The Emeralds & The Sorcerers Stone

5. Crushed by Crushes

Once december rolled around everyone was already settled in and had gotten used to life at Hogwarts. The friends became closer and got along better than ever.
Draco, Mattheo and Theo had became very fond of Quidditch but the first-years weren't allowed to be on the team yet. Aliyah, Pansy and Rose had gotten into a couple minor arguments with Astoria but nothing too heated.

-December 10'th 2021 -
It was Tuesday so Aliyah only had DADA, Potions and Charms class.
She first had charms at 10 am with Draco. By now they got used to the school and the moving staircase so they got to class on time.
Today they were learning Alohamora, the unlocking charm. It was quite a simple spell so Aliyah got it quickly but Draco seemed to be stuck.
- A:"Psst.. Draco!" she whispered " do you need any help?"
- D:"uhm... yes please"
- A:"You have to make a circle with you wand and when the circle is almost done you have to flick your wand downwards "
- D:"Thanks a lot Aly!" he whispered back "Honestly i'd fail charms without you.." he mumbled to himself

Once class was dismissed Aliyah and Draco went in the courtyard to meet with their friends. Aly noticed that the older kids were all whispering about some ball or party? She didn't really understand.
Draco and Aliyah finally arrived in the courtyard and sat next to their friends at one of the few outdoor tables and began talking.
- A:"Do you guys know of a ball or party thing coming up? I've heard about it all day!"
- R:"Yeah! I asked one of the 4'th years and they told me that its an annual winter ball on the 18'th!"
- P:"Thats so awesome! Are we allowed?"
- T:"Yeah i mean everyone is going so why couldn't we?"
- M:"I say we go and crash it if we're not allowed!"
- D:"I agree"
- E:"i dont know... i mean do we need dates or something?
- R:"Yeah... dates are mandatory from what i've heard"
- A:"Oh.. what do we do then"
- P:" I guess we go date hunting!"
- E:" Do you guys have anyone in mind?"
- M:"I do but i dont know if she'll say yes"
- D:"Same..."
- T:"Imma just go ahead and ask her right now to get it out of the way... Pansy do you wanna go to the ball with me?"
- P:" As friends right??"
- T:"Yeah...of course..."
- P:"Alright then!"

Aliyah wondered who she wanted to go with. She had someone in mind but figured he'd say no to her.
After a bit of contemplating she remembered she had potions with her house's head teacher.
Aly wasn't the brightest potion maker but she managed to keep her grades up by making sure she didn't get on Professors Snape mean side. She did anything in her power to make flawless potions, but she inevitably messed a few up.
Defence against the dark arts wasn't really her favourite because professor Quirrel was... strange. He had a wierd obsession with Harry Potter, wich almost every professor had, he'd turn everything into a reference to the day the Potters were killed and Harry became "the boy who lived". They didn't do anything to important in DADA that day so Aly bored half way throug class.
Suddenly she got handed a note from a hufflepuff behind her. It read:
"Meet me behind the quidditch pitch at 6pm today"

The note wasn't signed so Aliyah didn't know what to think. After class she told Pansy about the note and went to her room to change out of her uniform.
Astoria was in their dorm, stressing out about an assignment she had failed when Aliyah came in. Aly got one of her dresses and changed into it then left the room, heading for the meeting spot.
There she saw a table covered by a checkered tablecloth with a candle sitting on top of it.
Out if the shadows appeared a dim human figure. Aliyah didn't recognise the figure but before she could back up, the figure stepped into the light revealing... Harry Potter.
- A:"Oh... it was you..."
- H:"'there anything wrong with that?"
- A:"No! its just... i didn't expect you out of all people"
- H:"Well i know we don't really know each other but i wanted to ask you something..."
- A:"alright..."
- H:" Aliyah Hazelwood, do you wanna go to the Yule ball with me?"
- A:"Oh Harry... I'm flattered, i truly am... but..."
- H:"But?"
- A:"I'll have to think about it..."
- H:"oh.. ok."
- A:"i know you prepared all if this, and its really nice but i've got to go, sorry!"
- H:"Its alright Good night!
- A:"'night"

After that awkward encounter Aliyah went as quickly as possible to Pansys dorm, to tell her all about what just happened.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Draco stumbled across the awkward scene but being to far to hear anything, he though that Aly agreed to go to the ball with Harry.
Aliyah was the one Draco wanted to invite because since they met, she was always looking out for her friends and seeing the best it others. He thought he was too late so he decided to not even bother asking her the next day.
While Draco was still processing this Aliyah was running along the corridors trying to get to her common room quickly.
Once there she ran over to Pansy and Rose's room.
- P:"wow slow down girl"
- A:"you won't belive what just happened "
- R:"oooh drama im listening!
- A:"so the jote was from Potter..."
- P:" NO WAY!"
- A:"yeah and he asked me to the ball..."
- R:"Soo? aren't you happy?"
- A:"not really..."
- R:"Why? THE Harry Potter asked you to the ball, what's wrong with that??"
- A:"i wanted someone else to ask me"
- P:"you hoped the note was from Draco, didnt you?"
- A:"Yeah..."
- P:"Oh Aly..."
- A:"Its fine... don't worry about me"she said in a sullen tone "How about tou, Rosie? Have you found tour date?"
- R:"No but i really want Mattheo to ask me"
- P:"ooo Rosie and Matty sitting in a tree-"
- A:"K-I-S-S-I-N-G"
The three then burst into laughter making Aly forget about her dilemma for a bit.
Meanwhile Draco told his cousin, Mattheo what he thought happened.
- D:"-I wanted to ask ger tomorrow as well!"
- M:"you two would've been perfect together honestly "
- D:"I mean what does she even see in Pottah?" he said angrily
- M:"I dont know man. Maybe cuz he's the chosen one or something?"
- D:"I really thought we had something going on..."
- M:"Its getting late... we should go to bed before Snape catches us"
- D:"Yeah... whatever"
The two went to bed and Aliyah left the girls dorm and went to her room.
Astoria was thankfully asleep so she didn't have to interact with her anymore. Aliyah worked on a paper she has due then went to bed.
That night she dreamt that her friends were all going to the ball with who they wished except for her.

Aliyah woke up late because Astoria messed with her alarm clock. She was about to miss breakfast and she would go hungry without it.
Aly got dressed in a hurry amd left the dorm. Passed by her friends, wich already ate, and ran out of the common room. She arrived in the main hall just before the food were to disappear. She sat down and the food vanished before her eyes. She was too late.
Her day already had a rough start so she was in a terrible mood. She went back to the common room and sat on one of the dark green velvet couches, next to Pansy and rested her head on Pansys shoulder.
- p:"Whats the matter Hazelwood? You woke up on the wrong side of bed?" Astoria said laughing with her friends
- A:"Oh shove off Astoria" she said fuming
Rose got up, looking around to make sure Prof.Snape wasn't around.
- R:"Leave us alone you dim wit before i mess you up"
- AG:"oh little the mudblood can talk now! How exciting!"
- M:"Who are you calling a mudblood?"He asked, standing up and going next to Rose
- AG:"I-"
- Prof.Snape:"What is this idiotic display?!" he blurted "Stop yourselves before i send all of you to detention!"

After that incident the 7 friends all went to their classes.