Things got considerably more awkward over the next week, as November turned to December and everyone became excited about Christmas.

However, when the Triwizard Tournament was on, apparently Christmas came with another tradition, another thing that made the halls buzz with excitement.

"Alice, why is everyone talking about some ball that's happening in a few weeks?" Azalea asked her best friend at breakfast the next day, very, very confused.

"Oh, the Yule Ball," Alice said in a voice heavy with anticipation. "It's basically just a Christmas dance that happens when the tournament's on, but you're supposed to bring a date and you have to get one, because the champions do the first dance."

"What?" Azalea hissed, eyes wide. "You never told me about this-!"

"Is this about the ball?" Lily asked with an annoyed tone. "Because I just found out this morning that only fifth year and up are allowed to come, so I'm not allowed to go unless someone invites me."

"Well, you could come with me?" Alice shrugged. "As friends, obviously, cause I seriously, seriously doubt anyone will ask me to go."

"Cheers, Alice!" Lily said, face perking up immediately. Then she turned to Azalea. "I guess you already know who you're taking, Lea?"

She raised her eyebrows suggestively, and the redhead rolled her eyes. "Yes, Lily, I probably will be going with Lauri, but I didn't even know this existed until today?"

"What are you yelling about?" Louis, who was with Fred and not James, asked as he swung himself down on the bench next to Lea, Fred sitting next to him.

"I've just found out there's a ball coming up," Azalea shrugged.

"Okay, A, I thought everyone knew that, and B, why is that something to yell about?" Fred frowned.

"A, I did not know it Fred, I'm muggle born, and B, they're making fun of me," she pointed at Alice and Lily, who smirked. "Anyway, where's the third member of your little trio?"

She felt awkward talking about James, but she just wanted to know.

"He'll be here in a minute," Fred shrugged.

Azalea sighed as Rose came to sit down, holding a newsaper in her hand. "Hey, everyone! What's going on?"

"Hey," Lily grinned. "We're just educating Azalea here on the Yule Ball."

"Oh," Rose said, looking down at the paper in her hand before glancing up at Azalea.

"What's wrong?" The girl frowned.

Rose sighed, lifting up the paper and handing it to her. "Lea, you should see this."

"What? What is it?" Azalea frowned, yet she stopped talking when she saw what it was.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE?

Now, from my last story you readers may remember my comments on the saucy and very interesting relationship between Azalea Edwards and James Potter. However, after the first task, I, Nikita Skeeter, am afraid to report that there may be a large bump in the road for their relationship.

Miss Edwards, a quick tempered yet high spirited girl, was seen after the task cosying up to none other than Lauri Krum, the son of International quidditch star Viktor Krum. It appears she's developing a taste for wizards with famous fathers. No word yet on how James Potter's taking this, but we'll try to update you as soon as we can.

"Oh shut the fuck up!" Azalea snarled as she came to the end of the passage, slamming the newspaper shut and thrusting it back towards Rose, who had taken a seat.

"I'm sorry, Lea, but you needed to see it," the girl sighed.

"Thanks for showing me," Azalea nodded. "But it doesn't change the fact that that woman is spreading lies about James and I and making everyone think we're together-"

She stopped talking as James walked in, looking seriously irked by something. He walked straight over to Louis and Fred, sitting down at the table and heaping a load of cereal onto his plate. Azalea rolled her eyes, annoyed at how moody he was acting, before saying to Rose. "So you're going to the ball with Scorpius, then?"

"I suspect so," nodded the girl. "Also, we have to go on a dress shopping spree, all four of us!"

"Yes we do!" Lily said with an excited looking face.

"Of course," Azalea smiled, trying to ignore the fact that James was sitting down the table.

"I think we get a Hogsmeade visit the weekend before the ball, we can go then," Alice said with a smile. "This is so exciting, guys!"

And it was.

But not when Azalea glanced at James, and saw his eyes burning into the side of her head, anger burning within him.

✾✾✾

Over the next week, more chatter of the ball happened, but nothing official until one Friday, the day before the Hogsmeade trip.

That day, all Gryffindors from fifth to seventh year gathered in a spare room for a lesson. They weren't given anymore information, but they all knew what it was going to be about, anyway.

And they were right, because when they got there, Teddy (sorry, Professor Lupin), and Professor McGonagall were stood inside, and massive gramophone with them.

Once everyone was sat down, the girls on one side and the boys on the other, McGonagall called them all to silence.

"The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament, since its inception," she told them all. "On the night before our holidays, we and our guests gather in the great hall for a night of well mannered frivolity."

Azalea chuckled slightly. McGonagall was iconic.

"As representatives of the host school, I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward. And I mean this literally, because the Yule Ball is first and foremost... a dance."

There was a loud hiss of conversation at this, Azalea turning with a grin towards Rose and Alice.

"Silence!" McGonagall called. "The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizarding world for nearly ten centuries. I will not have you, in the course of a single evening, besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling, band of baboons!"

Azalea wanted to laugh as across the room, she saw James challenge Fred and Louis to say that five times fast, but she couldn't. Laughing meant James would notice her, and stop doing it.

"Now, to dance," McGonagall continued. "Is to let the body breathe. Inside every girl, a secret swan slumbers, longing to burst forth and take flight. Inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance. Mr Potter?"

James, who was still talking with Fred and Louis, snapped to life, looking up at McGonagall. "Yes, Professor?"

She held out a hand. "Will you join me, please?"

Rose and Alice snorted and Azalea found it hard not to laugh as James stood up, looking uneasy as he walked into the centre of the room with McGonagall.

"Now, place your right hand on my waist," McGonagall told him.

"Wha-?" James' eyes went wide.

"On my waist, Mr Potter," McGonagall repeated, as Fred and Louis wolf whistled and James went red, looking like he was going to kill them.

"Professor Lupin, if you please," McGonagall nodded to Teddy, who was grinning shamelessly at his adoptive brother, who looked quite like he wanted to die, as he started the track in the gramophone, a waltze starting to play.

"One, two, three, one two three," McGonagall said, leading James in a waltz with her. Azalea covered her mouth with her hand, really trying desperately not to laugh.

"Everybody come together!" McGonagall called, the girls standing up immediately whilst the boys stayed sitting.

Azalea made a beeline for Fred and Louis, who were guffawing hard. She faced them, smirking. "You're never letting him live this down, are you?"

"Never," grinned Fred. "I think he'd have rather danced with you today than McGonagall- sorry."

Azalea's face fell at this comment and she pursed her lips before offering them a feigned smile back. "It's fine," she said. "I know it's true."

She ended up dancing with Louis for the lesson, as Alice and Rose went together and Fred went with a very begrudging and pissed James. It was actually a lot of fun, and it made her look forward to the ball even more.

Now she just needed a dress.

✾✾✾

Azalea, Alice, Lily and Rose were practically leaping and bounding towards Hogsmeade as they went to go buy dresses.

"I can't believe James had to dance with McGonagall!" Lily, who hadn't seen the whole affair, laughed loudly. "Urgh, I wish I'd been there to see it."

"It was definitely one for the books," Alice laughed. "And honestly, his face was redder than you guys' hair!"

They collapsed into fits of giggles again, and Azalea sighed. She was still wracking her brain with what to do about James, especially if he was going to continue ignoring her.

When they got to Hogsmeade, they went straight to the dress shop, immediately splitting up to go and check out different dresses for the ball.

Eventually, each of them ended up with three or four options, all practically running into the fitting room to try them on. Azalea sat back and let the others go first, hanging up her dresses as she complimented the three girls around her.

Eventually, Alice decided on a nice purple dress, that was backless with a halterneck and that Azalea absolutely loved.

Lily picked out an emerald green velvet number, which complimented her figure perfectly and would look amazing on her.

Rose chose a red dress with a deep V neck and a long train, which was absolutely captivating and Lea was sure Scorpius would love.

"Right, come on Miss Edwards, it's your turn now," Lily said with a smirk after all three of them had tried on their dresses.

"Alright," Azalea sighed with a smile, going into the fitting room with her three optional dresses.

The first dress was a deep blue that looked enchanting, with a high thigh slit and a long skirt. Azalea had loved it when she first saw it, but when she tried it on the material was itchy and she didn't like it as much.

"Yeah, I'd say no," shrugged Lily when she walked out. "I mean, try the others first, but it's not the best and it does kinda clash with your hair."

Azalea nodded, hoping the second one would be better.

And it was. Azalea liked this dress a lot, actually. It was sky blue this time, with about five skirts, complimenting her hair perfectly and making Alice, Rose and Lily gasp, but-

"I couldn't dance in this thing," Azalea sighed. "It's too huge, it'd never work."

"Urgghhhh," Alice groaned. "But it's so pretty on you."

Azalea smiled. "Well, I have one more. And it's actually my favourite."

It definitely was. Her final dress was pink with just a hint of purple and orange, reminding her of a sunset. It had a nice heart neckline and was off the shoulder, and it was embroidered with very pretty flowers across the bodice and onto the skirt.

Rose, Alice and Lily pretended to drop dead when they saw her in it.

"Stop it," a flushing Azalea said with a smile.

"Hot," was what Lily said when she stopped pretending to have passed out.

"Is it really?" Azalea asked. "Cause I very much like it."

"Of course it is! And we very much like it as well," Alice grinned.

"That's the dress for you, Lea," smiled Rose. "Lauri is actually going to die when he sees you in it."

Azalea giggled slightly. "He has to ask me to go first."

They talked about dates, actually, as Lea changed and they all paid for their dresses before heading to The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer. Scorpius had asked Rose yesterday, and obviously Alice and Lily were going as a pair, so it was natural for them to talk.

"Did you hear that Fred's going with a Durmstrang girl?" Lily asked Lea. "He asked her the other day and she said yes, apparently."

"Oh god," Azalea chuckled, before frowning. "Er... just out of interest, have James and Louis got dates yet?"

"Nah," Rose shook her head. "Spoke to James yesterday, though, and his offers have been high."

"Of course they have, who wouldn't want to go to a ball with James Potter?" Azalea muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.

"Careful, you sound a little jealous there," Lily joked, but quickly apologised when Azalea gave her a death stare.

Rose sighed. "Anyway, James has been turning down a load of girls, apparently, but he hasn't actually said yes to one yet."

Azalea wasn't even surprised at this, of course James wouldn't say yes to someone straight away. Of course he'd torture all his admirers, and only pick a date at the last minute.

It was a week until the Yule Ball today, so a week until Christmas holidays. Azalea would really like to think she could make up with James before then.

But she knew it wouldn't happen.

✾✾✾

"Lea!"

Azalea had been expecting Lauri to catch her up at some point, but she had to admit, when he did it was very unexpected.

She was just walking along the corridor to go to the great hall and study with her friends when he caught her, a blush radiant on his cheeks.

"Hey, Lauri," Azalea said with a slight smile. "What's up?"

Without another word, Lauri handed her a flower. The girl recognised it at once; it was an Azalea, her namesake. She smiled fully as she saw it, looking up at the boy. "Lauri, what-?"

"Will you go to the ball with me?"

Something inside Azalea burst as he asked that question, and she rushed forwards, hugging him tightly as the butterflies swarmed her stomach in droves.

"Of course I will," she told Lauri, pulling back from him and smiling. "Of course I'll go to the ball with you."

And then she was leaning in and he was leaning in and the both of them were sharing a short, sweet kiss. Azalea beamed as they pulled apart from it, saying. "Thank you, Lauri. Thanks for the flower, as well."

"No problem," Lauri grinned.

"Well, er- I've got to go do homework, but... I'll see you later?" Azalea said, feeling her cheeks heat up.

"Yeah, see you later, Lea," Lauri smiled.

That smile could light up the whole castle.

✾✾✾

"You just got asked to the ball," Alice told Lea two minutes later as she sidled into the hall where everyone was doing last minute homework and sat down next to her, Lily, Albus, Rose and Scorpius.

Now, Azalea had no idea how Alice knew this, but she did know that she didn't want to discuss this right now, because Fred, Louis and James Potter were also sitting with the group, not so subtly listening.

So she very obtusely asked. "What?"

"Oh don't try to hide it, you look like a tomato," Lily told her.

"Urghhhh, okay, Lauri just asked me," Azalea said, taking a seat and putting her potions work on the table. "But please don't make a big deal about i-"

"Ahhhhh, I'm so happy for you!"

Then both girls were hugging her and congratulating her, and Azalea's face was burning and she was trying desperately not to look at James.

When the girls calmed down and everyone went back to their work, however, the conversation flipped over to him, and it became significantly harder.

"So," Albus said, looking at James and Louis. "Any luck for either of you?"

Louis shook his head, but James, surprisingly, chuckled and grinned.

"Had about five offers today," he said cockily. "Turned them down, though, they didn't seem like good dancing material."

"Of course they didn't," Albus rolled his eyes.

"Tell you what though, mate, that Beauxbatons girl wasn't taking no for an answer," Fred chuckled. "The look on her face when you told her no..."

"Yeah, it was amazing," James grinned back.

Azalea rolled her eyes, pissed off to the maximum at how they were talking.

"You guys really need to grow up," Rose commented, wrinkling her nose.

"Hey! I've got a date!" Fred complained.

"Oh yeah, what's with that?" Alice asked. "What's her name?"

"Erica," Louis answered instead of Fred. "And to try and get her to go with him, this numbskull told her he could do five rolls in a row on a broom-"

"-well, I told her I would do them-"

"-and then he tries to do it and practically throws up on her shoes," Louis grinned. "But for some reason, she was still really impressed and went with him."

Azalea, along with almost everyone else, snorted.

"Shut up you lot!" Teddy, who was walking around the hall with a few other teachers, warned them. "You're supposed to be doing your homework, not talking about ball dates."

"You going with anyone, Ted?" James asked, looking up with a smirk. "I could give you one of my girls, I've had about a hundred already."

Teddy sighed. "No, James, I'm not going with anyone, and I suspect you've been very polite in turning down all those girls."

"Of course," James flashed a smile at him before he moved on with rolled eyes.

And as he turned back round, chuckling to himself, his stupid blue eyes overcome with mirth, Azalea had had enough.

"You know you're an arrogant little bitch, right?" She snarled at James.

The boy looked at her, his eyes going from amused to cold in a split second.

"Azalea-" Alice started, but James cut her off.

"Hark, look who's talking," he replied, voice malevolent and cold.

"I'm not joking," Azalea snapped. "I can understand turning down a few girls, but bragging about them to everyone like you're some kind of fuckboy is a new low, James, even for you."

"Guys, stop it," Fred hissed. "This isn't a good idea-"

"Shut up," James' tone was colder than ever, but it wasn't going to make her back down.

"No, the way you talk about girls is despicable, and it needs to change!" Azalea was raising her voice now, attracting attention.

"Miss Edwards, quieten down, please!" Professor McGonagall called from the top of the hall.

"The way you talk to people is despicable, Azalea," James told her flatly. "Especially me."

"This isn't about me, at least I'm not swanning around practically asking people to invite me to the ball," Azalea hissed.

"I'm not-"

"Miss Edwards, Mr Potter, quiet down!" McGonagall's voice was dangerous, and tempted both of them into silence.

They spent the rest of the time staring daggers at each other across the table, each wishing they could make the other disappear.

✾✾✾

Whether it was because of Azalea or not, the next day, news of James going to the ball with someone surfaced.

It was Eleanor Wicker, one of the Beauxbatons champions. And Azalea hated the feeling of inadequacy she felt when she looked at her, but it was there nonetheless. Eleanor was slim, and her skin was like porcelain, and her eyes were bright blue, and her hair bright blonde.

She was practically the opposite of Azalea.

The redhead hadn't actually spoken to anyone about this, however, because she knew no one would sympathise with her. After all, she very publicly rejected James.

But regardless, the night before the ball, she found herself in the common room with the gang, playing chess with Albus (who was visiting) and listening to everyone talk around them.

"Pawn to E6," Azalea said with a smirk, watching as her pawn beat up one of Albus'.

Albus, however, was grinning. "Rook to E6."

"Fuck!" Azalea let out, as her pawn got beat up, and James, Fred and Louis walked into the room.

"Hello, all," James said with a lazy smirk. Azalea rolled her eyes and didn't reply, focusing on the chess game.

"I presume you've all heard James' news?" Fred asked with a smirk.

Azalea rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he's finally said yes to a girl instead of turning her down and bragging about it."

Thick, awkward silence followed this, and nobody quite knew what to do.

Then James crossed his arms, sighed and asked. "Azalea, can I speak to you?"

The redhead didn't want to, but she knew she probably should.

"Sure," she told James, standing up off the sofa. "Beat Albus' ass for me, Alice."

Alice smiled and resumed the chess game as James led Azalea up the stairs towards the boys' dorms, stopping only when they were up far enough that no one was going to hear them.

"Right, this has to stop," he told her, facing her but not looking her in the eye.

Azalea scoffed. "What has to stop? Your attitude-?"

"You," James snapped. "You have to stop speaking to me, you have to stop butting in when you're not wanted, you have to stop making comments about me."

Azalea shook her head, biting her lip.

"Okay, but then you have to stop being an arse. Not just to me, but to everyone," she countered, voice quivering.

"Okay," James snapped back, making to leave. "And just so you know, I hope you and Lauri have a really fun night."

"Well, I hope you and Eleanor have an even better one."

James scoffed, his bottom lip curling. He stood with his arms crossed, towering above her as he stared down at her, eyes dark.

"Let's just settle this now," he told her, voice lowering. "Tomorrow night, you stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours."

"Suits me," Azalea bit back, her own voice low, as the boy before her turned on his heel and stomped back down the stairs.

She didn't go after him immediately, however, needing time to cool off.

Okay, it's settled, she thought with a sigh. I'm staying away from James, and he's staying away from me. Tomorrow night's gonna be fine.

She then covered her face with her hands.

So why do I feel so weird about all this?