The Mudblood

Chapter 43 : Year 3

Fred and I spent quite some time dancing on the Gryffindor balcony. To my surprise, he actually was a good dancer, and I improved a considerable amount before we finally quit around midnight. I wanted to just spend the night in the Gryffindor common room talking to Fred, but I felt weird about spending too much time alone with him...

The next morning, I walked up to the Great Hall with my three roommates, however Astoria and I branched off from the other two to waltz over to the Gryffindor table.

"Why are we going to talk to the Gryffindors?" Astoria questioned, scrunching her nose. "They're—like—gross."

"I told you I got you a date for the Ball," I replied with a devilish grin.

She gasped dramatically. "And it's a Gryffindor? Wait—is it that cute twin? The one you wanna bang?"

I groaned loudly as we approached my Gryffindor friends. "No, Astoria—just be civil, please."

"Oi, Fitz," Fred greeted intently as Astoria and I stepped up behind Harry and Ron. Ginny was not sitting with them like usual, and Hermione was absent from the Hall completely.

"Surprised you can still walk after last night," Fred added, shooting me a wink.

Astoria gasped again, covering her mouth this time. "You are banging him," she hissed excitedly.

I rolled my eyes breezily, hoping no one else had heard her. "Hi everyone. Ron—" I tapped on his shoulder, and he turned to face me with a mouth full of food. "Ron, I'd like you to meet your date for the Yule Ball, Astoria Greengrass."

Ron nearly spit his food out as Harry stifled a laugh.

"What is so funny, scarhead?" Astoria snapped, crossing her arms. "At least I don't wear glasses—God, I feel pity for whoever's going to the Ball with you."

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Well, that would be me..."

Astoria inhaled a breath so deep that I thought her lungs would explode. "You—are going to the Ball—with...a champion?! OH MY GOODNESS!"

Ron swallowed his food, eyeing Astoria with uncertainty as her head nearly burst with excitement. "Are you sure you don't have any...other friends? What about that one with the purple hair? She seems...normal..."

Astoria snorted loudly. "Melody? Oh—you do not want her. She's nasty."

"And you're not?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows.

"We'll have a great time at the Ball," Astoria went on, ignoring Harry completely. "I hope you like pink, because my gown is bright pink. And, if you don't like it—well, I don't really care. Oh—this is going to be wonderful!"

"Wonderful..." Ron muttered.

"Now, I know you're a Weasley, but what's your name again? You're not Ginny, are you? Oh—that would just be horrid," Astoria ranted.

Ron eyed me with a deeply disturbed expression.

"Oh—no, this is Ronniekins," Fred told her with a wild grin.

"Short for 'ickle Ronniekins'," George added matter-of-factly.

"Well—it's not as bad as Ginny," Astoria commented. "I could never date a boy named Ginny. I'll just call you Ronnie, I guess."

"Perfect," he grumbled before turning back to his food.

"Hey Lainey!" Colin greeted as he suddenly popped up behind the twins. "Mind if I get a picture of you and your friend?"