YOU MAKE MY HEART SHAKE, BEND, AND BREAK BUT I CAN'T TURN AWAY!
aurora "rory" archer was a powerhouse. well, sort of. she was a fierce friend with a heart of gold and a love of music. she was also awkward, bad at potions, and... fatherless. her frie...
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EVER SINCE THE EXISTENCE of the Yule Ball was announced, Hogwarts had never been more hectic (that includes the year students were being petrified). No one was safe. Every moment people were looking behind their shoulder to see if they were going to be asked or trying desperately to find someone to ask. Rory was a bit anxious too. Perhaps she'd ask Cedric or wait for him to ask her... but for the past few weeks he'd taken a liking to Cho Chang. Rory didn't want to overstep, especially if Cedric was moving on romantically. Of course it would be easier to just go up to him and ask... but why would Rory just go for the easier option? She decided to take asking Cedric off the table, it didn't seem realistic and it probably wouldn't be good for either of them to dance with the other all night.
The girls of Gryffindor still hadn't landed dates yet. Marina and Angelina also had yet to be asked. They all considered just choosing one of their three guy friends and asking first. Angelina refused since they were all talking big about how Ron and Harry needed to ask 'before all the good ones were taken'. She wanted to see if they practiced what they preached.
"Who do you reckon I should ask?" Rory sighed hugging her pillow. "Not Cedric, don't even suggest that."
Angelina let out a quiet laugh, "I think it's obvious who wants to go with you, Rory!"
"What?" Marina and Rory said in unison, both confused. It was nearly midnight but all three girls were still awake just chatting in the dormitory. The lights were dim and the only sound besides their hushed voices was the December wind outside their window.
Angelina rolled her eyes at the pair, "Fred, duh! Can't believe you haven't noticed, Mar."
Rory quickly shook her head, "You're being silly, Ang! If Fred wanted to go with me he'd ask me by now!"
"Maybe he's nervous," Angelina giggled.
Marina scoffed, "Fred? Nervous? Never."
"I mean maybe..." Rory thought for a moment, maybe Fred did have feelings for Rory like she had suspected, and now Angelina was confirming. "No... Well — Do you really think that... that Fred...?"
"You're just making things up, Angelina." Marina shrugged.
"Fine then! Don't believe me. You can go to the Yule Ball alone for all I care!" The girl replied.
Rory groaned and fell back on to her bed, now looking at the top of her bed frame. She wished things didn't have to be so complicated. She wished Fred would just come out and say if he liked her or not. Marina had a point though, Fred was not the type to be shy or nervous. He was the boldest person they knew. The only person they knew who would yell at Dumbledore mid speech. There was no way Rory made him nervous. If he wanted to ask her, he would have. Unless he assumed she was going with Cedric... maybe she would mention that him and Cho were sort of an item now, if he hadn't already noticed.
