A Little Thing Called Love

Cathy wished this had happened. She honestly did. But it didn't.

After Dumbledore had made his announcement and Ron had asked Hermione to the ball, Harry had turned around and started talking to Parvati. And Catherine was left with no one to talk to.

She left the Hall as soon as possible, going directly to the Common Room. Well, she thought, we weren't on close enough terms to be going to the ball together. He's probably asking Parvati now anyway. He doesn't even know me well- of course he wasn't going to ask me! She reasoned with herself furiously. Tears started spilling down her cheeks, her jaw clenched- angry with herself. For crying- for loving. You stupid, stupid girl! Crying over a boy- who hardly even acknowledges your existence! You stupid, silly girl!

She reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, sniffing and wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.

"Password?" the lady in pink asked distractedly, as she sat down in her usual place. "Oh darling!" she said, noticing Catherine's tearstained face and miserable expression. "What's wrong? Oh wait, don't tell me. It's a boy," she said, looking as though she'd been through this often.

Am I that easy to read? Cathy wondered, nodding miserably. "Balderdash," she said glumly.

"Well remember, sweetheart," said the Fat Lady as she swung her portrait open. "Boys come and go. It may sound horrid to say now, but soon you'll find out that he's not that special."

Catherine climbed through the entrance dejectedly. She got a piece of parchment and a pen and sat down in her usual corner. She found a strange comfort in curling up in that armchair, sitting in the shadows and not being bothered.

She began to write.

You silly girl

Kept alive by illusions

These ghosts won't materialize

until you go and force them to.

You stupid girl

You just don't understand- do you?

Do you?

Living in a dream

Opening your eyes

Like doors upon a sunrise

Let in the light

Beloved

Catherine paused to watch as people trooped in noisily, coming back from their meal. Then she noticed Hermione coming in and looking around, probably for her.

Cathy waved to her, folding the paper and putting it away in her pocket as Hermione rushed to her.

"Why did you leave?" she asked immediately. "I didn't see you, you left so silently. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah," answered Cathy, smiling at Hermione's worrying. "I just remembered something I had to do and I left to do it before I could forget again."

"Come on, then," said Hermione, taking her by the arm and dragging her away from her spot. "Don't sit over there. We need to start planning."

"Planning what?" asked Catherine, bewildered.

"Well for the ball, Cathy. We don't have that much time, in case you noticed," said Hermione impatiently.

Cathy paused. "I'm still not sure if I'm going."

Hermione let go of her arm and turned to stare at her. "You're kidding me."

"No, honestly. I mean, no one's asked me and I doubt if they will. Besides, I have no idea what I'm going to wear."

"Those are the stupidest reasons to avoid the ball I have ever heard in my life" said Hermione with a laugh. "One, no one's got to invite you to the ball for you to go; you can have a great time without a date. And two," she said with a laugh, "if you don't have ideas for a costume all you have to do is ask me!"

Cathy grinned. "Fine, I'll go."

She already had an idea for the costume anyway. If Harry was going with someone else, she would make sure he'd regret it.

*****

Ron was going as a knight. He told Cathy about it during Charms the next day, and she encouraged him.

"I was thinking of maybe borrowing a suit of armour for the night, you know," he said as he took notes. "But then I realised it would be horribly uncomfortable to dance in it."

"And the noise you'd make just walking. Terribly unromantic. Hermione would be very embarrassed," she pointed out smoothly.

"So maybe I could just, you know, borrow the sword. And just wear the chain mail. Anyways," he said, putting his pen down; "what are you going as?"

"Ah," said Cathy mysteriously. "It's a surprise."

"But I told you what I was going as!" he said in mock outrage.

"I know," she answered smugly. "So you did."

Ron grumbled and went back to writing.