"How do I look?" Ron asked nervously, turning from the full-length mirror to face Harry properly.
Harry smiled and nodded in encouragement. "Luna's going to be pleased." Harry said after an appraising look. "Those new dress robes look rather nice."
Ron beamed at his friend's response. "Fred and George got them for me as an early Christmas present." Ron said proudly. "I'm surprised they thought enough of me to save me from the ones I had to wear in fourth year!"
"Well, they seem to be spreading their wealth around quite a bit." Harry said with a smirk. "They offered to buy me a dragon hide jacket like theirs the other day."
"You didn't take it?!" Ron asked incredulously. "Mate, those jackets are nice!"
"I like muggle clothes better." Harry said with a shrug as he finished fastening the toggles on his dress robes.
"Why?" Ron asked in disbelief. "Well, I guess if that's all you've ever known." He added with a shrug. Harry shook his head with a slight chuckle as he looked himself over in the mirror. "Was this a good idea?" He asked as he nervously patted at his unruly hair.
"Of course it was, mate!" Ron said with a smile. "Look, you've got Hermione and I've got Luna, we're all friends, why not a double date?"
"Have you ever been to a cinema before, Ron?" Harry asked skeptically.
"No, but after talking with Dean and Seamus, I think it'll be fun!" Ron said with a smile.
"You do realize that the pictures do not talk back, right?"
"Of course I've been to a cimena!" Ron said in a huff. "I'm not that clueless, you know?"
Harry smirked and decided to leave his hair as it was, no amount of patting, brushing, coming, or gel was going to tame his unruly mess. "Who are our chaperones?"
"Tonks and Lupin." Ron said as he opened the door. "The girls are going to be a bit longer if fourth year was any indication. Tell me again why we're wearing robes to a muggle cinema?"
"Well," Harry said as they descended the stairs to the ground floor of the Burrow, "It's a medieval movie about wizards and dragons or dungeons and warriors. It's premiere night and most muggles dress the parts, we won't stick out."
"I'll never understand muggles." Ron said with a shake of his head. "Why do they only wear robes during movie premieres?"
"Because they need a way to escape from their daily lives, Ron." Hermione said from the stairs. Ron looked back with a comeback on the tip of his tongue, but stopped and smirked at the look on Harry's face.
"You look beautiful." Harry stammered as Hermione joined him in the sitting room.
Hermione smiled shyly and took his hand. "You look pretty good too." She said as her face began to blush.
Ron looked back to the stairway as Luna made her appearance. His jaw dropped when he saw her dressed somewhat normally. "Wow." He whispered as his girlfriend of the past week crossed the room gracefully to stand at his side.
"You look dashing, Ronald." She said in a dreamy, sing-song voice, completely ruining the vision of normalcy that Ron had just seen. He smiled when he realized that he didn't really care, it was her personality that drew him to her in the first place.
"Are you four ready to go?" Lupin asked with a smile from the kitchen. "We sent your mum to Diagon Alley, Ron, so you don't have to worry about her fussing over you."
There is someone looking out for me! Ron thought as a wave of relief passed through him. "I'm ready... Are you guys?" He asked over his shoulder, letting his gaze fall on Luna as they each smiled and nodded in turn.
"Great! I've been looking forward to going to the cinema for a while now!" Tonks said as she stepped up next to Remus. Of all of them, she seemed to fit the role perfectly. Her hair was pink, she was wearing a T-shirt based on the movie, and a pair of old jeans which were a little worn at the knees.
"Why's she dressed like a muggle and not in robes like the rest of us?" Ron asked in a huff.
"Not everyone dresses up for premieres, Ron." Hermione said with a laugh. She tugged gently on Harry's arm and the couple left the room first. Ron and Luna took each other's hands and followed their friends. Tonks and Lupin brought up the rear and they all piled into an awaiting van.
Twenty minutes later, they stepped onto the curb in front of a long line of waiting moviegoers. Ron stared in amazement at the different costumes that were being worn. "Whoa, muggles are strange..." He whispered loud enough for the small group to hear.
Harry and Hermione snickered while Luna continued to stare dreamily at him. "They're just like us, Ronald." She said in a cheery voice. "The cinema is similar to Quidditch for them."
"Not quite like Quidditch, Luna." Harry said with a smile. "But close enough."
"I've got the tickets." Lupin said with a smile as he handed them out. "It looks like we have to go to the end of this line and wait for the next fifteen minutes."
Harry and Hermione took it in good stride as they walked to the end of the lengthy line. Ron mumbled and complained that it was turning out to be too much work to see a movie and Tonks smiled as they passed a small party that was happening towards the end of it.
"What are they going on about?" Ron asked sullenly. "You'd think they knew the outcome of this thing already..."
"That's a line party." Hermione said with a laugh. "They're just excited to see the movie and decided to have a get-together while they wait."
"It looks like fun." Luna said between hums of a particularly irritating wizarding song. "What's this movie about again?"
"It's supposed to have wizards and castles." Harry said with a laugh. "Oh, and a werewolf."
"This I have got to see!" Ron said with a laugh. "How awful do you think it'll be?"
"It's not awful, Ron." Hermione said impatiently. "The special effects are supposed to be top notch!"
"What are special effects?" Lupin asked with a grin as the line started to move.
"They use computers to make things that don't really exist." Harry whispered. "It's rather fun to watch."
"I'll get the popcorn when we get to the lobby." Tonks said with a smile. "Save me a seat!"
The line moved slowly at first, but just like a rope that was being dragged along, the slack was taken up and they soon found themselves sitting in a dark room with adverts plastered on the big screen. The lights dimmed after a bit and Ron smiled when he glanced to his right to see Hermione resting her head on Harry's shoulder. He almost jumped when Luna did the same and before he knew it, the film had begun.
"DON'T RUN THAT WAY! WEREWOLVES CAN SMELL YOU!" Ron shouted at the screen.
"Ron. For the last time: SHUT.UP!" Hermione hissed into his ear.
"Honestly, you'd think these people knew a small fact like that!" Ron whispered as he crossed his arms with a slight grunt. "And what's up with that couple? Can't they see they belong together? Why haven't they kissed yet?"
"Ron..." Hermione warned again. "Talk after the film, not during it!"
"I think I like their best friend, Ronald." Luna said in a barely audible whisper.
"That clueless dolt?!" Ron said gratingly. "I'm surprised that he's still around after that wolf nearly gnawed his leg off!"
"RON!" Everyone whispered harshly at the same time.
"Alright!" He whispered back angrily. "Give me the popcorn then!"
"You'll suck it all down in one gulp!" Harry whispered tersely.
"I'll hold it then." Hermione whispered as she pulled the bucket from Harry's lap. "That way we can all get to it." Harry smiled at her before looking back up to the screen. Ron grinned to himself as Harry put an arm around Hermione's shoulders and watched her irritation leave her face.
Luna shivered by his side and Ron bent to her ear. "Are you cold?" He whispered. Luna nodded and a goofy smile spread across her face as Ron put his arm around her shoulders and covered her with his cloak. "Is that better? HEY!"
Everyone in Ron's immediate vicinity turned as one and hissed, "SHH!" before turning back to the screen.
"What's wrong, Ronald?" Luna asked as Harry and Hermione turned to their best friend.
"Someone threw this fish at me!" Ron hissed quietly. He turned to look behind him and an all too familiar smirk caught his attention several rows back. "I don't believe it!" Ron hissed as he slid down in his chair.
"What is it now?" Hermione asked impatiently.
"It's Malfoy!" He said deadpan. "The bloody git is going to get the hexing of a lifetime after we get out of here!"
"Nobody is hexing anybody." Lupin whispered. "Ron, be quiet, please. The movie is almost over and I'd like to see the end without being tossed out because you're disrupting the film."
"Fine!" Ron said quietly. He glared at the screen and looked on in confusion. Wait, he's the bad guy! Why did they set him free? He looked to Luna to ask but was greeted with teary eyes. "Are you ok?" He whispered quietly in her ear. Luna nodded but didn't say a word; she just wiped the tears from her cheeks and continued watching the film.
The remainder went by quickly with Ron more confused then ever when the ending credits began to roll. "I don't get it." He said when Hermione began talking with Harry animatedly about what they obviously saw that Ron hadn't.
"It was very lovely." Luna said with a dreamy sigh. "I wonder why she hugged the other one instead of the one she obviously loves?"
"I don't think she realizes what her feelings are, Luna." Hermione said with a comforting smile. "That or they were trying to throw everyone from the real romance."
"But they were just kids!" Harry said with a laugh. "Sure, they might be starting to figure out their feelings... But I'm one to talk."
Hermione kissed him on the cheek and smiled. "I hate to say it, but thanks to Ron, we don't have to wonder anymore."
Ron smiled. "I knew you would be thanking me one day!"
"You're still going to get yours when you least expect it, Ron." Harry said with an evil grin. "You won't know where, you won't know when, but you'll know when it happens."
"You're still on about that?" Ron asked incredulously.
Hermione's smile matched that of Harry's. "You did betray our trust, Ron." She said with a sickly sweet voice. "It's only proper that we exact our vengeance..."
"They do have a point, Ronald." Luna said as she stood with everyone else.
"You too?" Ron blurted in surprise.
"I'd be furious as well." Tonks said with an equally unpleasant grin etched on her face.
Ron turned back to Harry and Hermione, who were already making their way to the exit. "Restroom stop!" Harry called back as Tonks and Remus caught up with them.
"Aren't you coming, Ronald?" Luna asked as she began to walk towards the aisle. She turned around, waiting for his answer but had to cover her mouth.
"Why's it so drafty in here?" Ron asked as he stood to catch up with everyone.
"I think you need your cloak more than I do, Ronald." She said in a giggle.
"It is cold." He admitted as he reached for the offered cloak. His eyes went wide when he looked at his arm and then down to his Chudley Cannons boxers. "HARRY! HERMIONE!" He bellowed while pulling his cloak around him tightly. "I'm going to kill them!" He growled as Luna stifled her laughter.
"They did warn you, Ronald." She said with sing-song laughter, following the fuming redhead as he stormed out of the theatre. He stopped in his tracks when he saw them in the van, kissing each other happily.
"This isn't the last they've heard of this!" He growled under his breath as a new plan formed in his mind. "Ginny would be better helping me prank them than getting them together." He smiled and rubbed his hands together as a long, crooked smile spread across his face. He climbed into the van where he had been sitting before and began humming a tune.
"We did warn you, didn't we, Hermione?" Harry said with a mischievous grin as Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.
"I deserved it..." Ron said with an overly cheerful smile.
"What song were you humming, Ronald?" Luna asked with interest. "It sounded rather familiar."
"It's a muggle song." Ron explained with a smile. "I don't know the name of it, but I do know some of the lyrics." He cleared his throat and thought for a moment before singing off-key. "You're a keen one, Mr. Grint. Your wit is very real. You're as cuddly as a kneazle, you're smarter than you feel, Mr. Grint. You've eaten bananas with an icecream seal!"
"Honestly!" Hermione said in a huff as she rolled her eyes and looked at Harry knowingly. "You've got the words all wrong, Ron, and it's Mr. Grinch, not Mr. Grint!"
Harry's laughter rang out as Tonks brought the van out into traffic. Ron smiled, despite himself, knowing that he'd gotten his best friends together and on a side note, had gotten Harry to laugh.
The conversation turned towards the movie. They all laughed when they got to the werewolf scene, Lupin saying that they got it all wrong. Harry laughed the hardest of them all, holding Hermione's hand in his the entire way back to the Burrow.
"We go back to Hogwarts tomorrow." Luna chimed in as Tonks and Remus dropped them off and drove away in the van.
"I've almost read through our books for this year." Hermione said with a smile. "Only three more chapters for Arithmancy and I'm finished!"
The two girls walked into the house, talking in hushed whispers with Harry and Ron following behind them.
"Your clothes should materialize in a few hours." Harry said with a chortle. "We didn't charm the cloak." He stopped and smiled at Ron. "I know it was a mistake, Ron." He said and Ron could see the happiness twinkling in his eyes which was a rare occurrence since the Department of Mysteries and Sirius' death. "But thanks for making it." With that, Harry clapped Ron on the shoulder and left him on the front stoop.
Ron grinned proudly and followed after his friends. Maybe I'll put the prank on hold for now... He thought to himself. Nah...
A/N: Wow, I'm on a role! Another fic finished and another short epilogue! Woe to the reader! :) I finished the Letters challenge with this last chapter and added a minor bit of the "Going to the Movies!" Challenge as well ;) Hope you liked it and thanks for reading!