Unofficial Portkey Archive

Here it is. The long awaited Ball chapter. Well, only two more chapters left after this. *Tear* I hope you enjoy it, and notice that this says Part I...meaning there IS a Part II coming...

November 21,

I guess I'll begin the afternoon of the ball…

&&&&&

"You're not eating," Harry noted as he stuffed his own mouth with turkey.

"Very observant of you," I sighed, pushing chopped up potatoes around on my plate.

"Why aren't you eating?"

"Because I'm too worried about tonight," I explained sadly. "What with you- " Realizing that I had almost slipped up and said, "What with you going with someone else," I cut myself off. "I mean, what with Ginny setting me up with someone. I'll probably end up dead by the end of the night. What's the use in eating?"

"Don't be so melodramatic, Hermione," Harry laughed. "She's just setting you up."

"Anyway," Ron added from the other side of the table, "if you're going to end up dead, you might as well enjoy your last meal."

I glared at Ron as Harry shook his head is disbelief.

"What?" Ron asked, looking between us.

"I don't think that was exactly the type of advice she was looking for," Harry muttered.

"Hey, it's what I live by!" Ron exclaimed. "Eat while you can."

"And that's why it was the wrong advice," I snapped at him. Ron could be so hopeless at times. Here I was, clearly suffering, and all he could think of was food. That or Luna. Wait. Luna. Where was Luna? She'd taken to sitting with Ron for every meal, yet, after looking around the Great Hall several times, she was clearly nowhere in sight.

"Ron, where's Luna?" I asked him curiously.

"Oh," Ron said between bites of food. "She went home."

"But it's not even Christmas break yet," I replied, furrowing my brows.

"Well, she found out a week ago that her Aunt died and they're having the funeral today, so she left last night. She'll be back tomorrow."

"Oh Merlin!" I exclaimed. "Her aunt died? Poor Luna…"

"Not really," Ron shrugged. "She didn't really like her."

"Well that makes everything right and dandy, doesn't it?" I responded, sarcasm dripping from every one of my words.

"I suppose," Ron answered.

I shook my head in disbelief, and then something occurred to me. "Ron, who are you going to the ball with if Luna's not here?" For some reason or another Ron's eyes grew wide, but he quickly recovered.

"Oh, er, just some…some girl," he said casually. "So, did you see that article about the Cannons?"

"What girl?" I prodded.

"I read that it's predicted that they just might make the semi-finals this year."

"Ronald, what girl?" I persisted, banging my silverware down on the table in frustration.

"Isn't that wonderful?" Ron asked us, ignoring my question. I shook my head and sighed. Men. Any topic other than food and sports was too uncomfortable for them.

&&&&&

The rest of the day was rather boring. Harry, Ron, and I hung out at the library. I worked on an essay for Professor Snape while Harry and Ron started theirs. Meaning after writing their introduction they played a silent game of exploding snap. Madam Pince finally caught them, but by then it was six o'clock. Realizing with surprise that the ball would start in merely one hour, I headed up to my room (Ron and Harry went outside for a snowball fight, planning to get ready half an hour before seven). A few minutes later Ginny, accompanied by her bag of clothes and make up, joined me.

&&&&&

"Not even some lipstick?" Ginny begged me, taking out a bright red tube. "A light coating of mascara?"

"No," I said firmly. "Nothing fancy. Just me."

"What about your hair?" Ginny asked, taking out a bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. "Straighten it? Even a little?"

"I said no, Ginny!"

"I don't get it," Ginny frowned, crossing her arms. "In fourth year you got all dressed up for Krum, and you didn't even like him that much! Now you refuse to even straighten your hair for Harry?"

"I'm going as Hermione and that's that," I told her. "I'm not going to be liked for looking like Lavender, thank you. I'm going to be liked for looking like me, and if you can't handle that, well that's too bad for you."

"When you suddenly start standing up to me," Ginny mused, "I'm filled with a mixture of distain and admiration."

I couldn't help but grin at my redheaded friend. "How about we put our dress robes on, hmm?"

"Fine," Ginny sighed. We turned our backs to one another as we took out our dress robes. My green dress robe had been hanging in my closet, and as I took it off its hanger I couldn't help but smile. It really was a rather pretty dress. I slipped it on, straightening out the overcoat. Finally I turned around to find Ginny, who looked gorgeous.

Her dress was an icy blue, with vines embroidered all over so it appeared that they were creeping up on her. It had a V-neckline so that her cleavage (of which she had a lot more than myself) was evident, but the neckline was not plunging. Her sleeves were a slightly lighter colour, and they clung tightly to her arms until they reached her elbows, where the material suddenly flowed down to her wrists. Finally, the dress seemed to be made of a very fine material, possibly silk.

"Where's the over robe?" I asked her, noticing that she was simply wearing the dress.

"I didn't like it," she replied as she applied a light cover of blush to her cheeks. "It covered up too much of my figure."

"You're going to freeze," I informed her, thankful that I was sensible enough to get a velvet dress robe. "What with no over robe and your dress being made out of silk. That is what it's made out of, isn't it?"

"Yes," Ginny replied. "But I'm not exactly planning on rolling in the snow tonight."

I gave a small laugh. "Well, any case, Neville will just love you."

I saw Ginny fidget for a second, pausing as she twisted her hair into an intricate bun.

"What is it?" I asked her curiously.

"Nothing!" she exclaimed. "Er…yes. I hope he'll love it." She gave me a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. I stared at her suspiciously, but she had already turned away from me to try to finish up (she was already far behind).

Sighing I pulled the front half of my hair back, twisting it to the side until the two bunches reached one another in a ponytail. The rest of my hair flowed down, bushy as ever. I swept away two stray hairs and decided that I looked decent enough. I turned to Ginny to discover that she wasn't even halfway down with her make-up.

"Gin, the ball's starting in ten minutes!" I told her. "See, this is why I don't waste time with such unnecessary things as make-up."

"You're just too lazy to bother with it," Ginny replied, opening her mouth as she applied mascara. "You go on without me," she insisted. "I'll be down in a bit."

"But how will I find my date?" I inquired.

"Oh, he knows that he's going out with you," Ginny said. "He'll find you, don't worry."

"Why is it that he knows I'm his date yet I don't know I'm his?" I demanded, placing my hands stubbornly on my hips.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Because it happened to work out that way. Now go!" She gave me a little shove, pushing me out of the room.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "This is my- " Ginny shut the door in my face. "Room," I finished quietly. "Oh well…"

I walked down the stairs to the common room I shared with Harry, careful not to trip on the hem of my dress. When I reached the bottom step, I heard a voice exclaim incredulously, "Hermione?"

I looked up to find Harry (who was still in his school robes) staring at me. I blushed.

"Hi, Harry," I replied nervously. "Er…are you okay?" Harry hadn't moved since I started talking.

Finally Harry seemed able to regain the ability to speak. "You look…amazing."

My face grew redder. "Oh, stop it," I told him anxiously. "I mean, I'm not even wearing any make-up, and my hair's still a mess, and it's not as if I look good in this dress (not compared to Ginny, anyway) and-"

"You're gorgeous," Harry interrupted me, blushing himself. Together we would out-red every single Weasley.

"Thanks," I said quietly. "Want to come down with me?" I asked, shaking my head slightly towards the other set of stairs. "I mean, we might as well go down together."

"Oh, I need to get my robes on," he told me quickly.

"I can wait," I told him.

Harry suddenly seemed uncomfortable. "I might be a while," he told me, running his fingers nervously through his hair, a clear sign that he was avoiding telling me something. "I have to do something after. You…you go on without me, okay?"

"Okay…" I agreed, eyeing him suspiciously. Honestly, how was it possible that Ron, Ginny, and Harry were all acting weird on one night? It must've been because of the ball...

I reached the Great Hall a few minutes later. I couldn't help but stand in the door way as I stared. It was breathtaking. There were ice sculptures of the founders in every corner of the room, and a mini replica of the original Hogwarts in the centre. Despite being frozen, it was also, apparently, a waterfall, as water spurted from the four towers. Looking up at the ceiling, which was enchanted to reflect the weather outside, I saw snow falling. It melted halfway down its journey. From the front of the room a band was playing a gorgeous minuet that sounded very similar to Bach's Minuet in G.

"Would you care to move?" a voice sneered. "Some of us have better things to do than stare at your backside, mudblood."

I rolled my eyes, recognizing the voice immediately.

"Aren't we impatient tonight, Malfoy," I told him, turning around to find him on the arms of Pansy Parkinson who was wearing the horrible pink frock that Ginny had shown me in that magazine of hers. "Oh look," I said in mock surprise. "Malfoy and Parkinson. Don't you ever get sick of each other's big heads?"

"You're one to talk," Malfoy shot back. "Looks like you're too ugly to get a date. I guess not even Potter wanted to be seen with a mudblood."

I glared at Malfoy and he knew he had hit a sore spot. "Have a nice night, Granger," he sniggered as he pushed past me.

Deciding that maybe standing in the middle of the doorway wasn't such a grand idea, I walked over to a set of chairs off to the side for the losers like me who were dateless. Sadly, I was the only one there.

Twenty minutes later I was still sitting in my chair, thoroughly depressed that my date had yet to show up. Why wasn't he here? Ginny had said that she had set me up. She wouldn't lie to me, right?

Oh Merlin, how I prayed that it was Harry. I honestly didn't see how it couldn't be him after all of Ginny's nosing and pushing and being annoying. Plus, after thinking about today's events, what other explanation would there be for Ginny and Harry's oddities?

Further more, I wanted it to be Harry. I had been a git, letting my fear of being turned away stop me from asking him sooner. Now someone else asked him. Or so he claimed.

Oh Merlin, let my date be him, I begged silently to myself, playing with the hem of my sleeve. Please let him have said no because he was already going with me and didn't wish to ruin the surprise.

A few minutes later someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around eagerly, only to find Ron.

"Oh, it's you," I replied glumly, placing my chin into my hands.

"Thanks so much," Ron replied lightly. "Is that any way to treat your date?"

I coughed and then sputtered, "My…my what?"

"Date, Hermione," Ron smiled. "Ginny set you up with me."

"No!" I cried out. At Ron's hurt expression I quickly said, "I just thought you were going to be Harry."

"You're upset because you thought I was going to be Harry?" Ron asked with an amused grin.

"No," I replied immediately, not wanting Ron to think that something so trivial (all right, so it was anything but trivial) was bothering me.

"Right," Ron said, still grinning in that annoying way.

"Oh, shut up," I said, giving him a look that clearly said, "Not now." I looked around the hall, trying to find Harry. I finally turned to Ron and demanded, "Who is he with?"

"Harry?"

"Of course Harry!" I cried out desperately.

"Oh, he's with Ginny," Ron replied, a slight glimmer in his eyes. "She asked him and he said yes."

"Ginny?" I replied, staring at him in disbelief. "Ginny asked him here?"

"Yes," Ron replied. "Is that a problem? I told her it was a good idea and that you wouldn't mind, what with your inability to ask him."

"I did ask him!" I protested.

"Well Ginny got to him first," Ron retorted. "After you hadn't asked him for nearly two weeks, I assumed that you didn't want to go with him, seeing as something like this could never daunt the likes of you. And after all, it isn't as if you don't trust Ginny." He was testing me. I knew it. Ron wanted me to go insane and jump Harry. Damn Weasleys.

I stared at Ron, and before I could stop myself I seethed, "Go to Hell." My eyes grew wide as I realized what I had said and I covered my mouth to prevent myself from sputtering something else stupid and un…me-like.

"Excuse me?" Ron exclaimed, completely surprised. "Did you just curse at me?"

"No," I said quickly. So much for not overreacting to things that are trivial, I thought sadly to myself. But I still had time to make a beautiful save that would make my inner voice incredibly proud.

"No?" Ron questioned.

"No," I reiterated firmly.

"Then what did you say?"

I fought to find something that sounded realistically alike. "I said…er…that is…" I paused for a few more seconds while Ron tapped his foot expectantly. "I want a well!" I cried out. Pathetic, my inner voice said in dismay. You're too cocky, I retorted.

"You said, `I want a well'?" Ron asked doubtfully, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I did," I replied with a stubborn nod.

"Why on earth do you want a well?" he demanded of me.

"To drink of course!" I exclaimed quickly. "I'm, er, completely parched. What type of a date are you?"

"I'm your date, not your slave, Hermione dearest," Ron said in a mockingly sweet voice.

"I thought that's what a date was," I replied, smiling in a sickeningly sweet fashion.

Ron shook his head in disbelief and went off to find me a well. Or a punch bowl. Whichever he found first. My money was on the punch bowl.

A few moments later Ron returned to me with a cup full of punch. I took the cup just out of necessity to prove that I was not lying. Taking a big sip, I looked around the room for Harry and realized that this was a mistake when I spit out the punch. Poor Ron was drenched.

"Thanks, Hermione," he said with a roll of his eyes. "I know you didn't exactly want to go with me, but was this nece-ah…" He followed my eyes and found Harry and Ginny, walking in together.

"I can't believe it's true," I said in a hurt voice. "How could she do this to me?"

Ron chose not to answer, preoccupying himself with scrougifying his blue dress robes. I ignored the fact that he didn't answer as I stared at Harry. He looked…amazing. Like myself, he was wearing dark green dress robes, except he chose his to match his eyes (I assume), while mine were chosen to match my complexion. His raven hair was still as wild as ever, but that didn't prevent him from being one of the most handsome men in the room. And he was on the arms of my so-called female best friend.

I felt my heart race as Harry and Ginny began dancing to a waltz that was playing. Her right hand was on his waist while his left hand was on her back, with Ginny's other hand lightly in Harry's. They weren't up against one another, but it was close enough to make me feel sick. Ginny had betrayed me. She had tricked me into thinking that she was helping me so that she could get Harry. And Neville…poor, poor Neville! How would he feel when he found out?

"This doesn't make any sense," I whispered to myself. "They looked so happy a few days ago…" It was then that I made up my mind. Leaving a bewildered Ron behind, I marched up to the dancing couple. I patted Ginny on the shoulder impatiently.

Turning around, Ginny smiled at me. "Hi, Hermione! How are you toni- "

Before she could finish a loud smack emanated around the Hall. Everyone quickly grew quiet as they watched the scene. Ginny held her red face, glaring slightly at me, as I stared at the hand that had only done such a heinous act once before, and that was with Malfoy.

"What the bloody Hell was that for?" Ginny demanded angrily, letting go of Harry who was staring at the two of us in slight fear.

"As if you don't know," I seethed, tears threatening to roll down my face. "How could you?" I asked her. "How could you do this to me? To Neville? I thought you said you liked Neville, yet all of this time you were just…just…just using me to get to Harry!" Ginny tried to explain but before she could I interrupted her. "You tricked me!" I exclaimed. "You knew that I'd fallen for Harry! Do my feelings mean nothing to you?" I waited for Ginny to answer, and suddenly my eyes grew wide as I realized in horror what I had just said. "You knew that I'd fallen for Harry!" seemed to play a million times in my head.

"Oh no," I moaned, burying my face into my hands. "No, no, no, no, no."

"I think we should go talk outside, away from all of this," Harry's voice told me calmly. He pried my hands away from my face so he could look at me. "Hermione," he said gently. I closed my eyes, absolutely mortified, but allowed Harry to lead me out of the Great Hall as everyone began to whisper about what had occurred moments ago.

-->