Restricted | Draco Malfoy

13

I ran into Cedric the next morning after breakfast right outside of the dining hall while my friends and I were going back to the dungeons. My eyes widened when I came to the realization that I would actually have to face him again after Draco escorted me back to the common room last night and left my emotions in a tizzy.

"I'll catch up with you guys later," I told my friends as I walked over towards Cedric who was frantically watching the door to the Great Hall. My three roommates didn't pay me any mind as they walked away without me and left me in the corridor.

"Hey, Ced." I greeted him with a bright and charming smile.

"Hello, darling." He smiled back sweetly.

It was only a Saturday, so I had all the free time in the world. I figured this would be the perfect opportunity for Cedric and I to hangout with one another and do something special. With our classes starting up again soon, our schedules would no longer line up as perfectly and he would start to become really busy with the tournament.

"What are you up to?" I asked him, curious about why he was lingering around in the corridor outside of the Great Hall by himself.

"Actually, now that you asked— I'm looking for Potter. I kind of owe him one because he helped me with the first task, and now I'm trying to return the favor. I feel like it's only fair." He admitted to me.

"Well, that's sweet of you." I said. "But I can't believe you are going to pass along my top secret information to Harry Potter of all people." I faked a scoff and put my hand on my chest, pretending to be hurt. Cedric chuckled at my dramatics, and pulled my hand off of my chest, signaling for me to knock it off.

"Have you seen him around?" He asked, his one eyebrow raising with the question. "I've been standing out here waiting on him to leave breakfast, but I have yet to see him come out." His eyes flashed back to the door over my head.

"I did actually." I assured him, "He left a while ago with Granger, you must have just missed him. I'm sorry," I said giving him a weak smile, knowing he'd now be on a wild goose chase looking for him around the large castle.

"It's okay. I'm sure I'll find him around here somewhere." He started to walk towards the stairs to go find Harry, leaving me where I stood without mentioning anything else. "Oh, wait a minute. What are you going to do today?" He asked me while he scratched the back of his neck. "I wanted to spend time with you, Juliet. I promise that I did. I'm just a little caught up in my own mess of things right now." He frantically let me know while worry took over his face.

"Oh, I was actually going to just relax in my room today. I'm really tired from the ball last night. I can hardly feel my feet this morning." I giggled while I looked down at my black shoes. Images of Draco on the floor in front of me flashed behind my eyes and made my chest go numb.

I only lied to Cedric to make him feel better— but now that my ideas for today had busted, I wondered what I really would do with my free time.

"I could understand that," he laughed along as he glanced towards the floor as well. We stood in an awkward silence for a moment before I finally spoke up to cut through the uncomfortable tension with a knife.

"Well, I guess I should go write a letter to my mother. She'll want to hear all of the details about the ball. Plus, she's probably worried sick because this the first time I haven't been home for the holidays since... ever." I told him, an awkward smile still on my face as I slowly backed away from where we stood.

"Yes, it might be wise to do that then." He winked, and as much as I wished it made me want to do backflips like I would have a few weeks ago— it didn't.