VANESSA'S POV:
It's been a few days since I talked to Cedric, and Fred hasn't talked to me since then. Harry, Ron, and Hermione have started hanging around me again, Ron has even apologized, though I assume Hermione forced him to.
I glance around the common room where Fred, George, Lee, Ron, Harry, Lani, McKenna, Hermione, and I are all sitting. I look down at the parchment on my lap, trying to find the right words to describe everlasting elixers for potions class.
"We need to borrow Pigwidgeon." Fred and George say at the same time, making me look up from my homework.
"He's delivering something. You'll have to use a school owl." Ron answers tiredly.
"Alright then. Have you blokes got dates yet?" Fred asks.
"No. Have you?" Harry asks.
"Yes." Fred and George say at the same time.
I sit up at this. I didn't know Fred had a date already.
"Who are you going with?" Ron asks them.
"McKenna." George says simply.
Fred turns to look me in the eye before saying "Angelina Johnson."
I look down at my lap, internally begging the tears forming in my eyes to evaporate. I've been an idiot to assume that Fred and I would go to the ball together. I shake my head, trying to pull myself together, and I turn to gape at McKenna. She shrugs, but I can tell by the grin on her face that it's a big deal to her. I wink at her before motioning to George and she blushes.
"You've already asked them?" Ron asks in amazement.
"Yes." George says.
"Oh, right." Fred says, looking around the room until he finds Angelina playing exploding snap with Alecia Spinnet in a corner. "Oi! Angelina!"
Angelina looks up from her game and looks at Fred.
"Want to go to the ball with me?" He asks, straightening up a bit.
I concentrate my gaze on Harry, Hermione, McKenna, anyone but Fred.
"Alright then." Angelina grins before returning to her game.
I suddenly notice Lee trying to get my attention and move from my spot next to Lani on the couch to follow him to an unoccupied table in the corner of the room, grateful for the opportunity to wipe my tears away from the others.
"So, Nessa, would you want to go to the ball with me, you know... as friends?" Lee asks slowly. This is a bit of a loaded question considering Lani has had a crush on Lee for years.
"You know, I would love to. It would be nice to go with a friend but... why don't you ask Lani? I don't know if I really want to go and deal with all of the judgemental glares and everything. Lani doesn't have a date yet though." I reply after a moment.
"I understand." Lee nods. "I'll ask Lani then."
I give Lee a small smile before I stand and leave the room, noticing that Fred is watching me go. A single tear betrays me at the last second and slides down my cheek as I walk away from my friends. Why did he have to ask her in front of me? He probably didn't think anything of it, didn't think it would effect me at all, and it probably shouldn't have, but it did. I'm hurt, but I can't let him know that. Maybe I did ruin our friendship by kissing him. I clear these thoughts from my mind.
It doesn't matter, I can go with someone else. I'm overreacting, it'll be fine.... or maybe I just shouldn't go at all like I told Lee I would do. I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings, telling him that I wasn't going and then go with someone else. Who else would want to go with me anyway now that all my friends have dates? I stalk back to my dorm and flop onto my bed. I mentally scold myself for letting Fred Weasley of all people get to me.
After a while, Lani comes up and tries to convince me to come down to dinner. I tell her that I'm not hungry, but she insists that I come down anyway. Eventually, I get up and go to dinner with her, hoping that my face is clear of blotchy red streaks.
When we reach the great hall, I sit across from the boys, between Lani and McKenna. I don't eat. I just push around the food on my plate, glaring at the table.
"Aren't you going to eat?" McKenna asks.
"I'm not very hungry." I mutter, earning overdramatic gasps from the twins.
"Vanessa Redwood? Not hungry?" George gasps in a teasing tone.
"I can't imagine such a thing." Fred adds.
I ignore them and stab my food with my fork repeatedly.
"Carefull Ness, don't break the plate." George comments.
"Yeah." I mumble.
"Seriously, what's wrong, Nessa? This isn't like you." Fred says, his usual lopsided grin gone.
"It's nothing, I'm fine." I say, doing my best not to glare at him.
"I didn't want to do this, but, you've forced my hand." McKenna smiles, taking my fork, filling it with food, and flinging it onto my face.
My eyes widen, and I gasp, making the others laugh. I slowly turn to look at McKenna.
"This. Means. War." I say. Everyone laughs, picking up their forks and grinning at each other.
I shove a handful of mashed potatoes in McKenna's face and soon after, a food fight breaks out and globs of mashed potatoes are flying through the air. Fred flings a spoonful of potatoes at me. I'm about to throw some right back at him, when I stop and think a moment, looking at Fred's face, which is also covered in potatoes.
"You're covered in potatoes, love." I say, mocking him, he feigns a hurt expression. I grin mischievously at him. "Looks like you need some gravy."
And with that, I dump the contents of a large gravy boat all over his head, and oddly feel a lot better
"Hey!" Fred exclaims through the gravy. He's about to retaliate, holding a bowl of jelly above my head, and I brace myself.
"That is quite enough!" McGonagall's voice says from behind me. "Detention, all of you. One week. Now go get cleaned up."
Great, now I have detention with Snape and McGonagall. Fred sets down the jelly, and the six of us stand and leave the great hall with everyone's eyes on us.