Right About Cedric | | Cedric Diggory

nineteen

I wipe my mascara off my face as it drips down my cheek, and slam shut my book. It's a nice day outside, and there's nobody in the common room. I stand up and go up to my dormitory room, and go through to the bathroom. I wet a washcloth and wipe my face with warm water. I dry off and shrug on a sweater to head outside for some fresh air. I venture down the many moving staircases and out into the main hall. I fight the urge to burst into the great hall and scream at Harry. I exit onto the courtyard and look around for my friends. It's sunny, but still freezing. Students are splayed out on the dewy grass, blankets over their shoulders, enjoying the (most likely) warmest day this winter. 

Seeing all the happiness, love, and friendship amongst the students just made my eyes well up even more. I tear my gaze away from a couple basking in the sunlight and holding each other's hands. I speed up my pace and feel tears spring to my eyes. speed up to a run and turn around the corner of the castle to the quidditch pitch. If possible, there are even more people over here. I can't get away from the joyful emotions of the other students. Above the crowd on the pitch, Fred and George are flying high on their brooms. They look at me and smile, but it just makes the tears come down harder.

I run towards one of the far towers, the Astronomy Tower. It's a well-known spot amongst the students as a place where they can go to have an intimate moment with someone, or, as is in my case, a place to steal away and be alone, in your own thoughts. 

I race up the spiral stairs as fast as my legs will carry me. I reach the top and stop to take a breath. I walk toward the window to sit out on the roof. I got lucky today, as it seems that there is nobody out here. But, as I push up the window sill, I hear calm breathing I could notice anywhere. I poke my eyes out of the window, checking to see if there's anyone out there with them. There's not. I thrust myself through the window and look out over the beautiful school grounds. I hear the person's breathing quicken and, out of the corner of my eye, I see his head snap over to me. I look over, and their head snaps back over. The tousle of brown hair ruffles around as the freckles disappear out of view.  Sitting in silence with him just makes the tears materialize in my eyes. 

"You alright?" The low voice greets me with surprise. I wipe my nose and look over at him sitting next to me. He pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket and hands it to me. His fingers linger on my palm for a moment, and a stingy sensation shoots through my body. I take the handkerchief and wipe my eyes. I hand it back to him with a sniffle. 

"Sorry, I got mascara on i-"

"It's okay,"

He looks into my eyes, and, right as I begin to shift back towards the window to avoid any more awkwardness, he pulls me back by my arm. 

"Just know that, whatever you're going through, it will be alright," I look into his deep grey eyes. "I'm not going to ask, but, just know... you can always come up here for some alone time. No one will be up here, all studying for, you know..." 

"Exams," I finish. He nods. I nod back and climb back through the window. I look back at him and he smiles. "Thanks, Cedric."

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I pop into the Great Hall to grab a sandwich for lunch and say hey to Ginny. I'm practically bouncing up and down on my feet, a new lightness in my step since seeing Cedric. After I take a bite of my sandwich, I race up the stairs to our dormitory. I speed past Hermione in the common room. I flop on my bed, and Hermione bursts through the door.

"What is with you?!" She looks at me intently.

"What do you mean?" I shoot her own look back at her.

"So now your all up with Ron?" She closes her eyes and lets out a breath. "You know that I like him! And then you storm out, and didn't come back!" 

I look at her. "Ok one, I don't like Ron! Were alowwed to be friends, right?" Hermione sits next to me on my bed. "And I stormed out because I don't want Harry thinking that I don't want him," My eyes well up. Hermione strokes my back, and hugs me. 

"I'm telling you, Harry was thinking twice about the situation, and he was down in the common room when you came in. He feels really bad," She looks at me.

"Really?" I bring my eyes to look at her.

"Yes," Hermione's voice gets soft and her eyes have tears appearing in them as well. "You wanna go talk to him?" 

I nod.

We venture down the stairs onto the front lawn, where Harry's splayed out on a blanket with a book. I plop down next to him, and wrap my arms around him from the side and smile. He looks up at me, and smiles back. 

"Hey," I sniff.

"Hi," he says.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by this morning. Ron and I are just friends. We were just playing around, and I hope you know that."

"I do. You know I love you to pieces and know that you didn't mean anything by it. It's just, in the moment, you know..."

"Yeah," I laugh. 

We laugh. I pull out my own book, and start reading next to him. When she doesn't think I'm looking, Hermione slinks out of view. I see her from the corner of my eye, a relaxed look on her face.

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sorry this chapter was really short! please comment on this segment of the chapter telling me what length chapters you guys like, and what should happen next in the story! thanks for reading!