𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐄

Chapter 5

Noughts and Crosses

Cedric's p.o.v.

A minute later, I woke with a jolt to the sound of someone banging rapidly on the door. Opening my eyes I looked toward the window and realized that it was actually morning. I groaned and burrowed further down into my blankets. I could hear the sound of crutches clicking across the floor before a door opened.

"Hi! I'm Aoiffe! I brought you some breakfast. Grammy said it's on the house since you both went through so much yesterday. What's your name?" a high, bell-like voice rang out behind me; how she could possibly speak so much in one breath amazed me.

"Erm.. I'm Draco and that's Cedric. Thank you for breakfast," I heard Draco mumble quietly. With a groan, I sat up and turned towards the door. Draco looked at me sheepishly, an apology on the tip of his tongue.

"Don't worry. I was awake. Thank you for breakfast, Aoiffe," I murmured, flashing a dimpled smile at her. She blushed, but that quickly went away as a mischievous, knowing look popped up in her eyes.

"Now, don't you try charmin' me, Mr. Cedric! I know who you really wanna charm," she said in a sing-song voice. My jaw dropped open in shock.

"H-how?" I squeaked.

She simply chuckled. "Oh, I know things. Just like I know who Draco wants to cha-arm," she sang. "Oh, believe me. You two have more in common then you know, even if you only met just yesterday."

Draco and I stared at her with wide eyes. How could she possibly know that we only met yesterday? We had told Mrs. Swan a story that made it seem as if we had already known each other.

As Aoiffe was opening her mouth to speak again, a hand clamped down over her face. Her sister stood behind her flushed and gasping for breath.

"I'm so sorry. Sometimes Aoiffe tells people things she shouldn't. She always guesses right, but it scares people. Papa doesn't think there's anythin' wrong with her, though," she said in a rush. Turning to Aoiffe she spoke, "Leave their breakfast and come on. We have to tend to the cows."

Aoiffe quickly dropped the tray of food on a dresser near the door before following her sister out of the room. "But, Lauren! Don't ya think they should know who they're gunna love," Aoiffe cried as she followed her sister down the stairs. Draco and I stared at each other, both with wide, panicked eyes. For a moment I wondered why he would be panicked.

"Let's eat, then. It's already eight o'clock," Draco muttered as he hobbled over to his bed. Nodding, I grabbed the tray and place it across from him. I sat down on the other side of the tray, facing him. Refusing to meet his eyes I grabbed a jam covered roll, shoving it viciously into my mouth. I heard Draco laugh and assumed he has seen my display of terrible manners. "You eat like a pig, Cedric."

"I do not!...okay maybe I do. But not normally! This is just because I've been eating that rubbish they serve at Hogwarts for months."

"I have too, but I'm not eating like that," he laughed. I shook my head at him before making a purposeful display of my manners, cutting into my eggs and slowly eating. As I ate I gave him an angelic smile.

"See, I have manners. I use them all the time at home." He just chuckled quietly as he continued to eat. We ate in silence for a while before I remembered what he had muttered last night. "Draco, what are you gunna do now that you're technically a blood-traitor? Won't your family miss you?"

I watched as he stilled, toast halfway to his mouth. He slowly dropped it down to his plate, seemingly contemplating how to answer. "Um.. I don't have any family to miss me. My mother and father have been taken to Azkaban about a month ago. I... I joined the death-eaters because it was what my father wanted from me. I didn't really want to do it. I guess," he paused for a moment, trying to hold back his tears.