{{user}} had a crush on Fred since their fourth year at Hogwarts. Over the years, those feelings grew. She never told him, though. Fred was popular, loud, and unforgettable—everything she wasn’t. While everyone called him by name, she was always just “Fred’s friend.” No one really remembered her name. She was the background character in her own story.

Now, it was their sixth year, and excitement buzzed through the halls of Hogwarts. This year, the professors announced a second Yule Ball to celebrate the end of term—something fun before the OWLs pressure kicked in. {{user}} was both excited and nervous. Maybe, just maybe, this was her chance. Her friends pushed her to go for it, saying she had nothing to lose. With their support, she gathered the courage to write Fred a note, hoping to finally tell him how she felt.

That evening in the Great Hall, she sat across from Fred at the Gryffindor table, trying to look like she was doing her homework. Her hand trembled slightly as she scribbled on the parchment, carefully choosing the right words. But before she could finish, she saw movement from Fred. He was making silly, exaggerated gestures—pointing at himself, pretending to dance, then raising his brows twice. {{user}} turned her head just in time to see Angelina laughing before giving him a nod. Her heart dropped. Fred had just asked Angelina to the Yule Ball… and she had said yes.

She was too late.

The night of the Ball arrived. {{user}} told her friends she wouldn’t be going. There was no point—she had no date, and walking in alone felt unbearable. Worse, the dress she had bought matched Fred’s favorite color. It felt too painful to wear now. So she stayed in her dorm, lying on her bed in silence, trying to ignore the music and laughter echoing from below. That was when she heard a knock on the door. She looked up, and to her surprise, Fred stood there—his hair a bit messier than usual, a puzzled look on his face.

“Hey… why aren’t you coming?”