Messy Ties and Loose Ends {HP}

Chapter 3; Tensions on the Rise

Dinner had gone off mostly good, the announcement of the Goblet and the Tournament happened. I'm not too sure how I feel about that. I walk up to McGonagall after dinner and ask her if I can go to Hufflepuff, she says yes but reminds me curfew is in 3 hours. I rush back to the Hufflepuffs walking to their dorms. I catch up with Cedric rather quickly.

"Hi," Is all he says, his smile saying the rest, his arm finds its new resting place on my shoulders and I fall into step with him.

When we finally sit down all of Cedric's friends are laughing about me being last to dinner, saying how if I wasn't here so often I could've saved myself the embarrassment.

Most people have a lot of close friends in their house, but that's just not how my house panned out. My entire first year I spent as much time with Cedric as possible, he was the only person I knew, his friends became my friends and Elizabeth became my best friend. It's annoying for actual members of this house for me to be here so often but I feel much more at home. Professor Sprout has always treated me like one of her own, which makes it all better.

While sitting on the couch that we claim basically every year, I lean my head into Cedric and he doesn't show any physical discomfort so I leave it. Then Elizabeth asks about Draco.

"I mean what even was that? You guys aren't even friends? Why was he walking with you?" Elizabeth looks over at me and leans her head to be at eye level. I roll my eyes.

"I just opened the door and he was there and offered to be late with me since being late together is better than being late alone," I shrug slightly

"He's got a point, if I was the last person I'd much rather have someone with me being late," Ralph chimes in from the floor.

"I just feel like people are going to talk about it," I say.

"Eh, we'll see," Elizabeth winks at me and I give her a half-hearted smile.

"It was weird seeing you two together Ally, I didn't like the way he kept his eyes on you all day," Cedric grimacing towards a corner, avoiding my curious eyes.

"All day? I'm sure it wasn't like that," I smile at him and he looks down towards me and changes his aggressive tone to passive.

"It was," That's all he says before he gets up and leaves towards the dorms.

" Where are you going? Are you kidding me? What did I even do?" I shout after him.

He doesn't even turn around to reply. Ralph follows him and turns to smile and shrug as if that makes up for Cedric's rudeness.

Elizabeth comes up from behind and puts her hands on my shoulders.

"Boys are weird, don't take it to heart, go get some rest and we'll talk at breakfast in the morning,"

I turn around and hug her. It's so nice to see her again, I got a letter almost every week from her and it's always a fun time talking to her. I let her go and she smiles as I leave. I say a quick goodnight to Professor Sprout and leave the commons.

I lean against the wall and just take a moment for myself, I take a deep breathe as I tell myself to remember I'm not responsible for Cedric's emotions.

On my way up the stairs to Gryffindor I see Crabbe and Draco on a lower level, talking, but Draco's eye catches mine while I'm looking at them. I quickly turn away and towards the portrait, very embarrassed.