Author: Sunnycouger ([email protected])
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, JKR owns all and makes the billions from it :( I just borrow them on occasion to ahve my wicked way with them ;)
Category: Fred and Angelina. With some minor George and Hermione/Ron and Hermione, Lee and Alicia...
~ ~ ~
It was a late afternoon in the Gryffindor common room and Fred Weasley was bored. His brother was teasing Neville Longbottom and although Fred usually enjoyed that particular pursuit, today he was troubled. He drummed his hands against the chair arm as he sighed loudly. Yule Ball, two words that were dogging his thoughts.
"I swear to god if you sigh one more time when I'm trying to do this I will personally strangle you."
Fred looked down to see an irritible looking Lee Jordan trying to perform a memory charm on himself.
"What? What are you trying to learn anyway?" Fred asked as he looked down at his frustrated friend.
Lee sighed and looked at him seriously. "I bet Alicia that I knew more about the history of quidditch than she did, so she took a little offence in it and decided that I should put my galleons where my mouth is..."
Fred surpressed the desire to laugh for a second before giving up and laughing at his friend. "You are scared that you are going to lose to a girl?" He shook his head in mock disappointment as he continued. "Lee, Lee, Lee...that's...pitiful. Truly...you should just go and sit over there with Neville and Colin. Go on..."
Lee gave him a death glare before turning back to his wand. "Asimo Remoro Lilora."
In a flash a puff of smoke had come from Lee's wand and shot towards the book he was trying the charm on. In a second the book glowed before smouldering and burning right through. Fred grinned as Lee looked at it with horror before reaching up and scratching his head. "Okay, that really wasn't supposed to happen..."
"No kidding," Fred said as he looked down at the burnt pages. "Never mind, there's Hermione, ask her. She'll know 101 memory charms that won't disintergrate the book. Oi, Hermione, come on over and teach a frustrated quidditch commentator how to beat a girl."
As Fred shouted over half of the occupants of the common room turned round to look at Lee who who blushing furiously as he picked up the remnants of the book and hit Fred hard with it on the leg. "Thanks for that."
"Not a problem, I knew you'd appreciate it." Fred managed to say with a grin as he rubbed his leg.
"Appreciate what?" A female voice appeared behind Lee which caused both him and Fred to look up to see Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell standing there.
"I'm trying to help Mr Useless there beat a girl." Fred said with a grin which caused Angelina to nod her head and laugh gently.
"Ah, the infamous quidditch bet, Alicia has been rhyming stats off in her sleep and said she's going to use the money you'll owe her on her outfit for the Yule Ball."
Lee rolled his eyes and began muttering. "Well, at least that's something, my galleons will be put to use making my date look stunning..."
Fred looked up at Angelina and shook his head before turning away as Lee smiled to himself mischievously. "So, I'm going with Alicia, Katie, you're going with that stupid Ravenclaw guy...where's the loyalty?"
"Joshua." Katie said severely as she glared at Lee who simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Whatever, you're still being a traitor. George is going with someone, apparently and what about you Fred? You got a date yet? Hmm?"
Angelina looked interested as Fred looked at Lee and tried to sound happy through gritted teeth. "I'm just narrowing down the available candidates, there's plenty of time. It's not like I have to go with the first girl I see..."
Angelina looked slightly hurt but hid it quickly as Lee turned to her. "What about you? I can't believe that you haven't been asked yet. Who's the lucky guy?"
Angelina looked at Katie pleadingly before answering. "Well, I'm kinda keeping my options open, I mean, a couple of people have asked me, but...keeping an open mind you know?"
Lee nodded and Katie kicked Lee hard before grabbing Angelina's arm and pulling her away. "Well, we'd love to stay and chat, but me and Angelina have to wade through her invites. Anyone who hasn't asked her better move fast, isn't that right Angelina? Because she won't be on the market for long..."
As Katie finished her ststaement she glared intently at Fred who looked at her blankly as Angelina turned he head to look at Katie as she was being pulled away. "Still on the market? What am I? A cow?"
As they disappeared from earshot Lee turned around and looked at a deflated looking Fred. "Oh come on, you go over there and ask her and she'll go with you. It's Angelina! You know, you've been teasing her and joking with her for 7 years. Who else would she go with?"
"Oh I don't know, half the flippin' school?" Fred said with a sigh. It was true, him and Angelina had been close since 1st year, they had even been each others first kiss, although technically, he reasoned, that was part of a bet and hadn't been that enjoyable at the time...although if he had the chance again.... She was the first person he had thought of last year to go to the Yule Ball, and the same this year. But this time it was different. This time it would be the last Yule Ball they would attend, and after graduation there was the distinct chance that their relationship would develop no futher. He sighed again and ignored Lee as he rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure he could imagine life without Angelina being an integral part of it, and he knew that he didn't just want her as a friend...
"Earth to planet Fred? Hello..." Fred snapped out of his thinking to see a hand waving in front of his face. He looked up at George who was now grinning along with Lee.
"What?" Fred asked irritably.
George looked shocked before busting out laughing. "Nothing, we just thought you had turned catatonic. Lee was getting ready to check for a pulse."
Fred looked at them both unimpressed. "Hardy har har...shouldn't you be anoying Neville or something?"
George looked at Lee and the both of them burst out laughing. "It must be love, he's lost his sense of humour..."
Fred sighed and looked at George. "Who are you taking to the ball?"
George suddenly looked grim as he sat down. "Um, that's kind of complicated..."
"Why's it complicated?" Lee looked at him quizically before widening his eyes and whispering to them both. "Unless...you don't want to take a guy to the ball do you?"
Fred couldn't help but let out a loud laugh as George looked at Lee in horror. "No. Why? Do I seem like a person who would want to take a guy to a ball?"
Lee looked at George and shrugged his shoulders as he turned back to his wand. "Hey, to each their own..."
George looked at Lee desperately. "I don't give off those signals do I?"
Lee looked at his wand intently as Fred snickered from the seat. "Umm, no, of course not..."
George exhaled deeply and grinned. "Good, good...so...yeah, IhaveaskedHermionetotheballRondoesn'tknowyet, so what's for dinner?"
Fred almost chocked and Lee dropped his wand as they both looked at George in shock. Him and Hermione? "George, could we have that again at half speed?"
George looked at Fred and took a deep breath. "Do you think that Ron will kill me? I mean, he'll be a little pissed but pain and curses I can handle but I'd rather stay breathing..."
Lee let out a low whistle as the three of them closed the circle a little as they began to talk in a whisper.
"It's a distinct possibility that Ron will kill you, and if he misses you then Harry will get you and if he misses you you just have to deal with Mum...so the possibility of you dying is high..."
Lee looked at George and shook his head disbelievingly. "How? How did you end up with Hermione?"
Fred looked at George expectantly. "Good question. I mean, its not like you didn't know that her and Ron had a thing going. Why did you ask her?"
George looked at his brother and shook his head. Fred looked at him unforgivingly. It was true that he was his identical twin but sometimes he could have such bad judgement. He definitely allowed his heart to rule his head too often...a Weasley family trait that was particulary bad in his brother. And people sometimes said he was the reckless one?
"I...It just kinda happened! You know she asked me about how the exams would go and she was kinda freaking again and we sort of...just...kissed..."
"Eww, no details...Hermione's been at the house that often I assumed you saw her in an asexual sort of way...you know, like a book or a broom?" Fred winced as Lee shook his head and picked his wand up and charmed little smoke figures of George, Ron and Hermione to shoot out the end and act out a greek tragedy where Ron and George kill each other.
George frowned at Lee as he dispersed the smoke figures and turned to Fred. "I did see her in an asexual way then...just...not anymore..."
Fred stood up and looked at George and shook his head. "This is way too much information. Sorry George...but, you have lost it my friend."
"Too many canara creams...he's got a bird sized brain..." Lee added helpfully as he stood up and followed Fred away. "So, now we've discovered who your brothers taking...go ask Angelina..."
Fred groaned as he walked to the boys dorm. No way was he asking Angelina just to get turned down...he would just ahve to see who the competition was and then deal with them man to man.
TBC