Fred and I stepped into the courtyard and were blasted by the winter chill. The courtyard was surrounded by Veela's and every boy in Hogwarts gawking at them. We rolled out eyes and leaned on the wall. After all, Veela's did have a reputation of being beautiful. Sure…. They were pretty, but they weren't real. It was like their beauty didn't actually exist and it was more of the idea of them. But there was one exception, and she happened to be sitting on a bench, all alone, shaking her leg.

"Eh, George?" Fred asked

"Yeah Freddie?" I responded

"You gunna ask one 'a them to the Yule Ball?" I rolled my eyes and gave him a little shove, "What?"

"You really think I'm gunna do that?" I asked

"Eh, suit yourself."

I looked at the girl sitting by herself. She had her hair tied back in a tight ballet bun, so tight it looked like it would hurt. But she didn't act as if it did. She had her scarf tied high on her neck and tucked into her jacket. Her skin was pale, making her hair seem darker. Her eyes were a bright aquamarine color that I could see clearly from twenty feet away. She glanced at me and sort of smiled. I looked away quickly.

"Come on, lets go." I muttered, pushing myself off the wall. We started walking across the courtyard to go to the Great Hall for lunch. The girl stood up as we got in her general direction

"Um… excuse me?" she asked in a quiet voice. Her accent was a mix between French, British, and a small bit of what sounded like Italian. We stopped dead in her tracks and started at her. Her pale cheeks were brushed with color. Fred elbowed my lightly in the ribs. I cleared my throat

"Uh… uh yes?" I stuttered

"Um, could you two tell me how to get to the Astronomy tower?" she asked speaking a little louder. Her voice was high and a little high pitched

"Eh, sure. You go through that door," I said pointing to the door a couple feet away, "Then go all the way down the hall, take the staircase, go halfway down the hall after the stairs, then go on the other staircase. There's a door somewhere along the line, but you have to keep going until you get all the way to the top. And you know it's the right one because it's a spiral staircase." She looked up a bit and thought for a moment. She nodded and smiled

"Well, thank you." She said quietly. She ran to the door and down the hall

"Georgy, why don't you go after her?" I shoved him a little

"What are you talking about?"

"You clearly fancy her, and she fancies you too. So, go ask her to the Yule Ball." I rolled my eyes

"Fine, if it'll get you to shut up." He laughed as I made my way to the Astronomy tower, after her.

I slowly and quietly walked up the spiral staircase. She stood, leaning over the railing, looking at the sky. I did what Fred told me to do and tossed a scarf on the floor before making my way up the rest of the way. She turned her head quickly, watching me with wide eyes.

"Uh, sorry, I forgot I left something here." She smiled

"You forgot? And that's why you're here?" I blushed and picked the scarf up

"No, uh… I remembered that I forgot something here." I walked over to the railing and stood next to her. She played with her bun, nervously, "Why'd you come up here?" I asked

"Oh, uh… I came up here to think. My little sister is, um… in the Hospital wing." I cocked an eyebrow, "She's sick. But… I've never been away from her for this long."

"Except when she was born?" I laughed, she shook her head

"No, even then it was only ten minutes. She's my twin." I looked at her, she sighed, "Look, I don't want to worry you with my problems. I'll just go…" she started walking away. I put a hand on hers and she stopped walking. She looked at me with wide, un blinking eyes, then back at our hand

"It's ok, tell me." She smiled and walked back over

"Well, she get's out the day of the Yule ball and so I'm barely gunna see her that day." I gave her a look, "I'm not going to the Yule Ball."

"Why not?" she sighed

"No one asked me to go…"

"Well I didn't ask anyone and I'm gunna have fun." She shrugged

"Yeah, well… see I'm a Veela," I gave her a look, "Yeah, I know, I don't look like it. Anyway, you know how Veela's have a reputation for beautiful?" I nodded, "Well … there's an exception. Me." She let our a long sigh and looked up

"Do you seriously think that you're not beautiful?" she looked at the sky, not responding. I laughed a small laugh, "Who told you that?"

"Nobody has the courage to say it to my face. But clearly they think it because I'm not going to the Yule Ball because I don't have a date." I went to the other side of her and leaned over the railing, looking at her

"Well if you'll go with me, you can't say that anymore." She smiled and looked at the floor

"Are you… asking me out?"

"Yeah why not?" she bit her lip

"Are you serious?" I stood up and kissed her on the cheek

"See you at the Ball, I'll meet you there?" she nodded and I walked down the spiral staircase. "Oh by the way, I'm George."

"Evelyn." She smiled. I glanced at her before she slipped out of view, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear while biting her lip.

…

I ran through the courtyard scanning for Fred. He was leaning in the doorway, where I left him. I ran out to him, out of breath. He laughed as I leaned back, catching my breath. Several girls giggled, looking over at me.

"What happened to you, Georgy?" I looked up at him and smiled

"I asked out a girl." he stood up and cocked an eyebrow, "And you know what? She said yes." He clapped me on the back, I felt myself blush

"Nice! That girl with the bun?"

"Yeah, the Veela." He cocked his eyebrow higher up. We made out way back to the common room, out of the snow

We walked into the common room and took a seat, leaning against the wall. Many thanks to Mum, the Yule Ball wasn't going to be a complete wreck. Ronniekins was going to have a dreadful time; he looked like our Great Aunt Tessie in his Dress Robes. So at least I wasn't going to look ancient. Hermione ran over to us and got right in front of my face.

"Whoa, Granger, at least pretend." I said smirking, she rolled her eyes, clearly un-amused, "What's up?"

"You asked my friend Evelyn to go to the Yule Ball with you, didn't you?" Fred and I glanced at each other; I turned my face back to her. She was about two inches away from me, looking at me with squinted eyes. I opened my mouth to answer but she gasped and stood up, "Ooh, she was right!"

"Wait, wait, wait. How are you two friends?" I stood up and stopped her jumping up and down, "She's from Beauxbatons."

"Well, as kids we were neighbors and this year we saw each other and it was like nothing ever changed. And so you did ask her out?"

"Yeah, happy now?"

"Yes I am, I'm going to go find her." She skipped out of the common room, leaving Fred and I alone, completely and utterly confused