Friendship on Fire (A Harry Potter Next Generation/Heart Scar series book)

Dance Lessons

Dance Lessons

            It was now the first day of our winter holidays and I hadn’t been more bored in my life. I had been ignoring Max since the Hogsmeade trip so that gave me really nothing to do but I didn’t mind. I’d take boredom over hearing him talk about how great his Yule Ball date was any day. Melinda and Victoire had been trying to get me to just forget about Max but that’s always hard when you’re bloody in love with the stupid idiot fool. And that reason was why I was lying in bed that morning just hugging my pillow.

            “Paige, you have to get up.” Melinda told me as she sat down on my bed.

            “I do not.” I told her. “It’s holiday. I don’t have to do anything.”

            “You have to eat. And you have to go the ball on Christmas. And…”

            “Stop!” I yelled and looked at her. She was smiling at me and I sighed. “You’re not gonna stop until I get out of bed, are you?”

            She shook her head. “Nope.”

            I groaned. “Fine.”

            I got out of the covers and stood up. She did too and smiled at me. “Now, get dressed and I’ll meet you in the common room.” She left the room and I rolled my eyes.

            I went over to my wardrobe and looked through my clothes. My Yule Ball dress hung in the front waiting to be worn. It really was the perfect dress but if only I was wearing it on the perfect night. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a black sweater then changed out of my pajamas and into them. I got on my Converse and grabbed my heavy jacket before leaving my room and walking down to the common room. Melinda was there waiting for me and she wasn’t the only one. Max stood there by her and both looked at me. I groaned and knew she sat this up. I walked over to her and looked at her angrily.

            “What the hell? You got me out of bed for this?” I asked.

            “I didn’t do anything, Paige.” She told me. “Max knew I was waiting for you.”

            “You should’ve given me a signal or something warning me then.”

            “I’m standing right here.” Max said and I looked up at him. He was looking into my eyes and my heart jumped. No. I had to keep my cool.

            I looked back at Melinda and said, “Let’s go.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the common room.

            Both of us were quiet until we got to the Grand Staircase. “Paige, he just wants to know why you’re not talking to him.” Melinda said quietly.

            “What am I supposed to tell him?” I asked her. “That I’m mad because he asked Prudence to the ball? What will he think then?”

            “Maybe he’ll realize he likes you.”

            I rolled my eyes. “Stop being optimistic, Mel. It’s like you’re a Hufflepuff.”

            “Well the blood does run through my veins.” She smiled. “But I’m serious, Paige. There’s a reason he’s so upset that you’re not talking to him. And it’s not just because you two are best friends.”

            “Well if he’s hiding something, he should tell me.”

            We didn’t say anything else as we finished walking downstairs to the Great Hall. Fred, Teddy, and Victoire were sitting together at the Gryffindor table and they all smiled up at me. I didn’t return the smile, though. Instead, I just sat down and grabbed a doughnut to eat. I could feel their eyes on me and I tried to ignore them. It was hard, though, because every time I looked up they were just staring at me. I groaned after a couple minutes and looked at all of them.