Title: Empty Wallets, Full Hearts
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Alicia shows some Gryffindor courage : ), a bit of F/Ang sensuality here, no, no, nothing like that, its rated PG-13 after all: )
Disclaimer: plot is all mine, characters are the property of Ms. JK Rowling
Author's Note: sniffle! i'm not really bad am i, luisa? just kidding..: ) to everyone who was rather irked, i'm sorry, but cliffhangers are fun to write... don't worry, this one doesn't end in one.. kinda...
Thank you for your reviews- I'm really glad you like this story!!!
This is dedicated to those who are learning to stand up for themselves and what they believe in- I truly admire them: )
Chapter 4: I'm A Gryffindor, Hear Me Roar!!!
ALICIA's POV
"Er- hullo, A-Alicia," Lee muttered, still looking rather flustered and blinking continuously as if he wasn't sure I was really there. He was shifting his weight from side to side and looking at me nervously.
"Hi... Lee."
Mum was looking at us with a confident smile on her face. "I'm so glad you two know each other! Now all we have to do is get the wedding arranged, perhaps this summer?" Mrs. Jordan agreed whole-heartedly. "Now, we must set up a specific date..."
"Lee," I hissed as he sat down next to me, "Did you know about all this?" He shook his head quickly, dreadlocks bouncing off his cheek.
"No, of course not," he said, "I knew Mum had this bull-cock idea of marrying me off to some dame, but I didn't really take her seriously." He peered over my shoulder and cringed, shrinking down in his chair. I didn't have to turn around; I knew George was probably fixing him with one of his infamous death glares. "Look, we'll have to tell them the truth-"
"It's settled," Mum exclaimed triumphantly, "July tenth-"
"What?!" Lee and I exclaimed in unison.
"It's perfect!" Mum continued, "That's the only way we can the whole family, Alicia. You know how proud they are of you!"
"I suppose we could have it July fifth," Mrs. Jordan began, "If you two are in a hurry." She smiled at us, but we just gawked right back at her, mouths hanging dumbly open.
"Mum-" Lee said painfully.
"Don't you 'Mum' me, Lee Jordan," she turned a hard eye on her son, "Do you want to end up just like your brother?"
Lee hung his head murmuring, "No, no, of course not."
"Then it's settled."
"Wait-"
"But-"
"I will see you later, Anita, Alicia," Mrs. Jordan was standing up, "I must go," she turned to me, "It was really nice meeting you, dear, I know you'll make a wonderful wife for my Lee." She bent to kiss Lee's flaming forehead and disapparated. I turned to my mother.
"You seriously are not making me marry Lee," I implored. "You just- You can't-"
"Alicia!" Mum hissed, eyes wide open, "He's right here! You're insulting him!"
"No, really, Mrs. Spinnet, she's absolutely right," Lee nodded, "Alicia's my friend, I don't love her in that way."
"Besides, I love-" I stopped, feeling my cheeks flame up considerably, wondering if I dare risk the wrath of a 'mother on a mission'. Mum stared at me.
"Whom do you love?" Her voice was icy, but not as cold as her gaze. "Well, WHO?"
I don't know how I got the courage to speak up. But speak up I did. Taking a quick breath and cursing my "Gryffindor bravery" which I had somehow misplaced, I turned to find George standing up from his seat with a determined look on his face, his mouth formed into a straight line. I held out my shaking hand, and with three strides, he took it, grasping firmly. His hands were cool against mine which were sweaty and shaking.
"Mum..." I didn't look her in the eye. I looked at George and his unwavering gaze gave me the strength to go on. "This is George." My voice came into a squeak. "George Weasley. My-"
"Sweetheart." It wasn't a question. I forced myself to look up at her. Her eyes were blazing with a fierce look of both stupefaction and fury. "You have a sweetheart?!" Her gaze drifted distastefully towards George. "And he's a Weasley as well." My heart jerked painfully towards George who had a look of mortification sketched on his flushed face.
"Mother," I hissed unmercifully, "You have no right to talk of him like that. I forbid you!"
"You forbid me! You forbid me? I am your mother-"
"AND I DON'T REALLY CARE!!!" The whole pub had gone silent watching the battle of all battles, the most dangerous affair one can take part in: the mother and daughter confrontation. Lee and George gawked at me in disbelief. Shy and timid girl, I'll show them shy and timid girl...
"My dear, Alicia, I believe you may have some authority problems-"
My Gryffindor courage lashed back at her from its secret hiding place. "I DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY PROBLEMS!!!" Somewhere inside my practical head was a voice telling me one thing: You're screwed, Alicia. But right then, I didn't care that she was glaring at me and I would possibly be disowned from my family nor that what I was yelling was clearly a self-contradiction.
"I will leave now, dear," she continued calmly, though her face betrayed her enraged feelings. "I will give you time to think about this. The whole family's counting on you," she shook her head, "And just think what Patricia would say! She'd be so disappointed." Damn it. Gritting my teeth, I refused to answer her. She knows how much I look up to my older sister Patricia. "Alicia," she said more softly. Again I forced myself to return her gaze. She looked at me pityingly. "I just want to make sure you'll be happy for the rest of your life. Remember that. Goodbye." She disapparated and conversations broke into the pub, making it noisy and rambunctious as before. Some of the older women were looking sourly at me, clearly takers of the mothers' side of the battles.
"C'mon, let's go," I turned on my heel and stormed out the door. George and Lee followed wide-eyed in my wake. I didn't stop until we reached the lake on Hogwarts grounds. I turned to Lee who cowered away as if afraid I would start yelling at him as well. I almost grinned; it felt sort of nice to have that kind of power.
"So," I said matter-of-factly, "You're my fiancé, huh?"
He gulped and nodded slowly. George scowled at him and he grinned sheepishly.
"And I'm suppose to have a wedding a month after I graduate, a month!" I exclaimed to no one in particular. "And- and now my mum knows."
"She doesn't seem to be too pleased now, does she," Lee said lightly.
"No, Lee, she was absolutely thrilled to see that a Weasley could be a possible candidate for a son-in-law," George's words were dripping with sarcasm. "She was absolutely thrrrr-illed that her daughter just had to choose a-a pauper from a poverty-stricken family and-"
"SHUT UP!" I yelled at him. He blinked and stopped in mid-sentence. "I do not want to hear another word of that- that rubbish, George Weasley. The next time I hear something like that, I'll hex you, I mean it!" He nodded, looking chagrined. I turned to Lee again. "Why don't you owl your mum and explain what's really going on? You can tell her about George and I," I added, "It would help and she could possibly convince my mum." He nodded.
"Yeah, I'll do that now," he replied walking towards the castle, "I'll see you all later." With a wave, he went on his way. I sank down to the grassy ground, and curled my legs, hugging them to me. After a moment, George sat down beside me and stretched out his legs. I felt his arm slide around my shoulder, and I leaned into him. His fingers twined around my curls and his shallow breath fell across my cheek.
"Don't marry Lee," he begged softly. "If your mum really wants him as part of your family, she can marry him herself." I burst out laughing, and George joined me. Soon, we had tears rolling down our faces, gasping for air. It really wasn't that funny, but I just had to laugh. Or cry. So I did both. It felt nice, laughing with George. Laying my head across his shoulder, I sighed, giggles converting into silence.
"At least Fred and Angelina won't have to worry about Roger Davies anymore," I said. "I was feeling rather guilty about that."
"Yeah, me too," he replied. "So what do we do now."
It was the same question that was swimming inside my head, looking desperately for an answer- any answer. "We wait."
ANGELINA's POV
"Fred, we-we really should stop," I panted, pushing myself away from him. He groaned, gripping me tighter around the waist and covered light kisses up and down my neck. His lips felt warm as they traveled across my collarbone. He opened his mouth, and I gasped slightly as I felt my skin stretch, pulling into hard teeth. He let go suddenly, and made for my ear lobe.
I closed my eyes, wondering if this was all a dream. Johnson, if this is a dream, you seriously have quite a perverted mind. I kept telling myself I was in the Transfiguration room snogging with Fred and I had to get out of there before 1) facing the consequences of McGonnagal bursting in on us, or 2) go completely insane. What Fred was doing to my neck, for example, was driving me mad. I wish we weren't in the Transfiguration classroom, but somewhere more secluded, and I wish time would just stop, and I wish... I blushed, grateful Fred couldn't read my mind. That was one wish I'd rather keep to myself, thank you very much.
He paused above my jawline to catch his breath which was coming down rather hard. "I missed you, did I tell you that?" he murmured. "We haven't been together in over a month." His lips pressed softly against my cheek as he held me tight.
"We'd better go," I whispered after a while, "McGonnagal has tutoring sessions in the afternoon."
"All right," he sighed, slowly getting to his feet, bringing me up with him. We paused in silence as he buttoned up his collar and I straightened my robes. "Ready?" He held his hand out. I twined my fingers with his as he opened the door a sliver, peering cautiously out of it. "C'mon."
We snuck out of the room and down the corridor, up several flights of stairs, and turned the corner to the Gryffindor Common Room. Realizing that our hands were still clasped together, I let go suddenly, feeling my heart drop several feet. Fred's disappointment was displayed clearly on his face, but he nodded in resignation.
" 'Chocolate Frogs'," I said to the Fat Lady who immediately swung the portrait door open. Several first years were talking near the fireplace, but almost all of the older students were.. at... Hogsmeade... where I'm suppose to be... with Roger Davies. I let out a groan.
"What's wrong?" Fred came in behind me.
"I'm suppose to meet Roger at Hogsmeade right now!" I said frantically. "I forgot all about it!"
"Oh, so it's 'Roger' now, is it? Too friendly to be 'Davies'?" he murmured surly.
"And what exactly is that suppose to mean?" I didn't like the way where this conversation was leading. He shrugged, scowling.
"I wouldn't worry about Davies anymore," said two voices in unison. We turned to find Katie and Lee looking startled at one another.
"What are you on about?" Fred asked curiously.
Katie answered first. "He asked me where you were down in the Entrance Hall," she grinned. "Seemed rather irked when I told him 'none of your business' and all. Swore at me, he did," her grin widened.
"What did you say?"
"Told him to go to that fiery underworld for all I care," she shrugged innocently making us laugh.
"Well, there's another reason why you shouldn't be worried about him anymore," Lee's smirk turned into a serious frown. I raised an eyebrow.
"Really? What exactly is it?"
"Why don't you ask them?" he pointed behind us where Alicia and George were walking through hand-in-hand. Several sixth years made crude and rather loud remarks at them that made Alicia's blush deepen and caused George to wink roguishly. Fred, Katie, and I gawked at them. Lee seemed to be the only who was unaffected and beckoned them to join us.
"Hello," Alicia said nervously, still flushed.
"George, what was that about?!" Fred exclaimed at his brother. George caught Lee's eye and gave a rather lop-sided smile.
"I bet Lee could start us off, don't you think so?" Lee cleared his throat nervously.
"You'd better sit down for this," he said, "To you, this might be shocking..."
ALICIA's POV
We left for dinner rather late. The Entrance Hall was still brimming with students who had just come back from Hogwarts, pockets stuffed with Honeyduke's mouth-watering chocolate bars and candy. I spotted Davies with a group of Ravenclaw boys who eyed Angelina and Fred warily. Being the Weasley that he is, Fred grinned triumphantly, puffing out his chest just like Percy used to do (don't tell him I said that), and put an arm around Angelina's shoulder bringing her closer. Angelina, who did not see Davies (or refused to see him, I don't know) smiled up at Fred, kissing his cheek quickly. Davies scowled then all of a sudden smirked as he spotted George and I. Suddenly, his face froze as if finally understanding what had happened; his plan had failed. (Take that you pompous, conceited, sneaky little b-...) He scowled, staring back at Fred and Angelina and turned away as we passed him.
Fred, Angelina, Katie, and Lee entered the Great Hall first. George held it open for me, but I paused, suddenly very apprehensive. My sisters would be there, and Mum had probably owled them already. With a deep breath, I followed George inside going straight to the Gryffindor table. Sitting down, I cast a look over to the other end of the table where two of my sisters were talking. Adrianne caught my eye and glared at me, sticking her refined nose in the air. Brianna ignored me, turning her head in the other direction.
"Oh, Alicia!" I looked at Katie. "I forgot to give this to you," she pulled a piece of parchment from her pocket, "You had an owl." I took it, dreading its contents. It was from Patricia. My heart sank even lower. This was worse than a howler. It turns out Mum didn't even tell her I wasn't going to marry Lee. Patricia was congratulating me and voiced her happiness of the arrangement. "I knew the Jordan's older daughter," she had written, "She was a good friend of mine. They're a wonderful family, Alicia, the best family to marry into- nice, polite, and rather wealthy also." I couldn't bear Patricia's disappointment; after all, she was my favorite sister. I looked up at George who had read the letter over my shoulder. His face was subdue, and his eyes looked back from Lee to myself. I took a breath, but he cut me off.
"Your sister's right, Alicia," he said softly. "The Jordan's are rather- wealthy. I'm sure Lee would make a-a wonderful husband." His voice contained no anger or sarcasm. "I just want you to be hap-" I gave him a quick, but hard kiss on the mouth and whipped a quill out of my pocket. Licking the nib, I turned the letter over to write a reply. Several Gryffindor's were grinning and whooping at us; I caught my sisters glaring in my direction and George's flushed face, trying hard to hide a grin as I turned back to the parchment. He leaned in to see what I would write.
Dear Patricia,
I'm sorry, but I can't and I won't marry Lee Jordan. I already have a sweetheart. Please remind mother that.
Love From,
Alicia
I glanced at George for a moment, quill paused in mid-air. He beamed proudly, knowing how hard this was for me. His smile brought another wave of courage, and I added:
P.S. His name is George. George Weasley is my sweetheart.
************************************************************************
I know, I know what you're thinking "Well that took a bloody long time!" Thank you for reading, and please review! Don't think this is the end, I may write an epilogue : )