George couldn't believe what he was looking at.
He didn't know whether to scream in horror and revulsion or just be astonished.
It was just impossible, that this could actually be happening.
He had to be dreaming.
There, just in front of the portrait hole, was Alicia.
But she wasn't alone.
She was talking fiercely to someone.
A someone, with pale blonde hair and a thin nose.
"What the hell?" George exclaimed, not able to hold back.
Alicia whirled around. When she recognized him her eyes widened in horror and she swallowed.
"George…" she began, but didn't know what to say and closed her mouth.
"What in the world is he doing here?" George practically yelled.
"I'm still here you know."
"I know you are." George said through gritted teeth.
"Why are you here?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business, Weasley."
"Seeing as your talking to Alicia, I think it is my business, Malfoy."
"Oh, really? Are you her boyfriend or something?"
"No." George said calmly. "I'm her friend. I know that you're not familiar with the word, but I don't feel like explaining it to you right now."
"Oh please stop, I'll die of laughter." Malfoy said dryly.
"So, what are you doing here?" George repeated quietly.
"Nothing." Alicia said quickly.
"He got lost and I told him how to get back."
It was an extremely bad lie.
Something George wasn't familiar hearing from her.
"Alicia, no one would ever believe that one."
"I know." She said feebly and looked at her feet.
"So? Are you going to tell me what this is all about?" George asked.
Alicia didn't look at him.
"No, she won't. It's none of your business." Malfoy snapped.
"You shut up!" George retorted angrily and turned towards Alicia again.
"Well?"
Alicia took a deep breath and lifted her eyes towards him.
Her big beautiful grey eyes.
George stared into them. He saw so many emotions, that it scared him.
And he was most aware of the fear and guilt.
"I...I …" she stammered.
"I … can't. I'm sorry." She said quietly, her eyes filling with tears.
George didn't know how to react.
He was angry, because she didn't want to tell him what was going on.
But most of all he was taken aback.
Alicia was crying.
He had never seen her cry. Not even when they lost at Quidditch.
She was angry, fit to burst and occasionally she punched someone, but she never cried…. Ever…
"Did you hear?" Malfoy said.
"She won't tell you. So just get lost."
George looked at Alicia, but she avoided his gaze, her eyes still shining.
"Fine." He said eventually.
"I'm late for the ball anyway. Celeste will already be wondering where I am."
Alicia's head snapped up and she stared at him.
"Celeste? Celeste who?" she asked quickly.
"Zabini, what do you think?" George replied coolly.
"You're going with Zabini?" Alicia asked incredulously.
"Yeah, she asked me and I didn't complain." He said.
Alicia opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
"Is that true?" she wanted to know.
"Of course it's true." George said rolling his eyes.
"I don't believe you." Alicia said crossing her arms over her chest.
"What?" George asked stunned.
"I think you're making this up to get me jealous."
"I beg your pardon? You think I'm trying to make you jealous?"
"Yeah."
"Then tell me why I would want to do that."
"I don't know. I just know you're doing it."
"Now that's just stupid and you know it. I am definitely not trying to make you jealous in any way. There would be no profit in it for me, would there now? I don't even like you that way so what would be the point?"
"I don't know!"
"Well, you're wrong. Celeste is nice, she's gorgeous and I'm not using her to make you jealous. I'm not that pathetic. And if you don't believe she asked me, because you think I'm too ugly -"
"That's not what I think!" Alicia interrupted.
"-then that's your problem, because I-"
"Oh, would you just shut it?" Malfoy yelled, glaring at them.
"Alicia, he is going with Zabini. Her brother told me. And yes, she asked him."
"See?" George said coolly, but triumphantly.
Alicia turned beet red and let her hair fall over her face.
"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a date. So if you'll excuse me."
He rushed past them.
Anger was boiling inside him.
Who did she think she was, doubting his date?
He wasn't that hideous! In fact, he was sure she didn't think him ugly at all.
She had nearly let him kiss her after all.
He was already at the bottom of the staircase when he decided to let it rest for now and concentrate on his date.
Celeste wasn't there yet, so he sat down on the bottom stair.
He found he wasn't nervous at all…
Sure, she was beautiful and very intelligent.
And normally his heart would have been racing; he wouldn't have been able to breathe normally and not able to think about anything else.
He also memorized the tiniest details of the girls he fancied.
And he hadn't noticed anything about Celeste so far.
"Hey."
George jumped to his feet and whirled around.
Celeste was standing in front of him.
And she looked breath taking.
She was wearing long black robes with gold threaded into the sleeves.
Her lips were red and her long black hair was falling down her back in shiny waves.
"Hi." George said.
"You look amazing."
"Thanks." She smiled at him.
"I see you didn't have time to change."
"Oh, yeah, sorry. There were some .. private problems I had to take care of and it took longer than I expected."
"No problem. You look nice anyway."
George wondered why his insides weren't boiling. She had just said he looked nice.
What was wrong with him?
"So, shall we go then?" he asked.
"Sure." She agreed and took his hand.
They walked into the Great Hall, which looked breath taking.
The tables had been moved to the walls, so the middle of the room was free. On the other end a band was playing and a lot of couples were dancing already.
It looked like Mr. Flitwick had put a lot pf passion into decorating the room.
"Wow, they really outdid themselves." Celeste breathed, staring up at the ceiling, where more stars than usual were visible.
"Yeah." George mumbled.
"So, do you want to dance?" Celeste asked.
But before he could answer, she had dragged him onto the dance floor.
"Alright, let's get to the point." She said as they were swaying to the music.
Her voice was businesslike now.
"Excuse me?" George asked.
"Listen, I know you like Alicia Spinnet."
George stared at her.
It took him a whole minute until he realized what she had just said.
"You….what? I don't like her! She's just a friend!" he exclaimed.
"Yeah, right." Celeste snorting rolling her eyes.
"She is." George insisted.
"But that aside for a second: If you think you know I like her, why did you ask me to come her with you anyway?"
"You really are a bit slow, aren't you?" Celeste asked, but she was grinning.
"Huh?"
"Don't you know who Alicia is going with to the ball?" she sighed.
"Yeah, Roger Dav- oh! Now I got it!"
"It is a surprise."
"So you think by taking me….what do you think?"
"Well, I think, that it might make Roger jealous. I mean, I've been pining after him for ages now and he's always used me if he had any problems. Well, now I'm not there. I want to know how he'll react…
And I thought I'd help you. This will make Alicia so jealous, she'll be attacking you before you can say anything."
"And why do think it'll make her jealous?"
"Let's face it. I'm not hideous." She answered, not sounding arrogant at all.
"Are you kidding, you're gorgeous."
"Thanks."
"So what do we do now?"
"We wait for them to arrive and see how they'll react."
"But… I don't think I like Alicia that way."
"Trust me, you do."
"Why would you know better than me? After all, it's me that's supposed to like her, not you, remember?"
"Yeah, but you're a boy. And boys are thick. Especially when it comes to these things so I figured it out for you. Oh, and so did everybody else… except you of course."
"I still don't think I like her that-" and then he broke off.
He had just seen Alicia and Roger Davies.
They were standing a few feet away, deep in conversation.
And Alicia was beautiful.
She was wearing pale blue robes with silver worked into it..
Her silver blonde mane was dancing around her face in lush curls and was held back by a diadem.
Her grey eyes seemed to be even bigger than normal and her lips were shining.
He found that his heart was racing, and after he realized he hadn't been breathing for nearly a minute he quickly took a gulp of air.
He noticed, that she was wearing very delicate looking earrings, that reflected the candle light. And that her cheeks were slightly flushed.
And that her long slim fingers were tearing a piece of parchment.
And that she kept biting her lip and looking around nervously.
"Changed your mind?" Celeste asked and grinned.
"What?" George said, not able to take his eyes off Alicia.
"I think you did." Celeste said dryly, but she smiled.
"Well, get over there!"
"I can't go over there! She's with Roger! He likes her I know it and she is crushing on him."
"No, she's not. In fact I know she thinks he's a brainless wanker."
"Really?" George said brightly.
"But still… I can't! What if I say the wrong thing, what if she doesn't like me? I bet she doesn't like me and then our friendship will be over and-"
"George. Shut up and get over there. Tell her how you feel. And I promise you, she feels the same way." Celeste said calmly and pushed him towards the couple.
Well sorry this chapter took so long, school just started again and I'm really busy.
Sorry that there's no action just yet, but just be patient…it will come…
At least George FINALLY figured out he likes her…;-)