not sure how to ask this," said Krum.

"Just spit it out, I'm not one for beating around the bush," stated Romi.

"I've seen you sit vith a girl sometimes, she has brown hair and–"

"Hermione?" Romi asked.

"Is that her name?" asked Krum.

"Well, my two best female friends are a redhead and a blonde, I'm assuming you don't mean either of them," Romi said, "so the girl that's in my class that I sit with?"

"Yes, she is in your class," Krum said. "Very smart, I believe. She comes in here a lot. Though… she does not always stay vhen I come in."

"It's because of them," Romi said, pointing to the stack two down from them, where there was a gaggle of sixth-year girls who were giggling fiercely with each other. "They get too loud."

Krum glanced over his shoulder, and looked back at Romi.

"Yes, I can't seem to do anything about them," he answered.

"That must suck," replied Romi.

Krum watched her for a moment, and then took a breath. "Do you know if your friend is seeing anyone?"

"Oh," Romi said, slightly surprised. "Uh – not that I know of."

Krum nodded, his eyebrows knitted together slightly as if he was thinking.

"Perhaps you should just ask her," Romi suggested.

Krum smiled slightly, "I'm getting there," he answered. "I vanted to speak to one of her friends first, especially because she always sits vith those two boys."

"Well, I don't think either of those two boys are sensible enough to realise that they are sitting with a pretty girl, so you shouldn't have a problem," Romi replied.

"Thank you," Krum said, he started to turn away, but then stopped. "Ve've met before, haven't ve?"

"Not really," Romi answered. "My father is an Ambassador for England, he was involved with organizing the World Cup."

"Ah, yes, I remember you," Krum said, "you vere in the Top Box at the match."

"Yes, I was," replied Romi. "So was Hermione."

Krum smiled slightly, "Yes, I know."

Romi had watched Hermione closely the next two days and on Wednesday as she came down to lunch she was smiling quite happily to herself. She took a seat beside Romi and Ginny, the boys had already finished eating and left.

"And what are you smiling about?" Romi asked, as Hermione sat down.

"Oh," Hermione said, "Was I smiling… I didn't notice…"

"Oh, come on," Ginny said, leaning around Romi, "You can tell us."

"It's nothing," answered Hermione, going slightly red, "it's just about the Yule Ball and–"

Romi gave a little gasp and grabbed Hermione's arm, grinning, "Did he ask you?"

"What?" Hermione said, looking startled.

"Krum! Did you ask you?" answered Romi.

Hermione looked stunned, "How did you…?"

"He accosted me in the library on Monday asking about you," Romi said, with a wave. "Did you say yes?"

"What did you tell him?" Hermione asked, looking horrified.

"That you weren't seeing anyone to my knowledge, and that he should just ask you to the Yule Ball," Romi said, grinning. "So? Did you say yes?"

Hermione tried to not smile and looked back to her lunch.

"Yes," she said finally, unable to not grin any longer.

Romi laughed, and hugged her around the shoulders.

"Excellent," Romi said, "at least one of us will have a date."

"If you weren't so secret about everything, Romi, you could easily have a date with a certain person," Ginny teased her.

"I can't go with him," Romi answered.

"With who?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Someone she shouldn't be seeing at all," Ginny continued.

"Okay, enough of this conversation," said Romi, pouring herself another glass of pumpkin juice.

"It's a Slytherin right?" Hermione whispered. Romi looked to her startled.

"What?" she said.

"You've been dating a Slytherin," answered Hermione. "I mean, come on, how many nights have you gone to the Slytherin common room? I know at least once you haven't come back to bed at all through the night."

"No!" Ginny said, looking Romi, slightly scandalized, but enjoying herself immensely, "You've spent a night in his bed?!"

"I was NOT in his bed!" Romi answered venomously. "I fell asleep on the couch."

"And was he with you on the couch?" Ginny teased.

"Ginny," Romi said annoyed, "I won't answer that."

"Oh my god, he was on the couch," Hermione said, looking shocked, "how old are you?"

"I'm fourteen and I swear nothing happened," Romi answered. "So stop looking at me like that."

Hermione shook her head, grinning, "Why is it such a secret though?" she asked finally.

"He's in Slytherin," Romi replied.

"Well, it's not like you've had issues pointing out the similarities between Gryffindor and Slytherin before. This would just enhance your point."

Romi didn't answer.

"Is it because Harry and Ron won't like it?" Hermione said with a laugh, and then her smile dropped. "Oh my god," she said again, "you're not… him?"

"I don't know who you're talking about," Romi muttered.

"Yes, you do!" Hermione answered.

"It's okay," Ginny said, "they aren't actually related, Romi's adopted."

"I know that – but still," Hermione said. "Aside from the fact that you grew up with him, he couldn't be more horrible to your friends."

Romi put her elbows against the table and rubbed her fingers against her forehead.

"Can we please stop talking about this," Romi asked. Hermione and Ginny were silent for a moment.

"Are you going to go to the Yule Ball with him?" Hermione asked finally. Romi shook her head.

"If you can't even approve of it, how do you think the rest of the school will?" asked Romi.

Hermione was quiet poking at the meal in front of her.

"I can't say that I agree with your choice," Hermione said slowly, "And I would very much like to hear you say that you were going to date someone else, however, I will not tell anyone if you don't want me too."

Romi sighed, "thank you. Especially don't tell Harry."

"I promise I won't tell, but I will remind you of what a terrible choice that is," Hermione said.

"I think I can handle that," Romi answered.

"And," Hermione asked tentatively, "Would you mind not telling Ron and Harry about Krum?"

"I can definitely handle that," Romi replied.

Ten minutes later Hermione and Romi left Ginny and made their way down to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. Romi stayed with Hermione as she, Harry and Ron went to talk to Hagrid.

There had been nothing in the Daily Prophet about Hagrid, and they questioned him about his interview.

"She didn' seem very int'rested in magical creatures, ter tell yeh the truth," Hagrid said. To their great relief, Hagrid had given up on direct contact with the Skrewts now, and they were merely sheltering behind his cabin today, sitting at a trestle table and preparing a fresh selection of food with which to tempt the Skrewts.

"She jus' wanted me ter talk about you, Harry," Hagrid continued in a low voice. "Well, I told her we'd been friends since I went ter fetch yeh from the Dursleys. 'Never had to tell him off in four years?' she said. 'Never played you up in a lessons, has he?' I told her no, an' she didn' seem happy at all. Yeh'd think she wanted me to say yeh were horrible, Harry."

"Course she did," said Harry, throwing lumps of dragon liver into a large metal bowl. "She can't keep writing about what a tragic little hero I am, it'll get boring."

"She wants a new angle, Hagrid," Romi said grinning. "You were supposed to say Harry's a mad delinquent."

"But he's not!" said Hagrid, looking genuinely shocked.

"She should've interviewed Snape," said Harry grimly. "He'd give her the goods on me any day. Potter has been crossing lines ever since he first arrived at this school…"

"Said that, did he?" said Hagrid while Ron, Romi and Hermione laughed. "Well, yeh might've bent a few rules, Harry, bu' yeh're all righ' really, aren' you?"

"Cheers, Hagrid," Harry said grinning.

"You coming to this ball thing on Christmas Day, Hagrid?" said Ron. Hermione shot a glance at Romi.

"Though' I might look in on it, yeah," said Hagrid gruffly. "Should be a good do, I reckon. You'll be openin' the dancin', won' yeh, Harry? Who're you takin'?"

"No one, yet," said Harry and Romi watched him go slightly red. Hagrid didn't pursue the subject.

The last week of term became increasingly boisterous as it progressed. Rumours about the Yule Ball were flying everywhere, though Romi didn't believe half of them, and she interrogated Dumbledore about the other half. And he admitted to her that he did indeed book the Weird Sisters, who were none other than the biggest band in the teenage wizarding world.

Romi had one final lesson with Dumbledore before the term was over, but aside from being another hour of breathing and floating a vase, it wasn't overly exciting. He did mention that when she returned from break they were going to try a few things a little more difficult. Something to look forward to.

Some teachers, like Professor Flitwick, gave up trying to teach them when their minds were so clearly elsewhere; he allowed them to play games in his lesson. Other teachers were not so generous. Nothing would ever deflect Professor Binns, for example, from ploughing on through his notes on goblin rebellions – as Binns hadn't let his own death stand in the way of continuing to teach, they supposed a small thing like Christmas wasn't going to put him off. Professors McGonagall and Moody kept them working until the very last second of their classes, too, and Severus, of course, would no sooner let them play games in class than adopt Harry. Staring nastily around at them all, he informed them that he would be testing them on poison antidotes during the last lesson of the term.

"Evil, he is," Ron said bitterly that night in the Gryffindor common room. "Springing a test on us on the last day. Ruining last bit of term with a whole load of revision."

"Mmm… you're not exactly straining yourself, though, are you?" said Hermione, looking at him over the top of her Potions notes. Ron was busy building a card castle out of his Exploding Snap pack.

"It's Christmas, Hermione," said Harry lazily; he was reading Flying with the Cannons.

"You've been taking procrastination lessons from Romi," Hermione said, looking at him.

"I resent that," Romi replied, stroking Zhi who was sprawled in her lap, she was lounging in the chair nearby them, with her feet in Neville's lap as he struggled through his homework.

"I thought you'd be doing something constructive, Harry," Hermione continued, as though Romi hadn't said anything. "Even if you don't want to learn your antidotes."

"Like what?" Harry asked, his eyes glued to his book.

"The egg!" Hermione hissed.

"Come on, Hermione, I've got 'til February the twenty-fourth," Harry said.

"But it might take weeks to work it out!" said Hermione. "You're going to look a real idiot if everyone else knows what the next task it and you don't!"

"Leave him alone, Hermione, he's earned a bit of a break," said Ron, and he placed the last two cards on top of the castle and the whole lot blew up, singing his eyebrows.

"Nice look, Ron… go well with your dress robes, that will," said one of the Weasley twins as they sat down at the table with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Romi and Neville.

"Ron, can we borrow Pigwidgeon?" George asked.

"No, he's off delivering a letter," said Ron. "Why?"

"Because George wants to invite him to the ball," said Fred sarcastically.

"Because we want to send a letter, you stupid great prat," said George.

"Who do you two keep writing to, eh?" asked Ron.

"Nose out, Ron, or I'll burn that for you, too," said Fred, waving his wand threateningly. "So… you lot got dates for the ball yet?"

"Nope," said Ron, as Hermione and Romi exchanged glances over her textbook.

"Well, you'd better hurry up mate, or all the good ones will be gone," said Fred.

"Who're you going with, then?" said Ron.

"Angelina," said Fred promptly, without a trace of embarrassment.

"What?" said Ron, taken aback. "You've already asked her?"

"Good point," said Fred. He turned his head and called across the common room. "Oi! Angelina!"

"What?" she said, looking over her shoulder to where Fred was standing.

"Want to go to the ball with me?"

Angelina gave Fred an appraising sort of look.

"All right, then," she said, and she turned back to Alicia and carried on chatting, with a bit of a grin on her face.

"There you go," said Fred to Harry and Ron. "Piece of cake."

He got to his feet, yawning, and said, "We'd better use a school owl then, George, come on…"

They left. Ron stopped feeling his eyebrows and looked across the smouldering wreck of his card castle at Harry.

"We should get a move on, you know… ask someone. He's right. We don't want to end up with a pair of trolls."

"What?!" Romi and Hermione stated startled.

"A pair of what, sorry?" Romi said rather dangerously.

"Well you know," Ron said shrugged and totally missing the danger in Romi's voice. "I'd rather go alone than with – with Eloise Midgeon, say."

"Her acne's loads better lately," Hermione said. "And she's really nice!"

"Her nose is off centre," said Ron lightly.

"Oh, I see," Hermione said, bristling. "So basically, you're going to take the best-looking girl who'll have you, even if she's completely horrible?"

"Er- yah, that sounds about right," said Ron.

"Well, then, you take yourselves," Romi snapped, smacking Ron on the back of the head with a book. "No girl will have you with that attitude!" She leapt up off the chair and stalked off to the dormitory, Hermione joining her a second later.

The Hogwarts staff, demonstrating a continued desire to impress the visitors from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, seemed determined to show the castle at its best this Christmas. When the decorations went up, Romi noticed that they were the most stunning that she had seen yet inside the school. Everlasting icicles had been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting, golden owls, and the suits of armour had all been bewitched to sing carols whenever anyone passed them.

Usually there wasn't a lot of people staying for Christmas break, last year had apparently no more than five students, but this year it seemed that everyone above fourth year was staying and they were all intent on going to the Yule Ball.

Everyone seemed to be getting jittery about the upcoming ball, even Romi noticed it among the Slytherins on Thursday night. She had been snagged by Daphne after dinner and dragged along to the common room with them. Pansy seemed to be even more furious with Romi than normal, and spent the good first hour holding onto Draco's arm. Though occasionally he did remove it from her hands, she would just curl around it again.

It was about half way through the night when Daphne suggested that they practice for the Yule Ball, as they were all required to dance properly for at least the opening dance. Her eyes were on Theodore Nott, who she'd been dating for just over a year now. Theodore, who was always very charming and obliging, jumped up immediately and offered his hand to Daphne.

"My lady, I would give me great pleasure," he said, bowing at he did so. Daphne giggled and took his hand. "We just need music now."

"I got it," said Astoria, Daphne's younger sister. She got up and went to an old record player that was standing in their corner of the common room. It was opposite to the window looking out in the lake, and tucked up underneath of the second floor veranda.

Romi glanced to Draco, she hadn't been able to spend any time with him lately, and she missed him terribly. He was watching her too, and stood up, but Pansy, still holding onto his arm, stood up with him.

"I think I need to practice a bit too," she said, looking directly at Draco.

Draco looked a little pained, glancing between Romi and Pansy. Romi just sighed and looked away from him. It was barely a second before someone sat on the couch next to her. She looked up and saw that it was Blaize Zabini.

He just smiled at her and then looked to the dancing couples. Pansy seemed to be trying to hold Draco very close her, while he was doing his best to keep an inch or two distance.

"I'm sorry," Blaize said to her quietly. Romi looked at him.

"For what?" asked Romi surprised.

"That," answered Blaize, nodding towards Draco and Pansy. "I've seen the way that you look at each other."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Romi said automatically.

"If that's what you wish to believe," replied Blaize. He looked at Romi. "I'm still sorry that she's pushing in."

Romi looked away from Blaize towards Draco and Pansy and gave a little huff, staring at them.

"I do not think that she'll be very… subtle, in asking about this ball," Blaize continued. "So I wanted to talk to you."

"Why? Are you going to break one of her bones for me?" Romi said with a little smile, looking back at him. Blaize smiled too.

"I like you, Romi, you remind me of someone that was once very close to me," Blaize said, "so, I wanted to say, that if you decide to keep that secret, secret, and not go to the Yule Ball with him, I would like to take you."

Romi looked at him surprised. "You would?" she said finally.

Blaize smiled, "as a friend, of course."

Romi looked at Draco dancing with Pansy, and Daphne with Theodore. Crabbe and Goyle were sitting staring at a textbook together as though it would start to make sense now. Astoria was watching the couples dance as well, looking slightly annoyed at Pansy. The rest of the common room was mostly ignoring them, but Romi still felt like they were staring at her, the Gryffindor in the room, she didn't think she'd be ready for everyone to know about her feelings for Draco. She looked back to Blaize.

"I would love to go with you," Romi said, smiling. "As a friend."

Blaize smiled broadly, which made him look incredibly handsome. "I should think you would like to tell him yourself?"

Romi nodded, "when I get a chance."

Romi's chance came later that night when she decided that it was time for her to head back to Gryffindor Tower. Draco managed to shake Pansy off and said that he would walk her part way and that he had something he wanted to talk to her about.

They were silent for a long time as they walked towards the Great Hall.

"Romi, about the Yule Ball-" Draco started.

"I said I would go with Blaize," Romi interrupted, stopping and looking at him.

"What?" Draco asked, looking stunned and slightly hurt.

"I'm sorry," Romi said, taking his hand. "I'm just not ready to explain to the school what exactly it is that we are."

Draco squeezed her hand. "What are we?"

"I don't know," Romi replied, "We hardly get to see each other…"

Draco turned, and still holding onto her hand, pulled her into an empty classroom and closed the door.

"The remedy of that would be of course, to see each other," Draco said, wrapping his arms around her. She did the same and rested her head against his shoulder. "Romi," he said quietly, "I don't want to lose you. Not now, and not ever. Despite how complicated things are."

"I know," Romi replied. "You're not getting away from me that easily. But it's just one dance." She pulled back slightly to look at his face, "maybe I'll dance with you anyways."

"Pansy asked me to go with her," Draco said, looking down at Romi. "I didn't give her an answer yet."

"I could break her foot if you like," Romi offered, smiling. He frowned at her, but was still smiling slightly.

"Well, at least if you're going with Zabini, means you'll be around with us then, right? Not Potter and Longbottom?" Draco asked.

"Yeah," Romi replied. "And, we'll have to make more of an effort, don't you think?"

"I like that plan," Draco said, and taking her face in his hands, kissed her.

It was finally Friday before term ended, and everyone hurriedly did Severus' Antidote Test. Romi didn't get top marks, and she knew that it bothered Severus, but right now she was too distracted by the oncoming break.

As soon as the bell rang, and everyone started to pack up, Harry darted out of the room telling them that he would meet them for dinner, leaving Ron, Romi and Hermione to make their way to the Great Hall.

"Wonder what he's all after," Romi said, watching her brother disappeared.

"Probably trying to ask Cho Chang to the Ball," Hermione said. "Coming for dinner?"

"Yup," Romi said and started to walk through the dungeon hallways with Hermione.

They were a few steps up when Neville, looking red faced asked to talk to Hermione. Romi, guessing what was going to happen, grabbed Ron's sleeve and practically dragged Ron up the stairs to the Great Hall.

"What's going on?" Ron said, as they reached the Entrance Hall.

"I'm sure absolutely nothing," Romi said. Hermione appeared a second later, looking red faced, grabbed Romi's arm and steered her into the Great Hall, leaving Ron standing alone.

"Did you have to leave?" Hermione hissed at her. "You knew that he was going to ask me to the ball, and you knew that I'm already going with someone."

"Sorry," Romi said. "I didn't exactly know what to do."

"And you thought that I did?" Hermione asked, she sighed. "I didn't like refusing him."

"Would you have gone with him if you weren't going with you-know-who?" Romi asked.

"Probably," Hermione said. "He's sweet enough."

"And probably wouldn't treat a girl like nothing more than a trophy, and just good looking," Romi said bitterly. "Did you know he can dance?"

"Neville can dance?" Hermione said, sounding impressed as they took their seats.

"Yup," Romi said. "Gran made him take dancing lessons."

Hermione said, "Is he any good?"

"Top marks apparently," Romi said. "He only told me once, 'cause I may have teased him a little bit."

Hermione tsked her, "well, if he told other the girls, he would have been the first one to get a date," Hermione said with a smile. "What girl doesn't like to dance?"

"I could probably think of a few," Romi replied.

"Why don't you go with him, you guys have been friends for years," Hermione replied.

Romi blushed, "I already said I would go with someone else."

"Not him?" Hermione said, looking at Romi sternly.

"No," Romi replied, "You know Blaize Zabini, the tall black guy that hangs out with Nott and Daphne?"

Hermione giggled.

"You're going with him?" Hermione asked, "He's very good looking."

Lavender and Parvati sat beside them.

"Who's very good looking?" Parvati asked.

"Romi's date," Hermione said, smiling.

"Really, who are you going with?" pried Lavender.

"I would rather not say," Romi replied, "I really don't need to be ostracized from Gryffindor."

Parvati raised an eyebrow, "a little forbidden love?"

"It's a dance, not love," Romi answered. "Who are you going with?"

Lavender giggled, "Seamus asked me a couple of hours ago."

"What about you, Hermione, anyone ask you to the ball?" Parvati asked, helping herself to some lunch.

"Neville," Hermione said.

"Neville asked you?" Lavender said surprised, she glanced at Romi, "I always figured he'd be going with you."

Romi made a face, "he's my best friend, I'm not going to a ball with him."

"Whatever you say. But I guess Hermione will be going with him."

"I'm not going with him," Hermione said shyly. "Someone else already asked me. I had to say no."

"Aww, poor guy," Parvati said, though she looked exceptionally more interesting in finding out who Hermione was going with. She opened her mouth again to speak when Romi interrupted her.

"Speaking of guys," Romi said, looking up and down the table. "Where are Ron and Harry?"

"Why?" Parvati asked. "Hoping Harry will ask you to the ball?"

"Eugh," Romi uttered involuntarily, missing the bewildered looks on the three girls faces. "God no," she said. "Besides, I already told you, I have a date."

They finished their roast beef dinner and Hermione and Romi left, heading back up to Gryffindor Tower.

"I wonder where they got too." Hermione asked curiously, coming up to the Fat Lady. "Fairy Lights."

Romi shrugged and the two climbed through the portrait hole. Inside was Ron and Harry sitting with Ginny, the former two laughing very hard.

"Why weren't you two at dinner?" Romi asked, as she and Hermione took seats beside them.

"Because – oh, shut up laughing, you two – because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball," Ginny told them.

That really shut Harry and Ron up. Though Romi bit her lip so that she wouldn't start laughing.

"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," Ron said sourly.

"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily. "Eloise Midgeon starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'll sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."

A giggle escaped Romi and Harry glared at her, but Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light. "Hermione, Neville's right – you are a girl…"

"Oh, well spotted," she said acidly.

"Well – you can come with one of us!"

"No, I can't," snapped Hermione.

"Oh, come on," he said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has…"

"Should have thought of that before," Romi said icily.

"I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing. "Because I'm already going with someone."

"No, you're not!" said Ron. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!"

"Oh, did I?" said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl."

Ron stared at her. "Okay, okay," he said grinning, "we know you're a girl. That do? Will you come now?"

"I've already told you!" Hermione said, very angrily. "I'm going with someone else!" she stood up to storm off. "And just for your information, I would have gladly gone with Neville if I wasn't going with someone else!"

And she disappeared into the dormitory.

"She's lying," said Ron flatly, watching her go.

"She's not," Romi contradicted.

"Who is it, then?" said Ron sharply.

"Like I'm going to tell you," Romi answered shortly.

"Right," Ron said, looking extremely put out, "this is getting stupid. Ginny you can go with Harry–"

"I can't," Ginny said, trying to hide a grin. "I'm going with Neville. He asked me after Hermione. I think I'm going to go have dinner."

"Fine," Ron said. "Romi – you go with Harry–"

"No!" both Harry and Romi said at exactly the same time and Ron stared at the two of them.

"I-I already have a date," Romi stuttered.

"You do?" Harry asked, looking surprised.

"Yes," Romi replied.

"Who?" Ron asked.

"Oh, you know, a Slytherin," Romi replied.

"What?!" Harry and Ron said, sounding shocked and appalled. Then Ron sat back with a smile.

"Oh, you're teasing, very funny," he said.

"I'm not teasing," replied Romi, "I am going with a Slytherin, because shockingly enough I'm friends with most of them, and they realised that I was a girl."

"But you can't go with a Slytherin," Harry said.

"Why not? All the boys in Gryffindor worth having have dates," Romi replied.

"Alright, I get it," Ron said, "That thing about Eloise Midgeon made you mad."

"Damn right it did," answered Romi.

"Never mind that right now," Harry said, looking over Romi's shoulder with a thinking expression on. "I'll be right back." He got up and headed straight for Lavender and Parvati who had just walked into the common room.

Romi turned to look, and watched Harry go straight up to the girls and ask Parvati. She turned back to Ron.

"Night, Ron," she said still sounding annoyed and headed straight up to the dormitory where Hermione was opening her trunk.

"Pulling out the party clothes early?" Romi asked closing the door behind her.

"I'm looking for the bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion," Hermione said. "I got one in case I ever decide to try and make my hair smooth."

"I like your bushy hair," Romi said.

"I was thinking about a change, what about you?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, it'll be known by tomorrow morning that I'm going with a Slytherin, so I don't think my hair will give me away," Romi replied. "I think this is shaping up to be more difficult than exams."

"It'll be fine," Hermione said, pulling out her dress anyways and taking a look at it in the mirror.