a rose by any other name

chapter forty ❃ perfectly innocent

I was woken up by a loud knock on Pansy and I's dorm. Pansy groaned and I sleepily buried my head in my pillows, "Go away! It's Saturday don't you sleep in?" Pansy shouted and then turned over. There was another loud knock but this time someone shouted through the door, "Parisa, open this door right now!" I sat up startled when I recognised it as Cedric's voice. What was he doing? How had he got into the Slytherin common room? Why was he angry? Why did he sound like he was crying? "Ris, I'd answer the door to whoever that is before I kill them." She said raising her voice slightly as she finished so he would hear it. I quickly got up, suddenly feeling awake and even more worried than I did when I went to sleep. When I opened the door, I was hit with a mixture of pain and confusion, Cedric was staring down at me with a tear-stained face. He looked like he wanted to ball his eyes out and scream his head of all at once, I forgot where we were and who was sleeping in the bed behind me and moved towards him, "Cedric oh my god, is everything okay? What's wrong?" I said, reaching out to him but he took a step away from me. I looked at him even more confused and he gulped, "Do you want to know where I've been all night?" He said angrily and I nodded, "My father... Parisa. Parisa your father he-" He stopped, unsure of what to say and my blood boiled, "What. Did. He. Do. Oh, I swear I'm going to kill him." I said walking back into my dorm and sitting on my bed. This was like my worst nightmare, no this literally was my worst nightmare.

"Wait your dad? What about your dad?" I asked realising what he'd said, and Cedric winced... he wouldn't. Would he? "He's- He's d-dead Parisa. Your father killed him!" Cedric shouted his voice breaking as he turned away from me. I slowly stood up and made my way over to him, "Wait... he- no, he-" I stuttered, I gently touched Cedric on the shoulder to comfort him but he flinched away from me, "Don't- Don't touch me." He said turning to face me whilst stepping back. I looked at him confused and my eyes glazed over.

"I... This is your fault! Your father killed mine just to get back at you. How could you let this happen?" He shouted and I shook my head, "Cedric, I- I thought he was going to scare me or something. I never imagined he could..." Cedric shook his head and laughed grimly, "Kill someone? Kill someone so perfectly innocent? Well he did, what did you expect?... Parisa he's a Death Eater... he's evil. All Death Eaters are." He said glaring down at me and his hidden meaning stabbed at my chest. "We're- Parisa we're over! I- I never want to see you again, don't try to speak to me, don't look at me... don't even think about me. Just forget about me. This," He pointed between him and I, "Whatever this was... is over." He sobbed slightly then, trying to cover it up, "I didn't even get to say goodbye! And Snape won't even let me go home to see him! It's your fault he's making me stay... this is all your fault!" He shouted and I sobbed, "Cedric please I- You know I would have stopped him if I could... if I knew." I cried but he just rolled his eyes, "I don't know why I ever tried to understand you. I never should have let you kiss me even that first time."

Draco appeared from behind him and looked slightly out of breath, obviously having ran up the stairs to our dorm. "What is going on? Diggory what are you doing in here?" He spat and Cedric turned to face him. "She can tell you. Make sure she stays away from me Malfoy." He said and he walked out the door taking one last disgusted look at me before leaving, I ran to the door and grabbed his hand, but he pulled it away. The ring that matched my necklace was gone. "Cedric please." I sobbed running down the stairs after him, but Draco pulled me back, holding me tight, "Parisa, let him go. He's too angry right now." I gave up and just collapsed into him sobbing as Pansy came over to help him lead me to my bed "Parisa... I would kill you right now for being with Diggory of all people but that can wait... Ris this isn't your fault." She said and I cried harder. It was my fault... I should have known he would do something like this. Cedric was safe the whole time... he wouldn't kill Cedric no that would be too easy, he would break both our hearts. He knew how Cedric would react... anyone would act that way.