A Simple, Stupid, Ruddy Valentine Card

A Simple, Stupid, Ruddy Valentine Card

"Hey! Hey, Angelina!"

Angelina turned around to see Alicia bouncing toward her.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team had just gotten off practice and she was putting her Quidditch robes in her drawer in their dormitory, which, until just a few seconds ago, had been empty. Angelina closed her drawer and sat down on her bed. "Hey. What's going on, Lic?"

A smile was spreading rapidly across Alicia's face and she seemed to be stiffling giggles. "I wasn't sure if anyone had told you... I assumed not, considering that she was the one that told me... -- "

"Alicia?"

She was just talking to herself now. "I mean, it's not really that big of a deal... I know I'm pretty happy about it... -- "

"Alicia, what are you on about?" Angelina demanded, crossing her arms.

"Well... " The smile grew wider.

Angelina rolled her eyes. As much as she loved Alicia, she still acted like a third year. Not just occasionally. All the time. "ALICIA. Seriously. Tell me or stop being a smartass."

"Alright then... " It was Alicia's turn to roll her eyes. "You're no fun... Okay. Katie Bell adores George Weasley!" she practically squealed, clasping her hands together.

Angelina cocked her head to the side. "Says who?"

"Says Katie!" Alicia continued. "She was talking to me in the locker room about fifteen minutes ago! Apparently, she really, really, likes him."

"Can't say I blame her. He's gorgeous."

"Yeah, no arguments... But, at far as I know, she's gonna let him know on Valentine's Day!" Her voice was becoming high-pitched again.

Alicia was definitely more into gossip than Angelina.

Not that Angelina wasn't interested.

She definitely was.

"How's she gonna tell him?" It was now obvious that Angelina was absorbed.

Valentine's Day was tomorrow.

"I'm not sure! We could ask her?"

"Does she want it to get around?" Angelina asked skeptically, "Maybe you shouldn't tell her that I know... -- "

"She doesn't care! She's fine with it, she would've told you soon anyway!"

"I'm not so sure... If it was me, I wouldn't go parading around with a sign around my neck reading: 'I BLOODY LOVE GEORGE WEASLEY!'."

"Obviously not," Alicia countered. "That's why not many people know about you and Lee... " A sly grin slid onto her face.

"You shut up!" Angelina snapped.

Alicia laughed. "Calm down, I haven't told anyone. I know how badly you could beat me to a pulp, believe me! Anyway, Katie's due out of the showers any minute -- she went to the prefects' bathroom to clean up. I gave her the password that you told me, I hope you don't mind... Want to walk down there?"

Angelina thought for a second and then nodded. "Sure. I'm actually rather taken with the subject now... "

"I knew it!" Alicia grinned.

"Shut up."

-*-*-*-

"Kaaaaatie?" Alicia called as both she and Angelina stepped into the prefect's bathroom.

"Yeah?" Her voice echoed around from the far side of the room.

"Are you dreeeessed?"

"Yes!" Katie peeked her head around the corner of the wall before walking around it, towel in hand. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Alicia answered, ever-present smile in place. "Angelina and I were just wondering how you planned on going about informing the softerspoken of the Weasley twins that you have the hots for him."

Katie shot a glare at Alicia and her gaze flickered to Angelina briefly.

"Don't worry," Angelina said eagerly. "I won't say anything to anyone. I wouldn't want to ruin whatever you have planned."

"Actually... " Katie sighed. "I haven't got anything planned... I don't know what to do!"

A inner battle seemed to be waging inside Angelina. She took a deep breath, and smiled at Katie. "Alright. I wasn't supposed to say anything -- all the prefects swore not to -- but, we're planning a Valentine's Party/Dance for each house... "

"You're what?!" Alicia exclaimed. "And you didn't tell me?!"

"I didn't tell anyone!" Angelina defended, trying not to laugh at Alicia's outrage. "We haven't really planned a whole lot of anything yet, but I do know that we have a meeting in about an hour about it, that's where we'll plan everything. It's going to be in the common room and all the furniture is going to be cleared and decorations will be put up. I'll tell you more when I find out, even though I'm not supposed to... I'm sure others will have said something too... "

"It would be a good time to make your move!" Alicia said, elbowing Katie.

"Oh, really? Obviously, Alicia; why else would Ang be telling me?" Katie asked, giving Alicia a rather patronizing look.

Alicia just blushed and muttered something before straightening up. "Alright. So, we should get back to the common room, yeah?"

"It sounds like a good idea," Angelina said. "I can't tell you guys that much more, okay? I don't want the other prefects on my tail."

"'The other prefects'?" Alicia put her hands on her hips. "The other prefects consist of Lee, Eve, Mike, Ron, and Hermione. Can you tell me which of them will hound you?"

"Hermione," Katie and Angelina replied together.

"Good point," Alicia admited. "Alright, let's get back so you can go to your special meeting... "

-*-*-*-

"I think the whole thing is rubbish," Ron Weasley said, leaning back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head.

"Shut up, Ron," Hermione Granger replied, shaking her head. "No one cares that you think it's rubbish, okay?"

Angelina tried not to laugh as she watched the two bicker. She winked at Lee Jordan, who grinned back at her.

Lee Jordan being a prefect was just about as amazing as Ron Weasley being a prefect.

They were all sitting in the seventh year Boys' Dormitory, sitting around a long rectangle table.

Eve Channing was chewing on her bottom lip, obviously trying not to laugh at the younger kids' display. Eve was the female sixth year prefect, not to mention the girl who had managed to capture Fred Weasley's heart.

Mike Kendall was biting on the knuckle of his index finger, but the grin on his face was clear and apparent. Being friends with Lee and both Weasley twins usually gave him the right to tease their younger brother, but he refrained at this moment, for reasons unknown to him. He was the male sixth year prefect, and so far, none of the male prefects had had much input.

Except for Ron.

Who thought that they should call the whole thing off.

"I think that Mike cares that I think it's rubbish, don't you, Mike?"

"Do what, now?" Mike looked up at Ron, who was giving him something that resembled a pleading look.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Lee?"

"I think that you should give it up, Ron," Lee said solemnly, winking at Angelina.

"Eve, reason with Hermione!" Ron exclaimed.

"What am I supposed to do?" Eve asked, the laugh that was begging to come out getting caught in her throat.

"Tell her that little flying hearts papers should not be falling from the ceiling!"

"Evey, please, you know that he's just being his annoying self!" Hermione argued.

"I think that I'm not getting in the middle of this!" Eve exclaimed, finally allowing a laugh to escape, before stuffing her knuckle in her mouth.

"I think that falling paper would get into the food, wouldn't it?" Lee mused aloud.

Hermione hadn't seemed to think of that. "Oh... Well... I suppose that that's true... " She seemed very upset about being defeated.

Ron, who had acquired some tact over the past few years, didn't gloat in his victory. "That's what I meant, it just isn't a good idea for the circumstances."

"So, what have we got so far?" Angelina asked, peering at Hermione, who had been writing everything down.

"Oh! Well... " She looked down at the list. "We've got the decorations now, the food, the music -- "

"How are we doing the music?" Eve suddenly interupted. "I think I missed this."

"What we're doing -- and Dumbledore suggested this -- is having The Weird Sisters playing in the Great Hall. And he's going to charm their instruments and microphones so that they can penetrate the walls so all the houses can hear it," Hermione answered.

Eve looked a bit impressed. "Well, alright then."

"Dinner tomorrow is when we're supposed to come up here and get everything ready," Hermione continued. "We'll set up and -- "

"Wait," Ron interjected. "During dinner? Meaning that, we miss dinner?"

"Yes, Ron. We miss dinner."

"I'm not missing dinner for something that I want to call off!"

Eve and Mike both began shifting in their seats, obvious that they were trying not to laugh again.

"Ron, Dumbledore asked us to -- "

"Hermione, I want dinner!"

"Well, Ronald, you're just going to have to eat a big lunch -- "

"Lunch is like, five hours away from dinner! I'll get hungry!"

"There will be food at the dance!"

"But, it'll be another hour or so from dinner! I -- "

"Ron, an hour is not that long! Really -- "

"It is when you're dying of starvation!"

Unable to hold their laughter any longer, both Mike and Eve burst out in loud peals of laughter.

Hermione and Ron stopped to stare at them, which only caused them to laugh louder, and caused Lee and Angelina to let out a few chuckles.

"What are you laughing at?" Ron demanded indignantly.

"You!" Mike managed to gasp through his laughter.

"Me?" Ron exclaimed, his voice rising.

"Not just you!" Eve answered, holding her side.

"What then?!" he exclaimed, exasperated.

"They're laughing at you two arguing," Lee explained. "Quite frankly, it's rather hilarious."

Mike almost slipped out of his chair, which caused Eve, Lee, and Angelina to break out in new laughter.

"Stop laughing!" Ron commanded, his face turning bright red.

Hermione was also beginning to blush, but was staying silent.

"Alright, that's enough... " Angelina said, but the grin was still on her face.

"I'm... sorry!" Eve exclaimed, trying to catch her breath. "They're just... so... funny!"

As predicted, Ron's ears were even turning red.

"Okay, okay... " Mike took a deep breath and Eve followed suit. "Alright, we're done. Sorry, Ron."

"Sorry, Hermione," Eve said. "So, Ron... Can we get you up here for dinner?"

"But, I -- "

"Ron, please?" Eve begged, sticking out her lower lip. "Pleeease?"

"Eve, while this might work on my older brother, it does not work on me," Ron shot placidly.

"Ouch, Ron!" Eve sat back in her chair and crossed one leg over the other. "That was below the belt."

"This is my dinner we're talking about!" he countered. "My dinner."

Hermione let out a loud huff and slammed one of her hands on the table. "Ron. You're coming up here to help us, okay?"

He scowled at her, and seemed to be thinking about snapping back, but bit his lip and said nothing.

Mike shot Eve an impressed look and she nodded, returning the expression.

"It's settled then. We'll all meet up here during dinner?" Hermione addressed them all.

They all nodded, though Ron's was rather unenthusiastic.

"Okay, there we go!" she said and stood up.

Ron was lagging as he got up, slowly rising.

Hermione sighed, rolled her eyes, and turned around. "Do you need help with your homework, Ron?"

"Yes!" he exclaimed, eyes lighting up.

"Alright, come on... "

The youngest of the prefects left the room first, and as soon as the door closed, the older four burst out laughing.

"Oh, they are too much!" Angelina exclaimed.

"They want each other," Eve said, shaking her head. "It's so obvious."

"To everyone but them," Lee pointed out.

"No, no, I think they know it too... " Mike replied, grinning.

"I don't know if they know it, but she has got one tight leash on him!" Eve said. "I mean, he may deny it, but damn!"

Angelina began to giggle and the four of them headed to the door. "They've wanted each other ever since they first met! Maybe this stupid dance will be exactly what they need."

Eve nodded as they began to descend the stairs. "Everything is falling into place for everyone, isn't it?"

"How do you mean?" Mike asked, looking quizically over at her.

"All the girls are getting their men, that's what she means!" Angelina started to laugh again.

Mike and Lee looked at each other with sympathizing looks.

"Okay, think about it -- Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley are the perfect Gryffindor couple," Eve began to explain, even though the two boys couldn't care less. "Ron and Hermione following, even though they 'don't like each other'. Angelina, you've got Lee. Mike's got Alicia, as everyone knows. Fred and I. We need to hook up the lonely Weasley with someone!"

Angelina began to open her mouth, but shut it just as quickly. "Yeah, we do," she said, managing to hide a grin.

-*-*-*-

"I can't believe you... " Ron muttered as he and Hermione climbed the stairs to Gryffindor Tower, behind Mike and Eve.

"Ron, Dumbledore asked us to help. It's one dinner; you'll live, I promise."

"Wouldn't you feel extremely bad if I did die?" he demanded. "From starvation?!"

"Yes, I would feel terrible. But, it's not gonna happen, so stop throwing a tantrum."

Ron rolled his eyes, and neither could hear Eve and Mike snickering at the top of the stairs.

Once inside the Gryffindor common room, they sat down to wait for Angelina and Lee.

"I could be eating dinner... " Ron said in a longing voice.

Mike starting laughing, while Eve managed to keep hers in.

Angelina and Lee walked inside the common room a few minutes later, and Ron was still scowling.

"Alright," Angelina clapped. "We need to hurry and get this done."

Ron scoffed.

"The sooner we get done, the sooner you can eat, Ron."

He raised an eyebrow.

They all stood up and the middle of the room was cleared with a sweep of Mike's wand.

A table had been set out earlier that day, and Eve moved it to one side of the room, before Hermione came over and sprayed small red confetti hearts all over the top of the table.

Ron made a noise that resembled disgust.

Suddenly, small squeaks filled the room as nearly twenty house elves swarmed inside the common room.

"Hello!" Hermione exclaimed happily. "How are you today?"

There were scattered answers and it was impossible to understand even one, but she smiled and nodded, assuming that they were good.

The elves quickly zoomed toward the table, placing platters on the table, before hurrying back out.

"Thank you!" Hermione called after them.

The table was now laden with food; plates of simple cookies and tarts were not absent, but there was more festive food.

There were heart shaped cupcakes, covered in red frosting with white sprinkles, or pink frosting with red sprinkles; heart shaped sandwiches, the crusts charmed red; red jello, cut into large hearts, that were still jiggling and shaking from being set down; a huge cake, covered in pink frosting; and large kettles full of hot cocoa.

There was a vase filled with roses -- or what looked like roses. They were chocolate, which had been turned pink, in the shape of petals.

"Foooood," Ron said slowly.

"Now, Ron, not yet -- "

"I'm eating a cupcake and I'd like to see you try and stop me!" Rather than take a few steps to grab the cupcake, he used the summoning charm on it, and was biting into it a second later.

"You can't really be that hungry," Angelina said as Hermione shook her head.

"I am!" he reassured her, as he finished the cupcake within two more bites.

"You can't eat anymore until everyone's up here," Hermione said, giving him a severe look.

Ron groaned. He rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll be right back, I'm going to the loo... "

"Maybe we can hurry and get this done so he can't complain... " Eve said, laughing.

Setting to work, they shot up pink, white, and red streamers; some pink and white helium balloons that floated to the cieling; more confetti was shot around; and floating cupids were lazy flying about.

Ron stopped in the doorway and made a loud noise of obvious disgust. "I'm gone for two minutes and the entire place is cutesy. Can someone please tell me what's with all the damn pink and white?!"

"Hey, Ron?" Hermione said, crossing her arms.

"Yeah?"

"It's a VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY."

He rolled his eyes. "I can't wait until Harry sees this... -- "

"Harry's not going to care!" Eve laughed. "Harry is going to be paying attention to nothing but Ginny, and you know it!"

Once they were finished with the decorating, they all sat down. They were only resting for about ten minutes before footfalls could be heard from outside.

The six of them all stood up and walked to the door, stopping everyone before they got inside. Soon, there was a cramped crowd outside of the tower.

"What's going on, Ron?" Harry voice could be heard calling.

"Really, what's the hold up?"

"I want to go inside!"

"Move!"

"I can't move, they're stopping us!"

"Quit pushing!"

"I'm being pushed!"

"Alright, guys!" Lee shouted in a voice above everyone elses. "We've got a bit of a surprise for you."

There was a small murmur of people whispering to each other.

"Professor Dumbledore thought that since there has never been anything really special done for Valentine's Day, that he should plan something for each house," Eve continued in a loud voice.

"So, he planned for all the prefects to meet separately to plan a party for their house," Hermione said. "But, it was a bit of a secret, so I'd expect that none of you know anything about it!"

Angelina kept a straight face, as she spoke. "But, it's tonight -- right now, actually. The Weird Sisters will be playing the Great Hall, with charms on the instruments so that each house will be able to hear it."

"Can we go in?" someone shouted.

"If you'd like!" Angelina said and laughed.

The prefects moved out of the way as everyone piled into the common room.

"Do you think they'll like it?" Hermione asked.

"I think they will," Eve answered, nodding.

They walked inside behind everyone else, and it was clarified that everyone did like the decorations and the food.

People were chattering excitedly, and pointing things out to their friends.

There was a lot of mingling as people starting to get used to the look of the room.

A melody began to reach their ears as the Weird Sisters started to play, and a few brave kids decided to start off the dancing.

"I think it's going well as for a party that just started fifteen minutes ago," Mike said and shrugged.

Pretty soon, most of the younger kids were dancing, while the older teens were standing around talking.

Even Ron and Hermione were dancing together, and they fooled no o

"This isn't too bad, guys," Fred commented, "You know, for a school function."

"I'd like to see you do better," Eve shot back.

Fred set his arm on her shoulder. "How's the food?"

"You tell me."

He gave her and Angelina a skeptical look before traveling over to the food table. He grabbed a cupcake with pink frosting and gave them another look before biting into it.

"Any chances of it being poisonous?" Eve asked.

"None," Angelina answered, shaking her head.

"Damn."

"I herbd bat!" Fred said through his mouth full of cupcake. He finished the small cake, and stepped back over to them.

"And?" Angelina asked.

"Pretty good. I've got to admit, I'm sure that if I had been made a prefect -- "

Both girls burst out laughing before he could finish.

Laughing probably wasn't the right word.

Howling would be much more appropriate.

"Alright... alright, okay... That's enough... "

The girls were slowly overcoming their laughter.

"You could never become a prefect, my dear," Angelina said.

"And you've got frosting on your face," Eve added.

Both girls were still giggling.

"Where?"

"Here." Eve pointed to the spot on her own face.

He wiped at the frosting, but failed to remove it.

"No, you didn't get it -- "

"Where is it?"

She started to laugh again.

"Get it off!"

She continued to laugh, but stepped closer to him to wipe of the pink frosting that was smeared near his lower lip.

He rolled his eyes, the giggling was still there, and kissed her to stop his own annoyance.

"I'll leave you two to your own devices -- I'm going to talk to... "

They weren't listening to her anyway.

She moved toward the food and saw Lee standing alone, staring into the cocoa kettle.

"Hi," she said, moving to stand next to him.

"Hey," he said slowly.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine." He glanced up at her before looking back down.

"Lee?"

"I just have a question," he answered.

She looked at him with a concerned expression as she waited for him to continue.

"Why... Why are you trying to keep our relationship a secret?"

She looked a little taken aback by the question. "I'm not... -- "

"You've told me not to make a big deal out of it, you told Alicia not to say anything... "

"Lee, I just didn't want to embarrass you by running to all my friends and making a big deal out of it."

"It wouldn't have embarrassed me, Angelina. I just wanted to know why. You're not... Man, this is embarrassing... You're not... you're not ashamed of me, are you?"

"Lee!"

"Angelina!"

"I'm not ashamed of you! Are you kidding me? No. No, I'm not."

"Okay... " He really didn't look convinced.

"I'm not kidding, Lee."

She clenched and unclenched her fist before taking his hand in hers.

He looked over at her, with a small smile on his face.

She leaned in closer to him and kissed him softly on the lips. "I'm not."

His smile grew wider. "Good."

She smiled as well and giggled. "Yeah." She looked around and saw Katie, who was sitting on the couch by herself. "Lee, I'll be back, okay?"

"Okay."

She traveled around to the other side of the room, weaving in and out of the couples dancing, to get to Katie.

"Katie?" Angelina said as she sat next to her.

"Oh, hi! This is great, you know, you guys really did a good job!"

"Why are you sitting alone?" she asked.

Katie shrugged. "I'm not sure. Everyone else is dancing and talking. I don't have anyone to dance with."

"For how much longer?" Angelina asked, giving a sly grin.

She chuckled and shook her head. "You know what I've got? Nothing. I've got nothing. I've got a simple, stupid, ruddy Valentine card. And that's it. I've got nothing to offer to anyone. I'm just a stupid girl with a stupid crush."

"Katie! Come on!" she put an arm around her friend's shoulders. "You're not stupid. And you've got tons of stuff to offer! You're smart, funny, beautiful, caring -- if George doesn't want you then he's the dumbest guy alive."

Katie gave a small smile. "Thanks, Ang."

Angelina shook her head. "No problem. It's all true." She looked up to see George talking to Alicia near them.

"What do you think she's telling him?" Katie asked, sounding a little nervous.

"I'm not sure, but I'd better clear a space for him!"

Katie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, alright... "

Angelina made her way over to Alicia, and grinned. "Hi, George."

"Hey, Ang! How are ya?"

"I'm pretty good. How about you?"

"I'm excellent," he replied, smiling. "But, I'll be right back, okay?"

"Go for it," Alicia said, and both girls watched as he made his way over to sit next to Katie.

"Yesssss!" they both hissed quietly.

They were both talking to each other in hushed tones, and Katie was blushing. She said something that made the blush deepen and she reached inside her robes, producing a red heart.

"She made him a valentine," Angelina murmured to Alicia.

"Ohh! That's cute."

It was George's turn to blush, as he looked at it. He smiled as he read it and said something to Katie.

"Think he likes it?" Alicia asked.

Their question was immediately answered as George leaned in slowly and gave her a kiss on the cheek near her lips.

"What would you say?" Angelina grinned.

They couldn't be sure what was said, but, from this side, it was pretty obvious that George Weasley adored Katie Bell too...