Love Triangle

Yule Ball

The next day, I tried my best to keep to myself. My head ached, and I needed to sort through my thoughts. I was sitting alone in my dorm room. Angelina and Alicia were at Quidditch practice and the other girls were gone as well. I enjoyed the silence as it gave me time to myself.

On my bed, I had an old box with precious photos and notes written on folded parchment paper. They were simple possessions, but priceless to me. Almost all of the memories I considered most sacred were with the twins. I saved just almost all of our doodles we drew during class, and I had every single photograph we've ever taken together ranging from first year to just now.

My hands stopped as I came across a photo of Fred and I from just last year at the Yule Ball. I gazed at it, unable to control the fluttering of my heart as I stared at his charming smile and warm eyes. Fred and I shared a glance before putting on our best smiles for the camera.
Watching us, our smiles and laughter, took me back to the memory that seemed like it was only yesterday.

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Despite the four and a half years we already spent together, I never saw the girls in my dorm come together and chatter anxiously as much as tonight... and to think, it was just over a silly dance.

Angelina was modeling her dress as Alicia helped braid Tessa's long golden hair. Meanwhile, Cassie was putting on makeup as I stared at the dress on my bed. It was a long black dress with sheer sleeves covered in shimmering roses that stopped at my elbows. The fabric was so smooth and sheer, I felt like I was clothed in shimmering moonlight. It was an unbelievably beautiful dress made for a girl far more elegant than myself. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking when I purchased it.

"You're going to look absolutely gorgeous!" Tessa beamed excitedly.

Alicia nodded in happy agreement, "George's jaw is going to hit the floor when he sees you."

Their words were kind, but only caused me to feel even more embarrassed. "He's just my best friend," I said with a shrug. The only reason George and I were going together was because Fred decided to ask Angelina at the last minute.

"Well you're bound to catch some lucky guy's eye tonight," Alicia shrugged.

Angelina gave me a smile and said, "She's right, you know. If I didn't know that you and Fred were just friends, I'd be so jealous."

I forced a smile, realizing she meant her words as a compliment and not a jeer... though it felt like one.

After three solid minutes passed of just staring at the dress, I finally mustered up the strength to put it on. I quickly dabbed on some makeup, and I did my dark hair in a long poofy braid. When I emerged from the bathroom, the girls cheered.

When all of us were finally ready, we headed for the Great Hall. Tessa and Cassie's dates were waiting outside of the common room, but Alicia, Angelina, and I made plans to meet Fred, George, and Lee at the Hall. As I walked, I tried not to trip over my own two feet. I rarely wore heels and not just because of how uncomfortable they were, but mostly because I looked something like a newly born unicorn stumbling on weak ankles.

When we finally made it down to the final step of stairs, I saw Fred and George chatting with Lee at the bottom. Without waiting a second, Angelina and Alicia made their descent down the steps, but I was frozen for a moment longer.

Lee spotted Alicia first, and Fred and George followed his gaze towards us. I stared at them, my two best friends, and was surprised at how good they looked in their matching dress robes. The rustic orange under the jet black dress robes really was striking, especially complimenting their fiery hair.