Visions of lumber and saws, hammer and nails floated through Ron's mind. Building bookshelves into the walls of a flat sounded like a lot of fun. Hermione mentioned magic and Ron snapped back to reality, having forgotten entirely about the use of magic.
"Quite lucky."
Ron's tea was cool enough at this point that he could take a fairly big gulp. The gulping of tea reminded Ron of gulping beers with Harry a few days prior. He also remembered asking Harry about the Gala and what he said about 'all the good ones' being taken. He thought it might be a little strange asking Hermione to go with him. But then again it might not. No, it definitely wouldn't be awkward. As long as he approached it casually, it would be fine.
Right?
In his contemplative trance, Ron failed to realize that he was staring off into space. In an attempt to normalize what he assumed was a spiraling mess of awkward silence, he blurted out the first complete sentence he could muster.
"Do you want to go the the Gala with me?"
Rons face flared up with embarrassment. That was definitely not what he planned to say.
"Not with me. I mean, with me. But not with me, with me."
Ron knew Hermione would understand what he was trying to say but he had to smile and laugh at himself.