A.J RYAN IN THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

Chapter 32 - Being Talked About

A.J stirred to voices in her dorm room early Saturday morning. Angelina Johnston and Alicia Spinnet were sitting talking on the furthest bed from her.

She realised Katie Bell was there when she spoke in response to something the others must have said; "I don't think she's that bad, I mean, Terry liked her, and he's alright, isn't he Alicia?" She whispered.

Alicia blushed, giggling softly.

Angelina scoffed "Is there going to be any guy she hasn't dated first?"

"Terry said A.J was more like his friend anyway. Although... Aaron blurted out that she was a hell of a kisser." There was a bitter note to Alicia's voice.

"Him too?" Katie asked wide-eyed.

Alicia shook her head and repeated in the same tone as before; "No, apparently it's what Terry had told him."

"I daresay she's had a lot of practice."

Angelina had been about to say something else, when A.J, resigned to the fact she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, sat up suddenly and swung around to face them.

"Okay, I was trying to go back to sleep, so you could continue on talking behind my back." A.J said calmly.

The three girls looked shocked, then ashamed that they had been caught talking about her.

Angelina stuttered for a moment.

"Talk all you want about me, I'd just prefer you did it somewhere I can't overhear. So, what exactly is your problem with me?" A.J asked.

"Apart from stealing Angelina's boyfriend?" Katie joked. Angelina glared at her, until she mouthed; "Sorry."

"I thought you and Fred were over last year?" A.J raised her eyebrows surprised.

"Yeah technically we were..." Angelina's voice faded off.

"You still like him?" A.J asked, so kindly, that Angelina felt comfortable enough to meet her eyes apologetically.

"I am sorry I wasn't very tactful about it," A.J continued, "I didn't realise you still had feelings for him. But we're not together anymore, and it wouldn't have changed anything anyway, because he pursued me, not the other way 'round."

"I know." Angelina said quietly defeated.

"We better go, the rest of the team will be waiting." Alicia said suddenly, ending the silence.

Katie and Alicia gave A.J sort of an awkward smile before they left the room. Angelina had just turned to say goodbye as she reached the door when A.J beckoned to her to come back.

"I'll catch up with you." She called to the other two.

Angelina nodded for A.J to start. "Tell Fred how you feel. Get it out."

She looked back at her stunned; "What?"

"You know Fred would be a gentleman about it. And you can't really want to spend your time wondering "What if?""

Angelina looked stunned, but settled for an amused smile; "What if he chooses me?" She knew it was highly unlikely.

"I won't stand in the way, I'm already out of the picture." A.J smiled.

"You've just got so much going for you, why would he want me?"

"Why are you intimidated by me?" A.J asked in surprise.

Angelina shrugged.

"Angelina you're Quidditch captain, you're beautiful and well liked. I am not better than you. I don't have anything that you don't have yourself." A.J reasoned.

"You have Fred's attention." She said quietly.

................

It took Angelina two weeks to work up the courage to talk to Fred. She called him back after practice once she had sent George away. She turned to stare absently over his shoulder as she spoke;

"I know she's probably already told you, but I wanted to say it anyway." Angelina mustered all the conviction she could to look at him.

Fred looked confused; "Who told me, what?"

"A.J, she told you I liked you. I didn't really expect her not to-" Angelina looked past Fred to the stadium barrier nearby.

"A.J never said anything." Fred shook his head distracted.

"Oh, she didn't?" Angelina was taken back. "I guess she really is decent. Well anyway, I just really needed to tell you that I liked you, because I didn't want to spend the rest of the school year wondering if I should have just said something."

She found the silence awkward. Finally looking back at him to see his apologetic expression.

"You really like her though." She answered for him. "It's okay, I still had to say it just in case."

"I'm sorry, Angie. I am glad you got to tell me, but it won't happen for you and me."

Angelina smiled. "She said you'd be like this about it."

"Like what?" Fred grinned.

"A gentleman, you know, actually serious for once."

Fred turned red, blushing.

"Not sure if it matters, but she said your name in her sleep the other night." Angelina gave a defeated goodbye sigh and walked away, leaving Fred standing there grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Did she now?" He said smugly to himself.

She had been seen less and less with that Ravenclaw lately. Maybe that was done and he could kiss her again.

At dinner, he walked past A.J and slid a note in front of her on the table. She had immediately put her hand over it and after finishing her sentence, slowly looked behind her to see who had put it there. She met Fred's eyes for a few moments as he continued walking further down the table to sit with Lee.

There were a few spaces between them, but they were empty, and Fred continued to watch her as she discreetly opened it under the table, while continuing her conversation with some second years.

Wheezes bathroom

TONIGHT 11pm

She turned her head right to look down the table, he was still watching her.

Why wasn't that a question? She placed the words in his mind in amusement.

Dean and Seamus filled the empty seats between them.

A.J had only reached the top of the staircases on the seventh floor, on her way back from dinner, when Fred came running up to walk beside her.

"Any chance you're free to meet now instead?" He mumbled quietly.

"No. What is this going to be about?"

"Are you finished with the Ravenclaw?"

She nodded.

"Then you know exactly what this is about." He spun around in front of her stopping her from moving. He stared intently into her eyes, and she couldn't look away.

She sighed and looked at her watch. "In half hour?"

"Can't wait." There was no amusement in his voice, no sign of joking on his face, it was purely longing in his tone.