A/N: First off I am so sorry and you all have every right to be super mad at me…I'm mad at me! Lol. I won't really waste my time with excuses but a lot of stuff came up and it left me without computer access for the past two weeks and no Internet for a while at the beginning. But don't fret because I have definitely figured out more where this story is going.
Also BIG BIG THANKS to everyone who has reviewed so far…you have no idea how great it feels to know that people are actually reading and want me to keep going. Keep it up please!! ;)
Okay okay on with the story but just so everyone knows…I don't own anything at all that you recognize even in the slightest bit. That fact will not change for the remainder of this story…so I probably won't end up with a disclaimer on every chapter because I forget most of the time so yeah don't like sue me or anything.
Quickly the days turned to weeks, and autumn faded into winter, the first snows sugarcoated the castle, making it look like something out of a storybook. The Christmas holidays drew nearer, and with them the annual Yule Ball. All over Hogwarts, the third through seventh years were in a buzz, looking for just the right outfit and the perfect date.
Adam and Charlie sat in their dorm, a few days before the ball, tossing a Quaffle back and forth.
"So are you gonna do it?" Charlie asked sending the ball over to Adam.
"Yeah, I don't think so. Did you see the way Conrad Henderson was flirting with her today. I wouldn't be surprised if they were already going together." Adam groaned, catching the ball and flopping down on his back, "Anyways even if I did ask, she'd probably just laugh in my face."
"Well, if she laughed then you could always play it off as you were joking and say you only want to go as friends." Charlie smirked, "Come on man, this shouldn't be so difficult. It's only Lucie." Adam threw the Quaffle back at him, hitting him upside the head, "Hey, that hurt!" Charlie pouted, "I was only saying you've never had trouble asking a girl to a ball before. Like last year, you had Maggie Wilson, and I must say that girl is hot. Just look at her b-" He was cut off as Adam threw a pillow at him, "Hey, hey, hey! Stop with the throwing. I am only saying that you have never had a problem asking a pretty girl to a dance."
"I know," Adam moaned putting his head down in his hands, "That's the problem. That's all the other girls were, just a pretty face for the evening and then maybe a quick snog, I didn't feel like this with them. I really like Lucie, I just know she doesn't like me, so I'll just end up looking like some idiot."
"Oh shut up. Just ask her, if you freak out, don't make it a date, just say you're only friends." He laughed throwing the pillow he had been hit with earlier back at Adam, "Now go find her and ask her. I mean now."
"Fine, I'll find her. Oh and Charlie, don't think your off the hook about Cara." Charlie groaned, "Tomorrow in potions, you'd better ask her."
The two boys ran down the stairs pushing at each other, nearly flattening a group of first years in the common room.
"Hey Fred, George, Ange," Charlie smiled at the first years, picking up the books he had knocked from their arms, "Sorry about that," he smiled as he handed them back, noticing another small girl with light brown hair just past her shoulders, olive colored skin, and big doe eyes, looking embarrassed as she reached for her books. She smiled when Charlie handed her the books, then backed up slowly, standing close to George, making Adam smirk. Charlie elbowed him in the ribs, "Well we best be off, we've got some stuff to take care of," he winked at Adam, who glared.
"See you guys, Ange, oh and I didn't catch your name."
"Oh," the small girl blushed, "I'm Alicia."
"Well, see you later Alicia." Adam threw her a broad grin. Charlie had to turn around with a small wave at the group to contain himself from cracking up right there.
As they were walking towards the portrait hole, two girls silently ran up behind them, jumping on their backs, causing the four of them to crash to the floor, laughing.
"Well, hello ladies," Adam smirked at Jessie and Lucie, "Fancy seeing you down here."
They laughed, smacking him on either shoulder, though nobody made any movements to get up.
"Ugh, Luce. Get off me," Charlie groaned, pushing her off of him.
"Hey!" She yelped, crashing to the floor. She stood, and then dusted herself off, reaching down to help up Adam. Once he was righted, he smiled appreciatively, throwing her another wink that caused her to blush so terribly she had to turn her head, which in turn made Adam blush. An exchange not missed by Charlie, who had to bite his tongue and muffle his laugh, or Jessie, who jammed Charlie in the side with her elbow. He opened his mouth to protest, but shut it once he saw the glare Jessie was giving him.
"Oh guys, I've got to go stop by Hagrid's. 'Cause I haven't, er, gone down in a while and, oh and he's going to Romania for a bit over the holidays, you know seeing the dragons and all, and so he wanted to talk to me 'bout it. Jess, you wanna come with?" After his rambling, he turned to his smirking friends, subtly giving Jessie a look. A look of realization crossed her features, but she shook it away quickly before Adam or Lucie could pick it up. Luckily they stood there, still oblivious.
"Oh yea sure, I've been meaning to drop by, now that I'm not taking his class anymore, I don't really ever see him anymore." By now Adam had caught on to the set up and threw a glare followed by and appreciative look towards Charlie, who just shrugged.
"Well we best be off. See you two at dinner? Mademoiselle?" Charlie held out his arm jokingly, "Right this way."
"Why thank you, Monsieur." Jessie laughed, taking his arm, and the two of them disappeared through the portrait hole and down the corridor. They ducked behind suit of armor, knowing that Adam and Lucie would be walking by soon. Just to their luck, their two friends walked down the hallway only minutes later. Adam paused a few feet away from their hiding spot, neither Charlie nor Jessie let out a breath for fear of being found out. Charlie did feel a little bad about spying on their friends, but both he and Jessie knew it was the only way to ensure Adam ever really followed through. Plus, it was so much better to see it in person.
"Uh Adam, what are you doing? We're going this way," She pointed down the corridor, "You're not going anywhere."
"Oh, er, right," He went scarlet, looking down at his feet. After a moment, he jerked his head back up, his confidence regained, almost as if he could feel Charlie and Jessie silently rooting for him from behind. "Well actually, Luce, I wanted to ask you something."
"Er, okay, shoot." She looked down at her feet, knowing her eyes would betray her if she looked at him, showing the one question she really hoped he would ask.
"Well, you know the Yule Ball, right? Well, of course you do, you've only been at this school for five years," He smacked his hand to his forehead; she cocked an eyebrow, but gave him a warm smile, hoping he would continue.
"Uh, yea I've heard of," She joked. Adam took a deep breath and continued.
"So anyways, well I don't have a date or anything yet, and I don't know, maybe you don't have one either. But I'm not sure, I mean you didn't say anything, but you might have one as of recently-"
"Adam," She cut him off, "You're rambling, and I don't have a date, yet."
"Oh, right, sorry. Well, I was just wondering if youwantedtogowithme?" He shot it all out in one breath, and Jessie had to clamp her hand over Charlie's mouth to keep him from busting out laughing.
"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that?" Lucie looked genuinely confused. "Say it again."
"I was just wondering if you want to go to the ball with me," He looked straight down at his feet, missing the big grin that spread across Lucie's face, before he continued, 'Well, I mean you know only as friends, if that's what you want."
Charlie wanted to jump up and knock some sense into his friend, who was still looking at his feet. It nearly broke Jessie's heart watching the look of pure bliss be replaced with one of such great disappointment. She knew Adam had surely gotten her hopes up, but a small smile returned to her mouth, hardly reaching her eyes.
"Sure, just as friends, that sounds fine. We'll have fun." She gave him the small smile again, "Hey, I just remembered I left something back in my dorm. I'm going to go back and get it, but no need to wait up. I'm pretty sure Aubrey was in there anyway, plus I saw Owen in the common room. I'll see you later, okay?"
Adam only nodded, inwardly cursing himself for throwing in the 'just friends' line. He sighed and turned in the other direction, heading down to the Great Hall.
Charlie gestured towards Lucie's retreating form, "I'll talk to her, you take Adam, okay? We'll fix this; they'll be together by the end of the ball.
"I sure hope so." Jessie smiled; pulled herself up from the hiding spot and hurried down the hall to catch Adam.
"Hey Luce, how's it going?" Charlie called, falling into stride with his best friend.
"Oh splendidly," she glared at him, "Adam asked me to the Yule Ball just now, and for just a minute I thought that he might actually like me, you know? Like more than a friend, like the way I've felt about him since, Merlin, as long as I can remember. So just when everything is going right, he says that we would be going as friends only, of course. So I'm not sure, it just sucks. I think I'm just going to give up on all this after the ball. You know, let the cards fall where they may, if it doesn't work out, it wasn't supposed to." She gave him a sad little sigh.
"Oh come on Luce, don't have that kind of attitude. Things will work out. For now, let's start with some chocolate cake, I heard that's what we've got for dessert." Charlie winked with a big smile, knowing fully that she would never be able to resist her favorite indulgence.
"Well you've got me there, cake now, problems late!" She laughed, "But, you know, I've been thinking, well you ought to ask Cara. I mean you've been after her longer than I've been after Adam. And well that's saying something."
"Okay, okay, I might as well. I told Adam, I'd consider it tomorrow in potions, so we'll see." Charlie shrugged, "Time to let the cards fall or what ever nonsense you came up with a minute ago." Lucie smiled, knocking into Charlie, glad she had a best friend who really knew her so well, even if they were both nutters at times. Though now all she could think about was Adam, and the Yule Ball, and if things would finally turn out right for her.
A/N: Sorry again it took so long, but i like this chapter so i think it should make up a little bit :) tell me what you think...review pretty please...you've already read it ;)