Unbreakable - Fred Weasley

The Dating Game

Olivia and Cedric had been working tirelessly on the riddle. They'd tried spells, potions, simply listening to the shrieking sound for longer, and she thought that she'd never get the ringing out of her head. She had thought he'd been over exaggerating about the noise, but was sadly mistaken. Cedric insisted on trying to come up with the answer on his own, "champions can't take any help" he would chide annoyingly. She would just roll her eyes at him and continue searching.
—
She stood in a large room with the entirety of the Ravenclaw house as Professor Flitwick stood in the centre with Professor McGonagall. Waiting until the very last student trickled into the room, he spoke.
"The Yule Ball is approaching - a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an a opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests." He looked over at everyone, ensuring they had all heard him.
"Oh Merlin, a ball?" Olivia whined, not looking forward to the prospect of heels.
"Dress robes will be worn, and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day and end at midnight." Professor McGonagall interjected. Olivia tuned out the rest of what they said, wishing there was a way that she could get out of it.
"Now, we'll practice!" Professor Flitwick called out excitedly, putting on a record. Olivia stood with her left arm still in a sling and the other still bandaged up, she looked up at Professor McGonagall who noticed the reluctant expression on the girl.
"Take a seat Ms. Wood. Just watch and once your arms are healed you can practice then." She instructed. Olivia sat down and watched her house dance around, Cho and Marietta smiled, looking as if they were having the time of their lives.
"Ms. Wood you'll need to brush up on your waltz as you and Mr. Diggory will be leading the dance with the rest of the champions and their dates." Professor Flitwick said. Olivia felt her face go pale,
"In front of everyone!?" She squeaked. He nodded. "May I be excused?"
He nodded again and Olivia ran down to where she knew Cedric would be, Defense Against the Dark Arts. She stood in front of the door, about to knock when it opened suddenly,
"Ms. Wood. So good of you to join us. To what do we owe this pleasure?" Professor Moody asked icily. She shuddered, his gaze sending shivers up her spine,
"I'm just looking for Cedric." She replied, keeping her voice calm and avoiding any sort of eye contact with the two red-headed boys that sat at the back.
"Whatever for?" Professor Moody asked,
"I-I just have to tell him something." She stammered, trying to look away from the professor.
"And what might that be?" He pried, she shifted her weight onto her left foot and looked up.
"I'll just talk to him later." She smiled awkwardly and brought her head down. She had started to walk out of the room when the door swung shut in front of her. She turned to face Professor Moody again, glared, and turned back around yanking the door open and slamming it closed behind her. He would not tell her what to do, she angrily strode off through the corridor silently still praying to Merlin that she wouldn't get a detention for that. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Cedric sprinting to catch up to her.
"What did you need?" He asked breathing heavily.
"Ced, I really can't go to the ball with you." She looked at her feet apologetically. He smiled at her sweetly,
"I know. You're a bloody hazard when you dance." He laughed, and she felt a weight being lifted off of her chest and sighed. She leapt into his arms,
"I'll get you a date though." She smiled, she pulled away and before he could ask any questions she shooed him back to class, "go now, before you get in trouble!"
———
"Cho, do you reckon you'd mind going to the ball with Cedric?" Olivia asked a few days later, Cho choked on the pumpkin juice she was drinking and ended up having a coughing fit, "oh-Merlin, sorry! Blimey, I didn't mean to startle you!"
"What?" Cho asked once her coughing stopped, looking Olivia in the eyes.
"I asked if you'd go to the ball with Cedric." Olivia repeated, pleading with her eyes.
"But, what? Aren't you two going together?" Cho asked, eyeing Olivia.
"Merlin, no! Cho you very well know I can't dance. And you're much more graceful than I am. He has to dance in front of everyone, and that's just something I cannot do." Olivia explained, "please, I'll owe you one."
"No- I mean yes, of course, I'll go with him. But you don't have to owe me one," Cho said timidly, smiling in a goofy way. Olivia squealed and wrapped her arms around her friend,
"You're a gem!" She stood from the table and ran to Cedric. Cho watched as Olivia happily told Cedric and pointed to her, he smiled shyly at Cho and sent her a thumbs up, she smiled back and looked back down. Olivia watched their exchange and felt her heart tug, she wished Cedric could be happy, and she only wanted the best for Cho, but she did worry about losing her closeness with Cedric if he and Cho grew closer- not to mention the risk of his arm burning and general safety.
"Oi! Angelina!" She heard Fred call behind her. She turned slightly and watched Angelina lift her head and mouth 'what' to him. He pointed to her, then pretended to dance with himself, pointed to himself and mouthed 'do you want to go to the ball with me?' Olivia watched mortified as Angelina nodded and mouthed 'yeah, okay.'
Olivia turned her head back to the Hufflepuff table and stared blankly at the food in front of her. Cedric had seen the exchange as well and leaned in to her,
"He doesn't know you're free." He said quietly, Olivia bit her cheek and nodded slightly.
"I know." She kept her eyes forward and didn't look at Cedric.
"But you wanted to go with him?" He asked, she shook her head.
"And risk my arm?" She asked sullenly. Perhaps deep down she did think he might ask her, but Cedric was right, he didn't know she was free. They hadn't spoken since the day of the first task, and it felt as if he was avoiding her just as much as she was avoiding him. Her attention was diverted to Hermione storming out of the hall angrily. She stood up,
"I'll talk to you later, Ced." She chased after her friend and Cedric watched her leave the hall.
"Hermione! Hermione, wait!" Olivia called, Hermione slowed down and turned to her, "what happened?"
"Just Ron. He asked me to the ball!" She spat,
"And that makes you angry?" Olivia asked confused.
"No, but it was as a last resort! And he doesn't believe that I already have a date!" Hermione sneered,
"Well, he'll eat his words once he sees you at the ball with your date. We'll get ready together, with Cho and Marietta."
Hermione looked up and Olivia and smiled. Bidding her friend goodbye, she made her way to the Owlery, wanting to send Bill a message— to ask if he'd heard anything that might help her predicament. She hadn't told anyone, or even owled Bill yet- not wanting to get hers or Cedric's hopes up. Desperately wanting to get out of the cold she quickly scribbled a note:
Bill,
I hope this finds you well, and Happy Christmas.
I wondered if you'd heard anything about Cedric's and my problem.
Let me know if you do, and thanks again.
Sincerely,
Olivia Wood
She tied it around one of the school owls legs and watched as it flew away. She started towards to castle but barely got out of the owlery before she found herself in front of Fred and George.
"Oh, hello!" She chimed, a small awkward smile on her lips. George smiled back while Fred avoided her gaze.
"Hello Olive!" George laughed, she playfully hit him on the shoulder,
"Georgie," She raised her eyebrows and smiled. Fred kept a stoney expression on his face. She looked at him and felt her smile falter, quickly turning her attention back to George she plastered a smile back onto her face.
"Well, I'd better go." She said, "I'll see you." She turned to George and walked away. She found Cedric in the main entrance way talking to Fleur.
"Ah, 'ello O-livia!" Fleur called, waving her over.
"Hello Fleur!" She turned to Cedric, "Ced," he nodded.
"Ar' you two going to ze ball toge-zer?" Fleur asked,
"No! I'm a bloody wretched dancer, so Ced's actually going to go with Ch-"
"FLEUR, WILL YOU GO TO THE BALL WITH ME!?"
The three of them turned at the same time to see all the blood drain from a very scared looking Ronald Weasley. Before anyone could make a sound he had run away, followed by Ginny. Olivia turned to Fleur and Cedric, the latter of which was laughing.
"Oo' was zat?" Fleur asked quietly,
"Ron Weasley." Olivia sighed,
"Ah, per-aps you can let 'im know zat I am going with Roger Davies," she nodded, Olivia nodded back.
"I will."
Poor Ron, she thought. He'd never live this one down.
———
"You what?" Said Harry.
"He- er- just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny. Fred and George had been sitting away from the group in the common room but sauntered over when they heard Ginny. Smirking, they watched as Ron moaned, words barely distinguishable,
"-she was standing there talking to Diggory and Olivia- and it sort of came over me- and I asked her! She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then- I dunno -I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it!"
"She's part Veela," started Harry, "you were right- her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was trying to turn on the old charm for Diggory and got a blast of it- but she was wanting her time. He's going with-"
"Olivia, obviously." Ron rolled his eyes, but Harry shook his head. Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, looked at him curiously.
"He's going with Cho Chang," Harrys said dully, "I asked her to go with me just now and she told me."
"Why isn't he going with Olivia?" Hermione asked, but Harry just shrugged his shoulders.
"Who's Olivia going with?" Fred piped up, trying to act nonchalant.
"Dunno." Harry said. Fred felt his heartbeat racing throughout his entire body.