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chapter nineteen | pink lady

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"WHAT IS IT with fucking girls? They think shop assistants are their friends! They're not, you just met them, and they're trying to sell you stuff,"

Jaeden and Milo were both grumpily slouching in chairs in the corner of the shop, watching Kaya talking to a shop assistant as she tried to decide between two different pairs of boots.

"How long does it bloody take to pick a pair of boots," Milo groaned.

"They don't even look different," Jaeden said, practically scowling at the girl. "They look exactly the same,"

"You two look chirpy,"

The twins and Lee must've seen Jaeden and Milo in the window, for they'd entered the shop to come over and speak to them.

"Are you three just in ten different places at once?" asked Milo. "Literally, you're everywhere."

"No, Fred's just a stalker and we have to follow him," said George, turning and nodding to the brunette girl still deciding between her boots. Fred kicked his twin.

"What is she doing?" asked Lee, pulling a face.

"She can't decide between a pair of boots that look exactly the same," said Jaeden, clearly fed up of waiting.

"This is all your fault, Jae," Milo told him.

"How?" Fred asked with interest.

"They had a fight buying dress robes before the ball - yes, a physical fight-"

"It happens a lot," Jaeden added, after noticing the three boys' faces becoming even more bewildered.

"Jaeden took off her boot and threw it to the other side of the shop, and it got caught on something and ended up with a hole in it, so now she needs a new pair," said Milo.

The three laughed.

"That's karma, Jae," said Fred with a grin.

They continued to chat until Kaya had finally picked a pair of boots, and walked back over to them, holding a paper bag with her purchase inside.

"You two look happy," she told Milo and Jaeden, before greeting the other three with a smile. "Alright, boys?"

"How did deciding between those boots take so long?!" Jaeden complained, he and Milo standing up and the group exiting the shop.

"Yeah, K," said Milo. "They looked exactly the same,"

"That's because they were the same," said Kaya, calmly. "I had to choose between two sizes,"

Jaeden looked like his head was about to explode.

"All that for a size? You took twenty minutes deciding what size to pick?"

Fred, George and Lee sniggered.

"I have narrow feet!" said Kaya. "It takes a while, not many sizes fit very well,"

"Oh my god," Jaeden grumbled.

"Please never break her shoes again," Milo begged Jaeden, who shook his head.

"Never again,"

Kaya laughed, a mischievous grin on her face.

"That's karma for you, Jae," she said. Fred's face lightened up.

"I said that!" He beamed, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Great minds think alike, eh, Bennett?"

"Indeed, Weasley,"

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The boys ended up dragging Kaya to a joke shop called 'Zonko's' which she didn't actually mind since pranks were quite entertaining, as long as they weren't aimed at her.

They spent a while there, and Kaya didn't end up buying anything. Fred and George would continuously look and examine different products and take notes, whilst Jaeden, Milo and Lee would jokingly try and test different pranks out on each other - the twins obviously joining in every now and again - they couldn't help themselves. Kaya floated between the lot of them.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so concentrated," she said, as she watched Fred standing in front of a weird product she didn't understand and take some notes. He flashed her a smile.

"Or ever take notes," she added. "This must be important,"

"We're only getting ideas on promoting or selling products!" he replied. "It's all business, love,"

"Mhm," she said, with a grin. "I never would've seen you as a business man, but a business man for pranks... that's another story,"

"Yeah, well, I never would've seen you as a singer until you actually sang-"

"-Oh, shut up!" she giggled. "I'm not being a singer,"

"Yes you are,"

"Am not,"

"Alright, well when your music will be played everyday on the 'Wizarding Wireless Network' and you'll be having many sold out concerts, I'll be the one in the front row shouting 'I told you so'."

"I highly doubt any of that will happen,"

"It won't unless you believe it will,"

"Thanks for the lovely speech, Freddie," she teased. "You ever thought about being an inspirational speaker?"

"I am an inspirational speaker. I'd make you pay me, but because it's you, I'll let you off," he added with a wink.

"I'll keep that in mind,"

Fred smiled, before he paused and stopped taking notes on whatever product he was looking at.

"Mind you," he said. "I dunno how we're gonna set up this shop. We will, but I don't really know how, at the moment,"

"Why?" Kaya asked. He froze for a second, his face a little more uneasy after Kaya had asked for his reason.

"I... well- we don't have that much money..."

"And?" said Kaya. Her tone in voice hadn't even changed - Fred was quite surprised, his face lightening up a little.

"Well, we need money to make it all," he said. "The shop, the products, all of it,"

"You'll find it," said Kaya. "Trust me, money won't be a problem for you your whole life,"

He shook his head with a grin.

"Who's the inspirational speaker, now?"

Kaya smiled and looked down.

"Two things I've learned about you, today," he said. "You're optimistic about everything but yourself,"

She grinned, before frowning a little.

"What's the second thing?"

"You laugh like you're being tickled,"

"Great," she said with a chortle.

"You actually do though - I thought I was just really funny at first, because I noticed it when we were in detention. But turns out, it's your natural laugh,"

"Charming," she said. "Now I'm gonna have to change my laugh,"

"No!" he said, quickly. "Your laugh's great,"

George appeared from around the corner and interrupted the two, as he held a pack of dungbombs.

"You lot should help us do a prank, Kaya," he said. "Or watch, at least,"

"You should," Fred agreed. "Perhaps later, tonight?"

"As much as I would love to," Kaya replied. "I can't. Not tonight, anyway, I'm on duty,"

"Huh?" George frowned.

"Kaya's a prefect," Fred told him.

"Oh!" he said, raising his eyebrows in surprise, before they furrowed yet again. "Really? Why?"

"She likes it in the bath," Fred said. Kaya snorted, and George raised one eyebrow.

"What?" he said.

"Well, the Prefect's one is the nicest bath, isn't it?" said Fred casually. Kaya's lips curved upwards, realising how Fred was unknowingly making it sound, and George's eyes widened a little.

"You're telling me... what the fuck?!"

"Not like that!" The brunette blurted out. "No, no, I literally told him that's why I wanted to be prefect, because of the bathroom. For fuck's sake," she added, breaking into a fit of giggles - which apparently sounded like she was being tickled.

George sighed, putting his hand to his forehead and shaking his head.

"Oh my god," he said. "I was gonna say-"

There was a pause in which Fred frowned, blinking a few times - he was quite behind. George and Kaya watched him try to figure it out, until they both glanced at each other and decided to walk off, leaving him to it. He was taking a while.

"Oh!" he said, his face becoming panicked, now following to catch up with the two. "No, I didn't mean it like that, she just told me that's why-"

"Yeah, you're about two minutes late, Weasley,"

"Right," he said slowly, as they reached the till.

Nobody spoke whilst George payed for his dungbombs, the three still wondering how to recover from the previous conversation. Milo walked over and noticed the awkward silence immediately.

"I'm not sure what I've just interrupted..." he said. "But are you three ready? We've bought our stuff," he nodded to Jaeden and Lee waiting for them at the door.

"Yeah," said George. "I just need to pay for these, I'll meet you outside,"

After finishing at Zonko's, and searching Hogsmeade one last time in case they could catch a glimpse of Maisie's date, the group headed back to school. Jaeden and Milo pestered Fred the whole way, teasing and begging him to ask Kaya out.

Kaya obviously felt the need to remove herself from the conversation and so joined Lee and George in whatever they were talking about.

They reached Hogwarts and separated. Kaya needed to find Cedric to go on duty, and the boys were... doing whatever it was they were doing. 'Being boys' as Kaya would phrase it.

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Winter had turned to spring, which was soon coming to an end. It was a particularly hot day and the gleaming sun sent a heatwave over Hogwarts, many students leaving their cloaks and school jumpers in their common room, for there was no need to wear them in the humid weather.

"Guess who's birthday is soon!" Kaya said with a chirpy tone, as she sat down with her friends outside, enjoying the sun.

"No idea," said Jaeden.

"Couldn't have a clue," Milo added.

"Ha, ha," said Kaya sarcastically. "I highly doubt you'd all forget the birthday of someone as amazing as me,"

"I'm just saying," Maisie turned to Jae. "I'm glad Fred and George's birthday has ended,"

"Oh god, the horror,"

Fred and George liked to have a little tradition on their birthday, especially since it was April Fool's day, where they'd attempt, and usually succeed, to pull off a prank every hour of the day (apart from when they were sleeping). It was a living hell for everyone at Hogwarts - the whole day was filled with stress, wondering who'd be pranked next.

Jaeden was one of the first victims, having walked into a very harsh dungbomb attack and having to smell for the whole morning until he had chance to go and shower. Milo took great advantage of this and teased him whenever he could - one time being him coming out of the toilets, Milo about to go in, when he said,

"Merlin's beard, Jae! The fuck have you done in there?!" he'd bellowed loudly, wafting his arm about to get rid of the smell. "Have you been eating cat food again?!"

"Milo..." Jaeden muttered, as a few students passed and shot them both weird looks. Kaya and Maisie broke into a fit of giggles.

"Oh, god!" Milo exaggerated. "I can taste it,"

Kaya and Maisie were gasping for air after laughing so hard.

Near the end of the day, Kaya turned out to be the second victim in her friendship group of the twins' day of pranks. Although, thankfully, hers wasn't nearly as harsh as Jae's.

She'd been walking to the Great Hall for tea after just finishing her homework in the library, when she was hit on the head with some kind of dusty object, which dissolved once it had hit her. She'd frowned, and looked around, until she caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the window.

Her entire head of hair had been turned pink.

Fred and George jumped out from a hiding place, proud grins on their faces at managing to prank her.

"Comedy kings," she'd said sarcastically, turning herself in front of the window as though it was a mirror. "I have to say, you were pretty generous,"

"We thought we'd be nice," said George. "Didn't want to piss you off too much, it might stop you and Fred getting it-"

Fred elbowed his twin in the stomach. Kaya ignored his statement, still examining her hair.

"I reckon I pull it off," Kaya grinned, just to spite them.

"Hmm," said Fred, who'd looked down at her with an expression that told her he completely agreed.

"Thanks, boys!"

And she'd sauntered off to the Great Hall, receiving a few stares from people as she walked to her friends - although, the twins following shortly after explained it all.

"You look like Frenchy," said Maisie, as Kaya sat down.

"I'll take that as a compliment,"

"That is not fair!" Jaeden said loudly. "I had to stink of shit and Kaya gets pink hair - favouritism, right there,"

"I dunno what you expect," said Milo. "Fred's got a crush on her, not you,"

"Yeah, whatever,"

Much to Maisie and Milo's delight, they'd manage to dodge the Weasley twins' pranking spree, and ended the day victorious. Kaya's hair had gone back to normal by the next day, although it kept a little pink tinge which disappeared throughout the next twenty four hours.

"I'm not smart enough or brutal enough to do that for my birthday," said Kaya, after they'd finished recalling the twins' birthday.

"We know," said Maisie. "You're lucky, though, because your birthday's in May, so it's all sunny and nice and you can go outside. We had to stay in for mine, back in February, because it was raining,"

"It was still good, though," said Kaya.

"Yeah, but it would've been even better if the sun had been shining,"

The two girls were lying down at this point, soaking up every bit of the sun they could. Milo was reading, and Jaeden was picking grass and throwing it on his friends who cursed him as he did so.

A hot day was probably one of their favourite things, and as they chatted, the topic of conversation soon changed to the third task, what it could be, who would end up winning - Maisie and Kaya obviously stating Cedric would win without any hesitation.

But, it wasn't long until they'd find out the results, for the third task really wasn't far away, now.