"What do you mean you said yes!?" Wendy shrieked, causing most of the common room to look in their direction.
"Be quiet!" I shushed her, my face turning a bit red from the entire common room's attention on them.
"Sorry. What do you mean you said yet?" Wendy asked again in a much quieter voice.
"I don't know," I said. "I just said yes. He asked politely, and I guess I decided just to give him a chance."
"But what happened to the 'I'll never give Potter a chance' mindset you had only, like, an hour ago?" Kyla said.
"I don't really know. Stop asking me all these questions," I said, whining the last sentence.
"Well, we just find it rather odd that after five years of avoiding him, you decide to say yes in a matter of seconds," Kiki added.
"I know. Let's just go down to dinner and forget about," I said, getting up from my seat next to the fireplace.
"Fine. We'll talk about this later," Kiki replied, getting up as well.
"What do you mean she said yes?" Sirius asked, obviously not convinced.
"I mean, she said yes," James answered.
"I don't believe you," Sirius replied.
"You don't have to," James said. "Let's go to dinner."
"All right, fine. Let's go. I'm starving."
"That's a surprise," James responded, throwing his arm around Sirius' shoulder and messing up his shaggy brown hair.
"I'm starving," I complained as we walked down the stairs into the Entrance Hall on our way to the Great Hall.
"You're always starving," Kiki replied.
"So? Is that so abnormal?"
"Yes, especially when you weigh like a hundred pounds," Wendy pointed out.
"I do not weigh a hundred pounds," I retorted. "More like a hundred and five," I added, smirking.
"Dear lord. That's it? How do you do it? You eat more than all three of us combined," Kyla said.
"Good genes," I answered, trotting down the last few steps.
"You're so lucky," Kiki said.
"Kik, you're just as skinny as I am."
"Yeah, but I can't eat whatever I want."
"Oh, whatever. Let's just go to dinner," I said, opening up the door to the Great Hall and walking in.
Most of the girls went quiet and looked my way, causing most the boys to as well. I stopped after a few steps and looked around at all the prying eyes.
I noticed scowls and looks of disgust on most the girls' faces and sorrowed looks on most the boys'.
"What's up with everyone?" Kiki whispered into my ear.
"I have absolutely no clue," I answered.
"I think I do," Wendy said, causing the three of us to look at her.
"What?" I asked impatiently.
"Someone here agreed to go to Hogsmeade with someone that all these girls wanted to ask them," was her response. It was very vague, but we knew exactly what she meant.
Somehow, everyone in the school found out that I agreed to go to Hogsmeade with James.
"Crap," I whispered. "How did they find out?"
"Who knows," Kiki responded.
I took a deep breath and started to walk further, glancing around as I did so.
"Don't be so nervous. Put your shoulders back, chest out, and walk like you own the world," Kiki whispered into my ear. "Because according to these girls, you do."
"No, I don't."
"Fine, don't listen to me," she replied.
"Ugh, fine."
I put my shoulders back, put my chest out, and walked confidently down the length of the table to our usual spot. The four of us sat down and started to eat, talk, and laugh like we usually did, despite the stares that were still coming in our direction.
A moment later, the door to the Great Hall opened once more and everyone's attention was suddenly on whoever was walking in.
Of course, it was James and Sirius, followed by a skittish-looking Peter and quiet Remus.
They walked down the opposite side of the table and sat down across from us.
That was not normal. They always sat further down the table. But, of course, they choose this day to sit with us. Perfect.
"Hey, girls," Sirius said as he grabbed some food.
"Hello, boys," Kiki responded.
"Don't you realize that everyone is staring at you James?" I asked incredulously.
"Yeah, so?"
"It doesn't bother you?"
"Not really."
"That's incredible. You don't even wonder why they're all staring at you."
"Well, it's most likely because someone found out that I asked you to Hogsmeade and you said yes."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
"No, not really."
"Okay, then."
"Why, does it bother you?"
"A little bit."
"Eh, you'll get used to it."
"Whatever."
For the next two days before our trip to Hogsmeade, I was pretty much forced to get used to the stares and dirty looks. I received them walking down the corridors, in the common room, in the Great Hall, and during class. It was unbelievable how obsessed these girls were with James.
Even the bloody Slytherins were jealous of me.
I couldn't understand it.
But, nevertheless, I got used to it. I just ignored the jealous looks and kept going on.
The morning of the Hogsmeade trip, I got out of bed and got ready like every other day.
"You're not going to dress nice?" Kiki asked as I walked down the stairs into the common room.
"What's wrong with this outfit?" I asked nervously.
"It's just, kind of, boring," she replied.
I looked down at my outfit.
There was certainly nothing wrong with it.
I had on simple black pants, an ivory turtleneck sweater and my red coat.
"I like it."
"Well, I don't. Let's go," she said, pulling me back up the stairs and into her dormitory.
"This is what you should be wearing," she said, holding up a pair of jeans, pink long sleeve shirt and a corduroy jacket.
"It's not different than what I'm wearing," I complained.
"Trust me. It's completely different. You just look, well, stuffy. This says 'I'm carefree and I want to have fun'. Your outfit says 'I'm boring and wish I was forty years old'."
"It does not," I said, looking into her mirror.
"Just put this on."
"Fine," I said reluctantly, taking the outfit and quickly changing as Kiki shut the door.
After I put it on, I looked in the mirror.
Surprisingly, it did look different.
"See?"
"Okay, I guess it does look better."
She smirked.
"Don't say it!" I said.
"I..."
"No!"
"Told..."
"I'm not listening!"
"You..."
"Shove it, Kiki!"
"So! I told you so! I told you so!"
"Ugh, why does it seem you always have to be right?"
"Because I am always right. Now, let's talk about the hair."
"No, there is nothing wrong with my hair!"
"Oh, there certainly is."
"Fine," I said, surrendering. "Do what you want," I added, sitting down on her bed.
"Yes!" she shrieked, clapping her hands together. She grabbed her wand and got to work.
Five excruciatingly nerve-racking minutes later, she was done.
"Okay, go look."
I got up and looked in the mirror.
My worst fears were realized.
She actually did a good job. I was amazed.
Through the fabulous power of magic, she made my choppy, wavy red hair curly. But they weren't tight curls. They were big, loose curls. It was amazing. I felt amazing.
"You rule, Kik."
"Thank you. What about your make-up?"
"No, that is where I cross the line."
"Fine," she said, looking crushed.
I smiled and started to walk out when she surprised me with a charm.
I couldn't understand what she said, but a moment later I could feel my face tingle.
"KIKI!" I shrieked as I ran to the mirror.
Wow, it doesn't look half bad, I thought to myself.
My eyes were outlined in black, with a smoky look to them. My lips were pale pink and glossy.
"I love it," I whispered.
"I knew it."
"No more surprise charms, right?"
"Correct," she answered, smiling. "You now look gorgeous. Well, even more gorgeous than usual."
"Whatever," I said, throwing my arm around her shoulder and walking out with her.
"Now let's just hope Potter likes it as much as I do," Kiki said as we reached the top of the stairs.