Sore Loser

Solving

 Sunlight shines through your eyelids and you can already tell it's morning. You groan. Is it really Monday? You shoot up straight giving a little squeal as you fall off of the velvet couch you had fallen asleep on the night before. I have classes today. No one else seems to even be awake however; the room does not give the appearance that it has been walked around, probably because the House Elves have cleaned it overnight.

Tick. Tick. Tick. The clock seems louder as you come more to your senses. Why was I even on the couch in the first place?Your memory fails you when you try to think about what happened last night. Anyway, you're sure you'll think of it soon enough. You sit up from your position on the carpeted floor and look over at the window. It's already bright outside and the landscape is swept with green and blue from the grass and sky.

The ticking noise continues and you turn your head to where the sound is coming from, obviously where the blue timepiece is secured on the wall. 6:47. You could sleep for just a bit more...

You pick yourself up and begin walking to the stairs that lead to the girls dorms. The carpet on the floor is ideal for you not to make any noise, at least until you reach your destination at the stairs, which creak endlessly after the pressure of your own feet is applied. After safely making it upstairs to your dorm, you are happy to see that both Marietta and Cho are fast asleep, and you wonder what it would take to wake them up.

You're sure that Marietta would scoff at you and flash you a tragically ugly scowl. Cho might just sigh, looking at you. You don't even want to test this theory out, for you have about a half an hour of sleep left, and you'd love to get right to it. You sit down on the bed before turning your body slowly to lie down, still not wishing for any noise to wake up those two trolls- or at least, one troll and her traitorous friend.

You mentally yell at yourself. Cho wants to be your friend, but you have to make up first. There's no need for you to call her names in your thoughts. You can't really help it, can you? With the crazy events as of late and those letters and-

Wait.

Your memory floods back to you. Fred wrote those notes, right? That's why I was sleeping on the couch last night! It's like unlocking an epiphany you already had in your mind. The previous night is replaying in your brain. You jump up so quickly that your plan to stay quiet goes completely out the window. Cho starts to stir and you watch as one of her eyes opens ever so slightly to see what could have caused that sudden noise.

"Cho." You whisper before you can stop yourself. She groans and opens both her eyes, rubbing the crust out of both of them with one hand.

"What is it?" She mumbles sleepily.

"I have so much to tell you. You'll never believe it. Last night-" You begin, but then stop as soon as you started. You can't possibly tell the whole story right now. Plus, Marietta is right there in the bed next to her. If she heard everything, you can only imagine the lies she would come up with and truths she would stretch.

"I'll tell you later." You see the confused look on her face and wave it off, tip-toeing as fast as you can out of the room. You practically fly down the stairs, not minding the creaks coming from the floor as you run up the other stairs, the ones that lead to the boys' dorms. Thank goodness the girls can enter the boys' dorms, and it's not the other way around. You find the door that opens up to the fifth years and don't even bother to knock as you fling it ajar.

"ROGER DAVIES!" You yell, surely waking up the whole common room, possibly even the whole school. "You lying, posing, idiotic ARSE!" He sits up, looking at you with a surprisingly wide awake expression. The rest of the dorm is squinting at you, the sudden light hurting their eyes. Charlie Chambers even fell off of his bed and made a loud thump on the floor. You are suddenly aware of the whole room staring at you, and several doors behind you from the other Ravenclaw dorms are swinging open. Everyone's listening in.

At first, this very fact annoys you and makes you nervous. You can feel your face heat up, both with anger and embarrassment. However, you remember for a moment that if he was, and is, a complete git, then you completely have the right to yell at him for it. In front of the whole common room. Where everyone is listening. It will only serve as extra punishment after all.

"I can't believe you lied to me about writing that note and giving me that butterbeer! What is your problem?" Roger opens his mouth and closes it again, face red to match yours. "That's what I thought. Next time you decide to trick a girl to simply go out with her, maybe make sure she isn't an idiot first!" You say bitterly, turning on your heel and leaving him looking shocked.

Well, you've already woken up the whole of Ravenclaw, and convinced probably about half of them that you're truly insane. Now, you get to start your day. Lovely.

You power-walk back to the common room, where many of the girls in your house are staring at you, including Cho and Marietta, the latter looking at you viciously for ruining her beauty sleep. You look at Cho with the glance you two would always exchange back when you were friends, the same glance that tells her, "I need to talk to you". Even though she already knows this, you might as well tell her again. She was half asleep when you began to explain, so she might have forgotten.

Many pairs of eyes follow you as you stomp up the many stairs to your door for the second time this morning. Quickly, you change into your normal uniform, throwing your tie over your shoulders lazily as you stick your wand in your pocket, rushing out the door.

The few girls who decided to go to breakfast already are replaced by some of the guys who have woken up, still groggy and wary. You push through the small crowd and out of the common room's entrance into the corridor. Like you expected, the hall is mostly inhabited by the Ravenclaws who have been woken up by someone, although you already know who.

You walk to the Great Hall, with your usual route obviously. You can't help but wish that Lee Jordan was here to accompany you to the Great Hall, just like he did a little bit ago. Instead, a voice that you haven't been happy to hear in what seems like forever calls your name.

"(Y/N)!" Cho's light footsteps increase in sound as she nears you, soon going by your side. You look at her, slightly impressed.

"I thought you were under the reign of Miss Marietta Edgecombe," you shove your hands in your pockets and smile automatically, glad to finally see your best friend looking at you grinning back.

"I told her that I would meet her down there. She seemed a bit suspicious, but she let me. I'm so sorry." Oh. Well, it was a lot to hope for, for her to magically be free from that devil friend of hers. "Care to begin your long story? We don't really have all day." Cho asks, turning her head to look straight ahead.

"Okay. Ummm... Where do I begin?" You start dramatically, drumming your fingers together, a small smirk on your face. "I'll start with what you already know. So, after the quidditch game last Saturday..." You tell her what happened, knowing full well that she is informed already.

After what feels like forever, you both sit down at the Ravenclaw table in the great hall. You are finishing your long anecdote, "...And I woke up this morning not remembering a thing until I finally got into bed. Once I did, I had to yell at Roger for being such a malevolent prat." Cho laughs, probably remembering how headstrong you are. You pause your happy mood and a bit of panic takes place. "But, Cho, you have to promise not to tell Marietta any of this!" You say sharply.

Cho looks at you with pleading eyes. "Aww, c'mon! Not even the part that Fred likes you, not George? Can't I at least tell her that? Then, she might not completely despise you anymore." You look at her, slightly confused. It takes you a moment to realize what she just said.

"Wait, Marietta Edgecombe..." You trail off, looking at the table distractedly. Her face loses some color and she looks shocked at what she just told you. It was supposed to be a secret. "...Likes George Weasley..." You can't help but smile. You look at Cho for confirmation and she nods, her mouth tightly shut as if she might give anything else away.

"Don't tell George, please. Marietta would be so embarrassed." You scoff and think about it for a second. Well, I guess not. As much as she was a complete and utter jerk to me, I'm a better person than that.

"Fine. I won't, and you can tell her that George doesn't like me, but that much only. Nothing else..." She nods and her head swivels to the entrance, where Marietta is now walking. Cho grabs your hand and squeezes it, leaving her seat next to you and walking over to her other friend. Roger walks in right after and you turn your glance away.

Some food is appearing onto the tables, so you load your plate and an idea comes into your head. Didn't Fred and George say they would pass last night on as a dream? They're trying to play you, so you're going to have to play them back. Grabbing your plate and goblet, you stand up and look over at the Gryffindor table, which is just starting to fill with students. Thankfully, Lee Jordan is one of them.

"Hey, Lee!" You call out, walking as fast as you can while not spilling your food or drink. He waves and smiles, scooting over for you to sit down with him like you did before. "Are Fred and George sleeping late again?" You ask. He responds by nodding his head and stuffing his mouth with food.

"Of course they are. I had the strangest dream about them. I don't really remember all of it, but it was in the library and there were fireworks everywhere. Filch was angry at them, of course." You explain your fake dream, hoping to see some sort of reaction in him. He nods again, not looking at you in the eyes. It looks like he's trying not to smile, even with his face full of food.

"Aye, (Y/N)!" You hear your name and smirk, knowing that it's Fred. And George will probably be saying something in about 3... 2... 1...

"Have a nice sleep?" Yup. There he is. You turn your head and watch them traipse toward you and Lee on the other side of the table.

"Great actually." You smile at them and they exchange a glance that you can only interpret as happiness and relief.

"She had a dream about you two." You look at Lee, face full of mock embarrassment. You knew he would tell them, especially right when you were here.

"Did she now?" They say at the same time. Surely they're thinking close to the same thing, right. Damn twin telepathy.

"Yeah, there were a bunch of fireworks. And George ran off. But, Fred, being the total prat that you are, kept me there so I couldn't run from Filch's wrath. The rest of the dream is kind of blurry, but I remember bits and pieces, you know?" You told them, being more detailed than when you had described it to Lee. The four of you keep talking about it, claiming how "unlikely" that would be.

Before you know it, breakfast has ended, and all of you begin to leave the Great Hall for your first class. But as the twins and Lee begin to depart, you grab ahold of George's sleeve. "Can I talk to you a quick minute?" You ask. He looks at Fred, who raises an eyebrow, kind of confused by the looks of it.

"Er, sure. What about?" Fred and Lee leave, talking to eachother and looking back at you and George every few seconds.

"First of all, I know everything that happened. It wasn't a dream, and I haven't one doubt that you and Fred are up to something." George looks at you, unable to hide a tiny bit of surprise out of his eyes.

"I dunno what the hell you're talking about, (Y/N/N). I think you're crazy."

"I also know that you have a crush on Katie Bell." You study your fingernail, as if you have better things to do.

"Do not." George says, much like a child. His ears begin to redden, along with his cheeks.

"Aww... You totally do! That's so adorable." You tease him. "Man up and ask her out, you dolt." You punch his arm, facing him a bit more serious.

"But how would you even know that in the first place?" He asks skeptically, crossing his arms.

"Because I heard you and Fred last night talking about how you'd charm her and ask her out. You sounded all lovey-dovey-like." You smile triumphantly. He punches you lightly in the shoulder like you did seconds ago.

"So, you know everything? Did you resist the candy, or what? We've tested it multiple times..." George asks, thinking it over to decide what could have gone wrong.

"Yeah, I do. And, again, I'm not stupid. I just hid it under my tongue," you explain, looking at him condescendingly. "Anyway, when are you going to ask her out?" You ask pleadingly, wanting him to ask her out as soon as possible. That would be so cute.

"I don't know... I don't think you realize how hard it is to ask a girl out." He replies.

"You're right, but what if I told you Katie has a crush on you?" You ask slyly. You know there could potentially be consequences for telling George that Katie likes him. But right now, all that matters is convincing him to ask her out.

"Wait, seriously?" You nod, smiling as his face lights up.

"You know what you should do about it?" You ask him.

"What?" You can tell that he expects some weird answer, or something not as obvious as what you're about to say.

"You should ask her out right now." George shoves his hands in his pockets and a faint blush appears. "Bye." You say, pushing him playfully. He grins and takes a hand out of his pocket to wave as he turns and leaves.

Seconds later, you begin to walk your own way to your first class, but sadly, someone interrupts your happiness.

"(Y/N). You can't be serious." Marietta's voice makes you want to cringe, but you don't and turn to face her. Cho is accompanying her. You look at her confusedly and she sees it on your face. "You say that you don't like George, and yet there you are flirting with him."

"Marietta. You can't be serious." You mock, sighing, surprised she could be that dim in this situation. Some people are just so blinded by their attraction to another person who isn't even worth it in the end. "I'm friends with him. Maybe you'd known that if you even tried to be friends with guys." You inform. "And, by the way, I like someone else." You smile.

Marietta opens here mouth to say something. "It's true, she told me." Cho interrupts before Marietta even has the chance to talk. She sighs in disappointment.

"Look, okay. I'm sorry that you don't like me at all for almost no reason. I'm hoping that you can get over everything. Maybe sometime, we all can go to Hogsmeade together. That would be really nice, but right now, I kind of have to get to class. I'll talk to you guys later, bye." You turn and head in your own direction, putting your hands in the pockets of your robes. That apology was actually pretty hard to do. Hopefully, Marietta will stop being a jerk, and that's one less problem for you.

Now for your classes...

* * * * *

Soon enough, classes come to an end today; with the conclusion of your wild adventure over the last week, there was not a single moment in class where you were bored out of your mind. So now, you happily walk through the halls, an extra bounce in your step. As you're about to step foot into the Great Hall, you suddenly are pulled away from it. You squeal, but don't say anything revealing. You know for a fact the moment you turn your head that it's Fred.

After a couple "forced" paces around a corner, you begin to keep up and walk with him. "What're you trying to do? Making people assume you're a kidnapping loon?" He shakes his head, smiling brightly.

"Nah, not in the slightest. Although I can see how people would think that." He pauses, facing you. "You see, George and Katie are probably snogging right now, so I have no one to hang out with."

"Are you kidding?" You can't keep the excitement out of your voice.

"Yes, actually. Georgie's just decided to ask her out now. Apparently somebody influenced him to do it." He looks at you and nods, a gleam in his eye.

"I couldn't help it. They're just so perfect, but neither would do something about it." You say modestly.

"Anyway, his courage to finally ask her out gave me an idea, quite similar actually." You look at him hopefully, feeling a blush creep up on your cheeks. "So I thought, maybe I should ask out (Y/N). She's pretty, smart, and funny." Fred continues, and you can't help but smile. He sees this as a good sign and keeps going.

"So, well, (F/N)... Will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?" He asks it so quickly and easily, you wonder if he's even thinking about it at all. You wish you could answer so charmingly and cleverly, as you know he would do if the roles were reversed. However, you can barely work up the nerve to say:

"Yes."

And the atmosphere seems to freeze. This exact moment is like a picture, still and full of a thousand words. You two are just there in the corridor, standing closer to each other than either of you even realize. You two both lean in and before you know it, you're about to kiss the Fred Weasley.

"Get out of the hallway! Weasley! And, you, girl! It's dinner time! OUT!" Argus Filch's scratchy old voice shatters the perfect moment you two were just about to have. You feel like taking his stupid broom out of his scrawny hands and smacking him and his bloody cat. They ruined it. UGH.

You and your newly-made boyfriend spring apart, blush rising still on both of your faces. Fred shoots a glare at Filch and the two of you glance at each other, trying not to burst out laughing. Well... This isn't awkward at all...

"I guess we should go back to lunch then." You break the annoying silence. He nods and you two walk side by side, looking at the ground with your hands in your pockets. Wow, for such a perfect moment a few seconds ago, you two sure are a bit weirded out now.

But, soon enough, you two are not only an item, but when not in classes or with your own house, you are never separated. Same with Katie and George too, so the four of you are a force to be reckoned with when you walk down the corridors at Hogwarts together. It actually isn't long before you share that special moment with Fred, like you were supposed to before Filch ruined it. One day after Fred asks you out, you are just about to say good night after dinner.

"'Night, Fred. See you tomorrow."

"'Night, (Y/N/N)." And then it happened. You and him seem to lean in at the same time until your lips meet. You have often heard before that kissing someone you truly like causes fireworks- or, the feeling. But it's not like that at all. It's soft and short, like falling asleep after a long day. Peaceful, calm, and something you had no idea you needed until it happened. It feels like it lasts hours, even though it's only a couple seconds.

The moment you two break apart you're both staring into each other's eyes, like a cheesy couple in a romance muggle movie. Suddenly, a wolf whistle breaks both of your concentration. George is smirking at you, his arm around Katie Bell, who is also grinning. "Get a room, you two."

"No thank you, we're quite alright." Fred says, slinging an arm around your shoulder and pulling you close, copying them.

"Seriously, I have to go to bed, we have classes, remember?" You say, looking at him and smiling tiredly.

"Fine, nerd." He teases, letting go of you so you can go back to your common room.

"See you guys later." You say goodbye and turn to go to the dorms. You take your time to think about everything that has happened to you in the past two weeks. How strange, and it all started with an injury from a quidditch game.

You crawl into bed, sleepy, even though it's only 8:30. Things are better now. Marietta has stopped completely ignoring you, and will even talk to you now. It won't be long before she is nice and maybe even becomes your friend. Roger Davies hasn't kicked you off the quidditch team, gladly. It's not like he would even if he wanted to. He'd have to have a reason, and you are one of the best players on your team.

Before long, you find that sleep is calling for you, and when you finally close your eyes, it overcomes you. What a perfect end to a perfect day.