"Even the Best Laid Plans"

Part One

"I cannot believe I said no to Stebbins!" Katie Bell moaned into her pillow. Her two roommates paused in their discussion of expected Christmas gifts to shoot their friend and fellow Chaser an exasperated look.

"Can't you just owl him and say you changed your mind?" Alicia suggested. "The Ball isn't until tomorrow."

"He's going with Fawcett now. I heard her tell Chang in the hall." Angelina told her.

"I don't want to go dateless." Katie said stubbornly. She was wearing her nightgown now in preparation for her usual early bedtime and her daffodil blond hair was released from its customary braid. "It would be one thing if a bunch of us went stag, but both of you have dates and Theresa has gone home."

"I cannot believe you are going with Lee." Angelina commented, shaking her head.

"Well my boyfriend and his girlfriend both went home for the holidays. Bryce's dad isn't doing so well these days and he wanted to be with him. Tilda is Muggle-born and her parents are a bit anxious after she mentioned You-Know-Who to them last summer, they wanted her home where they can see her." Alicia explained. "Typical Ravenclaw. She sometimes forgets that ignorance is bliss."

Angelina appeared thoughtful. "There might still be time. Alicia is going with Lee, I'm with Fred, and I know George isn't going with anyone."

Alicia clapped her hands. "There is your solution Bell. March yourself into the Common Room and ask George to go to the dance with you."

Katie blanched. "I can't do that!"

"Why not? You asked Patricks out last year?" Alicia pointed out.

"That was different!" Katie protested, reddening.

Angelina and Alicia exchanged bemused, knowing looks. "You fancy him, don't you."

Katie buried her face in her pillow again as her two friends burst out laughing.

"I never expected..." Angelina began.

"Not a word Johnson. You either Spinnet. Either of you tell George and I will personally inform every male in Slytherin that you fancy him." Katie threatened.

"You wouldn't!"

"Oh yes I would! You would be plagued by Slytherins!"

Angelina and Alicia shuddered at the prospect.

"Oh all right, I won't tell George." Alicia finally conceded. Katie turned her blue eyes to Angelina expectantly.

Angelina sighed reluctantly. "I promise not to breathe a syllable about this to George."

Katie nodded her head, apparently satisfied with their responses. "I'm going to bed." She pulled the curtains around her bed shut.

"I don't understand why she goes to bed so early. Its barely nine and we don't have classes tomorrow." Angelina whispered.

Alicia shrugged. "Katie is an early riser. We just have to accept her fault."

"Indeed. You notice we only promised not to tell George." Angelina responded with a grin.

"I noticed." Alicia said thoughtfully. She sat on her bed watching as Angelina's cat hopped on his mistresses bed and curled into a ball, purring. Angelina absently stroked the cat between his ears while wearing the sort of expression Alicia usually only saw when her friend was in possession of the Quaffle or working on a particularly trying assignment.

Alicia wandered off to the Common Room and found Lee reading. She debated getting his attention by taking his book away with a Summoning charm, but ended up simply plopping down next to him on the couch.

"Hello Alicia." Lee said. They were friends, but since their respective partners had gone home for the holidays they had elected to go to the ball together as friends.

Alicia cut to the chase. "Lee, I need your help playing matchmaker."

Lee raised an eyebrow, them waggled it. "My skills are required? I must know who our unfortunate, I mean lucky couple is."

Alicia tucked a stray strand of her ash brown hair behind her ear as she leaned in conspiratorially. "Katie and George."

"As in Katie Bell and George Weasley."

"Of course."

"I never really thought of them as being an item." Lee said.

"Katie fancies George and I think he feels the same way about him. You are his friend. I don't ask you to violate his confidence by revealing how he feels about Katie, but if he doesn't like her in that way just tell me its hopeless."

"Well, George hasn't told me. Fred has. And it's not hopeless."

"Good." Alicia purred, her brown eyes sparkling at the knowledge that her suspicion was proved correct. Alicia prided herself on knowing her friends. "Now all we have to do is get them together."

"How about we lock them in a room until one asks the other to the dance?" Her fellow Gryffindor suggested, only half serious.

Alicia actually considered this. "I have a better idea. How about we set them up for a romantic dinner tomorrow...and lock them in the room together. We can use one of the classrooms."

"Perfect. I think I know just the room. I'll take care of the food, you take care of the decor. How do we get them together though?"

"A note on their pillows?" Alicia suggested.

"They know both of our handwriting." Lee pointed out.

Alicia's face fell, then brightened. "But they don't know all the fifth years. One of my cousins is in Ravenclaw and she owes me for covering for her last summer. She'll get a kick out of helping us. I'll ask her at breakfast tomorrow?"

"Won't Katie suspect anything?"

Alicia shook her head. "No. Its Christmas, remember? A time for family."

Alicia and Lee wrapped up the details before both went to their respective dorms. As Alicia drifted off to sleep, Angelina found that the excitement induced insomnia that usually plagued her on Christmas Eve was upon her again this year. Finally she gave up trying to sleep and threw on her clothes to go and read in the Common Room. To her surprise the only other person there was Fred.

Fred was musing over what appeared to be plans for another joke item. Angelina reminded herself not to eat or drink anything he gave her at the Ball.

"Fred."

Fred startled, then smiled at her. "Oh, hi Angelina."

"Looking forward to the Ball?"

Fred shot her a look that made her blush the same fiery red as his hair. "Yes."

"George going with anyone?" She asked curiously.

Fred let out a frustrated sigh. "No. He hasn't even asked anyone."

"Alicia and I have a similar problem with Katie. She turned down two Hufflepuffs, a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin."

Fred winced. "A Slytherin asked her to the ball? Which one?"

"Montague."

Fred was incredulous. "The same Montague who tried to push her off her broom during the Quidditch final last term?"

"Apparently so. She turned him down in record time."

"Smart girl."

"Fred," Angelina began awkwardly. "How does George feel about Katie?"

Fred made a great show of sniffing the air loudly. "I smell a verbal trap. Why do you ask?"

"Swear to me that you won't say anything to anyone about this or I'll tell McGonagall who was responsible for that little incident in Transfiguration." Angelina threatened.

"You assume she doesn't already know?" Fred said lightly. "But all right, I promise not to tell George."

"Answer my question."

"How does George feel about Katie? He's never come out and said it but I think he likes her. George tends to keep who he fancies to himself, but my twin radar tells me that something is up. He sneaks looks at her in class and looks really silly doing it."

Angelina was surprised. "You haven't done anything about it?"

"George is my twin. I would never bother or torment him or any of my siblings before they embarked on a relationship." He smiled mischievously. "It sort of ruins things. I prefer to tease once the relationship is under way. Its much more fun."

"Good, about George liking Katie, I mean. I think she likes him, but how do we get the two of them together?"

"Hit them over the heads with signs stating the obvious, charm cords to tie them together?" Fred suggested.

"Seriously."

"I thought I was being serious." Then he paused. "We could use a love potion."

Angelina thought about this. "Just to break the ice?"

"Just to break the ice." Fred agreed.

"We can make it tonight. Do you know how?"

Fred smiled like the Cheshire Cat. "My mother had an old recipe that we uh, sort of... borrowed. Its not very strong, only lasts a few hours, but it will be perfect for this. Its also easy enough that Neville Longbottom could manage it."

"How do we give it to them?"

"How about we change the color from pink to red?" Fred suggested. "Then it will look like that courage strengthening potion we made a few weeks ago. I kept a few vials."

Angelina wondered what Fred would need courage strengthening potion for.

"For when George and I test our creations." Fred explained, seeing the question on her face.

"You never fail to surprise me." Angelina admitted.

"You look so cute when you are surprised." Fred teased.

"I do?"

Fred quickly glanced around to make sure no one was watching. He kissed her on the lips. "You do."

FIN

Next part: both plans go off, but not as expected.