A/n: Finally chapter 14! I think I'm nearing the end soon...how long can I drag this out anyway? Well...just continue to R&R!!! D/C for all the chapters I've missed: I do not own the characters bodies or looks. For this fic however...I do own their minds!!! Oh and the settings are not mine either. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ginny woke up suddenly, shaking. She had had a horrible dream that she was back in the Chamber of Secrets and well.... you know. Sighing she got out of bed, stretching. It had been five days since the announcement for the Yule Ball, five very...interesting...days. First off, no one had asked Ginny to the ball yet, no one important anyway. Qudditch was nearly killing her with all the excruciating practices, and her schoolwork was really piling up. With everything she had hardly seen Ron or Hermione and to tell the truth she missed them. She had noticed however, that there was a slight bit of tension between them that had never been there before. Another thing was Harry. Not only had he not asked her to the dance, he had been complaining of an ever building headache for the past three days. And anyone who had a least a millimeter of sense knew that that was not a good thing. Ginny dressed and went down the stairs, surprised to find only Harry there. He looked up as she came down, an unreadable expression flittering across his face. "Hey Ginny you're up early today." "Umm I guess." Ginny mentally kicked herself for letting such a lame answer escape her lips, "I had a dream and it-" Ginny stopped suddenly remembering what the dream was about. "Oh really, what was it about?" "Well uh..." Ginny sat down in a chair across from him, "Well it had to do with the Chamber of Secrets and-" "It did! Ginny was it bad...was, was Voldemort there?" "Well yes. He said that he was going to-" "What he was going to what?" Ginny paused and looked at him, she couldn't tell him, she just couldn't. "Nothing. It wasn't a big deal Harry. Never mind." "Never mind! Ginny tell me! Ginny please," He ran over to her and came in really close, "Please Ginny please!" He was so close to her that Ginny could feel his breath on her face. "Well alright..." She said uncomfortably, "He said that he was going to avenge us in later months and destroy our safe haven of protective forces...whatever that means." Harry's mouth dropped open; "Oh...he said that?" Seeing his face pale Ginny added quickly, "But Harry it was a dream. It probably meant nothing. I shouldn't have told you I'm so sorry Harry really I-" "No Ginny it's ok. I think its better that I know of any weird dreams you're having. Are you positive that's what he said?" "Yes." Harry looked at her, then nodded slowly, "OK then." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hermione had been listening on the stairs this whole time, partly from politeness of not interrupting a conversation and from her own curiosity. Now though she wished she hadn't heard that, but Harry would tell them later anyway. Wouldn't he? She watched as they disappeared through the portrait hole and made a move to stand up when she heard someone else come down the stairs. It was Ron, glancing around as if looking for someone. "That's strange, at least Hermione should be up by now." Glancing up toward the girls dormitories, he saw Hermione crouching there in the shadows, "Hermione!" he yelled, making her fall over sideways, "What are you doing up there?" "Me? Oh I uh.... well..." Hermione stammered realizing how awkward she must look right now. He rushed up the stairs to help her up. Once she was on her feet Hermione said, "I'm fine Ron I just...tripped. I really shouldn't read as I walk down the stairs anymore." Ron's eyebrows rose slightly at her statement, "But Mione you don't have a book with you." Hermione's eyes widened, "Oh? Well yes...umm come on let's go down to breakfast I'm starving." Hermione said nearly running down the stairs, leaving a confused Ron at the top. Ron caught up with her and they walked silently down to breakfast. Hermione was still stinging with embarrassment and Ron was just being quiet for once. When they were almost there Ron cleared his throat, "So Mione...anyone ask you to the ball yet?" Hermione's heart skipped a beat at his question causing her to mentally scold herself 'It's only Ron!' she thought savagely, "No." "Oh..." Ron said, not pressing anything. "How about you Ron? Going with Padma again?" This time he looked at her, his face a look of horror, "Yea, let me repeat that disaster." Hermione laughed, "Ron! You're so mean!" "Am I?" "Not really, now come on we are missing breakfast." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Down in the Great Hall the topic of conversation was of course; the ball. Everywhere you turned someone was talking about the person, dress, or hairstyle they were going to be going with or using for that night. "So Ron..." Harry was saying, "Going to wear your lovely maroon robes again?" Ron flushed slightly, "I guess I'm gonna have to..." Hermione knew that Ron had other dress robes from Fred and George and she knew that Harry also knew that...but did Ron? "Well actually Ron you don't." Piped up George. "Oh yea...how?" "We'll show you...come on." Fred said pulling him down the hall. Once in the Common Room Fred went and got the robe for Ron, Telling him to close his eyes he put it out on the couch. "Alright look." he said. Ron opened his eyes and his mouth dropped open, "Wow! Are these for me?" "Yup." Ron picked them up and looked them over, "Wow thanks guys! There great...no lace, no cuffs.... no maroon! I love them!" Fred smiled suddenly, he had never seen Ron so happy, "Glad you like them. Oh we got ones for Ginny too, seeing as she doesn't have any...go get her will you?" "Sure." Ron said racing from the room. "Well, I think we actually did a good deed here Fred." George said eyeing his brother. "Ruining our reputation we are..." Fred moaned shaking his head, still smiling. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ron raced down to the Great Hall quickly running to Ginny. "Gin...you've got to come to the Common Room." "Why Ron?" "Because Fred and George have a surprise for you." "Well alright.... you guys want to come?" Hermione went but Harry stayed with Ron, knowing already what the 'surprise' was, "So... what's the surprise?" "Dress robes! Normal blue dress robes!" Harry laughed, "Oh that's great Ron...no lace I'm sure?" "Not a piece!" Ron said thickly through the remains of his eggs. "Good, good. So uh...who are you going to the ball with? I mean we only have five days left." "Well I don't have a clue. I will not go with Padma again and let's face it Harry no one else will want to go with me." Being the friend that he was Harry replied immediately, "Ron! That's so stupid! Of course someone will want to go with you! What about Hermione?" To Harry's surprise Ron flushed slightly and shook his head, "No-no I don't think so." "Well why?" "Remember last year how offended she was? That certain argument? Yeah.... now lets think..." Ron pretended to be thinking hard, "Will she go with me...uh no." "You give up too easily." Harry said standing up. "What about you? Who are you going with?" "Don't know yet...now come on we're wasting our whole Saturday with this stuff." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When they reached the Common Room they started a game of chess, which Ron of course won. "You're getting better Harry." He said those two hours later. "Sure I am." He mocked, "Lose my queen first move but I'm getting better." Harry turned around at the sound of a giggle to see Ginny behind him. "You improving Harry really." She said laughing now. Harry jumped up, "I am! I am!" He yelled sitting in a chair. Ginny was laughing so hard now; she was silent. Harry was watching her laugh and smiled to himself without even noticing. His smiled faded when Colin walked over however. Harry didn't move but listened very hard as Colin began to speak. "Ginny? Could I have a word with you?" Ginny nodded her head and gasped, "Sure." following him over towards the staircases. "Ginny I was uh wondering if you would like to umm gotoballwime?" Harry laughed into a pillow, but he did remember how he had felt asking Cho last year... "Excuse me?" Ginny asked politely, but she was thinking 'Oh great! He's going to ask me to the ball and Harry is still sitting there! What do I do!' Colin took a deep breath, "Ginny would you like to go to the ball with me?" He flushed scarlet and looked down. "Oh!" Ginny sputtered, "Oh well I uh...Colin you see..." "Its ok if you don't want to go with me Ginny. I understand." "No! Colin it's not that it's just-" " She thinks you would do so much better with someone else." "You do?" Colin asked. "I do?" Ginny echoed spinning around to see Harry. "Course you do," He said smoothly, "Now Colin," He said putting an arm about his shoulders and steering him form Ginny," Wouldn't you rather go with this pretty young girl here?" "Well I..." Harry tapped the brunette on the shoulder, "Excuse me but would you like to go the Yule Ball with my friend Colin here?" The girl stared at Harry, looking almost mesmerized by him, "I...I.... ok." She breathed, still staring at Harry. "Harry." Colin hissed, "I don't want to go with her." "Yes you do. Believe me Colin.... she's nice. I know." "Well...I if you think so.... alright." "Good! Now sit and get acquainted," Yes good." Harry pushed Colin onto the couch next to the girl and walked away hearing a shy, "Hi. My name is Mollie you're that great photographer right?" "Yeah! That's me...so..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harry walked back to Ginny thinking 'Perfect perfect perfect! Ha that was too easy! Bu t WHY did I do that?' "Harry! Ginny whispered pulling him through the portrait hole and out into the Hall, "I can't believe you did that! You know I really should be mad at you!" Harry looked shocked, "You, you wanted to go with him?" "No! But Harry that was rude!" "Yes but I saved your butt didn't I?" "I guess, but Harry now who I'm I supposed to go with? Colin was the only 'doable' person who's asked me!" Harry suddenly saw his chance. He could go with Ginny! Then he'd have a date and wouldn't have to worry about it any longer. "Well Ginny you want to go with me?" Ginny gasped, "Go with you?" She said her voice getting higher. "Well yea," Harry said remarkably calm, "Then we would both have someone to go with." "Oh...in that case..." she started dejectedly. "And I'm sure we would have a good time." He added hastily. "Ok Harry. Sure I'll go with you." "Great! Ok then I'll see you then." Then Harry stood up and slipped back into the Common Room a wide smile spreading itself across his face. HE noticed with satisfaction the Colin and Mollie were engaged in a good conversation and looked extremely comfortable with one another. 'That's two good choices I made today' He thought going to look for Ron. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At that moment though Ronald Weasley was no where to be found because he was outside walking the grounds. "She won't, she won't she won't..." Ron muttered in a singsong type voice, kicking around the snow. "Won't what?" Ron turned to see Hermione standing there, "Mione! What are you doing here?" "Looking for you. Harry sent me out, I've looked everywhere!" "Oh." "So...she won't what?" "Oh that. Nothing...she won't.... umm..." "Ron you can tell me!" Hermione demanded. "No…I can't...you would lecture me again." "RON! You tell me now!" Hermione said sounding very unlike herself. "Ok.... I was saying that...you wogotothballwitme." He rushed out. "I won't what...excuse me?" "See! You're starting!" "No Ron I couldn't understand you." "Oh...I said you won't go to the ball with me." Hermione stared at him completely dumbstruck for once in her life, "You honestly think," she started, "That I would say no if you asked?" "Of course I do!" He cried, "You said.... you said...." "Last year I said ask me first and not as a last resort which meant don't use me for a date!" "But I wasn't..." "You were!" "Ok I was but..." "You were desperate." "Yeah but now... "You want me to go with you." "Jeez Mione will you let me talk!" "Sorry sorry." she giggled. "Yes I was desperate, but come on Mione who wouldn't be, but I think we could have fun if we went together instead of - "Being jealous apart." Hermione interjected quickly. "Mione!" He growled, "NO! Instead of being with people we can't stand," Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Ron cut her off, "And DO NOT say you could stand Victor." Hermione closed her mouth, a small smile playing on the corners of her mouth. "So...you'll go with me then?" Ron asked looking at the ground again. "HA!" Ron looked up shocked, thinking Hermoine had laughed at him, but instead he saw... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Malfoy Hermione spun around and stared at Malfoy, with a look of utter hatred on her face. Malfoy just smirked and walked over to Ron, "So Weasel...desperate I see. Stooping to her when you could have gone with another girl form any other house." "Hermione is my best friend!" Ron shot back, "And she-" "Is a mudblood Weasel.... that's all she is." "I am not!" Hermione yelled at the same time Ron shouted, "You watch your mouth Malfoy!" "Oh...defending her Weasel?" "Hermione is smart, and good, and kind, and…and....she's much MUCH better than you'll ever be Malfoy!" Ron spat out, in a blind rage. "Oh?" Draco questioned, "Well then...I see your true person Weasel, your character and your, well your choices and for heaven's sake.... now I fully understand why your family is they way they are!" Hermione gasped at Malfoy's comment, and knowing Ron as she did, barely had enough time to fling her arm about his wrist and pull him back. Ron was strong though, and broke loose, his fist raised. Hermione leaped in front of him, placing her hands on his chest, she pushed him back, "Ron... stop." she pleaded. Ron was so mad, that Hermione was actually afraid. He was trembling horribly, both hands balled into white knuckled fists. His blue eyes were balls of fire now, total and complete hatred b urning inside them. Draco was watching this seen with his usual smirk, but behind that aloof face something pulled at him. No it wasn't fear; Draco was immune to that by family causes...it was more like a longing. A longing for someone to hold him back, to care enough to stop him from doing something horribly rash and stupid. Pansy said she cared about him, but she truly only cared about his power and cunning ways. He knew it and she knew that he knew it. He hated it...he hated her...he hated himself. However, reputation was at stake here.... "Having the mudblood hold you back Weasel? That's powerful..." Before Ron could say anything Hermione jumped in with, "I'm saving his education Malfoy .... not your life. I'd actually like to see you beaten...savagely, but.... I won't allow Ron to do that so I'll just have to wait won't I?" Ron's mouth jumped opened and some of the fire left his eyes. Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he sneered a rude, "Weasel wimp and filthy mudblood." before stalking stiffly away. "Hermione!" Ron yelled, "I could have killed him just now!" "I know." Hermione replied taking her hands away from him somewhat quickly, and turning towards the castle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once inside and on their way back to the Common Room Ron asked Hermione, "So Mione you never answered my question...would you like to go with me to the Yule Ball?" Hermione looked at him a grin spreading across her face, "Hmm....I don't know...." she started sarcastically with a slight laugh, "Let me think.... uh..." But before she finished she dashed sown the hall, leaving a stunned Ron. "Hermione!" He bellowed chasing after her. He dashed behind the portrait hole and grabbed her wrist tightly, "Hermione.... answer me!" Now she had started to laugh one of those real laughs, where you close you eyes and your whole body shakes. By this time Ron had grabbed both her wrists and in a desperate attempt to stop her laughter; had pulled her toward him. "Ok...ok...alright." she gasped out, opening her eyes. She gasped. Ron was right in front of her, only an inch or two from her face. He had possession of both her wrists too. Hermione abruptly ceased her laughter. Ron seemed oblivious to this at the moment, however, "So you'll go with me Mione?" "I...I...alright." Ron heaved a sigh of relief, "Great." he said, still not letting her go. Hermione was extremely uncomfortable and tried to pull her wrists away gently. Ron finally realized this, and how close they were, and abruptly let her go. Hermione sprang back like a cat that's had its tail stepped on, and Ron quickly ran a hand through his hair. He was shocked at how uncomfortable he had felt and Hermione had looked. He had seen her face...it was weird, yet he had enjoyed being close to her.... NO! Hermione yelled inside her mind. I don't believe this! I don't want to feel like that... not towards Ron! I want to be comfortable around him, like best friends should...not...not like I just was.... Hermione glanced over at Ron who was wearing a shocked expression also. She smiled in spite of herself and the situation and walked toward him. "Meet you at seven?" she asked him, referring to the ball. "Wha- oh seven sounds good." Ron answered distractedly, not looking up. "Great." Hermione turned to leave but then Ron looked up. Their eyes locked and Hermione felt her cheeks go warm, the same time that a crimson flush appeared on Ron's ears. Not knowing what to do she turned and almost ran back inside the Common Room... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Hermione! You're blushing!" she heard Lavendar yell as she walked toward the dormitories. "Impossible..." Dean answered, "Can't you see that she's been out running? Hermione isn't like you Lavendar...she doesn't blush." "Really?" "Of course.... I know these things." Dean said. "Uh huh...sure Dean." Said Harry, spying Ron, who he noticed, was also, a bit red around the ears. What had been going on? Ron said nothing but sat down by the fire silently, lost in thought. Hermione raced up to the girl's dormitories, hoping to find solitude but instead.... "Alright Hermione what happened?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: HA!! Cliffe!!! And I know you all want to shoot me now because this part took soo long and now.... A CLIFFHANGER!!! I know...I'm sorry. Don't worry the next part will be out sooner and so will the third part to my A Double Weasely Whammy story! Look for both and R&R!!!!