It was December 11th, which meant that the Yule Ball, scheduled for December 25th, was two weeks away. You and your best friend Ernie were doing homework together in the school's common study hall. Various snacks from the Honeydukes were scattered around you and you lazily sipped your tea. Suddenly, away from you, some girls once again began to whisper about who invited them to the Yule Ball. You sighed in disappointment

Ernie, who you thought was oblivious to the conversations around him, suddenly slapped himself on the forehead

"Exactly, that's what I forgot!" he exclaimed and, without taking his eyes off his essay, asked you in a completely casual, ordinary tone “Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?”

You choked on your tea in surprise and spat it back into the mug, staring at Ernie with a very surprised look