She has an awfully strong grip for a girl, Fred thought as Katie gripped tightly to his arm. Katie looked up at him a smiled. They stopped, and she took hold of his hand.
"Fred…I have to tell you something," she said, looking down and blushing. She had a huge smile on her face. She really is a beautiful girl Fred thought absent-mindly. If I weren't so hung up on Alicia…maybe I'd ask her out. "Fred…I fancy you…a lot, actually…and I was wondering if…"
Fred laughed. "Wait," he said cutting her off. "Katie, I'm really not in the place to have a girlfriend right now, you know that." She looked up at him with her big brown eyes.
"I…I know that Fred, but I was wondering if you would want to go to the-…"
"Katie, listen," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking her straight in the eye. "I think it would be best if we were just friends, okay?" He smiled and walked off to find Alicia…if she would talk to him. He spotted her over by the table that was filled with snacks, giggling with Angelina. He stepped beside her and cleared his throat. She looked up at him with those eyes…those eyes got him every time. He felt weak in the knees and he couldn't find his breath.
"Did you say yes to Katie?" Angelina piped in. She has a smile on her face. Fred pulled his stare away from Alicia's brown eyes and into Angelina's.
"No." Angelina's face turned grim and she tightened her fists.
"What?" she asked, stepping forward. "How could you do that to her? She really liked you a lot and you just dumped her in the dirt like that?" She cracked her knuckles. "I'm going to have to hurt you now."
"Angelina," Alicia said, putting a hand on her arm. "Can't you please act civil?" Angelina gaped at her. She nodded at the both of them, and walked away, leaving the two of them alone.
Fred was almost scared to meet eyes with her again; he was afraid of what they might say. He didn't want to make a scene so he took hold of her arm. "Can I talk to you?" She looked down at his hand, then up into his eyes and nodded. He smiled and walked with her out of the dungeons and down the hall towards the common room.
"About earlier…I was just-" she started, but he cut her off.
"Understandable," he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I've been a real jerk to you lately…but the truth is that-"
"I have something to tell you," Alicia said, stopping him. "I figured something out tonight."
"You have?" he said, locking eyes with her. He was afraid that they would be angry like they were earlier…but they were the normal Alicia eyes that she usually wore. "What is it?"
She hesitated a moment, then leaned over and kissed him lightly. He stood paralyzed for a moment. He couldn't believe this. Did she just kiss me? he asked himself. Alicia blushed and started walking again.
"Sorry…it was just…spur of the moment sort've thing-" she said, walking quite fast. He quickly caught up with her. "I didn't plan on kissing you…it just happened. What I wanted to tell you was that…" She looked up at him, and smiled. "Well…I realized that I still fancy you, Fred Weasley."
He grinned. "Then you'll go out with me?" he asked, excited.
"Not exactly…you see…Katie still has feelings for you…and I couldn't do that to her. You understand, don't you?" They reached the picture of the Fat Lady. Alicia said the password and stepped inside.
"I suppose so…" Fred said, following her. Alicia stopped at the foot of the stairs, and so did he.
"I'm going up to bed," she said, stepping on the first step so she was eye level with him. He nodded. She leaned in and kissed him again…a little more then before though. Then she bounded up the stairs.
Fred stood, weak in the knees, paralyzed, and was found that way when George came back and directed him to his own dormitory.