A/N: Huge thanks to ones who've reviewed! Please keep helping me by telling me your opnion!

Thank you also to Katy - for your help and encouragement!

XXX

December 31st, 1999

"But I don't think it would be a good idea," Alicia protested.

"Why?" asked Lee indignantly. "It's just a New Year's party. Why can't you come?"

Katie was more understanding, but not more helpful. "It's because of George, I bet." She turned to her friend. "Leesh, you wouldn't have to talk to him."

"Not that he talks a lot at all, these days," said Lee moodily.

Alicia felt sorry for him. He was missing his best friend. In fact he was missing his two best friends. There was nothing they could do to bring back Fred, though. But with George, it was was somehow even worse. Alicia knew exactly what it felt like. She had experienced it, too, for a couple of months – him being cold and distant when all she was wanted was being close to him.

She suddenly became aware of Lee and Katie, still staring at her and waiting. Alicia sighed, "I don't know. I'm not in the mood for a party."

"Please," said Katie, giving her puppy dog eyes that made Alicia laugh. Those had to be working very well on Lee.

"I will think about it."

"Great!" Katie beamed. "Are you going to bring Evan? He was gorgeous."

"Oi!" said Lee.

Alicia laughed, "No. I won't bring him – if I come, that is."

"Why not – he's invited, of course," said Katie excitedly.

"Kates," Lee chimed sounding angry. "It's our party, and it's at our place. You can't just invite random people without asking me."

"Of course I can," said Katie. "If they're Alicia's boyfriend, I can invite them any time I want."

"He's not my boyfriend, and I won't bring him, don't worry, Lee. Anyway, Katie doesn't have eyes for any other men, anyway."

"I'm not so sure about that," replied Lee, narrowing his eyes.

Katie rolled her eyes. "Well, if you keep getting fatter all the time you can't be surprised if I risk a look or two at blokes who look like they are keeping themselves fit," she snapped.

"I am not fat."

"No, but you're going to get fat if you don't watch it."

Knowing that they would keep bickering for a while Alicia smiled to herself and got from their table to use the toilet. She had met with Lee and Katie for lunch at the Saucy Saucepan, a new restaurant that had opened in Diagon Alley a couple of months after the war. It wasn't far away from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

Alicia could feel a knot forming in her stomach. Over the last two days she hadn't been able to stop thinking about what had happened at and especially after the Hogwarts reunion. She could still clearly picture George standing in her living room telling her that he wanted her back. As if he had the right to come and tell her that. After all those months. After sleeping with another woman. After seeing that she had found somebody else.

But then had she really?

"Oh, come on, that's not the point," she told herself, only noticing that she had spoken out loud when the young witch at the sink turned around and looked at her with a bewildered expression. Alicia felt her face reddening with embarrassment. "I, er – I was just thinking loud."

"Oh really?" said the witch. "Hadn't noticed."

She was about Alicia's age, had shiny brown hair and was wearing a skirt that Alicia considered to be way too short. The witch was about to leave the Ladie's room but suddenly she stopped, eyeing Alicia thoughtfully. "You're Alicia Spinnet, aren't you?"

"Yes," said Alicia hesitantly, racking her brains. Who was she?

"Oh –" The witch was frowning at her. "Well, it's nice meeting you then." She opened the door and went out.

No sooner did the door close behind her that Alicia remembered her name. That was Linda Abbott. The one George had slept with according to Lee. As far as she could remember Alicia had never liked Linda although she barely knew her. And now the fact that she had had an affair with her ex-boyfriend didn't make things any better.

But wait – she didn't care about George anymore did she? So she really shouldn't care about that bitch, either.

Of course you care about him. And you really don't like having made a fool of yourself in front of the witch he's had an affair with.

Well, after all I'm the one he has asked to come back to him, she thought.

But you sent him away, didn't you?

When she arrived back at her friends' table she found them kissing each other passionately. It made her envious. There had been times when she and George had been as happily in love as Lee and Katie. Alicia cleared her throat to catch their attention. "Troubles solved?"

"Yes," said Lee grinning. "I just agreed with Katie on a way of how to work off the calories from lunch –"

"No details, please. Besides, I need to get going anyway. Can you pay for me? I'll give you the money back tonight."

Katie beamed. "Does that mean you're coming to the party?"

"Yes," said Alicia determined.

"Wonderful," said Lee and Katie together.

Alicia rolled her eyes.

"What?" they asked simultaneously again.

"You two are spending too much time together." They all laughed.

Later Alicia found herself standing in front of her wardrobe wondering what to wear to the party. It wasn't an easy decision. She wanted to look good. Part of her knew very well that wanting to look good had a lot to do with George being at the party, too. After changing a couple of times she finally chose a short blue skirt (not as short as Linda's had been, though) and a tight, white blouse.

It was an outfit George would have liked her to wear when going out together. Smiling to herself contently Alicia started on her makeup.

She arrived at the party at quarter past nine in a very good mood. It was exactly the time she had planned to arrive – the party having officially started at half past eight, she knew she wouldn't be the first to arrive but not the last, either. Her mood was so bright it almost weighed out the butterflies in her stomach.

Katie opened the door wearing a very funny looking pointed hat.

Alicia giggled, "What's that?"

"What?"

"On your head."

"Oh that,"said Katie rolling her eyes. She sounded already very tipsy. "It's from George. It's the newest WWW product, called Party Hat and it can do several wicked effects. Look –" She closed her eyes and said in a loud, clear voice, "Cat eyes." When she opened her eyes again they were yellow with long, slit-like pupils like a cat's. "See?"

Alicia was so shocked at the unexpected sight she took a step backwards.

Katie giggled. "It can also do vampire teeth or elf ears –"

"And how do you change back to your normal appearance?"

"Just take off the hat. Do you want to try?"

"Er, no thanks," said Alicia craning her neck to get a look inside over Katie's shoulder. "Am I too late?"

"No, but you're almost the last to show up. We are just waiting for Ange to arrive with Oliver. Apparently they are late, because Puddlemere United love to have training sessions on Holidays as well."

"So everyone else is there already."

"Well, the important people are," said Lee, appearing in the doorway behind Katie. He was wearing a similar Party Hat. "Now, Kates, what are you two doing still out here? The party is in there." He pointed towards the generous living room.

One look around confirmed Alicia's suspicion that there would be a couple of very interesting people at the party. Several of them were wearing Party Hats, just like Katie's. Her eyes wandered on until she spotted George.

It was a surprising sight, that almost reminded her of the old times when he and Fred had been the life and the soul of every party. It had been a while since Alicia had seen him surrounded by so many people – unless counting customers on a busy day in the shop, of course. He was obviously giving a demonstration of his new product, but from where Alicia was standing she couldn't see what part of him had been changed. It must be those cat eyes, she thought. Or the vampire mouth. From her point he looked like the George she knew.

Of course, he hadn't dressed up much for the party. He would have, a year and a half ago, if Fred had been coming along – both of them wearing red shirts clashing with their hair and dragonhide jackets or something alike. But for now George had settled with a nice, yet boring button-down shirt to wear. At least he had managed to tuck it into his jeans. His hair was as untidy as ever, and sticking up cutely when he took off the hat.

What did she just think? Cute?

Of course, you think he looks cute.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Katie introducing her to a tall, lanky wizard with long brown hair and dark eyes. Thankfully he wasn't wearing a Party Hat. "Alicia I want you to meet Rufus Petterson, he works with me as a healer at St. Mungo's."

Alicia took Rufus' outstretched hand, grateful to have someone to take her mind off George.

"Nice to meet you, Alicia," said Rufus.

Unfortunately it soon became clear that Rufus was in no way qualified to take Alicia's mind off anything. He was a friendly bloke, but also probably one of the most boring people in the world. Alicia's patience with him ended abruptly when she her eyes suddenly fell upon George talking to a very pretty brunette Alicia didn't know.

It looked as if he was giving her a special demonstration of his new invention and she was giggling stupidly with her manicured hand constantly touching his arm or shoulder. Of course George managed to look up at exactly the moment Alicia pulled a face at the unknown girl. A smile appeared on his face. "Oi, Spinnet!" he shouted. "Come over here and try my new product, too!"

Alicia was now boiling with anger. He was behaving as if that visit he had paid her three nights ago had never happened. In fact, he behaved as if a lot of things had never happened. She wanted to shout back something smart, but nothing came to her mind so she just opened her mouth and closed it again, feeling lame. George saw it and grinned before turning back to his new admirer.

Alicia had a distinct feeling that they were talking about her because George kept glancing over. When she had finally had enough, she excused herself from Rufus, stood up and went to the toilet.

A knot had formed in the pit of her stomach from a mixture of anger and jealousy. She remembered the evening three days ago when George had seen her with Evan Delavera and she knew he had been jealous then. And he probably knew that she was jealous now. It had probably even been his intention.

Bastard that he is –

For the rest of the evening Alicia did her best to avoid George. She had a long conversation with Oliver about Quidditch and later met a very nice wizard from Sweden whose name was Jan-Henrik and who was by far more interesting than Rufus had been. He was also very good-looking and spoke with an adorable accent. He told her that he worked with Lee for the Wizarding Wireless Network. They were having a conversation about their favourite music when Katie stumbled towards them giggling and holding two glasses filled with a bubbly pink liquid.

"Leesh! Leesh – it's almos' midnight. C'mon – lets go outside!"

A minute later Alicia was out on the balcony, holding one of the glasses staring at the liquid sceptically.

"It's champagne," said Katie and hic-coughed. She had obviously drunk way too much of it already. "Don't worry – it's not poisonous!"

"But why are the bubbles going downwards?"

Katie threw her arms into the air – and with them went the glass she was still holding, spilling lots of the champagne onto Alicia's white blouse. "'cause it's magic!" she cried, then realised what she had done and broke into another giggling fit, holding her hand over her mouth. "Oh – sorry!"

Around them people started counting backwards from sixty and after they had finished all hell broke lose. "Lee!" cried Katie. "Lee? Where the hell is the man when you need him? Lee, happy new year! LEE!"

Alicia felt a little lost among all the people celebrating happily around her. Somebody had started to sing Auld Lang Syne and before she knew it she joined in, shouting at the top of her lungs – and so did everybody else.

"SHOULD AULD AQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT –"

Alicia closed her eyes as memories were flooding her mind – New Year's Eve two years ago. Fred and George setting up fireworks –

" – AND NEVER BROUGHT TO MIND –"

– her and George kissing at midnight while Fred was watching them snorting so that his drink was coming out through his nose again –

" – SHOULD AULD AQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT –"

– George whispering in her ear that he loved her –

" – AND DAYS OF AULD LANG SYNE?"

The song had Alicia thinking about old times and soon she realised that she that tears were running down her face. Then suddenly a mop of flaming red hair appeared in front of her and she found herself looking into a pair of dark green eyes.

George wasn't singing. Two years ago he would have competed against Fred and Lee who could sing in the loudest, the highest or the most annoying tones. But things had changed. Last year there had been no way she could convince George to celebrate at all. They had spent the whole evening alone in Alicia's flat, arguing. Now he was just standing there watching Alicia crying and singing.

And he didn't move until the song finally ended. Alicia was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Should she say something to him? "Happy new year!" she finally shouted loud enough for him to hear her over the noise around them.

George didn't say anything. He just bent forward and kissed her.

XXX