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Payton's POV
                          
Wow I'm great at giving advice.
                          
I laughed as Meghan's eyes lit up. She hurried out of the dormitory. I heard her let out a squeal when it was shut. Oh, Meghan.
                          
I pulled out Unfogging the Future and got settled in my bed for a nice study session. No sooner had I opened the book then the door was thrust open and someone jumped onto my bed before I even had a chance to scream.
                          
"MACI!" I yelled. "What the-? What is your problem, girl?"
                          
She let out a giddy laugh and grinned. 
                          
"Problem?" she questioned, in a dreamy sing-song voice. "I have no problems, Payton. None at all!"
                          
What's gotten into her? I wondered.
                          
"What's up with you?" I asked, trying to get her off of me. I couldn't breathe, she was crushing me!
                          
"Well, if you must know," she said in that dreadful sing-song voice, "I was on a date."
                          
"Really?" I said, trying my best to make it apparent that I already knew that.
                          
"Yes!" she said, squealing with excitement.
                          
"Well you don't have to be all giddy about it!" I remarked, laughing at her a bit.
                          
"I'm sorry! I can't help it! I've been like this all night!" she squealed, resting her head in her hands and fluttering her eyes.
                          
"Well, go on! Who's the lucky fella' who got to put up with your giggling fit all evening?" I teased.
                          
She took a deep breath as if about to announce something very important. She looked up towards the ceiling in a loving gaze.
                          
"Fred Weasley!" she whispered, before collapsing on my bed in a fit of giggles.
                          
"No..." I whispered, hardly believing my ears.
                          
"I know! I couldn't believe it either!" she whispered.
                          
"It's not that," I snapped, but she was too excited to notice the hint of fury in my voice.
                          
"I've got to go, Mace," I said angrily. Still, she took no notice of my attitude.
                          
"Kay! See ya when you get back!" she replied.
                          
I rushed down the stairs and out of the common room. I barged into the kitchen, but he wasn't there. Apologizing to the house elves, I left again and ran upstairs.
                          

                          
"Balderdash," I whispered to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She gave me an irritable snuff, but reluctantly swung forward. The Gryffindors looked up when they heard me enter. Some acknowledged me, others turned back to what they were doing. It wasn't uncommon for me to be in their common room, even though I was a Hufflepuff.
                          

                          
"Frederick Weasley!" I called as I approached him and George.
                          
"Payton O'Hara!" he called back.
                          
"Don't be stupid with me, Frederick!" I snapped.
                          
"Frederick?" chimed in George. "Watch it, Freddie, you're in trouble!"
                          
"What'd I do?" asked Fred.
                          
"You took Maci on a date, did you?" I peered down at him accusingly, with my hands on my hips.
                          
"Yeah, I did," he replied, "Why do you care?"
                          
"Jealous, are you?" teased George.
                          
"In your dreams," I said with a smirk.
                          
"Honestly, why do you care I took Maci on a date?" asked Fred, stroking his imaginary beard.
                          
"Well, she appears to have enjoyed herself quite a bit," I stated.
                          
"So? She digs me! Not a crime, is it?"
                          
"Well, Frederick," I sighed. George laughed, and I gave him a good kick in the shin. "You aren't exactly good at keeping a steady girlfriend."
                          
At this remark, George literally fell over. He started laughing so hard that his face turned the color of his hair, and he started coughing.
                          
"That might be true," said Fred, "but still, why do you care?
                          
"I care because Maci happens to be my friend!" I said, putting my hands on my head and sighing.
                          
"Alright, well what do you want me to do?" he asked.
                          
"Just don't hurt her, okay? She's got enough to deal with right now."
                          
"I won't, I promise," he said seriously. It was the first time I think I ever heard him say something with such sincerity in his voice.
                          
"Good. I'll see you guys later," I said as I trudged away.
                          

                          
"Wait! Payton!"
                          
I turned around. George had gotten up.
                          
"Can I help you?" I asked in a friendlier tone than I had used with his twin.
                          
"Yeah, er, I was wondering if you would like or er, be willing to help me- er, Fred and me with some-" he lowered his voice "-product testing tomorow?"
                          
"You're not going to make me eat another one of those dreadful Skiving Snackboxes again, are you?" I asked, grinning.
                          
"Keep your voice down!" whispered George, but he was grinning too. "Sorry about that. Freddie and I've been improving them."
                          
"Is that a no?" I asked.
                          
"We'll see," he whispered, grinning madly.
                          
"Well, alright I'll help you," I agreed after a moment's consideration.
                          
"Great. Come here after dinner, okay?"
                          
"Sure!" I said. My knees were shaking a bit with excitement.
                          
George nodded excitedly, and hurried off towards Fred again.
                          
I left the Gryffindor common room, a bit nervous, but excited nonetheless about the next day.
                          

                          
When I entered the dormitory, it was deserted. I got back on my bed to resume studying.
                          
After a few minutes, Meghan came in. Her face was expressionless, and she walked stiffly to her bed. She fell face first onto her pillow.
                          
"Meghan!" I whispered. "Are you alright?"
                          
"No I'm not," she said in a muffled voice.
                          
"Well, what's wrong?" I asked.
                          
"I think I'm in love with Cedric Diggory."