Chapter 3

I bit into my steak, waiting for Alicia and the boys to come to the Great Hall for dinner. Actually, I was mostly waiting for Alicia, because she alone of my four friends would understand what I was feeling- excitement and nervousness. It was early December in my sixth year at Hogwarts, midway through the Triwizard Tournament. I was dying to talk about, well, what every other girl above fourth year at Hogwarts was dying to talk about: the Yule Ball.

For once, I was actually on the same page as the rest of the girls in my year. It had been a bit since that happened, especially since most of the gossip this year had been about Cedric Diggory and Viktor Krum. I never understood what so many girls saw in Diggory and Krum. Okay, perhaps I was a bit biased against Cedric, because his Quidditch team, Hufflepuff, had beaten us last year. He was incredibly handsome, I had to admit, but I didn't see anything else about him that was special. And while Viktor Krum is the most amazing Seeker I have ever seen (the World Cup was fantastic) he didn't have any personality, and wasn't even handsome. I guess they both must be brave, being Triwizard champions, but I don't know. They weren't guys that I would even have a crush on, let alone follow around and gossip about all the time. I guess most of them only liked Cedric for his face and Viktor for his fame. I just didn't understand it. I could never like a boy romantically who lacked personality or a funny bone. I blushed at my own thought. Another reason I couldn't wait for Alicia to get here, although I probably couldn't discuss it in the Great Hall. Where was she????

As if in answer to my thought, I heard an, "Ange!" from behind me, and turned to face Alicia. She took the seat next to me, and the twins and Lee Jordan, who had been right behind her, took seats across from us. She grabbed some steak and bread as she started talking about the Yule Ball. Alicia already talks about two times as fast as a normal person, but when she is excited or nervous, she talks even faster. She does it before Quidditch matches, and she was doing it now. I think she may have exceeded the speed of light on a few occasions, this being one of them. I could just barely keep up, but Fred, George, and Lee could only snigger at her as they loaded their plates fit to bursting.

"Oh my gosh! Can you believe it? A ball! Do you know what you're going to wear? Oh! We should have guessed there would be a ball, when it said dress robes on our supply lists. My dress robes are light blue. I'll show you after dinner. What are you wearing? And, oh my gosh, what about partners?" She stopped there, glancing as the boys, realizing she didn't want to talk about that in front of them. Honestly, though, I really don't think they could have understood her if she had. She took several deep breathes, and I realized she hadn't breathed the whole time she'd been talking.

"Can you talk just a bit faster?" asked Fred, laughing.

"How in the name of Merlin could anyone make sense of-" George began, but, rolling my eyes, I cut him off.

"Yeah, I know, I'm really excited too. I can't wait to see you outfit. We should've guessed when it said dress robes on our list. My dress robes are light purple. I'll show them to you after dinner too," I said. Lee, Fred, and George stared at me in astonishment.

Finally, Lee said, "How in the name of Merlin could you make sense of that?"

Alicia and I laughed and high-fived. "Years of practice."

Lee shook his head. "Girls," he muttered.

We ate in silence for a few minutes. Alicia had apparently said all she wanted to, at least for now, and the rest of us were starving.

After he'd finished his steak, Fred said, "I have to say, I'm glad Ron is friends with Harry again, instead of hanging around with us. He can be such a git."

"He's okay sometimes," George said fairly.

"He's okay; I like him fine," I said. Ron could be rather funny occasionally. "He can be very immature, though." I sighed as I realized who I was talking to.

"Hey, Ange," Alicia said, in a slower voice that was still fast. "Do you reckon Ron will ask Granger to the Yule Ball?"

I frowned. "I don't kn-"

"What?" Fred said.

"Ron and Hermione?" Fred said, confused.

Alicia sighed. "Honestly, how could you guys not see it? Obviously they like each other."

I giggled. "Even if they don't know it yet."

"But how can you tell?" Lee asked, confused as well.

"How can you not?" I answered, then looked at Alicia for help. She shrugged. "I don't know. They're always arguing-"

"Exactly," interrupted George.

"Which is one sign," I finished, looking at him. "But he's too immature to know that he likes her, so he probably won't ask her. And she's too proud to ask him."

Alicia was nodding, but the boys still looked confused.

"Girls," Lee muttered again.

"Boys," Alicia muttered back, rolling her eyes.

"So who are you planning to ask to the Ball?" I said, addressing all the boys, but I really only wanted Fred's answer.

Fred sat back, having just finished his dessert. "George and I are just going to wait for the girls to throw themselves at us."

Not exactly the response I'd been hoping for, but I don't know what I wanted him to say, here and now.

"What about me?" Lee asked Fred, but it was George who answered.

"We might be able to set you up with Mrs. Norris, Lee, but only if you're nice to us."

We left the Great Hall laughing.