Chapter 22: The Yule Ball Disaster (Part 2)

Zack's POV

I caught up to Cody at the entrance of the courtyard and grabbed his arm. "Cody, just what the hell is your problem?!"

Cody turned and faced me. "What's my problem?!" he shouted. Sarcasm was dripping from his tone as he added, "Oh, I would tell you, dear brother. But apparently, you don't trust me enough to tell me even your deepest secrets!"

"I kept my feelings a secret for a reason!" I screamed.

"Oh, so admitting the fact that you've been falling in love with Subha since last year demanded that you keep things a secret?!"

"Leave Subha out of this," I growled. "Part of my reasons have nothing to do with her."

"Everything you do has to do with her, you idiot!"

"What the hell do you know?! What I do and how I feel has nothing to do with you!"

"SHE'S LIKE A SISTER TO ME!" Cody pushed me back into the snow. "I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE FACT THAT AT A POINT IN OUR LIVES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE HER HEARTBROKEN!"

I got up and brushed the snow out from my robes. I felt as though my heart broke into pieces at the accusation. "After eleven years," my voice cracked with hurt, "do you honestly think I would throw Subha out like that?! Some brother you turned out to be."

"Better than you," Cody retorted.

The both of us were breathing heavily in the silence of the courtyard as ours words slowly started to sink in.

"And while you're at it," said Cody in a calmer but still angry tone, "mind telling me where you found a bloody Night Fury?!"

I froze. I glared at him in horror. "How did you find out about that?"

"You thought Hagrid wasn't watching you sneak into the forest every Friday since the beginning of the school year?"

"H-He told you?"

"He thought I knew what you were up to. After that, at midnight, I went through your Ring Journal." Cody scoffed. "Really. I can't believe in that one week during the summer, the main reason you were sneaking out was to help Erza Scarlet find a bloody pendant, which so happens to belong to Subha in the present, bond with a freaking Night Fury, who also happens to be hers-"

"Do you want to stand on top of the rooftop and tell the world what I did this summer?" I hissed. "I told you I kept secrets for a reason. And you're at fault just as you claim I am to be!" I shook my head in disbelief. "I can't believe that you've been spying on me!"

"Do you think that I wanted to?!"

He's not even going deny it, is he? "Considering that you're mad at me and my feelings for Subha, then yeah!"

Cody balled his fists. "If you had told me, I wouldn't have! About Erza, Fairy Tail, Hiccup and Astrid, about everything!"

I stared at Cody. Something about his words seemed off.

"And besides, I've been watching the both of you," Cody continued. "Since last year, your face always lit up whenever she was around. At the same time, her eyes always turn lightning blue whenever she's near you. You honestly thought that I was that oblivious to the way you were acting around each other?"

"You...you..." I trailed off. A dozen memories popped into my head. Last year at Hogsmade, where Subha got mad at me for talking to Hannah Abott. The day of the Quidditch World Cup, where I was feeling awkward about sitting next to Subha because after that kiss, I didn't know what to make of our relationship. Even the memory of Erza making me confront my relationship with Subha came in mind. When he said that I suddenly realized what this was about. His eyes and the sudden sadness in his voice said everything.

"You're afraid." I straightened myself. The moment I said it I knew it was true. "You're afraid that you're going to become the third wheel."

Cody stayed silent, looking away and at the night sky. Everything suddenly made sense. He had been constantly snarky, angry and distant since the Quidditch world cup for a reason. For someone as clever as him and also who can kick my butt whenever he wanted to, he can sure as hell be an ever loving idiot. I punched him in the arm. Hard.

"OW!" Cody cried out. "Jeez! What was that for?!"

"That was for being an idiot!"

"Wait, what?"

I groaned. "You do realize that that's the last thing the both of us want? Subha was literally scolding me an hour ago because I was trying to hide from you the entire night."

Cody looked shocked as he rubbed his arm. The realization of the truth dawned onto his face. "R-really?"

I put my hands up in truce. "Yeah. I'll admit that I acted like an idiot tonight." I sighed in relief. I hoped this was the end of his fury. But I also meant what I said. Subha was right, as much as I hated to admit it. "So I hope this is the part where you accept that you acted like a jerk as well."

Cody chuckled nervously. "Yeah. Sorry about everything I said."

I patted him on the shoulder and my mind wandered off to Subha again. Then I thought what would be in store for the both of us the minute we saw her. Cody saw the deadpanned look on my face and started to mirror my expression.

"Bailey and Subha are going to kill us, aren't they?" Cody asked as though we were already signing our death warrants.

"You read my mind," I confirmed. "Let's get back to our funerals."

"Don't you mean our dates?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Does it really matter? We're going to die anyway."

Cody sighed. "Yeah, good point."

Subha's POV

I saw the twins come in with a guilty expression and looking solemn. I wanted to slap the both of them silly but judging by the looks on their faces, I decided I wasn't going to be that cruel.

Bailey, on the other hand...

"Cody Martin, you have got to be the most moronic person on the whole planet!" she smacked the back of his head. "I told you it was unwanted drama. Did you listen? Nooooooooo. You just had to interrupt-"

"Bailey." I held up a hand. Bailey stopped immediately, took a deep breath and collapsed onto a seat next to her. I then went up to them and pulled both of their ears.

"Owowowowowow," they both said in unison.

I sighed and massaged my temples with one hand at my hip. "Bailey has a point. The both of you honestly acted like...you know what, I'm not going to say it again. I'm too exhausted at this point. Why don't we just call it a night?"

"But-" Zack started to say.

"Subha-" interrupted Cody.

"No buts." I gave them a small smile. "We've been through a lot tonight. We can deal with this tomorrow."

Then I did something I thought I'd never do, out in the open. I gave a very stunned Zack a small peck on the cheek. Giving Cody a hug, I said, "It's fine. Just don't be a dick again, and everything will be fine."

I gave Cody a small harmless slap and walked off, all my thoughts on my bed now. I nearly reached the stairs when the heavens decided that I wasn't going to see that bed for another hour.

"He's using you!"

"How dare you! Besides, I can take care of myself!"

I turned around and internally groaned. Ron and Hermione were nearing the stairs, arguing. Knowing what this was about, I was this close to hexing that Knucklehead.

Those two continued to argue as Harry appeared on my right. He glanced at me and then his bickering best friends.

"I'm gonna guess you didn't have much of a good night either?" asked Harry.

I shrugged. "Everything was fine. At least until Zack and Cody got into an argument. At this point, I'm just exhausted." I faced him with a concerned expression. "What are those two arguing about now?"

"I think you know the answer."

I sighed in resignation. "Why can't we have a break for once?"

"Oh, it was worse when she came up to us with Krum."

"I can tell."

"Well, you know what the solution is then, don't you?!" I heard Hermione yell.

"Oh yeah?" Ron retorted. "What?"

"The next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage and ask before someone else does! Do not ask someone as a last resort!"

Ron looked stunned and shocked. "Well-I-...you..." He stammered. He kept opening and closing his mouth to argue but nothing came out. Finally he looked in our direction. Please don't pull us into this, please don't pull us into this...

"Harry."

I sighed and patted Harry's shoulder. "Good luck, brother."

"Why me?" Harry muttered as Hermione turned around. Oh this was not going to end well.

"Where were you?!" Hermione said angrily.

"Well, I was-"

"Never mind! Off to bed, both of you!"

I couldn't see Harry's face very well but Hermione was on the verge of tears. Ron joined Harry and the two of them ran up the staircase. Halfway up, Ron said something that I couldn't hear to Harry when Hermione screamed, "Ron, you spoiled everything!"

The moron completely ignored her and continued to pull Harry up to the common room. Hermione collapsed down at the very last step. She took off her heels and started silently sobbing. I shuffled up to her and sat down beside her.

"Hey Granger," I said gently as I rubbed her shoulder. "Don't worry about Ron. You know he's always been a bit of an idiot."

Hermione glanced up at me with a very surprised look in her eyes. Well, what else could I say? Ask her if she was alright? That would have been the equivalent of freaking out that someone was injured but not even remotely doing anything to help and keep asking if they were okay. It was quite obvious that Hermione wasn't alright.

She then turned her body in my direction and wiped her tears, smiling slightly. "You are definitely an interesting person, Subha. Bad night for you as well?"

I rolled my eyes as I let out a small chuckle. "First Harry asks me this, now you? But yes," I added with an exhale, "Zack and Cody were being idiots. Half of the night was actually enjoyable until Cody started a fight with Zack."

"Ah. I take it that it was the same reason Ron got mad?"

"Close, but no. Cody's case is...different, per say."

Hermione didn't pry, which is what I really liked about her. She automatically knew what was personal and what could be said. Either that, or we understood each other pretty quickly. Because of this, I always found it really easy to find a comfortable middle ground with her, especially this year in particular. But at the same time, I really wanted to cheer her up. I looked at the time and saw that we had about another three hours before the ball ended. That's when an lightbulb went off in my head.

"You...um...wanna head over to Fairy Tail?"

Hermione jumped and peered at me to see if I was joking. She had stopped crying, that was a good thing. Once she realized that I was serious, it was now replaced with a wide-eyed look with her jaw hanging open.

"Y-You're joking," Hermione stammered.

"Nope." I smiled widely at her. "Also, you can expect Natsu ranting about this for hours on end about how he wants to punch the life out of Ron cause you know the guild will have been watching this the entire time."

Hermione slowly started to smile back. "And then Erza will probably try to do the same thing with Zack."

I laughed as Hermione's smile suddenly disappeared. "You're going to have to tell Viktor though."

"Oh. Right." There was that problem.

As if on cue, I saw Krum walking out towards us with two glasses in hand.

"There you are," said Krum. "I vos vondering where you went."

"Oh!" Hermione stood up. "I, um..."

"Is it okay if I borrow Hermione for the rest of the night?" I intervened. The two of them glanced at me with Hermione's eyes saying thank you.

Krum raised an eyebrow as he stared blankly at the both of us. "Is there something going on?"

"Yes, actually!" Hermione piped up. "She, uh, needs help with something at the library and I'm the only person that can help." We both quickly glanced at each other and then nodded at Krum.

Shit, that wasn't good enough. However (and thank god, luckily) Krum just shrugged. "If she needs to help you, then go ahead. I had a great time with you, Hermy-ninny." He handed her the drink in his hand and marched off.

I faced Hermione. "One, Zack has a point. 'Hermy-ninny?' And two, is he always that stiff?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed. She punched me lightly in the arm. "Oh, shut up. I'll teach him later. Should we get going?"

I gestured to the entrance of the courtyard. "Ready when you are, Granger."

A/N: I may add a little more to this chapter but it depends on whether I have time or not. Or maybe I may leave it as is but while this is an progressing story that's not complete yet, it's still changing as I get through the book.

With that said, I hope you enjoyed that and I can't wait to see you until the next update! :D