Life of Something Like It

Disclaimer: I don't own it. JK Rowling does.
AN: I've had this on my computer for awhile. I'm hoping it's pretty good, I've thought of some ideas. So without further ado...

August 31

Maggie Spinnet is an idiot, who I am cursed enough to call my sister. I know I say it a lot, but I really mean it this time. She gave me this stupid journal to write in. She said, and I quote, "You'll need a pal in this dark time in your life."

Dark Time? What's so dark about this time in my life? The most horrific part of my life is giving up meats, because after watching how animals are slaughtered for our meat products, I decided I didn't want to be the reason why that cow could never have children. Yes, I know I should be called Alicia Spinnet, humanitarian. Wait, but humans aren't killed to produce meats, so does that make me an animaltarian? Will ponder thought later.

Right, so back to my sister and the origin of this journal. It was my birthday, and my sister had come home. Now I was especially thrilled about this, because ever since I was little I have wanted to be just like her. So yeah, my sister is my role model. Anyway my sister rarely comes home from Austria, where she's stationed for the ministry, and so when she came home I was surprised.

"Maggie!" I had screamed running towards my sister who was wearing a bright blue work suit, with her hair in a ponytail. She seemed to be sweating in extraordinary amounts.

"I love you Leesh, but it's too hot for hugging." She warned with a smile on her face.

I rolled my eyes and laughed, "Oh you're no fun! Did Austria harden you up a bit?"

Maggie's facial features changed immediately her mouth turned from it's warm smile to a cold as ice frown. Her eyes, which seemed to be dancing like ballerinas, were now dancing like the phantom from that muggle musical. Her face, which had been bright red, was now chalk white.

My mother must have noticed the change in Maggie's features, "Are you okay dear?"

My mother is a forty five year old woman who looked like she was ten years younger than she really was. She is muggleborn. She was always someone who was easy to talk to, and trust. In fact when I was thirteen, and had gotten my first crush, she had given me the talk. You know the ones about the birds and the bees? It was incredible really that she knew so much and was comfortable. She'd been married to my father for five years. In which time she'd had my brother Seth, Maggie, and I. Even though she could easily get married again, she didn't. She wanted to be there for the three of us.

Maggie sighed, "Oh I'm fine let's just celebrate Alicia's birthday. Shall we?"

My mother nodded but didn't seem convinced, "Yes that sounds like a swell idea."

I swear my family and I are right out of a Mark Twain novel.

"So is Seth coming?" Maggie questioned.

My mother shrugged, "If he is able to get out of work for the day."

Seth was two years older than me; he had graduated from Hogwarts this year. He was currently working at Three Broomsticks, until he would start at Puddlemere University with Oliver Wood. Seth and Oliver were best friends for god knows what reason, Seth is a genius that took all advanced classes, and Wood is a quidditch-obsessed person, enough said. Seth had dated one of my best friends Angelina Johnson, but they broke up over the summer. I think it was because Angelina was still in love with Fred, anyway Seth and Maggie don't get along because he disagrees with the ministry of magic, and Maggie works for the ministry of magic. It's not like Seth is a death eater, it's just he thinks Fudge is off his wanker. After they fired Dumbledore in my fourth year, Seth turned anti ministry.

"Oh um good." Maggie had said.

She then entered the house and made her way to the living room where she settled herself on the old couch, and stretched out her legs, "So Leesh what's up?"

"To be honest. Nothing." I answered.

Maggie rolled her eyes, "You're sixteen something must be going on."

Honestly nothing was. I know most people say they love summer and tons of things happen during the summer, but in my life it seems to be the exact opposite. When school ends for the summer, my life ends. I only keep in touch with my friends by letters, and that's all. I spend most of my summer with my family going to temple (I am the only Jewish witch I know of) and then after temple watch old John Hughes movies.

"Nothing unless you count watching Sixteen Candles fifty times important." I insisted.

She shook her head, "Don't you remember what happened in that movie? Well that's what should be happening in your life now."

"What my sixteenth birthday should be ignored by my family?" I laugh.

She shook her head, "No you should go after what you want, party like it's nineteen ninety four. Which brings me to your present "

"What?" I questioned.

"Here's a journal. You'll need a pal in this dark time in your life." She said, and handed you over to me with your red leather binding or whatever the hell kind of binding you have. It's insane; she actually thinks I'll write in you everyday.

I honestly had no intention in writing in you, really. When Maggie gave you to me I figured I'd just throw you in the trunk and just forget all about it. When Seth and Maggie came to blows over Fudge, I didn't want to write it down. When my father showed up with his whore of a girlfriend Jessica Lee (it's such a stripping name, I swear!), I didn't want to write down how much I hate her! When Oliver Wood came by and awkwardly gave me a hug and some Puddlemere gear, I didn't want to write about it. Then Maggie, Jessica Lee, and dad left. Seth headed to his room to start packing for Puddlemere (he's a procrastinator I swear!) and my mother went to her room in tears after my father and Jessica Lee's all too public displays of attention. No, I didn't want to write in you until the fateful time of 9:47 when I heard a tap on my window.

So anyway like I was saying I hear this tap on my window, okay so it's more of a rock hitting the window, and so annoyed I figure it must be Oliver Wood having missed my brother's window or something stupid like that. So I go to the window, and stupidly say, "Hello? Who's there? I know karate I can kill you!"

"Leesh! Get your ass down here!" I hear a voice scream…wait I know that voice.

"George?" I call.

He yells back, "Just get down here."

And for some really weird reason I obeyed. I got into my Puddlemere sweatshirt, and jeans, and ran down the stairs. I tied my hair back in a sloppy ponytail, and made a run for it outside. George was waiting for me outside of the door, I tapped him on the shoulder, he quickly turned around, and hugged me saying, "Hey you! Happy Birthday!"

I smiled lightly and curtsied, "Thank you, thank you."

He laughed, "So everyone's giving you your present tomorrow…"

"Thanks for spoiling it!" I joked.

He shrugged, "Anytime. So like I was saying everybody's getting your present tomorrow…but I though, wait shouldn't Alicia get something on her birthday?"

"I got a diary." I said helpfully.

"Oh so now Alicia can write about her crush on me?" George winked.

I rolled my eyes, "In your dreams, Buster."

"More my nightmares." He answered easily

I tapped him lightly, "Your nightmares? I'm not that hideous. I mean I'm no Angelina Johnson, but I'm decent looking."

"Angelina's not really my type." George told me, and handed me a small box. It was a red velvet box, and I secretly thought that George didn't have enough money to even afford a box like this. He looked at me, and said, "Well go on then!"

I laughed, and opened the box, and saw a small silver chain, with a picture in it. It was a picture of a small girl with curly brown hair, kissing a boy with flaming red hair on the cheek. The boy's face turned beat red, and then the image repeated itself. I focused on the picture for a while more, and then I realized it was a picture of George and me when we were three. I looked at him, and saw that his face had turned the bright red it had taken on in the picture. I figured my face was turning a bright red similar to the red appearing on George's face. We both stayed quiet, looking at each other, and then I did something stupid.

I ran up to George, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him. It was so quick, that he had no other choice to kiss back. We stood there kissing, and suddenly his hands had made their way to my hips. I was shocked by how good it felt, how right it felt. We fit perfectly. Then he pulled away, "Alicia, I can't. I just can't."

I took a deep breath, and shrugged, and said quietly, "Yeah, I suppose you can't. I shouldn't have done that, it was just such a great present George, that emotions over came me, and I kissed you. I didn't mean for it to happen, it was a dumb mistake."

"Leesh, it's not like that." George started.

"To me it is George." I insisted, and he nodded, accepting my explanation. There was an awkward moment of silence, and I hated every second of it, so I decided to break it, "So where'd you get that picture?"

"My mum gave it to me first year, and I decided to store it for awhile, till I found the perfect time to give it to you. And apparently sixteenth birthdays are big deals for you girls." He said with a shrug, "I decided this was the right time."

"It was. You just made my day. Seriously you have no idea how bad this day has been going." I whispered taking a seat on one of the steps by my house, "It's like nothing can go right, my dad, Jessica Lee, mom, Maggie, and Seth. It's just been a disaster."

George sympathetically sighed, and took a seat on the step next to me, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly," I admitted. I made to move my head on his shoulder, but decided not to. I didn't want him to get the wrong impression especially after the earlier kissing fiasco.

He nodded, "Okay, so you want to hear about my summer?" He paused and took the fact that I wasn't objecting as agreement, "It basically revolved around Fred and Ange getting together. She's been over at our house practically everyday of the summer, except the past two weeks and that's because Fred's been going to her house."

"So they finally got their act together? I've been waiting for that since forever!" I exclaimed. It was true, as Angelina's best friend for the past six years; I'd seen all the struggles between them. They were that epic couple who just never seemed to be ready at the time. Whenever they seemed to be getting close, one of them would just mess it up. In third year, they had been kissing and Angelina had caught Fred with another girl, she couldn't forgive him for awhile. The next tragedy was when Fred told Angelina he loved her last year and she told him she loved Seth. It was a relief that they'd finally gotten their act together.

George raised an eyebrow in question, "Really? I always thought you were team Seth, after all he is your brother and she's your best friend."

I shrugged, "No. It's not that I wouldn't have been happy if Angelina and Seth were happy together, but they weren't. We could all see how much Angelina wanted Fred, and how Seth was used to try to distract her from Fred. Their whole relationship, she was trying to deny she loved Fred, but she couldn't. She might have liked Seth, but she loved Fred, and I didn't think it was fair for my brother to settle for a girl who didn't love him. I think its better they parted ways."

"They didn't get their act together," George laughed, "They're just hanging out with each other and trying to get past the I love Seth disaster (see I told you it was a disaster for both parties; Angelina could barely get through that sentence and Fred was a mess). They only kissed a few times."

"Why are they so overdramatic George?" I asked in frustration. It didn't make sense to me how two people who loved each other as much as Fred and Angelina couldn't just get their act together.

George shrugged, "They're scared Leesh. If they don't make it work this time, then there are no excuses. It's just something wrong with them."

I shrugged, "Well, it's getting late and cold. I should get inside."

I stood up and George did the same. He nodded, "Yeah, mum's probably wondering where I've been. She's noticed me more this year because Fred is constantly with Angelina."

I laughed, "Well goodbye then." He waved and I turned to open the door.

"Leesh?" I heard him ask softly.

Quickly I turned my head around, and looked at him, "Uh huh?"

"Happy birthday, you're one of the best friends I have, and if I don't tell you this enough, you're awesome." He told me.

I smiled at him, "You too George."

With that he got on his broomstick and before I knew it he had flown off. I walked back into the house, my knees were shaking.

"Leesh, you okay?" Seth asked as I walked in.

"What?" I asked, "Oh yeah, of course!"

"Okay…" He said uncertainly, and walked upstairs towards his room. When Seth had walked away, I hurriedly ran into the kitchen and grabbed a fork from the cabinet, and opened the leftover cake. I dug into it, and began to for lack of better term "eat my feelings." Whenever something went wrong this was how I reacted, I grabbed the nearest piece of junk food and binged.

I mean we all have our way of handling a crisis.

Lee gets quiet and sulky.

Katie cries. A LOT.

Angelina runs.

Fred punches an inanimate object.

George...well I suppose George stays calm and moves on.

And I eat away my trauma.

So maybe it's unhealthy, but we're all allowed to have our bad habits, right?

So anyway, after eating the rest of my delicious red velvet cake, my feelings hadn't evaporated, but rather remained with a stomachache intact. My binge had failed me, and I had no other options but to write about it here in this journal.

I kissed George Weasley and I liked it.

What's wrong with me?

Ugh, it's going to be a long year if this craziness continues.

AN: Tell me what you think please :) and also next chapter will be longer for sure. Plus more detail on Oliver/Alicia. And of course more George/Alicia.