Author's Note: Here's Chapter 13. Don't kill me for taking so long. Please.

Disclaimer: Uhh...yeah...about that...

You're So Tactless

Chapter 13: Evil and A Heathen

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"It's just not right," I said almost tearfully to Angelina, who was currently ignoring me for her boyfriend, Altheus Bramlett.

"I know, babe," she said, gazing at Altheus.

I threw her an annoyed look, and Altheus just shrugged helplessly as I stalked away, past Alicia who was craning her neck to get a good look at Cedric Diggory while trying to hear every word that the other girls at the table were saying.

I swiped at my eyes as I went outside, shivering as a blast of cold air hit me. It began to snow, and I kicked my way down towards the Shrieking Shack, thinking it would be infinitely better company than my two star-crossed friends.

Along the way, I saw Oliver and Cho in the window of Madame Puddifoot's. Cho was smirking and Oliver was zoning out.

I had never felt so rejected in my life. Not even when Maura told me she hated me or even when Dad left.

I leaned up against the rotting fence, glaring out at the bustling life of Hogsmeade. It seemed wholly unfair that I had to sit here bereft of someone to give me their full, undivided attention. Altheus had Angelina, and Cedric Diggory, whether he knew about it, or even cared for that matter, had Alicia at his beck and call. Oliver was bound solely to Quidditch, and I thought it rather crazy of me to hate and envy my favorite sport. The Weasley twins were consumed in their illegal activities, and I wished wildly for a second that I was dangerous or mysterious or even brave enough to take risks. Maybe I could forget about Oliver by hanging around the twins more and helping them out.

Now that I think about it, it's all really, really selfish, but I am human, and this day has been a piece of shite for me. You know, it's not all about getting attention; it's also about me wanting to have someone to smother attention all over.

I kicked dejectedly at the snow, almost ignoring how some of it landed on a pair of sneakers. Said sneakers were poking out from under a very large black cloak. Said cloak was wrapped around a concerned looking Lee Jordan. Said Lee Jordan was annoying me. What was he doing here anyway?

"Here," he said simply, handing me a slab of Honeyduke's chocolate.

Damn my weakness.

"Thanks. What're you doing here?" I said in-between bites.

"Saw you storm of the Three Broomsticks and then kick your way up here. Thought something might be up," Lee shrugged.

"You know, if you're concerned, act like it. Just because I'm being indifferent about it doesn't mean you have to follow my lead," I snapped.

"Katie, you can't just throw people like that," Lee shot back.

My head jerked back incredulously. "What the-"

"Look, just because Oliver blew you off, as well as your lovesick gal pals doesn't mean you can treat me like shite Katie. Stop lashing out at me. I didn't do anything!" Lee shouted.

I sat there dumbstruck.

"What have any of us done but coddled you? We've been there by you for everything, and now just because you're in love with Oliver and don't want to admit it you expect us to sit here and worry over how you'll deal with it? We've got lives too!"

I started crying.

"And look! Now you're crying! I'm done feeling sorry for you!"

Lee began to walk away, leaving me there with millions of thoughts buzzing in my head.

"Lee wait!" I yelled, urging my legs to move after him.

"What?" he spat.

"I didn't mean to act like that. You know I appreciate all you done for me!" I said.

Lee took in a deep breath, half glaring at me. I wanted to wither and die. I felt so worthless and contemptible. He kept glaring at me, and several times, the idea of walking away flashed across his faced as he waited impatiently to formulate a sentence.

"Lee- I - I- I'M BLOODY SORRY ALRIGHT?" I screamed, "But it isn't any more easy for me than it is for you. Do you think I like being so problematic? Do you think I like whining all the time, or whatever it is you say I do? Do you think I like feeling weak and useless?"

I almost wanted to feel satisfied when Lee looked a bit ashamed.

"I'm sorry too Katie. Things are rough for all of us. Do you have any idea what your friends have been going through?"

I admitted that I really didn't. Lee gave me a lopsided grin and sat me back down in the snow, producing two Sugar Quills for the both of us. He proceeded to fill me in.

"Well first off, you know how Angelina is boy crazy, right? Well, do you know how skeptical of Altheus she was? Yikes, talk about a bunch of anxiety shite from her. Couldn't shut her up for a good week or so. Fred and George are, of course, brilliant, but they never do their homework, so McGonagall is about a hair follicle's length away from strangling the both of them and transfiguring them into rubber haddocks. Alicia, or so Angelina and I suspect is seriously considering killing herself over that damn Hufflepuff Cedric, and you know what a stiff stick she is. Can't stand a man's love but wants it more than anything. And me, well…" Lee drifted off and sucked pensively on his Sugar Quill.

I drank it all in. "Why didn't any of you say anything."

"You're important to us, Katie. And right now, your problems aren't quite as little as ours seem to be."

I caught myself before I began to cry again. "I don't deserve this."

Lee looked about ready to clock me, so I looked away hurriedly and got up, brushing the snow off my pants. I offered him a hand up, and we walked back to the Three Broomsticks in silence. A little flurry of snow followed us inside, and I weaved through the tables to the center of the room, spotting Alicia immediately. Lee pulled up a chair for me and I sat down.

"Oh, hi Katie, look over there! It's Cedric Diggory!"

I followed her gaze, but something else caught my eye.

Oliver Wood. Alone.

I was about to get up when I thought better of it, as Lee was antagonizing Angelina about Altheus while said boy was away getting more drinks. I hailed the Twins over, and Fred came the most reluctantly, and I wondered if perhaps I should have gone over to them. I was still sniffling from the encounter with Lee, and periodically he looked over at me and smiled at me in a perceptive manner, and once he even let out a muffled snicker. The Twins sat on either side of me, and I began to feel at ease again, for the first time since this year started.

Even in the absence of the overwhelming thought of Oliver and his commanding presence, I still felt myself loosen up. Tension took leave of my shoulders, and they slumped in blissful relief. My neck cracked as I twisted it to the left, a smile lighting up my face as I let the scent of butterbeer and snow melt into my senses.

"Katie, you drugged or something?" George asked, nudging my limp form.

"Mmm, or something," I responded giving Fred a hug.

George dashed to the bathroom to vomit I presume as Alicia nearly fell off her seat when Cedric Diggory passed by on his way to the loo. Lee took his seat and watched Fred tense up when Altheus came back. My eyes snapped open and I became alert. I watched the exchange between Altheus and Angelina, and out of the corner of my eye, tried to monitor Fred's reaction.

I looked at the butterbeer he gave to Angelina and then to Alicia who's faraway gaze did nothing except notify me of her paramount non-involvement in the exchange. Wondering what Cedric Diggory had that made him so great besides his brazen good looks, I watched Angelina. She looked happy. But I could see the wary glint in her eyes as she looked at Altheus. He had his arm around her chair and was bent so close to her that I thought the cold might freeze their noses together. Is that what Fred saw when he looked at them? The reluctant lover and the predator? In a flash, Angelina kissed his nose and the table rocked with an almighty thump caused by Fred jerking his leg left to cross it over the other one. Yes, this had to be what he saw.

George came back from the loo with Cedric Diggory at his heels. The two brought up chairs near Fred's and mine. Alicia nearly passed out and Angelina looked repulsed. Cedric scooted closer to me so that George could have some minimal elbowroom at the table. Lee was frowning at Cedric, not pleased that an enemy had joined us.

"Well chaps, you know Diggory. Swell guy really. I've invited him over for some drinks. Here's to Quidditch, eh?"

Everyone stared at George and Cedric, who were looking steadily more uncomfortable by the second. George offered him a cookie, but years of experience screamed in my brain.

My hand shot out and latched onto Cedric's wrist, "I'd be careful if I were you," I said as George grinned unabashedly.

Cedric smiled and patted my hand in an almost sympathetic way, "Well if you say so,"

I swear, if it hadn't been for the fact that I was her best friend and the fact that we were in a public place, Alicia (red with untamed rage) would have knocked me on my back and attacked my jugular vein with a broken butterbeer bottle. I jerked my hand away and elbowed Fred in the face, who promptly stepped on Lee's foot who shouldered Altheus accidentally in an attempt to clutch his smarting foot. Altheus fell onto Angelina's lap. The only ones who remained unscathed were George, Alicia and Cedric.

Cedric peered at me intently and I opened my mouth to say something when a fist slammed down on the table in front of me, their torso blocking my view of George and Cedric.

"Fraternizing with the enemy, are we team?" Oliver asked coolly.

Cedric puffed up, I assume, because he bolted up to face Oliver. I glanced nervously at Lee and mouthed at him to stop anything before it happened. Lee obviously misread my lips because what he said next was a death sentence.

"Katie needs help with Trans- uh no wait a rogering minute- Charms! She needs helps with Charms! And George has been good enough to find her someone to tutor her!"

"I thought you were doing that…" George pointed out. Lee took advantage of Oliver sending his searing gaze to me to chuck a butterbeer bottle cap at George and glare pointedly.

"Nonsense George, I gave up on her weeks ago. Remember?"

Everything about George's face became circular in shapes…his eyes and lips formed huge round o's and he had never looked cuter. Too bad it was Lee that had somehow managed to detach his legs to give the twin a sharp, reminding kick in the nads. George's memories came flooding back to him as the color drained from his face.

"Oh yeah," he managed to squeak.

Cedric gently shoved a dumbfounded Oliver out of the way to give me a concerned look. "You need help?"

"Yup. I'm a bit of a thickie when it comes to Charms," I gritted, hating the sudden turn of event.

Silence hung in the air.

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So what if I was a thickie when it came to Charms? I understand the concept it's my damn ungraceful movements that gets in the way of me executing the proper wand motions! That situation was very awkward and I hate both George and Lee right now. So that's why I'm sulking with Fred and trying to figure out the crossword puzzle in an old Daily Prophet issue.

It ended horribly. Oliver won't speak to me, and Alicia can't decide whether or not to be happy that she has a better chance of talking to Cedric or hate me because I have a bigger chance since his main focus is tutoring me. George tried to explain why he brought the cad over and I brushed him off. I didn't feel like hearing it. Lee laughs at me a lot, but the laughter always ends with a wickedly grim smirk, and some unfathomable look in his eye that really kills me sometimes. He keeps his distance now.

"Six letter word that means immature," I muttered, " well 'Fred' doesn't fit…"

"George does," Fred said mildly, flipping the page of the business section.

"Nope, it begins with C," I said.

"Cedric perhaps?" Fred perked up at the prospect.

"Um, no."

"Damn."

"Uh, how about another word for obtrusive?" I asked, dipping my quill in ink.

"Oh, I know! Altheus!"

"I wish you'd stop thinking in terms of people," I admonished, although I halfway agreed with him.

"Well if you want help then go ask Cedric," Fred snarled, a sour look on his face.

I got up with a huff and stormed out of the common room, and then promptly bumped into Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Sorry guys, I guess I wasn't looking."

The trio said nothing as they brushed past me, and I crumpled up the Daily Prophet issue as the portrait slammed softly behind them.

"Someone looks down in the dumps," the Fat Lady simpered.

"Oh shut up," I snapped, throwing the crumpled up Daily Prophet issue dejectedly at the foot of her portrait.