Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Don't make money from it. Don't sue me.

AN: Minor setback. Had most of the chapter written when my disk suddenly had a nervous breakdown and wouldn't give it back. I managed to refrain from throwing the disk out the window. Am awfully sorry that this happened. I've decided to split the Yule Ball into three parts now. Lee/Katie is this chapter. You'll have to wait a little longer for F/A.

This chapter picks up from just before the moment when Katie tells Angelina that she isn't feeling well.

Chapter 41

Stupid Lee. Stupid Lee's date.

Katie sighed and turned to the dance floor to search for Lee. Everything had turned out wrong. She wasn't meant to go to the Ball with George and Lee definitely wasn't meant to go with his Herbology tutor. She must have done something really horrible in a previous life to end up in such a hopeless situation.

"You all right?" Angelina asked from across the table.

"Lee's dancing with Alicia."

"I know. You didn't answer my question, Katie. Are you all right?"

Katie frowned and watched her friends dance. "Do you think he's trying to hit on her now that George is out of the way?"

"No! You're being ridiculous."

"I'm being realistic," Katie replied firmly. "We all know that Lee is a flirt. Is it really that inconceivable that he would flirt with Alicia?"

"Yes it is. For starters, Lee has his own date, Katie. I'm also sure he knows that George would lose it if he showed any interest towards Alicia. You aren't thinking straight."

"Where exactly is Lee's date? I haven't seen her with Lee since the first song."

"You saw her?" Angelina asked. "What does she look like?"

"She has that dark and exotic Mediterranean look. She's pretty much everything I'm not," Katie answered gloomily.

"I don't understand! Why didn't you just agree to go with Lee when he asked you?"

"I really don't know. But I managed to ruin everything. I don't even think I deserve Lee anyway. He needs someone who'll spend time with him and treat him well. I haven't done that."

"Oh, Katie, there's still time to fix it."

Katie just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I just have to have faith and not give up. Blah, blah, blah."

"Blah, blah, blah?" Angelina repeated. "Katie, what's-"

"Nothing's wrong," she said quickly, standing up with a groan. "The air in here is too suffocating. I'm going outside to get some fresh air before I throw up."

"I'll come with you."

"No. You need to wait here for the twins. I wouldn't want them to think we've abandoned them."

Angelina looked over her shoulder then back at Katie. "I'm sure they'll be back any minute. As soon as they return I'll come out to get you."

"Fine," Katie said with little enthusiasm.

Ignoring Angelina's concerned look, Katie hurried towards the doors of the Great Hall. Everyone was dancing and laughing and being generally cheerful. Katie wasn't in the mood for cheerfulness. All she wanted was to be alone to wallow in her own stupidity.

Walking down the front steps of the castle, she began to cry without quite knowing why. There was just this all-pervading sense of finality to everything. She and Lee and had only one year left of school. Had she really let him slip through her fingers for the last time?

Katie choked back a sob and ran past a few snogging couples. She followed a winding path and found herself in front of a large water fountain. Half a dozen benches surrounded it and she collapsed onto the nearest one. She had a good cry and gradually began to feel better.

Angelina or George were bound to come looking for her soon. Katie hurriedly wiped her eyes, smearing her makeup in the process. An icy wind blew, sending Katie's hair into a frenzy and making her shiver. Damn winter. If she stayed outside for much longer she'd freeze on the spot.

She'd die alone and be found the next morning. Lee would probably be happy about it. He'd take one look at her horrendous hair and makeup and be glad he chose the pretty Herbology girl. They'd skip off into the sunset and Katie would end up becoming a museum exhibition.

"God, I'm losing my mind."

The sound of approaching footsteps halted her tumultuous thoughts. The footsteps were too heavy to be Angelina's. Katie didn't want to deal with George either. Perhaps she could just pretend she was frozen…

"You look a little cold," a very familiar voice said.

Katie gasped violently and almost choked on air. It was Lee! Lee had come to check on her. Lovely Lee. She was about to turn around when she suddenly recalled her dishevelled appearance. She threw her hands over her head.

"Katie?"

"You can't see me! Go away!"

There was a pause then a cloak was draped over her shoulders. "If that's what you want. You can return my cloak tomorrow. See you around."

Katie winced. He sounded so bitter and hurt. "Wait! You don't have to leave. You…you just can't look at me."

"What? Are you feeling all right? You know, still sane and everything?"

Katie drew her knees up and pulled Lee's cloak over her head. "I'm borderline at the moment, Lee. What are you doing out here?"

She heard him sigh and come around to sit on the bench beside her. "We need to talk."

"No, we don't need to talk. The situation seems pretty clear to me."

"I owe you an explanation," Lee insisted. "But I'd like to see you when I talk to you."

Katie held the cloak securely over herself. "If you really want to talk to me you'll do it this way."

"You're an absolute nutter, Katie Bell."

"Look, just start talking so we can get this over with. I want to go to bed and I'm sure you can't wait to get back to what's-her name."

"Her name's Maria. Actually, she's what I want to talk to you about."

"Let me guess," Katie said dryly. "She's having your love child and you're eloping to Costa Rica. You'll start a llama farm and shag each other twice a day."

"Llamas?" Lee shouted, causing Katie to jump. "That's it. Take the cloak off and look me in the eye."

A ferocious tug-of-war commenced in which Katie's hair and makeup got even worse. She was losing her grip slowly as Lee growled and gave one almighty tug. A weak Katie end up being pulled right into Lee's arms. He fell backwards on the bench with Katie on top of him.

"Now look what you've done," Katie panted, pushing a strand of hair away from her face.

Lee didn't say anything. He simply grabbed her and kissed her. Katie kissed back for a moment, completely forgetting that both of their dates were waiting inside for them. He was such a wonderfully sweet kisser. Katie couldn't help but wonder if he ever kissed Maria like this.

Maria!

Katie suddenly pulled back from his lips and tried to get away. Lee held her tightly to him and tried to kiss her again.

"I'm a home-wrecker! Let me go!"

"Katie," he groaned, still holding her tightly.

"I won't be your bit on the side, Lee Jordan! I still have my dignity. Most of it, at least. Let. Me. Go!"

Katie renewed her struggling. Lee responded by tightening his grip. She squirmed and pushed against him. She thought she was almost free when Lee suddenly smacked her on the backside. That immediately got her attention.

Katie stopped struggling long enough to slap him across the cheek. "That's sexual harassment!"

"Ow! I was just trying to get you to stop wriggling about!"

"Just let me go then!"

"If I let you go you'll leave."

Katie glared down at him. "You're damn right I will!"

"I need to talk to you. Stay still for a moment," Lee pleaded.

"Why should I do anything you say?"

"If you don't stop moving we're going to have a problem."

"What do you mean we?"

Lee sighed and shifted his leg slightly. Katie looked confused for a moment then recognition dawned. Her eyes widened in horror. Lee released her and she rolled off him. She sat on the ground in a daze and stared up at him.

"Is that because of me?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Lee answered, looking very embarrassed.

Katie turned bright red and put her cold hands to her flaming cheeks. "I'm really sorry, Lee. I didn't mean to do it. It was a complete accident…we don't have to tell your girlfriend."

Lee sat up and slapped himself in the forehead. "That's what I've been trying to tell you! Maria isn't my girlfriend!"

"She's not? But I thought-"

"Angelina told me that you saw us dancing together during the first song."

Katie scowled and crossed her arms. "Angelina has a big mouth."

"Listen to me carefully, Katie. Maria has been dancing with another guy since the second song," Lee said slowly and clearly.

Katie was on her feet in a second. "She abandoned you for someone else? She's can't do that! You're…" she paused and looked him over.

"I'm what?" he prompted.

Katie shook her head to clear it. "You're Lee Jordan. You're also my friend and nobody gets away with hurting my friends."

"I'm fine."

Katie rolled up the long sleeves of her robes. "You're too nice. I'll sort her out. Angelina and Alicia will help when I tell them what she did."

Lee reached over and grabbed her wrist. "Maria didn't do anything to me. Our plan was for her to end up with another guy."

"Plan? Lee, what's going on?"

He pulled her towards him and told her to sit down. She did so and he put his cloak around her then took a deep breath. "I was pretty devastated when you said you wouldn't go to the Ball with me. I swear you were the first person who popped into my head when Flitwick announced the Ball. I didn't want to go with anyone else."

"But you did," Katie pointed out.

"I did," he agreed. "But it wasn't like you thought it was. When you wouldn't go with me I figured I'd just skip it. Everything changed when my Herbology tutor told me about her situation. It turned out her boyfriend wouldn't go with her because he thought it would be too much of a commitment. I got an idea immediately.

"I told Maria that I would go to the Ball with her to make her boyfriend jealous. After a bit of convincing she agreed. We did such a good job that her boyfriend was apologising and grovelling by the end of the first song. I didn't go with her because I like her better than you. I was just helping out a friend."

"A friend?" Katie said hesitantly.

"Yes. I would much rather have gone with you, but you obviously didn't want to go with me. I wanted to tell you about Maria, but you kept avoiding me. Then I found out you were going with George and it seemed pointless."

Katie's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Why would it be pointless to tell me the truth?"

Lee shrugged uncomfortably. "Because George is a Weasley twin and I'm…not a Weasley twin. I'm just a sidekick really. I can't even play Quidditch because I'm too scared to get on a broom."

"Stupid arse," Katie said with a smile.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You seriously thought I wanted to go with George over you? He belongs to Alicia, whether she realises it or not. I think he'll always be hers even if she doesn't want him. Besides," Katie said, lowering her voice and sliding closer to him, "red hair doesn't do it for me. Dreadlocks on the other hand…"

"Are you flirting with me?"

"Perhaps."

"Right. Then why did you refuse to go to the Ball with me when I asked you?"

"I didn't refuse. I said I didn't know," Katie clarified.

"I thought you were just trying to let me down gently."

"It wasn't like that. I was genuinely confused. I thought I had to keep you at arm's length like Angelina and Alicia do to Fred and George. They just seemed to know more about boys than I did. After all, Alicia had managed to get George to fall for her without even trying. Angelina also told me all about this game where I had to pretend I didn't like you. It was really difficult considering I couldn't stop thinking about you."

"All right, let me get this straight," Lee said slowly. "You adopted Angelina and Alicia as your mentors. The same Alicia who took years to even realise that George liked her. The same Angelina who had two of the best looking guys in school after her and managed to end up with neither of them."

Katie blushed and dropped her gaze. "It sounds stupid when you put it that way. Maybe I should have done what I really wanted to do."

"It would have saved a lot of trouble."

"I'm sorry about everything. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm also sorry for slapping you. Will you forgive me?" Katie stood up in front of him and batted her eyes and pouted.

Lee took her hand and held it between his own. "I'll do you a deal. I'll forgive you if you forgive me for sexually harassing you and for being a stupid arse."

"It's a deal."

Lee gave his infamous Cheshire Cat grin and stood up. Katie threw her arms around him and buried her face in his warm neck. She had the strange feeling that she would remember the perfect moment for the rest of her life. It would be one of those moments that she would recall when she was sad, sick or lonely. It would be something to grasp when things weren't going well.

At the same time, Katie hoped it would be all those things for Lee as well. She could actually see a proper future for them together. Even far off things like marriage and a family seemed possible. She hugged Lee till she was almost choking him. Fortunately, he didn't seem to mind.

"Shall we go inside and have a dance?" Lee asked.

"Don't want to let go," Katie said obstinately.

"Oh. It's just that it's terribly cold out here and you have my cloak."

Katie cupped his face and kissed him with all her heart. She felt his skin warm against hers so she slid her hands to his shoulders and let him kiss her till they were both out of breath. She rested her head on his shoulder and gave a contented little sigh.

"I'll need to fix my hair and makeup when we go back inside."

"You could leave it as it is and still look beautiful," Lee said sweetly.

"Nice try, but that's not going to happen. I promise we'll dance as soon as I'm done. Let's go."

Together they returned to the castle and were walking up the front stairs when they ran into Angelina and Fred. Katie noticed that they were holding hands and looking like they were having a good time.

"Sorted it all out?" Angelina asked.

"Everything's great," Lee answered with a proud smile. "Where are you two off to?"

"Outside," was all that Fred would say.

"We're going back inside. See you later."

"See you!" Angelina managed to call as Fred dragged her down the steps.

"Where do you think they're going?" Lee asked as he and Katie returned to the dance floor.

Katie put her arms around Lee and shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait to find out."

AN: So will you! Hopefully I'll have the chapter done in about a week. I had most of it written before it disappeared. You can expect much snogging and character development. We're going to find out a lot more about Angelina's home life. Her behaviour should make a little more sense. By the way, there's quite a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter. From now on I'll be setting things up for events in the sequel so pay close attention.