Chapter Twelve: He's a Sweet Kid

"What is he doing with her?" I hissed in Fred's ear as I watched Cedric's arm coil itself around the Ravenclaw girl's waist. She was really pretty, too. She had olive skin, catlike eyes and straight black hair that was barely longer than mine. "How could he fully kiss me on the cheek and then start flirting with her?" My heart broke just thinking that the kiss he gave me last night at our usual departing stairwell might not have meant anything to him.

Fred sighed. It was rare that I saw him look serious, but when I saw it, I recognized it immediately. "Sara, don't worry. I mean, it's Cedric Diggory."

"Your point being?"

"Look at him." And I did. "Lots of girls think he's attractive. He's a flirt. You won't know exactly what he thinks of you unless he tells you directly."

"I suppose." I bit hard on a piece of bacon as I glared at the Ravenclaw, who was now jabbering away with her friends at their house's table.

"Hey listen," Fred said in a calming voice. "No matter what Cedric thinks of you, whether it be just a friend or more, you know George and I will always be here."

I smirked at him as his innocent eyes studied mine. "Thank you so much." All he could do was smile in response before George and Katie approached us and sat across from us at the Gryffindor table. They were holding hands. I wasn't planning on making a comment, seeing as how I didn't know the precise stage of their relationship, but then George gave her a quick peck on the lips. "When did this happen?" I asked them with a huge grin spread across my face.

"Yesterday, actually." Fred answered for them. "When you left us last night to go see Cedric, Katie joined us... So naturally, I left to find Ginny." He gave me a wink and Katie smirked.

"Yeah." George smiled sheepishly. "I hope it's okay with you two that Katie may be with us quite a bit now."

I laughed as Fred looked angrily in Katie's direction. "Yeah, we mind. Thanks for asking, mate." Then his bitter face became serene. "Of course we don't mind, do we Sara?"

"Not at all." I grinned. "Katie and I are already pretty good friends." Katie smirked timidly at my remark, and the four of us sat and ate the rest of our breakfast in silence.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make before you leave!" Professor McGonagall called to the class, causing us all to stop getting ready to go to our next class and sit back down. "On Christmas night, Hogwarts will be holding the Yule Ball." At the sound of the word 'ball', most of the class moaned. I was excited. A dance? It sounded like fun! "Now, now," McGonagall said, attempting to calm her students down. "The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since its inception. It will include a night of well-mannered dinner and dancing. I hope to see you all there."

"A ball?" George asked as he, Fred, Katie and I left the classroom and headed to Defence Against the Dark Arts. "Katie, do you want to go?"

Katie blushed a furious shade of magenta and nodded. "Yes." she squeaked. After getting to know her, Katie seemed to be a very shy and quiet witch. I think it was just around George, though, because we frequently had upbeat conversations when he wasn't present.

Fred waited for George and Katie to walk ahead of us before asking me, "Are you going with Cedric?"

"I dunno." I admitted truthfully. "Should I ask him about it?"

"No." Fred said without hesitation. "If he wants to go with you, he'll ask. I mean, you don't want to come off too strong."

"Right." I smiled. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

Fred's advice was hard to stick to. I'd seen Cedric everyday, and he didn't ever mention anything to me about the upcoming dance. I thought maybe he was just nervous. As the week before the ball had approached, I realized that if I wanted to go to the ball with someone, I'd have to do the asking myself. Whilst I thought about my decision to ask someone, I noticed just how depressing it was that I couldn't 

get a date. I'd determined that I was fed up with the male species, when I saw Cedric walking into the Great Hall for dinner one night. He looked very entranced by something.

On my way down the marble staircase, I left Fred's side and skipped ahead to tap Cedric on the shoulder. "Hey," I said, making him look over his shoulder at me. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure." I pulled him by the elbow over to an emptier corner of the Entrance Hall to ensure that we couldn't be overheard.

"Um, have you figured out the egg yet?" My attempt to start conversation was pretty lame, due to the fact that I'd asked him the same question earlier that morning, but I couldn't just come out and ask him.

"Nope." The grin on his face was wider than ever.

"Oh." Here I go. "Well do you have a date for the Yule Ball yet?"

The one word that he replied with made my heart beat faster and out of pace. "Yes."

"Ah." I tried hard not to cry, and so far it was working.

"Do you?"

"No, not yet."

"Really?" Cedric furrowed his brow.

"You seem surprised."

"It's just... I always thought Fred would have asked you."

"Fred?" I forced a chuckle at the thought. "Why?"

"Well, George is with Katie, you see."

"No, I mean why did you suspect Fred out of everybody in the school?"

"I dunno."

"Okay." I felt my tears begin to surface. "Well, I should get going." And without another word, I ran into the Great Hall and towards my usual place at the Gryffindor table. Quickly wiping my tears away, I sat unhappily next to Katie.

"Hey, how are you?" she asked, obviously sensing something about me was out of place.

"I'm fine." I sighed and added, "Dateless, but fine."

"Seriously?" she was almost as shocked as Cedric. "Still?"

"Still what?" asked George. Immediately, both twins were listening intently.

"I still don't have anyone to go to the ball with." Fred, who had earlier seen me leave with Cedric appeared to know exactly what happened, and my traces of tears could only mean that he turned me down.

After everyone's meals had been hungrily devoured, a group of about twelve Gryffindor students stood up simultaneously and exited the Great Hall. As we walked up the staircases to reach our common room, everyone seemed to be having a conversation, smiling and laughing with their friends while I lingered behind alone, thinking only of my current heartbreak. Fred stopped walking and fell back so he was beside me and then nudged my arm half-heartedly.

"Hey Sara."

"Hi." I said shortly.
"How are you?"

"Couldn't be better." My comment was dripping with sarcasm.

"That's good."

"Yep."

"Cedric is a ruddy pumpkin head." Fred smirked at the floor as he talked.

"Why would you say that?"

"How could he not ask you to the ball?"

"He fancies that Ravenclaw girl, I suppose."

"Well, the girl I fancy is still free."

"Really?" I smiled a bit. "Why don't you take her?"

"I know for a fact she doesn't fancy me."

"Oh." He was going through the same thing I was, and I knew how hard it was to know you had to get over the one person you've always liked.



"Sara?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to go to the ball with me?"

My heart stopped. All of this unusual malfunctioning of a vital organ had to cease, or I may have died. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." He smiled innocently. "I mean, we can go as friends, right?"

"Sounds like fun." I grinned.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes." Fred gave me a hug and smiled. I would have much rather gone to the ball with my best friend than gone alone.

That's when I felt a small hand reach up and tap my shoulder. "Sara?"

I turned on my heel to see Lizzy. "Hi Liz!"

"I heard Fred just asked you to the ball." I noticed Fred had gone ahead to talk to George and Katie. She smiled, but there was something about it that was still sad.

"Yeah, who are you going with?"

Her fake smile dissolved into a frown. "Well I can't go unless someone in fourth year or above asks me, can I?"

"Oh... is that how it works?"

Lizzy sighed. "I'll never be able to wear my dress..."

We reached the common room and most of the group staggered wearily straight up to bed. Only Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I stayed up to chat about recent events.

"Bloody hell." Ron sighed crossly and sunk into his own red chair.

"What is it?" I asked, concerned with my friend's current state.

"Hermione's got a date for the ball, Neville's taking Ginny. At this rate, Harry and I will be the only ones without someone to go with." There was a moment of realization before Ron added, "Sara! What do you say? Do you want to go to the ball with me?"

I chuckled and shook my head. I felt sympathy for Ron and his desperation to get a date. "Sorry, I'm already going with someone."

"Who?" Harry asked with a smirk. "Cedric?"

My eyes widened. "No." Then I paused, furrowed my brow and asked my existing question. "Why would you think I was going with Cedric?"

"Oh come off it." Hermione giggled and prodded my arm. "It was so obvious you fancied him."

"We're not stupid, you know." Ginny winked from my other side. I just sighed.

That's when I decided to mention my brilliant idea and change the subject. "Hey Ron, why don't you ask Lizzy to the ball? She'd love to go with you."

A look of disgust was dominant on his face. "Lizzy? But she's a first year."

"So? Come on, she really likes you and you need a date."

"At least I would still have my dignity if I went alone."

"Hey, that's my little sister!"

"Sorry Sara, but I'm not asking Lizzy. She's only eleven."

Just then, a set of tear-filled eyes could be seen poking out from the girls' dormitory. They quickly disappeared. "Oh no." Ginny said as Lizzy had ran away at the sight of us looking back at her. "Good going, you prat." Ginny hissed at Ron.

"Bloody hell, Ginny! I didn't know she was actually listening!"

"It's fine, she'll find someone." I said, not truly believing my own words. "So Hermione, who is this mystery man that's taking you to the ball?"

"You'll see." I smirked back at her. I didn't want anyone to know I was going with Fred yet, because they would have thought I couldn't get a date, so we went as friends. Although that really is how it happened, I hoped no one would find that out. "And Ginny, you're going with Neville?"

"Well, I can't go unless someone a year older asks me. I figured I could go with him."

"He's a sweet kid." I smiled. "I can see why you said yes." There was a pause before I added, "Well, I can't wait to see you all at the ball." I stood from the sofa and made my way wearily to my bed. 

As I ascended the steps to the sixth year dormitory, my stomach was doing somersaults. I was beginning to get very anxious about Christmas night and what it may have had in store for me.