Part Ten:
Harry's Jealousy


The next few weeks went by quickly.Fall turned into winter, and it was now nearing Christmas. They had two quidditch matches- one against Ravenclaw and one against Hufflepuff. Ron turned out to be a very good chaser and Harry a good team captain. Though people were starting to say he was becoming another Oliver Wood. Harry had to admit that he was in a way being like that. Only because their next match was against Slytherin. And Harry really wanted to beat them.
They had had almost three trips to Hogsmeade. The first time they went Alex was amazed at everything, though she said that they had something like this at Alabama. Their town was called Wingswillow. Still, she said that they didn't have as big of a candy shop as they did though. Harry enjoyed showing her around Hogsmeade too. He had noticed, too, that Sam and her group of friends seemed to be following them around at Hogsmeade. He was wondering if they were responsible for the boxes of new Christmas decorations falling on them in the Three Broomsticks. Harry had ended up on top of Alex when they had fallen, and there had been an awkward moment between them. But for now they were in the common room eating their candy, and watching the snow fall outside the window. Harry thought of something.

" Ron, Hermione, I suspect that you are going to the Yule Ball together?"

"Yeah, of course we are." said Hermione.

Then Harry remembered that Alex didn't know about the ball.

" Alex, the Yule Ball is-" but Harry was cut off.

"Um.....I know what it is." she said.

"What? How?" he asked.

" Well I-" but then she was cut off.

" Hi Alex!" came a voice. It was Austin Trotman, a boy of sixteen years with curly brown hair and brown eyes.

" Hey Austin!" she said to him.

" I got you something." he said, handing her a small wrapped box.

"Thank you!" she said, giving him a quick hug.

" It's an early Christmas present. You know, since I will be going home for Christmas." said Austin.

" Well thank you!" she said happily. Some of Austins sixth year friends called him.

" Well, I have to go. See you guys later!" he said to them all. Harry felt a small tinge of anger.

" Is he taking you to the Ball?" Harry asked.

" Yeah. He asked me yesterday. We don't really like each other in that way, it's just that neither of us have dates and when he picked up the book I had dropped in the library we got to talking, and we enjoyed each others company so he asked me if I would go to the Ball with him- as friends." she said. Harry still felt angry.

"So! Open the present!" Hermione said. Alex began to rip off the paper. She then opened the box. She pulled out a very pretty silver fairy shaped pin with blue wings made out of silk.

"Oh it's beautiful!" said Hermione.

"Oooohh!" said Alex, looking at Austin who had been watching her. She smiled, and he smiled back, looking relieved. She mouthed the words thank you. She put the pin on.

" Harry who are you going with?" Ron asked.

" Huh?" said Harry.

" To the Ball, who are you going with?"

"I don't know yet. I'm going to bed." he said,leaving.

"Good night Harry."said Alex.

"Yeah." he said.

"Do you think he's mad at me?"she said.

" I can't imagine why." said Hermione.

" You'd think it was obvious." said Ron.

" What d'ya mean?" asked Alex.

" He likes you." he said.

" Did he tell you that?" said Alex.

" No. I can just tell."

" Well if he hasn't told you anything you shouldn't go around telling people stuff like that." Alex said.

" Okay." said Ron.

After they had all went to bed, Alex was very confused.

( ;****: )

The Ball was two days away now, and Harry still didn't have a date.Harry was walking through the halls that Saturday. He had been talking to Alex, but he was trying to avoid her. He didn't feel like being around her for some reason.

" Er-Harry?" he turned around to see who it was. He was surprised to see it was Cho.

"Hello." he said.

"Hullo. Uh, Harry I was wondering.... do you have a date for the ball?"she asked.

" No." he said simply.

" Well I was wondering, would you like to go with me?"

" Yeah sure." he said.

"Great!... See you then!" she said happily.

"Okay. Bye."

" Bye."

Afterwards Harry wondered why he didn't feel happier about his going with Cho. He probably would be happier if he would have never met Alex. He started thinking. Every since she had come strange things had happened. Harry got a body guard. She had chased away Malfoy, and what did she do that for? That was none of her buisness. He wanted to get rid of Malfoy himself, not with the help of some girl. And coming into his group of friends and showing off with her fairy tricks. Who does she think she is? And then abandoning him for some guy she barely knows! How dare she!
By the time he got back to the common room he was fuming. Ron and Hermione were sitting on a loveseat talking, and Alex was in a chair reading a book.

" Hi Harry! Wuz up?!" she said cheerfully as he walked past.

He ignored her.

He went on up into the boy's dorms. He layed on his bed. He wantde to crawl into a whole and stay there for the rest of his life.

The next morning at breakfast, he joined Ron and Hermione in the Great Hall. Alex was sitting with Austin and his friends laughing.

"Why isn't she sitting with us?" he asked.

" Harry, we have to talk." Ron said.

"Yeah. Alex sat up there because she knows you're mad at her." said Hermione.

"I'm not mad!" he exclaimed.

"Okay, just calm down." said Ron.Harry grabbed a muffin.

"I'll eat in the common room."