Place: Great Hall

Teacher: S. Snape

"Have you decided on who you're gonna ask?" Sophie whispered with a laugh as she saw Adrian Pucey wink from the table opposite them. Brandy gave him a forced smile as she turned back to her only confident.

"As a matter of fact, I have." She smiled.

"Ooh. Adrian'll be so pleased." Sophie beamed.

"Adrian? Who said anything about Adrian?" She whispered. Sophie gave her a confused look before answering.

"So...who are you going to ask?" She puzzled. Brandy gave a grin before flicking her head behind her. Sophie frowned before looking around Brandys' head. Her eyes widened in realisation, and her mouth stretch into a broad smile.

"Well, at least you're asking someone-...Oh, no." She bit her lip, staring behind Brandy. Brandy turned to see Fred trying to Get Angelina Johnsons' attention. He pointed to her, then lifted his arms in the air, almost like he was dancing, before pointing to himself. Angelina smiled shyly before nodding her head. She was happy, But Brandys' blood went cold as her heart dropped to her stomach. You didn't need to be able to hear thier conversation to know what he was asking her. She dropped her peacock feather quill, and slamed her Potions book shut. She stormed over to Proffesor Snape, handed him her book, and flounced out of the Hall. She wiped under her eyes as she ran up the tower steps to Ravenclaw Tower.
"What came first? The phoenix-" The door began.

"Not in the mood!" Brandy glared as the door swung open without fuss. She sprinted up to her room and flung herself onto her bed. She was devastated. She'd spent her entire school-life fawning over Fred Weasley, but he'd never noticed her. Sure he'd looked at her, but he'd looked right through her. George had spoken to her on more then one occasion, it was why she'd danced with him. But she'd never spoke to Fred. He had spoken to her once, and she'd been hooked on him ever since...

Flashback...

Brandy kept her head down as she sat in the seat by the window. It was her first year in Hogwarts, and she had been excited all summer about the idea of going. But now that she was on her way... She felt sick. She didn't know what to expect. What if she was in Slytherin? It was no secret that Slytherin had a reputation of breeding Death-Eaters faster than rabbits. She fidgited in her seat, wondering what house she was going to be in. Her mother had always called her brave, maybe she'd be placed in Griffindor, but her father had always said she was clever, maybe she'd be placed in Ravenclaw. And she hoped it was the latter. She raised her head slowly, to see the country-side flying past. Cows flew by too quickly to tell if they were even horses, and the only way to see a sheep, was by its snowy white wool. She felt sleepy after hardly doing so the previous night, she'd been too excited. Deciding to rest for a few minutes, she lay her head against the window, and slowly drifted off...

She twitched excitedly as she was called up to sit on the stool, where the sorting hat would be placed on her head. She felt nervous once again though, as she sat down, she realised that she was being watched by the entire school. She felt the hats' weight on her head, and its' voice echoed around her mind.

"Well...I see courage...cunning too... a bit of a temper...but there's something else...hmm- AAH! A good mind... yes, a very clever mind. Hmmm... I know exactly where you belong...RAVENCLAW!" The hat bellowed around the Great Hall, a loud applause following. She beamed as she walked back down the steps to the tables, but as she passed the first years again, she noticed a boy, he was taller then the rest, his twin standing next to him. They towered over the other students, but this boy smiled at her as she walked past.

"Hi." He whispered, ducking his head down, his cheeks tinged pink. Brandy blushed as well, her heart thrumming under her ribs, but carried on towards the table...

End Flashback...

Brandy sniffed as she wiped under her eyes again. She'd been dissapointed about Fred and George being placed in Griffindor, but it had never stopped her infatuating crush. She felt a blast of anger flare up inside of her body. Without giving it a second thought, she stood up, and flounced down the staircase, and out the passage way. She sighed heavily as she headed down towards the Slytherin Dungeon, her stomach flipping slightly as she gained conciousness of what she was doing. She froze in her tracks, halfway down the Dungeon stairs already.

"No, no, no, no, no, no..." She muttered as she hurried back up the steps and back down the corridor. She shuddered at the realisation of what she had nearly done. "Urgh!" She scraped her teeth over her tongue like she'd just eaten an Earwax flavoured bean. Brandy had just walked into the main corridor, when she saw who she had just been looking for. Debating with herself inwardly, she appraoched Adrian Pucey, leaning against the wall, with three other Slytherins that she didn't recognise. Adrian heard her footsteps, and looked up to see Brandy walking towards him. He ginned like a cat that ate the canary as he stood up straighter, appearing cool and casual.

"Hi, Adrian." She forced another smile.

"Hi." He grinned back. His friends took the hint, and scurried off.

"I-...Sophie said there was something you wanted to ask me." She swallowed. She would be damned if she asked him first.

"Yeah. There was. You don't have a date for the Yule Ball yet do you?" He smirked.
"Well-" She began.

"Actually, she does." An arm appeared around her shoulders, and she looked up to see George Weasley grinning down at her. "She accepted my offer earlier today. Sorry, Pucey. You snooze, you loose." George sighed teasingly as he led Brandy away. She smiled gratefully at him, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." She smiled.

"No problem. So, you'd really accept to being my date for the evening?" He smiled playfully.

"Sure." She grinned.
"I assume that means you have a dress?" He asked. Brandy thought of the revealing, slitted piece of fabric, and blushed. She wasn't sure that it was such a good idea to wear it now, she didn't want to give George the wrong message. Especially considering that she was unconditionally in love with his brother.

"I have a dress." She smiled bashfully.

"Good." He grinned. "Meet me at the bottom of the staircase to the Grand Hall, around seven-ish I'll see you tomorrow." He smiled before dissapearing around the corner. Brandy smiled as she skipped back to Ravenclaw Common room. Sophie was sat in the Loveseat as usual, reading from her Transfiguration Book.

"Someone's in a good mood." She smiled as Brandy flopped into an armchair. "I take you asked Adrian?" She grinned.

"What is it with you and Adrian Pucey?" Brandy scoffed. "Actually, someone asked me." Brandy bit the corner of her bottom lip with a smile.

"Let me guess: Luke Marlo?" She asked.

"Nope." Brandy grinned.

"Will Borlem?"
"Nope."
"Jack Nellis?"
"Nope."

"Jason Dasseck?"
"Nope."
"I give up!" Sophie slumped back into her chair.

"George Weasley." Brandy smiled. Sophie looked confused as she spoke.

"But I thought you liked Fred?" She said without whispering.

"SHH!" Brandy glared. She glanced around, luckily, they were the only two in the room.

"Sorry. But why George?" She asked.

"He was nice enough to ask, and had the guts to ask me. I respect that." She nodded.

"A little full of yourself aren't you?" Sophie teased.
"Argh!" Brandy scoffed before throwing a pillow at her head. Sophie laughed before a yawn sounded from her mouth.

"Well, I'm going to bed. I'm knackered. See you tomorrow." Sophie headed for the stairs. "Oh!" She paused and turned back to Brandy. "My mom sent me a Beauty Book Of Spells. I thought we could try out a few, and see how to do our hair for tomorrow?" She suggested.

"Great. I was wondering what hairstyle I was gonna use anyway." Brandy smiled.

"Goodnight." Sophie waved as she hopped up the stairs.

"Goodnight." Brandy leaned back in her chair, about to drift off, when a tapping noise got her attention. She looked up to see Hera tapping her beak against the window glass, obviously eager to get in from the cold outside. Brandy opened the window, and Hera swooped down infront of the fire, not hesitating as she nestled down, and dozed off...

Place: Griffindor Common Room.

Fred was stretched across a loveseat when George can flouncing in.

"Where've you been?" He asked his brother.

"Gettin' a date for tomorrow night." He ginned. Fred nodded his head in acknowlegdement as his brother sat in the armchair.

"Who'd you get?" He questioned. George tapped his nose before he answered.

"Sorry. I don't kiss and tell." He smirked. He stood up and made his way towards the boys dormitory staircase, when he had a thought. "Hey, Freddy?"
"Hmm?" Fred looked up at his brother.

"What do you think of Brandy Byrnes?" He asked, hoping for the reaction he needed. To his utmost delight, Freds' cheeks tinged pink as he stared at the floor.

"Brandy?" He mumbled. "What about her?"
"What d'you think about her?" He repeated. Fred chewed on his lip before he answered, but still not raising his head.

"She's okay. She's-she's, smart, good at magic...pretty. Kinda...kinda my type, the girl I'd go for." He gushed the last sentence. "Why?"
"Just curious." George grinned before continuing he journey up the stairs. "'Night, Freddy." He called. Fred didn't answer back as he stared into the roaring flames in the fire place. He knew what he'd dream about tonight: Brandy Byrnes. Just like always...

Let me know what you thought! Please R&R! The Yule Ball will be in the next chapter... Hopefully It'll be up tomorrow. Bye for now.

xxx