CHAPTER 9

                                    

                                          
It had been almost a week since we learnt that the Yule Ball was going to take place. The constant chattering of excited girls and boys talking about it was nauseating. I was excited but at the same time, I felt dread fill inside of me as I pictured myself dancing. Stepping on everyone's feet and falling around rather.
                          
"Has anyone asked you yet?" I nudged Hermione as she was bent over her ancient runes book.
                          
She didn't look up at me but I could see a blush forming on her cheeks.
                          
"Someone did ask you!" I gasped.
                          
"N-no one did" She said, burying her head deeper into her book.
                          
I saw Amelie walking up to me with a giant smile on her face.
                          
"Guess what?" She said, sitting next to me.
                          
I looked at her face, trying to gauge her facial expressions.
                          
"Someone asked you to the ball?" I guessed.
                          
"Yesss" She squealed.
                          
"Who?" I knew it wouldn't have taken her long to get a date, her radiant beauty surely turned heads of all the boys and a few girls in the school.
                          
"Dean!"
                          
"Dean Thomas?"
                          
"Yes, and he is so sweet" She smiled before looking at me.
                          
"Has anyone asked you yet?" she asked me.
                          
"No"
                          
"What about the redhead?"
                          
"You're going to have to be a lot more specific"
                          
"The name Fred ring a bell?"
                          
"Why would Fred ask me to the ball? I'm sure he's got someone else in mind"
                          
"You're so oblivious Alice, who're you going with Hermione?" Amelie asked, looking at her.
                          
Hermione shut her books and put them in her bag.
                          
"You know what, I'm really really late for class" She said before running out of The Great Hall.
                          
"But it's Saturday today" Amelie said. I shrugged back at her.
                          
"Is there anyone you're hoping asks you?" Amelie questioned, doodling on the corner of my arithmancy book with a quill.
                          
I thought about what she had said earlier, Fred's face passed my mind but I quickly pushed the thought away. Why would I want Fred to ask me?
                          
"No not really"
                          
"C'mon there's so many cute guys at Hogwarts, there has to be someone, is it Cedric?" 
                          
"No! Really Amelie, I can't think of anyone I want to go with"
                          
"Hey Alice, Amelie" Cedric said, sitting next to me.
                          
There was a pause as an awkward silence filled the air.
                          
Amelie suddenly banged the table with her hand, getting up in a hurry.
                          
"Oh! I completely forgot I have to..uh..water..water my owl, see you!" She practically ran out of the Great Hall.
                          
I wanted to slap her, I knew exactly what she wanted, to leave me alone with Cedric. 
                          
"Water her what?" Cedric's face was masked with confusion.
                          
"Don't ask me" I sighed.
                          
"So do you have a date to the ball yet?" He asked, drumming his fingers on the table.
                          
"No, I don't" I flipped through the pages of my book, not actually reading anything.
                          
"Since neither of us have dates, do you want to go with me? As friends of course, nothing more, I promise" He looked at me hopefully.