The next morning at breakfast, George still wasn't really talking much. Demi chose to ignore him, but still took a seat opposite him, as always. She beamed at Fred, who was glancing sideways at his twin and smirking. He beamed back.
"Hey short stuff," Fred said with a wink.
"Hey tall bastard," Demi replied, leaning across the table and grabbing a piece of toast off his plate. He pretended to smack her hand as she nibbled it, grinning.
"I'm starving," Ron said loudly as a greeting, sitting next to Demi. "Hi Demi."
"Hello," Demi said to Ron, and also Harry, who joined them, yawning. "Where's Hermione?"
"Here," Hermione answered, taking a seat on the other side of Demi. "I have so much homework to do tonight, Arithmancy is so tricky. But it's really fascinating," she added brightly. Fred pulled a face.
"Arithmancy? More like torture." Fred picked at his food with his long fingers. "Care of Magical Creatures, that's our sort of thing."
"But you surely have to take at least two elective subjects, don't you?" Hermione enquired, and Ron groaned; his idea of a good breakfast did not include discussing lessons.
"We were sadly forced to drop Divination after a flying crystal ball almost hit old Trelawney in the face," Fred said with a glint in his eye. "T'was a good day, that one." He glanced into the distance reminiscently. Then he looked at George again. "You're quiet today."
George shrugged, as a horribly familiar strawberry blonde came and sat down beside him, grinning.
"Hey George," she purred, then paused, glaring around the table at the rest of them. Demi caught Fred's eye and he raised one eyebrow, though not saying anything. In that moment, she knew what Fred thought of her. George gave Summer an awkward sideways glance, and edged away very slightly.
"Hi Summer." George's reply was short. She, however, didn't give up, leaning in close and asking him a ton of questions.
"What lesson do you have first?"
"Transfiguration," George said gloomily. He hated Transfiguration.
"Ah, fantastic," Summer said with a smile. Having recently received an O in her essay, she was feeling quite pleased with herself. George was an A grade student at best, so he naturally didn't share her enthusiasm.
She kept pushing and pushing, but his answers stayed monosyllabic, until a large, burly Seventh Year sat down with them, across from Demi.
"Hey Demi," Oliver Wood greeted her in his strong Scottish accent.
"Hi Oliver," Demi replied, blushing slightly at the Seventh Year's greeting. He was quite cute, though of course not George cute. He smiled at her, one eyebrow raised (he often did this, Demi realised). George stared at them sourly.
"I'm really looking forward to Hogsmeade," Demi added, "I've heard that it's amazing!"
"Oh, it is!" Wood said, and he launched into a detailed description of the village, including all the shops there were to visit. Demi listened, enchanted by the magical portrayal. It sounded perfect.
"Wow," Demi said when Oliver finally paused to breathe, "It sounds completely awesome!"
In truth, Demi had heard all about it from her three older sisters who had all been, but it was good to hear about it again, plus she wanted to appear interested.
"So," Oliver said after a few moments of silence, "What Quidditch team do you support?"
"Probably Holyhead Harpies," Demi said, deciding that she wouldn't admit her lack of knowledge about Quidditch. She enjoyed watching it at school but didn't really take lots of interest in the league. "How about you?"
"Oh, Puddlemere United, obviously," Oliver said airily, as if it was obvious, then he launched into another long talk about the team. Demi listened politely, though this wasn't nearly as interesting. Clearly Oliver was completely obsessed with everything Quidditch. She switched off, allowing him to ramble on to himself, and instead zoned in on Summer and George's conversation.
"I do love a Quidditch player," Summer said, blinking her long eyelashes at him.
"Fred and I play Quidditch too," Harry said lightly, staring straight at Summer with his piercing green eyes. "Somehow I don't think you'll be trying to chat us up too."
Summer flushed. "Fine, if you want me to leave…" She stared at George with a pout playing across her lips, then she got up. George, to Demi's surprise, grabbed her sleeve.
"Sit down, its fine," George said, glancing at Harry. "Stay and talk to me."
Summer grinned, trying not to look too pleased with herself, and sat back down, tucking her short skirt neatly beneath her.
Demi tried to ignore their conversation, and the sinking feeling that something wasn't right, but she couldn't bring herself to listen to one more word about Quidditch. She excused herself to go to the bathroom, then spent ages looking critically at her appearance and going over the scene again and again in her head. George wanted her to stay? What did Summer and George have in common? She'd never even looked his way before! Summer Venus was famous for going after Draco Malfoy publically, but he rejected her, as he was seemingly immune to her powers. Draco was going with Pansy, anyway.
"Demi?" It was Hermione, looking worried and as if she had ran from the Hall.
"What's up?" Demi asked with a sinking feeling again in her stomach.
"Well… once you'd gone, urm…"
"Just tell me!" Demi demanded. Her heart was beating hard.
"Summer started talking about you." Hermione's voice trembled. "Fred, Oliver Wood and Ron told her to knock it off… Harry left too, you see. Honestly, Demi, none of us can stand her. She's awful. But she began bitching about you and your style and your recent uh... bad grades. And George just sat there, then… Oh, it's terrible!"
"Tell me!" Demi said. This wasn't going to be good.
"He mentioned taking her to Hogsmeade! Because Ron said to her 'At least Demi has someone that wants to take her out' and George just… I don't know. It didn't sound official. But she practically hit the ceiling with joy."
Demi's heart shattered in her chest. She tried to put on a brave face.
"Ah well!" Demi said brightly, fighting the tears threatening to flood her eyes. "Both of us are free to go with whoever we want!"
"Demi-" Hermione began.
"Sorry, must dash! Got lots to do!" Demi said in a false voice that sounded too high and unlike her own. She marched out purposefully, then ran all the way to Gryffindor Tower, sobbed the password to a concerned portrait, and locked herself in her dormitory. She cried and cried for ages, especially as all of Summer's items were scattered across the room messily, liked she owned the place. Beside her bed, Hermione's belongings were packed away neatly, just like her own stuff.
Half an hour later, Demi realised with a jolt that she had missed the whole of Care of Magical Creatures. She resolved to go and visit Hagrid after lessons to explain. Wiping her eyes and checking her appearance in her mirror, Demi left the dormitory after collecting the things she would need for her next lesson, Charms.
"Hey Demi." Fred was peering at her from the portrait hole. He stepped in and looked at her closely. "You've been crying."
"No I haven't." But Demi couldn't lie to Fred. "Okay, yeah, maybe I have been. What are you doing here anyway?"
"Forgot my homework for McGonagall. She allowed me to return quickly. But I can't leave a friend in distress. What's the matter?"
"It's-it's-oh Merlin…" Should she tell the truth? Would Fred laugh and tell George? She took a deep breath. Then she told Fred everything, from her crush on George to the scene at breakfast. Demi talked without a pause to breathe, then she gazed up at the unusually serious red-head.
"You know," Fred said slowly after a while, "I could kinda tell you liked my twin."
"What?!" Demi yelped, horrified. "How? Who told you?" she demanded.
"No-one, chill." Fred took hold of her, steering her to a chair. "I just noticed how you always stare at him when we're all hanging out together. And every time he says something to you, something you clearly like, you turn to Hermione and beam in that cute happy way of yours."
"Damn," Demi sighed. "I am too easy to read."
"It's fine," Fred assured her. "It wasn't really obvious, but he is my twin, you're one of my best friends and I notice these things."
"Fred, in all honesty, do you think George was being serious today when he asked Summer to go to Hogsmeade with him?" Demi dreaded the answer but wanted it anyway.
Fred sighed deeply, playing with his hands. "I don't know," he admitted. "I hope not, I mean, none of us can stand the silly bitch, but maybe he's doing it to make you jea- oh no!" He clapped his hands over his mouth.
"Wait, what?" Demi tried to piece his words together in her mind. Did he really just imply…?
"I have to go!" Fred looked panicked. "We are both seriously late to lessons, and McGonagall will likely turn me into an orange teapot! Look, meet me at lunch beside the lake, underneath the tree okay? Chin up!"
"Thanks Fred," Demi sniffed. She got up, and took her bag. It was time to face lessons, and it was only Charms after all. Seeing as Fred had ran off already, to face McGonagall's anger, she wandered to the Charms class alone, kicking at the stairs and going over the day's events in her mind. It was only second period, and she just wanted the day to be over.