Just Breathe || Ron Weasley

t e n

Chapter: Ten

Dateless

After a long day in detention for punching some Slytherin, Hailey was finally going back to the common room. She needed nothing more than just to sleep in. Just as she was about to say the password, familiar ginger stopped her.

"Freddie." She smiled. "How are you?"

"I'm good." He said. "You?"

"Shitty." She said with a smile. "But that's nothing new, I guess."

"Look, let me be a bit straightforward." He said with a laugh. "Do you have a date yet? I don't have anyone to go with. Plus I have a bet with George. That ugly bloke says I can't have a date. So we can go together as friends." That seemed like a good idea. Fred and George were really good friends of hers. So what's wrong with going with him. Plus she too didn't want to go alone. Hermione said she too had a date but didn't want to reveal who it was. "Please say yes. I've got five galleons on the line."

"That sounds like a plan." She said with a laugh.

"You're a lifesaver Hails. See you then." He said before giving her a short hug and running away. He was one weird guy.

The first thing she noticed walking into the common room was the cluster of people surrounding the room who was sitting on the sofa. Looking as if he just saw a ghost. "What happened?" She asked standing beside Harry, who was on crouching beside Ron.

"He asked Fleur Delacour to the ball."

"And what did she say?"

"Rejected," Hermione replied with a dry laugh. "He even asked me out. At this point, he's just going to have to go alone."

"Wait..." Harry said almost as if something hit him. "You can ask Hailey. She doesn't have a date. Right?" Harry asked facing his sister. Ron's jaws almost dropped to the floor and he felt like he'd pass out any moment. Harry was okay with him going to the ball with Hailey? All this time he didn't ask her mainly because he didn't want to ruin his friendship with Harry.

"W-will you go to the ball with me?"

"I have a date," Hailey replied flatly. Something about Ron asking her out bothered her.

"No you don't," Harry said.

"And why is that?"

"Then tell us," Ron said standing up to appear more intimidating. "Who is the person you're going with?" He didn't want to believe that she had a date. Not that it was impossible. But he just didn't want to believe it.

Something about this bothers Hailey a lot more than it should. What did they mean that she can't have a date? "I can go with however I want. I don't need to have anyone's permission for that." She snapped. "Now if you excuse me, I'm going to bed. Hermione, you coming?"

"Y-Yeah." She replied before going with her leaving a confusing Ron and Harry behind.

I have a date...

It was haunting Ron. Who was it? His feelings for Hailey were very complicated. He liked her, no doubt, but again hated her sometimes. But somehow he always managed to act like a jerk in front of her. It wasn't intentional. It just happened. They had very different opinions. It annoyed him. But her personality always drew him in.

"Who is Hailey going to the ball with?" He finally asked after a long internal debate.

"Some were saying they saw Fred ask her," Dean said with a shrug. "There are so many rumours. Many say she's going with Cedric. Then again some say she's going with a Durmstrang guy."

"Yeah. I've heard that too." Neville said. "Parvati swore she saw Fred and Hailey outside the common room." Ron frowned. His brother asked her out?

"And she said yes?"

"I guess. She rejected seven guys. Can you believe it? I guess she rejected the most guys after Fleur." Seamus laughed out loud as the rest of them laughed along. But Ron wasn't having any of it.

"My brother asked her out?" He asked softly. How could he do this? After knowing how he felt...

"What are you all laughing about?" Harry asked entering the dorm.

"We were talking about Hailey's date," Neville said.

"Oh, who is it?"

"Fred, that's what we think," Seamus replied.

"Really?"

"Guess we'll have to find out mate."

__________