black and white ✰ g.w.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Having just put away their things, Angelina and Alicia left the dormitory, shutting the door behind them. Then, realizing who they were missing, re-entered.

"Liv, come on!" Alicia said.

Olivia shook her head. She was rooted to the spot.

"And why not?"

Olivia swallowed. "I can feel my heartbeat everywhere," she said, putting emphasis on the last word.

"Ah. Pre-date jitters," Angelina said. "Or in this case, pre-Yule-Ball-with-my-crush jitters."

"Liv, you look gorgeous," Alicia reassured the anxious brunette who seemed to be looking everywhere but at them.

"What if he doesn't think so?" Olivia asked.

"Oh, Livi," Angelina said, her voice sympathetic. "Of course he will. George likes you, too. Take it from the girl who's somewhat dating his twin brother."

"I agree," Alicia said. "I'm the third wheel, or I guess the fifth wheel in this case. I see everything. Including the way you two look at each other."

Olivia still wasn't moving. Angelina and Alicia exchanged a look, knowing what they had to do. It was what calmed their best friend's nerves when she was panicking about turning in her Time-Turner at the end of third year and dropping a few classes for fear of disappointing her family, and also before the O.W.L exams when she was afraid she would fail. The two girls approached Olivia and took each of her hands.

"Deep breaths, Liv. You're okay. You'll be okay," Angelina soothed her. "We've got you."

Olivia took a deep breath. "I hate when you guys do this," she said.

"And yet it works every time."

"Thank Merlin you're not a crier," Alicia joked. "I would hate to be cleaning up mascara right now." The girls laughed.

"Come on. The boys'll be waiting for us," Angelina said.

The trio finally left the dormitory and walked down the staircase to the common room, hand-in-hand. When they reached the bottom, they said goodbye to Alicia, who was going to be meeting Nikola in the Entrance Hall. Then they spotted Fred and George, dressed identically, as usual, watching the two of them with smiles on their faces. The girls walked over to greet them.

"Well," Olivia said, grinning at George, "you clean up nice."

"I would say the same for you," said George, "but that would be an understatement."

Olivia opened her mouth to reply but found herself at a loss for words as she felt her face heat up again.

"So," Angelina said, ruining the moment, "shall we get going?" She and Fred had watched the whole exchange and were giving the two knowing grins. Awkwardly, George and Olivia agreed.

The twins allowed the girls to climb through the portrait hole first, using the excuse 'ladies first' so they could have a quick word.

"Just ask her out already," Fred whispered to his brother.

"I'm working on it, Fred," George said.