It was the day of the ball. Harry couldn't believe how quickly the days had passed. He still hadn't decided whether he was going; yet time had almost run out to find a partner.

Hermione had stuck with her resolution not to go, despite the fact her parents had sent her an owl to inform her they had already booked a holiday for two in Kenya, so she would have to stay at Hogwarts, as previously arranged. It was the first time Harry had ever heard Hermione swear publicly.

At breakfast that morning Ron tried once again to persuade them to come-

"It'll be dead boring if you don't go!" He sulked, gnawing on a piece of bacon.
"Oh I'm sure you'll find ways to occupy yourself," Hermione said icily, glaring over at Luna. Ron turned bright red.

Ron had finally given up and gone to get ready. Hermione and Harry, as a symbolic sign of protest, had settled themselves firmly in the common room playing with Ron's chess set. It was difficult to watch all the sixth years leave, chatting excitedly, especially when each and every one of them asked why Harry and Hermione weren't going. Finally Ron left with an extremely large sigh of disappointment.

Just when they thought everyone had gone, Seamus came strolling down looking extremely annoyed.

"Why must girls take so long to get ready? Lavender must have been up there for about five hours!"

He said angrily, before fixing his gaze on Harry and Hermione-

"Hey, why aren't you two-"

"We aren't going." Said Hermione for the hundredth time.

"That's a shame, its going to be memorable, I mean you've heard about Neville of course."

They both looked at him curiously. Seamus gave them a superior look of knowledge before continuing.

"Well- word has it that Luna likes Neville better than Ron. Apparently they're going to be together by the end of tonight. Sucks for Ron, I guess-"

"WHAT?!" Hermione almost screamed, making Harry and Seamus jump considerably.

Seamus recovered quickly, "yeah- and Dean's going to dump Ginny, but everyone knows about that, except her of course I suppose-"

"WHAT?!" Shouted Harry, sounding dangerously close to screaming himself.

Seamus looked at them both as if they were insane. At that moment Lavender appeared and he ushered her quickly towards the door.

"Yeah... well... see you two later" He was still looking at them strangely, "and- erm- get to bed early, yeah? I think you both need an early night..."

Harry and Hermione stared at each other in horror for several moments, before Hermione jumped up.

"Harry- we have to go!"

"Yeah!" He agreed, nodded fervently, "Got to warn Ginny before that useless idiot dumps her and-"

Hermione interrupted, "What about Ron?" She almost screeched, "That stupid Lovegood loon! I'll stuff some Nargels up her nose alright and-"

"But Hermione!" Harry panicked, "we don't have partners! We can't go alone!"

Hermione stared at him as if she couldn't believe his stupidity, "Harry- I'm a girl- you're a boy."

"Yeah?" He said wildly, "what's your point?"

"WE'LL GO TOGETHER YOU IDIOT- NOW HURRY UP!"

Harry watched as Hermione sprinted up the stairs. She put her wand to her head and yelled "Vainticular impendo!" and instantaneously her bushy hair transformed into a shiny, sleek knot, with perfect curls floating down her neck. Harry gaped at this before she disappeared into her dormitory and then he himself jumped up, hoping he hadn't lost his dress robes.

The music was already blasting from the Great Hall when the pair arrived, out of breath from running. Just before they entered, Hermione whispered an incantation under her breath and pointed it at both herself and Harry.

"Just something to smarten us up a bit" she smiled. It was true; her hair which had fallen out slightly whilst they ran now became perfect once more, and he saw his own robes straighten out.

"Right," She said still panting, "shall we?"

Arm in arm they walked in.

Harry scanned the mass of colour in search of either redheaded person. Finally, he saw Ron, dancing awkwardly with Luna. Despite the strange feeling of nerves that had filled him when he walked in he couldn't help smile. Ron hated dancing.

He pointed this out to Hermione, who looked frantic for a moment then collected herself. As she took a deep breath Harry swore he heard her mutter "Calm down, it's only Ron for goodness sakes"

"Right." She said determinedly, "I'll go, find- find Ron and tell him. You go tell- thingy."

It was quite obvious Hermione's only concern was Ron at the moment.

With that Hermione had disappeared into the crowd, leaving Harry on his own, full of nerves. He had no idea why, he was just going to stop Ginny from being embarrassed, help her get one over on Dean. He had always quite liked Dean. It was now he realised that he was a stupid, no-good, undeserving-

"Harry?" His stomach seemed to hit the ceiling, as Ginny appeared infront of him.

"Could I have a word please?" She said stiffly. She was on her own. Harry wondered if he was too late.

"About our argument" she said, as they finally settled themselves outside on the frost-covered wall.

It took Harry a moment to think what she was talking about. With all the commotion of the night he had totally forgot about it. His heart sank.

"I'm sorry." She said quickly, as if she didn't want him to hear. She took another quick breath and then said in one long sentence- "I thought you had turned into something horrible which was never the impression you gave me but all the same you know? Then I heard what you did for Ron and the whole thing was so trivial but it got out of hand but I'm grateful you did it anyway."

Harry had only managed to catch a few words she had said it so fast, but he got the general gist.
"I'm sorry too" he grinned. She grinned back, then started to shiver.

Without thinking he gave her a hug to warm her up.
Then instantaneously it dawned on him what he had just done. He sprang back as if Ginny was covered in dung bombs.

"Sorry I-"

"No- it's all right, I mean you weren't doing anything or-" she too looked flustered.
They both stopped, then Ginny gave a rather fake sounding laugh-

"Well, we wouldn't of wanted Dean to see that, he could of got jealous or something" She gave him a playful wink, but her cheeks were still burning despite the cold night.

Dean! Harry suddenly remembered what he had come to say.

"Ginny- I need to talk to you about him! I've heard he's going to-"

There was a loud noise of a door banging and Hermione came running out, following by a fuming Ron.

They both stormed up to a pillar, before Ron caught up with Hermione and turned her around forcefully.

"What the hell did you do that for?!" He shouted. Harry was just about sure he could see Ron's face glow despite the night being pitch black.

"Look- listen to me- she's going to dump you- tonight! I heard it and I came to- tell you" she finished lamely, her voice faltering.

"Yes, tell me maybe, but there was no need to punch her Hermione!"

Harry heard Ginny clamp her hands over her mouth and make a muffled noise of exclamation. Her turned to quieten her; he didn't want Hermione and Ron to know they were listening.

Yet Ron's voice now grew quiet and full of doubt- "what do you mean- dump me?"

Hermione's face softened, and turned from a scowl to a look of sympathy.

"I'm sorry!" She said, and pulled Ron into a hug.

He looked, terrified, at Hermione as she sobbed, then patted her doubtfully on the head-

"Hey! It's me who should be crying!" He said jokily, "Can't even make Loopy Luna like me!"

"Don't be stupid Ron!" Hermione said reproachfully, before bursting into a new round of sobs.

"Go on- make yourself presentable and maybe-" he tried to sound casual but failed miserably, "You can-erm-maybe, well- dance with me. Just to show Luna I'm not bothered, like." He said quickly.

"Yeah, that'd be great" She smiled, wiping her eyes, "Just to show her your not bothered, though"
"Yeah, course!" Ron said hurriedly.

With a final smile, Hermione headed towards the girls' toilets.

"Well!" Ginny said, and Harry jumped. He'd completely forgotten she'd been next to him.

"It looks like some people are containing feelings, don't you think Harry?" She said, still staring at Ron who kept nervously flattening his robes and looking anxiously in the direction Hermione had left.

"Yeah," he grinned, turning to her. She was now looking at him. His heart gave a final thump then faltered.

"Maybe-" she said cautiously, "they aren't the only ones?" Before he could even contemplate answering, Ginny, looking horrified at herself, had jumped up and had starting sprinting back to the Great Hall.

Harry was too busy dwelling on what she had said that she was well into the distance when he called out-
"Wait! About Dean-"

Ron, who had been standing quite far away, heard Harry shout and stared at him in surprise, before walking over.
"What you doing out here? I thought you weren't coming?"

"I came with Hermione," Harry said distractedly, craning his neck to see if Ginny was still around.

"What?" Ron said sharply.

"She needed to talk to you about something"

"Oh!" Ron sounded extremely relieved.
Harry had lost hope of seeing her. He saw Ron's face and was brought slightly back to reality.

"Look- sorry about Luna, mate"

To his surprise Ron's face broke into a grin. "Truth is I- well, I encouraged it a bit" He said slyly.

"What? Why?" Harry gaped incredulously.

"Well- I found out Neville liked her and, well, planted it into her head... you know..."

He saw the look on Harry's face and sighed.

"Truth is Harry- she's nice and all, but I think the reasons I got with her were slightly... well."

He glanced up and Harry saw Hermione, now approaching once more, was in his eyeline.
"Don't tell Hermione that I knew, OK?" he said quietly, just as she approached.

Harry nodded in reply.

"After this of course, you'll dance with Harry, I mean us friends are allowed to dance together, right?" He heard Ron say.

"Of course, all friends dance together" Said Hermione, sounding like she was reassuring herself more than anything. Within moments, they had gone.

Harry realised how cold he was, and began to walk, confused, back to the common room.

Along the way he met Dean, who looking extremely disgruntled, walking in the same direction.
When he saw Harry he strolled over- "You going back too? It was a stupid idea that ball. Stupid girls and all."

Harry stared at him coldly. He must have ended it. "I hardly think you have the right to be complaining. You did dump her, after all. You deserve everything she threw at you."
Dean looked startled at Harry's words. Finally, he scowled "That's the thing. She dumped me."

Harry looked at him in surprise. Had someone else told her?

"She just disappeared outside for ages, came back in looking all strange, then dumped me on the spot" He said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Harry watched him go, his hopes soaring. He had a feeling that this ball had been much better than the last one.

At that moment a quiet- "Harry?" came from somewhere behind him. Ginny had appeared with Ron and Hermione.

"It's almost midnight, we thought we'd come and celebrate New Year with you!" Ron grinned, still flushed it seemed from dancing. Suddenly the unmistakable crack of magical fireworks had erupted outside, and through the window they could see a brilliant display of colours bursting against the night sky.

Everyone hugged each other and said happy New Year. Hermione kissed Harry's cheek and then turned to Ron. They both paused, unsure of what to do. Finally, as if it pained them to do so, they leaned and kissed each other quickly, before each said simultaneously in a squeaky voice- "Well, I'm off to bed" and walked off quickly towards their dormitories.

Leaving Harry and Ginny alone.
"Well, happy New Year Harry!" She leaned in, so did he. At the same time. Harry missed her cheek. She missed his.

They stood there, then finally with a whispered goodnight Ginny went to bed.

Harry knew they would greet each other as normal tomorrow and every other day until they finished school. Nothing else would happen between him and Ginny.

Not yet, anyway.

FINISHED! ("HUZZAH I HEAR YOU CRY!")

Thanks for reading this long folks.

Love and cheese,

Cinnamonturkey xxx