A/N: Okay. This is a short chapter but I think it helps set up the end of this story. The big events will begin soon and I hope you all like this.

Disclaimer: See other chapters...


Chapter 8

"You're taking who?"

Both Sandra and Bella returned to the great hall. Bella looked shaken as they sat at the Ravenclaw table. Percy noticed Bella's state and quickly motioned to Fred and George to look at her to see if they thought the same as he did.

"Looks frightened don't she?"

"Wonder what happened,"

"I don't know, but I hope it's not more bad news," said Percy.

"Who has bad news?" asked Bill as he sat down with Charlie. "It can't possibly be worse then mine!"

"What is it?" asked Percy.

"You won't believe it! I always thought Bill had some sort of control over himself but I was obviously mistaken!"

"Shut up Charlie,"

"All she has to do is bat her eyelashes once and Bill would eat dirt for her!" added Charlie with a laugh.

"If only it were just that," said Bill grimly.

"Well, on with it," said Fred eagerly.

Bill sighed and took a breath. He felt his cheeks go red with embarrassment.

"Sandra asked if… if I could take a friend of hers to the graduation ball… and I said yes,"

"WHAT?" shouted all three younger brothers.

"Yeah, she's going with someone else,"

"Who?" they continued to say together.

Bill looked to his side and gave a glare to Hank. He simply lifted his head and pretended to look at the enchanted ceiling. The twins snickered. They had heard so many things about Hank from Bill that they swore they were the same person. It seemed ironic that this would happen.

"So, he stole your girlfriend? Quite harsh isn't it?" said Fred with a giggle in his voice. Suddenly something popped into George's head.

"Say, exactly who is this "friend" you're taking?"

"Sandra said she'd tell me after the feast. I must say it's not very comforting. Hmm… What if it's Winter?" said Bill in thought.

"I don't think so. It's a general rule that Slytherins usually stay within their house,"

"Yes but Winter isn't your average Slytherin. I have two clues though! For one, this girl's liked me for a long time but has never talked to me. That definitely rules out Winter! A quiet girl, I don't think so. And two, she's a close friend of Sandra's. That makes me believe she could be in that little group that crowds around her,"

Percy gulped. He was sure he knew whom it was judging by everything that had just happened.

"Well - Maybe not!" added Percy. "I mean - it could be anyone!"

"Bill, why didn't Sandra just tell you who it was?" asked Fred.

"She wanted to tell her friend first. It seems this was all a big surprise! Sure surprised me," he said with a drone.

"Yeah! He worked so hard too!" said Charlie in a sarcastic tone. "Goes to show that not everything comes easily to Mr. Bill Weasley!" said Charlie.

"Are you my brother or not?" lamented Bill.

Charlie just laughed and Percy seemed unsure of what to think. It was about time that Bill's overwhelming confidence was a bit shaken. Bill just took everything too lightly sometimes and Percy couldn't help but smile a bit that that last comment. The feast began and Percy kept giving quick looks to Bella who just stared at her food. "Poor girl…" he thought. "Stuck with my brother," Then something suddenly came into his mind. What if Bill's reaction to meeting Bella turned into more then just a date? What if he liked her more then that? It wouldn't surprise him if he did. Then, Percy would no longer have a friend share secrets with or keep to himself. He was sick of sharing everything with his brothers and wasn't ready to give up this girl's company… at least not until he had to. And the extra pain of, once again, seeing Bill get everything with minimal effort had always bothered him.

Before Percy realized it, he was done with his food. He got up and walked to Sandra at a quick pace. She was talking to her friends and finishing her food until she spotted the redhead come her way.

"Sandra we need to talk," came Percy's voice as Bella looked up.

"What ever for Percy?" she asked surprised.

"Please… in private?"

This was more then a strange sight for Bella. What would Percy need to talk to Sandra about? Her curiosity more then roused, she closely followed them to the exit and stood near the small opening of the large wooden doors.

"Sandra… I don't think it's a good idea to do this to Bella,"

"Do what? Oh! I'm just trying to help. I only assume you've heard from Bill?"

"Yes, you shouldn't introduce them to each other!"

"- And why not? Am I right and you and Bella have more going on then you're letting on? Confess Percy! You like her! That's why you're so defensive!" she interrupted with an eyebrow raised.

Percy suddenly felt strangely nervous. No, why should he? Nothing she said was true. It wasn't! He liked spending time with her sure and was ready to admit that, he thought she was pretty ok… but he didn't feel – not that anyways! Bella was like an older sister to him, one he could go to without any awkwardness and act any way in front of her like family. Something like that wasn't love, not that he ever knew what love was like.

"I do like her but not in the way you think. I like her enough to tell you that Bill's... Well… he's…" Percy was thinking fast. Yes, that's it! "Too fast! It's all too fast for her!"

"Fast?"

"Yes! I mean, this would be her first date right? And the first time she spends some time with my brother. She's bound to get nervous and be a wreck until the end of the year and risk messing up her exams. She might not know how to act!"

"Hmmm you might have a point there…"

"YES! PLUS, having them meet before such a big event like the Graduation ball!"

"That's it then!" said Sandra suddenly. "It will be a blind date! I'm sure Bill will find this exciting and Bella won't have to be nervous until the very day!" she said illuminated.

"No! What I meant was -"

"Excellent idea! Tell Bill what we discussed and I'll go and tell Bella! Such fun!" she said giggling as she trailed off.

Percy just got himself into the thick of it again. This time, Bill would be the one to yell. He doubted above everything that he would find this anything but exciting and decided it would be wiser to tell him in the Gryffindor common room. As Sandra walked past the great wooden doors, Bella leaped out and confronted Percy but the scolding he'd thought he'd get turned into a giant hug.

"Thank you Percy! I know I can work out the nerve by the day of the ball!"

Percy's case was lamentable. He did well, in telling his eldest brother in Gryffindor common room about the deal he made.

"How did this happen? Why did you go and talk to her about this in the first place?" said Bill rage built up inside him.

"I… I just wanted to know right away. You know, to tell you. I was – err – only trying to help," With gritted teeth, Bill marched up to his dormitory and slammed the door shut.

Percy sighed and simply sat in an armchair next to the roaring fire as Charlie came next to him.

"It's okay! This only makes things more interesting," he said with a wink. "Besides, if Bill was willing to wait months for a girl he knew but was unsure of he can wait a few more for this mystery girl. In the end, he'll find this fun, you'll see. Don't let him get you down,"

But Percy wasn't just upset about Bill. The words that Sandra had said to him made him wonder if maybe there was more to his relationship with Bella then he thought. Maybe he was in the process of actually having feelings for her. Why else would he be so upset? "You just don't want to share Perce… that's really it," spoke a voice inside him. But what should he really believe? Was that voice right or was everyone else that saw him and Bella together?

After Christmas vacation everyone returned with different views on things. From then on Bella felt a new wave of confidence flow over her. She was so happy to be allowed the opportunity to take everything in on her own time. She sometimes had fleeting daydreams of the day she'd introduce herself to Bill for the first time. She imagined herself appearing before him dressed in her finest dress robes and curtseying elegantly to her partner, as he in turn would give his usual handsome smile. Those very thoughts always sent shivers down her spine until the very opposite of her thoughts surfaced. What if it was the contrary? What if he looked at her in complete disgust and shunted her away? Her unstable mood often made for very vigorous times during practices on the Quidditch pitch and she figured it best to take things easy for a while. Percy felt a wreck. He was so unsure about what to do about Bill and Bella that his stomach continually churned at the very thought. He didn't even know what to feel himself when he met with her and was even more worried about Bill. Bill was now very determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. His unwavering sense of resolve always got him what he wanted in the end. It was never a matter of pride when it came to things like this. For Bill, the important thing was always a result and the result he needed was a name. At the very least… he needed a name.

"Come on Sandra Please! Just a name! This is driving me mad! Percy had no right to make this decision with you. I, at the very least, should have been involved in this!"

"Sorry Bill, but you'll have to live with it. I've already told the girl and she's actually very happy with this idea. So, otherwise, you'll have to wait. If you are a true gentleman then you'll allow this girl her time," said Sandra with a smile.

"But –"

"Well? Are you a gentleman or not?"

"I… I am but –"

"No buts'! I'll see you in Charms," said Sandra as she walked away.

Bill slumped away upset. "If Sandra won't tell me then I'll have to take deeper measures… And I know just who to call on for the occasion," A smile suddenly appeared on Bill's face as if his gloom had never happened. He walked along the halls, said hello to a few passing prefects and slinked into the common room as he heard two identical voices begin to chatter.

"Yeah, I think you're right. We have to go back and get more. We can't go on with so few provisions!"

"I know Fred, so when's the next visit to Zonk -"

"Hello you two. What are you up to?" said Bill and he disrupted the twin's conversation.

"BILL!"

"BROTHER! You could have said you were there before!" said George slightly flustered.

"Oh... sorry. I am interrupting a secret conversation?"

"You could say that," said Fred scowling.

"Well... before you go back to it I have a business proposition for you two,"

At the sound of this the twin's ears twitched.

"Sandra won't tell me who this mystery girl is and if I don't find out soon I'll go mad! So I need my two most cunning brothers to help me figure it out," said Bill with a grin.

The twins' necks began to jerk. During the winter holidays Percy had told them about the mystery girl being Bella and it looked like they were suffering physical pain by forcing out a: "No thanks" in response to Bill proposal. After all, it was an easy...

"Five Galleons! Please?"

"Oh Bill – We – can't..." struggled George.

"We can't – do your dirty work..." muttered Fred.

"You guys drive a hard bargain. All right! Seven Galleons! More then that is too rich for my blood. I did mean apiece by the way," said Bill rolling his eyes. He was quite sure they'd snap.

It looked quite excruciating, but the boys simply turned away looking like they were holding their lunches in. Bill sighed. Why wouldn't they help him? It was then that Charlie came running into the common room like he was floating. It looked to Bill as if he didn't need a broom to be able to play Quidditch, then it hit him.

"The Hufflepuff game! Soon! It was delayed because Madam Hooch had to go see her family but she's back and we're going to face them this week!" said Charlie with the biggest smile Bill had ever seen.

"Well you look over excited! Do you plan on doing it?"

"Yes! I plan on it! I'm really excited! I'll win the game for her and then I'll go confess! I... I just hope she doesn't reject me," he finished with less energy.

"No worries mate! She's crazy about you. I know it," said Bill with an encouraging 'thumbs up'.

"I feel happy not to be the big brother now. I don't think I could deal with so many emotional brothers to take care of," said Charlie smiling.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Have you noticed Percy lately? I'm under the impression he's not going out with his secret girlfriend anymore! He's been moping around left and right."

"Ah! Is a big brother's job never done?" said Bill lifting his hands like it was obvious.

"Well, we better start practicing. I REALLY want to win that match!" said Charlie as he lifted his fist to his heart.

"Good luck! I still have a free period so I'll walk around a bit more. See you later,"


A/N: Please review.