George still didn't know, what had happened. Or what to do about it.
He had avoided Alicia wherever he went, always coming to classes at the last second or too late, getting him even more detentions than normally. He was the first at breakfast and the last at dinner, always making sure she wasn't present, before he entered the great Hall.
Sadly, Alicia did the same and they almost always had to be in each other's company. When this took place, they never looked at each other or spoke a word. George found himself not being able to eat in her presence. His stomach didn't seem to be steady enough to deal with food.
He tried to find the courage to ask Alicia to talk and tell her that he was sorry about what happened and that it had been a stupid mistake. But whenever he saw her in a corridor he wasn't able to open his mouth. He had been so preoccupied with planning his days as Alicia-free as possible, that he had completely forgotten about the ball and finding a partner.
So when he heard Angelina talking to Katie about her dress, he cursed.
The girls looked at him in surprise.
"What?" Angelina asked.
"I forgot to find a date." George responded.
"So find one now." Angelina said shrugging and Katie snorted.
"He won't be lucky. All the 'hot chicks' will have been taken already."
"Ha ha." George said.
"Who are you going with, Katie?" he asked.
"Oh…no one." She mumbled turning beet red and looked down at her plate.
"No one?" George asked.
"She is going with someone." Angelina said, shaking her head at Katie.
"She's just a bit embarrassed."
"Embarrassed? Why?" George asked startled.
"Has he only got one eye or something?"
"No." Katie said rolling her eyes.
"I just…" she broke off.
"You just…?"
"She's just very excited." Angelina said, earning a glare from Katie.
"No, I'm not!"
"Yeah you are. You're crushing like mad."
"Shut up!" Katie hissed and Angelina grinned.
"On whom?" George asked.
"On Oliver Wood!" Angelina said, before Katie could clamp her hands over her mouth.
"Oliver?" George asked incredulously.
"Yeah." Katie said defensively, glaring at him, as though daring him to laugh.
"Great for you." George said, holding his hands up.
"Thanks." She mumbled and turned bright red again.
"Well, George. Looks like you'll have to go alone then." Angelina said.
"Yeah. Looks like it."
"Why are you going anyway? I thought you didn't want to go." Katie said.
"I don't!" George answered. "But-" he looked at Angelina, who was frowning at him.
"Well, I just thought, that … I've never been to a ball and if I go to this one I will have confirmation, that it's a total waste of time." He stuttered.
"Oh come on, George." Angelina said. "Not even you believe that."
"I, uh… don't?"
Angelina glared at him.
"Fred put you up to this, didn't he?" she hissed.
"No! No of course not, not way! Why would you say that? I mean, come on Angelina! That is ridiculous!" he rambled.
"Did he say why?" Angelina asked deadly calm.
George decided, that it wouldn't be wise to go on lying to her.
"Well, he said, that you're making him go and that he wouldn't survive there on his own."
"What?" Angelina yelled and several people stared at her.
"Does he think, he'll die if he spends one evening with me without you being there?"
"No! He just thinks that… you know, after the dancing, drinking and whatever he'll grow bored! You'll probably be comparing dresses with your friends and gossip about all the other girls and he'll just sit there, being bored. And that's when he heeds me to talk to!"
"I can't believe it!" Angelina said, her eyes flashing in anger.
"Hey, it's not my fault! It's yours, you're bribing him into going and-"
"You're bribing him?" Katie asked, mildly interested.
"No." Angelina said, but her cheeks flushed immediately.
"With what, chocolate frogs?"
Angelina didn't answer. Katie looked at George, slightly confused. Then she got it.
"Oh." She mumbled.
"Oh." She said again, grinning at Angelina.
"Angelina! I cannot believe what I'm hearing!"
"Oh, shut up." Angelina hissed, still flushed.
"No, I won't. This is way too good. It simply has to be milked."
"No, it doesn't! Would you please drop it?"
"What are you bribing him with, huh?" what kind of … favour are you doing him?"
"Katie, shut it!"
"No way. Come on, tell me! I'm your best friend."
"No, you're not. That's Alicia."
George's stomach leapt.
"Well, I'm your second best friend."
"I still won't tell you."
"Tell me and I swear I won't tease you about it."
Angelina looked at her.
"I swear! I'll swear on … on George's life!"
"Hey, leave me out of this!" George said.
"I'm going." He added and quickly jumped up, before this was getting any further.
He walked out of the Great Hall towards the Marble Staircase.
He was lost in his thoughts, his eyes on the floor. At the foot of the staircase he collided with someone.
"Sorry." He mumbled and grabbed the person's arm to keep her from falling.
"That's okay." A female voice said.
He looked up into black sparkling eyes. It was Celeste Zabini. And she was smiling at him.
"George, right?" she asked.
"Uh, yeah." He answered, his eyes fixed on her perfect face.
"I'm Celeste." She said, showing her white teeth.
"I know. We have lessons together."
"Yeah, we do. But we never talk so I assumed you didn't know."
"Well, I do." He said in a kind of trance, not able to hide the dumb look on his face.
Celeste laughed. It was a nice laugh and her face seemed more relaxed.
"Hey, are you going to the ball tonight?" she asked.
"Umh, yeah."
"I bet you already have a date, right?" she asked.
"No. I don't have one yet."
"Oh." She said, looking pleased.
"D'you want to go together?"
George didn't realize immediately what she had said.
"With you?" he asked dumbfounded.
"Of course with me." Celeste laughed.
"Well?"
"Yeah. Sure." George said, trying to sound as cool as possible.
"Great." She said, beaming.
"Should we meat here then at around seven?"
"Okay."
"Awesome. I'll see you then." And she walked into the Great Hall, looking over shoulder and giving him another smile before she vanished.
George couldn't believe it.
He was going to the ball with Celeste Zabini! The most gorgeous girl in the whole school!
And she had asked him!
He couldn't wait to tell everyone. He'd have to start with Fred and all the other guys at Gryffindor. Why not show off a bit? And then he'd have to tell Katie, seeing as she was a constant gossip and would easily spread the news in about half a second. Fred would tell Angelina, Angelina would tell Alicia-
George stopped walking up the stairs, suddenly feeling unsure.
Two weeks ago he had nearly kissed Alicia.
And he still wasn't sure how he felt about it. Or her for that matter.
He shook himself.
Alicia was going with Roger Davies.
So why shouldn't he go with Celeste Zabini?
Because as pretty as Alicia might be, she couldn't get close to Celeste.
It was impossible.
Well, well, well, who would have thought it? That definitely came unexpected, didn't it?
I know Celeste is in Slytherin, but I still want her to be nice. And anyway, Slytherins are the coolest… ;-)
Oh, and if you're reading this fic and like it/or have suggestions/question etc. please review it.
I love reading reviews, they really keep me going.