Falling Slowly (A Hogwarts Lovestory) - Fred Weasley Fanfiction

14 | Lovers Love to Sing and Losers Love to Cling

I chose to sit with Hermione during the feast in the Great Hall. Ginny was sorted into Gryffindor, too, and she came happily running over to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to me.

I tried my best to avoid eye contact with Angelina and had simply mumbled an excuse why I had to sit elsewhere when she asked me to sit with her, Alicia and Katie. And I didn't regret that decision because it wasn't long until they were joined by the Weasley twins. Seeing Fred putting his arms around my friend's shoulder's instead of mine nearly made me vomit. Hermione tried to cheer me up and handed me a large piece of cinnamon apple crumble but she realized right away that I wouldn't be able to eat a single bit.

"Maybe it's better this way", Ginny whispered in my ear and I glanced at her surprisingly. "Oh, c'mon, Julie", she giggled. "Of course I know. I can see the way you look at him. But my brother can be a real jerk so don't let him mess with you, okay? You're too good for him anyway. And look at you", now she sounded a bit jealous, "you could have any boy you like."
"She's right", Hermione added and smiled encouragingly at me. "I can tell at least three guys that are looking in your direction right now. Maybe you should ask one of them out? Get yourself a little distraction!".
Hermione and Ginny giggled.
"Adrian Pucey's got his eyes on you since last year. And look over there, even Roger Davies has been watching you since you entered the hall today." Hermione nodded in the direction of the Ravenclaw table.
"Roger Davies?", I asked. "Isn't he the Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team? Oliver's always called him a superficial dunderhead."
"Well, of course he had to say that, but-"
"No", I said resolutely. "I don't want neither an Adrian Pucey nor a Roger Davies to mess with my head right now. So please excuse me, I'm tired and I think I'm getting off to bed now. See you tomorrow."

On my way to the Gryffindor Tower I passed by Harry and Ron who where heading breathlessly towards the Great Hall but I pretended I hadn't notice them.
There was no one I wanted to talk to right now, not even my friends. What would they know about a broken heart anyway.

The first week of school continued just as horrible as it had begun. I was quite excited at first about finally having a capable teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts, but Professor Gilderoy Lockhart's lesson turned out to be nothing but a bad joke. He started the class with a short test which included nothing but questions about Lockhart's favourite colour. I reckoned he was just another dud shot. What a pity, I had raised my hopes up for better, but it was almost as if the position of the DADA teacher was somehow bewitched. It wouldn't surprise me if Snape was behind it.

I didn't wait for my friends after class had ended and stormed immediately out of the classroom, went straight down the stairways, jumped over the vanishing step (third from above) and headed towards the main entrance of the castle. I was right about to open the heavy entrance door, when I turned back to the corridor. There was an announcement drawn on a large parchment paper hanging on the wall next to the school's music room.

School Choir
All welcome to join! (If you can tell apart F major from D minor within a second)
Practice is every Sunday at 4 PM
Applicants please sign or turn to Professor Filius Flitwick

This would probably be a better way of distracting my thoughts from Fred than to hook up with some random guy, I thought and wrote my name down on the list of applicants next to Flitwick's announcement. I had never sung in a choir before, I prefered singing with a guitar in my hand, but even if it sucked it would still be better than spending my free sundays next to the happy couple that Angelina and Fred had turned into.

I entered the music room early the next sunday.
"Good afternoon, Miss Daniels", Flitwick greeted me. "You seem to be the only new applicant this year, everyone else visited this course last year already. Please show us where you are? Soprano, Tenor, Bass?"
"I'd prefer to sing by heart and not by scale", I answered. "I'm sure you'll see if I'm talented enough if you simply let me sing with you."
Other students joined us meanwhile and one of them, a Ravenclaw girl called Penelope, chuckled at my words and gave me a thumb up.
"Alright then, Miss Daniels", Flitwick said headshaking. "I guess we're almost complete so let's begin."
Over the next few minutes I showed everyone that I wasn't so much behind everyone else as Flitwick had feared. I was perfectly capable of hitting all the right notes.
"Well done", said Penelope smiling. "Didn't know you were such a good singer, Julie."
"Not talking, Miss Clearwater, singing!", called Professor Flitwicks voice from the pile of books he was standing on. "Oh, and Miss Daniels? Could you please go and open the door? I think I heard someone knocking."
But the person outside, that turned out to be the last missing member of the choir, had already let himself in. It was the blackhaired guy that helped me with my luggage on the train. My heart made a little leap.

(Felix Mallard as Roger Davies)

"Ah, Mr Davies", said Professor Flitwick friendly, "I was afraid you might be too busy this year to attend our course again, with all the Quidditch training."
So this is Roger Davies, I thought. His eyes met mine and they rested on me for a moment.
"No, sir, sorry for being late. Won't happen again", he said with a rather charming smile, walked over to me and sat down to my left. He didn't say anything at all to me until the course was over and Flitwick sent us back to our Houses.
I was the last one to leave the room.
"Bye, Julie", said Penelope and waved as a goodbye.
Roger Davies held the door open for me.
"Thanks", I said to him and smiled.
"So, Julie Daniels, the beautiful and mysterious Gryffindor girl everyone is talking about, is also a fantasic singer. Who would've thought that?", he said, still smiling charmingly at me.
"Didn't know I was such a mystery", I replied. "You can always ask me if a question slips through your mind."
"I take you at your word. So here's my question, Julie. Are you seing anyone right now?"
That took me by suprise.
"Eh... no?", I stuttered. Great, Julie, that didn't seem desperate all all.
"Brilliant!", Roger smirked. "Go out with me then. Ever made a trip down to the Shrieking Shack? They say it's the most haunted place in the north. Nearly Headless Nick claims not even the Hogwarts ghosts would enter it. We could pay it a visit and get a butterbeer afterwards. What do you say?"

Well, how could one possibly say no to that smile?

Am I the one your truth's been waiting for?
Or am I just dreaming once again?
Some dreams are better when they end
- Damien Rice