"You are going to blink." I said, struggling to keep myself from blinking. "I will make you blink."

"Meow," Kamen, my tuxedo cat, remarked.

The door to the dormitory opened and Katie Bell walked in. "Uh Ceri," she started. "What are you doing?"

My eyes never left Kamen's. "I'm having a staring contest."

"With your cat?"

"With my cat."

"…Okay."

Kamen finally got bored and turned his attention to a string hanging off the drapes surrounding my bed. "Ha!" I shouted victoriously.

Katie shook her head. "You worry me."

I just smile. "So what's up?"

She sat on her bed and said, "Not much." She looked like she wanted to ask me something.

"What?"

"Has anyone asked you to the ball yet?"

I stared at her. "Uh…no. Why do you ask?"

"Well, Angelina, Alicia, and I were thinking all of us could go together with our dates. But since you don't have one…"

"Wait! Be kind rewind!" I exclaimed. "Dates? Who has dates?"

Katie looked sheepish. "Well, all of us girls except you."

"Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?"

She blinked. "Um, Alicia's going with Lee and I'm going with George."

"Who asked Angel?"

"Um…" she hesitated. "I don't know."

I glared. "You're a bad liar Katie Anne Bell. Who is Angel going with?" She refused to look at me as she murmured a name. "What was that?"

She sighed. "Fred." She instantly grabbed a pillow to hide behind.

I swallowed. "Fred? As in Fred Weasley?"

Katie noticed the waver in my voice. "Yeah. Fred asked her today during study hall." She got up and sat next to me. "Are you okay?"

"No. I'm not okay." Everyone knew I was in love with Fred Weasley and had been since second year. Angelina was the first person I told and she was so encouraging. And now she accepted an invitation to the Yule Ball from said person. What was this world coming to if friends stole friends' love interests? Katie slipped her arm around my shoulders, somehow knowing what was going on in my head. It was at that moment that Angelina came waltzing, literally, through the door with a grin on her face.

She looked at me and the grin faded. "What's wrong?" I shot my deadliest glare at her and stormed out of the dorm. "Geeze, what did I do?" I heard her say followed by a resounding smack upside the head.

I soon found myself leaning against the big tree next to the lake. "What's up, Cerridwen?" a voice asked from behind me.

I turned and saw Cedric Diggory. I smiled. "Ced, how many times have I told you to call me Ceri?"

He returned my smile and sat next to me. "About ten times a year since we met." I rolled my eyes. "So what's up? You look upset."

I sighed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on Ceri. We've known each other forever. Spill." I just glared. "That hasn't worked since you were three. Now tell me what's going on."

I sighed. "Well, my best friend is going to the Yule Ball with the guy I'm in love with."

"Does she know you're in love with him?"

"Yeah. She was the first person I told."

He put a hand to his chin. "And would this friend be Angelina Johnson?"

I looked at him suspiciously. "How'd you know?"

He grinned. "I heard her ranting to Alicia about you just being jealous because you don't have a date."

"That little—" Cedric covered my mouth with his hand so the choice unladylike words were muffled.

"Better now?" I nodded. He removed his hand. "Good. Now are you going to go to the Yule Ball or not?"

"I can't. I don't have a date."

"If you don't go, Angelina's going to tell the whole school you stayed in the dormitory because you were jealous of her."

I leaned my head against the tree and threw a rock into the lake. "And how exactly am I going to get a date in one day?"

"Ask someone."

"Like who?"

"I would recommend a champion. That would make her jealous. But I'm going with Cho, Harry's going with Parvati Patil, and Krum's going with some mystery girl."

I sighed in defeat. "I'll just go without a date." I stood, "I've gotta go Ced. I'll see you later."

That night I sat staring into the flames of the Gryffindor fireplace. Everyone had long since gone to bed so I was left alone…or so I thought. Two strong hands suddenly started massaging my shoulders. I looked up to see Fred smiling down on me. "What are you still doing up?" he asked. He stopped the massage, which I happened to be enjoying, and jumped over the back of the couch to sit next to me.

I continued to stare into the fire. "I could ask you the same question."

"Is there a reason you're not looking at me? I know the fire can't be that interesting."

"I'm just thinking." I knew if I looked at him I would start crying. Sometimes I hate be so damn emotional.

He scooted closer. "Thinking about what?" He slipped his arm around my shoulders. I shrugged him off. "What?" I stood up with every intention to just leave him alone, when he grabbed my hand. "Ceri, what's wrong?"

I just stood there, loving the feel of his slender fingers entwined with mine. I sighed, "Why did you ask Angelina to the dance?" He shrugged. "Do you like her?" I couldn't help the fact that my voice was tinged with anger.

Fred stood and turned me to face him, "What's wrong? Why is it such a big deal that I asked Angel to go with me?"

"Because I love you!" I couldn't help myself. I swear my mouth has a mind of my own. Fred immediately dropped his hands. I took that moment to run up to my dorm.

I was able to successfully avoid Fred until the Yule Ball. How you may ask? I hid in my dorm and had my lovely house-elf friend, Dobby, bring me food. It was now time for the Yule Ball and everyone except myself was already in the Great Hall. I stood in front of the full body mirror that hung behind the dormitory door. I couldn't believe that Cedric had still convinced me to go to the ball. And he did it with blackmail! "I must get that picture back." I muttered as I looked at my reflection. The dress my mother had chosen for me was blood red with spaghetti straps and an empire waist. It was tight around the bosom and flowed freely till it touched the floor. Matched with black stiletto heels and blood red jewelry, it was the better then anything I could've chosen. I had done an extraordinary feat with my hair. The normally dark blond mess was in a tight bun on top my head with roses poking out here and there. "Well," I said. "It's now or never."

"Ceri! I'm so glad you came!" Katie yelled over the loud music that echoed throughout the hall. George twirled the both of us.

"Me too!" I yelled back. I looked at George. "Thanks for dancing with me."

He smiled. "Hey! I get to have two gorgeous ladies on my arm. Why would I be complaining?" The three of us laughed and continued to dance. All in all it was a pretty good time. Until Angelina come over to us, draped over Fred's arm.

"Couldn't find a date so you had to borrow Katie's?" Angelina sneered.

I glared, I was not going to let anyone ruin my night. "Back off Johnson. I'm not in the mood." I decided that to avoid confrontation, I was going to get myself some punch. "Excuse me guys."

"What, can't stand to be around the girl the man you love chose instead of you?" she yelled. I have to say, I have to have the worst luck in the entire world. Right when Angelina opened her big mouth, The Weird Sisters finished their song. There were a few moments of awkward silence. Angelina laughed, "So now the secret's out. What are you gonna do Jones?"

I took a sharp intake of breath, trying to remember everything my grandmother ever taught me about keeping your temper and saving your reputation as a lady. I saw red, ladylike be damned. I turned and lunged at her before she knew what was coming. She fell as I collided into her, pulling out some of her hair at the same time. She tried to push me off her, but after growing up with seven brothers, you learn to hold your own in a fist fight. I pulled my fist back and punched her right in the nose, hard. I heard a satisfying crack and grinned as blood seeped from her nose. I was rather proud of myself…until Snape pulled me off. "Miss Jones! What were you, born in a barn?!"

I had to resist the very intense urge to laugh at his use of a muggle saying. "I'm sorry sir. I don't know what came over me."

He let go of my neck and looked around. "Will someone please escort Miss Jones out of here?" He looked back at me and sneered, "We'll talk about your punishment on Monday."

I rolled my eyes and allowed whoever it was to escort me out of the hall. When the doors behind us closed, I turned to say my thanks. I was met with a pair of fierce brown eyes. I gasped. "Fred!"

"Nice of you to notice." he snapped. I backed up against the cold stone wall, I had never seen him this upset. "What the hell was that?!"

"Um…" I blinked, speechless for the first time in my life. I shook my head and glared right back. "I was just giving back as good as I got. I was just more physical." Fred continued to glare until his body shook…with laughter. I gave him a confused look. "What in the world?"

He sobered up and looked me right in the eye. "Why didn't you tell me before that you're in love with me?" I was still shocked at the sudden change in his demeanor. His eyes had changed, once again, to an emotion I'd never seen in them. Could it be love? "Hello? Ceri?" he asked, waving a hand in my face. When I still didn't respond, he placed both hands on my waist and kissed me for all he was worth. Which, speaking from personal opinion, is a lot.

When that nasty need for oxygen emerged, he leaned his forehead against mine. "What's this mean?" I asked when my ability to speak returned.

He chuckled, his soft red hair mingling with my dismantled blond. "Cerridwen Azshanala Jones, I have loved you ever since I saw you."

I smiled, blush creeping onto my cheeks. "I never knew you could kiss like that."

"And I never knew you could throw a punch that could break someone's nose, causing it to bleed, and make said person lose consciousness."

I smirked and pulled his Quidditch toned body against mine. "Well then Mr. Weasley," I said in a seductive tone. "Why don't we go somewhere where we can get to know each other...all the way better?"

The End