Looking around at all the other quidditch fans in the stands as Mina was waiting to make her way tugged at her heart a little.

Sure she had been around all the other members of her team, but this felt different. All the people around her were all different from one another, and yet they came together over their love of the sport. She watched as a grandmother gave a small flag to her grandson, and she found she was having a hard time of fighting off her smile, despite the crowd they were currently making their way through before making it to their seats.

Pushing her way past people, she slowly followed her uncle, as Nikolai trailed behind her. Despite the noise and the crowd, her mood was starting to lift for the first time all week. Maybe I'm finally getting over Fred. She laughed at a joke Nikolai yelled to her, spirits high, before she almost ran straight into her uncle's back as they began to make their way into the box they were seated at. Her eyes made their way over red and her good mood plummeted below the ground.

Of course the one booth they'd be in had the only person she was actively trying to avoid.

Judging by their high spirits, they hadn't noticed she was standing at the corner of the booth, mentally coming up with a way to back out. Her uncle, clearly unable to read any body language, called back to her.

"C'mon Mina, our seats our over her by the Weasley's," he gave a small wave of his hand, before turning and greeting Mr. Weasley. Niklolai's dad squeezed past them ignoring the accusatory looks being sent their way, the high spirits of the Weasley's having fallen.

"Great," she muttered sarcastically, feet still firmly planted by the door. Nikolai placed a comforting hand onto the small of her back. She took a breath and moved forward, hoping the number of her ticket would be far away from them. Clearly, fate was not on her side. There was her number, right next to Fred's seat. Time slowed down. Her feet dragged. Her mind screamed. But eventually, she made it to her seat. Carefully she sat down, like she was afraid she'd startle him if she moved too quickly.

"Hi."

"Hi."

A look of surprise crossed his face, before he gave her a smile that made her think that the silent treatment was all in her head. She felt Nikolai sit next to her, and as Fred's eyes drifted over to him, his smile grew tight. His eyes held an emotion that she couldn't identify, and as they drifted back over to her and he gave her another tight smile. She gave him one in return and they both turned back to face the field, despite the fact that there was nothing happening. The air was awkward. It would be dumb to label it as anything other than that. Nikolai leaned over her, a hand extended to Fred.

"It's good to see you again man," slowly, Fred grabbed his hand and shook it, before looking back at the field. Nikolai raised an eyebrow before looking to her. He leaned in to her ear, in order to whisper. "Warm welcome," he said sarcastically. "Are you sure this is the guy you like?"

Mina gave him a smile that was still forced, but it held a little more of a sad look to it. When she glanced over at Fred he was clearly trying to avoid looking back at her, his arms taught with tension. She bit her tongue.

She would not yell at her friend over his bad attitude.

Taking in a calming breath, she turned back to him with a smile on her face. "So, who are you rooting for?"

He turned to her, and took a moment to mull over his words. "Not so much rooting for anyone. We've got a bet." Mina rasied her eyebrow, urging him on with a tilt of her head. "We think Ireland is going to win, but that Bulgaria is going to get the snitch."

A laugh slipt out of her mouth. "The odds of that happening are slim, why make a bet on it?"

"Why not?" he said with a shrug of his shoulders. A smile began to work it's way on his lips. "And what about you, who are you hoping will win?"

"Hopefully, Ireland. But if they don't win I can be talked into being a fan of Bulgaria."

It was his turn to laugh.

Finally, it felt like things were going back to normal. They smiled at one another, clearly both feeling more at ease with one another. Maybe it was actually all in her head. She was awkward with him and so he was awkward back. Maybe she had just imagined it all.

"You've both lost it. Bulgaria's going to win."

The comfort ran out of the air with Nikolai's words, and Mina felt like she was scrambling to save the conversation. "You say that just because you like Victor Krum," she gave him a smile as she teased him.

"I'd hope that I'd like him seeing as we go to school together."

"What's that like?" Fred asked, trying like Mina to save an ounce of the conversation.

"Well," Nikolai took a moment, "it's a lot of the professors playing favorite with him. Other than that, he's just a normal guy. Who happens to have swarms of girls around him who try to get his attention. But a normal guy."

Fred nodded his head, and Mina turned to Nikolai. "I didn't know you two went to school together."

"There's a lot you don't know about me still."

She glanced back to Fred, and knew that despite their efforts, all comfort in the conversation had disappeared. She watched his eyes dart between both of them, a small frown working it's way onto his face.

"Where's Angelina?" Mina asked, finally realizing the girl wasn't here.

"She's with her family."

"Ah."

Leaning back against her seat, she realized the position she was in. To her left was the guy she liked, unavailable to her romantically and currently emotionally. To her right was her friend, who she impulsively thought a fake relationship with him would solve everything. As she slouched, it was clear to her that she'd made the wrong decision. She'd rather be single and wallowing in her misery. Although, wasn't that what she was currently doing? She had called off their fake relationship. It hadn't changed anything. Fred was still with Angelina. She was still alone. Mina felt her loneliness wrapped around her, like a snake killing its prey.

Sparing Fred another glance she wasn't sure what she meant by it.

Maybe she hoped he would start the conversation back up. But he sat leant forward, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together as his eyes stayed glued to the field. The sun shone down on him, glinting off his hair and caressing his cheek. She watched him a moment longer, and just as she was about to move her eyes to the field he shifted and a bit of red and gold peaked out from under his shirt.

Her necklace.

He was still wearing it.

Mina's heart thumped.

Surely he wouldn't still be wearing it if he didn't want to be friends with her. The fact that he still wore it even after their exams must mean something. Even if it meant there was the smallest glimmer of hope, she would grasp onto it. Anything to lessen the hold loneliness had on her heart. Unless if he actually thought it was just a good luck charm. Then it would mean nothing to him to continue wearing it. She felt the chill start to work it's way back to her heart. If he was still wearing it because it might be lucky, then it had nothing to do with her. Maybe he wanted luck in his relationship with Angelina. She could feel herself growing upset, and she didn't want to stop it. She wanted to yell at him and demand him to give it back, to cry and ask why he had been giving her the cold shoulder. More than anything, she just waned her friend back.

In the end, she didn't do anything, other than occasionally let her eyes drift back to it. An impulsive decision had landed her in a fake relationship with Nikolai and that hadn't made her happy. Why would another impulsive decision have a different impact?

And when Ireland won, but Bulgaria had caught the snitch, and Fred was cheering with his brother she let out a smile. Let him keep it. If it was lucky, then he deserved it. Even if it made her unhappy.

Thank you guys so much for all the love you give this story! I'd like to address a review about my chapters being short.

My chapters are normally around 1k-5k words, although lately they've been around 1k. I figure this way if I'm busy in a month you guys are getting at least 3k words from me in a month(updates are on Sundays normally around mid-dayish PST). I might try to push my self a little more since lately my chapters have been around 1k per update, but I don't think I'll go back to putting out 5k chapters for a while. I've had a lot going on, and while writing helps, sometimes I just don't have too much energy for it (but I won't miss an update, I've been on such a good schedule you'll get at least something from me once a week. I've got my eyes set on finishing this and that's so exciting!)

But on another note, how do you guys feel now that we're officially in Goblet of Fire territory? I'm pretty pumped, I've got some awesome stuff planned, and a lot of planning I still need to do. I figure we'll be back to Hogwarts in the next couple of chapters depending on how much I can fit in each chapter.

Okay that's it, love you all lots, and thanks for reading.