Messy Ties and Loose Ends {HP}

Chapter 4; Metaphorical Boners

"I'm just saying if you just told me you would've been late, I would've waited for you," Cedric stares at his untouched breakfast.

He's sitting next to me though not as close as usual. We're sitting with Elizabeth and Ralph at the far end of the Hufflepuff table. Breakfast is magnificent but we've been arguing about yesterday since I got here.

"How? How would I have communicated that when you were already down here Ced?" My voice raises in the slightest because I'm tired of him.

"Just drop it! You guys are seriously ruining my first morning," Ralph growls from beside Cedric.

My head dips as I feel a wave of emotional exhaustion hit me. Already. Thanks Cedric. I get up to leave and Cedric grabs my arm. I look down to see him raise his head with a fraction of a smile. His apology. I sit back down and Cedric moves just the tiniest bit closer to me, a detail nobody noticed except for us. He raises his lips to my ear and brushes my hair out of my face.

"I'm sorry, forgive me?"

The blush rises to my cheeks fast, his face is so close to mine and his fingers are playing tenderly with the strand of hair he moved. He must know what he's doing. He breathes softly into my ear and chuckles lightly as he pulls away.

How annoyingly erotic of him, I need to leave. I grab my bag from next to me. Ralph waves to me as he stuffs his face and Elizabeth nods knowingly while sipping her coffee. I rise and say my goodbyes and promise to see my older friends for lunch. Cedric doesn't look up from his breakfast, maybe he has a real boner to match my metaphorical one. One can only hope.

I walk down the Great Hall to see the Draco also getting up and walking towards the same exit.

I quickly head out of the door and down the hall towards my Potions Yr. 4 class. I can hear his footsteps behind me. I enter the classroom and nod at Professor Snape, I've always respected him and he's always been kind to me. Of course, you won't hear that from my Housemates. They believe he's the evil of the earth. I'm not sure why, but every year they've accused him of something to do with the Dark Lord.

The class is basically empty since most are dallying at breakfast so I take a seat at a table in the middle of the classroom. Draco finds himself comfortable in the seat next to me.

"Where are your cronies?"

"Crabbe and Goyle? God knows where those dunderheads are, didn't see them at breakfast," He pushes his hair out of his face as he strives to make eye contact.

Yes, he was sitting with his ever-present admirer Pansy Parkinson and some ugly little second years. That observation isn't house-ist either, just true. Probably children of Death-Eaters drawn to Draco considering his father's status.

"That would explain why you smell better than usual,"

"They do tend to stink up the place ey?"

I roll my eyes and Draco shuts down. I hear him whisper under his breath.

"Rude little halfblood,"

"What was that Malfoy?" I turn myself in my seat to catch his face waver for just a second, then he regained his composure.

"You heard me," He sneers at me and anger bubbles up.

I turn to see Harry Potter and Ron Weasley enter the classroom and sit in the absolute back of the classroom, maybe it's time to get to know the golden boy. I gather my books and head towards the back of the class feeling Malfoy's stare on my back.

"I was wondering if I could sit here?" I ask him politely as I can considering the anger I'm hiding.

He flashes me a smile and pulls the seat out for me.

"Of course, was Draco too much for you already?" He shakes his head while keeping the same smile.

"How'd you guess?" I smile warmly towards him and the professor calls the class to order.

As a class of introductions to potions comes to a close I find Draco turning to make eye contact with me. His eyes seem to say nothing and I turn my attention towards Harry and Ron.

"So where's Hermione?" I have been wondering this since they walked in.

"She has some 6th year class this period so she picks up notes from us," Ron looks excited to be talking about her.

"You're Allison, right? The girl that lives in Hufflepuff?" Harry asks with a twisted expression as if he really had to think about that one.

"Yes that's me, no friends in Gryffindor so I usually hang out in Hufflepuff," I force a laugh to come out to make it look as if I was joking.

"That's quite sad, you can be friends with us!" Ron leans over and extends his hand.

"I'm Ron Weasley! And this is, in case you didn't know, is Harry Potter himself," I reach to shake Ron's hand as I stifle an actual laugh.

Ron catches my smile and grins so wide I think his face might hurt. Harry's caught in the infectious atmosphere and quickly reaches to shake my hand as well. I smile and shake hands with The Boy Who Lived. We all laugh and Snape turns his head in our direction, we wipe our faces clean of any emotion.

The period finally ends and I wave goodbye to my new friends. They smile and wave as they head in the opposite direction, I have Herbology next and I think they're going to visit Professor Hagrid for Care of Magical Creatures. I can feel a pair of eyes trained on me, I keep walking for a bit then I turn down an empty corridor. I turn around only to see Cedric following me. He sees me and tries to avoid me but I catch him. I grab his shoulder and turn him towards me. He has a guilty grin. One that makes my heart flutter a few beats.

"Fine fine you caught me," He's laughing with his head down and I don't know something about it is absolutely adorable.

"Why are you following me? Don't you have a class to get to?"

"I just wanted to scare you a bit, but you're too sharp. I couldn't even get you,"

"Cedric just go to class," I start to play push him back into the crowded hall.

"Bye beautiful," His hand quickly brushed against my cheek.

Cedric's eyes scan across the hall and he smirks as he walks off.

I see Draco. I roll my eyes tiredly as he motions towards me.

"What do you want? Was harassing me last period not enough?" I sound annoyed although I'm really rather tired and longing for a nap.

"So you and Cedric? How long has that been going on?" He gives me a grin.

"Yeah right. He's like an older brother. Plus he's got tons of other girls to date."

"Aw if he found out that's how you think of him, I'm sure it would break his little heart."

"Oh shut up already," I walk away and mull over my thoughts.

Did Cedric really find me attractive in that way? And if so, why was he making it so blatantly obvious? I head to herbology with a clouded mind.