Summary: The 7th year ball is announced and he has no clue on how to ask her out. Harry gives him some advice and he comes up with the wackiest thing to give his sweetheart. Will it win her over? Short sweet fic!

Raspberry Pie

A notice on the Gryffindor Common Room Board read:

Announcement to all 7th years! There will be a ball coming up next week! Hope to see you all there! Get your dates and get your groove on!

"Get your groove on?" Harry asked.

"Man, if Dumbledore is trying to act younger, it's freaking me out," Ron said as they walked to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"So, who are you going to ask?" Ron inquired.

"I don't know. I would like to go with Cho but after my 5th year I learned that she's way too emotional for me," Harry relived.

"Oh, so then who do you want to go with?" Ron asked.

"Um, I don't know. Maybe Luna Lovegood?" Harry asked.

"Luna? As in Loony Luna Lovegood?" Ron said, appalled.

"She did help a lot in our 5th year! And she isn't loony, Ron. That's called a rumor," Harry said as they sat down at the table waiting for Hermione.

"So who are you going to ask out to the ball?" Harry asked.

"Promise not to laugh, mate?" Ron said shyly.

"I promise," Harry said. He knew that Ron would say Hermione. Everyone said they would make a cute couple. But they were too shy to ask each other out.

"Mione," Ron said as he blushed so deeply it looked like he was going to die of embarrassment.

"That's awesome. You two make the cutest couple," Harry stated as he took a swig of his pumpkin juice.

"Why are you not shocked?" Ron asked.

"Because you two obviously act like you like each other. But you and Mione are too shy to say anything," Harry said.

"What do you mean she acts like she likes me? She acts like a total jerk in front of me!" Ron said.

"Yep, just like you act totally crazy in front of her. You two are meant for each other," Harry said as he took an apple and bit into it. Hermione walked down the Great Hall and sat next to Harry.

"Hey, guys. Did you see the announcement for the dance? I hope the elves don't have to cook deserts for this one! They should be allowed to dance! Do you guys want to help me persuade Dumbledore-"Hermione started.

"Would you please shut up about the house-elves already, Hermione. I'm getting tired of hearing you rant on about their freedom! If they didn't like it they would've rebelled!" Ron said angrily as he took a bite of his bacon strip. Harry shook his head.

'Why does Ron argue with her so much?' Harry asked himself.

"Well, I'm sorry if you don't like my idea but you don't have to be so rude about it!" Hermione cried as she burst into tears and ran to the library.

"Great, Ron. I thought you liked Hermione," Harry said.

"I do! But every time she's near me I do the stupidest things!" Ron whined.

"You got that right! Just be yourself. Go make it up to her. Give her something special to you then ask her to the dance," Harry advised.

"After that argument you think giving her something would buy her off?" Ron questioned.

"Yep, sure do. Girls love to get things. Every time Uncle Vernon hands my aunt something, she goes wild and forgives him instantly for anything he has or hasn't done! It's really cool, give it a try!" Harry motivated.

"Really? But what should I give her?" Ron asked.

"Something that means a lot to you."

"But shouldn't it mean a lot to her, too?"

"Not necessarily. If you give someone something that means a lot to you that person understands that you like them so much you gave them something of great importance to you," Harry said.

"Wow Harry. You give great advice! But I'm not saying it works until I try it out! And if you blow up my chance with Hermione I'll….I'll-"Ron exclaimed angrily.

"Like you already haven't done that tons of times! And she forgave you! So she'll forgive you again! Now stop whining and go and try out my advice!" Harry said as he gave Ron a push forward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~RON'S LUGGAGE IN HIS DORM~~~~~~

"This? Nah, that won't work! How about this? No. ugh, there must be something in here! Aha, this! Nope. This? Nope! Argh! Oh, I've got it!" Ron said as he raced down to tickle the pear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE LIBRARY~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron walked in slowly carrying his treasured item in his arms.

He saw her. She was sitting on a chair at the end of the room near the Potions section. She had a blue book in her hand and her eyes were puffy and red from the crying. A few tears dripped onto the book telling Ron that she was still in tears.

'God, she's beautiful!' Ron thought as he walked up next to her and pulled out a seat and sat down.

"Hi," he said quietly. Hermione looked up then quickly shifted her gaze back to the book.

"Hi," she mumbled.

"Look, I'm really sorry, Mione. I didn't mean to explode on you like that," Ron started.

"Then why did you, Ron?" Hermione said as she burst into tears again. "Why?"

Ron took her fragile body in his arms and set her in his lap. He cradled her as she wrapped her arms around his waist and cried into his chest.

"I'm sorry, Mione. I really am," Ron reassured. Hermione stopped crying and stifled a few sobs.

"Can I make it up to you?" he asked. Hermione looked up at him curiously.

Ron took out his present and unwrapped it before her eyes.

"Oh my god Ron! That looks delicious!" Hermione cried as she sat up and surveyed her gift.

"Do you like it? I mean it's nothing fancy or expensive-" Ron began.

"Are you kidding, Ron! I love it! Thank you so much!" Hermione exclaimed as she hugged Ron warmly.

"Well, Mione, I have something to ask," Ron said hesitantly.

"What is it?"

"Are you going to the ball with anyone?" Ron said in a little voice.

"No, I haven't asked anyone yet," Hermione replied.

"Well, um, neither have I," Ron said.

"What are you trying to say?" Hermione egged on.

"Mione, will you go to the ball with me?" Ron asked slowly.

There was no answer. Ron felt himself slowly shrinking.

'This was a stupid idea, Harry! Why did I listen to you? It's never going to work!' Ron chided himself.

"I'd love to," Hermione said.

"Huh?" came Ron's creative response.

"I said I'd love to, Ron," Hermione restated.

"Really?" Ron was too stunned to accept this.

"Yes, Ron, yes. I've always wanted to go with you, but you always seemed to have other plans. I thought you hated me," Hermione said as she got off his lap and sat down in her chair.

"I don't hate you, Mione. I've had a huge crush on you for like forever!" Ron revealed.

"Great! The feeling is mutual," Hermione replied jovially.

"What does mutual mean?" Ron asked dumbfounded.

"That means I feel the same way about you," Hermione explained.

"Oh. So does that mean you're going to the ball with me?" Ron asked again, making sure he had heard her right.

"Yes! I'm going to the ball with you, Ronald Weasley!" Hermione cried.

"That's…that's…that's great!" Ron finally said.

'Thank god for a friend like Harry' Ron thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE BALL~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, I'm guessing it went great seeing to the fact that you're here with her at the ball," Harry said.

"I'm so happy for you Ron!" Luna said happily. "You two make the cutest couple!"

"I still can't believe you took Luna to the ball," Ron whispered to Harry.

"But she makes great company!" Harry argued.

"Whatever you say, mate. After all your idea got me Mione," Ron said, melting on the word Mione.

"You're right, whatever I say," Harry said snobbishly. "So what did you give her?"

"Well, first I was going to get her something that was blue. But that I thought would symbolize remorse or grief. So then I decided on something that has the reddest color it could only symbolize the truest love," Ron said.

"Wow, I never knew you thought this much over your gift," Luna said.

"So, what was it?" Harry asked again.

"Raspberry Pie," Ron said.

"What?!" Luna and Harry both cried in unison.

"Raspberry Pie," Ron repeated as he pointed over to Hermione who was happily eating a piece of the delicious pie that had brought them together.

This is my first Ron/Hermione so please review! Don't you just love pie? It brings people together! Lol!

Now that you've read it wouldn't hurt to press the nice go button next to review! It takes just a couple seconds! So go ahead! You know you want too!

THANKS IN ADVANCE TO ANYONE WHO READS AND/OR REVIEWS! YOU GUYS ROK!