Chapter 10
By the time I'd grabbed my book and crept back up the stairs, Alicia and the others had all fallen asleep. Quietly, I slipped the newly-repaired necklace into a pair of socks in my trunk, and tossed my book on the nightstand. Absolutely exhausted, as it was now the early hours of the morning, I flopped into bed and slid under the covers without even unbraiding my hair. I'd regret that in the morning, as it was always gave me a terrible headache, but I was just too tired to do anything but sleep.
Or so I thought. I rolled over and closed my eyes, expecting to fall asleep immediately, but, tired as I was, I just couldn't.
It was impossible for me to stop thinking about Alicia and Lee. I started off trying to think of any possible way to get them together or at least be friends again. After about half and hour of tossing and turning, I had exactly one item on my mental list, and it wasn't exactly stellar, as it involved performing the Imperious Curse on the both of them. In my frustration, I began compiling another list in my head about why the two of them were such idiots. This one, somewhat satisfactorily, was much longer.
I really tried to fall asleep after that, because I knew my day would be terrible tomorrow if I didn't, but I couldn't block out Lee's tortured face, illuminated by the flickering firelight minutes earlier, or the broken necklace, or Eric Hale's stupid smiles, or Alicia's angry face.
Finally, I stopped thinking about them, but I still couldn't fall asleep, because I'd stumbled on another disturbing subject. What if what had happened to Lee and Alicia happened to Fred and me? What if we broke up, horribly, and never spoke to each other again? I couldn't bear it if I lost Fred's friendship. Of course, perhaps I was worrying unnecessarily. Maybe we'd part amicably, and go back to what we were now. Or perhaps we'd stay together forever, and get married, eventually. I tried to picture Fred and me getting married, and found I couldn't. I almost didn't want to. I supposed it was because my feelings for him were little more than a crush now. But that could change….. This perturbed me so much, that I tried desperately to find any subject to latch onto that would let me fall asleep.
That was how I ended up rewriting a poem in my head at two in the morning. It was a poem that my mum, a Muggle-born, had read to me every Christmas Eve until the year I'd went off to Hogwarts. It was the one that began "It was the night before Christmas." My version was somewhat different from the one my mum had always read, though. I changed the "While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads" line to, "While visions of idiots danced in my head." Also, my version of the poem contained expletives that would make the Weasley twins blush. At some point, I must have dropped off to sleep, because the next thing I knew, sunlight was streaming through the window, and it was morning.
For a moment, I just sat there, blinking in the bright light, unable to really see anything at all. When I recovered my vision, I glanced around the room. Elizabeth and Maya had apparently been up for awhile; they were sitting on Maya's bed chatting with all their presents and scraps of wrapping paper strewn around them. Patricia was gone already, probably to wish her younger brother, a fifth year, a Merry Christmas.
Alicia, who was sitting on her bed, examining a new set of everyday robes. As I glanced over at her, she turned, and, when she saw my eyes were opened, smiled.
"Merry Christmas, Angelina!" she said, and then continued, before I could even take a begin to answer her, "You've been sleeping for forever. I was just about to wake you up myself."
"Well, I… we were all up late last night," I answered. I'd been about to mention how I'd tossed and turned hours after she was sleeping peacefully, but, suddenly, I didn't want to. I didn't want to tell her about either of the reasons I couldn't sleep last night.
I tried to put it all out of my head. It was Christmas, after all, and the day of the Yule Ball as well. I was actually excited for the Yule Ball. I knew Fred and I would have fun tonight, no matter what happened after that.
"Oh," Alicia said, drawing me out of my thoughts. "Yeah, I suppose we were…. Well, are you going to get up now? You haven't even wished me a Merry Christmas yet, let alone open the present I got you."
"Or given you yours, right?" I joked.
She laughed. "That too."
I yawned and stretched, then slowly slid out of my warm blankets.
"Yeesh. It's freezing it here."
"Merry Christmas, Angelina!" Maya called from across the room, apparently just noticing I was up.
"Merry Christmas, Maya, Elizabeth," I called back.
"Yeah, you too," Elizabeth grinned.
"Come on, Ange," Alicia said, tossing me a small blue package, "Hurry up, and open it."
I did. It was a silver necklace with a tiny 'a' on it. Hugging her in surprise, I said, "Thanks, Alicia. It's really pretty. I'll wear it tonight; it will go really well with my dress robes."
"I thought it'd look pretty on you," she beamed.
"Now you open mine," I said as I tossed her a small red package.
She opened it and then gasped in surprise.
"I thought it would pretty on you," I shrugged, smiling.
She held the exact same necklace she'd given me. Grinning, she said, "I guess great minds really do think alike. Thanks, Angelina; I'll wear mine tonight as well."
I opened the rest of my presents. My parents had sent me a set of chessman for wizard chess, and some books; Lee had gotten me a poster of the Holyhead Harpies, and the twins had bought me a huge box of candy. I opened it immediately, unable to resist the sweet aroma, even if it was before breakfast.
I was about to open a small bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, when I noticed a small, singularly-wrapped piece of chocolate. Chocolate sounded better to me just then, so I dropped the Every Flavor Beans, and opened the chocolate. As soon as it was out of its wrapper, however, all thought of eating it left my mind. Staring down on it in amazement, I read what was inscribed on it again: I LUV U.
I almost felt like crying of happiness as I wrapped it back up, and put it in my trunk. I'd put a Preservation Charm or something on it later. Jeez. Who'd have thought Fred Weasley could be so sweet?
Once I'd put it away, I looked over at Alicia, to make sure she hadn't seen what I'd been doing. Maya and Elizabeth had already left the dormitory about five minutes ago. Maybe it was stupid, but for some reason, I wanted to keep that one piece of chocolate secret. It was almost too sweet to talk about. Alicia wasn't paying at all attention to me, however. She had tears in her eyes as she surveyed the presents on her bed.
"What's the matter," I asked her. "Didn't get any good presents?"
She shook her head. "No, I did, it's just…… you got that poster from Lee, right?"
I nodded, confused.
Two tears slid down her cheeks. "He didn't get me anything this year. Nothing at all."
"Oh, Alicia," I said, sitting next to her and putting my arm around her shoulders, "I'm so sorry."
"I don't know why he's so angry at me," she sobbed. "What did I ever do to him?"
It was good she didn't seem to expect an answer. I didn't have a clue what to say.
****
We spent most of the day walking around the grounds, talking about everything but boys and the Yule Ball. We spotted the Weasleys and Harry having a snowball fight, but Alicia said she didn't feel like joining in. I think she was afraid Lee would show up, and she wanted to avoid him. I suggested, tentatively, that maybe she could try to talk to him, but she rejected that idea so vehemently that I said nothing more on the subject.
I still didn't think she'd figured out why he was so mad at her yet. Or maybe she suspected it, but she just didn't want to talk about it.
All in all, it wasn't the best Christmas I've ever had, but it wasn't over yet. About two hours before the ball was to start, we headed upstairs. I could have waited another hour to get ready, but Alicia insisted on going up early. She wanted to look absolutely perfect for Eric.
Alicia started to seem happier once we started to get ready. The thought of spending a whole night dancing with Eric seemed to be cheering her up immensely, though I admit that it did nothing but dampen my own spirits.
Hey!
Sorry it's been so long since I updated! I've been really busy, and I also had a case of writer's block. This chapter really isn't one of my favorites, but felt that, at this point, I just needed to move on with the story. The next chapter, which is the Yule Ball (!!!!!) will hopefully not take so long for me to write and post. Anyway, thanks for reading, and I do hope you give me a review.
-Julie
