I would like to dedicate this chapter to .i.dont.get.it., who gave me a super banner. My first banner, actually, which made me unreasonably happy. So, any oddities in this can be attributed to her. Hah.
My problem with getting this chapter out was that, after the first chapter, I have only slightly vague ideas of what to do until the Hogsmeade weekend, and then the Yule Ball, and big things from then on. Also: I need to move quickly enough so that you don't get bored, but slowly enough that you get properly attached to the characters. (Sighs) Oh, well...
Also. This is a filler chapter. Sorry, but there is very little to say between The Tryst and Hogsmeade, which is a week, and then until the First Task (another week), and then until the Yule Ball (a month, and a day). Then it starts flowing better. Sorry, guys!
You would think, wouldn't you, that after a heart has been broken, it isn't easy to get past. To go on with your normal way of life, as if nothing had happened. And you would be right, to a point.
It was dreadfully hard to get past. I had to force myself not to think of it, not to keep bringing it up to the point of overkill, not to cry about it at every opportunity. It was awful, the first three or four days. Every time I began to think of him, I had to find something to do to distract myself. I would strike up a conversation with whoever was nearest me, and throw myself wholeheartedly into that.
Caly, bless her heart, thought that I was actually becoming interested in the castle gossip. Any time something shocking or scandalous happened (which was roughly every five minutes) it would be whispered into my ear, or written on a piece of paper that would suddenly appear on my desk. I learned more about Cedric Diggory and Viktor Krum in those four days than I had learned in school for the whole year. It amused me, if vaguely, that Caly could devote so much attention to little details like that, when she cold barely even remember the summoning charm that we were learning in Charms!
Nothing special happened in those four days that would specifically distract me from anything. It was all just as it had been since the end of October when Beauxbatons and Durmstrang had arrived. Chaos was the new normal in Hogwarts. Tuesday afternoon, after we just barely made it through potions class, Caly and I were wandering around the halls waiting for dinnertime to come. As lazy as we were, we didn't want to start on homework yet.
The two of us were making our way from our common room to the library to meet Lav, Parvati and Padma to go outside when Caly suddenly stopped in her tracks, an extremely shocked expression on her smooth face.
"What?" I asked, also stopping. I glanced the way she was looking, saw only two Durmstrang students, and then looked back at her. "What?"
She turned to look at me, eyes full of wonder. "You idiot!" she exclaimed. I raised a single eyebrow as she continued, "That is Andrei Balakov and Alexander Petrova!"
Caly paused. Clearly this was supposed to make some sort of grand impression on me. Was I supposed to gasp in shock and faint? "So?"
" 'So'?" She hissed, lowering her voice so that the approaching Bulgarians wouldn't be able to hear her. "So, aside from Viktor Krum, they're the most eligible bachelors from that school!" There was another pause, as (again) I was supposed to do something dramatic.
I did. I sighed heavily and shook my head at her. "You're an idiot," I said kindly.
Whatever remark she would have given me--something that I'm sure would have been incredibly witty and intelligent--was cut short as Andrei and Alexander stopped just in front of us. Caly about fainted, because it was clear they were going to talk to us. There was enough room for them to pass us if they wanted to.
They bowed slightly, like I'd seen Durmstrang students do to other girls, and smiled. The one on the left, the one closest to where I was standing, said, "I vould be honored if you vould consider going to Hogzmeade viz me this veekend."
Caly squeaked. Loudly. Then she coughed, pretending like that's what she had done originally. I glanced at her, and she sent me a look that clearly said, If you say no, I will personally beat you to death with my potions text.
I looked back at him. Was he Andrei or Alexander? "I would love to!" I replied, before I had time to think very much about it. Beside me, I felt Caly relax. I grinned slightly at that, but Alexander (Andrei?) thought I was smiling at him.
He grinned at me, and they both did that bowing thing again. The other student, the one closer to Caly, winked at her as they walked away.
We remained silent for several seconds, giving the boys time to walk around the corner. The Caly squealed loudly and gave me a hug.
"Merlin!" she shrieked, squeezing me so tightly that I could barely breathe. "I hate you!"
I pulled away and brushed self-consciously at the wrinkles in my clothes. "Don't do that," I commanded, a hint of a whine in my voice. Caly crossed her arms and stared at me. "Okay," I sighed, finally taking the bait. "Why?"
She raised her eyebrows at me, though it was clear she was trying to raise just one. "Alexander Petrova just asked you out on a date." She paused, waiting for the news to sink in, and then continued when she realized it was hopeless. "And you don't even care!"
I rolled my eyes at her, again, and continued walking towards the library. "We're late," I informed her, weakly changing the subject. She harrumphed, and began following me, muttering angrily under her breath.
Smiling in a slightly exasperated way, I ignored her.
Tuesday passed, and Wednesday came. Wednesday was my favorite day of the week, because I had my two favorite classes: Charms and Muggle Studies. Although, according to my uncle, who's a Muggle, Muggle Studies is rubbish. He got a hold of my MS text last year, and was laughing the whole way through.
In Charms, we were still working on summoning and expelling charms. As much as I loved Charms class, and Professor Flitwick, I was getting bored. But, even so, Charms was fun. I threw my pillows around the room, hitting various people in the face or head, giggling quietly to myself the whole time.
About a quarter of an hour into the class, there was a sudden shift next to me. I glanced over to where Caly had been standing. Lavender was there, pretending like she was working.
There was a short silence between us as I stared at her and she ignored me, then she whispered, "Is it true what Caly said?"
"Mmm, about what?" Like I didn't know what was going on. The rumor mill was going at full speed this year, and I had just been dropped into the middle of it.
Lavender sent me a disbelieving look, forgetting to pretend like she was working. I sent a pillow flying at Seamus, and he sent me an amused look before sending it back at me. It missed by several yards, hitting Professor Flitwick instead. "About you and Alexander!"
Another pillow sent at Seamus this time he ducked, and it hit Justin Finch-Fletchley in the back of his head. Justin spun around, looking at Seamus accusingly. The Irishman pointed across at me, but Justin didn't believe him.
"What did she say about Alexander and me?" I asked, giggling quietly to myself.
Lav sighed dramatically. "She said that he asked you out to Hogsmeade on Saturday, and that you said yes, and that she thinks that you don't really like him."
This time the pillow made it's way to Caly's face. She squeaked, and glared at Seamus. "Why does everyone assume that I'm the one hitting them with pillows?" He demanded loudly. Professor Flitwick, across the room, made such a face that made us all laugh loudly. Seamus flushed and sent a pillow neatly into the box. He looked so surprised that I wasn't sure what he was aiming for.
Putting my wand in my pocket, I looked at Caly. "He did ask me out, and he did say yes. I don't know him well enough to know if I like him or not! That's what I'm going to do on the date." I paused for a moment, and then added, "If you can really call it that, I mean. It's all a bit iffy." I made a face, but Lavender wasn't amused.
"If you don't like him, why are you going out with him?" She demanded angrily, putting her hands on her hips. I raised an eyebrow at her. "Leave him for the rest of us!"
I laughed, trying vainly to smother the sound by covering my mouth with my hands. "You're such a nutter," I said. She looked offended, so I elaborated. "You, my friend, are jealous. Because I got a date, and you're still waiting for certain people to ask you out." I glanced meaningfully at Seamus, then back at Lav. I winked, and she blushed. "How have you managed to keep that a secret?"
"I-haven't told anyone but you."
Ah, yes. Me, the secret-keeper of Gryffindor. Hmphm. I rolled my eyes and said, "Can we please change the subject?" I pushed a lock of hair behind my ear and made a face.
Lav rolled her eyes and grinned. "What about Andrei? Caly said that he winked at her..."
At dinner that night, the whole Hall was buzzing with the news of who asked who out, who turned who down, et cetera.
Apparently, some of the Durmstrang boys had been claiming the older girls for themselves, which made the younger ones mad. I smirked softly to myself, reveling in the fact that I got asked out, even if I wasn't quite attracted to Alexander as I made Lavender believe.
As I sat across from Caly, I was immediately hit with a barrage of information about people I didn't even know, and didn't even care about.
I pretended like I did. Isn't that what good friends are for?
Continue...
Er. Yeah. Rate?
