LUMOS - Fred Weasley

thirteen

A week had passed and Ava still had no date for the ball. She had been asked out by about four boys but they were either way too old or way too pretentious. She knew who she wanted to go with but as the days passed so did her hope of Fred asking her out. She had told herself that if she didn't have a date by tomorrow, she would take the matters in her own hand.

Ava was making her way back to the common room only to find Fred, George, Harry, Ron and Hermione all sitting at a table. She approached them and sat down.

"Nice look, Ron . . . go well with your dress robes, that will."

"Ron, can we borrow Pigwidgeon?" George asked.

"No, he's off delivering a letter," said Ron.

"Why?"

"Because George wants to invite him to the ball," said Fred sarcastically.

"Because we want to send a letter, you stupid great prat," said George.

"Who d'you two keep writing to, eh?" said Ron.

"Nose out, Ron, or I'll burn that for you too," said Fred, waving his wand threateningly.

"So . . . you lot got dates for the ball yet?"

"Nope," said Ron.

Ava felt her face blush slightly and she looked down at her hands, avoiding Fred's gaze.

"Well, you'd better hurry up, mate or all the good ones will be gone," said Fred.

"Who're you going with, then?" said Ron.

"Angelina," said Fred promptly, without a trace of embarrassment. Ava's heart stopped, she felt like she had been punched in the ribs. Ron and Hermione were staring at her, as shocked as she was.

"What?" said Ron, taken aback. "You've already asked her?"

"Good point," said Fred. He turned his head and called across the common room, "Oi! Angelina!" Angelina, who had been chatting with Alicia Spinnet near the fire looked over at him.

"What?" she called back.

"Want to come to the ball with me?"Angelina gave Fred an appraising sort of look.

"All right, then," she said, and she turned back to Alicia and carried on chatting with a bit of a grin on her face.

"There you go," said Fred to Harry and Ron, "piece of cake."

Ava felt her eyes blurring and her breath hastening. She tried to hold in the tears, but it was no use. She couldn't let him see her cry so without a second thought, she pushed her chair back abruptly, swung her bag on her shoulder and rushed to her room.

"Are you blind ?" Ron shouted at Fred once Ava was out of sight.

" What did I do ?" he asked innocently.

"She bloody likes you !" said George rolling his eyes.

"No, she doesn't."

"Why do you think she hangs out with you all the time ?" objected Harry.

"She likes you and you just fucked everything up," exclaimed Ron.

"Do you know that she declined 10 guys who asked her to the ball because she wanted to go with you ?" seethed Hermione.

"And you just asked another girl right in front of her," sighed George.

"Oh shit," said Fred, falling back on his chair.

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The next day, Ava had barely gotten any sleep. She had spent the night crying and asking herself a thousand questions. She really liked him, but apparently, the feeling was not mutual. She woke up with a tear-stained face and puffy eyes but she wanted to look her best today, to make him regret.