LIONHEART ❃ george weasley

040 | une, deux, trois

"George was part of it too!"

"Good evening, everyone," greeted a new voice, and Albany glanced curiously to its source. She recognised the face, though she'd never really spoken to the handsome Hufflepuff — Cedric Diggory.

"Diggory," Fred greeted the dark-haired boy coolly, as Angelina casually eyed Cedric up and down with a grin.

"Weasley," Cedric returned politely with a warm smile. "I don't suppose anyone here has seen Cho Chang?"

"Your date?" Alicia assumed, pouting as Cedric nodded. She sighed. "No, I don't think she's here yet."

"Ah," Cedric said with a nod. "Well, thanks anyway." He glanced to Albany, then, who felt suddenly shy under the boy's gaze. "Albany, right?"

"Yeah," she replied, a little too quickly. "Right. Bronwen."

Cedric smiled at her while she innerly cursed herself for sounding stupid.

"Congrats on your success with the first task," he said. "That stunt with the dragon was pretty impressive. I would've loved to be a champion, but I'm not sure I could've lived up to that."

He laughed lightly, and Albany shook her head. "I'm sure you would've," she assured him awkwardly.

Cedric shrugged. "Guess we'll never know. But good luck with the rest of the tournament, and with the dance tonight."

Albany nodded, trying to swallowing the rising dread at the reminder. "Yeah, thanks. Er, you too — I mean, with the dance, not the — um, you know what I mean."

He grinned. "I know what you mean. Well then, I'd better go find my date." He waved politely to the group as he turned and left, Alicia and Angelina sighing in his wake.

"I don't get it," Fred remarked dryly. "Why everyone loves him."

"'Course you don't get it, hon, you're ginger," Alicia retorted, elbowing him playfully between the ribs.

Fred winced at the overenthusiastic blow, holding a hand to his side. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing, Freds, you're beautiful," Angelina assured the boy, in the same manner one would console an upset child. She laced her fingers between his, then, with one hand, and kissed him on the cheek. "I think the dance will be starting soon."

Albany was gaping at the pair, suddenly troubled with a loss for words. "Wait — you're not — are you—?"

"Together?" Angelina finished, smiling at the girl. "Well, Fred asked me out a little while ago—"

"A little while ago?!" Albany echoed, turning a fearsome glare on the redhead. "You didn't tell me?!"

Fred's ears had turned bright red. "I thought you were maybe too busy — didn't want to distract you—"

"Distract me?! Fred Weasley, I am your best friend — who else knew?!"

Nobody else seemed incredibly surprised by this new information; Lee was staring with wide eyes at his shoes, and Alicia busied herself with fixing her hair. Albany gaped.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me—"

"You're not mad, are you?" Fred asked, almost nervously.

"No!" Albany shouted, in a tone that suggested otherwise. "I am very, very happy for you both!"

"Miss Bronwen?" called Professor McGonagall, hurrying over in traditional dress robes of her own. "The dance will be starting, if you and your date will follow me...."