Chapter 5
It was getting late in the Gryffindor common room and Harry and Ron were sat playing wizard chess, while Hermione sat and studied at a small table, books spread all around her. As Ron beat Harry at yet another game he stood up looking at Harry.
'I'm just gonna do it now?' He told Harry and walked over to were Hermione was sat, studying.
'Come with me.' He said taking her hand and leading her out of the common room. Hermione didn't protest as she followed Ron who was leading her out of the common room. It was dark and they knew that they shouldn't be out, because if they were caught they could get into serious trouble.
Her hand in his they ran up a staircase but before they could reach the top, the staircase started to move. Hermione gasped.
'Sssh!' Ron whispered, and the two carried on up the staircase and round a corner heading down the nearest corridor.
'Where are we going?' Hermione asked.
'You'll see,' Ron replied grinning from ear to ear.
From up ahead they heard a crash and then a shout.
'Peeves!' Ron whispered, and he lead Hermione towards the nearest classroom.
'Ron please tell me where we are going?' Hermione demanded.
'I can't it's a surprise.' Ron laughed at the expression on Hermione's face.
'If we're not careful we'll get caught.' Hermione sounded worried.
'Don't worry. It will be ok,' Ron reassured her. 'Listen I think Peeves has gone.'
Ron opened the door and peered out of it, looking around. The castle was empty. He led Hermione down a corridor and up another flight of stairs, that luckily didn't move. Hermione realised that he was leading her towards the astronomy tower. They finally reached the top of the tower and Ron turned to face Hermione. The room was dark with only moonlight shining through the small windows. Ron led Hermione over to the nearest window. Ron waved his wand. Hermione gasped.
There written in the stars were the words:
Will you do me the honours of going to the Yule Ball with me?
Hermione started sobbing as she wrapped her arms around Ron's waist.
'Hey don't cry. What's wrong?' Ron asked feeling as though he had done something wrong.
'It's so beautiful, of course I'll go with you Ron.' She was laughing now.
'I love you so much Hermione Granger,' Ron said as he kissed his girlfriend.
'I love you too Ron.' He heard he whispered reply.
Hermione never wanted to leave that tower, the moment was perfect. It was magical. No guy had ever done anything that nice for her, most guys she talked to just ignored her. It was wonderful to feel wanted and that was a feeling Hermione never wanted to forget.
The two of them left the tower and returned to the common room were Hermione immediately ran over to where Ginny was sat and the two of them talked for hours about being asked to the ball.
'How did you do it then?' Ron asked Harry.
'Just flowers and a soppy speech about love or whatever,' Harry smiled.
'Seemed to have worked,' Ron laughed, looking over his shoulder at the two girls who were now discussing what they were going to wear.
'It seems like a lot of fuss, just for a stupid dance,' Harry sighed.
'Don't let them hear you say that, or they'll murder you,' Ron laughed, as they stood up and headed towards their dormitories to sleep.
The minute Hermione got back to the common room she ran towards Ginny to tell her about what had just happened.
'I'm so jealous,' Ginny moaned 'you're so lucky.'
'I know,' Hermione replied. And she did. She knew how lucky she was and she wouldn't forget it.
The last few weeks of term flew by and soon enough it was the Chrsitmas holiday's. Quite a few people had gone home for the holidays as this ball wasn't going to be anywhere near as exciting as the ball last year. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny joined the empty looking table the next morning for breakfast along with Fred and George and a few of there friends.
The castle had an eery feel to it and was quite quiet although the decorations around the castle were amazing. With enchanted snow falling from the ceilings and dissapearing the second it touched the floor, springs of holly and hundreds or small candles decorated the staircases.
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny spent many days together; wondering the school grounds; having snowball fights and drinking butter beers at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade.
Althouhg Ginny and Hermione would often go off on there own looking for dresses and shoes for the ball. Half of the time Harry and Ron ignored what they were saying as they rarely talked of anything else but the ball.
It finally got to Christmas Eve, the night of the ball and Harry and Ron walked down to the hall for breakfast. They saw Ginny and Hermione still discussing last muntue plans for the ball.
'Are you ever going to stop talking about the ball?' Harry asked.
'No,' the girls replied in unison before starting giggling once more.
Ron rolled his eyes and started to eat his breakfast.
'Hey, wanna go into Hogsmeade this afternoon,' Ron asked the two girls, finishing a slice of toast.
'We can't.' They replied simultaneously. 'We have to get ready for the ball.'
'But it's not for hours yet,' Harry looked confused.
'You don't understand, you're just typical boys,' Ginny groaned at the two of them.
'Come on Ginny, we need to get going now.' Hermione said and with that they left.
'How can it take so long for them to get ready?' Ron asked, curiously.
'Who knows?' Harry replied, 'anyway how could we, we're just typical boys.'
'Come on Harry we need to go and try on our shoes for the ball.' Ron joked and the two of them rolled about laughing.
In the end they decided they would go to Hogsmeade on their own and headed out of the castle and towards Hogsmeade where they spent hours in Zonko's joke shop before returning to their common, merely an hour before the ball, to get changed.
