CHAPTER 12!

The first Hogsmeade weekend was rolling around much too quickly for Melissa to deal with. She'd received a reply from Evan a few days after her return to Hogwarts, agreeing to meet with her, saying how excited he was that she wanted to see him. This made her even more nervous. She'd shown the letter to Ginny, and Ginny had seemed worried.

"I think you've got a lot more to worry about than we originally thought," Ginny had said.

"You think he still likes me?"

"I think he loves you," Ginny had replied, and walked away.

Melissa had wrung her hands over and over again before finally freaking out and going to sleep.

"Melissa? Melissa?" Ginny whispered to her, a week before they were due to go to Hogsmeade. Melissa was asleep on the floor of her room.

"What?" Melissa asked, swatting her away.

"Liss, honey, you need to get up now. Come on, we're going to go watch movies in the Room of Requirement with Harry, Ron and Hermione,"

"Gin, I really don't want to,"

"You have to come. It'll keep your mind off things,"

"Things? I don't know what you're on about," Melissa replied, sitting up and leaning against her bed.

"Mel, you need to stop dwelling on this. All you've got to do is tell him straight out that you're with Viktor!"

"Yeah, I know that! But what if he takes it badly? I mean, he's my best friend! I don't want things to be all weird between us! I mean, seriously Gin – "

Melissa paused. She could hear tapping.

"Can you hear that?" she asked.

"Yeah, I can. Oh, you've got a letter!" Ginny exclaimed, pointing at the owl outside Melissa's window.

"I knew that," Melissa said, smiling.

She opened the window and removed the letter from the owl. She patted its fur and it flew away.

"Oh no," she said, reading it and dropping to the floor.

"What's wrong? Ginny asked, taking the letter from her and reading it.

Dear Melissa,

I've missed you, a lot. It's been so long (okay, just a few weeks) but it feels like light years. I found out you have a Hogsmeade weekend coming up, I was thinking we could meet up there? Owl me back, straightaway, I can't wait to see you!

Love

Viktor.

"Well that sucks," Ginny said, putting the letter on the bedside table.

"What do I tell him? Oh, no, I'm sorry, I'm meeting up with my best friend who I think loves me still to tell him I'm going out with his other best friend! I don't think so somehow!"

"Tell him you've got detention," Ginny suggested.

'Well, I'm going to have to aren't I?" Melissa asked, laughing slightly.

"What's so funny?"

"This is so bloody screwed up! I mean, we've been going out for what, a month? I'm lying to him already!"

"Aw, sweetie! You'll be fine. Here, I'll do it, then you won't be lying to him, I will,"

Ginny took a piece of paper, wrote a quick reply on it, and went to tie it to Verity, but she was already gone.

"Oh. Well, maybe we'll send it in the morning,"

"Nah, don't worry about it. This way is quicker," Melissa replied.

She pulled out the quill and the book that Viktor had given to her, and quickly wrote in it:

Viktor,

I've missed you too. I'm so sorry though, I can't meet you that weekend, my teacher gave me a detention for some stupid whacked up reason! I'm so sorry sweety! I'll see you soon okay?

Love Melissa

"What on earth is that?" Ginny asked.

"It's a journal he gave me. If I write in it with this quill, it transfers to his book, and he can see what I've written,"

"Nice,"

"I know. It must've cost a fortune," she said, smiling softly.

"Yeah, so would that bracelet," Ginny replied. Melissa looked down at the charm bracelet that was jingling on her wrist; she hadn't taken it off since the day she'd gotten it.

"Gin?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I love him?"

"Who? Viktor?"

"No, well yes. But do you think I love Evan?"

Ginny looked at her sadly, and smiled.

"I don't actually think you ever stopped loving him. But that doesn't mean you can't love Viktor too,"

"Fair enough," Melissa said. That wasn't exactly the reply she'd been after, but it would do.

"Now, are you coming to the Room or what?"

"Yeah, let's go!" Melissa replied, gathering up her blanket and dragging it out the door behind her.

The morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Melissa woke up very early. She looked through her trunk to find some clothes and decided on her jeans and a grey wraparound top that showed off the slightest amount of stomach. She pulled it down as far as it would go and sighed.

"Melissa Simmons, you need some fat clothes again!" she said to herself, almost laughing.

She was surveying her reflection and fixing her hair when Ginny bounced in, closely followed by Harry.

"Hey Liss, how you going?"

"As good as can be considered," Melissa replied. "Actually, I'm kind of looking forward to it,"

"Good for you," Harry replied.

"Thank you many times over. So have you guys finally told Ron?"

"Hell no! As if we'd be that stupid! No, we're going to tell him in a few weeks, while acting openly affectionate in front of him," Ginny replied.

"Yeah, let him get used to the idea," Harry added, grabbing her hand.

"Nice,"

"Yeah. What time are you meeting Evan?" Harry asked.

"Um, 11. I've got about an hour, I think,"

"Well, do you wanna head in? We can maybe grab a Butterbeer or something?"

"Yeah, that would be good. Thanks guys,"

"For what?" Ginny asked, innocently.

"For trying to keep my mind off things," Melissa replied, grinning.

"You're very welcome!" Harry exclaimed, laughing. He looped one arm through Ginny's, and the other through Melissa's, and they pranced out of the room.

Ginny and Melissa had Harry screaming with laughter, as they jabbed at his ribs and tickled him senseless.

"Stop! No stop! Stop! Stop! No seriously! Fuck off!" he yelled.

They pulled away from him, laughing madly.

"Sorry Potter, got carried away," Melissa said, sighing happily.

"Yeah, you're rather amusing when you're being tickled. I never realized quite how ticklish you were…" Ginny grinned.

"Oh shut up you two!"

"What time is it?" Melissa asked.

"Ten to eleven. Should you go?"

"Yeah, I said I'd meet him at the Three Broomsticks, and we're right on the outskirts so…"

"Do you want us to walk with you?" Ginny asked.

"Why not, I could use the company. But I'm not fragile guys. I promise I'll be fine. It's no big deal,"

"Mhmm," Ginny said skeptically.

"No seriously! Don't stress. Let's go,"

They set off, walking slowly back into town with linked arms, singing the Hogwarts school song madly at the top of their lungs.

"HOGWARTS, HOGWARTS, HOGGY WARTY HOGWARTS, TEACH US SOMETHING PLEASE!"

"But Hermione, she said she had detention," they heard a heavy accented voice say as they came around the corner.

"Shh!" Melissa exclaimed, ducking down into the bush. She pulled the others down with her, just in time to hear Hermione's reply.

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about Viktor, she came here with Harry and Ginny not long ago. Now please, I have my own date to get back to!" Hermione replied angrily, and stomped away.

Melissa pulled her legs up against her chest.

"Well this is going to be fun!" she moaned.

"Shh! He's leaving!" Ginny exclaimed, watching Krum walk away in the opposite direction. "Ok, he's gone. Quick!"

They snuck out from behind the bush and ran towards the Three Broomsticks. Evan was waiting out the front.

"Liss! Hey!" he exclaimed.

"Shut up!" she hissed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him away. "I'll see you later guys! If he shows up, head him off!"

"Sure, sweetie! See you later!" Ginny replied.

"Bye!" Harry exclaimed, as Evan and Melissa ran around the corner.

She led him down past the Shrieking Shack and into the most deserted part of town.

"Melissa Simmons, you tell me what's going on right now!" Evan exclaimed.

She looked around to make sure no one was near, especially not Viktor, then she sat down.

"Hey Ev,"

"Hey Liss. What the hell is going on?"

"Honey, sit down, I've gotta tell you something,"

"O…k?"

"Just sit down,"

"I suppose I'm going to find out why you asked to meet me?"

"Yeah…" she decided to just dive right into it. "I've got a boyfriend,"

"Oh. That's really cool Liss," he replied, turning away.

"Ev, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine,"

"Well, there's more,"

"Oh really?"

"Yes. I'm dating Viktor,"

"What! You're…you're dating my best friend?"

"I thought I was your best friend!"

"Yeah well I was…never mind,"

"No say it!" she exclaimed angrily.

"I was hoping for more," he said quietly.

"Oh God…"

"I was hoping that since we didn't have to lie to each other now, and everything was clear, maybe we could pick up where we left off. I guess I was wrong,"

"Oh Ev, I'm so sorry. You're my best friend, and I will always love you, but I can't do that to Viktor,"

"It's okay. I understand," he replied coldly.

"Ev, please don't be like that. You know you mean the world to me, and I'm not going to stop being your friend,"

"But he'll always come first right?"

"When have I ever chosen some guy over my friends?" she snapped. "How could you think that of me?"

They were quiet for a minute.

"I'm sorry Liss, I'm just in a bit of shock. I mean, he said he liked you but…"

"But what?"

"He said that you were off limits. You know, the whole 'you don't go where your best mate has been' thing?"

"I…I don't know what happened. It was weird. Look, Ev, you know I love you, you're my best mate!"

"I know Pup, I know," he smiled, and she put her arms around him and held him tight.

"You mean the world to me Evan, I just can't do that to Viktor, ok?"

"It's okay, I understand. Now why did we run all the way here exactly? I'm really thirsty!"

"Oh, sorry about that! Viktor wanted to meet up with me and I didn't know how he'd take to me catching up with you, so I told him I had detention. Then the git shows up and harasses Hermione, who tells him that I didn't have detention and that she saw me come in here with Ginny and Harry!"

"Oh. Sucks to be you then,"

"Yeah, sucks to be me!"

"Mmm, well I'm still thirsty. Surely he'd be gone by now?"

"I guess. Come on, let's go,"

"Awesome. Did you like your bracelet by the way?"

"Yes! Oh my God I loved it! I love the charms, they're so cute!"

"And you caught the meaning?"

'Of course I caught the meaning, I'm not a retard!" she exclaimed indignantly. She took a step and landed in a pothole, rolling her ankle.

"Ah Fuck!" she yelled. "That one hurt!"

"Come on Pup," Ev sighed, picking her up like a baby.

"What are you doing?" she asked squealing.

"Carrying you, for old times' sake!"

"Ah! You dork!"

"You know you love me!"

"It's pathetic isn't it?" she asked, laughing.

"Melissa?" Evan nearly dropped her in surprise as Krum came around the corner.

"Viktor! Hi!" she exclaimed.

"I thought you had detention?"

"Erm, I did. I got off early,"

"But you couldn't call me?"

"I figured it was too late,"

"Please don't lie to me. Why are you here with Evan?"

"Oh…um, he called my phone, asked if I was here, and yeah. No big deal," she said, cheerfully. She whispered to Evan carefully. "Put me down,"

"But your ankle," he protested.

"Put me down," she hissed. He put her carefully back on the floor and she hobbled over to Krum.

"Can I have a hug?" she asked.

"That depends," he replied.

"On what?" she asked sweetly.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"Lie to you?"

Harry and Ginny came running up at that moment.

"We tried to stall him but…oh," Harry exclaimed, grinning sheepishly.

"Melissa what's going on?" Viktor asked, his voice raising slightly.

"Mate, calm down. It was my fault," Evan replied.

"Evan," Melissa said, warningly.

"No, Melissa, shut up. I've got this. I wanted to meet up with her, but we weren't sure if you'd be okay with it. I told her to lie to you, she didn't want to,"

"And technically she didn't. She told me about he journal thingy you gave her. I wrote it in, and then told her you'd owled her to cancel. She only found out about it today," Ginny added.

"Ginny," Melissa said, looking at her friend

"Shut up Liss," Ginny hissed, the smile never leaving her face.

"She really had nothing to with it," Harry said. "Sorry for the deception mate,"

"That's alright, I suppose," Viktor replied, still looking unsure.

"Come on, let's go and get a drink. Ev, I'll call you later today alright? We'll continue this conversation later?"

"Uh, yeah sure," he replied, looking at Viktor. Krum was shooting daggers at Evan, and he got the feeling that their friendship was over now.

"Viktor, let's go," Melissa said forcefully tugging on his arm. She kissed him on the lips and Evan looked away. Melissa shot a look at Evan, and smiled apologetically before tugging Viktor away.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. She's changed,"

"What do you mean?"

"She used to be so much fun. Now she just seems to revolve around keeping people happy,"

"Yeah, well, she likes to keep him happy,"

"He's taking her from me, I can see it," Evan replied, looking forlorn.

"Hey," Ginny said, tilting his head to look at her. "You gave her one thing he never could,"

He looked at her for a minute, then grinned. "She told you?"

"Mhmm, she told me everything,"

"I'm so confused," Harry said, grinning

"Don't worry Harry," Ginny replied, laughing at the bewildered look on his face. "Just let it go!"

She grabbed his hand and smiled. "Do you wanna come for a drink?" she asked Evan.

"No thanks. I think I might just go home," he replied, smiling. "Thanks anyway,"

"You're welcome," Ginny and Harry began to walk away.

"Hey!" Evan called. Ginny turned around, smiling.

"Yesm?"

"Make sure she calls me,"

A/N: Oh my God, I don't like sad Evan, how much does it suck! Well it sucks for me anyway, he's my favourite character (other than Melissa obviously!). Anyway, let me know what you think! Love Aimz !x0x!