Ron Weasley was brave. Even if others did not think so, he was sure of it. He had sacrificed himself in a life-sized game of wizarding chess for his friends, went into the Chamber of Secrets to save his sister, and stood up against Sirius (who at the time Ron believed was a murderer) to protect his best mate. So, yes, Ron Weasley was brave.
But it was not bravery which inspired Ron to ask Fleur Delacour to go to the Yule Ball with him. In fact, Ron really had no idea what it was that made him do it. But there he was, standing in the entrance hall in front of Fleur, Cedric Diggory, and a huge crowd of onlookers, feeling like he had gone absolutely mad.
So, Ron Weasley, who wasn't afraid to stand up to murderers or enter dangerous dungeons, decided that the best course of action at this point would be to turn around and run for it.
He ran quickly out of the entrance hall. Then he turned a corner and after that decided that he wanted to put at least a few more hallways between him and Fleur Delacour. It was after a few more corners and staircases and turns that Ron had realized he was far from the Gryffindor common room— which would probably be the best place to hide from the embarrassment.
Ron rounded another corner to make his way back to his common room when he collided straight into someone! It took him a moment to get his bearings.
The person who he had run into was Pansy Parkinson.
Her shoulder-length black hair was messy, and her bangs were out of place and covering one of her eyes. She quickly pushed them back and Ron realized her cheeks were red and puffy. Tears pooled in the corner of her eyes.
Pansy stood up straight. "What's wrong with you, Weasley?" she spat out. Ron could tell it was an attempt to divert away from her crying, but he honestly had no idea how to respond. Girls, especially when they cried, were still mostly a mystery to him. Pansy could obviously tell he had nothing to say, so she continued speaking, "You look like you are going to be sick. Been practicing dancing with Granger, then?"
"I'm not going to the ball with Hermione," Ron said bluntly. He might have given a mean comeback to the girl after what she said, but the sight of Pansy had completely caught him off guard. He wasn't about to make fun of a girl, even one he rightfully hated, when they were crying.
She sniffed hard and showed off an impish smile, "You don't even have the nerve to ask big-tooth Granger to the ball? You're pathetic."
"I asked someone to the ball," Ron stated matter-of-factly, "Just now, actually."
"Is that why you look so pale? Got rejected, then?"
He had completely set himself up for that and decided just that moment that even if she had very obviously been crying and just barely qualified as a girl in his mind— that he had just about had enough of Pansy Parkinson.
"What— Draco decided to take Eloise Midgen instead of you? She's far prettier."
Pansy's smile wiped from her face instantly. "Shut up, Weasley," she said through her teeth.
"Struck a nerve, did I?" Ron said as he grinned, "So Draco really decided to toss you for someone else?"
"It was the other way around," Pansy said as she stomped. Then she pulled out her wand and pointed it at Ron's chest. He did not flinch, and Pansy just spoke again, "He's a stupid, insufferable git just like you!"
"So, you don't have anyone to go with? I'm not even sure there's a bloke desperate enough to go for you besides Malfoy— unfortunately."
"Well seeing as you just got rejected, Weasley, I'd say you are the most desperate of them all."
Ron laughed and prepared a perfect response. He thought about it twice over in his head before he spoke. But before he could speak, Pansy used the sleeve of her robes to wipe away the tears from one of her eyes. In that quick, passing moment, she did not look like the Pansy he knew at all. She looked vulnerable and hurt.
Suddenly his mind was jumbled again, but he had already begun speaking. Whatever came out of his mouth next was hardly something he could control.
"What, do you want to go to the ball with me or something?"
Ron stopped, and Pansy gave him a completely bewildered look and brought her wand back to her side.
Ron wondered if the words he spoke really came out of his mouth. What Ron meant to say was something sarcastic like, "Someone really wants to go to the ball with me," or "I'm flattered you want to go with me but no thanks," or quite frankly anything that was not what he had just said.
He could feel everything burning. First Fleur and now this? What good was bravery when his stupidity kept getting in the way?
"Fine. I'll go with you," Pansy said quickly enough that Ron nearly missed it.
"W-what?"
"It'll drive Draco and Granger both mad and there's hardly anyone left but third years and I won't suffer that. So yes, since you very pathetically asked me, I'll go to the ball with you."
"No, w-wait, I—"
"Meet me at the library doors at seven after dinner tonight, I have a few dresses to pick from so I'll decide before tonight and get you the color. I'll let you know what time you should be at the Slytherin common room doors the night of the ball to pick me up."
With that, Pansy Parkinson turned away without a smile or a goodbye or anything at all and left Ron standing alone.
Ron stood still for what must have been twenty minutes, or maybe it was only a few seconds, or maybe he stood there so long that the year was already over, and Harry had won the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He had no words to yell out to Pansy as she left him alone. None that he could find, anyways. He simply could not comprehend what had happened. So, he just stood in the middle of the hallway, frozen like he had been hit with a full body-bind.
When his feet finally did work after some undetermined amount of time, he slowly made his way back to the Gryffindor common room. Did he truly just ask Pansy Parkinson to the ball? He had not meant to, obviously. So, it didn't count. But it did since she thought it did— but he didn't want to go, so it didn't have to count, right? His thoughts continued to race but they made very little sense. He replayed the conversation in his head with every step he took.
Back in the Gryffindor common room, Ron spotted Harry seated in one of the chairs in the corner. Ginny was standing awkwardly next to him. They were talking to each other— but after a moment they both turned to look at him. Was he really about to tell them what had happened? He couldn't tell Ginny. Not yet. Hopefully, not ever. He'd tell Harry. Harry could help him!
"Are you recovering from a slug-vomiting charm?" Ginny questioned him with a laugh, "You look terrible, Ron."
"I want… to… uhh…"
Harry hadn't said anything yet, and Ron's words seemed like they couldn't find a way out. Ginny just rolled her eyes, "I was asking Harry if you had asked anyone to the ball yet. There's not a lot of options left! You both need to ask someone!"
"I err… tried," Harry butted in. Ron looked over at him. "I asked Cho Chang to go with me just now, actually." Ginny stopped smiling. Harry looked away from them and spoke dully, "She's going with Cedric Diggory. Then I was going to ask Parvati. Maybe she could have helped get you a date too, Ron. But I was waiting for you, and some Beauxbaton boy got her first."
"Damn," Ron said quietly, "Well, Ginny you can go with Harry. I'll just, uhh—"
"I-I can't!" Ginny yelped as she turned a bright shade of scarlet, "I mean— I would have, maybe, no— I'm going with Neville already. He asked Hermione and she said no because she already has a date and then he asked me after, and I didn't think I'd get to go otherwise."
"Hermione doesn't have a date. She just said that to get rid of Neville probably. Besides, why'd you want to go with Neville?" Ron questioned her, "Who'd want to do that?"
Ginny puffed, "Because he asked me! And Hermione really does have a date and she's not going to bail you out of going alone!"
With that, Ginny stormed away and then through the portrait hole with her head bowed. That left Harry and Ron alone. Harry shrugged at him, "What are we going to do?"
Ron rested on the arm of the chair Harry was seated on. He spoke as quietly as possible as he leaned close to Harry, "I— Pansy Parkinson thinks I'm going to the ball with her."
"What?" Harry said much louder than Ron wanted him to speak.
"Shh!" he smacked Harry in the chest, "You can't tell anybody! Really Harry, not a soul!"
"So, you asked her to the ball?"
"C'mon," Ron stated bluntly, wondering why Harry would even ask that, "I didn't ask her. She pushed it on me."
"Why didn't you just tell her no?"
"Because she was crying!"
"She was crying?"
"Yeah, her and Malfoy had a big row or something."
"So, then she asked you to the ball?"
"No. I asked her."
"You just said you didn't ask her."
"Well, I didn't mean to. I was going to say something mean again, but she was crying—"
"Because you were being mean to her or still because of Malfoy?"
"I don't— she was nasty to me first. That doesn't matter… I'm supposed to meet her at the library for, I don't know, her dress size or something."
Harry did not say a word, and the boys just stared at each other blankly. As the reality of his situation hit him, Ron frowned and pulled his hair back. "I can't go to the ball with Pansy Parkinson."
"Well, at least you've got a date," Harry said dryly.
"A date that I don't want! A date that nobody except Malfoy would want! What do I do?"
"You said you were supposed to meet her at the library, right?" Harry asked as the two boys exchanged a look. Ron nodded slowly and Harry responded, "So just go and tell her you don't want to go with her. It's as easy as that."
"Fine," Ron said quickly, "But you're coming with me!"
At dinner later that night, Ron hardly ate anything. Which to anyone who was paying attention would have been a clear sign that something was truly wrong with him. He feared that if he messed up his words a few more times, he might end up married to Pansy. So, Ron kept repeating the same line in his head through the entire meal.
I am not going to the ball with you.
I am not going to the ball with you.
I am not going to the ball with you.
After dinner, he pulled Harry away and the two made their way towards the library. Harry was walking ahead of him. It was just after seven and the library was up ahead. Harry stopped and pulled Ron to the side, pointing towards the large library doors.
I am not going to the ball with you.
"There she is," he told him quietly, "Go on, Ron."
She was leaning next to the large doors and nobody else was around. The library at this time was almost always empty— so Ron wanted to act quickly before anyone could stumble across what was about to happen.
I am not going to the ball with you.
He mustered up all the bravery he had. If he was as brave as he thought himself to be, surely this would be an easy task. Pansy noticed him walking over, and it took all of his resolve to hold on to his bravery for dear life. He puffed his chest as he got close and spoke, "I am—"
"Here," Pansy did not wait a moment before interrupting him, she put a purple fabric square in his hand, "It's lavender. That's the color of my dress. Make sure you match it exactly. I was going to with a baby pink but your awful hair—"
"You're serious about this?" Ron interjected. He honestly could not believe the words she was speaking. Was she really thinking of going to the ball with him?
Pansy put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow, "You were the one who asked me. Remember, Weasley?"
Ron turned red, "I— I didn't… I am not going—"
"What?"
Ron suddenly weighed out his options. Hermione was supposedly going with someone else. Harry's plan to ask Parvati and get them both a date had failed. Fleur, whatever happened there, would haunt him forever especially if he ended up going alone.
Pansy was a girl, or close enough to it, anyways. That was something. That was better than a third year. Or was it? Maybe it was. Either way, going with someone was better than going alone.
He looked over at her. Her black hair was no longer messy like before. She had it pulled some of it back in a bun, and two locks of hair were dangling near the edges of both her cheeks. Her eyes were big, which Ron supposed weren't too terrible to look at even if her face was scrunched up in anger. Pansy, he surmised, was at least something of a girl.
"Harry needs a date," Ron told her, "We were helping each other, and I can't just—"
Pansy stuck her head around Ron and spotted Harry who was very obviously standing at the end of the hall. She let out a sigh, "You two seriously don't go anywhere without each other? That's pathetic."
"Do you know anyone he can take ? If not—"
Pansy rolled her eyes, "I can't believe you are giving me demands to go to the ball with you, Weasley. You should be grateful the options are between you or some drooling third years. Anyways, it's Potter. Doesn't he have a whole adoring fan club he can ask?" Ron didn't say anything and just looked back at Pansy. She sighed again, "Fine. Daphne is waiting for me in the library. She said no to a guy or two. I think she was planning to go home for Christmas. But I'll get her to say yes to Potter if that means Daphne and I will be around each other at the ball."
"Who?" Ron asked.
"Daphne Greengrass. She was in our potions last year."
Ron had no idea who Pansy was talking about, "Never heard of her."
Pansy waved her hands and gave him a disgusted look, "Hello? Do you seriously not pay attention to anyone outside of Gryffindor?"
Ron shrugged, "Is she, you know…"
"What, Weasley? Just say it."
"C'mon," he spoke quieter, "If I'm going to set Harry up she should be, at least—"
"Pretty? Fit?"
Ron nodded.
"Listen. Seriously. Walk down the hall and tell Potter to go inside the library and ask Daphne to the ball. If he doesn't, I swear I'm going curse both of you with—"
"Okay, okay— blimey," Ron responded.
He dashed back to Harry and got close, speaking quietly, "You know Daphne Greengrass?"
Harry nodded with a confused look on his face, "She was in our potions last year."
"How do you remember her?" Ron asked.
"We got assigned together for something. She was… nice, I guess. Why?"
"How was her face?"
"What?"
"Was she, you know, could you look at her?"
"Pretty? I mean, I don't know."
"She's in the library. Pansy says to go ask her to the Yule Ball."
"So, you're going with Pansy, then? Are you serious?"
Ron couldn't believe what he was about to say, but he shook his head and looked at Harry with a defeated frown, "At this point we are just lucky that there are any girls left. If we wait around 'til tomorrow it's only gonna get worse."
"Hermione's going to…"
Ron let out a croak. Hermione. He had not even considered what Hermione would say about him taking Pansy Parkinson to the ball.
"Too late now," Harry told him solemnly, "We'll just have to tell Hermione later and see what happens. I guess I'll go ask Daphne and that's that."
Harry turned, leaving Ron alone as he headed towards the library doors. Ron took a few steps to go after him. He was thinking of something to say to stop things so he could have a moment to think. Maybe taking Pansy was an even more terrible idea than he thought it was. The way she treated Hermione, well, all of them for that matter— had been just as bad as Malfoy and most of the other Slytherins.
But the library doors opened, and Pansy was already talking to Harry. Ron could only make out the last few words of what Pansy was saying to him, "… don't mess it up. She'll say yes. She's sitting in the back."
Harry disappeared inside the library and Ron gulped as Pansy approached. "I talked to Daphne and worked it out. Happy? I'll make sure that you and Harry get at least one dance together."
"Funny," Ron retorted, his mind still reeling from his decision.
Pansy gave him a satisfied smile, "Now what was I saying before you made me find a date for sad, little Harry Potter?"
"The color," Ron groaned, pulling out the lavender square of fabric.
"Right, don't mess this up. Even someone as simple as you should be able to match a color. Can you dance?"
Ron looked at her incredulously, "Dance?"
Pansy rolled her eyes, "Yes, dance. You know that thing that people do at balls?"
"Not really," Ron responded honestly.
Pansy groaned, "Can Potter dance?"
Her eyes were locked on his. Her face was scrunching up again. Pansy had a hard time hiding any sort of anger in her expression and Ron could read her very easily. Ron sighed before he spoke. "I don't think so. I've never seen Harry… not once… dance, or anything."
"Well, I'm sure Daphne is going to be absolutely thrilled about opening the ball with the whole school looking at her with a partner who doesn't know how to bloody dance!" Now Pansy was nearly yelling, and Ron suddenly became afraid that she would have her wand out again. He imagined that going to the Yule Ball with a girl couldn't be as bad as being attacked by the Whomping Willow. But now that he was in the middle of it, Ron would have much preferred to be back inside his family's flying car surrounded by bludgeoning branches. Pansy's voice grew louder as she yelled, "That's not even to mention the fact that it's already embarrassing enough to be stuck with a Weasley but even worse that you don't—"
"Fine!" Ron submitted, throwing his hands up in hopes that Pansy would be quiet, "We'll learn how to dance if you'll learn how to shut up!" Just then, the door to the library opened. Harry emerged with a short blonde girl— even shorter than Ginny. Her button nose was held in the air, and she was gazing over to Ron and Pansy. "Who's that?" Ron asked Harry, pointing towards the girl next to him.
Pansy let out a huff, "Do you have any manners at all? This is my friend, Daphne. Who else would it be? Daphne, this is my idiot date, Weasley."
Daphne, who Ron swore he had never seen in his life before, smiled without showing her teeth. Her lips hardly opened when she spoke, "Hello, Ronald Weasley. Nice to meet you, formally. Harry just asked me to the ball, and I think it will be quite fun."
Ron didn't exactly like how snooty she spoke, but he did like the way her lips moved as she talked. Daphne might not have been a veela, but looking at her smile he decided she was close enough to one. He cursed himself, wishing he had pawned Harry off on Pansy and asked Daphne himself.
"Weasley here was just informing me how important it was that he and Harry learn how to dance properly," Pansy said with a mocking tone.
Harry looked at him with a questioning look, and Ron shook his head dejectedly. Then Daphne made eye contact with Ron— and he, again, really wished he had found a way to switch places with Harry. "The Yule Ball is in less than two weeks, so we can teach you and turn you both into proper dancers," Daphne said cheerfully.
"That won't be— uhh—"
"That sounds better than being embarrassed the entire night, doesn't it?" Pansy interrupted Ron before he could say anything. He had to admit— it was already embarrassing enough to be going to the Yule Ball with Pansy Parkinson, so being spared any further embarrassment would be welcomed.
"That sounds alright," Harry said. Ron could tell his friend was a bit too eager to agree while they both stared at Daphne who had not stopped smiling this entire conversation.
"Just don't mess up the color, Weasley," Pansy spat as she grabbed Daphne's arm and pulled her away from the boys. Pansy dragged Daphne down the hall.
"Goodbye Harry Potter, and you too Ronald Weasley!" Daphne smiled as she waved with the arm that wasn't being held by Pansy.
"That wasn't so bad," Harry murmured to Ron once they were alone, "I mean— it could have gone a lot worse, you know?"
"Obviously you think so! You get to go with her!"
"Pansy is…"
Harry did not finish his sentence. Probably because trying to find anything nice to say about Pansy was a tall task. Even worse, she was— "A Slytherin!" Ron groaned. He looked at Harry who just shrugged again, and Ron whispered harshly, "We are going to the ball with Slytherins! Everyone is going to think we've gone mad!"
"It's just a ball. One night."
"C'mon, Harry," Ron grabbed his friend by the shoulders and shook him, "You know everyone is going to be taking the mickey out of us for years! Nobody is going to forget this! Hermione is—" Ron caught himself again when thinking of her. Pansy had been mean to Harry and Ron, but she was outright cruel to Hermione. Having to explain to her why he was going with Pansy is something he did not want to even think about in this moment.
"Did they tell us when they'll be teaching us? I think they left in a hurry." Ron snapped out of thinking about Hermione and shook his head. "I'll talk to Daphne then and sort it out," Harry said.
"Of course you'll do that," Ron spat. Harry raised an eyebrow at Ron as they started back to the common room. Ron put on his best Daphne Greengrass impression with a high-pitched squeal, "Goodbye Harry Potter!" Harry just chuckled in response and Ron continued, "Harry Potter asked me to the ball and I'm quite thrilled about it."
"She's nice," Harry said still laughing, "That's all."
"Nice to look at for sure," Ron added, "How is it that I'm the one who did you a favor and you ended up with her and I ended up with Parkinson?" Before they entered the common room, Ron stopped Harry, "Listen, nobody knows yet— you know, who we are going with." Harry shook his head in response, "Do you reckon Pansy and Daphne will keep quiet? Because I'm not exactly ready to have the entire school knowing."
"Just wait until Malfoy finds out you stole his date," Harry said with a chuckle.
Suddenly, the idea of taking Pansy Parkinson had a second silver lining besides not going alone. Ron could imagine Malfoy stomping around like the git he was when he found out. "You are so right," Ron told Harry with a laugh, "I want to be there when that happens. Hell, I want to be the one to tell him myself!"
The boys agreed to keep their Slytherin dates a secret for now— even though Ron had started to feel immense guilt at keeping it from Hermione. A few days passed and that guilt only grew more. Hermione and Ginny were both becoming increasingly insistent that they find dates, but Ron and Harry were able to somehow keep the secret.
Ron had seen Pansy twice in the halls. She had paid him absolutely no mind and Ron was perfectly content to let her pass by without so much as a look. It wasn't until lunch in the Great Hall one day that Harry nudged him after Hermione had left for the library. "Tonight, after dinner. Daphne said there's an empty classroom we can use near Ravenclaw Tower."
"You talked to… when? We're going?"
Harry nodded, "Yes. We talked. Earlier today. I think after… maybe we should tell Hermione. Everyone is going to know eventually."
Ron dreaded that, but Harry was right. "Tonight, after our…"
"Dancing lessons." Harry finished.
Ron let his head fall towards the table and into his arms with a loud moan. Harry just chuckled. Ron reluctantly followed Harry towards the Ravenclaw Tower. They peered into several classrooms and opened a few more doors. Ron was hoping they wouldn't find them when suddenly Harry called out to him. His friend slipped into a nearby door. Ron supposed all he could do was follow.
After entering a classroom, Ron shut the door swiftly behind him. Inside, Pansy and Daphne had cleared the tables and desks and left a large open circle in the middle of the room. There was a wireless placed on one of the desks. Harry was already talking to Daphne. Pansy just rolled her eyes at Ron and shook her head.
"We placed quietening charms all around and outside," Pansy told him, "Nobody is going to hear us."
Daphne skipped over to the wireless, and soon a cheesy waltz was playing. It was only slightly better than those Celestine Warbeck songs his mother and father would dance to. Ron looked over, and Daphne was already showing Harry the steps. Ron turned a bit red when he noticed where Harry's hands were. Suddenly it dawned on him that he would have to hold Pansy Parkinson's waist. He was going to be sick again.
"Weasley!" Pansy grabbed his attention, "I haven't got all night."
"Right," Ron murmured, taking a step closer to her. Pansy had both her hands on her side, her face all scrunched up as usual. She did not seem quite as angry as during their previous conversations and Ron could tell some embarrassment had taken over her as well.
"It's just a box step. Six movements, I'll lead you. Just follow for now. We'll worry about everything else later." Ron just stood there as Harry and Daphne breezed by again. Pansy was starting to look mostly angry again. "Weasley," she started.
"I know," Ron interrupted. The thought of stepping forward and grabbing Pansy's waist was too much for him. But he had been scared (was he really scared now?) before so he decided just to go for it. With his eyes nearly shut, he stepped towards Pansy and lightly gripped her waist. Just as quickly as he did, her hand rested on his upper arm.
Never in a million years had Ron ever expected to be this close to Pansy. In time with the music, Pansy took the first step. Somehow, Ron was able to follow along running on adrenaline at this point.
Then they took another step, then one more. Pansy didn't say anything at first. They simply danced together. After one slightly clumsy movement by Ron, they were standing even closer together. Ron's grip tightened on Pansy's waist. He held his breath. Heart beating faster. He could feel her skin being pressed in even under her robes.
"When you mess up, nobody but you or I is going to notice. Just get back to where you are supposed to be when we go to the next step," Pansy instructed him. Her voice, for the first time Ron had ever heard, was not cruel or mean or grating. Just a simple, calm instruction.
And so, on the next step, Ron adjusted. They made eye contact. Her grey eyes watched him. She looked away quickly and then spoke, "Just adjust like that when you mess up. If you are going to mess up, you better avoid stepping on my toes."
The rest of their dancing lesson was mostly awkward. Ron, despite absolutely wanting to be anywhere else, was getting the hang of the steps. He still had to count in his head and still thought a bit too hard about where to go next— but Pansy was able to effectively lead him, and he made less mistakes as they continued.
They hardly spoke to each other at all. She would offer some advice now and again, or mock him when he missed a step. Harry and Daphne, though, had begun talking about much more than just dancing. They talked about potions last year, then the first task. She then told Harry about a dragon reserve she got to visit because her father was some kind of part-owner. Ron hoped he would never have to talk to Pansy as much as Harry and Daphne were talking to each other.
The closeness he was being forced to endure with Pansy started off awkward and quite terrible, but Ron had quickly gotten used to it. The scent of her perfume, floral and airy, was stuck in his noise. His hand still gripped her waist, and Ron tried his best to not hold her too tightly. He supposed his cheeks matched his hair color the entire time.
After a few songs, Daphne turned the wireless off and gave both Ron and Harry a quick round of applause. Pansy just stared at them blankly.
"I think it would be beneficial to do one more practice session next week before the ball," Daphne said as she looked at Harry, "I just think it best that you are fully confident before we go up in front of everyone, don't you think?"
Harry just nodded sappily, and Ron dreaded the thought of having to do this again with Pansy.
Pansy looked at Ron and spoke, "Did you get the color matched correctly? You should have brought it with so I could see."
Ron suddenly remembered what his actual dress robes looked like. He hadn't thought about them since his mother gave them to him. They were a lacey abomination, pure rubbish. He didn't say anything for a moment. Then it was Harry who spoke up, "He's got them. Don't worry."
Pansy, for the first time that Ron had ever seen, gave him a simple nod of approval before she left the classroom leaving Harry and Ron alone.
"I don't got them!" Ron yelled at Harry, "Why would you tell her that? She's going to curse me, or worse, start yelling again with that voice of hers when she sees what my robes look like!"
"We'll get Hagrid to get you new ones. He can go to Hogsmeade or something. It shouldn't be too hard. Or maybe I'll burn them with a fire-making spell, and then McGonagall will have your mum get new ones."
Ron hated having to say this, but he spoke quietly, "It's not like I've got the money for that."
"I'll get them," Harry said just as quietly as Ron spoke, "You got me a date, so this is payback, alright?"
He thought for a moment about it. One day, when he had a job of his own and galleons in his pocket, he'd pay Harry back. But for now, there was absolutely no way he was going to turn down a chance to escape having to wear his ghastly dress robes. He just gave a simple, grateful nod to Harry.
When they arrived back at the Gryffindor common room not long after their dancing practice ended, there was a groups of girls, probably second or third years, giggling at them as they entered. Ron wondered if he had something on his robes from dinner— or if Pansy had jinxed him without him realizing it.
But then they ran into Parvati and Lavender. They were giggling as well, but suddenly broke into hissing at them like two, girly snakes.
They knew. Ron's heart immediately sank he prepared himself for the worst. The whole school would be talking about it by tomorrow morning. Fred and George were going to absolutely have something to say about it. And then there was—
Hermione! Suddenly she was standing in front of Ron and Harry. She must had been waiting for them to return. Her hands were at her sides. They were balled into fists, and she looked halfway between crying and anger.
"Pansy?" was all that Hermione said, loud enough for most of the common room to listen in.
Ron did not say anything. The floor suddenly seemed very interesting at the moment, so that's where he decided to stare. When he looked up again, after however long he managed to avoid eye contact, Hermione was halfway up the girl's dormitory staircase.
There were giggles, fingers being pointed at them, and whispers. Harry looked at him for some kind of response, but Ron had nothing to say.
Just what had he gotten himself into?