Mischief Managed

I looked at Angelina with utter despise and punched her square in the face. Harry, Ronald, Hermione, Fred, George, and Alicia ran over as quickly as possible as Angelina's nose bled slowly. She looked at me with pure shock, as I shrugged.

"Told you I'd do it," I said.

"Why did you do that?" Fred urged.

"Because she told me you two were going to the ball together!" I shouted, tears filling my eyes. Ronald rubbed my back gently.

"What? No I didn't! I said if I weren't going to ask you, I would ask her," he said, trying to pull me close.

"No," I said, backing up. "No. Don't you do that."

"What?" he said slowly.

"Fred, I want to be the only girl in your life. I know that sounds damn selfish, but I don't want to know that there's another girl that you want to look at that Christmas night and hold and hug and be with. I want to be that only girl," I said.

"Ella, I was only saying that to make her feel better. Please, listen to me," he said with desperation in his voice.

"I am listening."

"Just, please. Go to the ball with me, Ella. Please..." he begged, tears also forming his eyes.

I looked at him for a moment, as tears ran down my eyes faster. "I just... I don't think I'm going to go to the ball." Afterwards, I slowly walked away from the group and went to my room, trying not to cry anymore. I laid down on my bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. I knew I was being selfish and stupid. It was just the words 'Guess who Fred Weasley is taking to the ball? Me' that hurt, because I felt like I was losing him.

"Ella?" came the shy voice of Hermione.

"Hey," I said, not looking up at her.

"Ella, don't do this to yourself. Fred wants to go with you, not her. They're just - they're friends. He wanted to make her feel better. He didn't really mean it," she said, sitting down on my bed.

"Well, I don't care, Hermione. I don't want to go anymore," I said.

"Yes you do."

"I don't and I'm not going to. I'll just sit here, wait 'til you get back, and listen to what a good time you had," I said simply.

Hermione sighed. "Scoot over," she said, and I did as told. She laid down next to me as we stared at the ceiling.

"Ella, you have to go. You're a champion," she said after five minutes.

"Fuck that and fuck McGonagall," I said.

"Oh Ella..."

"Well, I'll probably just go talk to her now and explain the circumstances. If she doesn't like it, what the hell is she going to do? Postpone the ball to come find me wallowing in self-pity in my room, give me a dress, and make me go dance with Dumbledore?" I said, rolling my eyes.

"You're going to regret this."

"I regret a lot of things."

Then, I got up and walked downstairs. Harry and Ronald were sitting by the fireplace.

"Ella?" Ronald said, getting up. Harry followed suit.

"Hey," I said, faking a smile.

"Where're you going?" Harry asked.

"I'm going to go talk to McGonagall and tell her why I'm not going to the ball," I said.

"Ella, you have to go..." Ronald said.

"No I don't. I wanted to go with Fred. But he had other plans," I said.

"Ella, stop..." Ronald said.
I laughed. "It's true, Ronald. I want to be that girl where my boy has no second thoughts of another girl. I want to be that girl where my boy sees me and sees only me. No one else. Not the girl who knows that she was first in line to go to the ball with him, and if I said no or I couldn't go, he'd just move to the second girl in line."

Ronald sighed, as I walked away. Eventually, I found McGonagall.

"Professor McGonagall? Can I have a word?"

"Yes, dear," she said.

"I'm afraid I'll be unable to attend the Yule Ball Christmas day," I said, hoping she'd just say 'that's fine' and keep walking.

But of course, she didn't. "Well I haven't a clue why you'd think that."

"I'm just not going to be able to," I said.

"I need a good answer, Elkin, or I cannot accept this," she said, her lips growing small.

Then, I explained to her everything that had just happened (except me punching Angelina in the nose. I figured she'd be fine not knowing that). She nodded at all appropriate times and convinced me that she understood.

"Just find a different date," she said slowly.

"Professor, you said it yourself it was supposed to be a special night for girls. I'm not going to be with Fred. It won't be a good night," I said, not being able to believe that I was spilling my feelings to my Professor.

"I know, Ella..." she said. I gasped that she used my first name, but blew it off.

"So is it okay if I don't go?"

"I can't grant you that permission," she said, shaking her head. "I suggest you attempt to work things out with Mr. Weasley, or maybe have a friend take you instead. Friends make everything better, especially in hard times. Just please, try to find someone, okay?"

"Fine.." I said, then walked away without another word.

Once I got back to the common room, Harry, Ronald, and Hermione were all sitting by the fire together, talking.

"Well?" they said in unison.

"She says if I don't work things out with Fred that I should just go with a friend," I sighed.

"Well, I say talk with Fred," Hermione said. "Then if that doesn't work out, I'm sure you can easily find someone else."

"I don't know if I want anyone else," I said.

"Just go talk with him," Harry urged. I saw George sitting with Alicia on the other side of the common room, so I walked to where he was.

"Hey guys," I said, trying to sound upbeat.

"Hey," George said, smiling.

"Where's Fred?"

"He's with Angelina right now..." Alicia said, looking uncomfortable.

"Oh... Well, I was going to tell him that I'll go with him to the ball now," I said.

"Ella, come here," George said, pulling me into a hug.

"What? Why are you hugging me?"

"Oh Ella... Fred asked Angelina, because you said you weren't going..." Alicia said, looking quite upset.

"Oh..." I said, trying not to look upset.

"Do you want me to talk some sense into him?" George asked.

"No, it's fine. Let them go. I'll find someone else to go with," I said slowly.

"Are you positive? I mean, I almost made the same mistake he is making. But then I realized who was right in front of me the whole time. And that I was planning on going with the wrong person," George said, smiling at Alicia, who grabbed his hand.

"Positive," I said, faking a smile. "I'll talk to you two later, though. I need to go."

"Bye Ella..." George said unsurely, not knowing what to do.

I walked back over towards Harry, Ronald, and Hermione and sat down next to Hermione, who was sitting across from the boys.

"Well?" Hermione asked.

"He's going with Angelina now... So, I'll just have to find a friend to go with or something," I said, sighing loudly and laying my head down on the back of the couch.

"I'm sorry..." Harry said.

"It's alright..." I said.

"Well, if you want Ella, you can go to the ball with me," Ronald said. "I mean, we're best friends, and I'll make sure you have a good time."

"Thanks, Ronald... That means a lot to me," I said, smiling.

"So Harry... Any luck with you?" Hermione asked.

"Not yet," Harry said, giving me a don't-tell-them look.

"What about you Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Actually, yes," she said, smiling.

"Who?" I asked excitedly.

"No one," she said quickly, then she got up and walked off.

"Ummm..." I said, scratching the back of my head.

"Maybe she's bluffing..." Ronald said.

Harry shrugged, then got up. "Well, I have some Divination homework I need to get done."

"So what do you think Fred's gonna say when he finds out you asked me?" I asked.

"He won't be happy, but he's the bloody idiot who let you go," Ronald shrugged.

At that exact moment, Fred walked in and walked over to us.

"Ella, are you okay?" Fred asked.

"Where's Angelina?"

"She's still in the hospital wing..." Fred said, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh," I said.

"George told you didn't he? Bloody git..." Fred said.

"Told me what? That you two are going to the ball together?"

"Yeah... But, in my defense you said you weren't going to go, so I asked Angelina so I didn't go alone," he said awkwardly.

"Well, to be honest, I am going. McGonagall's orders. So, instead, your brother said he'll take me," I said with pride.

"Who?" Fred's eyes narrowed.

"Ronald."

Fred turned to Ron. "Really?"

Ron slowly nodded.

"That's low."

"No it's not. I talked to George, he said you were bringing Angelina. Ronald is taking me because we're best friends and the guy I like already has a date," I said simply.

"But my brother? Why not anyone else?"

"Because your brother asked me. Fred stop making this a big deal. We're going as best friends. Seriously. If you were so worried about someone else taking me, you would've asked me before you told Angelina anything about asking me. And you wouldn't have asked Angelina after I said I wasn't going to go. Didn't you think to realize that I have to go? Otherwise McGonagall would have my head. Don't go blaming this on Ronald. He's just doing what best friends do," I said, crossing my arms.

"I know, but I don't want to see you dancing with someone else..." Fred said.

"Well, I'm sorry but we really can't change that now can we."

I looked at Ron, who sat there awkwardly. I felt bad for putting him in this situation, but what else was I to do? I wasn't going to dump him because Fred realized I got my head out of my ass and decided I was going to go.

"Ella, I'm thinking something..." Fred said. His eyes looked cold, as if he was going to drop dead in a matter of seconds.

"What is it, Fred?"

"I know I said I didn't want to fight anymore. And this isn't a fight. I meant everything I said the other night in the hospital wing. Honestly, I've never felt the way I do around you like I do other girls. There's something about you that I love, Ella. You just have this perfect little sparkle. But I just can't help thinking..." he stopped, and looked down. He put his hands in his pockets.

"What Fred? What are you trying to say?"

"I just can't help thinking that maybe... maybe we aren't meant to be after all."

"Oh."

"Let's just forget this ever happened. Let's just forget about our kisses, forget about out true feelings. We'll just put it all to the side and pretend like this never happened. We'll go back to what we used to have," he said.

"We can't go back to that, Fred. We're in too deep now..." I said, getting the courage to not let him see me cry.

"Then maybe we should just forget there ever was a Fred and Ella. Like we never even knew each other..."

Afterwards, he walked away slowly. I sat down next to Ron, as he held me in his arms. The waterworks started pouring, as I cried into his chest. Ron laid his head on mine and gently rocked me back and forth, whispering to me that it was going to be okay.

But it wasn't. Because I just realized that I let the love of my life slip from my hands - forever.