Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.

A/N: School started just a few days ago and I'm already loaded with homework. Can you believe it? God, I'm already stressing out. Therefore, I decided that it's time to update and possibly, your awesome reviews will make me feel better!

3

Gene.

P.S. I hate having a crush. Especially if said boy is way out of your league, is madly in love with someone 20 times prettier than you, and so happens to resemble Fred Weasley.

What's a girl to do?

Beats me. Haha.

November 30

History of Magic

God, why did I even bother to sign up for this class again? It's so boring. I'm surprised I haven't rotted away from sheer listlessness. As I've previously stated, everything is back to normal. Fred's still going out with Olivia, much to my protest, but I've noticed he isn't as attached to her as before.

Whenever I see them in the hallways now, Fred is about five feet away from her or loosely holding her hand, but wearing this very apathetic expression on his face. I asked George about Fred's status with Olivia and he claims he doesn't really know.

Yeah, right.

Fortunately, Christian has been avoiding me ever since that incident a few days ago. Just yesterday, I was walking with Fred to DADA and Christian headed towards us.

Fred immediately slung his arm around my shoulder and glared at Christian in a way that gave off the notion that he was going to knock him out. The French Molester looked like he was going to pee his pants and instantly turned around and zoomed down the hallway, even though his destination was in the opposite direction.

Katie and Alicia have hinted that their little "Operation The Red Coats Are Coming" well launch very soon. I mentioned this to Fred and he says whatever those two are planning, it's on the scale of a worldwide catastrophe. He's all too right, you know. When those two put their heads together, it's best if everyone run for the hills.

December 2

Common Room

AH! I think Fred was going to tell me something really important today! It was after classes and we were taking a stroll around the Qudditch pitch. We both miss playing the sport terribly. Oddly enough, for some unknown reason, Fred had stealthily grabbed my hand. We had been holding hands for about ten minutes, before I even registered the act. We stopped in front of the announcer's booth.

Fred gazed upward, memories flooding back to him, fondly smiling.

"I can't believe one more year and we'll be gone. Seems like just yesterday Lee was begging you to go out with him over the loudspeaker," he mused, meeting my eyes.

I laughed and lightly socked him in the shoulder. During our first two years at Hogwarts, Lee had developed a crush on me. He was the designated announcer for all the Qudditch games, so whenever I made a play, he would declare something like, "Oh, there goes that Angelina Johnson! Still as good a Chaser as ever and STILL unwilling to go out with me!"

This was followed by Professor Mcgonagall scolding Lee for going off topic and the twins cackling so loud, I could hear it all the way across the pitch. It was quite embarrassing, if you really must know.

Then in fourth year, after Katie firmly decided she was over Oliver Wood, she started falling for Lee. The flirting between the two became more serious and pretty soon, the rest of the school and myself were thankfully spared the woeful comments of rejection and dating status of Lee Jordan.

"Yeah well, thank God that's over and done with. I don't think Katie would be too pleased to hear her boyfriend still harbored feelings for me," I playfully responded.

Fred snorted, grinning all the while.

"Right, like she wouldn't have too much of a heart attack," he snickered.

I laughed, staying on the topic of the dating life of our group of friends.

"Hey, how are things with George and Alicia?"

Before joining Fred outside, I had spotted Alicia and George in the library, engaging in what appeared to be a very serious chat. Alicia was solely focused on George, propped up on her elbows, heavily leaning forward in her chair. George looked positively nervous, twiddling with the random quill in front of him.

Katie thought that maybe George was finally admitting his feelings to Alicia and I had no other conjecture. I didn't want to be nosey or anything, so I let them talk and went to meet Fred.

Fred shrugged; looking bored with the topic.

"I dunno. Why are you asking me?" he listlessly questioned.

"Well, if you haven't looked in the mirror lately, you are his twin!"

Fred threw me a half-smile.

"George and I aren't like you and the girls. We don't sit around and have a giggle party about guys while painting each other's toenails," he teased, his voice drenched in a latent smirk.

All right, so the three of us girls had a bad habit of gossiping. But really, we weren't that bad. In fact, I wasn't the biggest gossip out of the group.

I only did the listening, adding a few comments here and there. Katie was the one that always talked an earful. I think it was much more fun to listen in on everyone's garbage, than add to it.

"Hey, we're not that bad! Besides, I was only asking because I spotted them having a very hush-hush conversation in the library, before I came to meet you. And you know that Alicia's been crazy about George for ages," I impatiently informed.

Fred paused for a moment, the slightly annoyed boredom drifting away.

"Oh, that. George asked her out. Lee and I had to convince him all morning. He kept chickening out," he answered, chuckling at his twin's doubts.

I couldn't believe it. First Katie, then Alicia! Ironically, I was the only one without a boyfriend. It wasn't like I would absolutely die without one, but now I'd be the third wheel.

While Alicia and Katie went on double dates, I would have to subject myself to wondering yet again, when Fred would ask me out. Or worse…actually spend Friday and Saturday nights doing…GASP, homework! It made me want to shudder at the thought of it all.

I frowned.

"This totally blows."

Fred let out a bark of a laugh, surprised by my response.

"And why's that? I thought you'd be happy that one of your best mates just snagged her dream boat," he jested with astonishment.

I laughed, though it wasn't as real as I intended it to be.

"No, believe me, I'm nothing but ecstatic that Leesh and George are together. Now I won't have to hear her complain and analyze every one of his actions all night. It's just that, well, all of you guys are dating someone and I'm still single. I'm not saying I'm so desperate I'll ask out the next bloke that waltzes along."

"However, I've been obsessed with filling up my schedule with dates, like other girls. But I never thought about something like this happening. I guess I just mean, I don't want to be left out; the third wheel," I bitterly confessed.

I didn't want Fred to think I was being selfish, but I couldn't stop my emotions. I'd seen too far and wide what dating could do to people's friendships. Broken trust, silly fights that left wounds too deep for the eye too see; sometimes getting a boyfriend ruined the best of friends.

I don't want to break the bonds I have with both the guys and the girls. I know that for the most part, nothing will change between all of us. But I know once everyone else has taken the plunge into this whole dating scene, I'll be left behind in the dust.

I don't know. Maybe it's just because Fred is still going out with Olivia. But I just didn't want anything to come between all of us.

Fred was puzzled.

"Why do you think you'd be left out? Just because the five of us are dating people, doesn't mean we're totally different people."

I nodded, averting my eyes into the distance. Did he think I was totally childish for bringing this up?

"I know that. But I don't feel that way. I don't know, maybe it will pass soon. But, I mean…can I say something and you promise you won't get mad?" I demanded.

Fred threw me a wry smile.

"If it isn't too insulting," he compromised.

I sighed. Should I go on? Oh well, better late than never.

"We've been friends for a long time now, right?"

My eyes were still trained into the distance, dissecting the color of each and every dark violet cloud, scouring the blurry surface of the luminescent moon and taking in the chilly, still night air. I didn't know what the hell I was going to blurt out.

I only had a jumble of words and images, a collection of crude emotions, a memoir to everything attached like cumbersome baggage to our relationship. He nodded, unsure of where I was taking this.

"The best of."

"Well, you know how some people are friends for quite awhile and then…something happens, something changes between them?"

I was stalling but it was all right. The more I prolonged my little speech, the more I could arrange coherent sentences. By now, Fred was peering at me with intense intrigue, his grip on my hand a little tighter, his other hand quickly brushing the hair out of his eyes and then back into the security and warmth of his pants pocket.

I'd been holding onto these emotions for so long, that now it was hard to let go and spill it out into the open.

"What do you mean, Angel?" he whispered.

I sighed and met his gaze, my voice trembling. God, I was pathetic. I could ride around in a broom, 500 feet in the air during a thunder and lightening storm but I couldn't say three little words to my best friend.

"Say, this guy and this girl are very close friends. One day, this girl falls head over heels for this guy. She so badly wants the guy to notice her. She goes crazy trying to get his attention, but he's too busy chasing after other girls. Is there a happy ending for the girl? Does she get her Prince Charming?" I raggedly questioned.

Fred's eyes were as wide as saucers and the tips of his ears were set ablaze. He was stiff with shock, straddling the line of anxiety and pure terror. His lips were pursed in a perplexed frown, though I could tell his thoughts were going three hundred miles an hour. My heart started racing so hard, I thought it would pop out of my chest.

It seemed like it was centuries before he spoke.

"I'm afraid I don't know the ending of this fairy tale. But this Prince Charming sounds like an idiot if he hasn't opened his eyes and realized how stupid he'd be to let her go."

His voice was barely above a whisper.

I gulped.

"That's just the thing. This Prince Charming, though he likes to always have a laugh, he's a very smart bloke. One of those types that sometimes copies his friend's homework, never studies, but gets better grades than all of them," I playfully argued.

It was true. Though Fred was a practical joker, he wasn't stupid. He rarely studied and when he did, it was for about ten minutes. Usually, he didn't feel like finishing his homework, so he copied one of ours.

But despite his lack of motivation, he got admirable marks. Sometimes, more than once, he would great better grades than any of us. He probably could be at the very top percent of the class, if he put in the effort.

The light dawned in Fred's eyes and he let out a light laugh, though his anxiety wasn't the least bit relieved.

"One of those types, eh? Why hasn't this girl hinted to this guy that she…likes him."

I shrugged, my face blank, my eyes scared out of my wits.

"She has. Many times. Maybe she isn't sending strong enough signals. But it seems like whenever the opportune moment approaches, the guy backs down. This makes the girl doubt whether or not she should continue to pursue him," I clarified.

My voice was steady now, though I wasn't any less scared.

Fred peered deeply into my eyes, some wild electricity buzzing like a mist around him.

"Did it ever occur to this girl that maybe the guy is scared? Maybe this guy is afraid he'll break this girl's heart, just like all the others before her. Maybe he doesn't want to hurt her."

I let myself smile, recalling all of Katie and Alicia's words of wisdom.

"What we've been telling you all along! Fred's afraid he'll ruin the friendship part of your relationship. I mean, you two are really close. Fred's not a total idiot. He doesn't want to risk screwing everything up and losing you. It's kind of sweet, actually."

"Fred…I think I'm…"

I bit my lip, averting my eyes to the ground.

"Yes?" he encouraged.

I felt disappointment rise in my throat like a tart bile. I couldn't do it. I thought of all the other girls before me; Olivia, Wendy, Sarah, Laura, Vanessa, the list went on and on. If I had gone through with it, would I be just another trophy for his collection?

"Nevermind."

Fred looked as disappointed as I did. The tips of his ears turned from bright red to strawberry and he frowned.

"What? Tell me," he gently urged.

I shook my head and gave his hand a little squeeze.

"It's nothing important."

Fred let out a deep sigh and released his hand from mine. Instead, he situated it around my waist and began to lead the way back to the castle. I felt like the biggest loser on the face of the planet, but my confession wouldn't budge. Besides, he's still going out with Olivia. Even if I did tell him, it wouldn't amount to anything.

His voice was soft and thin, as though he'd gone hoarse from screaming at the top of his lungs.

"All right, Angel. All right."

And as we walked back to the castle, the only words we spoke were drenched in tense silence.