Lizzie's POV
A week and a half passed by, and I was getting closer and closer, day by day, to my deathbed. I was beginning to doubt my situation of whether I should tell my friends or not. I didn't want them to be upset, but at the same time, I didn't want them pissed at me for not telling them.
To be honest, this entire situation was confusing. Even I was confusing myself now. I wasn't as mad as I was with Al as before. I mainly just wanted to be his best friend again, even if we didn't end up together. I know I shouldn't forgive him, for everything he's done. But I was willing to talk to him again. But I wasn't willing to be close as how we were before.
I wasn't sure if I hated Al anymore. Did I hate him? or do I want my best friend back. Or further more, do I want him more than a best friend?
I still remembered that stupid dream I had of Al back when I was in the infirmary. Well, erm, technically, it was of me talking to my conscience, however it was in the form of Al...
Weird.
ANYWAY, I still needed Maci to keep her fat gob shut. If my friends were gonna find out, they had to hear it from me. Not from that cotton headed ninny strumpet.
Yes, I was referring to Maci.
And no, her head wasn't cotten, or even cottony looking.
Actually, I think that was a compliment. Cottons are soft, and I'd just be saying that she has soft hair.
You know what? I take it back! To me, and probably ever other girl, she's just a strumpet.
I knew I was hurting myself for not fighting for Al, but if I came in between her and Al, she'd open her mouth just as how she would open her legs.
Oh that's gross.
But anyway, Rose and I were walking to this big unused classroom McGonnagal and Professor Longbottom told all the 5th year Gryffindors to go to after lunch. We didn't know what it was about, but I didn't complain.
I got the excuse to ditch Herbology.
Hell yeah.
Herbology was alright, I guess. But it was such a pain in the butt. I didn't mind working with plants. The only thing I pretty much hated was all the hand written work. I was more of a hands on type of girl. Which is why I like potions.
"What do you think this whole things about?" Rose asked curiously as we made our way to A307.
I simply shrugged. It was odd though, how McGonnagal wanted to see us. "You think we're all in trouble? I mean she only called in the 5th year Gryffindors. You think we got caught from that victory party we had a week ago!" I asked.
"I highly doubt it. I mean, every year in Gryffindor was there at the party. If it was about that, then she would've called in the entire house." She explained. "But I hope we're not in troubleI hope not! I haven't done anything! But you think they wanted to talk to us about drama? Or the problems that's going around lately?"
"The only drama that's happening right now mainly surrounds me, Al, and the Queen of Slytherin." I rolled my eyes. We nicknamed Maci the Queen of Slythering, because...Well, she practically belonged in Slytherin! "So, hows Scorpius?" I asked cooly, wanting to change the subject.
She snapped her head to me, her eyes widening. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said quickly, then looking down, a small blush creeping up on her face. I didn't know why she bothered trying to covering it up.
She's pale for crying out loud! I think it would be pretty obvious whether she was blushing or not.
She wasn't named Rose for nothing.
"Don't try and deny things with me, Weasley. You first name's finally defining you. You and your rosy cheeks." I told her. "Now, tell me about Scorp."
She sighed. "Fine." She began. "I'll be honest, I like Scorpius. There. I said it."
I grinned happily. "Finally, you've admitted it! I could tell since from the beginning, really. And by the way you two got along at the victory party last week, you two were practically shouting it to the world that you fancied each other."
"We were not!" She exclaimed.
"Well not literally. But he does fancy you back. I can obviously see that."
"He doesn't fancy me." She says in a small voice.
"Everyone's not blind, Rose. But apparently, you are. Merlin, you're turning into me." I groaned. "For the past weeks, he's been trying to cheer you up. At the victory party, he danced with you and made himself look bad just to make you smile. He sneaks a look at you during potions, and tries to be close with you. When he noticed you got all depressed, he was actually concerned. He fancies you, Rose."
Once again the oblivious woman stared at me wide-eyed. She didn't know what to say from what I can tell. "I-erm...No..eh." She stuttered, for the first time ever, Rose Weasley was completely speechless.
About time.
I smirked in victory of this banter. Ha, my witty-ness totally trumped her stutteringness.
Yeah, "stutteringness" is a word...
In my world.
We eventually arrived after a minute. The classroom was big, spacious, but mostly empty. The entire room basically consisted of a bunch of chairs grouped lined up together on both sides of the room. There was a large gap in the middle, completely empty. Then in the corner was some type of old school record player.
Oh god, I don't even know why our school still has that. It's 2021 for Merlin's beard! Record players was so... 30 years ago.
"Yeah, I'm really confuse now." I tell Rose, surveying the room.
"Girls on the left side, boys on the other." Professor Longbottom told me and a bunch of people who walked in the same time as we did. There was a couple people already sitting down, Al and Maci being one of them. I manage to avoid Al's gaze, and Rose and I sat as far away we could from Maci.
As soon as all the seats were filled up, Professor Longbottom spoke. "Welcome, 5th years." He began. "Now, I'm sure you're all wondering what you're doing here. I'll leave Professor McGonnagal to explain that."
"Thank you Professor." The old woman said. "Now, this year, the teachers and I have decided to have the Spring Ball. Which is, in other words, a dance."
Everyone in the room erupted in murmurs. All the girls were speaking excitedly, the boys however, were a bit more hushed about it.
Professor Longbottom shushed everyone, letting the headmistress continue. "Now, I know that this is 2012, and I have already noted that you prefer jumping around, listening and dancing to music that is otherwise, not classical, but every dance (aside from the Yule Ball, of course) that has been hosted at Hogwarts has had at least one traditional dance. For every dance that was hosted, one house is selected to perform the traditional dance. For this dance, the House of Godric Gryffindor was chosen, meaning all of you must do the traditional ball room dance." I looked across the room, looking at all the boys, having a distressed look upon their face. They didn't mind dances, but ballroom? Ha, they hated it. "The 6th and 7th years are also doing it as well. I have been working which each grade separately. Now, when a girl dances, a beautiful swan is about to escape, but for the boy who chooses to capture the swan. Mr. Potter?" She turns to Al, who had murmured something to one of his friends.
"Uh, what?" He asked nervously.
"Maybe you would like to join me?" She asked. Stretching her hand out to him.
"M-me?"
She nodded. "Why yes, according to your mother and your father, you and everyone in your family have been taught how to dance, due to attending formal functions. Now, come here. You'll be my first example." He stood up slowly, then as he made his way towards her, she instructed Neville to play the song off the record player. When the song ended, everyone clapped, but held back the urge to laugh.
The headmistress started going on, on how to hold the girl, and the steps to be made. As they danced to no music, I tried to held back my laughter, but failed miserably. My laugh came out more of a choke and a chuckle, and a failed attempt at laughing.
"Is there a problem, Miss Hart?" She asked me.
I felt a blush creeping up on my cheeks.
I hated it when people called me out.
"U-uh, no. I just, choked on something. Sorry." I said, looking at the ground.
"Well, since I have your attention, why don't you come up here and be an example and dance with Potter here." She said. My head snapped up as she said this
Oh, hell no.
I don't want to dance with him!
"Uh, I don't know how to dance ballroom. How about Rose? She's a fantastic ballroom dancer." I suggested, pointing hopefully towards my friend.
"Me! What do you mean you don't know how to dance? Everyone who's seen you dance ballroom knows you're quite great at it. You're better than me, even! You were doing quite amazingly last year at the ministries' Christmas gathering! Your grandmother taught you when you were eleven, remember?" Rose said, not even realizing that she was gonna make me go up there. I glared at my best friend, hoping that she'd burst into flames at anymoment. But unfortunately, no such luck. First, she blabs to James, and now...She tells the whole world I know how to ballroom dance.
I looked towards McGonnagal, who raised a suggestive eyebrow at me. I mentally groaned. But sighed out heavily, then got up from my seat, then muttered "Thanks alot, Rose." as I made my way towards Al and the headmistress.
"Now, position yourselves. Potter, place your hand on her waist." She instructed, but gained a few wolf whistles as Al grabbed ahold of my waist. I glared at the guys who did it. His hand was held in mine, and it was sort of sweaty. He was nervous. I could tell. "Now, Miss Hart, place your free hand on his shoulder, like that. Good." The professor trailed on how we should be positioned, where our hands should and should not be.
As I stood in the same position, and ever since I approached to be McGonnagal's example, I avoided Al's eyes. I didn't even look at his face. Anything above his neck, I didn't look at. But the whole entire time I was with him, I could feel his stare burn right through my face. I was looking left and right, at McGonnagal, at the ground, the ceiling. Basically, anywhere that didn't have Al in it.
I knew that if I looked into those bright green eyes of his, I'd pity him, and eventually take him back. But I knew I couldn't.
McGonnagal eventually made us dance, and to be honest, I sort of found it fun to dance with him. He was a fairly decent dancer. He didn't step on my feet, or anything like that. I found myself smiling a few times, but when I was tempted to look at him, I had to snap out of everything.
"Well done!" Neville said when we finished dancing. We both took a small bow as everyone clapped. As soon as the song and our dance was done, I took a step back away from Al. "Now, Al and Lizzie both are excellent dancers. They know their moves, and the steps, and their positions. However, they're missing one thing." We both looked at him, confused as he spoke to the crowd. "Eye contact. Always look at your partner when you dance." I mentally scowled. It would be rude if I actually did. But I didn't want to look at Al. I haven't looked him in the eye since the incident. It was all weird for me. I just didn't have the guts. I didn't want to see the pain in his eyes. "Go ahead you two. Make eye contact- No, Miss Hart, that's Mr. Potter's chin you're looking a- no, that's his forehead- There you go! Miss Hart, try not and give your partner a cold stare."
I almost cracked when I saw his eyes. There it was, his bright green eyes. Although, his wasn't as bright as before. I could make out that he had a hurt look in his eyes...Confusion, pain, and sadness. I tried my best to give him an empty look.
"Now everyone please get up and find yourself a partner. A girl and a boy." The headmistress said. I released myself from Al and was about to find another partner, but Professor McGonnagal spoke, "Ah, where are you going, Miss Hart?"
I jerked a thumb over my shoulder. "Going to find a partner." I said. As I looked between her and Al, who looked slightly hurt that I didn't want to be near him.
"You already have one. Go on, return to your positions with Potter." She instructed. I was about to argue, but kept my mouth shut. I didn't want detention for complaining, or smart mouthing to her. Minny (We only called her that to annoy her) wasn't very keen on whining and complaining, especially at her age. She's like what? 80? I dunno.
Everyone eventually found a partner and we all began the lesson. An hour later, we were done. To be honest, Al and I did a good job. Throughout the whole dance thing, Al kept his eyes glued to me, hoping to make some kind of connection to me. But before I could run off to find Rose, Professor Longbottom made an announcement.
"Well done everyone. Make sure your practice your steps, so you don't look ridiculous. Now, as the headmistress and I were watching, we have also been testing you. We were testing you to see who was the best pair when it came to dancing. The chosen pair, will be the ones to lead the Gryffindor house in dance. And we have also already tested the 6th and 7th years, and we came to a decision to who was the best pair our of the 5th, 6th and 7th years. Now, the pair that will be chosen will be your partner for this number." Nevill said. A lot of people was murmuring around us. To be honest, I didn't really care about it that much and I wasn't into ballroom as much as I was before. But it would've been nice to lead everyone in dance. The only thing that's bothering was the face that if I was chosen, I'd have to dance with Al at the Spring Ball, and I didn't want that at all.
"Now, the pair Professor Longbottom and I had chosen is in your year." Professor McGonnagal said. "The pair that we have chosen is....."
"Miss Hart and Mr. Potter!"
Mostly everyone was clapping. There was also a couple cheers too. People were glad that that 5th years were better at dancing than the grades above us.
Caught up in the moment, and surprisingly, Al and I hugged each other for the first time in excitement. It had been the first time Al and I had shared a hug since Christmas. It was nice hugging him. I still felt safe and comforted when I was in his arms. But then, pushing out all the excitement for being chosen, I bursted back into reality. Our excited hug, softened.
"I've missed you." He whispered in my ear, still hugging.
My eyes widened and I froze. Everything just seemed to tune out.
I've wanted to hug him tighter and tell him that I've missed him too. But I couldn't. It would all be just way to different. Everything in my world would just be shifted if he knew anything. My condition. How I fancied him. Everything.
'Sides, Maci was a couple meters away, glaring at us. I quickly pulled away, took one last look in his eyes, turned, hurried away from the guy I cared for to find Rose.
I bit back my tears, which threatened to pour out. I was just so confuse. I missed my best friend, yet I wanted to make up all over again. But then I couldn't, because of Maci.
Everything just happens to come down to Maci and my condition.
"Rose, I'm so confused! I don't know if I'm mad at him or not! I miss him, that's for sure. But I kinda hate him for doing what he did!" I exclaim, as Rose and I were shopping in Gladrags Wizardwear for our Spring Ball dress, during a Hogsmeade weekend. So far, both of us hasn't found a dress yet. The ball was still a couple weeks away, March 15. And it was still late February. But Rose and I decided to shop early, so we got to choose from a bunch of dresses, before they all disappeared as the ball drew nearer.
"You're confused." Rose pointed out.
"Obviously." I say. "I mean, did you see us? We were just hugging because we were just in the moment, and I wasn't thinking. Then he goes and whispers that he misses me!" Rose snapped her head in my direction, from the rack of dresses and widened her eyes.
"What? He did!"
"It was so unexpected! And you know what I do? I pull away, look at him one last time, and do the most dumbest thing ever."
Rose raised her hands to her mouth. "You didn't slap him, did you!"
I scoff. "As if. I ran away! That's what I did." Rose sighed in relief. "It was a coward thing of me to do. But nice suggestion though, I think I might just slap him."
Rose widened her eyes. "Don't do that! Violence is never the answer!" I rolled my eyes at her. She's caused violence. Mostly verbal violence. She doesn't believe in physical violence.
"But we hugged." I said, as I sat in a chair nearby, slumping in my seat. "I haven't hugged him since Christmas."
"You pushed past all your feelings, Sam." Rose said quietly. "That's why it seemed fine at the time."
"It just hurts you know?" I whined. "I don't want it to hurt. I miss my best friend. I miss him, in general."
"Well you need to forget for awhile now." She said sternly. "Focus on the ball right now. You are leading the dance after all."
I groaned. "And I have to dance with him too!"
"Oh, for Merlin's sake. Stop moping around and quite your whining." Rose said. "Now tell me, have you got a date yet? Oh wait, no. You got Al."
I widened me eyes. "Roe, it's only been 2 days since the announcement of the ball. I can't get a date that fast! and no! I don't, Al's just my partner for when we dance. I can have a completely different date though. 'Sides, he has McLoughlin." I protested. "How about you? When is Malfoy going to ask you to the ball?"
Rose blushed. "Oh, I don't think he'll ask me."
"We're not gonna go through this again, are we?" I asked.
Rose rolled her eyes. "Oh I don't know, Liz. I want him to ask me, I just don't know when, or if he'll ask me."
"Well, you always have Jones!" I announced. Dustin Jones was who asked Rose to be his partner for the dance. Dustin Jones was a fairly handsome boy. Blonde hair, dark eyes, built body. Nice bloke.
All in all, he was pretty smoking (As the Americans say). He fancied Rose back in 3rd year, but never had the guts to ask her out. He was still a good friend to everyone.
"Jones fancies a girl in Ravenclaw. Told me himself in Charms. He's only partnered with me because he's my friend, and former potions partner." She hissed. "How about you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Who're you going with?"
"Oh, I don't know." I say as I got up from my seat, and headed for the racks, continuing my journey to find a suitable dress.
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
"Not really." I say truthfully. I haven't really taken a fancy to many boys.
"Well, Aiden's going to ask you for sure."
"And I'd say no."
"Why not? He's a nice bloke, aside from the fact that he has a massive crush on you."
"I'm just not into it." I tell her.
"How about Charlie Wells?"
"Charlie! Are you kidding me? I'd be going with a loon."
"MIchael Bolton."
"Hufflepuff."
"What's wrong with Hufflepuff?" Rose protested.
"They're seriously clingy. I wouldn't be able to squeeze a dance from anyone else aside from him."
"James."
"Potter?
She shook her head. "Wendley"
"It'd be awkward for sure."
"He's fit!"
"Yeah, but also and incredibly hard to be with. He's not a good laugh. He's too serious, he scares me sometimes. No wonder he's in Slytherin."
"He's nice though. You know, for a Slytherin." She tells me.
I nod my head. "Yeah, but I just don't want him." I tell her. "I might just go with one of your cousins or something."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I mean, they're fun to be with. At least I'll have a good night."
"Yeah, I guess they're alright. I just though you would want a nice date, that's all." Rose said.
"They are nice. I just don't take a much of a fancy to many blokes in our school. I don't know a lot of them very well. Sure, I know them, or of them, and some may be cute. But It'd be weird, you know?" I explained. Rose nodded, understanding.
Ugh. I got 4 problems now.
1. Maci
2. Al
3. My Condition
and
4. Find a date for the Spring Ball