Notes: For Hunger Games Competition (prompts: emotion, pairing, character, genre and setting.)

Girls

I let out a huge sigh and laid back on my chair. It was only Katie and myself right now - everyone else had disappeared into the dance floor or the gardens. I could only be glad that the traces of mascara on her cheeks were now invisible. Poor girl had cried enough - and while I hated seeing her cry for a man, I hated even more that I understood her predicament. The one year she gets a chance to ask out the one she has loved for years now... and he's not here.

We all miss Oliver, I rationalized. It's obvious that it will hit her harder on a day like this.

And I knew I needed to be here for her... but, I mean, there was something oppressive about the whole thing. Katie wasn't talking much, sulking and basking on her own misery. I wanted to be a good friend, but I also wanted to get away for a bit.

"Do you want some punch, Katie? I'm going to get me some."

"Sure. Thanks."

I got up and walked to the table with the beverages. I wanted things to change for a bit. I wanted Katie to not be alone when I came back, for both her good and mine. And I wanted to think of other things for a while - it was a bit selfish, but I wasn't having fun. And I wanted to have fun.

I waited in line for the punch - though it wasn't really a line. There was just one bloke in front of me, who turned to look when he heard someone beside me.

I breathed deep. It had taken me a while to recognize Adrian Pucey in his dress robes. His features had always been hard and rough. But there was something about his dark hair and blue eyes that never failed to make my heart skip a beat.

Don't even think about it now, Alicia, I scolded myself

He passed me a glass without words, and I drank from it. Instantly, a bitter flavor hit the back of my throat and my head shook involuntarily.

"This is spiked," I said. Pucey had taken the glass to his lips already, but stopped himself once he heard me speak.

"I'm so sorry." He left his glass on the table. "It wasn't... it wasn't me."

"I wasn't accusing you." Angelina and Fred were looking a little bit too merry in the dance floor. It couldn't just be the rhythm of the night and the natural joy. I'd heard Fred whispering to George something about a bottle of Firewhisky, after all - it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

"They have no limits, do they?" He had followed my gaze. I felt blood rush to my head. Had I just given my friend away to someone who might get him in trouble?

"Who is 'they'?"

"Don't even attempt that. Only a Gryffindor could believe he'd get away with spiking the whole bowl." He shrugged. "Your friends are getting away with it, to be fair."

My mouth was getting dry. "Anyway... I'm just going to get some punch."

"I'm going with you."

Couldn't he have worded that a little bit differently? I mean, did he have to include me in that sentence? He wanted punch. That had nothing to do with me.

I walked to the nearest table, very aware of the sound of footsteps behind me. I could hear it, even in the loud atmosphere, or I was imagining it. Either way, Adrian Pucey walked behind me and the thought was making me feel light-headed.

Control yourself, Alicia. He's not the only good-looking bloke you've ever seen. Why does he have to have such an effect in you?

He's out of limits, I answered to myself. He's a Slytherin on the Quidditch team. That's why. I just feel guiltier than I should about this. It's okay. You get to think he's hot.

With those conclusions I reached my destination. Wordlessly, I poured three glasses of punch and offered Pucey one of them.

"Thank you," he said. "Spinnet, I was wondering if..." he stopped himself. "No, nevermind. Don't want to keep your date waiting."

"Oh, I don't have a date." And as soon as I said that, I understood his phrasing was just a way to get me to volunteer this information. It had to be. "Not that it's any of your business," I added.

"Well, I was planning on asking you for a dance. So I guess it does concern me a bit."

"Were you?" Now I was genuinely surprised "Why would you do that?"

"Why not?"

I felt blood rush to my face. Why was I getting so embarrassed?

"I'm actually... I'm actually going back to my friends right now." A bit too late, it occurred to me he'd assumed I had a date because I was carrying two glasses. Oh well. Wishful thinking. "Maybe later."

"Is that a promise?"

"It's a maybe."

I left before he could say anything else. He was right, in one sense - I couldn't keep Katie waiting. And I wasn't very happy about the idea of standing up and dancing in these heels. In fact, I was glad when I finally reached our table and could plop down next to Katie. She was still alone, obviously waiting for me - but now I didn't mind as much.

"Here you are," I said. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

She wore a sly little smile. "It looked as if you two were flirting."

Of course she had been looking for me. It was Katie. She never missed a detail.

"You know I think he's hot." I shrugged, passing her the glass I'd poured for her. "I was probably flirting. But it means nothing."

"Sure thing." She averted her gaze and had a big gulp of her punch. The fact that she didn't even attempt to argue meant either that she believed me, or that she thought it was a lost battle. But I was glad she dropped it.

At least she's smiling now, I thought. She sat straight and there was some vitality in her posture, as if she'd never given Oliver a thought the whole night.

"I'm glad you're having fun at my expense," I pointed out.

"I'm happy for you, really," she said. "But... yeah. Thanks, Alicia." I knew she wasn't thanking me for the punch. After all, girls don't need boys, but we do need to be here for each other. It wasn't just her needing me - I needed her now. I needed her amusement and her joy. I needed her smile at something as simple as a hot bloke asking me for a dance. Even if she didn't know.

"Don't even mention it," I said. "That's what friends are here for."