Messy Ties and Loose Ends {HP}

Chapter 43; Working Out

"Allison!" Ralph's voice booms over my aching head.

I open my eyes to see the boys' room, and I'm in a bed. I quickly turn around to see if Cedric is next to me and breathe out a sigh of relief as I see he's not. Then I peek over the edge of the bed to see Cedric. Fully asleep in a blanket with one pillow on the floor. I kicked him out of his bed and I feel terrible. How I did this I'm not really sure. I reach down and tap him on the shoulder.

He groans and the blanket slips revealing his toned arms.

"Wake him up!" Ralph whispers.

Ralph's standing in shorts and a Hufflepuff tank top. He's also tapping his foot which looks so funny. I tap Ced's arm again from my comfortable spot on his bed.

"Ally," He slurs in a half-awake state.

"Yeah it's me. Wake up we've got to go work out," I groan as I get out of bed.

I look down to see myself in a baggy Slytherin hoodie? I bring the jacket up to my nose and sniff, it smelled exactly like Draco. Last night is kind of a blurred haze. I stand up to see the hoodie fall to my thighs. I chuckle.

"Can I borrow a shirt?" I point the question at the ever so ready Ralph.

He throws the pre-prepared shirt and shorts that were laying on his bed at me. I smile and walk into their bathroom. I grab Ced's deodorant and glob it on. I see if there are any hair ties, anything to hold up my mess of hair that I didn't get to take care of last night. Luckily all the boys in this dorm are attractive and get scrunchies and such from girls all the time. (what? it's the 90's) I grab a black one and put up my hair. Then I inspect this foreign hoodie. I slowly take it off to reveal my vest and shirt from last night still intact. I take both off and throw on the red t-shirt Ralph had given me. It's baggy but it'll work and then I pull off my skirt and pull on these baggy orange shorts. I laugh as I tie the drawstring as tight as it can possibly go.

The door opens suddenly. I look to see a scruffy-haired Ced, barely awake, entering. He looks at me for a second then finds a place in front of the huge mirror. I watch him as he pulls on a tight athletic shirt that shows off all that his exercise has built. The muscles, the prominent abs, and his happy trail is apparent as his boxers sit low on his waist.

I look away, knowing I've already ogled too much as is. I scrape my clothes together and head out. I place my clothes down on Ced's empty bed as I rush to make it before he comes out.

"Well don't you look splendid," I hear Ernest MacMillan say from in between the covers of his bed.

"Why thank you! I was going for the face of the Sun look," I smile at the blonde-haired boy.

"Don't bite the hand that feeds you," Ralph warns from near the doorway, ever the impatient.

"Have fun Allison," Ernest smilies then turns back over, presumably to get more rest.

My head aches for more rest but I gave that up when I decided Ralph and Cedric were going to be my best friends. Cedric finally comes out of the bathroom. He stretches his arms upwards and yawns, bringing his shirt up to expose everything I had scorned myself about looking at earlier.

"Let's go then?" Ralph opens the door hastily and we head out.

We make it to the greenhouse relatively unnoticed besides by other exercise fanatics.

"Alrighty! We're starting with a run from here to Hagrid's hut," Ralph bellows out at us.

Past the Whomping Willow, of course, gotta make it interesting I guess. And Cedric's already running. I start running to catch up, as does Ralph.

Panting like a dog, I finally reach the Hut. As we all sit to take a quick rest we hear deafening snores coming from the tiny house.

Ralph snickers as he stands back up. I sigh loudly, no clue what's in store for our Triwizard champion training. Usually, Ralph would make us do push-ups, jumping jacks, and a couple of laps around the quidditch field but this run was more work than all of those combined.

"Please just a minute longer," I beg Ralph from the comfortable ground.

"That gives me an idea. Ced pick her up," Ralph smirks.

"What? No!" I protest.

"Why?" Cedric asks as he eyes my body, probably seeing if he'll be able to.

"Just do it," Ralph says as he starts walking towards the open area uphill.

Cedric stands and grabs my hand. I let him pull me up and then his hand grips my waist while his other secures my legs. I get a little scared he might collapse or drop me but he steadies out perfectly.

Now at the top of the hill Ralph shouts down to us.
"Squat walk up here!"

"Oh fuck no," I whisper under my breath and quickly try to exit Ced's grip.

No offense to him but that doesn't seem like the best idea. Just as I'm wiggling out, Cedric secures me closer to his chest and starts forward squats. I hear him laugh under his breath. I just clutch onto his neck and hope we don't fall.

Cedric makes it to the top but not without difficulty, honestly thought we were goners for a minute or two. He places me down and straightens out my big shirt. Cedric gives me a smile.

Ralph stood with his hands on his hips like an obnoxious dictator.

"Now Ally! Pick him up and squat down!" I feel my head go faint at the words and then a prickle of oncoming tears hits my eyes.

"Kidding! But do lay down, we're going to do sit-ups and such," Ralph laughs at me as he sits.

Cedric rubs my shoulder. I just know his arms and legs are on fire. I lay down on my back in the nice green grass, still got a bit of a dew that feels nice on my skin.

"30 sit-ups! Then 20 push-ups! Then 10 jumping jacks!" Ralph yells out at us while I ponder who put him in charge of the scheduling of this.

My core starts to tighten around sit up number 16.
My arms start to burn around push up number 10.
My legs start giving out around jumping jack number 7.

I know they're used to this strain but man, this mixed with a hangover is not great. We all start walking back to the castle just as campus starts to awaken. Cedric pulls me under his sweaty arm and I bat him away with a laugh.

"Get used to it Ally, every day till the end of this thing," Ced smiles at me.

"I think you actually have to take rest days in order for you not to die of overload," I laugh.

Cedric and Ralph exchange a disbelieving look and laugh as well.