Found AIAOY 4

Chapter 13

Christmas Eve began like any other day:  The sun rose up onto the snow-blanketed castle, warming its stony exterior.  And yet, to all who were inside, it was not like any other day.  Not at all.

Rebecca swung her legs out of bed and brushed her teeth, unable to help the grin that came as she looked in the mirror with thoughts of the evening.  She was usually one of the first awake in her room and she was used to leaving quietly, the hall generally as asleep as Hermione and Ginny left behind.  But the day of the Yule Ball, this was not the case.

Girls ran back and forth from their friends' rooms to their own, shouts about needing something and lending others rang out.

"What happened to peaceful mornings?"  Rebecca asked with a laugh as Parvati sprinted down the hall.

"Have you forgotten?"  Angelina held her hands to her face in mock-horror.  "The ball's only thirteen hours away!"

"Oh no!  Only thirteen?"  Rebecca played along, the two girls heading towards the common room.

"I'm dead serious."  Angelina rolled her eyes.  "Katie's been in the shower for an hour."

Angelina and Rebecca found the common room, thankfully, to be much emptier than the upstairs.  They had hardly stepped out of the portrait hole to get to the Great Hall for an early breakfast when someone shouted behind for them to wait.

"Angelina!"  George shouted with every step until he was beside them, grinning at how she rolled her eyes.  "Shall we get breakfast together?"

"Spend the evening and the morning with you?"  Angelina responded as if he'd asked her to submit herself to medieval torture, though she moved away from Rebecca with George at her side.  

Fred appeared, taking the place as Rebecca's company.  "Good morning."

"Good morning."  Rebecca smiled, feeling her heart speed up as Fred let his fingers trace the back of her hand--Teasing a touch but not taking hold.  "Sleep well?"

"I did!"  Fred shook his head, amazed.  "Strangest thing--An angel was in my bed before I went to shower!"

"An angel?"  Rebecca shook her head and laughed.  "You are ridiculous!"

Fred shrugged.  "You wouldn't want me any other way."

He hoisted himself up onto the bannister to slide down it, chuckling as Rebecca did the same beside him.  "Ready?"  He asked, before lifting his feet.  She nodded and they lifted their feet in unison, flying down the stone handrail quickly.

George and Angelina jumped out of their way as they sped past, shouting down at them in mock-anger that dissolved into laughter.

Looking up at their audience, Fred and Rebecca bowed to them as Fred had to Rebecca the night of their quidditch rendezvous.  The rest of their walk to breakfast as leisurely, Rebecca filling Fred in on the nuttiness that had taken hold over the upstairs girls.

Fred turned his attention down the table and made sure that George and Angelina were still conversing with each other.  "How're we doing this?"  Fred asked Rebecca quietly.

Rebecca paused her scooping of his breakfast, confused.  "Breakfast?"

Fred couldn't help but smile, taking his plate with a thanking given.  "The Ball."  Rebecca followed along partially, still not understanding what the question was entirely.  "Am I meeting you in the common room?  At the ball?  In a closet or-"

"Fred!"  Rebecca scolded, her face aflame.  "How about...in the courtyard outside the entrance, yeah?"

Fred pointed towards the door.  "To the right?"  She nodded.  "Okay, check."  Fred continued.  "And can I kiss you there or should I stay entirely a gentleman until later in the evening?"