"Why do girls have to travel everywhere in groups? Even to the loo!" Albus asked as he and Scorpius walked to the Great Hall

"I sincerely hope you are not following girls to the toilet to ask them out."

"A Bloke's got to try; I thought they would at least go there alone. "

Scorpius just shook his head "Well you better ask someone soon or you'll have to take Myrtle. At least then no one will wonder why you're hanging outside girls toilets."

"Don't say that near Rose, she'll think it's a brilliant idea."

"What will Rose think is a brilliant idea?" Rose asked as she joined them at the entrance to the hall.

Albus shot Scorpius a dirty look and he quickly changed tact "That Albus ask Otelia Brown to the Ball."

Albus rolled his eyes, sometimes he wondered why he was friends with Scorpuis, It would have been better if he had suggested Myrtle. There was no way Otelia didn't already have a date, I waited for Rose to say so.

Instead he shocked her by smiling at him and saying "That's a great idea." Albus jaw dropped Rose had clearly lost her mind. "You should ask her before potions!"

He stuttered for a moment "W…what?"

Rose pronounced each word to him as if he was mental handicapped "You" she said pointing at him "Should. Ask" She made a question mark in the air with her finger. "Otelia" She pointed toward the Great Hall "To. The. Dance. "She mimicked dancing

It was confirmed, Rose, had definitely lost her mind. There was no was Otelia didn't already have a date, he would just be embarrassed. Albus tried to tell Rose this but all he could do was stare at her and stutter. Then he Scorpius said it for him, and he remembered why he was friends with him.

"Doesn't Otelia have a date yet?"

Rose looked shocked for a moment and seemed to be having an internal debate. "Well actually…if you tell anyone this I will put you in a body bind and hide you where no one will ever find you. She was asking me about Albus, and wanted to know if he had a date yet, I said no and she sort of smiled and hurried away."

If Albus was in shock before it was nothing compared to now. He could no longer even utter a sound his lips were moving but no sound was coming out.

Scorpius must have learned legilimency, because he asked the question Albus had been trying to. "Why would she ask whether Albus had a date?"

Rose gave them her best isn't it obvious look. "Obviously, she was hoping he would ask her."

"No I don't think that's it." The way he said it had Albus snapping out of his shock.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I just meant, well you know what I meant."

"Yeah you meant there was no way Otelia Brown would be interested in me. I'll show you." Albus muttered as he walked away from them.

It seemed breakfast went a lot faster then it usually did and in no time Albus was making his way to Potions not talking to Scorpius out of principle. Otelia was a few feet in front of him with a group of girls, 'surprise surprise' Albus thought to himself. Occasionally she would look back and catch his eye before smiling and looking quickly away. Albus took a deep breath and caught up with her as she was about to enter the room.

'Um, Otelia can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Yeah, sure, I'll see you inside." She said waving to the other girls.

They stood there a moment while he gathered his courage again. Rose walked by and winked at him. "I-was-wondering-if-you-would-go-to-the-Yule-ball-with-me." He finally said so fast that the words ran together.

"I'm sorry what did you say?"

"Will you go to the ball with me?" He said more slowly but a little too loudly.

She smiled at him "Of course."

'Wow' Albus thought 'that was a lot easier than I thought it would be' and walked into Potions grinning

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