I slept through breakfast the next morning, my body deciding I apparently needed that extra hour of sleep. Not wanting to be late for Muggle Studies I raced around the room dressing and packing my bag at the same time. I ran out of the Sytherin common room and almost headlong into Emily.
"I just wanted to make sure you were going to make it to History of magic on time."
"We have History of magic first?" I ask smacking myself in the face. "I thought I had Muggle Studies. Oh well, let's just go I'm sure I'll fall asleep with or without my textbook as a pillow." I say as I head upstairs towards Professor Binn's classroom.
Sure enough about twenty minutes into class my eyelids became very heavy. One my one students around me began nodding off. We were all abruptly awoken to the sound of a knock on the classroom door. Fred Weasley stood at the entrance grinning from ear to ear.
"Mornin' Professor, I'm looking for Alice Potter, Dumbledore needs her."
"Of course Mr. Weasley. Miss Allison Potter, you're needed in Professor Dumbledore's office." Fred Weasley was probably the last person I would send to fetch a student for me, and I suspected he was also pretty low on Dumbledore's list, but despite my doubt I decided to gather my things and follow Fred outside. Anything was better than History of Magic right? Once we were outside of the classroom I started to head off towards Dumbledore's office. My suspicion was confirmed when Fred gripped my arm and pulled me in the opposite direction.
"Where ya going?" He asked me.
"Dumbledore's office." I answered faking innocence. "You said Dumbledore needed to see me so I figured I should go meet him in his office."
"Dumbledore isn't actually looking for you. I just said that to get you at of class. Come on." Fred told me as he pulled me off towards an unknown location. We stop in the middle of the seventh floor next to a strange tapestry of trolls dancing ballet. "Stay there." Fred commanded pointing at a spot on the floor. He then paced back and forth three times in front of the tapestry.
"Fred what are you…"
"You'll see." He answered me grinning. I had seen that grin too many times on Fred and George's faces to be completely at ease, but I was still incredibly interested in what Fred Weasley was up to. Within minutes a large door began to appear across from the dancing trolls tapestry. "Close your eyes, trust me." He added seeing the look of apprehension I shot his way. Reluctantly I closed my eyes and allowed Fred to guide me inside the mystery room. There was a very sweet floral scent mixed with the smell of burning wax. "You can open your eyes now." I opened my eyes to see a room full of hundreds of floating candles like the ones found in the Great Hall, and vases bursting with flowers all around the room. Without saying anything Fred handed me a joke wand I knew to be of his and George's creation. Carefully I gave to toy wand a slow wave and fireworks burst from the tip. Large Hearts were popping in the ceiling before the fireworks began to spell something.
"Alice Potter…" I read aloud. "Will you…go to the…Yule Ball…With me?" Immediately I turned to Fred who pointed up at the ceiling.
"I think the fireworks have a crush on you." He told me chuckling.
"Is this a joke?" I asked. I had spent a lot of time the last four years avoiding Fred and George's harebrained schemes, mostly because Harry and I had been caught up in our own. Fred Weasley was nice enough but I didn't know if I liked him in that way. Of course if it was all a joke there was no need in considering it as a possibility.
"No." Fred answered very seriously.
"But last night in the library, you said you had a date, and that it was a surprise."
"I only said that so that you wouldn't know I was planning to ask you. That's what I wanted to talk to Harry about last night. I wanted to make sure he'd be alright with us going together. And it will still be a surprise if we don't tell anyone. That is if you say yes." I thought for a moment studying his face. I'd be lying if I said I didn't find Fred physically attractive, and I had always found him funny, and he had went through all this trouble to find this enchanted room and make everything just right.
"Yes Fred, I would like to go to the Yule ball with you.