Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Not too much to say, except thanks for all the reviews! We're in the home stretch, guys!

December 15

Dorms

Today was Saturday and Katie, Alicia and I spent practically the moment we awoke from the moment we went to bed, making and acting upon plans about the Yule Ball. Katie's already got dress robes, so she crossed that off her agenda. They're really pretty too. The robes are wicked soft and made out of this velvet-type material.

The hue is a very light rose, almost a cross between cotton candy and an unripe cherry. I wasn't surprised that Katie chose pink robes. She's the girliest of all of us. Alicia and I still needed to buy ours (though I'm not even sure I'm going to the blasted ball), so when an opportune Hogsmeade trip broached, we immediately fled to the Great Hall to meet up with Professor McG and the rest of our peers.

We spent the ENTIRE time in Madam Milkin's Dress Robes for All Occasions. Actually, I was the one that spent the most time buying a robe. Alicia instantly fell in love with this dark, navy blue dress robe. The color reminds me of the calm before a storm; when the sky is nearly black but not quite. The sky is a mixture of steel gray and oceanic blue but seems to sparkle in a unique in a way, due to the electricity undercurrent.

The dress robes have a V-neck and are low-cut, but classy at the same time. It took me eons to find dress robes that didn't make me have a butt the size of the solar system. But I must say, the ones I did purchase are absolutely to die for.

The color is a deep crimson, the complete opposite of Katie's blushing pink robes. It's almost the color of dark wine; the hue giving off the illusion of a smooth and thick texture. It's a dark, vibrant red of a sunset that is the core of all the other colors. It really goes well against my complexion. Katie says it adds "warmth and sparkle" to my eyes.

It has a scoop neck and is low-cut but not as much as Alicia's. We're not going to bother with dress shoes, though. We figure we're going to take them off anyway, once the dance starts kicking up. I mean, who really wants to endure the pure pain, agony and torture of having to shimmy in heels?

After we came back from Hogsmeade, it was around 5. Dinner would be at 6, so we took the free hour to decide how to do our hair for the ball. With the help of "Teen Witch Weekly's Masquerade, Ball and Formal Event Issue Special," we're ten times less stressed out. Alicia has come to the decision that straight hair just won't suffice, so therefore she's going for a head of curls. Katie is thinking about clipping hers back in a barrette. I'm still undecided.

Katie told me that Lee told her that Fred is thinking of asking Janet Harlow. I can't believe him. She's this really annoying Ravenclaw that hates me. I mean, she's wicked smart and has these piercing hazel eyes that make all the guys go crazy, but she's so arrogant. She thinks that JUST because she was the first one to successfully turn her cat into a water glass during Transfiguration in first year, that she's a bloody genius.

Her hatred for me is really childish and absurd. It all started in third year, when we were forced to be partners for some potions lab. Fred was sitting in front of us and she wouldn't do ANY of the work, because she was too busying writing "Mrs. Janet Weasley" all over her notebook in this felt red pen while loudly sighing. Snape was glaring at me behind his desk, that greasy hair of his practically drenching all the papers he was grading, and I was getting beyond frustrated.

So I scowled at her and snapped, "Just because you ogle him like a piece of meat doesn't mean he even knows you exist."

Janet snapped out of her trance and immediately slammed her notebook shut.

"Yeah, well, look who's talking!" she hissed.

"What are you talking about?" I had demanded, in a voice I used for annoying, small children and adults that thought they knew everything. You know, for people who generally are a waste of my precious time and precious life.

Janet smirked and flipped her hair over her shoulder, making me wish it had landed in the highly flammable potion we were brewing. She leaned in closer, her nasty perfume causing me to slightly gag. It was like being attacked with a bunch of weeds and dandelions when you were allergic to pollen.

"Everyone knows you have the hots for Fred. Too bad he doesn't return the feelings. Unrequited love's a bitch, isn't it?"

I only forced out a sweet but sinister smile and continued on with the work. After class, however, when we were safely away from the dungeons, I wasted no time smashing my fist into that pretty little nose of hers.

I got a week's detention and Fred never found out the reason. He always hounded me about it but I just couldn't bear to tell him. Despite this, he proclaimed, "Any enemy of Angie's is an enemy of mine" and thus instantly branded Janet his enemy and didn't bother with her. That is, until now.

So you can see why I'd be beyond irked.

Anyway, Katie says that Lee said that Fred is still undecided. I'm surprised Fred isn't going stag. That way, he could dance with as many girls as he likes and not be "tied down" by one person.

December 16

Charms

We haven't really done anything in class today, due to the fact excitement is mounting for the Yule Ball, which is now only nine days away. Katie and Alicia are currently giving each other manicures. Since Flitwick gave us free time, I confronted Fred about the topic of 'asking Janet Harlow to the ball'. He made this really weird face like he'd just eaten moldy cheese.

"Why in the world would I ask her? She's so bloody annoying. She'd probably spend the entire time telling me about some test she aced," he demanded.

I felt really dumb but pretended he was the one being foolish and not I.

"Someone hinted that maybe you were thinking of taking her," I crisply noted.

His grimace was lifted away.

"Oh, well, thinking about and asking are two different things. I only thought of asking her because everyone claims she's a pretty good dancer. But George told me she was already going with Henry Longsworth, so that idea was scratched out," he good-naturedly explained.

I tried not to look too relieved. But that presented a bigger problem. Who was taking then, if Janet was out of the picture?

"Who are you taking, then?" I casually questioned.

He looked at me and slyly grinned, as though it was some big secret I had failed to know.

"This really gorgeous girl. In fact, she was the first person I thought of asking," he vaguely hinted.

Those irresistible dimples of his deepened and his eyes sparkled with crafty deviousness.

I was internally freaking out. Some gorgeous girl? That could be ANY of the girls he'd dated in the past three years! It would take me months to go down the list and figure out whom he was going to take. My lips fell into a frown but I instantly wiped it from my face. I couldn't let Fred know I was disappointed that the girl he was asking wasn't going to be me.

I didn't feel like getting my ego bruised any further, so I started ranting about Snape's oily hair and his judgmental and unfair treatment towards the both of us. He quickly joined in on the discussion and the Yule Ball was pushed aside.

December 19

Common Room

OMG. You'll never believe this. FRED WEASLEY JUST ASKED ME TO THE YULE BALL. No, I didn't stutter. I'm going to the Yule Ball with Fred! Honestly, I'm like…freaking out. Haha. I just can't believe he'd ask ME of all people. Alicia says that it was so obvious that he was planning on asking me but I beg to differ. I mean, I thought he was going to ask one of his ex-girlfriends or current arm candy. But I guess he still knows how to pull one over me.

So, Alicia and I were standing around in the common room. Katie and Lee were off somewhere, no doubt having a snog-session in the Astronomy Tower or a vacant broom closet. Alicia was asking me advice about George.

Just yesterday evening, the couple had been taking a walk outside, enjoying the first snow of the season. Alicia claimed she didn't know what had come over her, but when she suddenly looked up at George, she blurted out, "I love you."

She said that she truly did mean it, just that she hadn't meant to say it at that time. Alicia told me that George had stopped right in his tracks, looking positively stunned, as though he'd been severely and violently beaten by a double decker bus. Obviously, this wasn't a good type of shock. She said that they just stood there in tense silence for what seemed millions of years, when George finally spoke.

And much to her distress, all he uttered was "Thank you.

HONESTLY. Who says, "Thank you" after the love of your life confesses their undying and eternal affection for you? A bloody Weasley twin, that's who. Anyway, I really was trying to hold off on my rants and woes about Weasley Twins and convince myself that all men weren't scum at the bottom of a frog pond, when it happened.

My back was to him but his voice cut clear across the common room.

"Oi! Angelina!"

Alicia waggled her eyebrows and I had to mouth 'shut up' to her before facing him. I tried to remain calm and cool, as though Fred was a casual acquaintance in the hallway, asking for that night's homework.

"What?" I demanded.

His expression was mostly serious, except for the knowing smile painted on his lips.

"Want to come to the ball with me?"

I froze. I felt my heart stop beating for a moment or two. I heard Alicia mutter, "Say yes, you bloody moron!"

I studied him for a moment, wondering if it was all some big joke but followed my heart. He gave me a half-smile; slightly unsure of my answer and retaining that familiar warmth he'd reserved for just me. His invitation was what I had been wanting, so there was no sense in denying the offer.

"All right."

And then I turned back to Alicia, picking up where we left off. I tried to act unaffected but I couldn't help but grin. Later that day, Leesh and I ran into Katie, minus Lee, which was a rather odd coincidence. We were going to dinner and Katie appeared out of the opposite hallway. Leesh blurted out everything before I could even open my mouth.

The two started hopping up and down while squealing. I laughed at them but pretty soon, I started squealing with them. Katie started to mention something about 'immediate execution of phase two of O.T.R.A.C. when Victor Krum walked by. He gave us this sort of frightened look so we immediately stopped.

After dinner, Fred and I were taking the long way back to the common room, joking around and talking. From the looks of it, Alicia and George had made up, because at dinner, they were holding hands underneath the table. Katie and Lee were talking to this other couple from Gryffindor I don't know that well. Fred and I didn't feel like sticking around and waiting for them, so we went off together.

Fred and I were playing that "This or That" game. You know, when you take two things and make the person choose. For instance, Fred had said "having Snape serenade me with "I Will Always Love You" or eating nothing but olives for a month." Even though I absolutely HATE olives, I chose the second option. It went on like that, often with silly questions, until it was my turn again.

The question had been in the back of my mind for quite some time, but I didn't want to ask it, in hopes of bringing down the light mood of the game.

"So, Frederick. Hanging out with me on a Friday night or going on a date with Fleur Delacour," I questioned.

I wasn't actually serious. Ok, so maybe I was very curious to see whether or not Fred would rather spend his evening with a part-Veela French girl or waste it by hanging with me. But it was all for fun.

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, the goofy grin that he'd been wearing long gone.

"Honestly, I'd say the first choice," he informed.

I actually stopped walking when I heard that. Fred was a few paces in front of me before he realized I wasn't by his side.

"Seriously?" I asked in pure surprise.

He nodded.

"Seriously."

I continued to press the matter.

"Why? I mean, she's part-Veela and has that long, shiny hair of hers. And then I'm just like this ordinary girl who argues too much with you," I persisted.

He sighed, as though even a five-year-old could figure out his reasoning. He walked back to where I was frozen in place and gazed into my eyes.

"Angel, if you honestly think I'd rather spend time with Fleur than you, then you're a bigger git than that ass, Chrisitan. You're my best friend. You and I always have fun together. You're the only girl I've known that…gets me. Why would I pass that up for some girl that can't half speak proper English?"

This was a good enough answer for me, so we started walking once more.

"You're turn, then."

"All right. Angelina, would you rather kiss me or kiss Cedric Diggory?"

Although Cedric Diggory was quite nice looking….I'd rather kiss Fred any day.

"That's an easy one, you," I sincerely informed.

He grinned, looking somewhat smug that figuratively speaking, he'd been victorious over Cedric.

From then on, he gently reached for my hand. We held hands all the way to the common room and didn't let go until an hour later, when Fred wanted to go play a game of 'Exploding Snap' with Lee. Katie and Alicia noticed this of course, and warned me that Phase Two of Operation The Red Coats Are Coming would commence some time tomorrow.

Oh brother.

A/N: Coming up next chapter...the girls finally unleash hell-er I mean, their "plan."

P.S. Fred's invitation to the Yule Ball was taken straight from GOF.