I hate you, George Weasley

Elation

I watched as Lainey lifted the spoon to her mouth and slurped it up. I was sitting at the Hufflepuff table today because Tara and Ginny were out with their boyfriends, and I don't fancy a spot near Thelma. All the cooler, older students (Fred, George, and Lee) were still in class. I rested my chin on my hands and watched as Lainey drank soup. Over and over and over again. A group of girls were smiling aways down from us. Things are so dull. This is dull. My whole life is dull. I would give anything to be like Ginny or Tara, with tons of friends, and boys watching them as they pass through the hall. But then again, Tara's a veela. Aren't they supposed to stop and stare?

"Sooo." I said, and Lainey raised an eye brow. "What's up?" she rolled her eyes, and I sighed, and went back to watching her eat.

I drummed my fingers on the table and glanced at my watch occasionally. 18 more minutes and the great hall would be full. Only about sixty of us were here anyways. I need to write Macy back. Maybe we aren't so unalike as I thought. Jace is somewhere unknown, and Lainey hasn't liked me very much these past few days. I averted my eyes from Laineys spoon and looked for Matthew at the ravenclaw table. I saw him laughing with his friends and I tried to think of a way to get closer to Matthew.

I could bump into him in the hall and pretend to be sorry. Or just talk to him. But what would I say? I could say something about how pretty January is.

"Why are you smiling like a blundering idiot?" Lainey said from in front of me.

"Lainey, why have you been so mean lately? I didn't do anything!" I said.

"No, not a thing?" she snapped.

"Ugh," I got up and left to go sit at the Gryffindor table just as everyone else came in. It got loud and warm and crowded really fast.

I sat down near my usual spot and looked for Ginny in the crowd. She came and sat near me.

"Um, I broke up with Michael." she said, smiling slightly.

"Good." I said, Stirring my soup with a roll.

"What's wrong?" I knew she'd ask this.

"Lainey," I said bitterly.

"Well, I expected this. What with all the time you spend with Matthew."

"What? Why should she care?" I asked.

"She fancies him. And here you are, just now starting to like him, and spending time with him."

"How long has she fancied him?" I asked, hurt that she wouldn't tell me.

"Since before third year." she shrugged.

"Well she doesn't own him, so I don't really care." I said, crossing my arms.

"Katie..." she said in a warning tone, sounding a lot like my mom.

"What? She never told me. And she's never even talked to him."

"She's shy." Ginny told me simply.

I heard loud laughter and looked at where it was coming from. I expected it to be the twins, but it was just some sixth years. Where the twins normally sit, first years were all around it. I smiled, knowing that they would be forced to sit near ME.

"Why are you smiling?"

"I like laughter." I said.

"Liar,"

"No, I like laughter. See? Ha ha ha."

"Whatever," she said, smiling and rolling her eyes, before telling me how and why she broke up with Michael.

••••••••

I was making an outline for my history of magic test, while sitting in a secluded part of the library. I know this because on one of the bookshelves my fingerprints are still there from three months ago. Lainey has been giving me the 'silent treatment' for the past couple of days, and I seriously don't want to talk to her. So now, I am doing my homework away from everyone else. I glanced at the bookcase and saw weird potion books and something about poetry. 'Dark Potions of the 13th century.' I pulled it out and looked at it with horror and fascination. I probably stared at it for five minutes before forcing myself to put it back. I glanced down at my copy of remedial potions, and picked it up. Now, I'm not a fan of snape, but I do enjoy potions. I scanned through the tattered old pages that I had made so many notes on. I found it in Braden's old room, before he went to play quidditch. I feel so distanced from everybody as I sit here. And the scary thing is, I'm actually OK with it. I don't want to be some sort of recluse. I just feel like being alone at the moment.

I flipped through the pages that I had somewhat memorized, before putting it in my bag. I put all of my things up before looking at my wristwatch. It's only 8:40. I need to be in the common room at ten, so I'm fine. I decided to write back to Macy. It must be boring for her to only have Morris to talk to. I told her I agreed and then I sent her some candy I had stashed away under my bed. So I'd say we're pretty even, considering the fact that I sent her blue rock candy. I walked all the way to the owlery, in the cold snow that just wouldn't stop falling, with only a thin pair of black nylons and a hogwarts jumper, seeing as I forgot how far away the owlery was. I was shaking, and was so relieved when I got to the owlery.

"Hey, Katie." I turned to see Matty smiling at me.

"Hey, Matthew," I grinned, and walked over to a large brown owl before tying the letter to it's ankle and sending him off.

"You know Valentine's Day is only two weeks away," he started.

"Really? Wow. Time just flys by." I said, but my heart was thumping around in my chest so hard it was almost painful.

"Yeah, it does. I figured that because of this, I should go ahead and get a date for that Hogsmeade weekend. You know, a Valentine," he said.

"Oh, that's a good idea," I said, leaning against the wall.

"Yeah. You wouldn't happen to already have a Valentine, would you?" he asked, and I tried to contain my smile.

I failed epically.

"Are you trying to ask me on a date?" I questioned.

"Yeah, actually, I am. Would you be willing to accept?"

"Yes," I smiled."Um, I'll see you around, yeah?"

"Definitely,"

•••••••••

I was sitting in the common room, watching some couple snog in a corner. I felt like a weirdo, so I turned to look in the fire.

Lainey won't ever have to know. And if she does find out, it won't matter at all, because she doesn't own him. And Cassidy Moore definitely doesn't own him. And besides, he probably doesn't even know her name! Oh, that was really mean. I just don't understand how she could be mad at me. It makes me sick to think that my friends are that shallow. I need to get more. Oh, that sounds bad.

'Yeah, I don't like my friends no more, so I disposed of them,' just imagine a gruff voice saying it like a country bumpkin.